NZXT Lift Elite Wireless review: Premium features at a budget price

The best gaming mice don’t always come cheap, but the NZXT Lift Elite Wireless offers a budget solution for those who want premium features. Costing just under $80, this is a powerful mouse, boasting 8,000Hz polling and 26,000 DPI for competitive gaming. It’s extremely comfortable for long periods of time, and user-friendly companion software makes customization a cinch.

But it suffers from a very common problem, like other gaming mice: there’s no left-handed version. Also, while it’s wireless, there’s no Bluetooth connectivity, and the oversized side buttons may lead to misclicks.

For the complete breakdown, read my full NZXT Lift Elite Wireless review.

NZXT Lift Elite Wireless review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A wireless gaming mouse boasting 8K polling and max 26,000 DPI
• Who is it for? For gamers who want a premium mouse at a non-premium price
• How much does it cost? The NZXT Lift Elite Wireless is available for $79 / £74
• What do we like? It’s lightweight but sturdy, features 8,000Hz polling and a max DPI of 26,000, making it great for gaming, and the companion software is very user-friendly
• What don’t we like? There’s no left-handed version, the oversized side buttons lead to misclicks and there’s no Bluetooth

NZXT Lift Elite Wireless review: Specs

NZXT Lift Elite Wireless review: The ups

From its lightweight yet sturdy body to its 8,000Hz polling and 26,000 DPI, the NZXT Lift Elite Wireless is a powerful rodent.

Lightweight yet sturdy

Many gaming brands utilize honeycomb or perforated designs to scrape some weight off gaming mice. I often describe these designs as divisive because they aren’t everyone’s cup of tea — especially if you’re trypophobic.

Good news is that the NZXT Lift Elite Wireless sports a traditional, full-bodied design, but that doesn’t make it heavy. The mouse weighs 2.01oz, which is actually lighter than the perforated Keychron M3 Mini 4K Metal (2.25oz, $99) and the SteelSeries Aerox 5 (2.6oz, $139).

But its lightweight design doesn’t deter from its sturdiness. The Lift Elite Wireless’ plastic chassis feels solid. I didn’t hear any creaking (or squeaking, since it’s a mouse) when I squeezed it as hard as I could, so it should stand the test of time.

Comfortable for long periods

The NZXT Lift Elite Wireless measures 4.68 x 2.39 x 1.51 inches, so it may be slightly small for those with bigger hands. As someone with medium-sized hands, I found the mouse extremely comfortable to hold and use, even for long periods of gaming and working. I’d recommend a longer mouse if you have bigger hands, like the Keychron M7 ($49).

I also appreciate that NZXT doesn’t call this mouse “ergonomic” (as there’s no thumb rest), unlike some brands (looking at you, Cherry XTRFY M50 Wireless).

NZXT says that both the claw and fingertip grip should work fine with this mouse, and they both do. I’m more of a palm grip gal and found that comfortable, too. The left- and right-click buttons are wide enough for your fingers to splay as much as you want. If you want an even better grip, two pieces of grip tape are included in the box. Hundreds of small bumps on the textured sides help you grip the mouse better, too.

Great for gaming

The NZXT Lift Elite Wireless can handle any game you can think of, whether that’s an open-world RPG or an FPS title. The mouse utilizes PixArt PAW3395 sensor to deliver a maximum of 26,000 DPI and either 4,000Hz (2.4G) or 8,000Hz polling, making it a powerful mouse for competitive gaming. I tested the mouse by playing games at both 4,000Hz and 8,000Hz polling, and not once did I notice any input lag or missed inputs.

If you want an even higher DPI, like 32,000, the Cooler Master MM720 ($46) may be more your speed. 26,000 DPI is still excellent for ultra-responsive gameplay. To swap between different DPI values, simply click the bright purple button on the mouse’s underside. You can also customize the five assigned values via NZXT CAM (more on that in a second).

I really appreciate being able to adjust the DPI on the fly, as the absence of one was one of my primary criticisms of the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 ($159). I used the DPI button a lot in Counter-Strike 2 and Hitman. I set the DPI to 10,000 when I was in close-quarters combat in the latter. I was able to chop down enemies easily and quickly with my knife, even when I was surrounded by several of them — overwhelmed, even. But the Lift Elite Wireless made quick work of it.

When I needed to execute precise headshots in the games, I swapped to a low DPI of 400. I have naturally shaky hands, and wielding a sniper rifle and aiming at an enemy’s head in Counter-Strike 2 requires steadiness. Using such a low DPI ensured that my movements were extremely precise. I was able to line up shots perfectly and with ease.

I also like the textured scroll wheel with its spacious gaps, which makes going through busy weapon inventories easy. It takes some effort to press the clickable scroll wheel, which I appreciate, as that means you won’t accidentally click it without meaning to.

User-friendly companion software

You’ll need to download NZXT CAM on your Windows machine to customize the NZXT Lift Elite Wireless mouse. I recently used it to customize the NZXT Function Elite MiniTKL ($199) keyboard, and I found the software extremely clean and intuitive to use. Like I mentioned earlier, this is where you can adjust the five DPI values.

You can also remap four of the six buttons, record macros, choose one of six polling rates, and adjust the lift-off height. There are also five customizable profiles that you can save to the Lift Elite Wireless’ onboard memory.

Competitively priced

The NZXT Lift Elite Wireless can be best described as a midrange mouse, retailing for $79 / £74 at Amazon, and we’ve also seen it drop to $59 in the past. It offers the aforementioned powerful features at a competitive price, especially if you can’t afford pricier rodents, like the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 or the Razer Viper V3 ($159). The Lift Elite Wireless is priced similarly to the Cherry XTRFY M50 Wireless ($69) and the Fantech Aria XD7 ($78).

When we reviewed the Fnatic x Lamzu Maya 8K ($119), we noted that, at the time of writing, it was the cheapest 8K mouse available on the market. Well, Fnatic’s offering has just been dethroned by NZXT’s — now, the Lift Elite Wireless is the cheapest way to get 8,000Hz polling.

NZXT Lift Elite Wireless review: The downs

There isn’t a lot wrong with the NZXT Lift Elite Wireless, but there’s no left-handed version, the oversized side buttons lead to misclicks, and there’s no Bluetooth connectivity.

No left-handed version

My left-handed comrades are left out once again. The NZXT Lift Elite Wireless is suitable for right-handed folks because of the placement of the side buttons, but there’s no left-handed version — much like nearly every other gaming mouse I’ve tested. Of course, lefties can still try using this mouse, but I can’t imagine it would be very comfortable.

If you do want a left-handed gaming mouse, I’d recommend an ambidextrous mouse, like the Roccat Kova Aimo ($50), the Corsair M55 RGB Pro ($40) or the BenQ Zowie FK1 ($69). Unfortunately, there aren’t many options to choose from.

Oversized side buttons

There are two buttons located along the NZXT Lift Elite Wireless’ left edge, and I found them easy to reach with my thumb. But what’s a little frustrating is that the buttons are quite big and sensitive, so I kept clicking them unintentionally.

For instance, I had remapped one of the side buttons to throw a grenade in Counter-Strike 2 — and guess what happened when I very unintentionally clicked it while in hiding? I gave away my position and my character instantly got shot down by enemies.

This also happened while working, where clicking the buttons navigated to either the next or previous browser page, breaking my flow of work.

No Bluetooth

The NZXT Lift Elite Wireless sacrifices Bluetooth connectivity to retain an active 2.4GHz channel and a USB-C port for wired play. This may be frustrating for some players who want to use the mouse on the go or while traveling — especially because you can’t slot the dongle into the mouse so you must remember to keep it safe.

If you want Bluetooth connectivity, the Glorious Model O 2 ($99), the Redragon M916 Pro ($44) and the Fnatic x Lamzu Maya 8K are fantastic alternatives. All three are extremely lightweight — lighter than the Lift Elite Wireless, actually — and boast powerful specs for both casual and competitive gaming.

NZXT Lift Elite Wireless review: Verdict

As wireless gaming mice go, the NZXT Lift Elite Wireless is one of the best you can buy right now — and it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg either. For under $80, you’re getting 8,000Hz polling that negates missed inputs, and max 26,000 DPI for ultra-responsive gameplay. The mouse is also very comfortable to use for long periods of time… as long as you’re not left-handed.

Is there anything wrong with it? Nothing too major, really. There’s no Bluetooth connectivity, which might be an issue for some folks, and in my testing, the oversized side buttons were so sensitive that I accidentally clicked them a few times.

But if you want premium gaming features and don’t want to burn a hole in your pocket on the likes of the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2, I can’t think of a better mouse than the Lift Elite Wireless. It has quickly become my favorite rodent.