Sandberg Wireless Sniper Mouse – Hardware Review
We’ve already had the chance to try out a lot of Sandberg’s hardware, mostly in their range of headsets, which offered a lot of solutions for those who had a lower budget. This time we’re going to shed some light on their new range of gaming mice, which also fall in the same very affordable category. We’ll take a look at the two latest models, namely the Wireless Sniper Mouse and the Eliminator Mouse. As we haven’t had a good wireless mouse in a very long time, we were most eager to dive into the world of wireless gaming for this first test.
Design
Sandberg went for a fairly simple curved look for their Wireless Sniper Mouse, which certainly looks good. The device is clearly a model for right-handed gamers, which is quite common in the market for gaming mice. You’ll have a distinct difference between the glossy plastic finish in the sides of the mouse, which are also the spots you’ll rest your thumb and pinky and the topside, which is donned with a matte finish, creating a fun contrast between the somewhat rougher surface on top and the shiny plastic on the sides.
Other than the clear distinction between the different types of plastic/coating used, you’ll be treated to a ‘tire-like’ scroll wheel, a few subtle LED lights, namely the logo that lights up, the scroll wheel, and of course the LED that indicates the battery life. All of the buttons on top of the mouse, as well as those on the left side have been subtly embedded in the device’s case.
Comfort
The low backside, as well as the curved design make for a very pleasant device to work with. All of the buttons are properly in reach, and the matte cover on the top makes sure you have sufficient reach, while the glossy plastic also ‘sticks’ to your hands quite nicely, making sure you’ll have ample grip during gaming sessions.
You can opt to play with a cable, but it would defeat the purpose of buying a wireless mouse, but nonetheless it’s an option, as it works with every micro-USB cable you’d have lying around. You’ll also notice that the device itself is very light, which might take some time getting used to, if you’re used to bulkier and heavier gaming mice. Adding a cable to the equation adds a bit of (imagined) weight to the device, as it adds a bit of resistance to the otherwise smooth gliding action on your mousepad.
You’ll leave fingerprints easily on the device, but with some upkeep these can be wiped off easily, albeit easier on the glossy surface, rather than the matte one.
Specs
- 8 Buttons
- 4 DPI profiles (1000, 1600, 2000 and 2400)
- 3 LED lights
- Wireless or wired
Overview
Even though you’d expect some extra software to be required to use this mouse, it’s actually a matter of plug and play, wireless or wired. You’ll be good to go in a matter of seconds, after plugging in the small receiver or the cable. You’ll be able to turn on the mouse (for wireless) with the switch at the bottom, which simply lets you opt for the off/on or LED mode. The latter is the same as the on mode, but with the LED lights active, thus you’ll be using a bit more of the battery’s stored power.
Other modes include putting the mouse in a media mode, which is handy when you’re watching movies while sitting in your sofa, with the mouse nearby, as you can use it to regulate the volume by scrolling and such. Overall it’s a simple added bonus, but it serves a great purpose for fans of a wireless mouse.
Overall the offered functions and capabilities are fairly standard and simple, but they should be ample for casual gamers, and those that are looking for a fairly decent gaming mouse. The DPI ranges from 1000 to 2400, with four available settings, namely 1000, 1600, 2000 and 2400. For the most part, you’ll find the settings you’ll like. If you’re into RTS games, and require a mouse with an extremely high DPI range, this one might not immediately suit your needs.
Even though pretty much all is good on the Wireless Sniper Mouse, a few mishaps happened during our testing, where the mouse cursor darted over the screen like a prancing pony, probably due to short interferences between the mouse and the transmitter. Overall, this only happened a few seconds over several hours of gaming, which means it’s almost as reliable as a wired mouse. If you’ve got a big and important game coming up, you can always play safe and attach the cable.
The official site claims around three months of battery life, which is something we reckon is meant when the mouse is in standby, and thus not in use. You’ll be able to last one to two weeks with a fully charged mouse, but it’s always best if you haven’t charged in a while, and you have an important match coming up, to either plug it in, or charge it in advance.
Conclusion
With a few small inaccuracies during many hours of gaming, Sandberg’s Wireless Sniper Mouse pulls its own quite nicely for a very affordable price. If you’re fond of the model, but don’t like to game with a wireless device due to possible latency issues, you can easily just get yourself a cheap and long micro-USB to make this a worthy wired device. Overall, you’ll be treated to a good-looking, functional and proper gaming mouse that has a reasonable battery life.
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