[Article originally published at my Examiner.com PC gaming column – Note that all embedded links also go to my column at Examiner.com]
The Perixx MX-2000 packs high-end features into budget-priced gaming mouse—and despite some compromises it’s arguably one of the best ‘hidden gems’ among gaming mice.
Perixx is a German PC peripheral manufacturer with a diverse lineup of keyboards, mice, and other gear aimed at different market segments. The MX-2000 represents their ‘middle tier’ gaming mouse, but it sports some top-tier features and an entry-level price.
Features
The MX-2000 is interesting in that makes a number of compromises to achieve its price point. In my experience, many ‘budget gaming peripherals’ sacrifice too much just to slide in under the $50 price point, but the Perixx MX-2000 balances features and price well.
For example, the MX-2000 features a laser sensor capable of up to 5000DPI (dots per inch), 7 DPI levels, and as many as 9 profiles. This is generally good enough for most games/gamers; the compromise is that the DPI levels can only be adjusted in increments of 500 between 500-1500, and increments of 1000 above that. The blue LED indicator by the left mouse button tells you which DPI setting you’re using.
So while the MX-2000 isn’t nearly as tweakable as higher end mice from Razer or SteelSeries (some of which allow you to change DPI Settings in increments of 1 DPI), it still provides more options than many other budget gaming mice, which often lock you into 800/1600/3200 DPI settings (or something similar).
I’ve long maintained that, for the most part, anything above 1600DPI for gaming is generally too sensitive anyway (especially for fast-paced games), and that around 3200DPI is usually plenty for day-to-day use. Your preferences may vary of course, and monitors above 24” (or multiple monitors) can make higher settings a little more practical for non-gaming purposes.
The MX-2000 sports a total of 11 buttons, which in practical terms translates to an extra 3 (the thumb buttons) that are actually well-placed enough to be useful on a regular basis. The right-side button near the front of the mouse is too hard to reach, and I have never found using the horizontal tilt function of any scroll wheel to be particularly useful in most games because it’s too easy to mis-click it (down vs. left, for example).
Hence I generally prefer to let my thumb do all the extra button work, and 3 extra buttons is usually enough for most games. Like most gaming mice you can assign the MX-2000’s buttons to a variety of pre-built commands (Forward, Backward, Cut, Copy, etc.) as well as single- and multi-keystroke macros.
Here again there are some minor compromises. The MX-2000’s macro capabilities are not as robust as higher-end competitors, but they’re probably enough for most folks. The macro recorder won’t record delays between keystrokes for example, but you can manually insert delays in 50ms increments.
Rounding out the MX-2000’s features are adjustable weights that you can insert into the bottom of the mouse, a dedicated DPI switching button behind the scroll wheel, and a braided mouse cable.
Ergonomics & Design
One of the best things the MX-2000 has going for it is its comfortable, right-handed design (if you’re right handed anyway), soft touch top, and textured rubber sides. The left-side in particular forms a perfect and comfortable cradle for your thumb, making the thumb buttons all the easier to use. On the whole the MX-2000 earns high marks for comfort, shape, and general design—with a couple small exceptions.
The first is the aforementioned button on the right side of the mouse, which is too hard to reach to be useful.
The second is the dedicated DPI switching button, which is not only stiff but has to be pressed forward or backwards. This is poor design—DPI switching buttons work best when they have to be pressed down, which is easier and more natural for your hand.
A sliding switch forces your index finger into a less comfortable position (although some buttons can do this too) and makes DPI switching harder than it should (or needs) to be. You can, however, re-assign DPI switching to the thumb buttons if you’re willing to give them up to that function.
Regardless, on the whole the MX-2000 still earns good marks overall for its comfortable design.
Performance
The MX-2000 worked well enough in games, although I’ll confess its DPI levels don’t quite suit me—I tend to use 400DPI increments ranging from 800-3200 typically, and the MX-2000 didn’t quite fit my preferred ‘sweet spots’. It didn’t hamper my gaming really, and I played Bioshock Infinitefrom beginning to end without a problem.
The MX-2000’s drivers are very simple, and earn points for being utilitarian and intuitive—much like the MX-2000’s overall design. You pretty much get everything you need a single screen, which is nice.
Overall
At a price point of around $35, the Perixx MX-2000 is an exceptional value, offering a taste of high-end features and top-tier comfort few mice in its price range can match
PC & Video Gaming Examiner 