OCZ Equalizer Laser Gaming Mouse

Date: April 9, 2007 - Author: Matt Serrano

OCZ has been hard at work lately. Their product lineup has evolved from offering power supplies and ram to flash drives, cooling solutions, video cards and even gaming mice. However, one thing’s stayed the same: they’ve targeted themselves towards enthusiasts.

Introduction

Though some have varied opinions, for the most part gaming isn’t as simple as pointing and clicking. Gamers who are more competitive desire an edge, something that’s as responsive as they are. Once the core’s been taken care of, comfort and ease of use take the front stage.

Today, we’ll be reviewing OCZ’s Equalizer mouse. This product goes have some innovative features that do set it apart. Geared towards gamers, this mouse seems to be one of the most attractive solutions out there. But even though it looks great on paper, there’s always a level of skeptically that should be reached, with good reason.

• 2500 DPI Gamer-Grade Laser Engine
• On mouse 6-DPI-Shift (400-800-1200-1600-2000-2500)
• Implements Agilent 6010 Chip and high-speed 7080 FPS technology
• Triple Threat Button - 1 click, 3 shots for a gaming advantage
• Dual laser engine for enhanced tracking on a wider range of surfaces
• Right-handed ergonomic design
• Gold-Plated USB Connector
• Thin, flexible wire design feels like using a wireless mouse but without sacrificing latency
• Convenient ‘back’ & ‘forward’ buttons
• Comfortable, no-slip grip for intense gaming battles
• Plug and Play
• Included Equalware software for complete customization
• 6 Year Warranty

This product is a rebrand of A4Tech’s X-750F mouse. This practice isn’t unheard of, so there will be no reduction in score. This is essentially a review of OCZ’s adaptation of A4Tech’s product.

The Equalizer is in fact made up of two models noted as the "desktop" and "mobile" models. The only visible difference is the size of the mice.

OCZ has never been unified with their box designs. Every product has had different art work or theme. The Equalizer comes in a simple blue box with the mouse shown through with flames accompanying it.

The back holds the product’s feature set outlined for potential buyers.

The mouse itself has a reflective blue finish.

Next to the scroll wheel there is a button called the "Triple Threat" button, giving you the option of simulating three mouse clicks with one press.

There is a button on the top of the mouse specifically designed for changing the DPI. The Equalizer has a feature that lets you know what setting the mouse it set on.

On the left side there are forward and back buttons with a thumb grip.

Besides the mouse, a manual, driver CD and mouse feet are included in the package.

Drivers, Usage, Final Thoughts

At first glance the Equalware drivers bundled with the mouse seem pretty simplistic, but they still offer some useful features. As you would expect, you’re able to change what button do, set the recognition window for double clicks, with other basics options that are already offered in Windows.

Every button on the mouse can’t be changed though. The Triple Threat button and DPI switch cannot be modified, so there are only five buttons to work with.

Using the "Equalware-Jump" feature, macros can be set up and assigned to specific buttons. The final useful feature the software offers is the ability to set the DPI for the X and Y axis individually.

To put it simply, the mouse resembles the shape of Logitech’s MX or G series of mice. Personally, I had more room for my index finger because I didn’t have to rest its entire length on the first button. My ring and pinky fingers also had more space when compared to Logitech’s offerings because the groove wasn’t as small. The USB cord is pretty thin from what I accustomed to, which is silly when OCZ advertises their "gold-plated USB connector".

I tested the mouse by doing tasks like browsing the web and played Counter Strike: Source, Half-Life 2, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R.

I didn’t have any problems using the mouse doing daily tasks, but the mouse took a while to get used to while gaming. I found out that the sensitivity was high enough to have my entire palm when I was playing regularly and to use my fingers to control quick movements. The grip is a nice addition as well.

Depending on the DPI, the color of the scroll wheel will change. It’s clear at 600 DPI, green at 800, yellow at 1200 and red at 1600. The wheel flashes from red to yellow at 2000 and green to yellow at 2500 DPI. That being said, the Equalizer is one of the few mice that can do 2500 DPI. It may not be entirely useful unless you have a huge monitor or raise the DPI and lower the sensitivity while gaming, but it doesn’t really hurt either.

I tried using the higher sensitivity, but I kept going back to the standard 600 DPI. It’s nice to be able to change the speed of the curser on the fly, but without a way to cycle backwards it’s still a pain to have to press the button until it’s at the preferred setting.

OCZ has a strong product on their hands. Many of the features that the mouse is lacking can be fixed with updating the software, but some gamers might not even take notice. Since this is OCZ’s first foray into gaming mice they have a lot of ground to cover. It’s nothing that can’t be accomplished with time and effort, and the Equalizer was an excellent first attempt.

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