In Need of Polish: Sentey Nebulus Gaming Mouse Review

I tested the Sentey Nebulus under various conditions, using it in gaming and non-gaming roles. The primary focus of the performance review will be on the mouse’s ergonomics and functionality as well as some comments on its perceived quality of construction. I’ll also have some words about the mouse’s aesthetics.

The Nebulus’ shape and size endow the mouse with very good ergonomics. The height and curvature of the mouse’s rump feel right for my hand, requiring no undue adjustment. It lends itself most easily to a palm-style of grip, but claw-style users can still use this mouse sans issues. Even users who use just their fingertips can use this mouse comfortably, especially when you take into account one of the Nebulus’ more uncommon features: Because users can add or subtract weight to the mouse, you can really tailor just how it feels in your hands. And it’s not just the weight; weight distribution can also be manipulated (if you don’t load all nine of the weight disks). The effect may be subtle, but it’s there. I think that, in the long run, being able to customize both weight and weight distribution has an ergonomic effort expressed in terms of the ease with which you can move this mouse.

Also contributing to the Nebulus’ ergonomics are the scalloped ridges in the mouse’s sculpted flanks. They add a tactility that perfectly smooth surfaces simply do not have. It’s not as if they are especially grippy; they aren’t coated in some special low-tack substance or anything like that. The scallops, though, provide a variation to what your thumb and ring-finger and pinky can feel. The added variety of sensation somehow aids one’s control over and grip on the Nebulus.

In terms of functionality, the Nebulus scores well despite being fairly basic. Say what you will about not being well-endowed in terms of features, but everything works as it should. I have reviewed some products which promise you the world, but don’t even get the fundamentals right. I would much rather have a really basic product that works flawlessly than have something complex that can’t do the simplest things without a hitch. Using the software package, you do have the capability to reassign different functions to the buttons, as well as program macro commands.

The ability to store and load different profiles is nice as well, but some users may not ignore, or forgive, the fact that the Nebulus isn’t really capable of a lot of tricks. I mean, even its lighting effects are rather, well, limited (the LED is just blue, although the CPI level indicator LED does switch to one of three different colors – red, yellow, and green – when you set it to anything above the lowest 400DPI level). While such things don’t matter to me, I can very easily imagine that many people in this product’s target market – gamers – might be disappointed with both the lack of bling as well as the brevity of its feature list.

The Nebulus is a good mouse to have in your right hand, no matter what you want to use it for. Although it is shaped like a symmetrical ambidextrous mouse, the lack of two more flank buttons means that this is strictly a right-hander’s tool. The shape, though, lends itself to any kind of usage scenario. It’s good for working on spreadsheets (the scroll-wheel can do side-scrolling, in case you were wondering), it’s good for web browsing, it’s very good for gaming.

I would question, though, the decision of having just a one-way CPI adjustment facility. The CPI switch only goes from low to high; when you get to the maximum DPI (3200), the next push resets the mouse to 400DPI. This is inconvenient, especially in gaming. Imagine playing an FPS with the max DPI, then switching down to the lowest DPI for a snipe job. In this case, it’s fine, as it only takes one button push. But then, when you need to return to your previous max DPI setting, you’ll need to push the CPI switch twice more. In a competitive match, this might mean the difference between victory and ignominy.

Despite this, the Nebulus’ build quality is very good. Button clicks are very satisfying on a tactile level. To be perfectly honest, it’s fair to say that the Nebulus is one of the very best mice I’ve ever tested when it comes to just how good the button switchgear feel is. I have no idea as far as what micro-switches Sentey is using for the Nebulus, but whatever it is it’s a joy to use. Also, the mouse has a very solid feel to it, with a meaty weight that just suggests that it’s built out of very good materials. Perhaps the only gripe I’ll care to make is that the lateral LEDs don’t seem to be that bright or that even as far as how they disperse their blue light. Again, this is a detail that some will absolutely not care too much about, and others will consider to be something close to a deal-breaker.

The Nebulus’ styling is fairly distinctive. It doesn’t look like any of its competitors, although it looks undoubtedly like one of a myriad of gaming mice in a fairly competitive market space. What I mean by this is that it looks like it belongs amongst the gaggle of Logitech, Corsair, CM Storm, or Razer gaming mice without really aping any of their looks. I like the mix of matte black and grey as far as coloration goes. It looks serious, and if you dig understated aesthetics the Sentey Nebulus won’t let you down at all.

So what do we make of the Sentey Nebulus? To be perfectly honest, I think there is a lot to like about it. The hardware is certainly very pleasing to use and represents the strongest part of the whole package. The mouse itself feels good in your hands; the buttons are some of the best that I can remember ever using among the many mice I’ve tested and owned throughout the years. It’s great for games, and it’s just as good to use for non-gaming scenarios as well. Ergonomically I have zero complaints with it. The fact you can configure its weight and weight distribution is an added bonus. I mean, this is typically a feature reserved for premium mice; I certainly don’t expect to find this particular feature in a mouse that has an MSRP of $54.99.

Having said all this, though, the Sentey Nebulus as a hardware+software package is a little bit frustrating in that I really want to give it more praise without reservations or hesitation, but I can’t. It feels a little bit, I don’t know, unfinished. In a very real sense, it really is. The software package just lets this thing down. In my opinion, it’s a bit unnecessary to even have a software package for it if all the software does is let you reassign button functions (not all that useful for me because it only has five rather standard buttons, but I think some people can still take advantage of this feature), program macros (again, no loss to me, but it may be a loss to someone else), and manipulate the behavior of the LEDs (again, third verse, same as the first). The baked-in Windows USB drivers work fine and dandy with the Nebulus.

The bottom line, then, is for someone like me (i.e., someone who doesn’t really need to reassign button functions on a five-button mouse, use macro commands, or care too much for LED effects), Sentey’s software for the Nebulus is completely unnecessary. If, say, the software also allowed you to fine-tune the DPI settings, I’d be less critical about it.

At the end of the day, the Sentey Nebulus has a whole lot going for it. Unfortunately, it doesn’t quite hit all its targets. There’s a whole lot of potential going for it in its present iteration, but it also needs a good bit more polish and refinement before it can truly deserve the highest praise we can give it.

Pros

• Very good ergonomics.
• Aggressive, attractive styling.
• Great button switches.
• Customizable weight distribution.

Cons

• Weak software component.