Tt eSPORTS Ventus R Gaming Mouse Review

By Meng Vang

Manufacturer: Thermaltake (USA) Technologies Co., Ltd.
Product Name: Ventus R Gaming Mouse
Model Number: MO-VER-WDOOBK-01
UPC: 841163063903
Price As Tested: MSRP $34.99

Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by Thermaltake.

Thermaltake is bringing their Aerodynamic Engineered Air-through Ventilation System to the entry level market with the Tt eSPORTS Ventus R gaming mouse. It features an ambidextrous body shape with RGB illumination and the popular PMW3310 optical sensor with a maximum DPI of 5000. Because of the smaller body design, gamers are able to maintain a better grip of the mouse when compared to a larger and heavier mouse. In this article for Benchmark Reviews, we will take a look at what the Ventus R gaming mouse has in store for us.

The Ventus R tracks well with the PMW 3310 optical sensor. I was really hoping Thermaltake would score a home run with this mouse as it had a light weight and comfortable body design with one of the most reliable entry level optical sensors. But unfortunately, the mouse suffered from a really strange lift-off distance problem that caused the mouse cursor to teleport back to its original position when dragging the mouse on the surface and lifting it back to drag it again. The mouse cursor ultimately moved nowhere from its original position when it should had continued moving where it left off.

It may not be the most attractive looking mouse, but the simplicity of the Ventus R gives it a basic and modernize look. The RGB illumination does help in enhancing the appearance. Since it is ambidextrous, the mouse is symmetrical on both sides so there are no extra angles to worry about. The only concern are the side buttons on the left side of the mouse. This could be troublesome for some left handed players.

Even for a cheaper mouse, the Ventus R feels rather sturdy throughout. No sensor rattle is present when shaking the mouse and the body construction is made from a durable plastic. The stiff scroll wheel feels very durable along with its rubber material. It also does not rattle when scrolling up or down, which is a very good thing especially for a mouse at this price. If it did not skip steps while scrolling, this would have been the best scroll wheel at this price range.

The Ventus R does well when it comes to functionality. It tracks well, looks good on a desk, and is built surprisingly well for a mouse in this price range. Aside from the performance issues, the software works well but it could use some minor improvements.

As of October 2016, the Tt eSPORTS Ventus R gaming mouse is expecting to hit the market at a price of $34.99. This puts it next to the Cooler Master Xornet II, Gigabyte XM300, and the Steel Series Rival 100 gaming mice. The ventilation system is good to have, and the performance to the PMW3310 is similar to the PMW3988 optical sensor in the slightly more expensive XM300. Although the Xornet II is slightly cheaper than the Ventus R, its Avago 3320 optical sensor shows noticeable acceleration compared to the PMW3310. But in the end, the choice is really up to you to decide which mice you want to purchase.
+ Great build quality
+ Built-in ventilation system
+ Good RGB color accuracy
+ Inexpensive mousing product
+ Excellent entry level PMW3310 optical sensor
– No dedicated DPI toggle switch
– Software needs minor improvements
– Lift-off distance issues (although this may just be my copy)

• Performance: 8.00
• Appearance: 9.25
• Construction: 8.75
• Functionality: 7.50
• Value: 9.00

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