When I first laid hands on the SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless last year, I thought I’d hate the honeycomb design. It didn’t take me long to get used to it, and the carried-over hole-punch design wasn’t even an issue with the Aerox 5 Wireless. Still, given the Razer Viper V2 Pro weighs in at 58 grams to the 74 grams of the Aerox 5 Wireless, it’s less impressive given the extra weight.
I actually prefer a heavier mouse—which is why I still main the SteelSeries Rival 650 Wireless for gaming—but I also prefer the feel of a full-bodied gaming mouse rather than one that’s had holes punched in it.
In terms of other design changes, the Aerox 5 Wireless has a more pronounced back than the Aerox 3 Wireless as well as more surface area on the feet. These wider feet mean the Aerox 5 Wireless glides more freely than the Aerox 3. The other upgrade is the inclusion of extra mouse buttons: a pronounced thumb-tip button and a dual-purpose paddle above the typical thumb buttons.
Given my fingertip grip, I couldn’t naturally reach the thumb-tip button, and I liked the idea of the paddle more than I found a use for it. Still, it brings the practical button count of the Aerox 5 Wireless to eight, which may appeal to those looking for a smooth-gliding, fast-clicking mouse for strategy and role-playing games. It still performs admirably in shooters, by the way.
As for setup, it was a straightforward breeze. USB-C mercifully returns for connecting the mouse, and a subtle design tweak makes it even easier to plug in when you need to recharge. For wireless mode, pop out the USB-C cable and connect it to the sturdy dongle to get into the game. There’s a switch underneath for turning the Aerox 5 Wireless off to save battery or flicking between lower-latency 2.4GHz mode (recommended for gaming) and Bluetooth modes. I did have one instance where I had to toggle the switch off and on to 2.4GHz to get the mouse to detect, but apart from that, it was smooth, uninterrupted sailing.