You know, no one’s still managed to release a hybrid wireless gaming mouse that’s as elegant as Microsoft’s last Sidewinder. Everything since then that tries to combine wireless ease of use with a back-up wired solution has made the cardinal mistake – it’s simply too complex to switch from wireless to wired in the middle of a game. GIGABYTE’s latest mousing offering, the Aivia (to tie in with its Aivia keyboards) makes that error, and few more, making what is otherwise a solid offering more ratty than mousey.
To look it, the Aivia mouse is a striking beast, at least, with more than a little similarity to Silverstone’s Raven range. If you like stealth bomber aesthetics, this is a good thing! The combination of hard edges and sweeping curves certainly lends the design a certain sleekness, and the combo of smooth upper surface and cheaply textured (though effective) side-panels certainly aids grip.
However, under the hand, especially if you rest your palm on the mouse as opposed to holding the mouse in a claw grip, there’s a point of irritation, a join between two panels that digs into your palm. It’s irritating in the short term, and actually painful in the longterm.
This is the join between the mouse itself and the housing for the one of two LiIon batteries included with it. You can keep a spare battery charged at all times, and swap it in like you would a fresh mag for firearm. That, at least, we really like.
The charging base-station for the mouse is also the wireless station, and this can also be fitted with a cable to attach to the mouse when you’re in between batteries (which will also charge the battery), but it’s a chore to click the cable in and out, especially compared to MS’s excellent magnetic solution. Taking time to either swap batteries or attach a cable on the middle of a harsh death match can be different between life, and, well, death.
The rest of the mouse is all pretty good – the included Ghost macro software, its in-game performance, it’s button placement (and yes, it’s good for lefties too!), but the flaws pretty much leave it a long way behind the pack, at least for our mousing style. If you’re a claw-er rather than a gripper, if you think you can stay on top of keeping the mouse charged, it’s a good option, but we still think there are better mice on the market.
