UtechSmart Venus RGB Wired Gaming Mouse - 16400 DPI High Precision Laser MMO Gaming Mouse with Programmable Buttons | IGN Recommended | Perfect for PC Gaming, Esports & Professional Work

My Logitech G600 bit the dust after five long, hard years of usage, so I sought for a replacement. At the time, the G600 faced supply issues and was nowhere to be found, except on eBay for exorbitant prices. So i went with this; the price was similar to that of the G600 and it had all the side buttons I need. Mind you, I don't really use the side buttons when playing games, but instead I use them for power multi-tasking features, such as file operations, volume and media playback control, opening applications, scripts, and macros- whatever I need to do quickly with my thumb, I need at least 12 buttons. It's a huge boost to my productivity.The mouse is similar in shape and feel to the G600. While it's quite a bit lighter, the grip and feel (which any MMO mouse will forever change the way you grip any mouse) didn't take me long at all to adjust, close to instant. There's the same "grip corner" for you to press your pinky finger against, your thumb sits between the first two sets of thumb buttons (1 thru 6), pointer and middle finger are resting on the left and right mouse buttons respective and it's comfortable to easily switch between clicking and scrolling, and there's also an indentation for your ring finger to rest on. It's really comfortable.The response of the mouse is great, really sensitive and precise. Have been able to play all of the games I was accustomed to playing on my G600 easily with this mouse. The software that it requires is actually quite decent, more than decent. You can control the LED lighting (various lighting effects, changing colors, turning the effects off or just turning the lighting off completely) adjust the DPI (the arrow buttons beneath the scroll wheel allow you to set five different levels of DPI adjustment), adjust double-click speed and various other things,but what's the most-impressive is the remappable button assignments, even blowing Logitech's software out of the water. You can assign volume control (up/down/mute), media playback control (next/previous track, stop, play/pause) file management (cut, copy, paste) to even more advanced things like opening, closing and switching windows, changing web browser pages, running macros (!) and swapping profiles. The macro editor is very simple to use and supports delaying keystrokes. Something I've noticed is that the button assignments are stored in the mouse itself, not the software. The software may be Windows-only, but I switch over to Linux on my computer and the mouse's button assignments stick, and function on Linux as intended! Huge props for that.If I were to name a few setbacks, the scroll wheel is the first component of the mouse that wears out. Despite regular maintenance and cleaning, it starts to feel really "tacky" as if it's sliding against something, producing friction and it becomes clunky to scroll at times. It also lacks a "tilting" scroll wheel, like the G600, where you can physically move the scroll wheel left or right as two more additional buttons; I used that feature all the time for navigating pages back and forth; was a huge finger saver.For the price, it is a great buy, and should the current mouse I am using wear out, become defective or just needs replacement, I wouldn't hesitate to buy this again.Wireless Version Review:After many years, it was finally time to replace my beloved wired Venus gaming mouse. The left click button was consistently double clicking when I only clicked once, but after 7 years everything else was still working great including all the other buttons and profiles in the software. Unfortunately when I bought the same mouse last year, the software and drivers no longer work and made using the profiles and changing settings in the UtechSmart application impossible. I decided to go back to my old (although dysfunctional) one and this year decided to try the wireless version.Set up was surprisingly easy given how much trouble I had last time, I really like how the software and drivers come on a usb flashdrive now instead of on the website or a mini disc. This ensures you have some drivers that should make the mouse work in it's most basic iteration. It worked as soon as I plugged it in, and the flash drive as well. You can only have two profiles with the wireless version (and switch between then using the button on the bottom of the mouse), but all the buttons are still programmable and you can the light settings on the mouse or turn them off entirely if you don't like the feature or want to save battery, and you can do this on both the app or the mouse itself. The light also goes into sleep mode until you move it again if you don't use it for awhile but leave the mouse on. One thing I don't like is that I think it was easier to program the buttons in the old version, now you have to use macros multi-key input if you want to set hotkeys for buttons that aren't already in it's drop down menu.The buttons and scroll wheel feel as nice as I expected. The side buttons are a little less mushy than the wired version, but to be honest that never bothered me much. I don't play competitive games and like having a mouse like this for MMO's and sandbox games like Ark that have a lot of actions that we can hotkey. Overall I think this mouse will still fit my needs and I have always loved the design. The only other mouse I've ever seen that was similar is by Razr but their products have always felt really cheap for how expensive they are. This mouse is half the price and feels a lot nicer. The slightly rubberized texture feels nice in the hand and wears well over time. The curve is very ergonomic for my average to smallish sized hands. I'm really happy to have found a version that still works for me.Below is my original review for the wired version from 2015, not sure it combines them and I'm unable to write a separate/new review.I have been using this mouse for about 10 months. I'm not sure when exactly but at some point it started to turn off and on if I accidentally bumped the USB part of the cable when it was plugged in. For the longest time I thought it was just my computer's USB port (the mouse and cable itself still look physically perfect and I took very good care of it) but over the last few weeks it started to do it quite frequently when even just moving the mouse and eventually it stopped turning on all together when plugged in. At that point I realized it had been the cord all along as it would not turn on no matter what USB port I plugged it into. I had purchased an extended warranty when I bought the mouse but when I called the provider they directed me to contact the manufacturer first as they offer an 18 month warranty. It was a bit difficult to find any contact information on the UtechSmart website (and all I did find was an email address) but I was pleasantly surprised by the level of customer service I received in response. They responded within 24 hours (they were more responsive at night which I thought was a bit weird but this worked well with my schedule) and after a few email questions back and forth over the next business day agreed to send me a replacement. The replacement was sent within one business day and was sent with One Day shipping. Needless to say I was very happy as I had already been without a working mouse for my gaming for a few days.The new mouse seems to be working perfectly but there are a few differences I've noticed from the first one I received 10 months ago that I think are worth noting. The braided cord feels more durable now, the profile color selection now changes the scroll button glow as well, and the texture of the mouse itself has changed. Previously it had a smooth grip texture which I really liked but the new one has a rough/grainy texture which caught me off guard at first. After a few hours I actually came to like it better than the smooth grip the mouse had before.I have read some of the previous views as well and wanted to comment on the mouse and software itself. I have never used a Razer mouse but based on a previous experience with their products and some feedback from my friends I have never been impressed with their quality or durability (a console controller should not break after two months of normal use). I don't really play competitive online games but this mouse has been great for the games I do play (Dragon Age, Rebel Galaxy, Skyrim, Guild Wars 2, etc). I wanted a quality mouse with tons of side buttons to make it easier to get to and use a lot of skills quickly. This mouse has worked out perfectly for that.Yes, the buttons may be considered a bit squishy compared to some of the name brand mice as they are not mechanical but the keys are easy to reach and work well, after a few hours your thumb develops the muscle memory to use the side buttons without issue. Yes, you may not have quite as much control over the settings as you would with one of the name brand mice. However there are still tons of settings you do have control over and I found the software very intuitive and easy to use (especially considering I have not had much experience using these settings in the past). I love the glow feature because it helps me remember to change profiles depending on which game I want to play and it's also just aesthetically pleasing (lol!). Like all the other reviewers have said the mouse is also just super ergonomic, it is probably one of the most comfortable gaming accessories I have ever used. If you are on a budget but need a new gaming mouse this is definitely a great option.For the price, quality and level of customer service I would definitely buy again and recommend to any of my friends who are considering a customize-able gaming mouse.Update: Two years later and this mouse is still working great. I havent had any issues with ghosting or dpi like some other users have mentioned. I would highly encourage any users with these issues to contact the manufacturer to see about a replacement, every once in a while there will be a lemon.Update 5 Years Later:I have been regularly using this mouse every day for five years now with zero problems, I am actually really surprised. The cable has held up well, and I'm considering replacing it with the same model just because mine has gotten kind of gunky and gross from so many years of use. Still love this mouse.Update July 2021:I did end up purchasing a new one, but unfortunately the drivers are broken and don't recognize the mouse when you go into the customization software. Luckily my old mouse still works so when I plugged it back in, all of my settings were still saved on the old mouse which means this is an issue with the new model. In researching this issue seems to have been going on for a few months now, I hope they fix it soon. It does work as a normal mouse, but if you're buying it for it's intended purpose (gaming) you won't be able to change the settings to fit your preferred keybinds/button configurations. Very disappointed and contemplating returning and waiting to see if a new version comes out.Took a couple of days to get used too, especially when upgrading from 3 side buttons.I mainly use it for MMO's and it has definately improved my game play, however it's not all singing and dancing.PROS- The weight is nice and can be adjusted with the weights which does make a difference.- It is comfortable for large hands and the grip on the mouse, to me, seems very breathable.- The configuration is very easy to use and the software that comes with the mouse is pretty neat for its price range.- The accuracy and smoothness is alot better than my old CAT3 mouse and as mentioned before, the weight assists this.- The number of buttons are superb for MMO once you get used to it.- Plug and PlayCONS- I feel the mouse would not be comfortable for petite hands with difficulty reaching some of the buttons.- The side buttons are too close together and although the mouse, overall, is comfirtable for large hands, it is easy to push two buttons at once.- Large hands may find it difficult to access the rear buttons on tbe side, however I do not find myself using all 12 so not much of a problem in my case.- The additional buttons are not as smooth as some top end mouses and can seem very clunky, however easy to over look for the price and what you get.Though the UtechSmart Venus is something of a sensory nightmare with its rough grip, using it only makes it better. My hand was quick to adjust to using the main buttons, scroll wheel, cursor speed settings (brilliantly highlighted by red LEDs), and the number pad on the left hand side. It replaces my Razer Naga MMO mouse easily with greater durability, lighting controls and a much easier to understand software to create macros, keybindings and profiles. Plus, all configurations can be saved as a file, each file having up to 6 Profiles for on-the-fly changing of settings.I'm not technical-minded enough to say how the mouse speed has improved my performance in games, but it has made everything I do with a mouse that much better, thanks to the intuitive speed increase/decrease buttons below the mouse wheel. Should my aim not be true, or if I've misclicked and my camera speed is sluggish, I needn't look away from the screen to find the button and click what I need to get back to the setting I prefer. Still, you can always set mouse speeds on your profiles should the buttons not be adequate.The number pad is the main reason why I bought this, and my old Razer Naga before it. It isn't as deep or clever when it comes to setting up macros as more expensive mice, but key combinations like SHIFT+[1-0] are essential for me in WoW, and it saves a ton of aggrevation with needing to look at the keyboard to find the combo I want and then pull it off with fingers that you wouldn't necessarily attribute to a pianist.As far as I can tell, it does the exact same thing for a fraction of the price of bigger brand mouse manufacturers' products. For a beginner, it's well worth getting, but for people who want to set up more complicated number pad commands and one-shot macros, you may be better off looking elsewhere.I previously bought two razor nagas, they both had issues with the wiring and eventually broke after wear and tear. I thought about buying a third. But instead bought this.One of the best purchases I have made in a long while. It has one extra button. Which defaults as a double click button, I can click once and it double clicks for me! Great stuff. Mouse is very smooth, quite chunky in comparison with the razer, and it would be better used on a flat surface for someone with a medium to smaller sized hand. The Two main buttons are the best I've ever tried with a great click. Extremely responsive and can set the pace the mouse speed too. The only slight issue i have with it is that the 12 buttons on the side are quite close together and are angled slightly, so sometimes I click two at once, the razer side buttons are slightly more responsive and accurate in my view. It will take getting used to. Overall I would choose this mouse anyday over the razor, it's just a beast.Brought this in 2014 still going strong have had no problems with the mouse excellent build quality for a great price.The UtechSmart 16400 DPI Gaming Mouse has excellent performance and good comfort. Build quality is pretty good,and it’s so fits for our palm grip. The detail design with ring finger relax which are more suitable for us to handle. And the 6ft braided cord feel more durable.There are 18 programmable keys on this mouse. It comes with a driver that you can easily set up the programmable mouse buttons that the way you would like. And the 12 programmable on the side of it. The buttons you can independently set up as a clicks,key-presses or various system commands (e.g.play/pause media, mute, volume up/down, lock the screen).I use it for MMO games and also fps, now I use it for all games that I Play. Excellent MouseThis is perfect if you play MOBAs or similar and just want basic controls on the thumb buttons. It can do things like Alt-Q etc. The problem is that the software is pretty lacking so you can't do things that the logitech software can do. For most games and general software it is fine, but I like to make macros to do various things and it can't do a lot.update: Main button (LMB) is now missing clicks and sometimes double clicking by itself. Same happened to the last few 4 mice I've had from different manufacturers, but this one happened after the least amount of time. I've only been using it for maybe 9 months or so and it is already failing.