Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse Review

Alienware’s newest clicker is a mouse squarely aimed at gamers interested in top-level competition. Featuring a lightweight body and Alienware’s sleek design principles, the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse ($149.99) is as simple as its name. So simple, in fact, you may ask yourself what’s different about this mouse compared with previous Alienware wireless releases that you might have skipped in favor of a wired-only alternative. The difference is under the hood, as the Pro offers both 4,000Hz wireless and 8,000Hz wired polling rates for complete mind-to-mouse connection. It’s an improvement that hardcore gamers will appreciate, and it makes for both an excellent ride and a worthy Editors’ Choice honoree for wireless esports mice.

Design: Take Me to Your Esports Leader!

At first glance, the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse is a simple, run-of-the-mill peripheral. Available in either black or white, the Pro Mouse takes a back-to-basics approach to its look, eliminating any additional fluff gaming mice might carry on their exteriors. (For the other extreme, see tricked-out mice like the Corsair Darkstar MMO.) Expect no RGB lighting, and aside from slight ribbing above the side buttons, no additional grip, either. A slight curve pinches the midsection, while the long body gives ample room for the user’s palm.

The two primary buttons cover much of the mouse’s real estate, extending down to the middle of the mouse. New magnetic-force key plates leverage magnets to bring them back to their static state, preventing stuck keys after repeated use. The optical switch-clicks are satisfying and quiet, as well. A standard scroll wheel sits in between, though it’s not a four-directional scroll wheel like we’ve seen on other mice such as the Logitech MX Master 3s.

(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)

Flipping the mouse over, you’ll find two additive-free PTFE feet at both ends and one around the sensor, all of which give the mouse a satisfying glide that’s ideal for first-person shooters and other twitchy action games.  A USB-C dongle sits nestled at the tail end of the mouse, and the sensor is flanked by the mouse’s power switch and profile/DPI selector switch. A smaller LED at the top-left corner changes color to signify which profile is in use. Personally, I prefer a DPI switch up top for easier access, but I understand that having one there may be a liability in high-level play. One accidental button-press can mean life or death in many combat zones, including online ones.

(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)

Measuring 1.6 by 2.5 by 4.9 inches (HWD), this mouse is actually just a hair bigger than the Alienware Tri-Mode, though much smaller than the Alienware Wireless Gaming Mouse (AW620M). At 2.08 ounces, it’s also extremely lightweight. It fits in the hand nicely, abiding to both palm and claw grip styles. Two additional customizable buttons on the left side of the mouse are easily accessible with the thumb, but consideration for lefties is lacking. This is really a righties-only sculpt.

Testing the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse: Lucky Eight

So, at this point, you must be wondering what’s so “Pro” about the Alienware Pro? As we mentioned up top, the mouse’s sensor has received an update, which allows the mouse to reach either 4,000Hz or 8,000Hz maximum polling rates, depending on whether it’s operating in wireless or wired mode. The polling rate refers to the speed at which your device sends your inputs to your PC. A rate of 4,000Hz means that information is sent to the PC four times per millisecond, while 8,000Hz means it’s getting sent eight times. Polling rates this high are not totally new (see Razer’s Viper 8K from more than two years ago), but they are still reserved for top-shelf gaming mice.

This means that by default, the mouse is reacting faster than both the Alienware Tri-Mode and AW620M, but without requiring you to buy an optional wireless dongle like Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro needs. Instead, you only need the USB-C dongle that comes in the box to enable the full capabilities of the 2.4GHz connection.

(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)

You’ll want to use the Alienware Command Center to pop the (figurative) hood open on the Pro Wireless Mouse. Automatically downloaded when you first pair your device over a wired or wireless connection, this utility is where you’ll do the lion’s share of your customization. While the mouse doesn’t have any RGB lighting to control like the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Keyboard does, you’ll still find plenty to mess with here, including polling rate, lift-off distance, and custom macros across five different profiles.

Alienware promises around 32 hours of play at 4,000Hz with a full battery, and 120 hours at the default 1,000Hz rate. A 5-minute charge will net you about 6 hours of 1,000Hz gameplay or 1.5 hours of 4,000Hz gameplay, the company says. The higher the polling rate, the harder it is on the battery life. Of course, that’s not a worry at 8,000Hz, since you’ll have to be wired to reach that number. Polling rate aside, you also have a maximum resolution of 26,000dpi and a sensor maximum speed of 650 inches per second.

(Credit: Alienware)

Whether in Counter-Strike 2, Final Fantasy XIV, or Overwatch 2, the mouse glided with ease across the mouse pad in our testing. The clicks were accurate, and the mouse tracked all my movements without missing a beat. The particular glide-feel of the PTFE feet, which are standard on pretty much every gaming mouse, were especially noticeable here. The formulation was effective; it was almost as if the mouse was floating. Though its rather limited assortment of just two additional buttons keep its usefulness limited if you’re a macro junkie, the Pro Wireless Gaming mouse is a perfect companion for action games of all kinds.

Verdict: Keep It Fast, Keep It Simple

At $149.99, the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse is a pricey investment, but one you might make if you’re in the market to max out your gaming potential. It’s true that higher polling rates might not matter to anyone but the very top tier of gamers, but they’re still a way for competitive and casual players alike to max out their gaming potential.

The Pro brings easily accessible and adjustable polling rates without any additional hardware, too, which simplifies the whole process compared with Razer’s competing offering. Sometimes keeping things simple is the best course of action, and the Alienware Pro Mouse does just that—and earns our Editors’ Choice award for wireless esports mice.