The Chillblast Aero V2 is a well-rounded gaming mouse that looks great and performs well for its price. Its RGB lighting and honeycomb structure really help it stand out from the crowd against some fierce competition.
However, comparing it to some of the best gaming mice on the market is tricky as it's under half the price of some of the top options out there. In our opinion, though, its budget-friendly price tag makes it well worth considering if you're a beginner to PC gaming.
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In fact, that's exactly the category I'm in. I'm by no means a PC gaming specialist, and have only really used very basic, inexpensive mice in the past. Therefore, a purpose-built gaming mouse is relatively foreign to me. However, I was impressed by the device. So, if like me you're a PC gaming newbie, then stick around as I run down all the reasons why the Chillblast Aero V2 is worth checking out. Let's dive in...
Design
Upon unboxing the Chillblast Aero V2 for the first time, I was immediately impressed with how light it was. The device weighs just 53g thanks to its honeycomb structure, making it good for FPS titles, in particular, as you shouldn't feel as fatigued during longer gaming sessions.
Moreover, its shape was comfortable to hold, and each button was ergonomically laid out under my hand. You get seven buttons in total, including two remappable controls under the thumb, one beneath the middle scroll, and one on the body of the mouse itself. However, I found the final button tricky and uncomfortable to press at times. As a result, it was the button I used the least when testing by far.
Back to the positives though, its wired connection meant, unlike some of the best wireless mice on the market, all I had to do was plug it in and it was ready to use. I was particularly impressed with the quality of the cable as it is completely braided, giving it a slightly more premium feel, whilst also adding an extra layer of protection.
Finally, the RGB lighting made the mouse more visually appealing and brightened up the all-black exterior. The underlighting is a particular highlight for me. However, it would have been nice to have the Chillblast logo more visible from beneath the honeycomb, perhaps by having it above the structure to make it more of the centre piece.
Performance
Performance-wise, I was once again impressed with its weight. It was effortless to move, but I never felt it was so easy that its accuracy suffered as a result. I also didn't experience any delay thanks to its switchable polling rate up to 1000Hz.
Moreover, I rarely misclicked, and during a brief runout on Golf with your Friends, where minute adjustments can be detrimental to your shot, I found it was effective at letting me make those minor position changes to hit the target.
This was aided by its stellar 12400 DPI optical sensor, which was completely adjustable from the accompanying software (more on this later). I found only a handful of rival mice that had a higher DPI, making it extremely competitive for the price.
Now, I haven't had the mouse long enough to comment on Chillblast's 10 million clicks claim from its Huano switches. However, I will commend how responsive each button was when pressed. They were also fairly quiet, especially next to my mechanical keyboard, meaning I was at no point distracted by the device.
Software
Chillblast claims that a user guide and drivers are available on the box. Unfortunately, I experienced a similar situation to one I had during my Chillblast Imperium review. The website you're instructed to visit (www.chillblast.com/aerov2) doesn't, at the time of writing, exist, but Chillblast tells us that it's working on a fix.
This was particularly frustrating, and meant I had to do my own browsing to find the accompanying software. I did eventually find it by searching 'Chillblast Aero V2 software download', but I would have preferred to be able to simply visit the website Chillblast recommends in the first place.
That said, the software was incredibly intuitive to use, and there are a ton of amazing customisable aspects on there. Firstly, you're able to remap all seven buttons depending on your preference (don't worry, you can reset if you mess up). Their set to gaming-related functions by default, but there are plenty of work-based commands as well, including a whole section dedicated to Office software.
The DPI settings are also completely adjustable, allowing you to go as low as 200 and all the way up to 12400 as touched on earlier. The polling rate is also customisable from 125Hz to 1000Hz, as is the mouse speed, scroll speed, double click speed, and key response.
This software is also where you adjust the RGB lighting. You're free to select almost any colour imaginable, or cycle through an entire range and adjust the speed and intensity. Also, there are 11 separate modes, including my personal favourite "Marbles". You can even save macro functions, with every button supported, to help with repetitive tasks.
Thankfully, you can save your customisations as profiles, so you don't have to worry about manually readjusting your settings when switching between work and gaming, or when you return to the device the next day.
Chillblast Aero V2 - Verdict
Overall, there is plenty to like about the Chillblast Aero V2. It's incredibly lightweight and has some impressive features, like its RGB lighting and DPI sensors, that make it great value for its price.
Its software was a particular highlight for me, as I could customise almost every aspect of the device to my preference. The only issue here is I would have liked finding the software to be more straightforward.
I wouldn't let this put you off though. It delivers almost everything Chillblast promises performance-wise. While nothing stood out as being excellent, there wasn't anything noticeably bad. Considering its retail price, it's hard to complain here. So, make sure you keep it in mind next time you come to upgrade your setup.
