Acer Nitro NMW810 gaming mouse review: Budget pointer that's tough to recommend

We've been testing out some of Acer's Nitro gaming PCs and with them come matching accessories. This Nitro NMW810 gaming mouse attempts to create a mix of performance, style, and comfort that remains in the budget realm, costing only about $20. I used the mouse for more than a few long gaming sessions to determine whether or not it's worth the budget price.

What you'll love about Acer's Nitro gaming mouse

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Acer's Nitro gaming mouse is built to match the style of its Nitro PCs, with primarily a black plastic build accented with red lighting that can be changed based on the DPI setting you choose. Red, blue, green, teal, yellow, and purple all make an appearance, slowly pulsing rather than being static. A gauge on the left side of the mouse shows which DPI setting you've chosen. The mouse is designed strictly for right-handers, with a sloped catch and three buttons on the left for a thumb, as well as a porous texture on the right side for ring and pinky fingers.

The size and design of the mouse make it most comfortable to use when gripped with fingers. It has a narrow rear that sort of tapers off, making it too small to fit in my palm. It has been designed with ergonomics in mind, and though I'm used to the larger SteelSeries Rival 600 that I can sort of drape my hand over, I didn't find the Nitro mouse to be uncomfortable during long periods of play. There's some fancy venting on the top that might keep your palm from clamming up, but only if your hand is on the smaller side; I didn't actually touch this part of the mouse because of gripping with my fingers.

A grippy scroll wheel (which also lights up) rolls rather smoothly and has a satisfying click, and the left and right button clicks feel full with what seems like not a lot of room to move before actuation happens. Combined with some decent tracking — the sensor won't compete with the premium mice, but it's more than acceptable for a lot of people — this mouse performs quite well, especially at the $20 price tag.

A braided cable adds a bit of durability (though it would be nice if it was a bit longer than 4.92 feet), and on the bottom of the mouse is a removable panel that reveals a set of four weights, each 5 grams. These can be easily added or removed based on your preference and what you're used to coming from other mice.

What you'll dislike about Acer's Nitro gaming mouse

The Nitro gaming mouse is advertised as having eight buttons, including left, right, and wheel combined with two side buttons, two top buttons to adjust DPI up and down, and a "burst-fire" button that sits directly under your thumb. In reality, you're only getting two extra slim side buttons over what most mice offer, plus the burst-fire button that's altogether useless and in the way.

Because the mouse is a bit too small to palm, most of the grip comes from my forefingers, including my thumb. The burst-fire button sits directly under the tip of my thumb and is quite easy to press, so in the heat of battle, I found myself often mashing it unwillingly. Why not just mess with the game's keybindings? The burst-fire button mimics the main left mouse button, so if you want to unbind it, you also have to lose your left click.

If you like the idea of being able to left click with your pointer finger and thumb — though not at the same time, as this will cancel out any input — then this mouse is probably for you, but I found it more aggravating than anything. After a few hours of playtime and countless misclicks, I was back to my regular mouse. I asked someone with smaller hands to give the mouse a go, and it seemed like the burst-fire button was pushed far enough ahead to not be in the way the entire time, though it was still a nuisance. Your mouse should be an extension of your hand, rather than something you have to consciously worry about.

Should you buy Acer's Nitro gaming mouse?

For $20, Acer's Nitro gaming mouse is probably not a bad buy, especially if your hands are on the smaller size. It has bright lighting that changes with the four DPI settings, standard buttons and wheel deliver satisfying clicks, and the sensor tracked better than I expected. The braided cable and removable weights are features usually not seen in a budget mouse, and the bright lighting definitely spruces up a gaming desk.

However, the decision to include an extra button that's tied into the left click and placed directly under thumb is the mouse's biggest flaw. I lost countless gunfights because I had accidentally clicked both buttons at once and canceled out the input, which really isn't ideal. There's only so long you can remain conscious of where your hands are on the mouse before you get sucked into the game, and at that point, there shouldn't be something in the way of your performance.

Those with smaller hands might not have such a tough time — and indeed this mouse seems better suited for those people, especially if palming a mouse is your go-to method rather than a forefinger grip — but you can no doubt find a better option out there for about the same price. If your budget allows, there are plenty more great gaming mice suited specifically for various game genres.