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[nextpage title=”Introduction”]
OCZ had entered the gaming market niche with the Equalizer mouse, which we already tested. Now the company strikes gold again by releasing the Dominatrix, a larger model with rubber grip and adjustable weight – a common feature among top of the line gaming-grade mice. You may think it’s a sex toy due to its somewhat inappropriate name (try asking for one at a friendly neighborhood gaming supply store) but if OCZ’s intention was to demonstrate its capacity to dominate and beat the rivals into submission, Dominatrix is a well-deserved name. Let’s see how it fares during our test.
The first noticeable thing is OCZ’s decision to abandon the oval shape and medium size of its earlier model, the Equalizer, to follow the industry trend of larger bodied mice with finger rests. Large body is the exact term here: the Dominatrix is a big mouse. But big doesn’t mean heavy or awkward. During our test, the device handled precisely and felt very comfortable due to the rubberized finger rests and to a large rear section that provided a good palm rest.
Figure 1: The Dominatrix besides the Equalizer.
The side buttons are pre-programmed for internet navigation. They’re big and easily identifiable by being grey colored against a shiny black background. Above there’s the 4-way tilt scroll wheel (up and down horizontally and vertically) that lights up according to the current dpi selection (turned off when at 400 dpi; green when at 800; blue when at 1,600 and red when at 2,000 dpi). You can reach 3,200 dpi by software adjustment only. Below the scroll wheel the user can find the resolution change switch and the “M” button, corresponding to three profile modes. They can be stored into the Dominatrix’ onboard memory so you don’t need to run the mouse software in every PC you plug the device into.
Figure 2: Button details and finger rest.
OCZ took a different approach to the weight adjustment feature: instead of an insertable weight cartridge, there’s an underside circular compartment with seven foam-covered holes in it. You can adjust the overall weight up to 40 g and also change the center of gravity of the mouse. It may be a bit too much but customization aficionados will cheer this feature. The compartment cover is a little fragile and can be a drag to open and close it.
Figure 3: The weight adjustment system.
[nextpage title=”Configuration and Playing with the Dominatrix”]
Fortunately configuring the Dominatrix is a simple operation so we went right to the fun part of testing it: actually playing endless hours of FPS games. We just installed the command editor software that came in a CD and begun assigning functions to the side buttons. You can also record macros – programming a sequence of keys to respond to a single button stroke. As we’ve said, the user can save up to three different profiles, identifiable by three colors that light the M button. As usual, we programmed the buttons to serve our gaming style: one for ducking under fire, the other for opening a communication channel between teammates (instead of hitting the “V” key and taking our fingers away from the WASD cluster).
Figure 4: The command editor software.
At the default resolution of 1,600 dpi, the Dominatrix proved itself to be one of the most precise and comfortable mice we’ve tested so far. It responded quickly to our on-the-fly aim adjustments: we left a trail of dead virtual bodies in our wake. The rubber grip felt secure and sweat-free after hours of intense gaming. The big body wasn’t an issue because the Dominatrix felt light and agile despite its size – and we could always adjust the center of gravity. However if you’d like a smaller and more portable mouse, and table space is an issue with you, you may not like the Dominatrix. The device follows the black/blue/light themes en vogue on the market and it’s a nice fit for the OCZ Elixir gaming keyboard (tested here) or the Tarantula keyboard from Razer.
Costing a lot less than the Logitech G9 (which also reaches 3,200 dpi, has onboard memory and weigh adjustment), the Dominatrix is a killer alternative getting the best for your money’s worth. It follows the current design trend and excelled at its primary function: being a perfect gaming-grade mouse.
[nextpage title=”Specifications”]
OCZ Dominatrix main specifications are:
- Onboard memory (saves up to three profiles)
- 4-way tilt scroll wheel
- Tracking Resolution: 400 to 3,200 dpi (user selectable)
- Image Processing: 7,080 frames / second
- Maximum Speed: 45 inches/second (depending on surface)
- Assignable buttons: 2
- Right-hand usage only
- Adjustable weight (increases up to 1.41 oz / 40 g)
- More information: https://www.ocztechnology.com
- Average price in the US*: USD 38.00
* Researched at https://www.shopping.com on the day we published this review.
[nextpage title=”Conclusions”]
Strong Points
- Terrific cost/benefit ratio: gets your money’s worth
- Comfortable rubberized grip
- Onboard memory
- Multi-color light scroll wheel indicates current resolution
- Big and easily accessible size buttons
- Precise and agile for a mouse this size
Weak Points
- Adult toy name
- Right-hand usage only
- Big size can be an issue
- Only two programmable buttons