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MSI Versa 300 Wireless 8K review
The MSI Versa 300 Wireless 8K is a gaming mouse with a pro level spec and some useful features. Despite this, it also has a pretty competitive price.
There’s nothing spectacular or gamerish about the way it looks, maintaining as it does a relatively understated aesthetic. There’s only a small logo that allows some subtle RGB lighting to pass through.
In the hand, I found the Versa 300 more bulbous than I’m accustomed to, with a more prominent hump in the middle. However, I adjusted quickly to the shape and found it comfortable thereafter. In fact, it actually fitted my palm as well as the best gaming mouse shapes.
This fit also helps to impart a secure feeling, making me confident in performing lift-offs. This is further aided by the concave side walls and their diamond grip pattern. It’s a shame, though, that this grip area isn’t made from a soft touch material like silicone or rubber; it merely adopts the same smooth plastic as the rest of the unit. Regardless, I still found it provided sufficient grip and feedback.
The Versa 300 is quite a light mouse, weighing just 66g, which makes it easy to maneuver. However, there are certainly lighter mice around, and what’s more the weight doesn’t feel evenly distributed. Most of its mass seems to be concentrated near the rear, which can cause the whole unit to tilt backwards when lifting off. At least the Versa 300 feels solid and durable, which is always a positive. The body material feels smooth and upmarket, too, belying its budget price tag.
In action, the Versa 300 is quite impressive. The first aspect I noticed was just how smoothly it glided. This surprised me, given the PTFE skates are quite small compared to those on more premium gaming mice.
The included USB cable is braided and quite long, which makes it amenable to a wide variety of setups. It’s also quite light, although it still adds a small but noticeable element of drag to movements. The connection to the USB-C port is as solid as I could’ve wished for, so I wasn’t concerned about accidentally yanking it out.
The Omron mechanical switches feel satisfying enough, but they’re a little heavier and travel a little further than those on more elite gaming mice. This makes them feel less snappy. I still found them just about light enough for competitive play, but more serious head clickers might find them too sluggish for their needs.
The scroll wheel is somewhat unusual, due to its prominent, spiky finish. Far from being uncomfortable, though, I found this texture pleasing and it provided good feedback.
The middle click is also very satisfying, feeling more like a true button press than many others, thanks to its long travel and definitive thud when actuated. It’s probably one of the best middle clicks I’ve experienced.
However, the notching of the wheel is a little too light for my tastes, making it somewhat harder to judge single flicks compared to others. There’s no free scroll or tilt scroll feature, either, which some premium gaming mice get.
MSI Center, the brand’s peripheral software, is simple to use and laid out clearly. There is a reasonable amount of adjustments here, including five customizable levels for the DPI selector, ranging from 100 to 26,000, as well as rebinding options.
These are quite limited, though. You can only swap inputs around, assign media playback controls, and trigger macros (a fairly basic macro recording facility is included). It’s a shame you can’t customize the RGB lighting from here; for that, you’ll need to download another app, Portal X, which just creates more inefficiency.
You can enable more advanced features, such as Motion Sync and Angle Snapping, as well as alter the debounce time between 0ms and 30ms (in increments of 1ms). You can also adjust the lift-off distance, but this only has two settings: low and high.
Battery life is also excellent. After using the mouse consistently for several days, in both Bluetooth and 2.4GHz modes, it only dropped around 10-15%. I didn’t experience any connectivity issues, either, with the two wireless modes maintaining a stable, lag-free signal.
Other gaming mice may have a greater selection of advanced performance based features, but it’s hard to complain about their absence in the Versa 300, given its competitive pricing. There aren’t many in this sector that offer a top-draw spec for so little, making it a compelling pick for those on a budget.
MSI Versa 300 Wireless 8K review: Price & availability
- $99.99 / £59.99 (about AU$140)
- Available now
- Well-priced for its spec
The MSI Versa 300 Wireless 8K costs $99.99 / £59.99 (about AU$140) and is available now in black only. It comes with a braided USB cable but no grip tape or spare skates.
Considering its spec, the Versa 300 is well-priced. There aren’t many gaming mice at this price point offering dual wireless connectivity modes, an 8K polling rate, and advanced tweaks.
It’s significantly cheaper than the Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro, which is one of our current favorites in the sector. But the Razer has more advanced software, granting you access to more adjustments and functions. We also loved its snappy mouse clicks, an area where the Versa 300 falls short.
However, if you’re after a truly budget gaming mouse, it’s hard to beat the Cooler Master MM311. We found it performed much better than it had any right to. It may lack multiple connectivity modes and a rechargeable battery, but you can’t really get better performance for less.
Should I buy the MSI Versa 300 Wireless 8K?
Scorecard
|
Attribute |
Notes |
Score |
|---|---|---|
|
Value |
Not many gaming mice offer this much for so little. |
4.5 / 5 |
|
Design |
I like it, but some might find the shape a little too bulbous. MSI Center offers a decent selection of customization options. |
4 / 5 |
|
Performance |
A very smooth glider, and the 8K polling rate is certainly welcome. Clicks are a little heavy, though, and the unbalanced weight might cause problems when lifting off. Battery life is excellent, though. |
4 / 5 |
|
Final score |
The Versa 300 is an impressive gaming mouse for the price, and if you’re ok with not having the snappiest clicks around,, it’s worth considering. |
4 / 5 |
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
MSI Versa 300 Wireless 8K review: Also consider
How I tested the MSI Versa 300 Wireless 8K
- Tested for several days
- Used for a variety of games and tasks
- Extensive gaming mouse experience
I tested the Versa 300 for several days, during which time I used it for gaming, working, and general productivity. I used all of its connectivity methods with two different Windows PCs.
I played a variety of games, from fast-paced shooters such as Counter-Strike 2, where speed and precision matter most, to games requiring a more considered and versatile and more encompassing mouse functionality, such as Subnautica 2.
I’ve been PC gaming for over a decade, and have experienced many gaming mice in that time. I’ve also reviewed a large number of them, from budget offerings to pro-level and feature-packed premium models.
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lewis.maddison@futurenet.com (Lewis Maddison)
