Biostar Keeps It Cheap With $16 Racing AM3 Gaming Mouse
When Biostar released its first mouse, the AM2, we did a double-take at the price tag: $10. In keeping with its super-budget ethos, the company’s second mouse, the Racing AM3, offers more features but is still just $16.
The ambidextrous AM3 features a PixArt PMW 3320 optical sensor. Biostar said that the mouse can give you up to 5,000DPI, but seeing as how the PMW 3320 maxes out at 3,500CPI, that means it’s using software to goose it; essentially, the MCU is overclocked. (Biostar did the same thing with the AM2).
The mouse features adjustable DPI (800/1,200/2,400/5,000), and you can program the mouse buttons, create macros, change the polling rate, and more, using Biostar’s Racing AM3 software. Biostar didn’t specify how many buttons are on the mouse, but it appears that there nine total--left and right click, two DPI switchers, four total forward/back buttons (two per side), and the scroll wheel. The switches are Huano and promise to survive 10 million clicks.
The AM3 is also a heavy bugger at 149g.
The finish is glossy black, and there’s a bit of lighting present. There’s a bit around the DPI buttons, a thin line running in a U shape around the upper lip of the palm rest, and a backlit logo on the palm rest itself.
Although we know that the AM3 will cost $16, it’s not yet listed on Biostar’s site at press time. A search on Amazon and Newegg turned up nothing, either.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Biostar Racing AM3 Gaming Mouse |
|---|---|
| Type | Ambidextrous |
| Sensor | PixArt optical PMW 3320 |
| DPI | 5,000 DPI (800/1,200/2,400/5,000) |
| Buttons | 9 total, programmable:-L/R click-DPI switchers (x2)-Left side: Forward/back navigation-Right side: Forward/back navigation-Scroll wheel |
| Switches | Huano (10M click lifetime) |
| Frame Rate | 5300fps |
| Tracking Speed | 80ips |
| Cable | Nylon braided cable 1.8 meter |
| Software | Racing AM3 |
| Dimension | 122 x 67 x 34mm (LxWxH) |
| Weight | 149g |
| Color | Shiny black |
| Interface | USB |
| Operation System | Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7/8/10 |
| Availability | Unknown |
| Price | $16 |
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Seth Colaner previously served as News Director at Tom's Hardware. He covered technology news, focusing on keyboards, virtual reality, and wearables.
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JakeWearingKhakis Like the price for performance here. I think the last Biostar thing I bought was a motherboard in the stone age.Reply -
Virtual_Singularity It's always good to see anything new from Biostar, even if just a mouse. Nothing wrong with the budget approach, though I'd have liked to see less emphasis on budget & software, and more on overall quality, originality, and design.Reply -
cryoburner ReplyThe AM3 is also a heavy bugger at 149g.
149 grams would be quite heavy for a gaming mouse, though I'm sure that must include the 1.8 meter braided cable, so it's difficult to say how heavy the actual mouse will be. I can't imagine the mouse itself would use extra-thick materials though, given its budget price. Perhaps they did what Logitech did for my old MX500, and screwed a small block of metal inside to give it a more "premium" feel.
I noticed they didn't mention its USB polling rate, though they did say it could be adjusted in software, so that must mean it's capable of more than 125hz. I also didn't see mention of programmable RGB lighting either, so it might just be like the AM2, where certain colors correspond to certain DPI settings.
One last thing I noticed is that their naming scheme for these mice is a bit odd. Biostar sells socket AM2 and AM3 motherboards, so if you search for these mice, you're going to get a lot of motherboard results. Or maybe this was the plan? Come for the mice, stay for the motherboards?