ARMAGGEDDON NRO-5 STARSHIP III 2017 Edition Gaming Mouse Review – Improved design and performance

ARMAGGEDDON has updated its NRO-5 STARSHIP III gaming mouse with a new IR sensor and design this year. I had some difficulty getting used to the mouse’s unique shape in my review of the previous iteration of the NRO-5 STARSHIP III, finding the position of macro keys and also the software to be clunky. It has been quite some time since, so did ARMAGGEDDON improve the design and performance on the new ARMAGGEDDON NRO-5 STARSHIP III 2017? Let’s check it out in our review.

Unboxing

The new ARMAGGEDDON NRO-5 STARSHIP III 2017’s packaging looks much better compared to the previous version’s. The yellow and black color scheme is still present but now looks much cleaner and way tidier. The 16.8 million colors illumination, 10,000 CPI sensor, OMRON switches, 9-key programmable keys and also the weight management are highlighted here on the front of the packaging as well.

On the back, we have detailed specifications and also a list of features in various languages.  From the specifications, we can see that the mouse is using a new sensor, the PixArt PMW3225 IR sensor.

Checking on the right side of the box, we have more information about the mouse. The size guide did pique my interest, I wonder if the ARMAGGEDDON NRO-5 STARSHIP III 2017 is available in various sizes, or they just mean that this mouse is a medium in their range of gaming mice. We also have the system requirements, package contents and warranty information for the product here. ARMAGGEDDON NRO-5 STARSHIP III 2017 is backed by a 2-year manufacturer limited warranty.

The usual ARMAGGEDDON’s flip window allows you to look at the mouse in a blister pack. On the flip, we have ARMAGGEDDON’s story on what make ARMAGGEDDON products the “Ultimate Gaming Gear”. If you have owned any other ARMAGGEDDON products, this is the exact same story, so you can skip it. If this is your first, take your time and absorb the ideology.

Inside the packaging, we have the ARMAGGEDDON NRO-5 STARSHIP III 2017, a user manual and one extra set of Teflon feet for replacement. One thing I noticed here is that they have dropped the driver CD that was included with the previous iteration. You will have to download and install the companion driver for the NRO-5 STARSHIP III 2017, you can download the driver from this page.

Appearance

Looking at it from the top, the ARMAGGEDDON NRO-5 STARSHIP III 2017 looks identical to its predecessor. Its ergonomic design still features the matte black rubberized finishing or known as Sable Soviets by ARMAGGEDDON. The body size is also the same as the previous version. I was hoping that it will be a little larger so it would be perfect for my hands.

I find large Teflon feet on the bottom just like its predecessor, ensuring a smooth glide on almost any surface. If the pre-installed Teflon feet are exhausted, don’t worry as ARMAGGEDDON included a replacement set in the box. That’s really thoughtful of them actually.

The hidden weight management tray allows you to add or remove weights to fine tune the mouse’s heft to your liking. With up to six metal tabs, it weighs 4 grams each, giving you a total of 24 grams to play around with.

In my review of the previous iteration of the NRO-5 STARSHIP III, I did find the awkward placement of the side buttons to be difficult to reach. It seems that ARMAGGEDDON did pay attention to its users and fixed the issue here. Now it’s much easier to reach all the keys without having to stretch my thumb.

User Experience

I got used to the ARMAGGEDDON NRO-5 STARSHIP III 2017’s unique shape quite quickly, but the size still does not allow me to palm it comfortably. Referring to the size guide on the box, the ARMAGGEDDON NRO-5 STARSHIP 2017 is a medium sized mouse. If only ARMAGGEDDON can make a larger version of the ARMAGGEDDON NRO-5 STARSHIP III 2017, that would definitely be perfect for me. Scrolling with the scroll wheel on the ARMAGGEDDON NRO-5 STARSHIP III 2017 is satisfying enough with a mild clicky sensation to denote every notch.

Drawing on paint with ARMAGGEDDON NRO-5 STARSHIP III 2017

ARMAGGEDDON NRO-5 STARSHIP III 2017 packs a PixArt PMW3325 IR LED sensor, a relatively new sensor. This sensor is touted as the successor of the PixArt PMW 3320. Based on my testing, it works well without noticeable issues of jitter or prediction. It not necessary to really memorize all of these mouse sensors in the market, but by having some basic knowledge of the more common ones can save you from getting a mouse with a horrible sensor.

My requirements when picking a new mouse is a shape that feels comfortable, accurate sensor and also a short lift off distance. Although the ARMAGGEDDON NRO-5 STARSHIP III 2017 size is rather small for my grip, the sensor accuracy and lift off distance doesn’t disappoint. The lift off distance on ARMAGGEDDON NRO-5 STARSHIP III 2017 is excellent, without me having to worry about my cursor flying off on its own when I lift the mouse to reposition it.

Talking about the sensor accuracy, at first I had my doubts with its performance. After I downloaded the companion software and setup the mouse setting, I found that this mouse actually performs quite well.

There is some improvement on the software yet there is one thing that still bothers me since the last model. The only thing I dislike about the software is you need to minimize the window instead of closing it, as doing that will terminate the background app.  Another minor issue I had with the software is whenever I save new settings for the mouse, the software becomes unresponsive for a while.

On the right side, you can adjust the CPI setting, lighting, USB report rate, mouse speed, double-click speed and scroll speed. For the lighting customization, it has up to three lighting modes, and I like the multi-color mode best. Funnily enough, the side buttons can illuminate in every color as long as its orange. I guess ARMAGGEDDON’s budget didn’t allow for five more RGB LEDs to light up the side buttons?

The left side of the software allows you to assign functions to the five side buttons. As always, I assigned all the macro keys to improve my productivity, such as opening Explorer, back and forward, and also multimedia controls. The companion software allows you to save up to six profiles here.

Conclusion

The ARMAGGEDDON NRO-5 STARSHIP III 2017 has improved over the previous generation. One improvement really worth mentioning is that the side buttons are now easier to reach. The size is still too small for my hand and it would take me quite some time to get completely used to it.

In terms of performance, it did great for both gaming and general computing. The lift distance and accuracy are both excellent. It’s looks like ARMAGGEDDON decision to change from the AVAGO 9800 to the PixArt PMW 3225 sensor is worth it. For me the 10,000 CPI feature is not something anyone really needs, unless you are planning to use the mouse with multiple screens or a 4K monitor. More CPI doesn’t directly correlate to better accuracy, and I am glad ARMAGGEDDON didn’t sacrifice sensor accuracy for a higher number on the spec sheet here.

Overall, I think the NRO-5 STARSHIP III 2017 has really improved a lot upon its predecessor. The only thing ARMAGGEDDON needs to improve here is the companion software. They really need to work on offering a seamless user experience to their fans. The RM199 asking price is a little high, but the fact that ARMAGGEDDON didn’t raise the price despite the improvements is worthy of applause.

After taking everything into account, I award the ARMAGGEDDON NRO-5 STARSHIP III 2017 with the Bronze Pokdeward.