Testing

Installation

Installing the Stinger really couldn't be simpler. You just, well, plug it in. After running through the usual "new USB device detected" windows, you'll be able to use most of the Stinger's features right off the bat. The mouse pointer can move, you can left and right click, DPI switching is available and the two side buttons work as forward and back in your chosen browser. The fact that all this is available (especially the DPI switching) without drivers is a major advantage over other gaming mice as it means it's a true plug-n-play gamers mouse. It also means there's no CPU usage, which is in stark contrast to Razer mice that typically have 2-3 processes just running the mouse.

If you want the extra functionality the mouse offers, you'll need to install the drivers. This allows you access to the left and right scrolling using the wheel, and access to the macro software. Again though, this is painless.

Methodology

To test gaming mice, we spend a period of a few hours using them in different environments, using every feature that the mouse has to offer (DPI switching, macros, extra buttons etc.) and then give our opinions on the abilities of the mouse and how it compares to others in it's class.

To test the Stinger I tested it in standard windows environments and in certain games. For some speed gaming I used Serious Sam: Second Encounter, for some more accuracy and slow paced game play I used the ever great, Transport Tycoon Deluxe (OTTD), and for a blend of speed and accuracy I used Lost Planet with manual aim.

The PC used for all testing was as follows: