The initial feeling of holding and using the NZXT Lift Elite wireless gaming mouse was comfortable and cupped in my hand naturally with both a palm and claw grip. In comparison to the Lift 2 Ergo, this was a step up with its intention being more gaming-focused but still maintaining its ergonomics.
NZXT is notable for its barebones packaging, providing only what the gamer or user needs out of their products. In the box, it contains the mouse, a USB-C to USB-A charging cable, the dongle, a USB-C to USB-A dongle adaptor, and some grip tape.
The NZXT Lift Elite wireless gaming mouse is designed for effortless speed, precision, and handling. Its ultra-light 57-gram construction enables swift, fluid movements, while its pro-grade sensor, high polling rates, and low-latency wireless technology deliver exceptional tracking accuracy and responsiveness. All performance settings are fully customizable through the CAM app. Despite this mouse being on the heavier side of ultra-lightweight mice, I thought the general feeling of this one was lighter compared to similar tier gaming mice.
Its optical switches have a 0.2 ms response time with no pre-travel, debounce delay, or double-clicking, plus a 100-million click lifespan. The 26K DPI PAW3395 optical sensor allows this mouse to have pixel-perfect precision and reliable tracking. This NZXT peripheral has polling rates up to 4,000 Hz wireless and 8,000 Hz wired modes for smooth, responsive cursor movement. Precise shot tracking is vital for an FPS player; it can be the decisive factor between a body shot and a headshot on an enemy.
Adding to the whole mouse feel, the out-of-box textured rubber grip was good enough to use in competitive play. It does come with additional grip tape, but I found the coarse texture of the rest of the chassis grippy as well. The tape on the right and left mouse button is just provided for good measures, but for the average user, the base model of the Lift Elite wireless gaming mouse is good enough as is.
“The NZXT Lift Elite wireless gaming mouse is designed for effortless speed, precision, and handling.”
It has a symmetrical design with right-handed users in mind. After using this mouse for everyday use, the best touch sensory experience of this mouse was with the rubber dot-pattern grip. The feedback of each scroll felt very responsive.
Then, from a gaming experience, I really enjoyed the coarse finish used on the right and left mouse buttons on the side buttons too. For most games where I have to communicate with my team, I usually assign the Open Mic button to one of the side buttons. The size and feel of those buttons were very responsive.
NZXT listed the Lift Elite wireless gaming mouse to be intended for gamers who use a claw or palm grip when holding the mouse. I can say it worked well for these grips. Majority of the time, I used a palm grip but I use a claw grip when I am trying to lock in to click enemy heads and rip them to shreds.
The last critique on the feeling of this mouse was the 100% PTFE skates beneath the mouse. The glide and stopping power was surprisingly one of the best feelings I have ever felt from a gaming mouse. Some mice have too much grip, making me have to adjust DPI and how I correct my tracking or flick shots. Essentially, I would typically have to break in the mouse. I did not have to do that with this gaming mouse.
The five DPI’s pre-loaded on-board translate well to what I had on my previous main gaming mouse. But it could be adjusted in the CAM app, along with mouse button remapping. The polling rate, lift-off height and motion sync settings can also be configured in the app. The low-battery warning and AFK timeout time can be adjusted, but the low-battery warning did not seem to work for me. Sometimes, the mouse would die unexpectedly without a warning.
Battery life and charging speed is really important for a good wireless mouse. This is why the Lift Elite wireless gaming mouse has up to 70 hours of playtime, and users can gain about 15 more hours within 15 minutes of charging—solely because of the fast-charging capabilities. This is backed by its stable 2.4 GHz wireless connectivity.
“Like many of NZXT’s mice, this one did not have an On/Off button or any fancy RGB lights.”
I always want to be confident that my teams/friends in Valorant or Call of Duty Warzone can rely on me to help the team when it matters most, so battery life and a stable mouse connection is mandatory. This gaming mouse had no issues connected, once I plugged it into my PC once. The battery lasted for about five days with about 5-10 hours per day.
Like many of NZXT’s mice, the Lift Elite does not have an On/Off button or any fancy RGB lights. I get the concept of all performance and minimal bells and whistles, but this gaming mouse needed a better indicator of when it was on and when it was off. Since there was not a physical Power button on the mouse, it worked whenever I turned on my PC. There is a light on when the mouse is charging, but that was it.
For $79.99, you are paying for performance with the NZXT Lift Elite wireless gaming mouse. While it lacked some necessary basic visual lighting, not having any extra lighting options worked for the purpose of this mouse. This was a solid lightweight mouse, which worked well as an everyday mouse and gaming mouse—making this low-profile-look mouse perfect for both the office and for gaming.
While the Lift Elite has many advantages leaning towards performance, it had one or two missteps for some of the basics on battery life indicators. But ultimately, this multi-purpose mouse has some clear intentions with the designs, to make it easier for the user to get the most out of their talents.
