Arctic M551 Gaming Mouse - M551 Testing and Final Thoughts

Testing:

After plugging the M551 into the USB port I started moving the cursor around and was surprised at how fast and smooth the feel is. The Arctic M551 is a gaming mouse so let's test out some games! Okay, I tried playing some Medal Of Honor Allied Assault. I had to turn my sensitivity down halfway in the game console just to use the lowest 800 DPI setting. Just for giggles, I turned the DPI up to the max 2400 and it was crazy fast. For me, it just doesn't seem like the DPI button is useful. The mouse wheel seemed a bit hard to reach because it is pretty low profile and as gamers, we know that any missed button can get you killed in the game. I eventually got used to it and now it's not a problem at all.

Left Side

Right Side

One thing that bothers me about the mouse besides the DPI button is the colored LED's. They are very bright.  If fact, they are so bright that they are actually a distraction because you can see them in the corner of your eye while playing. Other than that, the mouse performs very well.

Top Down

Front Buttons

Conclusion:

All in all the Arctic M551 is a well-rounded mouse. It is fast, smooth and accurate once you get your sensitivity set up. For $24.99 US you get a mouse that is just as good as a really expensive one. You can definitely shoot it up with the big dogs on a budget. I recommend the Arctic-Cooling M551 gaming mouse to anyone that is on a budget or just looking for a lot of bang for the buck. I score Arctic M551 an overall 8+/10. It is a great mouse for the price.

Pros:

• Inexpensive
• Smooth and comfortable
• 6 Foot USB cable
• One touch DPI control

Cons:

• Distracting LED's

I'd like to thank Arctic for sending over the M551 Mouse for us to review.  If you have any questions, comments or feedback, please post it in the forum at the "Comments" link below.