INTRODUCTION

   There are currently three different grip styles people use with a mouse the palm grip style (this is by far the most popular style since it's used by both regular users and gamers alike), the claw grip style (this is also my preferred style and follows the palm grip style very close in terms of popularity) and finally the tip grip style (this may be the least popular style but since it also happens to be the fastest one of the three - although not quite as accurate - it's actually used quite a bit by professional esports gamers). Of course, the shape and size of a mouse is directly linked to a grip style so not all mice out there can be used with all grip styles. The Mensa Pro Gaming Mouse by Xanova however can be used with all grip styles and today we’re taking a closer look to see what else it has going for it.

   Xan signifies ZEN. Zen derives from Japanese pronunciation of Chinese word (CHAN) which traces its root from Indian practice of meditation. Xanova gear aims to unleash every gamer’s inner ambition and evolve their capabilities (ZEN) and empower them to reach for the stars. Xanova’s ambition is to create a brand that is relevant for the gamers of today and tomorrow, to always deliver an experience that enhances the awesome world of gaming. The founder Ms Connie Chiu has witnessed the development of PC Gaming/ Esports industry for majority of past 15 years. She has teamed up with her long time Italian friends who have been in the console gaming accessory business concurrently. Blending the Eastern Wisdom with the Italian Fantasy has conjured up a “NOVA” gaming brand. Xanova products are sparkling with the magic gamer touch and the trendsetting Italian culture and style. We are passionate about gaming. Behind Xanova, there is a team of cross-cultural, highly skilled and creative gamer professionals, committed to provide gaming gears that are at the frontiers of technological advancements, that look fantastic, are comfortable to use, and are durable.

   Largely thanks to its medium sized and heavy (126g) textured body the Mensa Pro Gaming Mouse by Xanova can be used by all grip users including claw, finger and palm. Underneath we find split triggered OMRON mechanical switches for the primary keys (50 million clicks) and the PMW3389 optical sensor by Pixart which features a maximum native resolution of up to 16.000DPI (dots per inch - adjustable in single DPI increments), 400IPS (inches per second) tracking speed, 50G acceleration and has a maximum refresh rate of 1000Hz. The Mensa Pro also has a 5-Zone RGB backlight system (3 lighting effects), 6 programmable buttons, 5 onboard DPI presets/profiles, support for angle snapping and adjustable debouncing time. This is the very first gaming mouse by Xanova to reach our lab so let’s move forward with our review and check it out.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

The Mensa Pro arrived inside a black, white and blue box that has a large product picture at the front right beneath the company logo and above the main product features.

On both sides Xanova has printed the specifications of the product in 8 languages.

The product features, specifications and the system requirements are listed at the rear of the box in 4 languages.

You can take a look at the mouse itself from the front.

Along with the Mensa Pro Gaming Mouse you will just get the user guide.

THE MENSA PRO

The Mensa Pro features special sweat-resistant textured coating at the top and as you can see it's a medium sized gaming mouse.

Two programmable buttons are located on the left side of the mouse.

The company logo is located at the rear of the mouse and is right over one of the 5 lighting zones (the logo is also one of the lighting zones).

The DPI selection button and its activity LED are both located at the top of the Mensa Pro.

Xanova didn’t use a specially designed pinkie grip with the Mensa Pro but the right side is surprisingly comfortable.

The rubberized clickable scroll wheel is also part of the 5 zone RGB system.

At the base of the Mensa Pro we find 3 large PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) feet and the PMW3389 optical sensor.

A gold plated USB plug is located at the end of the 1.8 meter long braided cable.

XANOVA CONTROL PANEL

In order to access all the settings of the Mensa Pro you will need to download the Xanova Control Panel from their support page seen above.

You can also download the firmware update software seen above to update the Mensa Pro to its latest version.

The firmware update procedure takes less than a minute to complete.

Once you install and launch the program it will detect and list all connected Xanova peripherals.

From within the Xanova control panel you can program all 6 buttons with actions, macros and software shortcuts.

You can also choose one of the 3 available effects for the 5-zone RGB lighting system and of course also configure them with specific colors.

From the performance tab you can assign a color for each of the 5 presets, set the preferred DPI levels, adjust the polling rate and debouncing time and enable/disable angle-snapping.

CONCLUSION

   The Mensa Pro stayed on our test bench for a total of 8 days during which we used it with a plethora of games including Star Wars Battlefront II, Dreadnought, Kingdom Come Deliverance, Playerunknown’s Battlegrounds and Devil May Cry 5 and although it’s not the perfect gaming mouse thanks to its shape and weight it’s very comfortable and has very good grip. Also due to the PMW3389 sensor tracking speed is also very good and although the Mensa Pro is not quite as accurate as some other gaming mice like for example the M65 RGB Elite still we were positively surprised. The 5-zone RGB lighting system also looks great but we would like to have more effects to choose from.

   The Xanova Mensa Pro Gaming Mouse currently retails for USD49.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 45Euros inside the EU (Amazon.co.uk) a price tag which places it right in the middle of many similar models by other manufacturers. Unfortunately, due to limited availability the Mensa Pro is priced slightly over what it should and that is its single greatest drawback especially when gaming mice like the M65 RGB Elite retail for a similar price. That being said the Mensa Pro is fast, accurate, offers great grip and its 5-zone RGB illumination system is a lot better than what we’ve seen with most similarly priced models so we do think you should give it a chance.

PROS

- Fast & Accurate (Pixart PMW3389 Sensor)
- Very Good Grip (Textures Sweat Resistant Coating)
- OMRON Micro Switches (50 Million Clicks)
- RGB Lighting System (5 Zones)
- 6 Programmable Buttons
- 1.8 Meter Long Braided Cable with Gold Plated USB Plug

CONS

- Price (For Some)
- Current Availability
- Only 3 RGB Lighting Effects