Mionix Sargas 900 And Ensis 320 Review

👤by Tim Harmer Comments 📅01-11-12
Conclusion

So, what can we say about the Mionix Sargas 900 and Ensis 320 Luna? Well, quite a bit as it happens. Lets start with the Ensis 320.

As anyone who has read my reviews should know by now, I'm a sucker for brushed aluminium. I like it on mice, I appreciate it on HTPCs; it's a finish which is smart and stylish enough to suit any environment. It's no surprise therefore that I appreciate the look of the Ensis 320 Luna - the brushed effect is subtle, so the surface feels smooth, but effective in that it doesn't just look like polished metal. This makes it ideal for a office environment, where having your workstation looking smart could be quite a boon.

On the other hand, whilst the size might be ideal for the office it may not be so great for home, especially in gaming. At 320x260mm the Ensis isn't huge, and many gamers prefer mice configured to a low DPI and making expansive gestures to aim; that's not a criticism per se, just an acknowledgement of where personal preference will make an impact.

Otherwise, the Ensis 320 is very good indeed. The backside is sufficiently grippy, and though the pad is very slightly bowed the walk on the pad is minimal. On very close inspection the edge finish looks a little uneven, but still feels smooth to the touch. Criticisms we may have are the size of the logo/name on the surface, and the fact that it may pick up fingerprints a little too easily. In the unlikely event that you're using a mouse with ceramic feet it's also possible that the surface may be scratched.



The Mionix Ensis 320 is a mousemat ideal for a smart small or home office both in size and looks, with a brushed aluminium finish which is only subtly textured to ensure smooth movement for most mice. Both optical and laser mice had no issues tracking over the surface, living up to the high quoted rating on Mionix's proprietry S.Q.A.T. system. For FPS gaming the pad may be a little small, and at close to $40 MSRP it's on the more expensive side, however overall it's well worthy of a Gold Award

Pros

+ Brushed aluminium finish
+ Smooth
+ Optical and Laser mice track perfectly

Cons

- Cost
- A little small for enthusiastic FPS gamers



By contrast, the Sargas 900 occupies the other end of the product spectrum. With a width of 900mm it certainly lives up to the 'deskpad' moniker, and a projection into the desk of 400mm is plenty for every use we can think of. These dimensions sidestep the problem of mats which are too wide to be placed alongside a keyboard on an often cramped computer desk.

As a mousemat, the Sargas 900 performs entirely up to expectations. Neither our optical nor laser mice had issues with tracking across the surface, the fundamental point of a mat after all. The woven cloth surface is smooth enough for mouse skates to glide over it, whilst also being surprisingly flexible. In terms of thickness, the 2mm rubber backing is probably just thick enough without creating a spongy surface for the keyboard to rest on.

Another point to note of the Sargas 900 is its innate flexibility compared to other mats thicker yet with a smaller surface area. The upshot is a mat which can be packed away surprisingly easily, perhaps for a LAN event if that's your thing.

Our one concern with the Sargas is durability. We're reasonably confident that the cloth weave is robust, but the edge finishes aren't great. After a relatively short period of use the fabric at the edge was ever so slightly beginning to come away from the backing where the forearm runs across it. Other mats use a far more rigid, almost plasticised surface to ameliorate this effect, but that's the catch-22 of designing with softer fabrics.



The massive Mionix Sargas 900 deskpad neatly renders mousemat size problems irrelevant by effectively turning the front half of a desk into one large mousemat. In that role is performs well, offering a smooth mousing surface whilst not adding any bounce to the keyboard. The only question-mark is long term durability given how soft the fabric surface is. An MSRP of $29.99 seems excellent for a product which eliminates so much inconvenience, well worthy of a Gold Award.

Pros

+ Size
+ Convenience
+ Optical and Laser mice track perfectly

Cons

- Unproven long-term durability




Click here for an explanation of our awards at Vortez.net.



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