BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A Review

When it comes to Projectors, Monitors and digital displays the BenQ needs no introduction. They have been around for some time ever since started in 2001. ZOWIE is their gaming premium brand (Gaming Division) focused on creating and launching professional e-SPORTS equipment ranging from Monitor, Mouse, Keyboard to mouse pad, and related accessories.

These products are focused on pure performance with no frill attach to them. E-SPORTS is in an era where professional gamers and teams gather around and participate in the official tournaments from all around the world and have evolved into much like what other professional sports could do. They have a bigger audience, thrilling gaming performances backed by financial rewards.

Today we will be taking a look at e-Sports gaming mouse is BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A Review. This is a back-to-back content on gaming mice as we have recently reviewed the Corsair M65 RGB Elite. Gaming mice from BenQ ZOWIE are categorized into three:

• EC Series [Ergonomic Right-Handed Design]
• FK Series [Ambidextrous Low-Profile Design]
• ZA Series [Ambidextrous High-Profile Design]

The EC series design focuses on right-handed users. It offers users a bigger room for wrist movements. The shape of the right side of the mouse is well rounded. It allows the user’s fingertips to hold/cover the mouse to move smoothly. Each of EC Series mouse comes in two sizes to fulfill different needs:

• Medium Size
• Large Size

Make sure to google the one that would fit your hands. Also, there is a sensor difference in the EC series. Here is a complete listing of the EC series of mice:

• EC1-A [3310 Sensor]
• EC1-A White [3310 Sensor]
• EC1-B [3360 Sensor]
• EC1-B CS:GO Version [3360 Sensor]
• EC2-A [3310 Sensor]
• EC2-A White [3310 Sensor]
• EC2-B [3360 Sensor]
• EC2-B CS:GO Version [3360 Sensor]

Related: Gamdias Hades M1 Review

Since we are reviewing the EC1-A, so we will focus on it. The BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A e-Sports Gaming mouse comes in two sizes; medium and large. It is an optical mouse with well lift-off distance. It has a dimension of 61mmX120mmX40mm (WxLxH). This is the maximum height of the mouse taken from its central tip. The weight of the BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A e-Sports Gaming mouse is 93 gm without cable hence we can see a properly weighted mouse in our hands.

BenQ Zowie EC2-A Gaming Mouse Review

It is designed to be like that it supports both CLAW and PALM grip. The user can either put their fingertips on the buttons to control the action or place their fingers on the buttons. Unfortunately, I had to spend some time to get a grip on this mouse not because of its design but because they sent me a medium size version whereas my hands are larger to grip this mouse easily.

The best thing about BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A Review is that you don’t need any driver. It is plug-n-play at its best. Well, Hello MAC! The mouse has a polling rate of 125/500/1000Hz with maximum DPI level of 3200 using 3310 optical sensor.

• Item:                EC2-A e-Sports Gaming mouse
• Manufacturer:  BenQ ZOWIE
• Price:                Check Price on Amazon

EC2-A e-Sports Gaming Mouse Specifications

EC2-A Mouse Packaging and Unboxing

The mouse is shipped inside a paperboard box which is finished in the black/red colors theme. The overall packaging is effective.

The front side of the packing box has ZOWIE brand logo printed on the top left side. There is a picture of the mouse from its top angle finished in a liner format in the middle. EC2-A is printed on the bottom right side of this picture. BenQ is printed in the middle of the bottom.

The backside of the packing box has ZOWIE brand logo printed in the middle. We have a large size-sticker pasted at the bottom having information like EAN, UPC, Manufacturing date, etc bar codes.

The top side is where the box is to be opened and it has a seal on it. There is a ZOWIE brand logo printed in the middle. EC2-A is printed on the bottom right side. There is a serial no sticker pasted on the left side.

The bottom side shows that the mouse is made in China.

The left and right sides are identical. They have a ZOWIE brand logo printed almost in the middle followed by the EC2-A branding and tag line.

The BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A is nicely packed inside a transparent container along with the accessories.

Zowie EC2A Contents

Following is included in the box:

• 1x BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A e-SPORTS Gaming Mouse
• 1x ZOWIE brand logo sticker
• 1x Set of extra gliding pads
• 1x User Guide
• 1x Service Information brochure

Zowie ec2 a Closer Look

Having discussed the EC series from BenQ-ZOWIE in the introduction, it is time to take a look at the mouse and see what bells and whistles it has. Here is what BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A Review has to say about it, “Ergonomic design exclusively for right-handed users. It offers users a bigger room for wrist movements. The shape of the right side of the mouse is well rounded. It allows the user’s fingertips to hold/cover the mouse to move smoothly. EC Series comes in two sizes to fulfill different needs.”

BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A e-SPORTS Gaming Mouse has 5 buttons including the scroll wheel clicking. The two buttons are on the top on the left and the right side of the scroll wheel while the other two are on the left side of the mouse which is an obvious choice as this is right-handed design mouse.

The dimension of the mouse is 61mmX120mmX40mm (WxLxH). From its scroll wheel’s tip end the height is 33mm. The mouse frame is made of plastic and finished in the matte black to my liking. The mouse has a weight of 93 gm without the cable making it a lightweight mouse to use.

The BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A e-Sports Gaming Mouse has a nice rounded design with well lift-off distance from its center which has enabled the designers to bring two flavors in one design as this mouse supports both the CLAW and the PALM grip. But given its overall look and feel it does not differentiate itself from the regular off-the-shelf mice in the market.

If you are into a mouse which should have bold and aggressive looks to it, the BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A might not be for you. Looking at the mouse from its top side, we can see a curvature design to the mouse.

There are no buttons near the scroll wheel zone either. From this particular angle, the BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A e-SPORTS Gaming Mouse gives an impression that it has a narrow body in the center as compared to the far ends which is actually the case. This is a light weight, kinda low-profile design; the taste of which is user bound.

The scroll wheel has nothing special to it as it is frosted white with LEDs underneath. These are not ARGB LEDs but simple ones with 4 colors to them. The scroll wheel gives an average impression when it is touched. It has textured lines on the surface which adds to the overall grip of the wheel. Again, the scroll wheel also has no frill to it. The zone or area where the scroll wheel is has inset design with the scroll wheel resting in its middle. This is a nicely done design.

I could not gather which switches the BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A e-Sports Gaming Mouse is using as there is no such information available on their website. Similarly, I could not gather the life of the switches in terms of Million clicks.

I really hope that BenQ-ZOWIE would address this and mention this information on their product page. The left and right mouse buttons are noisy at their best. They are a bit hard to press but can’t really complain about it as it is personal preference/experience.

Looking at the mouse from its rear top side, we can see the glorious red logo of the ZOWIE on the rear side. The one thing that I observed is that the mouse takes a sharp slope down on its rear side. This one particular design implementation makes it less obvious for the CLAW grip users. Personally, I am finding this mouse to be sitting between the CLAW and PALM grip but not perfect for either hence it all boils down to the user experience and preference. The ZOWIE logo does not light up when the mouse is powered.

Looking at the BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A e-Sports Gaming Mouse from its front side we can spot that the USB cable is coming out from the middle. The lower end of the frame under the buttons takes a steep down design which actually looks good in person. It is an all solid design, unlike the CORSAIR M65 RGB ELITE where we saw cutouts or slots on the front.

The BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A e-Sports Gaming Mouse has a 2m length of the USB cable and it supports USB 2.0 and 3.0 interface. The cable is flexible though it feels average when held in hands. The USB connector is golden and its bulk head has ZOWIE brand logo embossed on it.

Taking a look at the mouse from its left side, we can see two glossy buttons located almost at where the thumb of your hand will rest but this was not my case I have large hands and Large size mouse would be better suited to my hands. I have mentioned above that the BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A e-Sports Gaming Mouse does not need any driver or software support.

So, the question boggling your mind would be how to you program these two buttons. Welp, you can’t. Sorry to break it but it is what it is. They are there for a specific reason which is to change the polling rate of the mouse. Here is how:

• Pressing the L button will set the polling rate to 500Hz.
• Pressing the R button will set the polling rate to 1000Hz.
• Pressing both at the same time will set the polling rate to 125Hz.

You may call it the Con of the mouse with no dedicated software but on the other hand, this is also a Pro as this mouse can be used on MAC OS.

The overall design is solid and there is a minimal gap between the top side and the left side which further diminishes while going towards the rear side of the mouse. The central lower portion below the buttons has an inset to it which is a wise move as it ergonomically rests the thumb of your hand on it while moving the mouse. This inset reduces while going towards the rear side. There is a BenQ brand logo on the lower right side as well.

Since the BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A e-Sports Gaming Mouse is designed for right-handed gamers/users the right side of the mouse has a different outlook as compared to the left side. While the left side has an inset to it, the right side does not as its far side protrudes towards the exterior in the downslope. This makes it easy for the gamer/user to place the baby finger on this side. Again, we have a solid design here with no cutouts or slots or anything to make the appearance bold enough.

Now, it is time to take a look at the bottom of the mouse. This is the side that giveaways the true design nature and layout of the BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A e-Sports Gaming Mouse. On the top side, the mouse has a slim and narrowing design while at the bottom it has a design that resembles the half cut of the pear.

Also, looking at the mouse from this angle the inset that we discussed above on the left side is quite apparent in the overall shape of the mouse. There are two glider pads located on the top and at the bottom side of the mouse. They have a bit elevated surface as compared to the rest of the surface of the mouse which makes sense as these gliders will help ensure the smooth movement of the mouse.

To make things good for the gamer/user, the BenQ ZOWIE has included an extra pair of gliding pads should the stock ones wore out. Kudos for this thinking as this is the first time we are seeing some perks coming with the mouse.

BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A e-Sports Gaming Mouse is using PixArt 3310 sensor which, to be honest, is nothing too spectacular but it gets the job done. The eyelid is in the center hosting the sensor on the inner side.

It is in the narrow oval shape. There is a DPI button on the right side of the optical sensor. Since we don’t have dedicated software to change or control every aspect of the mouse there has to be a way to change the DPI on this mouse. Speaking of DPI, the BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A e-Sports Gaming Mouse has a maximum of 3200 DPI which again is nothing too spectacular as given the competition in this price range, there are better DPI enabled gaming mice in the market.

If you were paying attention, I mentioned above that the scroll wheel has LEDs under it. Each DPI level has a corresponding LED color to it. These LEDs serve as the visual indicator to the user confirming that the corresponding DPI has been activated. Here is the color coding of the DPI levels:

DPI Level	LED Color
400	Red
800	Purple
1600	Blue
3200	Green

For a gamer, it is obvious that we would run the BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A e-Sports Gaming Mouse at 3200 DPI level. I was expecting much finer and better sensing range in this price range. To change the DPI level, the user is required to press the DPI button once at a time and keep an eye out on the scroll wheel for the color shift.

The far left side in the middle at the bottom of the mouse has a ZOWIE brand logo carved on it. There is a large size-sticker pasted on the entire length of the mouse here between the gliding pads. The ZOWIE brand logo is printed on its top left followed by the model of the mouse which is BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A e-Sports Gaming Mouse. The mouse is made in China and draws roughly 5V using 120mA. A serial no bar code sticker is printed on the bottom.

Personal Experience

Now that we have covered the design element of the BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A e-Sports Gaming Mouse, it is time to describe the personal experience based on my time spent with the mouse. The timing could not have been much better as I was benching 3 graphics cards with 14 games. The only problem that I have faced with this medium sized mouse which is already slim and compact is that my larger hands struggle to have a proper grip while moving the mouse.

I am in no way attributing it as a Con as the large size variant is also available. So, please take a note that if you are going to BenQ ZOWIE series gaming mice, do proper homework given the size of your hand and that of left/right-hand orientation. I set the mouse to the 3200 DPI for my routine use and gaming as well.

Mainly I do an FPS gaming and I see no issue using the BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A e-Sports Gaming Mouse while gaming. Since we don’t have dedicated software no onboard memory for macros, you are left to use the Operating System’s native Mouse settings available in the Hardware section. The mouse was responding to the DPI changing and the polling rate change and there was nothing else to test as such except to spend time in gaming. From the ergonomics point of view, the BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A e-Sports Gaming Mouse with correct size will definitely help you spend more time in gaming with getting fatigued or tiredness. Overall, I have had a pleasant if not overly exciting experience with this mouse and I can see this mouse easily to be a daily driver.

Final Verdict

Bringing Enjoyment and Quality to Life is a slogan of the people at BenQ. This is something they live to strive for. The company has been focusing on developing professional e-Sports equipment under the umbrella of ZOWIE and this is what has lead us to review their EC2-A e-Sports Gaming mouse.

As we have mentioned in the introduction that ZOWIE carries three broader categories: EC, FK, and ZA. EC series is aimed at ergonomically right-handed design for the majority of the gamers/users. The EC series has multiple offering ranging from EC1-A/B to EC2-A/B in medium and large sizes. The EC series is using PixArt 3310/3360 sensors.

The dimension of the BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A e-Sports Gaming Mouse is 61mmX120mmX40mm (WxLxH). From its scroll wheel’s tip end the height is 33mm. The mouse frame is made of plastic and finished in the matte black to my liking. The mouse has a weight of 93 gm without the cable making it a lightweight mouse to use around.

The USB cable has a length of 2 meters and it has a golden connector supporting USB 2.0/3.0. Our variant is a medium size gaming mouse. Make sure to check for proper sizing before buying it has an impact on the comfort level and ease of operations using the BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A e-Sports Gaming Mouse.

The BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A e-Sports Gaming Mouse has a slim and narrow design which does not differentiate itself from the competition where the bold and aggressive designs are easily available off the shelf. Though this serves a purely aesthetic purpose but having something on your table that could complement it would be nice! The BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A e-Sports Gaming Mouse has curvature on the top with bulky top almost in the middle which makes this design to be suitable for the CLAW and PALM grip though it supports the later finer than the former.

The rear side of the mouse on the top has a steep slope which supports the PALM grip than the CLAW grip. The Scroll Wheel has no frill or beautifully looking design to it as it is in a frosted white color with textured lines to add some grip to it. There are total 5 buttons on this mouse including the scroll wheel clicking.

The BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A e-Sports Gaming Mouse does not need any driver hence it is also compatible with MAC OS. To cope with the lack of software support, there are buttons and a combination of these to change the polling rate and DPI levels on the BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A e-Sports Gaming Mouse. The BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A e-Sports Gaming Mouse is using PixArt 3310 sensor which is nothing too spectacular but it will get the job done.

In this price range and that simple design, they should have installed a high rated sensor in this mouse. The supported polling rate of BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A e-Sports Gaming Mouse is 125/500/1000Hz. There are two buttons on the left side of the mouse which can be used to switch between these polling rates. There is a DPI button at the bottom which can be used to change the DPI level. There are 4 predefined DPI levels; 400/800/1600/3200.

It was a bit disappointing to see skimming DPI levels in this price range. The Scroll Wheel has LEDs underneath it with 4 colors; Red, Purple, Blue, and Green. Each of these colors is coded with the corresponding DPI level mentioned above in that sequence. It serves as a visual indicator letting the gamer/user know that DPI has been changed.

Unfortunately, I could not gather which switches the BenQ ZOWIE is using in these mice and what is their lifetime rating in terms of the Million Clicks. I am hoping that they would add this information to the product page! The BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A e-Sports Gaming Mouse features two glided pads under the mouse. One is installed on the top while the other is at the bottom. They were generous enough to include a spare set in the accessories making the user’s life easier to change the pads without the need to contact the company for the accessory replacement. Similarly, this will increase the operational life of the mouse in that sense as well.

The BenQ ZOWIE EC2-A e-Sports Gaming Mouse is listed at Rs.8721/- at the time of the review and carries one year warranty. My personal experience has been good except that this medium size is not suitable for my large size hands hence I can’t emphasize enough to do proper homework when selecting mouse as comfort level and ease of use would largely depend upon the size of the mouse.

I have no complaint from an ergonomics point of view as BenQ ZOWIE has done a good job in the design department but with just 3200 DPI, 3310 sensor and no frill this is a steep price given the level of competition in the market at this price range with a much better sensor and higher DPI levels!

We are thankful to BenQ ZOWIE for giving us the opportunity to review their EC2-A e-Sports Gaming mouse.

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