"Nova have recently launched their very first gaming peripheral – the Slider X600."

Nova have recently launched their very first gaming peripheral – the Slider X600. We were fortunate enough to get our hands on one of these exciting new gaming mice.

We recently reviewed some of Nova’s gaming pad’s in a review roundup and we were very impressed with the products we were supplied with. Nova are a relatively new company and It’s pleasing to see a company pushing the boundaries, releasing products that stand out as being clear winners. With such impressive results in the previous round, it’s with anticipation that we find ourselves with yet another Nova product.

Packages and Features

As I’ve mentioned in previous reviews, packaging is a key feature of any product. It’s the first thing you see and it sets the impression of how much time and effort the company has given to the particular product. The Slider X600 packaging is indeed something to look at and be impressed with. I’ve not seen anything quite like it, the mouse is showcased inside a clear plastic cube, this method of packaging is attractive and professional – the mouse appears to be angled so that you can examine it from all perspectives and there are exclusive features stamped on the cube.

Inside the box you will find the following items:

~ Screwdriver
~ Driver CD
~ X600 manual
~ Product information leaflet

Features

The Slider X600 comes with the following features:

Size: 129x75x40 in
Weight: 0.090 Ib
Sensor: Cypress Ovation 1
Glide pad material: CCeramic (lifetime warranty)
USB connection: Gold plated
USB speed: up to 1000 Hz
Mouse illumination: Electroluminescent diodes.5 programmable colours
Left/right mouse buttons: 5 million clicks
DPI settings: 400 to 3200 DPI
DPI adjustment pitch: every 100 DPI
Programmable DPI levels per profile: 3
Number of programmable buttons: 8
Programmable profiles in the mouse: 3 profiles Driverless operation
Warranty: 2 years

The following is an extract and is taken from esportsnova.com

Ergonomics

The Slider X 600’s unique shape was designed in close collaboration with gamers from around the world in order to develop a brand new ergonomic shape, adapted to the contour of your hand. Your fingers will fit naturally on the mouse giving you improved comfort for extended gameplay.

Superior precision and response

With sensitivity ranging from 400 to 3200DPI that can be set every 100 DPI, the Slider X 600 provides one of the fastest glides available with incredible sensitivity. 3 sensitivity selections are available per profile and are programmable, which allows for on-the-fly sensitivity switching during the game giving you the exact sensitivity setting when you need it.

Fast, fluid and silent glide

A new revolution in glide pad material, the Slider X 600 features indestructible ceramic glide pads. The ceramic material guarantees a superior response, movement and speed that deliver a gliding sensation that is unsurpassed. Plus you get to save on the cost to replace your traditional mouse feet every few months as NOVA Gaming stands by its product with a lifetime guarantee on the glide pads.

Cable management system

With an innovative lateral cable positioning, the Slider X 600 gives you the freedom you need without the bother of a mouse cable getting in your way. In addition, the very low angel of the wire outlet guarantees that the wire will not break for a very long period of time.

Programmable buttons

The Slider X 600 is completely customizable to fit your play style with 5 buttons and the 3 roller controls that can be configured according to a complete list of actions. You can even assign any key on the keyboard to a button on the mouse. In addition, 2 DPI selection buttons allow you to select one of the 3 profile pre selections at any time.

CUltra-fast USB connection

The wire connections are gold-plated, and as such ensure perfect data transmission. Data transmission speed can be configured up to 1000 Hz.

Electroluminescent diode illumination

Brand new, the Slider X 600 has electroluminescent diodes that light up the lower portion of the mouse. You can customize the mouse by selecting from among one of the 5 different colours: personalization guaranteed!

Programmable profiles

Up to 3 different mouse profiles can be configured. These profiles are saved directly in the mouse’s memory. This is ideal for quickly switching between profiles when competing!

Testing and Conclusion

Installing the Slider X600 was very simple. All I had to do was install the drivers and software on my computer and plug the mouse into a spare USB port. The Nova Slider X600 software is very easy to use, so configuring the buttons is straight-forward. The GUI on the software could be improved but as this is Nova’s first edition I’m sure the software will improve if they continue to produce mice or peripherals that include driver software.

Testing

To test the Slider X600 as with other gaming peripherals, I put it through its paces with some heavy gaming sessions. Taking into consideration – button placement, overall comfort, precision and durability.

The games tested with the X600 were:

Crysis
Dead Space
Command & Conquer Red Alert 3

Three completely different game styles. Which I think really tests the mouse in different gaming environments. This should give me a fair conclusion. I also examined the mouse under standard usage in applications in and around the operating system environment – including web browsing. It’s important to note though that although this review is giving an in-depth analysis of this mouse, it is very much down to personal preference whether you will find the mouse suitable for your needs. If at all possible, try testing out mice before you go ahead with the purchase to avoid disappointment.

The Slider X600 is a fantastic mouse, it feels and performs extremely well. What I especially like is the subtle but noticeable adjustments over the standard layout of the mouse. It coped with all three games remarkably well, the software gave me the ability to assign the buttons I wanted and I could even change the sensitivity on the fly – using the two buttons on the top of the mouse.

The glide from the Slider X600 is fluent and it moves well on most surfaces, the feet on the Slider X600 work very well and make for a very smooth operation. I found that in Crysis especially the accuracy of the Slider X600 excelled, enhancing the gaming experience.

The button placement could be slightly improved. The button closest to the pad seems to be quite odd and feels uncomfortable. Apart from this the Slider X600 looks and feels great, the combination of materials used have been meticulously designed. You can tell that there has been some brilliant design ideas conceived. I especially like the ability to change the colour of the mouse, customising it between 5 different colours. You can do this by hitting a button on the top of the mouse. This is a superb idea, it means for example that if you have a green lighting setup inside your case you can adjust the mouse to suit or any of the other colours. The glow off the Slider X600 is atmospheric and it gives your desk that gaming feel. The other thing that I like is the cable which comes out the side instead of from the front. As mentioned earlier, these small changes move away from the standard format your mouse would typically come in and it adds some nice styling to the peripheral.






Conclusion

In conclusion, I found the Nova Slider X600 an exceptional mouse. It was a pleasure to work with, it did take some getting used to due to the difference in shape over my Logitech MX-518 but after some time I got used to the mouse and It was fun to use.

You can certainly tell that Nova have worked along-side the gamer when designing this mouse, the design ideas clearly show some great decision making and conception. The Slider X600 handled all the games I tested very well – a combination of smooth glide and accurate aim aids your gaming sessions.

The Slider X600 is priced around the £65 mark which some might consider to be quite hefty for a mouse. This is the only issue I really have with this mouse, indeed it presented in an impressive fashion with some wonderful innovation, offering high-end performance but there are mice out there cheaper that offer similar performance. There is no doubt though, this mouse is premium and I would highly recommend it.

I would like to thank Nova for supplying us with the Slider X600.