Review: ZOWIE EC3-CW Wireless Gaming Mouse

ZOWIE is big name when it comes to gaming mice but they have been rather slow at releasing wireless versions of their mice. Thing are starting to pickup as ZOWIE’s EC series of mice is finally getting the wireless treatment – EC-CW series to be exact. There are three sizes in the EC-CW series, with the EC3-CW being the smallest of the lot. All retail for the same price of S$249.

Unboxing

In the box, you’ll find the many items:

• ZOWIE EC3-CW Wireless Gaming Mouse
• Enhanced Wireless Receiver
• USB Wireless Receiver
• USB Type-C Adapter
• Paracord USB-C Cable
• Extra mouse feet – Skatez-Type D (Black)
• User manual

Tech specs

Build quality and weight

Being a ZOWIE mouse, the EC3-CW just feels absolutely solid all round. No creaking of the plastic at all, and not a sign of rattling heard even if I slam the mice on the mouse pad or squeeze the mouse hard. Overall build quality of the EC3-CW is remarkable. Even the included USB cable is light and flexible, so in the event you have to play wired for a while it shouldn’t affect performance.

Weight of the EC3-CW remains relatively unchanged from its wired counterpart, at 76g. 76 grams is not heavy by any means, but looking at many new options with weight in the ~50g range does make the ZOWIE EC3-CW look heavy. Personally, I would have liked to see the EC3-CW be at the 60-70 grams range. Having said that, I got used to the 76g weight soon so I guess this subject of weight is a matter of personal preference. Weight distribution is right in the middle.

Buttons

The main buttons using the Huano switches feel light and snappy, making it easy to spam clicks. They feel way more satisfying the Kailh GM 8.0 switches that are in the Pulsar X2 Mini. There is minimal pre-travel and some post travel on both buttons. No issues at all on side to side grinding which to me is more important.

There are very slight contours on the main buttons to make it more comfortable to place your fingers on it. Coming to the side buttons, they feel very nice to use as they are responsive and do not have any hollowness to its sound. They are also conveniently placed and the large size makes it really easy for my thumb to reach.

You can check out the clicks and scroll wheel sounds below:

Scroll wheel

The scroll wheel is textured for better grip when using, and has a well-defined 24-step wheel for scrolling. The noise when scrolling is on the loud side. Clicks on the scroll wheel are nice with tactility.

Coating

Coating on the EC3-CW is quite good. They definitely have a greater friction feel over mice like the Pulsar X2 Mini or the Razer Orochi to list a few. The coating on the EC3-CW does make fingerprint and sweat stains quite obvious under light. You can definitely use the EC3-CW without grip tape if your hands don’t really sweat while gaming.

Shape and fit

The ZOWIE EC3-CW is the smallest of the EC-CW series of mice and you can get a quick summary of the differences in size below picture:

The EC3-CW is an asymmetric ergonomic mouse features featuring lots of curve over the body of the mouse to allow for a comfortable grip regardless of your grip style. ZOWIE’s EC shape is very popular and is probably the most copied ergonomic shape for gaming mice. The EC3-CW has a noticeable hump on the left side that transitions to a flared back, which provides a nice curved angle to rest the left side of my palm. The middle of the mouse is also curved inwards such that it feels more comfortable to place my thumb there.

ZOWIE EC3-CW is best suited for palm or claw grip. By looking measurements, the EC3-CW size is essentially a slightly shorter EC2 and has a lower mid-hump. If you like the back of your mouse locked in to the back of your palm then the ZOWIE EC3-CW might not be the most suited since the back hump is quite low. It will only fill the lower part of your palm. For those who prefer some space at your palm area when gripping the mouse, you should choose the EC3-CW instead of the EC2-C2. The slightly lower height and length of the EC3-CW vs the EC2-CW will offer you more manoeuvrability especially for games where requires more vertical movement.

You can refer to the dynamic pictures below to get a better sense of the grip styles with the EC3-CW.

For my hand size of 18cm * 8.5cm, claw grip feels the most suited for the EC3-CW. In fact, if you use a relaxed claw grip, the EC2-CW can even be a viable option. But if you palm grip your mouse, I think the EC2-CW will be more suitable if your hand size is similar.

Connectivity and customisations

There are two ways of connecting the EC3-CW to your PC – (1) USB wireless receiver, or (2) enhanced receiver. If your desk has the space, do use the enhanced receiver as it should provide better wireless stability and also doubles as a charging dock for your EC3-CW. Throughout my time of using the EC3-CW, I did not encounter any connection dropouts at all. The enhanced receiver may be a bit overkill for some, but given that ZOWIE be used by many eSports professionals, having the enhanced receiver does make sense for such target audience.

ZOWIE doesn’t make any software for their gaming mice. DPI and polling rate adjustments are all done on the mouse itself. This means that the DPI settings are fixed at common levels of 400 / 800 / 1600 / 3200. If you happen to use another DPI level, do note you to have to adjust your in-game sensitivity to maintain the same effective DPI. Adjusting lift-off distance (LOD) does require you to do some press and hold action that you can find in the manual.

Performance

The stock feet on the EC3-CW are black-dyed PTFE with rounded edges. The glide on these feet is on the controlled side, definitely not as smooth if you’re comparing it to aftermarket feet such as BT.L skates. If you prefer smoother skates/feet, there is a small indent on each feet to make it easier to remove.

ZOWIE EC3-CW is using the PAW3370 sensor, which is considered an older sensor as there are plenty of PAW3395 mouse out there. It’s always nice using the latest tech, but I do believe that most people will not even notice the difference between a 3370 and 3395 sensor when gaming. And in my games, I did not encounter any hiccups at all. Personally, I feel shape is the most important factor when choosing a mouse. If it fits your grip style well, you’ll surely play better than having a better sensor.

Battery life

ZOWIE EC3-CW is rated at 70 hours on a full charge. You can monitor the battery life of the mouse via the small LED in the middle of the mouse. To be honest, I haven’t reached a stage where I need to charge the mouse as I simply left it on the enhanced receiver to charge when I’m not using it.

Conclusion

The ZOWIE EC3-CW is the wireless variant that all EC series users have been waiting for. And if you’re new to the brand, you’re guaranteed to get a well-built gaming mice with satisfying click buttons and stable performance. Admittedly, the price of S$249 is indeed quite a lot to swallow for a mouse that uses a 3370 sensor and 76g weight. Ultimately, shape is king. If the ZOWIE EC shape is one that you play well with then there is no point anchoring to a 3395 sensor. It would be nice to see ZOWIE release a version of the EC3-CW without the enhanced receiver if it means lowering the price of the product.