BenQ ZOWIE EC2-CW: Best Wireless Gaming Mouse?
I really like this mouse.
My reasons lie here within, but there is something about the overall comfort, feel, and simplicity that just strikes me. This is a solid piece of equipment.
The EC series is Zowie's ergonomic series, designed for right-hand usage and comes in 3 different sizes to suit all hand types.
The Good:
No software or driver install (yey!)
Overall comfort
Charging and docking station
No RGB
Battery life and level indicator
The bad:
The price
Disclaimer
Disclaimer: 100% Independent review done out of curiosity and love of computer accessories and hardware. Mouse lent to me for testing purposes only. No monetary exchange in any direction, not even affiliate links.
EC2 with side buttons seen.
Photo by Kay Tomas Fagervik Bertheussen
Introduction
Today's gaming accessory market is saturated and bloated. Gaming brands are constantly bombarding us with new gear, all aimed at making us better gamers, trying to grab our attention and our hard-earned money. How does a mouse aimed at professional gamers fit into that?
Do You Even Need It?
Odds are you already have a working mouse, so why do you need a new one? How sweaty and competitive are your gaming sessions anyway? And how does a gaming mouse aimed towards professional gamers and e-sports players fit into your needs?
I’ve been a fan of Zowie's EC line for a while and used a wired version a few years back, both at the office and at home. The overall shape fits my hand and claw grip well. I find it comfortable after long sessions of use with exceptional button feel and tactility.
The EC wireless version is even better. It’s more expensive, but with all the added positives of a “no cord” experience.
Price
It can be had for 120€ in the EU zone, and $125 from Amazon (US) at the time of writing.
Here in Norway, it can be had for the insanely expensive price of 1799 NOK. Dire and dark times indeed.
Zowie EC2 seen from the front with USB-C port and red highlight to the right seen.
Photo by Kay Tomas Fagervik Bertheussen
Features of the ZOWIE EC2
It’s a simple wireless ergonomic black mouse with 5 buttons, a nice-feeling and sounding scroll wheel, 1000 Hz polling rate, up to 3200 DPI, and the PixArt 3370 sensor.
It has a black matte coating—the kind that is prone to fingerprints if you have fat on your fingers, but not prone to sweat or loss of grip after long sessions of use. The coating feels very good.
Weight
At 77 grams, some might find it a bit on the heavier side, but for me, the weight feels perfect. It feels solid and fine-tuned. There is no additional weight adjustments possible with the EC2.
3 Different Sizes
The EC-line of mice comes in 3 different sizes. My thoughts and this review apply to the EC1 and EC3 as well, even though they are not tested.
Sizes:
EC1 is large (130mm length, 69mm width, 42mm height)
EC2 is medium (123mm length, 65mm width, 42mm height)
EC3 is small (119mm length, 66mm width, 41mm height)
I consider myself a medium-sized male and am using the EC2 (medium) for this review.
Sensor
The PixArt 3370 is a common sensor used in many mice, including the Glorious Model O and my own Xtrfy M4. It’s a solid choice but neither bold nor innovative.
The PixArt 3370 isn’t cutting edge, but it provides reliable and precise tracking that’s more than enough for even fast-paced games.
Right Hand Only, Lefties Left Out
It’s designed exclusively for right-hand usage. So if you are a lefty, you’re left out. I feel bad for all you lefties out there in the world, but hopefully, you find comfort holding other mice.
Claw and Palm Support
Its design fits both claw and palm grip. I use a claw grip where the mouse rests on the back of my palm.
Battery and Charging
The EC line of mice is rated for 70 hours of constant movement. I’ve not been able to test this, and to be totally honest, I think this is more than I need from a mouse.
The EC2-CW comes with a charging station (or a stand) that doubles as a wireless receiver. You simply place and dock the mouse there when it needs to charge.
No worries if you don’t want this on your desk though—it also comes with a standard 2.4GHz wireless dongle if you prefer that.
While I am speaking of charging, it’s worth mentioning another nice feature of the EC2-CW: it has LEDs that indicate battery life when docked. It would be even more useful if battery life could be seen when it’s not docked, but overall this is a nice feature.
No Software, No Drivers
Another huge quality-of-life feature is that the EC2-CW does not require any software installs.
It’s refreshing not having to deal with bloated software. You just plug it in, set your DPI and polling rate with dedicated buttons, and you’re good to go.
I’ve mentioned this in my review of the Xtrfy M4, but this is something I wish I saw from more vendors. Unfortunately, everyone wants to be part of our ever-expanding list of startup apps and “the cool club” featured in our taskbar.
Maybe you bring your mouse to work. Or maybe you are a professional gamer or a competitive e-sports player? If so, you also get the added bonus that your DPI and polling rate stay stored on the mouse, wherever you use it.
You can just bring the wireless 2.4GHz dongle (and leave the docking station at home) when you are out and about. Nice!
No driver, no software
It’s refreshing not having to deal with bloated software. You just plug it in, set your DPI and polling rate with dedicated buttons, and you’re good to go.
Fit and Feel
The feel of a mouse is, by far, the deciding factor for me when choosing one. How it fits your hand even trumps whether it comes with or without software installs.
We are different individuals with different hands, preferences, and biology, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. I speak for me and me only in this regard.
Having said that, the EC2 fits me and my hand extremely well. It is very comfortable for long sessions of usage.
Another satisfying thing is the scroll wheel—it feels precise and tight.
In the Box
The box itself is not that important to me, having said that it does feature a nice box with some nice included accessories:
USB-C cable, braided
Docking station that doubles as a wireless transmitter
New glides
USB wireless dongle (can be used with both USB-A and C
User manual
History
BenQ Zowie is a brand aimed at professional gamers. Zowie gear was originally founded in 2008, and subsequently acquired by BenQ in 2015 as a push into the lucrative gaming peripherals market. Zowie’s hardware is focused on the esports segment and professional players. Something many of us have seen at esports events with BenQ Zowie-branded monitors and peripherals.
Final Thoughts
Back when I used the wired version of this mouse, my only reason for switching it out was that I moved to a wireless mouse, and Zowie by BenQ did not have any wireless options at that time. Times have changed, and now they offer the comfortable, tried-and-tested EC line in a wireless option.
I’m confident that the EC2-CW will deliver reliability and comfort for years to come, making it a worthy companion for anyone. It gets Kay’s stamp of approval.
