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Dell Alienware AW310M Mouse Review

Tested using Methodology v1.0
Reviewed Aug 24, 2021 at 10:23 am
Dell Alienware AW310M Picture
7.8
Office/Multimedia
7.0
Video Games (FPS)
7.0
Video Games (MMO)
5.5
Ultra-Light Gaming
7.6
Travel

The Dell Alienware AW310M is a decent wireless gaming mouse with a distinctively shaped wingtip palm rest. It has an ambidextrous shape with two side buttons on the left. It's well-suited for most hand sizes using a palm or claw grip, and it feels well-built. However, there's a slight wobble in the scroll wheel, and the mouse rattles if you shake it. It only connects wirelessly with its USB receiver, and although it has an included cable, you can't connect the mouse with it as it's only an extender for the receiver. Performance-wise, it has low click latency and a wide CPI range. Unfortunately, you can only adjust the CPI by increments of 100, and while the lift-off distance is low, it isn't as low as some other mice.

Our Verdict

7.8 Office/Multimedia

The Dell Alienware AW310M is good for office and multimedia work. It feels well-built and has a comfortable ambidextrous shape suitable for nearly all hand sizes using a palm or claw grip. It connects wirelessly with a USB receiver, and you can program all of the buttons using the companion software. Unfortunately, it doesn't have Bluetooth support, and its scroll wheel lacks L/R tilt buttons and doesn't unlock for free scrolling.

Pros
  • Feels well-built.
  • Ambidextrous design suitable for nearly all hand sizes using a palm or claw grip.
  • All buttons are programmable.
Cons
  • No Bluetooth support.
  • Scroll wheel lacks L/R tilt buttons and doesn't unlock for free scrolling.
7.0 Video Games (FPS)

The Dell Alienware AW310M is a decent FPS gaming mouse. It feels well-built and has an ambidextrous shape well-suited for nearly all hand sizes using a palm or claw grip. Performance-wise, it has low latency and a wide CPI range. Unfortunately, the mouse is heavy, and you can only adjust the CPI by increments of 100. Also, although the click latency and lift-off distance are low, they're not quite as low as those on some other gaming mice.

Pros
  • Feels well-built.
  • Good click latency.
  • Ambidextrous design suitable for nearly all hand sizes using a palm or claw grip.
Cons
  • Heavy.
  • You can only adjust the CPI by increments of 100.
  • Mouse feet have sharp edges and don't glide quite as smoothly as those on some other mice.
7.0 Video Games (MMO)

The Dell Alienware AW310M is a decent mouse for MMO gaming, but it doesn't have nearly as many side buttons as a dedicated MMO gaming mouse. That said, you can program all the buttons it does have, and it feels well-built. It also has an ambidextrous shape suitable for nearly all hand sizes using either a palm or claw grip. Performance-wise, it has low click latency, a low lift-off distance, and a broad CPI range. Unfortunately, you can only adjust the CPI by increments of 100.

Pros
  • Ambidextrous design suitable for nearly all hand sizes using a palm or claw grip.
  • All buttons are programmable.
Cons
  • Not nearly as many side buttons as a dedicated MMO gaming mouse.
  • You can only adjust the CPI by increments of 100.
5.5 Ultra-Light Gaming

The Dell Alienware AW310M is inadequate for ultra-light gaming as it's quite heavy and much heavier than what we'd consider a dedicated ultra-light gaming mouse. Nevertheless, it feels well-built and has an ambidextrous shape suitable for nearly all hand sizes using a palm or claw grip. It has a wide CPI range, low click latency, and a low lift-off distance. Unfortunately, you can only adjust the CPI by increments of 100, and while the click latency and minimum lift-off distance are low, they're not quite as low as those on some other gaming mice.

Pros
  • Good click latency.
Cons
  • Heavy.
  • You can only adjust the CPI by increments of 100.
7.6 Travel

The Dell Alienware AW310M is a good mouse for travel. It connects wirelessly with its USB receiver and is suitable for almost all hand sizes using a palm or claw grip. It feels well-built and has an internal storage compartment for its USB receiver when it's not in use. It also has onboard memory, meaning that you can use custom settings on computers without the software installed. Unfortunately, it's bulkier than a dedicated travel mouse, and it doesn't support Bluetooth. There's also no way to lower the polling rate to save battery life.

Pros
  • Feels well-built.
  • Ambidextrous design suitable for nearly all hand sizes using a palm or claw grip.
  • Onboard memory.
Cons
  • No Bluetooth support.
  • Bulky; likely won't fit in most laptop cases.
  • 7.8 Office/Multimedia
  • 7.0 Video Games (FPS)
  • 7.0 Video Games (MMO)
  • 5.5 Ultra-Light Gaming
  • 7.6 Travel
  1. Updated Aug 24, 2021: Review published.
  2. Updated Aug 18, 2021: Early access published.
  3. Updated Jun 15, 2021: Our testers have started testing this product.
  4. Updated Jun 11, 2021: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  5. Updated May 02, 2021: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

The Dell Alienware AW310M we tested is black. Dell refers to this color scheme as 'Dark Side of the Moon'. There are no other color variants for this mouse. You can see the label for our unit here.

Compared To Other Mice

The Dell Alienware AW310M is a decent wireless gaming mouse. It shares the same distinctive body shape as the Dell Alienware AW510M and Dell Alienware AW610M. It most closely resembles the AW610M with its wireless capabilities and two side buttons. Unlike the AW610M, however, it uses an AA battery rather than an internal, rechargeable battery. Unfortunately, like many similar wireless gaming mice, it has no Bluetooth support, and there's no option to adjust the polling rate to save battery life. It's also missing the feature to change the scroll wheel between a 12 and 24 incremented step mode, a rare feature that both the other Alienware mice have.

For more options, see our recommendations for the best mouse, the best wireless mouse, and the best gaming mouse.

Logitech M720 Triathlon

The Logitech M720 Triathlon is an excellent wireless office mouse, while the Dell Alienware AW310M is a decent wireless gaming mouse. Both connect wirelessly with a USB receiver and use an AA battery, but Logitech has Bluetooth support and software compatible with Windows and macOS, two features that the Dell lacks. Both mice also have a thumb rest, but the Dell has a pinky rest as well. The Logitech feels sturdier and has four more programmable buttons. It also has a scroll wheel with L/R tilt inputs and free-scrolling. Comparatively, The Dell has a lower click latency and an adjustable polling rate and CPI.

Logitech G Pro Wireless

The Logitech G Pro Wireless is a better wireless mouse than the Dell Alienware AW310M. The Logitech connects wirelessly with its USB receiver and has a rechargeable battery. It has two side buttons on either side, and its mouse feet glide more smoothly. It also has a much wider CPI range, a more precisely adjustable CPI, a lower lift-off distance, and lower click latency. Its software is also compatible with both Windows and macOS. On the other hand, the Dell also connects with its USB receiver but uses an AA battery. It also has a thumb and pinky rest and a CPI button behind the scroll wheel, which the Logitech lacks.

Dell Alienware AW610M

The Dell Alienware AW610M shares the same shape as the Dell Alienware AW310M, but the AW610M performs slightly better overall. The AW610M has a rechargeable internal battery and connects either with its charging cable or wirelessly with a USB receiver. Performance-wise, it has a higher maximum CPI and a lower lift-off distance. It also has a switch on the underside that changes the scroll wheel between a 12 and 24-step mode. On the other hand, the AW310M uses an AA battery and only connects wirelessly with its USB receiver. It includes a cable, but it's only a wireless receiver extender. It also has a slightly lower click latency.

Razer Viper Mini

The Razer Viper Mini is an excellent wired gaming mouse, while the Dell Alienware AW310M is a decent wireless gaming mouse. The Razer is a wired-only mouse that's significantly lighter and feels sturdier. It also has mouse feet that glide more smoothly and a much lower click latency. The Razer also allows you to set a HyperShift button to enable a secondary layer of controls. On the other hand, the Dell only connects wirelessly with a USB receiver and uses an AA battery. It also has a distinctive palm rest with both a thumb and pink rest. Performance-wise, it has a more consistent sensor and a wider CPI range.

Corsair M55 RGB Pro

The Dell Alienware AW310M is a decent wireless gaming mouse, while the Corsair M55 RGB Pro is a great wired gaming mouse. The Corsair is lighter and has mouse feet that glide more smoothly. It also has two additional side buttons on the right and a lower click latency. Its customization software is compatible with Windows and macOS, while the Dell only has software for Windows. On the other hand, the Dell connects wirelessly with its USB receiver and uses an AA battery. It has a more consistent sensor and a lower lift-off distance. It also has a thumb and pinky rest, which the Corsair lacks.

Razer DeathAdder V2

The Razer DeathAdder V2 is a better gaming mouse than the Dell Alienware AW310M. The Razer is a wired-only model with a right-handed shape. It's significantly lighter and has mouse feet that glide more smoothly. It also has a much higher maximum CPI, a more precisely adjustable CPI, a lower lift-off distance, and much lower click latency. It also allows you to set a HyperShift button which enables a secondary layer of controls. On the other hand, the Dell only connects wirelessly with its USB receiver. It uses an AA battery and has an ambidextrous shape. It also has a thumb and pinky rest, which the Razer lacks.

Razer Basilisk X Hyperspeed

The Razer Basilisk X Hyperspeed is a somewhat better wireless gaming mouse than the Dell Alienware AW310M. The Razer has a right-handed shape and connects wirelessly either with Bluetooth or with its USB receiver. Its feet glide more smoothly, and you can assign a HyperShift button to enable a secondary layer of commands. Performance-wise, it has a wider CPI range, a CPI you can adjust more precisely, and lower click latency. On the other hand, the Dell has an ambidextrous shape with a thumb and pinky rest. It connects wirelessly with a USB receiver only. It also has a single RGB lighting zone, while the Razer has no lighting.

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Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Type
Standard
Lighting Color RGB
Design
Shape
Length 5.3" (134 mm)
Height 1.7" (43 mm)
Width 3.1" (78 mm)
Grip Width
60 mm
7.3
Design
Portability
Volume
27.40 in³ (449 cm³)
Cable/Receiver Storing
Yes
Design
Weight
Maximum Weight With Wire
119 g
Maximum Weight Without Wire
119 g
Minimum Weight Without Wire
119 g
Weight Distribution
Centered
Extra Weights
No

The Dell Alienware AW310M comes with an Energizer Max AA battery that weighs 23.42g. However, we perform our tests using our own generic batteries as per our methodology. The battery we used is an Amazon Basics rechargeable AA battery that weighs 27.51g.

8.0
Design
Build Quality
8.5
Design
Comfort Of Use
Right-handed
No
Left-handed
No
Ambidextrous
Yes
Coating
Matte
Finger Rest
Thumb and Pinky
Design
Palm Grip: Hand Size Recommendation
Small Hand
Yes
Medium Hand
Yes
Large Hand
Yes
X.Large Hand
Yes
Design
Claw Grip: Hand Size Recommendation
Small Hand
No
Medium Hand
Yes
Large Hand
Yes
X.Large Hand
Yes
Design
Fingertip Grip: Hand Size Recommendation
Small Hand
No
Medium Hand
No
Large Hand
No
X.Large Hand
Yes
6.6
Design
Wireless Versatility
Bluetooth
No
Receiver
Yes
Battery Type
1x AA
Use When Charging
No ( Single use batteries)
On/Off Activation
Auto Off And On/Off Switch
Receiver Extender
Yes
Battery Indicator Yes

Dell advertises that the Dell Alienware AW310M has a battery life of 300 hours. However, this isn't something we test. The RGB light zone behind the scroll wheel flashes when the battery is low.

0
Design
Cable
Connectivity Wireless
Cable Length N/A
Cable Type
No Cable
Permanent Kink
No
Port Type: Mouse End
No Port
Port Type: PC End
No Port

The Dell Alienware AW310M comes with a cable, but you can't connect the mouse with it. The cable is only used as an extender for the wireless USB receiver.

7.0
Design
Mouse Feet
Gliding Experience
Ok
Material
PTFE
Extra Included
No
Design
In The Box

  • Dell Alienware AW310M
  • User documentation
  • Energizer Max AA battery
  • USB receiver
  • USB cable/receiver extender

Control
Control
Sensor Specifications
Sensor Technology
Optical (LED)
Sensor Model
Not Specified
Works On Glass
No
Minimum CPI (DPI)
100 CPI
Maximum CPI (DPI)
12,000 CPI
CPI (DPI) Adjustment Steps
100 CPI
CPI (DPI) Variation
5%
Minimum Lift Off Distance
2.4 mm
Maximum Polling Rate
1000 Hz

The polling rate on the Dell Alienware AW310M is locked at 1000Hz, and there's no option in the software to adjust it.

6.7
Control
Buttons
Buttons Activation
Mechanical
Total Number Of Buttons
6
Number Of Side Buttons
2
Number Of Programmable Inputs
6
Profile Switching Button
No
CPI (DPI) Switching Button
Yes
Gesture Support
No

You can reprogram all of the buttons on the Dell Alienware AW310M. However, you can't program the scroll wheel up/down inputs, and the left and right-click buttons are only swappable or programmable for custom game profiles. You can set three CPI profiles using the configuration software and cycle between them using the CPI button below the scroll wheel.

Control
Mouse Wheel
Scroll Wheel
Notched Wheel
Scroll Wheel Steps
24 Steps
Scroll Wheel Tilt
No
Thumb Wheel
No
Thumb Wheel Steps
No Thumb Wheel
Control
Noise
Click Noise
Quiet
7.8
Control
Click Latency
Click Latency: Receiver
16 ms
Click Latency: Bluetooth
N/A
Click Latency: Wired
N/A
Operating System And Software
7.8
Operating System And Software
Compatible Software Option
Software Name Alienware Command Center
Software Windows Compatibility
Yes
Software macOS Compatibility
No
Account Needed
No
On-Board Memory
Yes
CPI (DPI) Adjustment
Yes
Polling Rate Adjustment
No
Profile Configuration
Yes
RGB On/Off
Yes
10
Operating System And Software
Mouse Compatibility
Windows Compatibility Fully
macOS Compatibility Fully