The Vaxee XE is a wired mouse with a lightweight construction, designed for both gaming and office use. Internally, it shares a lot with the Vaxee ZYGEN NP-01, with the same PixArt PMW3389 sensor and similar overall performance. Still, it's packaged in a lighter plastic shell with a symmetrical shape as well as more durable and heavier HUANO 70g switches. It has no companion software and instead features onboard CPI, polling rate, and debounce presets, which is great if you aren't a fan of downloading additional bloatware but could be a bit of a problem if you'd like to adjust these settings in granular detail.
Our Verdict
The Vaxee XE is disappointing for work use. Its symmetrical shape is well-suited for medium and larger-sized hands, but build quality can be somewhat inconsistent, which doesn't align with the high standards set by other Vaxee mice. It also only has a single multifunction button, which by default works as a page-down key but can be reconfigured to capture screenshots or bring up an emoji menu. Its scroll wheel lacks a free-scrolling mode for scanning long websites or a left/right tilt function for browsing large spreadsheets and editing timelines.
- Comfortable shape.
- Most buttons can't be reprogrammed.
- Build quality can vary from unit to unit.
- Scroll wheel lacks a free-scrolling mode and left/right tilt inputs.
The Vaxee XE is an excellent choice for FPS gaming. It's heavier than other alternatives but is still well-balanced and has a symmetrical shape well-suited for a palm or claw grip for medium to large hands. It also offers remarkably low click latency and outstanding overall sensor performance, making it a cinch to make quick snapshots or precise aiming adjustments. That said, build quality can vary depending on the unit you receive, and its PTFE feet provide a marginally less smooth gliding experience than some other gaming mice.
- Superb sensor performance.
- Low click latency.
- Comfortable shape.
- Build quality can vary from unit to unit.
- Slightly heavier than some alternatives.
The Vaxee XE is a middling option for MMOs, though this isn't what it's designed for. It has only one reprogrammable button, and even then, its function is limited to three presets, none of which will be especially useful for gaming. Build quality can also be a dice roll, depending on the unit you get. It's very comfortable to hold for those with medium or large-sized hands. It also offers superb overall performance, with low click and sensor latency.
- Superb sensor performance.
- Low click latency.
- Comfortable shape.
- Most buttons can't be reprogrammed.
- Build quality can vary from unit to unit.
The Vaxee XE has superb raw performance. Click latency is very low, and its high-performance sensor allows for superb motion and accuracy performance, so any movements you make will be faithfully reproduced in-game.
- Superb sensor performance.
- Low click latency.
Changelog
- Updated Aug 19, 2025: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.5.1. This update removes less relevant or redundant elements, including several videos. We've also adjusted our Sensor Latency testing, resulting in minor score changes. See our full 1.5.1 changelog for details.
- Updated Oct 15, 2024: We've added a link to the newly-reviewed Vaxee XE-S Wireless (4K) in the Hand Size Recommendation section of this review.
- Updated Jan 05, 2024: We've updated the CPI graph displayed in the Sensor Latency section of this review. Our results remain the same, but these graphs have two new columns with results from the Delay At Half Movement and Delay To End Of Movement tests.
- Updated Nov 14, 2023: We've added a link to the newly-reviewed Vaxee XE Wireless in the Wireless Versatility section of this review.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Vaxee XE is available in Black, White, Pink, Yellow, Blue, or Orange colorways. We tested the Blue model; you can see its label here.
It's also worth noting that there's a wireless version of this mouse simply called the Vaxee XE Wireless.
Popular Mouse Comparisons
The Vaxee XE is a lightweight mouse for gaming and general productivity. It offers superb overall performance, making it a fantastic fit for fast-paced games, and has a pretty comfortable symmetrical shape, though it's best suited for folks with medium to large hands. It's somewhat barebones regarding additional features, with no supporting companion software to remap buttons or adjust CPI in granular detail, though it does have built-in presets. Build quality is another point of contention: while some users have reported no issues with their XE, our test unit displayed numerous deficiencies compared to other Vaxee mice we've tested.
If you're looking for more recommendations, see our picks for the best mouse, the best gaming mouse, and the best lightweight mouse.
The Vaxee XE and the Vaxee XE-S Wireless (4K) are gaming mice in the same lineup. The XE is a wired mouse that's designed for both gaming and productivity and features a configurable function button behind the scroll wheel. The XE-S is more focused on competitive gaming and features an updated PAW3950 sensor with a 4000Hz maximum polling rate and better overall performance. The two mice have the same shape, but the XE-S is smaller. It's also significantly lighter and has better build quality.
The Vaxee XE and BenQ ZOWIE S2 are both wired gaming mice with symmetrical shapes. The Vaxee is considerably lighter, has a more flexible cable you can detach from the mouse itself, and offers better raw performance. On the other hand, the BenQ feels more sturdily built than the Vaxee we tested.
The Logitech G PRO X SUPERLIGHT is a more versatile mouse than the Vaxee XE. The Logitech has a wireless design with a rechargeable battery, has smoother-gliding feet, weighs less, and has a suite of fully reprogrammable buttons.
The Vaxee ZYGEN NP-01 and Vaxee XE each have their own advantages. The ZYGEN NP-01 feels better built than the XE we tested, and its feet provide a marginally smoother gliding experience. On the other hand, the Xe is noticeably lighter. The biggest difference between the two lies in their shape: the ZYGEN NP-01 has a right-handed ergonomic shape, whereas the XE is symmetrical.
Test Results
This mouse has a matte-finish solid plastic shell and a solid baseplate, with no obvious adornments or logos; the only sign of the mouse's manufacturer is found on the label on its underside. There's no RGB lighting, though a few LED status lights are peppered around the mouse. The pair of lights just behind the central function button display what mode you're in, while the LEDs under the mouse indicate the current CPI, polling rate, and debounce settings. Our test unit is an unusual but handsome powder blue color. However, the mouse is also available in several other eye-catching hues, including pink, orange, and yellow, as well as the standard black and white.
While this mouse has an ambidextrous shape, the side buttons are only usable if you're right-handed. The body's matte-finish coating is pretty grippy, as long your hands don't sweat too much.
Build quality is only alright overall. The matte-finish plastic shell feels nice to the touch, but you can cause the mouse to emit a noticeable popping sound and actuate the side and right-click switches without pressing any of the buttons by applying moderate pressure against its sides. That said, this won't be too big an issue unless you habitually clutch your mouse tightly. When shaking the mouse around, we also noticed a quiet rattle from an indeterminate source. The mouse wheel has a very minor rightwards tilt, too, as seen here, though this has no impact on overall functionality. The left/right click buttons have a bit of play in them. Ultimately, build quality falls short of the high standard set by other Vaxee mice we've tested, like the Vaxee OUTSET AX.
Note: User reports would seem to indicate that this mouse suffers from inconsistent quality control. A large number of XE owners have reported no issues with their mice, while others have experienced similar deficiencies to what we encountered. Our test unit showed no signs of previous damage before testing. In the discussions below, let us know about your experience with the mouse.
This mouse is fairly lightweight. It's noticeably heavier than alternatives like the HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 but also a long way from a heavyweight. Its weight distribution is well-balanced, making it a cinch to move accurately.
In profile, the Vaxee XE is faintly similar to that of the LAMZU Atlantis, though the rear hump is shifted slightly forward and doesn't drop towards the front quite as steeply. From the front and rear, the Vaxee is closer in shape to something like the Logitech G PRO X SUPERLIGHT, though it's noticeably smaller, and its sides slope gently outwards to a flared bottom instead of dropping off at a sharp angle. This results in a fairly wide, flat shape that better supports a palm or claw grip for those with medium and large hands than those with really small hands, who can have trouble reaching the front buttons. The Vaxee XE-S Wireless (4K) has the same shape but is smaller.
If you're looking for the wireless version of this mouse, check out the Vaxee XE Wireless.
This mouse has a lightweight, flexible paracord-like cable that glides well across desks and mousepads without getting stuck. However, it does retain some permanent kinking from its packaging.
The Vaxee XE has excellent feet. The two virgin-grade PTFE feet are large but somewhat thin, and they glide across mousepads pretty smoothly, albeit with a bit of scratchiness. Third-party replacement feet, including glass options, are available to provide a smoother, more sensitive feel.
This mouse's left- and right-click buttons use Huano 70g mechanical switches.
You can only reprogram the function button just under the scroll wheel. Out-of-the-box, it acts as a page-down key, but you can swap between three preset functions by pressing and holding it down along with the two side buttons. You can see which of the presets is being used by looking at the two LED status lights just below the function button: the bottom light being illuminated indicates that you can use the function key to capture a screenshot, while both lights being lit up indicates that the function key will bring up an emoji menu. Only the top LED is illuminated in the default 'Page Down' setting. There are three extra buttons on the underside of this mouse to adjust the CPI, polling rate, and debounce setting.
This mouse has excellent click latency, providing a snappy and highly-responsive gaming experience for any genre.
This test was conducted with a polling rate of 1000Hz and the lowest debounce setting of 2ms.
The Vaxee XE delivers fantastic CPI performance. Its sensor provides remarkably good tracking accuracy, and the physical movements you make with your mouse translate extremely close to your cursor movements on-screen.
Sensor latency performance is superb. The PixArt PMW3389 sensor reacts exceptionally quickly when you move your mouse, and these movements match the timing of the cursor movements you see on the screen extremely closely.
This driverless mouse has no companion software, though several preset settings are built into the device. The available polling rate options are 125Hz, 500Hz, and 1000Hz. Out-of-the-box, you can also toggle between 400, 800, 1600, and 3200 CPI presets. You can also change the lift-off distance through three preset modes by following this guide.
The scroll wheel on the Vaxee XE has a rubber grip and operates much more quietly than other Vaxee mice, like the Vaxee ZYGEN NP-01. It also rotates precisely, with well-defined steps. That said, it does require a bit of force to press down, and the wheel on our test unit felt as though it could be tilted to the right, as mentioned in the Build Quality section of the review.
Noise from the right and left mouse clicks, side buttons, and the scroll wheel isn't too loud and will be sufficiently discreet for office use.
This is a driverless mouse with no associated software.