With a 360-degree internal pivot and even more tricks up its sleeve, Lexip’s mouse is built for navigating 3D worlds single-handedly, which makes it an exciting option for manipulating CAD models too, writes Stephen Holmes
The sheer variety of gaming mice available offers CAD users a great opportunity to find the perfect fit for work, but the Lexip PU94 brings yet another dimension to the table.
The mouse’s top shell can pivot, allowing you to control a 360-degree spin around your 3D model with your resting palm. Typically, designers have become accustomed to using a puck in their second hand to control this rotation in the 3D space, but Lexip packs this feature and much more into its premium offering.
As well as featuring a total of six buttons and 12 programmable macros, the PU94 also features a thumb-controlled mini joystick – perfect for zooming in.
At this price point, the mouse is clearly intended for hardcore gamers, but as a result, is blissfully ergonomic for use over long hours driving CAD models. It has only marginally more heft than other mice, and this is offset by the ease with which it glides across the desk or Lexip’s B5 mouse mat.
Lexip PU94 – Smooth moves
Its slickness of movement is enabled by the PU49’s six ceramic feet. While normal mice move on plastic, the Lexip ceramic pads make this easily the smoothest mouse we’ve ever used.
Regardless of how you appraise its other features for your use, the feet alone may make you seek an upgrade. In fact, Lexip sells its feet pads separately, so you can retrofit to a wide range of mice. It’s definitely worth making the swap.
Such nimble movement is targeted at fast-paced gaming accuracy, which is at the core of the PU94. This easily translates to more stately daily tracking across CAD user interfaces. Equipped with a high-performance ADNS-9800 laser sensor, it can track with a speed/ acceleration ratio of 150 FPS/30g and the handset includes two separate accelerometers.
It’s a solid product, with a plastic construction capable of withstanding drops. Its braided USB cable can be unplugged to aid initial installation or make it easier to throw into a bag without damage. It offers excellent tactility, clicking and scrolling with nice resistance, even down to the slightest notching on the thumb-joystick rotation, helping you to maintain control.
Issues with the PU94 are minimal, and mostly linked to software. The Lexip Control Software application allows you to assign buttons and even the RGB colours of the handset but is a little clunky. Thankfully, set-up is quick via drop-down menus, and you shouldn’t need to delve into it too often.
The second issue is that you might find that Lexip doesn’t yet support drivers for your chosen software. However, the list at time of publication is healthy enough, featuring Autodesk Fusion and Inventor, Dassault Systèmes Solidworks and Catia, and Siemens Solid Edge. Meanwhile, Rhino3D, Blender, Unreal Engine and Unity are supported in some form, and Lexip continues to look to add more partners as professional adoption increases.
The aesthetics of gaming mice can be like Marmite, eliciting a ‘love it or hate it’ feeling among users. But the design of this mouse is more subtle than many in the space and the ability to control its glow, dialling it down from a teenager’s bedroom look to something more fitting for a sedate professional space, will appeal to many.
Being able to pack so much control into one device at first led to fears of overworking my hand, but I eventually settled well into using it. The PU94 is a great product and an excellent option for those on the go. Having full control via a single peripheral means less kit to take on your travels and reduced real estate necessary to work comfortably. It’s also a great option if you struggle with using both hands conjunctively, or for anyone lacking dexterity or digits for whatever reason.
With a five-year warranty included, any worries about how the unique pivoting mechanism might hold up to daily grind should be quashed, letting you find a way to flit across the screen more smoothly than ever before.
Specifications
» Lexip PU94 €99.90 www.lexip.co
» Sensor – Laser ADNS-9800
» Controls – 360° Internal Pivot, Thumb Joystick, Six buttons
» Weight – 157g
» Software requirements – Windows 10, 11
» Connectivity – Braided USB-A wire
» Warranty – five years
This article first appeared in DEVELOP3D Magazine
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