Attack Shark R3 Review
Introduction
Attack Shark is a peripheral brand renowned for developing cost-effective, high-performance mice and keyboards. The company's debut product, the Attack Shark X3, garnered acclaim within the gaming community for its affordability, widespread availability, competitive specifications, and lightweight construction. Building on this success, Attack Shark has expanded its lineup to include a variety of gaming mice, including the R3, which is the focus of this review.
Specifications
Packaging
- 1x Attack Shark R3 mouse
- 1x USB Type-A to Type-C cable
- 1x USB Type-A 8K wireless receiver
- 1x USB Type-A to Type-C adapter
- 1x Set of grip tape (for main buttons and sides)
- 10x Small PTFE dot skates
- 1x User manual
Shape & Size
The Attack Shark R3 is a compact mouse, with dimensions of 119.5 x 61 x 36 mm, making it best suited for users with medium to small hands (hand length: 18cm and below) when using claw and palm grips. However, for those who prefer a fingertip grip, the R3 is versatile enough to accommodate any hand size. My own hands measure 20.5 x 10.5 cm, and I found that fingertipping the mouse was the only comfortable option. Claw gripping was possible but felt required an overly aggressive grip for my handsize.
The R3 features a symmetrical design with a prominent, central hump, echoing the style of the Logitech G Pro X Superlight but in a noticeably smaller form. The sides are relatively flat, with mild flares toward the front and back, and just a hint of inward curvature, maintaining a predominantly flat profile.
In essence, the shape of the R3 is a compact and slightly modified version of the Logitech G Pro X Superlight, distinguished primarily by its reduced size, being 4.5% shorter in length and 10% smaller in height.
Coating & Grip-tape
The Attack Shark R3 appears to lack any specialized coating to enhance grip, which is likely due to its magnesium construction, a material that does not accommodate traditional coatings like those used on plastic. The surface of the mouse is not particularly exceptional but is good enough, feeling quite standard.
Luckily, the mouse comes with grip tape that provides a good amount of additional support when moving the mouse around and lifting it. Based on the pattern on the grip tape, it seems to be the same as the ones included in very many other mice in this price range.
Build Quality
The Attack Shark R3 features a magnesium shell that not only brings its weight down to a mere 46 grams but also contributes to the mouse's robust feel. The mouse exhibits no flexing or creaking when pressure is applied to the sides and top. However, the bottom of the mouse, crafted from plastic, does show some flex under significant pressure, though this was not noticeable during regular gameplay.
An issue I encountered was with the battery cover inside the mouse, which was loose due to inadequate adhesive. While this was primarily a cosmetic concern, it became apparent when the mouse was shaken vigorously, which could potentially affect users with very low sensitivity settings. However, this does not appear to be a common problem, as I found no similar reports from other users.
Weight & Feet/Skates
The Attack Shark R3 weighs just 46 grams, a low weight facilitated by its magnesium shell, cutouts, and compact size. This design makes the mouse exceptionally easy to maneuver and lift. However, achieving such lightness required incorporating cutouts, including on the sides, which may not appeal to all users. If preferred, these can be covered with the included side grips to enhance comfort.
The feet of the R3, while not the best quality, are my primary concern with this mouse as they initially feel somewhat scratchy. They tend to become smoother with use, yet they still do not match the smoothness of other mice I've used. The mouse also includes dot skates made from a different PTFE blend, which is grayer and smoother. I recommend using these dot skates for a better glide experience.
Buttons & Scroll Wheel
The Attack Shark R3 is equipped with Kailh GM 8.0 Black Mamba mechanical switches, which provide tactile feedback and ease of rapid clicking. Furthermore, the main buttons exhibit minimal pre- and post-travel and are free from any noticeable side wobble, contributing to a solid and responsive feel.
The side buttons maintain the same high standard, with no noticeable pre- or post-travel and no wobble, ensuring consistent and reliable clicks.
The scroll wheel on the Attack Shark R3 features a TTC encoder, delivering moderate tactility. It scrolls smoothly and the click action is easy to engage, providing a comfortable and responsive user experience.
Sensor & Performance
The Attack Shark R3 uses the PAW3395 sensor and can achieve an 8KHz polling rate with the included receiver, meaning no additional cost is required to achieve its maximum potential. Just like most mice using the PAW3395 these days, the implementation felt flawless and stable at 8KHz for the games that support higher polling rates.
Software & Configuration
The Attack Shark R3 requires downloading dedicated software to configure the mouse settings. This software is straightforward to use and allows for settings to be saved directly onto the mouse itself. As a result, there is no need to keep the software running in the background once you've finished setting it up.
Conclusion
While many of Attack Shark’s mice are targeted at the sub $50 price range, the Attack Shark R3 costs $93 (10% off with code ELO). This increase in cost is likely due to its higher polling rate capabilities and most importantly, the magnesium shell, which is a lot more expensive to produce compared to plastic. The main downside of this mouse is going to be its default skates and the unfortunate battery cover that was not properly glued in place. Other than that, however, the Attack Shark R3 is a great mouse, having a very solid build quality, 8KHz polling rate, very low weight, incredible buttons, and a very safe and comfortable shape.
