BenQ's Zowie gaming division just released the EC1-B and EC2-B gaming mice. Like their predecessors, the two rodents are as barebones as they come and are focused on nailing down basic mouse functionality. Both models are five-button optical gaming mice using the beloved PMW3360 sensor by PixArt. That means they'll keep tracking during up to 50 Gs of acceleration and at speeds up to to 250 inches per second—and they'll do it without any glowy bits on top.
Unusually, the EC1-B and EC2-B are only rated for up to 3200-DPI resolution. That's a little odd since the PMW3360 sensor is rated for operation at up to 12,000 DPI, and manufacturers usually like big numbers on spec sheets. Instead, Zowie might be going for the no-nonsense approach here. The company knows that DPI values higher than 3200 are pretty much pointless, and so the mice can be toggled between 400, 800, 1600, and 3200 DPI settings using a hardware switch on the bottom. That means there's no need for any driver installation or clunky software, although the lack of a supporting application usually precludes button re-mapping or macro functionality.
The only difference between the EC1-B and the EC2-B is a small size delta. Zowie lists the EC1-B as 5" in length, 2.7" in width, and 1.7" in height (12.8 cm x 6.9 cm x 4.3 cm). The EC2-B shaves just scant millimeters off each dimension. The volume savings of the smaller mouse result in reduced weight, although the difference illustrates just how similar both models are. The larger EC1-B weighs 94 grams, while the smaller EC2-B comes in at 90 grams. If you don't have a good frame of reference for those figures, both mice are extremely light, as pro gamers apparently prefer.
BenQ's press release doesn't say when the new mice will be available in the US, although it does talk about a special CS:GO version that will be on its way later. We couldn't find the rodents for sale at e-tail here in the 'states, but the fellows over at Tom's Hardware discovered the EC1-B and EC2-B at Alternate.de for €75, or around $72 without VAT. Expect similar pricing when they hit US stores.