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Best air mouse remotes in Australia

We've done the heavy lifting to help you find the air mouse remote that'll take your home theatre set-ups to the next level.

Jack Baker
Jack Baker

Updated

Fact checked
Woman using an air mouse to watch TV

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The best air mouse remotes in Australia

How did we pick this list?

Finder's team checked out more than 40 air mouse remotes and selected these top picks after reading hundreds of customer reviews on Amazon. For each category, we looked into the devices' key features and found which would be the best fit to control anything from an Android TV to a Windows-based home theatre system.

Read more detail on our methodology below.

Best overall air mouse: WeChip W1

Pros

  • Built-in rechargeable battery
  • Rear keyboard makes typing much easier

Cons

  • Lacks compatibility with some TVs from big players
  • No button backlighting

Price (RRP): $36.28

Buy at Amazon
Buy at Kogan

Why we chose it

WeChip's W1 is one of the most highly-rated wireless air mouse remotes on Amazon. With a range of useful features and decent compatibility across various platforms and devices, it's the best overall air mouse to enhance your content consumption and remote control needs.

The W1 is a relatively basic yet competent remote, with a simple front having just a few buttons for power, navigation and volume control. The rear of the remote has a keyboard, which will make the frustrating and time-consuming process of typing with traditional TV remotes a thing of the past. Unfortunately, unlike some air mouse remotes, there's no backlighting on the W1, which might make typing in the dark a bit of a challenge.

WeChip's W1 has a built-in 300MaH battery similar in size to the cell that powers Samsung's Galaxy Watch. You'll be recharging the remote via its Micro USB port every few weeks, according to customers on Amazon. While Micro USB's time is well and truly over, it's understandable that a device at this price hasn't quite transitioned to USB-C yet.

The remote fits into a streamlined and compact form factor, measuring just 15.8 centimetres long. That makes the air mouse quite a bit smaller than your typical full-size TV remote. The keyboard-equipped device weighs about 86.5 grams, which won't feel much lighter or heavier than a standard remote. Despite the more compact and curved design, it won't feel the most comfortable to hold thanks to the 45 keyboard buttons on the back.

The W1 works across loads of devices and is compatible with Windows, Android, Linux and macOS. Some customers appeared to have issues connecting the remote to devices running macOS, so Apple users might want to look elsewhere. People using Samsung, Sony and LG TVs should look elsewhere too since compatibility isn't guaranteed for those devices.

WeChip's W1 has a respectable 4 out of 5 star rating on Amazon from more than 3,000 reviews globally, with customers praising the air mouse's battery life and ease of use. Some users had issues with some buttons not functioning as intended and said typing could be challenging given the lack of backlighting.

Best budget air mouse: ProChosen Updated MX3

Pros

  • Compatible with a plethora of devices
  • Features full-remote backlight

Cons

  • Won't work with Samsung gear
  • Users complained of short product lifespan

Price (RRP): $17.49

Buy at Amazon

Why we chose it

One of the most popular air mouse remotes on Amazon, ProChosen's Updated MX3 is a value-oriented product with plenty of features. At just $17.49, it's the best budget-friendly air mouse on the market.

The Updated MX3 is compatible with a wide range of TVs and devices, including Windows PCs (great for any home theatre PC set-ups) and Android TV. Some customers encountered problems trying to use the remote on certain TVs, with reviews indicating it's more reliable on Android TV boxes than on the TVs. There's no guaranteed compatibility with any Samsung TV or multimedia device, either.

The air mouse has plenty of buttons and includes a keyboard on the back. You'll always be able to see what you're trying to press, too, since both sides have backlighting underneath every key.

Powering the bulkier remote are two AAA batteries, which don't come included in the box. Some customers say they can get plenty of life out of their batteries, whereas others have to replace the remote's batteries every few weeks so your mileage may vary.

It's not the flashiest air mouse that money can buy by any means, but it'll do the job. The design feels dated, and it really shows its age with the inclusion of an "Internet Explorer" button. Superseded by Edge, it's a browser that hasn't been all that relevant in the PC space since the launch of Windows 10 in 2015.

The ProChosen Updated MX3 earned a 4.1 out of 5 star rating from more than 800 Amazon reviews, where 86% of customers gave the air mouse a rating of 3 or more stars. Customers said the air mouse was fantastic value for money and liked the inclusion of the backlighting. Some users complained that the remote was prone to dropping out at even short distances, and others had issues with the mouse's accuracy. Users also seemed to report that the product didn't last all that long.

Best air mouse for Windows: Minix Neo W2

Pros

  • Built specifically for Windows 10
  • Features keyboard backlighting

Cons

  • Requires disposable batteries
  • Some say it's hard to control

Price (RRP): $69.95

Buy at Amazon

Why we chose it

Designed for use with Windows 10, Minix's Neo W2 air mouse is one of the more premium options on the market with a price tag to show for it. Despite the retail price of $69.95, the Neo W2 is the single best air mouse for Windows that money can buy.

You can tell the Neo W2 is built for Windows 10 as soon as you take it out of the box. There are buttons on the front that'll take you straight to the desktop, file explorer, the start menu and other frequently accessed areas of the world's most popular desktop operating system. No set up is required either, so all you have to do is plug in the wireless receiver to get started.

The air mouse has a rear keyboard which makes typing a breeze and means you don't need to have a secondary keyboard by your side for whenever typing becomes necessary. There's also a backlight, so you can see what you're typing no matter what time of the day it is.

Despite the higher price tag, the Neo W2 doesn't have a rechargeable battery and instead requires two AAA batteries for power. These don't come in the box and slot into either end of the remote, presumably to balance the weight to make for a more comfortable and natural typing experience. Despite the smaller size of the cells, customers seem to be happy with the battery life they get from their remotes.

Minix's Neo W2 air mouse remote has an impressive 4.4 out of 5 rating from more than four dozen reviews on Amazon, with many customers lauding the remote for how well it works on Windows devices. Many were happy with the build quality on the Neo W2, which seems to be one area where many other air mouse remotes lack. Some mentioned the remote was a little challenging to control, and one reviewer thought that there weren't enough buttons on the remote, which omits a back button.

Best air mouse for Android TV: WeChip G10

Pros

  • Simplistic and uncluttered design
  • Works across platforms

Cons

  • Lacks button backlighting
  • Sacrifices a keyboard for a more rounded design

Price (RRP): $25.31

Buy at Amazon

Why we chose it

With a simple design and commendable compatibility across a range of devices and TVs, WeChip's G10 is the best choice for anyone looking to grab an air mouse to enhance their Android TV experience.

The G10 has a simple design with very few buttons compared to other air mouse remotes, making it far less cluttered and more user friendly. Its curvier shape makes it more comfortable to hold than traditional bulkier, rectangular remotes you might find from competitors.

The trade-off of a smaller, more ergonomic design? There's no keyboard. If you're going to be typing on your Android TV device quite a bit, you'll be better off buying a different air mouse remote or a dedicated keyboard. Unfortunately, there's no backlighting either, so using the few keys on the remote might be a challenge in the dark.

The G10 doesn't require any lengthy set-up process and should work straight out of the box. Plug that USB receiver into an Android TV box, Nvidia Shield or Windows PC, and you're good to go. The remote requires two AAA batteries for power, which you won't find in the box. You'll probably want to pick up some rechargeable AAAs to avoid chucking out so many disposable cells.

Customers have awarded WeChip's air mouse remote product line a 4 out of 5 star rating on Amazon, with thousands of reviews globally praising its devices. While Amazon doesn't provide an overall score for the remote itself, the G10 received praise for how it felt in hand and its ease of use. Some users were disappointed at the lack of backlighting, which could make using the G10 to control your Android TV device more challenging in the dark.

Best air mouse for Nvidia Shield: WeChip G20

Pros

  • Clean design
  • Great device compatibility

Cons

  • No built-in keyboard
  • Some experienced issues with the on-screen keyboard

Price (RRP): $23.99

Buy at Amazon

Why we chose it

WeChip's G20 is a fairly standard remote with basic and easy to understand controls. It's an incredibly popular pick among Nvidia Shield users, making it the best air mouse for anyone looking to replace the included remote in the media player's box.

The G20 is a compact and clean air mouse, weighing in at just 62 grams and measuring 13 centimetres in length. There are plenty of buttons on the front, but they are spaced nicely and have a clearly defined purpose (aside from the mute key, which has an unclear graphic on it that doesn't represent its function).

Unfortunately, while the clean design is great to look at and makes it comfier to hold, the G20's lack of a keyboard might mean it's the wrong pick for those who find themselves typing a heap on their set-up. Making matters worse, some users had trouble using the remote with the on-screen keyboard in Android TV. This issue seemed to be fixed by adjusting keyboard settings, so it might not be the plug and play solution you might expect.

The G20 requires two AAA batteries for power, which you won't find in the box. Some users said that the remote chewed through batteries quickly, so you'll want to have spares on standby or use rechargeables.

The G20 is compatible with a gamut of devices, including smart TVs and home theatre PCs, and supports every major operating system except iOS. In reviews, customers mentioned that it worked with the Nvidia Shield straight out of the box, while others talked about using the remote without issue on Android TV and MacBooks.

The WeChip G20 earned a 4.1 out of 5 rating from more than 600 reviews on Amazon, with customers overwhelmingly indicating that the remote is a fantastic alternative to the one that comes with the Nvidia Shield. Unfortunately, some experienced issues with the device's range, and mentioned that the build quality isn't even close to that of the remote Nvidia includes with the Shield.

Methodology

11
Brands considered
40+
Products compared
5
Best products chosen
  • We compared products from 11 brands to find the best picks for those looking to pick up an air mouse remote.
  • Each air mouse was chosen based on hundreds of reviews left by customers on Amazon (as of February 2021) as well as by looking at the product's key features.
  • The products on this list are chosen by our editorial team and are not selected based on commercial relationships.

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