So since a few days there is a new Matrix beta firmware, and one of its biggest features is a zim apex mode. And it’s actually so good that most of the alpha testers almost freaked out when testing it. So yes the title is not a clickbait, you can finally get back the aiming experience from zim apex. All you need to do is to download and install the new beta firmware and manager. You can find a link to both of them in the video description.

Now before I will address the details of this new zim apex mode, let’s first talk about the update process. If you are an Apple user, then the testflight group might already be full by the time you watch this video. If that is the case, then you will either have to sideload the manager onto your Apple device, or use the PC or Android manager. Sideloading is quite easy, and you can find lots of explanation videos on Youtube about it. Sadly Apple restricts the amount of TestFlight users, and there is nothing that the zim company can do about this. So if you are an Apple user then please keep that in mind. For Android and PC users nothing changes in that regard.

Now about the new features. First we have the automatic navigation mode. This is quite convenient because it will automatically activate, or deactivate the navigation mode when you pick up the controller that is connected to port 3. So you will no longer have to manually organize the navigation mode. You can change this behavior in the global settings under the navigation settings.

Then we have some changes in regard to modifiers. You can now specify if a modifier should for example copy your existing bindings or disregard them. This is mainly interesting for controller users. The manual is explaining all options in greater detail. If you are interested in that then give it a read.

Next we have a new group feature which allows you to turn off bindings that share the same activation button and are ungrouped. This is more of a niche scenario but can reduce the complexity of larger group setups.

Then we also have another new group feature which allows you to reset a group cycle. This is kind of self-explanatory, especially if you have watched my group video from a few weeks ago. Instead of having to press the cycle button another time to reset it, you can now specify a dedicated button to do that.

A rather big change is the following. You can now assign sensitivity changes that only apply to one axis. A lot of apex users loved to increase their vertical sensitivity while shooting, so recoil compensation becomes easier. This change will allow you to do that again.

Another big change are transient groups. A transient group is only active while its activation button is held. So you no longer need to set activation and deactivation keys anymore. For things such as recoil groups this is quite a big change.

At last let’s go over the most important change, the apex mode. If you go into your smoothing settings you will find a new button to switch between standard and classic. Standard is the smoothing that you are already familiar with. It is the smoothing that Matrix used since its launch. When switching it to classic though, you activate the apex mode. In this mode your aim and smoothing processing will be the same as the one from zim apex. This means you will have access to the same synchronization and smoothing. To get back the four different synchronizations you must use the values shown below. These are zero, eight, sixteen and thirtytwo. So if you want to use synchronization default, then you would set it to 8.
Next we have the decay option. This will only become accessible when using smoothing. So as long as your smoothing value is set to zero, your decay doesn’t matter. And to have the same smoothing as apex, you set the decay to nine.

Let me switch to the manager. Here is an example. You are a former zim apex player and you played on synchronization off, with a smoothing value of 2. To have your Matrix work in the very same way, you set the smoothing to 2, the decay to 9, and the synchronization to 0.

A bonus compared to apex is that in this compatibility mode, Matrix has less negative aim assist problems than apex. So not only do you benefit from having the same amazing aim assist as apex had, but you also have less negative aim assist interactions. You can also go for a hybrid synchronization by using values in-between the four popular apex synchronizations. 

At last here is a short demonstration clip of the aim assist that you will get with this new firmware. So if anyone wants to tell you now that their zim apex feels better, then they just haven’t updated to this new firmware yet. Let me know what your favorite values are by posting them in the comments down below!