Before I dive into the details of this review, I must confess that I am not a gamer. I simply lack the reactions and temperament to be a top-level gamer, but I do know that e-sports are growing massively and that gaming is a huge market with a large choice of hardware products that give the best gamers an edge.
One of those specialist gaming products is the new Zephyr Pro gaming mouse from Marsback. When I was asked to review this sweatproof gaming mouse, I was intrigued and agreed to take a closer look as it boasted a fan for cooling sweaty palms. Like a lot of gaming accessories, the Zephyr Pro gaming mouse also has a selection of RGB LED lighting effects so beloved by gamers.
As well as the LED lighting, this unusual rodent has a fan with a gentle cooling blast that’s vented through the lattice structure of the mouse, directly on to the user’s palm. The fan is virtually noiseless and can rotate at a range of speeds. It doesn’t make any buzzing sounds and can effectively drive sweat from the gamer’s hand, making it feel cooler and less slippery. The mouse also has Windows-compatible software that can be used to configure its buttons and change the lighting effects and fan speed.
Last year, Marsback launched what it claimed was the world’s first sweatproof gaming mouse with an adjustable cooling system. The Kickstarter campaign received 700 backers and now the company has upgraded the design by fitting a PMW3389 optical sensor with a maximum resolution of 16,000 DPI and a scan rate of 12,000 fps. The Zephyr Pro can track at accelerations up to 50G and its movement speeds can reach as high as 400 inches per second.
The switches under the Zephyr Pro’s two main mouse buttons are made by Omron and have a service life of 50 million clicks. The seven DPI settings can be set by tapping the DPI adjustment button on the underside of the mouse for quickly switching between office and gaming modes.
The RGB lighting built into the mouse can be customized with a selection of different lighting effects in a range of colors. This increases the competitive atmosphere of the game and, according to some gamers, heightens the concentration. Both the lighting and the DPI settings can also be configured with the Marsback software. There’s no version of the software for macOS but I imagine most gamers will be using a PC.
The geometric shell of the mouse is sculpted for maximum ergonomic comfort although I found it a little long for my hand. However, I think that’s better than being too small. A longer mouse will stop the user’s hand from forming a claw and subsequently suffering from cramp, especially during a long gaming session. The Zephyr Pro’s lattice shell that reduces its weight to a mere 69g (2.4 oz). That’s incredibly light and it feels like no other mouse I’ve ever used.
The surface of the shell features a delicate matte coating that’s repels grease and fingerprints. The feet of the mouse are made from PTFE material which provides a smooth gliding movement and a frictionless performance. As you’d expect from a gaming mouse, the Zephyr Pro uses a cable rather than Bluetooth connection and it has a 1.8-meter cable soft enough to reduce friction while still being durable.
The Zephyr Pro gaming mouse has eight inputs or buttons, including the scroll wheel. The buttons are well laid out with the forward and back buttons resting naturally under the user’s thumb. The cooling system button and RGB lighting cycle button are located on the underside of the mouse. A long press of either can disable the RGB lighting and fan if required.
Verdict: This ingenious gaming mouse from Marsback is one of the lightest and coolest mice I have ever used. I’m not a huge fan of RGB lighting but I have to say that this mouse looks pretty and sleek. The honeycomb lattice structure with its textured surface is very good for maintaining grip thanks to the textured matte surface. The fan is extremely quiet and almost impossible to to hear until it’s turned up to maximum RPM – even then it’s not too obtrusive. My only negative comment is the mouse seems a bit long but I doubt that will be an issue for most gamers who probably use a mouse differently to someone like me who is more used to word processing or spreadsheets.
Price and Availability: The Zephyr Pro gaming mouse is available now at starts at a price of $69. Forbes readers can get a Zephyr Pro for $59 by using the discount code – forbesonly – at Marsback’s official website.
More info: www.marsback.com
Tech Specs:
- Length: 131.0 ± 0.5mm
- Width: 65.7 ± 0.5mm
- Height: 40.50 ± 0.5mm
- Weight: 69g
- Cable length: 1.8m
- Sensor: PMW3389
- Resolution: 100 - 16,000 dpi
- Maximum acceleration: 50G
- Maximum speed: 400 IPS
- Switch type: Omron mechanical (50-million clicks)
- Polling rate: 1,000 Hz (1 ms)
- PTFE footpad: >250 km service life
- Software Support: Adjust RGB, DPI and macros (Windows only)
