If you haven’t heard of the wired MZ1 mouse, it was a creation between Rocket Jump Ninja (YouTuber) and Xtrfy (who was recently acquired by Cherry) back in 2021. Fast forward, and we have the Xtrfy MZ1 Wireless, which is wire free and comes with a swappable back cover. The Xtrfy MZ1 Wireless retails for US$129.
Unboxing
In the box, you’ll find the following:
- MZ1 Wireless Gaming Mouse
- PTFE glides
- 1.8 m Xtrfy EZcord Pro
- USB Wireless Receiver
- USB Extension Adapter
- Low height back cover
- Screwdriver
- Quick Start Guide
Tech specs
| Dimensions | Length: 111 mm Height: 365 mm Width: 525 mm |
| Weight | 62 grams |
| Sensor | PixArt PAW3370 – DPI Presets: 400/800/1200/1600/3200/4000/7200/19,000 – Pooling Rate: 125/500/1000 Hz |
| Buttons | 1. Left click 2. Right click 3. Back button 4. Forward button 5. Scroll click 6. DPI button |
| Switches | Kailh GM 8.0 |
| Feet/Skates | PTFE |
| Battery life | 75 hours per full charge |
| Charging port | USB-C |
| LED lighting effects | Yes |
Build quality and weight
Even though it the MZ1 Wireless, the mouse feels quite dense in hand. Overall build quality is pretty solid for a perforated mouse. There is slight creaking of the plastic shell when applying pressure, but it’s expected from a perforated shell, and the sound is nothing concerning. No rattling was observed when shaking the mouse and I did not encounter or accidental or slam clicks.
Despite the holes on the shell, the MZ1 Wireless is still at 62 grams. I was expecting lighter given the size and holes. Having said that, I personally find 62 grams to still be a good balance balance between weight and control. Speaking of balance, the MZ1 Wireless comes with an adjustable weight balance. By default it is centrally balanced, but if you prefer front or back heavy, you can make these minor tweaks for better personalisation.
Buttons
The main buttons are MZ1 Wireless utilises Kailh GM 8.0 switches which deliver sharp and crisp clicks. No pre or post travel was observed as well. Weight of actuation to me is on “medium” side. I’d say it sits between the Pulsar X2 Mini and HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Wireless for comparison.
What makes the MZ1 Wireless stand out is its low main height buttons, which facilitates both finger and claw grip well. The main buttons also a noticeable contour inwards to provide a better grip and lock-in for my fingers. The side buttons feel quite snappy with minimal pre-travel on them. Location is ideal but the size of the buttons is a tad small for my liking. The length of the buttons could be a little longer.
You can check out the clicks and scroll wheel sounds below:
Scroll wheel
The scroll wheel has an LED strip split in the middle of the textured rubber, and is one of the quietest I have used so far. Scrolling is rather quiet with separated steps. The scroll click (middle click) is also relatively quiet and requires some force needed to actuate it.
Coating / Texture
There is not really much coating on the MZ1 Wireless. It feels like a smooth matte plastic, which to my surprise doesn’t leave much fingerprint stains or oil on it. It can get slippery if you hands tend to sweat when gaming. Either way, I’d recommend getting a set of grip tape for the MZ1 Wireless.
Xtrfy sells a set of Lizard Skins grip tape custom cut for the MZ1 Wireless. They are quite grippy and provide that extra assurance and grip I need in game. Slightly nitpicking, but I found them to be a tad thicker than I’d like. It’s funny that it’s stated as a 0.5mm same like the Pulsar Supergrip, but I found the Supergrip to be thinner and grippier.
Shape and fit
To start off, the MZ1 Wireless can technically have two shapes depending on what back cover you choose to install. By default, it comes with the higher back hump variant and has the lower back hump variant as an option.
The MZ1 Wireless is a rather small mouse, measuring at just 111mm in length. Grip width is also quite narrow at 52.5mm due to it being curved in. As such, the MZ1 Wireless is largely suited for fingertip or claw grip users, as you likely won’t be getting enough palm support.
The high back hump shell is more suited for claw grip as the protrusion at the back does stick right into the back of your palm. The fit I get with the high back hump shell reminds me of the Logitech G303, where the back pushes into your hand to give you that lock in control. On the other hand, the low back hump shell offers less aggressive fit. The back slopes down from the middle, allowing you to more wiggle room at the back. I find it to still work for relaxed claw grip in my 18cm * 8.5cm hand size, and should also be an ideal setup for fingertip grip.
Performance
MZ1 Wireless uses PFTE skates, which offer very smooth glide. I’d say is sits just below smoothness when compared to BT.L skates. There are small indents next to the feet so that you can remove them easily. It’s nice that Xtrfy included a spare set of sets in the packaging.
MZ1 Wireless is equipped with the 3370 sensor, which might a be a little dated given the availability of the newer 3395. Sensor performance is reliable and I haven’t encountered any issues when playing Valorant. If you switch DPI levels in game, do note that you have to cycle through 8 levels to revert back to the original DPI. And you cannot remove or add specific levels as there is no software for the MZ1 Wireless.
However, despite the lack of software, you can still make adjustments to all of the key settings such as RGB settings, polling rate, debounce times, and lift-off distance.
Conclusion
The MZ1 Wireless offers a very unique shape that does not come close to anything on the market right now. If you claw or fingertip grip your mouse, but still haven’t found a shape that works for you, MZ1 Wireless could potentially be a shape to consider. If you find the Logitech G303 too big, I think the MZ1 Wireless with the high back hump shell could offer that same aggressive back fit but in a smaller footprint. Moreover, I like the fact that Xtrfy released the STP file so that you can tinker and create your own custom back cover to fit your personalised grip.