Keychron M3 Wireless Mouse Review: All Bases Covered

Keychron takes my pick for the best pre-built mechanical keyboards you should buy, so I used to be too excited to not take its complimentary peripheral, the M3 Wireless Mouse, for a spin. With a cushty really feel, customizable RGB, wi-fi connectivity, and a $50 value level, this mouse simply clicks.

In the event you nonetheless trust wired mice over their wireless counterparts, you’ll be glad to know the M3 is absolutely useable whereas related to the included USB-C cable. And, whereas nearly all of gaming mice price upwards of $60—many simply approaching $200—the M3 strikes a superb steadiness between options, reliability, and an reasonably priced price ticket.

Design and Hand Really feel: The Ordinary, Refined

• Accessible colours: Black, White
• Weight: 2.79oz (79g)
• Physique materials: ABS
• Mouse toes materials: Teflon/PTFE
• Switches: Kailh GM 8.0 Micro Swap

The M3’s glossy black exterior with RGB trim isn’t far of a departure from the fields of gaming mice in at this time’s market. As an alternative of choosing a brand new, “take a look at me” design, the M3 focuses on a template that works, and it does it properly.

Laying your proper hand on the peripheral, your thumb naturally finds the 2 buttons on the left facet. So far as facet mouse buttons go, these are close to the highest of the listing, however they don’t seem to be essentially the most snug I’ve ever used. They jut out from the left edge sufficient to make use of with out digging your thumb into the mouse, however they don’t get in the way in which of regular utilization, both. The stiffness is similar to the left and proper mouse buttons.

The M3 provides a large, virtually uniform base that lends itself extra to palm and fingertip grips, contrasting a mouse formed just like the Razer Viper Ultimate, which narrows within the midsection and feels snug with a claw grip.

Lining both facet of the mouse and scroll wheel are bands of programmable RGB lighting. Utilizing Keychron’s customization software program, Keychron Engine (mentioned within the next section), you may select from six presets, like Rainbow, Respiration, and Static. You’ll be able to then additional tweak the peripheral’s mild present with Brightness and Velocity sliders.

And, in fact, in the event you’d relatively forego the self-importance of RGB lighting for extra wi-fi battery life, you may disable the lights solely.

Above all sides’s RGB is a patch of knurling to offer grip and break up the uniform look of the mouse. It’s decently snug, and I recognize that it’s not so recessed as to make cleansing a herculean job.

Shifting additional nonetheless to the highest of the mouse, you’ll discover a programmable button that, by default, modifications RGB patterns. You’ll be able to set this to alter a couple of RGB-related settings like brightness, velocity, and colour. Additional in the direction of the entrance of the mouse from the RGB impact management button is the textured scroll wheel. Whereas not my all-time favourite (I like one thing a bit extra tactile, as you’ll discover on Logitech’s G502), it’s removed from the worst I’ve used. It’s nice for informal internet scrolling and completely serviceable for gaming. Chances are you’ll discover a lacking scroll lock perform in the event you’re used to easy scrolling, however aside from that, there’s little to complain about.

Flipping the M3 over reveals some of the necessary options of any mouse: the skates. You gained’t discover premium glass skates right here (a modification you’ll should make your self on most mice), however the Teflon/PTFE choice Keychron employs nonetheless makes for a easy glide throughout your mousepad.

Tip: Make sure to take away the clear plastic masking the skates earlier than utilizing the M3 mouse.

I by no means observed any sticking or main hiccups, simply velvety monitoring by means of and thru.

Customization: Keychron Engine

Keychron’s new customization software program, Keychron Engine, is strictly what I’ve been ready for. In the event you’ve seen my Keychron keyboard opinions (Q1 Pro, Q3 QMK, Q5 QMK), I’m not a fan of the VIA app. It comes with a studying curve that isn’t justified by the extent of polish introduced.

Word: Keychron Engine is simply out there for Home windows on the time of penning this evaluation. Mac help is about to come back in June 2023.

The Keychron Engine, then again, is improbable. It’s the form of plug-and-play software program you anticipate if you join a gaming peripheral to your PC. Alongside the left facet, a navbar takes you to any of the six out there pages.

You’ll in all probability end up utilizing the DPI and RGB tabs essentially the most for the reason that macro and remapping pages are extra of a set-it-and-forget-it situation, relatively than fixed changes.

Efficiency: Cheaper, however Simply as Clean

• Sensor: PixArt PAW 3395
• DPI Vary: 100 to 26,000
• IPS: 650
• Polling Charge: 1000Hz

All the M3’s many professionals led me to imagine that, certainly, one thing should be afoot. I figured I’d see hiccups in efficiency on account of the low value, expert-level design, and wi-fi connectivity. Nevertheless, I used to be pleasantly stunned.

The M3’s PixArt PAW 3395 sensor is similar {hardware} you’ll see in mice twice the value, just like the Pulsar Gaming Gears X2 or Xtrfy’s M8 Wireless. The $50 M3 continues to be able to a 100 to 26,000 DPI vary, and whereas I have a tendency to hang around within the 400 to 1,200 vary, you may edit this to your coronary heart’s content material with Keychron Engine and the DPI button situated on the mouse’s undercarriage above the sensor itself.

Barely-visible changes and monitor-spanning swipes alike transfer like velvet. That is due partially to the M3’s 1000Hz polling rate. That determine could not sound all too spectacular by itself—in spite of everything, you’ll find the identical polling price on mice just like the Razer Pro Click or the Logitech G502 X Plus. However a 1000Hz polling price with as much as 26k DPI for $50? That’s far much less frequent and fairly spectacular from a worth standpoint.

Battery Life

• Battery life: As much as 70 hours (no RGB)

Now, the Keychron M3 mouse doesn’t have the one finest battery life on the market. Logitech has that space on lock with mice just like the MX Master 3S and M705 Marathon. The truth is, one of many solely lacking options I’d prefer to see on the M3 is an auto-off perform. Leaving the RGB and wi-fi connection operating, even simply when you’re cooking dinner or cleansing up round your house, chews by means of the battery fairly shortly.

On one hand, this isn’t that distinguished of a difficulty, because of the wired connection capabilities. Nevertheless, in the event you’re within the M3 primarily as a wi-fi choice, the battery life is one thing to bear in mind. It’d be clever to manually change the mouse off if you’re not utilizing it, and sensible to plug it in if you’re achieved with work, faculty, or the gaming session that outlives red-eyed owls.

Connectivity: Take Your Decide

• Wi-fi choices: 2.4Ghz receiver, Bluetooth 5.1
• USB port: USB-C

Connectivity is a key win for Keychron’s M3. Whether or not you just like the clear desk aesthetic of a wire-free setup or each millisecond counts in aggressive video games, there’s an choice for you.

The M3 options two strategies of wi-fi connectivity: a 2.4GHz receiver and Bluetooth 5.1. So, even when your PC’s motherboard doesn’t help Bluetooth connections, you may nonetheless go cableless so long as you may have a USB-A or USB-C port.

Alternatively, in case your motherboard is Bluetooth-ready, or you may have a Bluetooth receiver (the place I fall), it can save you that USB port for one more system. Each strategies of connectivity labored flawlessly on my finish; my Home windows PC acknowledged the M3 inside seconds of powering it on and setting it to pair.

Not eager on wi-fi latency? You too can use the M3 as a fully-wired mouse. Connect the paracord USB-C cable to the port on the entrance of the mouse and plug it right into a USB-C port (or USB-A utilizing the included adaptor) for a gaming mouse with infinite uptime.

Ought to You Purchase the Keychron M3 Wi-fi Mouse?

In the event you’re on the hunt for a brand new wi-fi mouse, it’s simple to advocate Keychron’s M3 Wireless Mouse. Not solely do you get premium options like wi-fi or wired connectivity, programmable RGB, and a PixArt PAW 3395 sensor, you get all of it for $50.

Few different mice supply as an entire of a package deal at this value level. There are a couple of lacking options, like an auto-off perform to save lots of battery life and a button to allow easy scrolling, however they’re minor drawbacks in a sea of upsides.

The in-hand really feel is premium and clicky, most comfortably utilized in a fingertip or palm grip, relatively than the claw different. And, in case you wish to change up your DPI, set macros, or customise your RGB, Keychron Engine supplies a sophisticated platform to deal with changes.

You’ll be able to choose up the Keychron M3 Wi-fi Mouse at this time in Black or White for the extremely-reasonable value of $49.