10 Oct
Blog

Marsback Zephyr Pro Review: A Mouse So Cool It Has a Fan

The front profile of the Marsback Zephyr Pro with green RGB.

Marsback Zephyr Pro

RRP $ 59.00

"The Marsback Zephyr Pro's built-in fan makes it a unique option for players with sweaty hands."

advantages

  • Cooling fan helps

  • Unique design

  • Foamed in RGB

  • Including excellent sensor

  • Great cable quality

disadvantage

  • Not wireless

  • Fan audible in quiet surroundings

  • Ergonomically left missing

There are dozen of great gaming mice out there. but many of them look and function similarly.

That is hardly the case for Marsbacks Zephyr Pro. This is a mouse with a mesh case and a fan inside to keep your palm cool – and if that's not a feature that makes it stand out, I don't know what is.

The fan is the Zephyr Pro's calling card, but it also offers a lightweight wired design with impressive gaming performance.

Design and specifications

The Marsback Zephyr Pro is next to its packaging.

Starting with the basics, the Zephyr Pro takes a simple wired mouse approach with a false ambidextrous design and large primary and navigation buttons only on the left. The case is made of plastic and I would say it's a medium-sized gaming mouse.

Thanks to the open mesh exterior, it also weighs only 69 grams, without taking into account the very light cable.

Basically, the mouse is based on the Pixart 3389 sensor, which offers up to 16,000 DPI tracking that is accurate up to 400 inches per second (IPS), which is impressive – the 3389 is one of the best sensors out there, and it is not found in many mice. This isn't the most energy efficient sensor, but it doesn't have to be because it's a wired mouse.

The sensor of the Marsback Zephyr Pro.Niels Broekhuijsen, Digital Trends

Back to the cable for a moment. I have to step in and say it is a very impressive cable indeed. Wireless mice are all the rage these days, but with a cord that is so pliable yet thick, with a soft braid that isn't ugly, it's hard to get upset about not cutting the cord.

After all, the cable is something to grapple with if you want a fan in your mouse – this type of power draw isn't just portable on battery power.

Fan and cooling

The fan of the Marsback Zephyr Pro, which is visible through the case.Niels Broekhuijsen, Digital Trends

Just under the palm of your hand you can see the fan, believe it or not, it has built-in RGB lighting. Unfortunately, in this case, I'm not someone who sweats a lot in general, which makes testing this feature difficult.

So I set out to do what any sane hardware reviewer does: put yourself in an awkward position for your reading pleasure. My office / playroom is quite small – about 2.70 x 2.70 meters – and on a warm autumn day I closed the door, closed the vents, set a second PC to run heat generating programs, and started Insurgency Sandstorm on my main unit with it it and I can get to work.

My palms felt cold, like the mouse had built in very light air conditioning.

After a few moments it got warm. My cat had long since left my lap, begging to leave the room, and I felt uncomfortable. But without the luxury of walking and with a lot of water in my system, the sweating started.

Lo and behold, my palm was the most comfortable part of me. It felt cold – like the mouse had very light air conditioning built in, but it just seemed that way because it was the only part of my body that got airflow.

Of course, most people don't have to go this far to test this feature. If it has helped me in these conditions then it is certain that if you are someone who tends to sweat, it will help you under much normal circumstances. There's a reason companies like Cooler Master make the MM711.

The front profile of the Marsback Zephyr Pro with green RGB.Niels Broekhuijsen, Digital Trends

I switched to my all-time favorite mouse, the Logitech G Pro X Superlight, and the sweating got a lot more uncomfortable. To chuckle, I also grabbed the MX Master 3, an office mouse with a very comfortable, but sweat-resistant finish, and the results were, as expected, sweaty.

The fan can be heard, but only if you hold your breath and try to hear it.

But is the Zephyr Pro quiet? After all, we build our PCs as quietly as possible, so it wouldn't help if our mouse hums. In this regard, I can report that the Zephyr Pro is sufficiently quiet. Put it next to a water-cooled PC that is idle in a quiet room at night and you will hear it. Quite well, actually.

But under most normal daytime circumstances, ambient noise will easily drown it out. Plus, you'll likely be wearing a headset anyway. During the day you have to hold the mouse to your ear to hear the fan humming.

Gaming performance

The side profile of the Marsback Zephyr Pro with RGB.Niels Broekhuijsen, Digital Trends

In order to test the actual gaming performance of the mouse, I decided against doing this in the now hot and sweaty room. After I'd cooled everything down by opening a window, it was time for a few more rounds of Insurgency Sandstorm. Playing as a realistic shooter and on a team with me against the maximum number of bots is a great test – and the Zephyr Pro did a good job. It responded quickly and accurately to my inputs and, thanks to the Pixart 3389 sensor, could easily keep up with my fast movements. I play with a relatively low DPI of only 650, so yes, this mouse can track very well at high speeds – at least in this subjective test.

The only catch with my all-time favorite, the G Pro X Superlight, was that it wasn't wireless and the cable dragged a bit – but in fairness that's easy to fix with a cable bungee and time to get used to it Pointer. Otherwise, this mouse weighs and performs roughly the same while having a fan and RGB and costing a lot less.

Our opinion

the Marsback Zephyr Pro approaches the mouse with holes a little differently by including a palm cooling fan and lathering the case in RGB. If your hands are sweaty during intense gaming sessions and trypophobia doesn't bother you, the Zephyr Pro is certainly a mouse to consider for your setup. It doesn't have the most ergonomic shape, but as long as you don't play for hours it should offer great thermal comfort.

Are there alternatives?

As for mice with built-in fans, there aren't many. However, there are many alternatives with “holey” designs, including the Glorious Model O, Cooler Master MM711, and the SteelSeries Aerox 3.

How long it will take?

With good care, the Marsback Zephyr Pro should last about years, depending largely on the number of tantrums you experience it. The fan can also wear out if used frequently, and cleaning the inside will be a challenge.

Should I buy it?

Yes, but only if you are prone to sweaty palms that lose your grip on the mouse. Otherwise there are better alternatives. But at the current price of $ 59, it's hard to go wrong with this mouse, even if you just leave the fan off most of the time.

Editor's recommendations



16 Sep
Blog

Corsair Sabre RGB Pro Wireless Review: Competitive Mouse

Corsair Saber Pro Wireless on a black background.

Corsair Saber RGB Pro Wireless Review: Competitive Mouse, Competitive Price

RRP $ 110.00

"The Corsair Saber RGB Pro Wireless offers all the functions of the best wireless eSport mice, only for less money."

advantages

  • 2,000 Hz polling rate

  • Flexible iCue software

  • Comfortable design with palm grip

  • Only 79 grams

  • Two wireless modes

disadvantage

  • Limited extra buttons

  • One RGB zone only

In the world of esports mice, it's usually hard to get excited about another barebone mouse – especially if it's an update to an existing model. This is the Corsair Saber RGB Pro Wireless. It's almost identical to the $ 60 Saber RGB Pro, just no cables and at almost twice the price.

Even so, it's cheaper than the competition and comes with specs to look forward to.

You can buy a great wireless gaming mouse like the Logitech G305 for less than half the price, yes. But with an updated sensor, two wireless modes, and software that goes beyond RGB lighting, the Corsair Saber RGB Pro Wireless is a great gaming mouse that beats the competition.

draft

Corsair Saber Pro Wireless on a black background.

The Saber Pro Wireless is part of Corsair's Champion Series, a line of products designed in collaboration with eSports athletes for optimal performance. In terms of dimensions, it is identical to the available Saber Pro, only with the wire cut off. However, the wireless model is only a hair heavier – 79 grams versus 74 grams.

It's not ambidextrous like the Logitech G Pro, which is the direct competitor of the Saber Pro Wireless. Instead, the top shell is offset to the left for a right-handed design and protrudes about 10mm further out at the front. A high center gives you a lot of support in relation to the palm grip. The claw grip works too, although I prefer something smaller like the Razer Viper Ultimate because I don't have the biggest hands.

The Saber Pro Wireless doesn't need looks given its price.

Because of its looks, the Saber Pro Wireless is not going to win any awards. It's a black mouse with an RGB Corsair logo on the back (which you can customize via iCue). It's even less noticeable than the wired Saber Pro. The wireless model lacks lighting around the scroll wheel and does not display the DPI scale on the side of the mouse.

Still, given its price, the Saber Pro Wireless doesn't need any looks. It's $ 20 cheaper than the Logitech Pro and $ 50 cheaper than the Razer Viper Ultimate. There are cheaper wireless mice like the Steelseries Rival 3, but nothing with specs that rival the Saber Pro Wireless.

Sensor and buttons

The Saber Pro Wireless features Corsair's Marksman 26K DPI sensor, which you can adjust in iCue in 1 DPI increments. According to Corsair, the mouse has a tracking resolution of 650 IPS and you can set a query rate of up to 2,000 Hz. This rate corresponds to a response time of 0.5 ms in wired mode, and Corsair claims "wireless transmission under 1 ms" with its slipstream technology.

Corsair Saber Pro Wireless with the scroll wheel.

Compared to the wired Saber Pro, the polling rate appears to be a downgrade. The wired model supports a polling rate of up to 8000 Hz. However, each step above 1000 Hz divides a millisecond. So the higher you go, the less return you will get. And 2,000 Hz is fast enough, so this spec is less of a downgrade than it might seem.

No one should reasonably be using a 26K DPI mouse, but the Saber Pro Wireless allows you to. Wireless gaming mice like the Razer Orochi V2 score with 18K DPI. For higher demands, you'll need to turn to Logitech's flagship options with its 25K Hero sensor like the Logitech Pro X Superlight.

I used the Saber Pro Wireless as my only mouse for about a week – and I still use it. As someone who spends at least a couple of hours every night in Destiny 2, the Saber Pro Wireless could keep up. I switched to my Razer Viper Ultimate and an older Corsair M65 with no noticeable difference out of shape.

Corsair says the Saber Pro Wireless has seven programmable buttons, even though I only counted six (and six only show up in iCue). In addition to left, right and middle mouse clicks, you have a DPI setting button in the middle and thumb buttons for forward and backward on the left. You can reassign any of the buttons in iCue, as well as assign macros or functions to them.

No one should reasonably be using a 26K DPI mouse, but the Saber Pro Wireless allows you to.

The left and right click buttons use Omron switches that are rated for 50 million clicks. They're also Corsair's Quickstrike buttons, which means there is no gap between the switch and the button. Honestly, I can't tell any difference from other high-end gaming mice, so this seems to be mostly marketing fluff. Omron switches, however, are nice to have and to be expected for a mouse of this class.

Connectivity and battery life

According to Corsair's pricing, wireless is worth about $ 50 more on the Saber Pro Wireless. And it is. The slipstream wireless tech held up perfectly in a nervous shooter like Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, as well as a slower action game like Resident Evil Village. When switching between wired and wireless, I could never tell the difference.

Slipstream isn't all you have access to, however. The Saber Pro Wireless also works with Bluetooth 4.2, and you can switch between the two with a toggle on the mouse button. As someone who likes to use PC peripherals on my Nvidia Shield, the Saber Pro is a perfect match for the Bluetooth-enabled Logitech G915 TKL keyboard.

Corsair says the Saber Pro can last up to 90 hours on one charge, which is a lot longer than it sounds like. I immediately started using the Saber Pro without charging it. Even then, the mouse lasted a full week before it needed to be charged, and it warned me via a little red LED on top before it ran out.

The wireless dongle for the Corsair Saber Pro Wireless.

The battery life is 90 hours in Bluetooth mode without lighting. If you want to use slipstream, that drops to 60 hours. Even so, I never had battery life issues even when using Slipstream with the lights on. By default, the mouse goes to sleep after 15 minutes, so you can save some juice while you're away.

Once the battery is empty, you can connect the included USB-C cable for charging while you continue to use the mouse. I've got used to this on my Razer Viper Ultimate, so I'm glad Corsair added a wired mode as well. The charging port is sunk slightly to handle the bulk of the cable, although I would have liked Corsair to have moved it a little further back. The included cable protrudes about half an inch in wired mode.

software

Bundled software is usually an afterthought, but iCue, on the other hand, is a reason to get the Saber Pro Wireless. Corsair has kept adding to this software and is now better than ever. Lighting is the least interesting part of the software, at least for the Saber Pro Wireless.

As mentioned earlier, you can rebind any of the six buttons. In addition to keystrokes, mouse functions and special language keys, you can also use macros. I used the built-in macro recorder to create a 591 step macro and it worked. The recorder even records delays so that you can execute complex input strings at the push of a button.

The macro recorder in Corsair's iCue software.

There are a variety of options in iCue. Switching between languages ​​on the keyboard, starting apps with one key and programming complex macros are all possible – and they are also easy to set up in iCue.

You can divide the DPI in iCue into five profiles that are saved on the mouse. Once you've set these, you can use the mouse on all computers without iCue installed. Along with the DPI settings, you can organize lighting and button mappings into three built-in profiles that travel with the mouse.

There is also a lot going on in the settings. You can turn off DPI adjustment, which is useful for avoiding gaming mishaps, and you can adjust the time after the mouse falls asleep. As is typical for iCue, you can also calibrate the sensor to your surface and pair the mouse again if it gets disconnected. Out of the box, the mouse worked for me straight away, even without iCue installed.

Corsair has gone deep instead of far with iCue. Logitech's G-Hub is useful, if not nearly as deep as iCue, and Razer has several apps that focus on overall PC performance, not customizing peripherals. Simply put, iCue is packed with functionality for peripheral devices while maintaining accessibility.

Our opinion

The Corsair Saber RGB Pro Wireless is not for everyone. You can save a lot of money on mice like the Rival 3 that have lower specs but still hold up for the average gamer.

However, if you are a serious esports gamer, you will love the Corsair Saber RGB Pro Wireless. With an insanely high DPI sensor, long battery life, and a price that beats other top peripheral brands, it's a simple mouse for competitive gamers.

Are there alternatives?

Yes sir. The Razer Viper Ultimate and Logitech Pro are both excellent ambidextrous mice, but they're a bit more expensive.

The Steelseries Rival 3 is a much cheaper alternative, although it doesn't have such a nice sensor.

How long it will take?

The Omron switches on the Corsair Saber Pro Wireless are rated for 50 million clicks. If you clicked 10,000 a day – which is unlikely – it would last just under 14 years. Realistically, you can use Saber Pro Wireless for over 15 years.

Should you buy it?

Yes, if you're looking for a high quality wireless mouse that covers the basics. However, it depends on the type of games you are playing. Something like the Razer Naga is better suited for MMOs with its extra buttons, while the Corsair M65 has a blunt design that is easier to use in shooters.

Editor's recommendations



06 Jul
Blog

HP 930 Creator Wireless Mouse Review: Made for Creators

HP 930 Creator Wireless Mouse

HP 930 Creator Wireless Mouse

RRP $ 90.00

"The HP 930 Creator Wireless Mouse is a highly customizable mouse with no serious drawbacks."

advantages

  • Ergonomic design

  • Seven customizable buttons

  • Long battery life

  • Fast charge capability

disadvantage

  • Right-handed only

  • A bit expensive

HP has redoubled its recent efforts to woo creative customers with a full line of laptops like the Envy 14 and Envy 15 aimed directly at creative professionals. But HP hasn't stopped with laptops. It's also available with the HP 930 Creator Wireless Mouse, a device designed to work more efficiently in applications like Adobe Photoshop and Premiere Pro.

In addition to the HP Envy x360 15, another laptop for developers, I received a 930 Creator Wireless Mouse as a test device. I put the $ 90 wireless mouse through its paces – does it offer something to measure up to the best mice?

design

Top view of the HP 930 Creator Wireless Mouse.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

The wireless 930 Creator mouse is made of two-tone silver-gray plastic and feels robust enough. It's light and easy to move around without feeling cheap, and the lower part that flares to the left has a slightly grippy coating that helps keep control over quick mouse movements. Aside from the color scheme, HP's mouse is similar to Logitech's MX Master 3, its main competitor.

Like the MX Master 3, the 930 Creator Wireless Mouse has a dual-function scroll wheel with a button that changes from ratchet to free-scrolling mode. The HP version is just as slick when allowed to flow freely, but chunkier in ratchet mode. The scroll wheel can be pressed and pushed to the left and right for additional functions.

There are four buttons along the left side to the top of the flare. The device closest to the user switches between two Bluetooth devices, while the other three can be programmed to perform many functions (more on that later).

This is actually an unfortunate arrangement as it is far too easy to press the bluetooth switch instead of the first programmable button to disconnect the active device. I've been using the mouse for a few weeks now and still occasionally hit the wrong button. HP would have been smarter to put the button on the bottom of the mouse.

Open view of the HP 930 Creator Wireless Mouse.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

The 930 Creator Mouse comes with a proprietary dongle that plugs into a slot on the bottom. It's accessed via a magnetic cover that opens easily once you've read the attached diagram which tells you to press the bottom to pry the cover open. In combination with the two Bluetooth connections, you can use the dongle to establish a connection to a total of three devices.

As with the MX Master 3, you can connect to several devices at the same time via Bluetooth and the dongle and move the cursor and files between the devices. That's a nice feature if you're using multiple computers at the same time, and the feature works between Windows 10 and Mac OS.

ergonomics

Side view of the HP Creator Wireless Mouse.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

Thanks to its shapely contours and the rounded design, the 930 Creator Wireless Mouse is a comfortable device – if you are right-handed. It's pretty much useless for left-handed people, which is unfortunate. The same applies, of course, to the Logitech MX Master 3 and many similar mice.

For those who can use it, however, and if your hand isn't too big, the mouse can be found comfortably in the palm of your hand and your thumb to rest easily on the flare. Moving the mouse is a simple process that does not cause significant fatigue even after hours of use.

The buttons are in the right places so they're easy to reach but not too easy to accidentally press (except for the bluetooth switch, as mentioned above). The left and right buttons have a nice click and are not too loud.

All in all, the 930 Creator Wireless Mouse passes the ergonomic mouse test quite well. It's a mouse designed for long creative sessions, and you won't find it getting in your way.

performance

The 930 Creator wireless mouse has a sensor resolution of 800 to 3,000 dots per inch (dpi), among some competitive mice that can achieve a resolution of up to 10,000 dpi. The MX Master 3, for example, has a resolution of 4,000 dpi, more than the HP, but not enough that the typical user would notice. The HP Accessory Center app can be installed from the Microsoft Store to set the resolution.

The HP Accessory Center app sets the mouse resolution.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

As mentioned earlier, the scroll wheel works remarkably fast in smooth scrolling mode. If you're fidgety, it might move too fast, but you can use it to navigate long web pages and documents with ease. When it comes to cursor control, the 930 Creator Wireless Mouse is a confident performer that offers precise control thanks to a combination of just enough weight and ergonomic design.

HP promises up to 12 weeks of battery life on a single charge. I've been using it for a couple of weeks so far and I'm still sitting on around 70% battery life. So I'm well on my way to getting closer to HP's estimate. HP also states that a one-minute charge provides 30 minutes of battery life, ideal for times when you need to get something done and the battery is dead.

Programmability

All seven buttons of the 930 Creator Wireless Mouse – the pressed scroll wheel, the left and right action of the scroll wheel, the right button and the three programmable buttons – can be assigned functions within several applications. The buttons are programmed using the HP Accessory Center app.

The HP Accessory Center app is used to program the buttons on the 930 series Creator Wireless Mouse.

As in the example above, the app can recognize multiple applications and automatically assign certain functions to each key. Or the functions can be set manually. It's an easy-to-use app that makes customizing the mouse for supported applications a breeze.

Our opinion

The HP 930 Creator Wireless Mouse is a great addition to the programmable mouse category. It's well built, sits comfortably in the hand (if you're right-handed), and offers easy-to-use and very flexible programmability. Buying this mouse with an HP laptop makes perfect sense and is a one-stop shop for support.

However, there are other good mice out there too, so do some shopping. Chances are you have the 930 Creator Wireless Mouse on your shortlist.

Are there alternatives?

The most direct competitor is the Logitech MX Master 3, which costs $ 10 more than HP's mouse. The Logitech also supports multiple applications with custom buttons, but not as many as the 930 Creator Wireless Mouse.

The Razer Pro Click is another alternative to the 930 Creator Wireless Mouse and costs $ 10 more. You'll find that the Razer has longer battery life, an equally ergonomic design, a 16,000 dpi sensor, support for up to four devices, eight programmable buttons, and longer battery life. It's a formidable competitor.

How long it will take?

The 930 Creator Wireless Mouse is well built and should be used for years. The one year warranty is an industry standard.

Should you buy it?

Yes. It lies comfortably in the hand and can be adapted to your workflow.

Editor's recommendations