Xtrfy MZ1 gaming mouse review. Weapons for FPS / Overclockers.ua

So the time has come when manufacturers of gaming peripherals began to listen to the opinion of professional players and testers. The Xtrfy brand, in collaboration with the popular Australian video blogger and reviewer of gaming mice Rocket Jump Ninja (Zy Rykoa), who has over 20 years of playing experience in Quake and other FPS games, produced the MZ1 mouse – ZY’S RAIL. It embodies all the features that Zy considers most necessary for the best gaming FPS manipulator. In other words, today in our review will be the perfect dream mouse according to Rocket Jump Ninja. Let’s see what happened as a result.

Specifications

Contents of delivery

The mouse is sold in a small white box, where you can see the images of the product from different angles and read about some of its technical characteristics. In addition, the dimensions of the device are clearly shown right on the box.

The box is held together by two stickers and easily splits in half. In the lower half, on a black cardboard pedestal, lies the mouse itself.

In addition to the mouse, the package includes a black envelope with the Xtrfy logo, which contains a welcome sheet from the developer, a short user manual, a sticker with the Xtrfy logo, and a set of spare legs.

Appearance and design

The Xtrfy MZ1 looks and feels very different. From above, it looks like ordinary symmetry, reminiscent of a pebble stone licked by sea water. But, in fact, this is a departure from the canonical “form” of a drop in profile view. The stern at the very rear is sharply pulled up and breaks off in the place where the other manipulators are just beginning to have a smooth bend. From the back to the front of the mouse, the height of the case decreases at an acute angle, and well-tangible recesses are made in the main key panels. All this is complemented by a smoky translucent plastic pierced with rounded holes. The surface here is matte and tenacious to the touch. LKM and PKM panels are separate, they have a small horizontal play and sit motionless vertically. They are pressed with a loud, distinct click, requiring medium force to activate. Moreover, you can press the button almost anywhere on the panel, not counting its very back part. The main switches here are Kailh GM 8.0 in a translucent case with black buttons. Behind the scroll wheel is a small square button, configured by default as a function switch to adjust various mouse settings in combination with other keys. It is pressed tightly and quietly, with a barely perceptible click.

The left sidewall is perforated at the front and back, but made solid under the side buttons. Behind a tinted white plastic insert under the paintwork, there are four backlight LEDs. However, they are already well visible through the body panels. The two side buttons protrude slightly to the side. They are straight and without slopes. They are pressed with a soft quiet click and an effort below average. As mechanisms, there are Huano switches in a black case with yellow stems. By the way, a similar button is located under the function switch on the top panel.

The signal cord enters the housing in its central part. The 12mm anti-kink guard is turned up to ensure there is no friction between the cable and the surface. The scroll wheel is rubberized on the sides and has a plastic insert for illumination in the center. It is very quiet and light. Fixation positions are clearly worked out tactilely, although there are no sounds. There is a barely perceptible crack when scrolling up. The encoder here is installed from F-Switch. The middle button is pressed with a force above average, the sound is muffled, but loud enough. Pressing occurs traditionally – skewed to the right.

Soft and flexible cable 1.8 meters long wrapped in nylon braid. It even has its own marketing name – Xtrfy EZcord Pro. The cord does not interfere with mouse movements and can be used without a holder. There is a reusable rubber band to adjust the length. A ferrite ring to eliminate interference is located near the USB connector.

The most interesting thing on the right side of the mouse is solid areas for the ring finger and little finger, where they arbitrarily fall on their own. The rest of the sidewall is perforated. Slightly creaks on this side when squeezed, but it does not fall through, like some other variants of “leaky” mice models. Under the PCM on the side there is a plastic white insert, behind which five more LEDs are hidden.

Please note that the sides of the mouse, although rounded, are still at a steep angle relative to the top panel, which greatly simplifies the grip of the case when lifted off the surface. This is clearly visible from the stern.

Ergonomics of the mouse is designed for the right hand. Moreover, the left side has a recess for the thumb. Yes, the visual symmetry here is very deceptive. Due to the shortened and rather narrow body, the optimal type of grip in this case is finger or claw, and with a clear advantage towards the first. The hand in this case should be of medium size, or more precisely, the fit for a narrow and long brush is clearly visible. Most likely, Zy chose the shape of the case purely for himself, not really caring about versatility. Claimed weight of the mouse is 56g excluding cable (59g by our measurements with most of the cable on the table). The distribution of weight along the axes of symmetry is ideal, provided that the fingers are correctly positioned when covering the case.

The base of the mouse has two white Teflon rounded triangular legs on the back and one oblong front. For those who decide to disassemble it, we recall that it is under them that four mounting screws are hidden. Most of the sole is perforated. Exactly in the center is the window of the PixArt PMW3389 optical infrared sensor (you can optionally glue one more leg from the kit here). To the right of it is a toggle button and a resolution indicator. Between the lower legs there is a slider switch for backlight settings, polling frequency, separation height and a function key under F11.

Backlighting in the Xtrfy MZ1 – ZY’S RAIL received a surprising amount of attention. Just for statistics: four LEDs under the LMB, one in the scroll wheel, five more under the RMB and two separate ones in the logo on the stern. This is all without counting the colored resolution indicator LED. The backlight is configured using a keyboard shortcut on the mouse. Ten levels of brightness are available and the LEDs turn off completely. There are many lighting effects with customizable color and playback speed. Among them: turning off the backlight, trace, pulsation, constant glow in one color, changing the colors of the spectrum, radar, color radar, rainbow overflow, reactive lighting, frequent pulsation. Of the main static colors available: white (and even with the correct display), yellow, cyan, purple, red, green and blue. The illuminated Xtrfy logo is hidden inside and is only visible through holes in the mouse feed. An indicator based on certain colors displays the current resolution level.

Functionality

All mouse settings Xtrfy MZ1 – ZY’S RAIL are made without a driver, using keyboard shortcuts. The main function key is the square button behind the scroll wheel. Its purpose varies depending on the four position slider on the base. Let’s consider all modes sequentially.

Slider set to “RGB”. Pressing the F-button toggles the lighting effects. F+RMB changes the backlight color. F+LMB toggles the speed of lighting effects. F+side keys change the brightness.

Slider in “PR” position. Pressing the F-button toggles the polling frequency. 125 Hz will be marked in red, 500 Hz in green, and 1000 Hz in blue.

Slider in “LOD” position. Pressing the F-button changes the liftoff height. The height of 1 mm will be marked in red, 2.5 mm in green.

Slider in “F11” position. Pressing the F-button acts like the F11 keyboard command, which allows you to bind some kind of macro to it. In the case of uploading an alternative firmware, this button will function as a keyboard command PG Down.

To change the delay time of the main keys, you need to simultaneously hold down the LMB + RMB and both side buttons. Red will be 2ms, blue will be 4ms (set by default and covered by the manufacturer’s warranty), green will be 8ms, and purple will be 12ms.

The key for changing the resolution on the base of the mouse sequentially switches between fixed resolution levels (each is marked with its own color). Available CPI values: 400 (red), 800 (yellow), 1200 (orange), 1600 (blue), 3200 (purple), 4000 (cyan), 7200 (green), 16000 (white).

To reset the mouse to default settings, hold down the left, middle and right mouse buttons at the same time for five seconds.

Ergonomics and testing

To test the Xtrfy MZ1 mouse, the company kindly provided us with an Xtrfy GP4 branded Large Speed ​​mat in Abstract Retro coloring. Surface dimensions are 460x400x4 mm, weight – approximately 250 grams. It is sold in the following packaging:

From the box, the mat has a specific rubber smell and curved edges. Fortunately, both the first and second moments are eliminated after a week of use. A moderately slippery surface has the same coefficient of friction in the horizontal and vertical directions. The velvety neoprene backing has excellent grip on the table. The edges of the rug are not only threaded, but also stitched with lines of white threads on both sides, which inspires hope for long-term resistance of the edges to natural wear.

It’s worth starting with the fact that the Xtrfy MZ1 – ZY’S RAIL mouse is a very specific tool for FPS games. The most unusual thing about it is the form. It is specially made in such a way as to force the user to hold the manipulator with their fingertips and nothing else. Yes, this allows for the most accurate hovering in games, but it’s quite tedious in everyday use. In addition, a comfortable shape will be purely for right-handers, and the size of the palm, rather, should be narrow. The surface of the top and side panels of the mouse is quite tenacious and not easily soiled. And the holes in it look more like a tribute to fashion than a necessity. By the way, the use of a special coating of electronic components is declared for the mouse, which makes them resistant to dust and dripping liquids. The case itself is quite strong, although if desired, it can be used to make the right panel creak. By weight, the device is almost not felt in the hand, the weight distribution along the axes of symmetry is excellent. A soft cable, moderately slippery feet, a very quiet scroll wheel and tactile switches – everything here is optimally and expertly chosen. Especially worth noting is the setting of the main key panels, which are clearly and responsively pressed along their entire length.

As mentioned earlier, a lot of attention has been paid to the backlight in the mouse, which makes it look like a Christmas tree decoration, causing some dissonance with its “e-sports” features. At the same time, there is no software for finer adjustment of the sensor and backlight control. And all the basic parameters of the sensor are configured with keyboard shortcuts on the mouse itself.

The PixArt PMW3389 optical sensor installed in the mouse is today the reference gaming sensor for the FPS genre. And it doesn’t look like any adjustments were made to its factory firmware. The sensor has a very high top speed combined with a low liftoff and excellent accuracy. No parasitic manifestations were found in his work. Not counting the slightly increased level of anti-aliasing noted by the program. Of the points that can upset the user, it is worth noting the fixed resolution levels that cannot be changed. Although it is possible that in the future, software will appear under the mouse that will solve this problem.

Results

Xtrfy MZ1 – ZY’S RAIL is a mouse made according to the tastes of one person experienced in FPS games. Therefore, it is worth evaluating it not only in an objective plane, but also from the positions of “like” or “dislike”. A good hardware stuffing is installed here – a sensor, main key switches in combination with normal panels, a scroll wheel encoder, a soft cable and the correct legs. There are no questions about the execution of the body either. It is light, balanced, strong enough and resistant to dirt. It’s what you like and it’s really good. What is in doubt? Case shape, holes in it and smoky translucent plastic. The ergonomics of the finger grip here is extremely specific, and before purchasing a mouse, it is strongly recommended to hold it in your hands. That’s the only way to know if it fits or not. What didn’t you like? Illumination misuse. Why try to lighten the chassis of the mouse as much as possible, then to stick 13 LEDs there? Perhaps it would be worth it to get by with one informative backlight element and use almost eternal PBT plastic as a body material? Probably, this is a tribute to fashion, and for some users, extensive lighting, on the contrary, may be an extra reason to purchase.

Is the Xtrfy MZ1 worth your attention? For avid FPS players – definitely yes. The product is niche and it will definitely find its admirers, even despite the considerable cost. For casual gamers and as a device for every day, the mouse will not be the best choice due to its ergonomics.