Finally arrived today.
Boxed contents- Zowie FK w/ gold-plated USB plug
- Pair of extra feet
- Zowie sticker
Specifications- Avago 3090 sensor with 450/1150/2300dpi and adjustable 125/500/1000hz polling rate
- 5 usuable buttons (7 physical), and 24-step scrollwheel
- 6.6ft USB cable
AppearanceComing packaged in a low-key white box, the Zowie FK looks nice and sleek with it's minimalist aesthetic (as far as gaming mice go). The 2014 update includes a new IR LED, 24-step scrollwheel, and all-black base, while keeping the attractive yellow scrollwheel and logo.
The finish is a kind of semi-absorbent matte, which quickly begins to collect fingerprints even with freshly washed hands. Trying to rub the marks off with a tissue I found ineffective, whereas a cleaning cloth managed to after much rubbing. Unless you have entirely dry hands if you like a nice even surface this mouse will need a good clean every so often. Not a big deal but something to keep in mind.
Update: after using for the past couple days the need to constantly rub the surface to remove fingermarks does become mildly annoying. Would have preferred if Zowie used a less absorbent material.
Shape and feelI bought this mouse to be used with a claw grip and as such it's comfortable enough. In a claw grip my palm isn't touching the mouse yet my fingers can still click the two main buttons as the clickable surface extends back far enough. The side buttons are also high enough not to be touched while gripped.
Hand dimensions: 175x105mm (from base of palm to tip of middle finger, and from side of palm to side of thumb). Holding the camera while posing made it a little tricky to shoot.For a palm or fingertip gripper this mouse may be a bit narrow to comfortably rest your thumb and pinky finger against. If comfort is an issue I'd find a more palm-friendly shaped mouse.
I would say this mouse seems like it's trying to be both palm-friendly and claw-friendly simultaneously, but I'm unsure how well it succeeds. The highest point of the body is towards the middle, rather than back which feels like it wants your palm closer.
It's also very narrow at it's narrowest point - a mere 53mm. My previous mouse was 59mm, with a convex shape which feels about right. And honestly it may be too narrow to grip comfortably for extended periods.
From the little I've used it I think I'd prefer a slightly wider body, shorter back with a closer-to-the-palm top curve for claw-gripping. All these impressions may change with further use.
Switches, scrollwheel and cordAs for the Huano switches they feel solid yet fairly light, if they are clicked towards the front. Clicking nearer the back, such as in a claw-grip, they are much heavier to click and if used a lot may cause fatigue.
Note: the claw grip seen here is not as far back as I'm referring to above.The scrollwheel has a rubbery feel, and the 24-steps are smooth and quiet. The middle click feels like one of the main buttons, and is about equal in sound and force.
The cord itself is very good. I'd read about it and can approve. It's a very flexible rubbery cord that is just thick enough. Thumbs up.
Sensor and lift-off distanceAfter plugging the mouse in I let out a sigh of relief; the mouse tracks well and is entirely angle snapping free. Zowie designed the mouse to work driverless, which is a big plus as some brands require apps to be installed just to change basic settings.
Obligatory paint test in Photoshop. 450, 1150 and 2300dpi. 6/11 sensitivity set in Windows.The dpi can be changed by clicking a yellow button on the back of the mouse which lights up a different color depending on the setting (Red=450pi, Purple=1150, Blue=2300). The polling rate can also be adjusted by holding down the two side buttons in various combinations before plugging the USB cable in.
The LOD is very low, which I like. Some may find it too low if they are used to moving the mouse slightly tilted upward but I'll take low lift-off over high any day.
Reported lag issue at 450dpiThere have been a few posts written around OCN regarding 'pixel-walk', that is an increased amount of motion required before the cursor moves at this lower dpi, said to be noticeable when making fine movements.
Firstly let me say this does not affect the ability to move the cursor pixel-by-pixel, as it may sound from the posts about this. If anything this would only be noticeable by the truly observant - we're talking sub-millimeter levels here. Frankly if anything there may be just a virtually imperceptible delay when making movements at that dpi, although it has been said on monitors above 96hz the effect is more noticeable.
It may also just be confirmation bias and not even be an issue at all.
Testing skipping with different colored surfacesUsing thick paper unless noted.Wooden desk - mostly tracks well, but there is occasional skipping.
Glass - fails completely, no movement detected.
Black - fine.
Blue - fine.
Yellow (paper) - fails completely, no movement detected.
Yellow (plastic surface) - fine.
Red (paper) - fails completely, no movement detected.
Red (plastic surface) - fine.
Orange - fine.
Green - fails, barely registers movement.
White (paper and glossy plastic) - fails completely, no movement detected. Sad news for anyone who liked to use paper sheets as a mousepad (like myself, often).
Cream/beige - fails, barely registers movement.
ConclusionI'll continue using the Zowie for the next week to see if the shape's a keeper. Currently the shape feels a bit awkward and seems like it could cause fatigue, but is by no means bad. The sensor is of course the mouse's main attraction, and is great although I wish it worked with more surfaces.
If you're looking for a superb sensor and all around good mouse the Zowie FK is definitely worth checking out, although I think only you can decide if the shape and switches are right for you.
