Friday, March 15, 2013

Product Review 2: Zalman ZM-300 Mouse


The Zalman ZM-300 is a gaming grade optical mouse. Hot on the heels of my last purchase (A4Tech Keyboard) comes this one. Since budget is extremely limited for me, I went ahead with these two purchases and also thought it would be a good idea to start reviewing products with these two.

Here are the specs of the ZM-300:

Type: USB Wired
Tracking: Optical
DPi Range: 625 to 2500
Buttons: 7
Price: ~US$ 14.99

LOOK:




I like the way this mouse looks! I can quite put my finger on it, but it is very reminiscent of something (maybe a car...) In any event I really like how it looks.

The shiny coating tends to lock in your finger prints so you may have to clean it after every play through to make sure it stays clean and .... well shiny.


Looks: 7/10

FEEL:



There are a 7 buttons in total on the mouse (including the scroll wheel.) There is a small red LED on the side which corresponds to the DPI settings. Unlit is 625 and fully lit is 2500.

The overall finish doesn't feel as cheap as it's price indicates though it is lighter than what I prefer. Also the mouse is small and you may have to adjust quite a bit to use it effectively.

The one problem I have in at least my mouse is that if you press both the Left and Right buttons and then let go of the Left one first, it kind of gets stuck. On closer inspection I have found the main reason for this:

The cut is not clean and they get stuck when pressed together
Feel: 6/10

BUTTON PLACEMENT:




The buttons are somewhat misplaced on this mouse. I prefer the DPI button to be below the wheel so it is not accidentally pressed however this is what will happen in the beginning and during intense gaming as well. Also the click of the DPI switch is somewhat lackluster. It doesn't press reliably every time. The Auto Fire is weirdly programmed. Playing Ghost Recon Online, you have the ability to set some guns to Auto Fire, Burst Fire or Semi Fire depending on your need. With the Auto Fire button enabled, it stops shooting after two shots when your gun is set to Auto Fire, has no impact on Burst and only fires two shots in Semi before you have to press the button again. Normally on Semi, the guns shoots at a steady one bullet at a time pace but with the Auto Fire button enabled, it fires two rapid shots and then just stops.

The Mouse Wheel is solid and the small rubber coating ensures that your finger won't slip during extended usage. The Wheel click is solid and easy. The side buttons also have a reliable and great click. I did not like the placement though as the pressing the front one is a bit of a stretch for your thumb and you will have to be really clawing your mouse to reach it all the time. It is fine for gaming but for daily use, I would prefer if the side buttons were placed a little better.

Button Placement: 6/10

LONG TERM USAGE:

The mouse is working great a month in to my buying it. Aside from the two buttons grinding each other, the mouse is working well. Only time will tell how well it stands up to rough usage. For now it is working great.

LTU: 6/10

CONCLUSION:

I am somewhat surprised at how well this mouse is holding up. It does not feel as cheap and is standing up to daily gaming without showing any wear and tear. The buttons need to be better placed and I would like it to be heavier then it is. Aside from this I would recommend that you give it a try.

Final Score: 25/40

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