The Dream Machines DM5 Blink did well in my testing. As a medium-sized, right-handed ergonomic mouse, the DM5 is well-suited for palm and claw grippers alike. In terms of features the DM5 is well-equipped: The sensor, which is PixArt's PMW3389, performed flawlessly in my testing. The main buttons and the scroll wheel work well, while providing a nice and satisfying response. The highly flexible cable, grippy coating, and decently gliding feet result in a mouse that handles well. The availability of software for customization purposes as well as the impressive set of RGB lighting with a rich variety of selectable lighting effects are very welcome features, too. Lastly, the included set of replacement feet is always a handy addition.

The DM5 Blink has its problems, though. Side buttons are clearly subpar, with a mushy and flimsy feel to them. The two sliders on the bottom of the mouse are of awful quality, and the software has some minor bugs, such as the polling rate setting not being functional (need to use the poor quality slider on the bottom of the mouse instead). Click latency is merely average, and the weight could have been lower.

One needs to keep in mind, however, that none of these drawbacks affect performance in a meaningful way. The DM5 Blink is a budget mouse and priced accordingly, and getting a 3389-equipped mouse with this many buttons and nicely done RGB lighting for $32.99 seems like excellent value for money to me. Most companies put budget sensors into their budget mice, which is why I'm glad Dream Machines didn't go down that route of skimping on the sensor. I'm also of the opinion that the DM5 improves on the original design of the Razer Basilisk, of which it is obviously a copy in terms of shape. For these reasons I feel that awarding the DM5 Blink both the Recommended and Budget awards is well-justified.