These days, there is no shortage of new gaming mice with top-tier specifications and features coming out. However, upon closer inspection, one cannot help but notice that in terms of shape, the variety is somewhat limited. Most companies prefer releasing shapes they know to sell well instead of coming up with novel shapes that challenge whatever notions people tend to have of mouse ergonomics. The Xtrfy MZ1 is one such mouse that strives to do things differently. Designed by long-time YouTube mouse reviewer Zy "Rocket Jump Ninja" Rykoa, the MZ1 has a shape unlike that of most if not all other mice. Small, narrow, low-profile, but with a hump at the back lending it palm support and deep comfort grooves on the low-sitting main buttons: Primarily designed for fingertip grip, the MZ1 may seem unfamiliar, possibly even alien at first. Yet, after some getting used to, the subtleties of its design surface, such as the left side curving inwards more than the right side, or the angled sides, which help with picking the mouse up. There is little doubt this mouse isn't for everyone, but not every mouse needs to be, and what's more, the MZ1 has more to it than its unique shape.

At 59 g, the MZ1 is exceptionally light, though one needs to keep in mind that it's a small mouse. Holes have been used as a weight-reduction method, albeit some parts have been spared, namely expected contact points. Despite the perforation, build quality is solid, with minimal creaking and no flexing or side-button actuation when squeezed. Kailh GM 8.0 switches are used for the main buttons, which provide a firm and snappy button response with pleasantly low variance between left and right. Side buttons are very good as well and strike a great balance between size and placement, as space is a precious commodity on a mouse as low-profile as the MZ1. The scroll wheel is the same as on the Xtrfy M4 and M42, having quiet scrolling and decent tactility. For the MZ1, Xtrfy is using a new cable, whose flexibility is significantly improved. The feet are gliding as nicely as ever, and as always, a set of replacement feet is included in the box. PixArt's PMW3389 performing flawlessly almost goes without mention, and much like on the M4 and M42, there is no smoothing across the entire CPI range, allowing one to use any of the preset steps without having to fear a motion delay penalty. Speaking of which, the MZ1 still doesn't allow freely adjusting CPI and instead comes with several preset CPI steps. Aside from that, on-device configurability is more extensive than ever: RGB lighting, polling rate, lift-off distance, and button response time may be adjusted, which covers the majority of what one would be able to do in a software. Finally, click latency is appreciably low, though there is a catch: By default, the MZ1 is set to 4 ms debounce time, which actually results in a click latency of approximately 8 ms. Accordingly, it is recommended to set debounce time to 2 ms, which cuts click latency in half.

Speaking of a catch: At a premium of $20 over the otherwise virtually feature-identical M42, the MZ1 is no doubt an expensive mouse. The cable is a clear improvement, but hardly one worth $20. This becomes even more apparent when looking at comparable mice. For $59.00, the Xtrfy M42 comes with a swappable back cover, same performance, similar weight, but a stiffer cable. The Cooler Master MM711 has similar performance, optical main button switches, similarly low weight, and an incredibly flexible cable, for $59.99. The HK Gaming Mira-S is typically priced at $49.99 and comes with similar performance, low weight, a fairly flexible cable, but worse build quality. The Glorious Model O- too has similarly good performance, low weight, and a flexible cable, for $49.99. Finally, the Razer Viper Mini goes for $39.99 and brings optical main button switches, low weight without holes, slightly worse performance, and a moderately stiff cable to the table.

But here's the thing: These mice are only comparable when it comes to features, not the shape. What people are paying for with the MZ1 is a shape that typically wouldn't make it past the conception stage. Small and mostly suited for fingertip grip, the MZ1 covers a market segment most companies deem too small and not relevant enough. Keeping that in mind, Xtrfy has to be commended for having had the courage to make a unique design such as the MZ1 a reality. Accordingly, I'm inclined to support a bold project such as the MZ1 by giving it an Editor's Choice, rather than condemning it for its high price. It is a bold, yet very well executed mouse, and a compelling option for those seeking something fresh and unique.