Hi Guys
I have spent the last week getting to grips with a new mouse to see what all the fuss is about.
I am predominantly an FPS gamer and the prospect of a mouse aimed at being simple and designed for use with shooters was ideal for me.
The mouse comes in a fairly plain box that has all the important info about how to set it up at a glance. This is really good as it familiarises you with the features of the product quickly. Whilst not the most extravagant packaging I have ever seen, the box is functional and serves its purpose.
The box includes a spare set of mouse feet and a Zowie sticker and... thats it. A very basic package but realistically the mouse is the product on review here.
I like to use a hard surface to game on as I find that most soft surfaces are not as responsive as I would like. Using the FK1 in windows, I found the 1600DPI setting perfect for Windows use on a large res monitor. The 3200DPI setting was really overkill. I can imagine it being ok for high sensitivity players but for me it was very difficult to operate windows with this DPI setting.
I tried 800DPI and 1600DPI in the same game of CS:GO and found two very different experiences. 800DPI was perfect for AWP sniping but I found myself using 1600DPI for pretty much everything as it was slow and smooth enough to be accurate and precise enough to snipe with. If I was to run a few rounds using only sniper I would probably use 800DPI but I felt it a little slow at high resolution.
Tracking on the mouse was perfect for me, with smooth sensor performance and zero detectable jitter.
The Zowie FK1 has a button on the bottom of the mouse that allows you to change DPI on the fly. I personally feel that the trend of having on the fly DPI switching behind the scroll wheel is a totally dumb idea as accidental presses in a match is not what you want from any gaming peripheral. Having the button on the bottom is great for quick switching if required and the LED colour coding means you can change the DPI at a glance once you have memorised the 4 different DPI settings.
The actual feeling of the mouse in my hand whilst gaming is very comfortable although I would like slightly more height in the body to make it perfect for my preferences. That said, I found myself utilising more of a Claw grip to hold the mouse as opposed to my usual Palm Grip I use with the mice that I own.
When I originally saw the FK Pro 2300DPI and the FK Pro 2014 I was unsure what the fuss was about. I liked the subtle look of the products but felt that the mouse looked too thin for my grip and play style.
The FK1 is around 10mm thinner than the mouse I usually use. This takes some getting used to but after an hour the shape of the mouse felt comfortable.
Whilst gaming, the thin profile is not an issue but in windows use I find it a little too thin for my own taste. I am sure someone with slightly smaller hands than myself would really love this mouse but for me I would have to alter my mouse grip totally if I was to move over to it.
It feels very similar to a SteelSeries Sensei in terms of shape and layout.
The mouse doesn't weigh a huge amount (90g) but does have a nice weight to it. It feels similar in weight and surface drag to the dead MX518 that I have in my draw but weighs noticeably less than the EC2 EVO that TwsT uses on his desk.
The FK1 has an odd feeling finish to it. Upon opening the mouse I thought that the matt plastic finish would be a little odd for gaming. It feels actually very similar to the Deathadder 2013 albeit a little smoother.
I never found myself unable to grip and even in a hot office with sweaty hands whilst gaming, it was fine. I wouldn't say that it was the best material on any gaming mouse I have tried but it is functional and in my own opinion much better than these smooth finish gaming mice.
The only thing I would mark the FK1 down on build quality wise is the cable. For a £50 mouse I would have loved to see a braided cable as most other mice in this price category have this feature.
The side buttons are in perfect position for me and I thought they would be far too small but they are exactly where they need to be and responsive enough.
One thing that stood out to me when I originally used the FK1 but have gotten used to a little more now is the noticeable click of the buttons. All Zowie mice use Huano switches which means the clicks are stiff.
On the FK1, the buttons feel stiffer and have much more resistance than the majority of gaming mice I have tried. This has been done for a reason. Single shots in FPS games need this responsive, resistive click to be accurate and I think the community demands that the mouse is built around really had to be taken into consideration. This does make the FK1 an 'FPS only' mouse in many respects as the heavier clicks are not ideal for MOBA games for example where button spamming would become tiresome with a heavier, more resistive click.
The Scroll wheel has definitive clicks and feels nice. I liked how responsive it was and the surface is very grippy meaning you don't slip on it. The dimples on the wheel add a nice texture and feel to it.
The FK1 isnt going to satisfy everyone and as my review points out, there is a lot of features that you really need to be looking for to really consider it.
Whilst bigger than the FK Pro 14 the FK1 is still not big enough for me personally. I would like a little more weight also.
Personal preferences aside, the FK1 is very much a 'Ronseal' product. It is an FPS gaming mouse, designed to be a tool for just that. In CS:GO, where the Zowie takes a lot of its community feedback for this product, the mouse is superb. Single clicks are great, liftoff distance is perfect [for me at least] out of the box [this can be adjusted if you wish though], there is no angle snapping or any rubbish features on the sensor, but this is to be expected as the AVAGO sensor is superb.
Its pure, its basic and it does the job it was designed to do exceptionally well.
This is a very focussed product and anyone expecting it to excel in every area will be disappointed, but for its intended use it is very good.
This mouse is for you if:
- You play FPS games
- You want a driverless plug and play solution
- You Claw or Fingertip Grip
- You prefer slightly smaller mice
- You want a basic feeling mouse similar to the intellimouse experience.
- You are Left handed
You should consider alternatives if:
- You play a lot of RTS or MOBA games or button spam
- You have large hands
- You are looking for a very premium feeling mouse or have a larger budget.
- You want an 'all rounder' gaming mouse
I have spent the last week getting to grips with a new mouse to see what all the fuss is about.
I am predominantly an FPS gamer and the prospect of a mouse aimed at being simple and designed for use with shooters was ideal for me.
The mouse comes in a fairly plain box that has all the important info about how to set it up at a glance. This is really good as it familiarises you with the features of the product quickly. Whilst not the most extravagant packaging I have ever seen, the box is functional and serves its purpose.
The box includes a spare set of mouse feet and a Zowie sticker and... thats it. A very basic package but realistically the mouse is the product on review here.
I like to use a hard surface to game on as I find that most soft surfaces are not as responsive as I would like. Using the FK1 in windows, I found the 1600DPI setting perfect for Windows use on a large res monitor. The 3200DPI setting was really overkill. I can imagine it being ok for high sensitivity players but for me it was very difficult to operate windows with this DPI setting.
I tried 800DPI and 1600DPI in the same game of CS:GO and found two very different experiences. 800DPI was perfect for AWP sniping but I found myself using 1600DPI for pretty much everything as it was slow and smooth enough to be accurate and precise enough to snipe with. If I was to run a few rounds using only sniper I would probably use 800DPI but I felt it a little slow at high resolution.
Tracking on the mouse was perfect for me, with smooth sensor performance and zero detectable jitter.
The Zowie FK1 has a button on the bottom of the mouse that allows you to change DPI on the fly. I personally feel that the trend of having on the fly DPI switching behind the scroll wheel is a totally dumb idea as accidental presses in a match is not what you want from any gaming peripheral. Having the button on the bottom is great for quick switching if required and the LED colour coding means you can change the DPI at a glance once you have memorised the 4 different DPI settings.
The actual feeling of the mouse in my hand whilst gaming is very comfortable although I would like slightly more height in the body to make it perfect for my preferences. That said, I found myself utilising more of a Claw grip to hold the mouse as opposed to my usual Palm Grip I use with the mice that I own.
When I originally saw the FK Pro 2300DPI and the FK Pro 2014 I was unsure what the fuss was about. I liked the subtle look of the products but felt that the mouse looked too thin for my grip and play style.
The FK1 is around 10mm thinner than the mouse I usually use. This takes some getting used to but after an hour the shape of the mouse felt comfortable.
Whilst gaming, the thin profile is not an issue but in windows use I find it a little too thin for my own taste. I am sure someone with slightly smaller hands than myself would really love this mouse but for me I would have to alter my mouse grip totally if I was to move over to it.
It feels very similar to a SteelSeries Sensei in terms of shape and layout.
The mouse doesn't weigh a huge amount (90g) but does have a nice weight to it. It feels similar in weight and surface drag to the dead MX518 that I have in my draw but weighs noticeably less than the EC2 EVO that TwsT uses on his desk.
The FK1 has an odd feeling finish to it. Upon opening the mouse I thought that the matt plastic finish would be a little odd for gaming. It feels actually very similar to the Deathadder 2013 albeit a little smoother.
I never found myself unable to grip and even in a hot office with sweaty hands whilst gaming, it was fine. I wouldn't say that it was the best material on any gaming mouse I have tried but it is functional and in my own opinion much better than these smooth finish gaming mice.
The only thing I would mark the FK1 down on build quality wise is the cable. For a £50 mouse I would have loved to see a braided cable as most other mice in this price category have this feature.
The side buttons are in perfect position for me and I thought they would be far too small but they are exactly where they need to be and responsive enough.
One thing that stood out to me when I originally used the FK1 but have gotten used to a little more now is the noticeable click of the buttons. All Zowie mice use Huano switches which means the clicks are stiff.
On the FK1, the buttons feel stiffer and have much more resistance than the majority of gaming mice I have tried. This has been done for a reason. Single shots in FPS games need this responsive, resistive click to be accurate and I think the community demands that the mouse is built around really had to be taken into consideration. This does make the FK1 an 'FPS only' mouse in many respects as the heavier clicks are not ideal for MOBA games for example where button spamming would become tiresome with a heavier, more resistive click.
The Scroll wheel has definitive clicks and feels nice. I liked how responsive it was and the surface is very grippy meaning you don't slip on it. The dimples on the wheel add a nice texture and feel to it.
The FK1 isnt going to satisfy everyone and as my review points out, there is a lot of features that you really need to be looking for to really consider it.
Whilst bigger than the FK Pro 14 the FK1 is still not big enough for me personally. I would like a little more weight also.
Personal preferences aside, the FK1 is very much a 'Ronseal' product. It is an FPS gaming mouse, designed to be a tool for just that. In CS:GO, where the Zowie takes a lot of its community feedback for this product, the mouse is superb. Single clicks are great, liftoff distance is perfect [for me at least] out of the box [this can be adjusted if you wish though], there is no angle snapping or any rubbish features on the sensor, but this is to be expected as the AVAGO sensor is superb.
Its pure, its basic and it does the job it was designed to do exceptionally well.
This is a very focussed product and anyone expecting it to excel in every area will be disappointed, but for its intended use it is very good.
This mouse is for you if:
- You play FPS games
- You want a driverless plug and play solution
- You Claw or Fingertip Grip
- You prefer slightly smaller mice
- You want a basic feeling mouse similar to the intellimouse experience.
- You are Left handed
You should consider alternatives if:
- You play a lot of RTS or MOBA games or button spam
- You have large hands
- You are looking for a very premium feeling mouse or have a larger budget.
- You want an 'all rounder' gaming mouse