Swiftpoint Z2 review: The most customizable gaming mouse ever made

Price When Reviewed

199.00

Best Prices Today: Swiftpoint Z2

The Kickstarter-funded Swiftpoint Z2 generally is a bit intimidating for minimalist players used to a easy six-button FPS mouse.

The successor to the Swiftpoint Z is stacked with so many options and performance that it may be merely overwhelming. But for fans on the lookout for an edge it’s simply the ticket. There are 13 customizable buttons, drag-minimizing wings, a gyroscope, haptic suggestions, and even a mini-OLED show — and that’s only for starters.

With nearly every part a gamer might presumably need onboard, you may say the Z2 is just like the mouse equal of “The Homer,” the automobile that Homer Simpson constructed. But don’t let that comparability diminish what it will possibly do in your gaming…

Indeed, the Z2’s makers have gone to nice pains to provide a mouse that’s blatantly superior to the vast majority of multi-button gaming mice available on the market. It’s a tinkerers dream, a mouse that after you get your head round, is an especially highly effective gaming machine nicely price your effort and time.

Further studying: See our roundup of the best gaming mice to study competing merchandise.

Swiftpoint Z2 design and construct

The Z2 is a big, right-handed mouse with dimensions of 5.12 x 3.54 x 1.57 inches, so it’s best for giant palms. It sports activities a tethered design and aesthetic dominated by two drag-minimizing aspect rests — one which cups your thumb and one other on the correct that cradles your little finger.

The Z2 weighs 4.125 ounces not together with the cable, which is remarkably gentle contemplating the mouse’s measurement. It sports activities a excessive again that’s tallest on the left, then tapers to the correct so that you just get probably the most assist beneath the heel of your hand.

The button configuration is probably the most distinctive I’ve seen in a gaming mouse. It’s additionally stacked with additional know-how together with 5 stress sensors and haptic suggestions (however extra on that later).

Like the Logitech G 502, it has two predominant clicks, a pair on the left-hand aspect vertical and two set into the highest, additionally on the left. Four buttons sit behind the primary clicks. These encompass a pair of horizontal levers and two with longer caps in entrance.

The remaining three clicks might be discovered within the mouse wheel. The buttons comprise Omron mechanical Switches. An RGB Swiftpoint brand illuminates the mouse’s again within the default setting, which looks like a lackluster try at including some gamer-centric aptitude.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

Dominic Bayley / IDG

Dominic Bayley / IDG

As if all that isn’t sufficient, the Swiftpoint Z2 can convert right into a joystick controller. It comes with an extender that attaches to the underside of the unit. This acts to raise the mouse out of your tabletop in an effort to use it like a joystick. A built-in gyroscope works to register your actions on this mode.

The mouse’s customizability is extraordinarily good. The Z2 helps you to swap out the buttons, levers, and even the mouse’s switches in an effort to customise it precisely as you want.

Is it comfy? Sure, if you will get over the truth that your hand goes to be resting over no less than 4 of buttons to achieve the 2 predominant clicks. The greatest solution to get round that I discovered was to make use of a claw grip infrequently, however that is probably not to everybody’s liking.

Swiftpoint Z2 gaming efficiency

The Swiftpoint Z2 boasts a Pixart PAW3395 sensor with a most decision of 26,000 DPI, most pace of 650 inches per second, and a polling price of 1,000Hz.

The mouse moved rapidly and effectively throughout my mouse mat and the sensor was sufficiently correct within the video games I performed, as I’ve discovered the PAW3395 to be in different mice. But it’s the mouse’s distinctive performance that had me really impressed.

Using the Z2’s joystick extension was a specific blast. I’ve by no means been capable of play video games like Microsoft Flight Simulator X and maintain my plane within the air for greater than a minute — so it was novel and exhilarating to have the ability to maintain my biplane in a single piece. In Rainbow Six: Siege, I might peek round corners with mere flick of my wrists, and in insurgency a easy flick was all I wanted to do to reload.

One factor price noting although, is that the elevate off I received from my tabletop with the joystick extender wasn’t as excessive as I might have preferred. This meant I used to be barely restricted in my actions; the mouse would run out of house to completely tilt to the extent I needed for sharp maneuvers in flight sims — within the default setting. Then once more, even having the ability to use it as a joystick was extraordinarily thrilling.

The excessive customization choices for the buttons additionally had me chomping on the bit to play each MMO sport I personal. Why? Not solely might I assign a second set of instructions, however I might additionally set the depth of my click on actuation with among the buttons.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

Dominic Bayley / IDG

Dominic Bayley / IDG

This Deep Click performance additionally works with the mouse’s haptic suggestions in order that I might really really feel the depth stage I used to be activating — bringing an entire new stage of realism to my play.

It additionally opened an entire new stage of personalization I’d by no means dreamed attainable, that sped up my reactions to sport stimuli. For occasion, in WoW I mapped spell combos to the left and proper fingertip buttons, which have been quite a bit simpler to actuate than buttons within the second row of the grid in my standard MMO mouse, the Razer Naga V2 Pro.

In CounterStrike 2 I might set a primary stage for scope and a second deeper tier of actuation for firing. With a number of functionalities in a single button, I might react quite a bit faster than I might earlier than, which made an actual distinction to my scores.

Swiftpoint Z2 software program

An distinctive mouse just like the Z2 wants an distinctive software program app, and it’s received simply that in X1 Control Panel.

The app has helpful menus that spell out in a simple means the sorts of settings you’ll be able to change. But, due to the complexity of the Z2, count on a steep studying curve at first and many trial and error to achieve a consequence you’re pleased with.

To provide you with an instance of the depth of the settings choices you’ll be able to tweak, you’ll be able to fall down deep rabbit holes altering issues just like the joystick instructions and the diploma of tilt to your bindings.

Among Control Panel’s greatest options is the power to auto detect video games supported by the app. Supported video games have extra options — for instance, in Rainbow Six: Siege you get a full listing of changeable sport actions up entrance reasonably than having to recollect particular person key bindings.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

Dominic Bayley / IDG

Dominic Bayley / IDG

Speaking of profiles, you’ll be able to create greater than 20 in X1 Control Panel and save them on to the mouse’s onboard reminiscence. That quantity coated extra of my video games than I’ve ever been capable of entry on a mouse earlier than.

In X1 Control Panel you may also choose what you need the mouse’s OLED display screen to show. I discovered it helpful to point out the stress of my clicks to simpler get the grasp of the layers of button actuation I’d arrange. But I additionally discovered it helpful to show the profiles I used to be utilizing at any given time.

Should you purchase the Swiftpoint Z2?

The Swiftpoint Z2 doesn’t come low-cost — it’s listed for $199 on Swiftpoint’s web site. I say listed as a result of it’s bought out on the time of penning this assessment — sure, it’s that widespread.

Is it well worth the value? Yes, completely! I’ve solely simply scratched the floor of what you are able to do with this mouse right here. But take my phrase for it, it gives infinite potentialities in your gaming, particularly in MMOs.

If you’re tempted to purchase one and may discover one out there, you completely ought to decide one up.