CM Storm Mizar, Tt eSPORTS & Balista MK-1 Mouse Review

Final Thoughts

Price

In terms of price each mouse isn’t what I would call cheap, but they do fall into a comfortable price catagory where you’re typical PC gamer would spend their money.

• Shogun Bros Ballista MK-1 £49.99
• TteSports Saphira £39.99
• CM Storm Mizar £39.99

The MK-1 is the most expensive of the bunch, but it does come with the most features and hot keys, I also think it’s the best looking of the bunch with that soft-touch red rubber on the top panel. The Saphira and the Mizar are the same price and both offer their own unique selling points, most notably the different sensor technology. Overall they’re all great value for money.

Overview

So my intention today was to come out with a clear winner, something along the lines of “The X mouse is the best, buy that one” and that really didn’t happen. They each have their own pros and cons, but overall I just can’t pick a clear winner. So let’s break it down starting with the minor faults of each product and go from there.

The MK-1 has a little acceleration on the sensor that becomes more noticeable at high DPI settings. The Mizar is a little small to hold for my hands and also exhibits a little acceleration (inherent from the Avago 9200 sensor), and the Saphira has all the major buttons on the underside out of reach. That’s really about it, so what about the good things?

The MK-1 is likely an unfamiliar product to many of you, but it’s easily one of the best mid-budget gaming mice on the market. It’s good software, a good quality sensor, highly configurable DPI settings, plenty of programmable switches, great aesthetics and good ergonomics. It’s a very good mouse for MOBA and MMO gaming.

The Saphira is sleek and smooth to use and look at, for those who play in tournaments it’s no fuss design will certainly appeal. Of course that no fuss look is all a lie, because on the underside of the mouse you can toggle DPI, profiles, polling rate on-the-fly. There is a configurable weight system in the base too, helping you further fine tune the mouse to your liking.

The Mizar does well to tame the Avago 9200 sensor, minimising the acceleration and providing a very smooth readout even at high DPI settings, it’s software great for those who love to really fine tune the fine settings, it has the best rubber side grips and the tactile feel of the switches is great too.

So in conclusion, the Shogun Bros. Balista MK-1 is a great choice for those who want something a little unique looking with a good level of grip and great performance. The Saphira is for those who want all the advanced features needed for competitive gaming, but don’t want all the clutter, plus its optical sensor feels marvellous to use. The Mizar is for those who want fast and accurate performance, but it is generally more ideal for those with smaller hands (perfect for younger gamers) or those who play with a claw-grip style.

Maybe next time I do a head-to-head of products we’ll see a more definite leader in the results, but this time around it’s no bad thing to see a great performance from all three products and if you’re on the market for a new gaming mouse, you’ll find plenty to love about each of these products.