Swiftpoint Z review: Would you spend $230 on a mouse?

Would you spend $200 on a mouse? Should you spend $200 on a mouse? Always a fan of gloriously dear peripherals, I not too long ago took the Swiftpoint Z for a spin to seek out out. At $230 checklist, I’m fairly positive it’s the costliest mouse I’ve ever used—and it actually tries to justify that worth with a laundry checklist of experimental options. (Note: As of this writing, Amazon is promoting the Swiftpoint Z for $150.)

Or gimmicks, if you’re feeling much less beneficiant.

Let’s get into it although. If nothing else, the Swiftpoint Z is at the least probably the most fascinating mouse I’ve ever laid arms on. Get able to rethink each assumption you’ve ever had about how a mouse ought to operate.

This evaluation is a part of our roundup of greatest gaming mice. Go there for particulars on competing merchandise and the way we examined them.

Transformers: Mice in disguise

And you thought Mad Catz’s RAT regarded bizarre, proper? The Swiftpoint Z is one hell of a dialog starter. All you need to do is go away it out on a desk, and I assure the primary particular person to put eyes on it should make a remark. It’s uh…wild.

IDG / Hayden Dingman

Honestly it appears to be like damaged when you first get it. The Swiftpoint Z arrives in an outsized laborious case with a complete mess of swappable components to type via, a few of which have to be put in earlier than you begin. My preliminary impression was a mouse deconstructed, like a kind of blown-up diagrams from The Way Things Work.

This impression is redoubled by the multi-zone mouse buttons. No, you’re not taking a look at them incorrect. The Swiftpoint Z has the same old Left and Right Mouse buttons, after which in the direction of the rear it has two extra pairs of Left and Right Mouse buttons. Those swappable components I discussed? You use a few of these to construct up the rear buttons, giving them sufficient peak that the majority of your fingers relaxation on the primary mouse buttons after which the primary knuckles sit on the rear ones—which rock ahead and again, for 2 inputs every. Then the center two are supposed to be pressed by drawing your fingers in and utilizing your fingertips.

This eight-button crush is weird, and takes greater than a little getting used to—nevertheless it’s in all probability the Swiftpoint Z’s most praiseworthy innovation. Buttons on buttons. I’ve by no means seen it earlier than, nevertheless it works surprisingly nicely as soon as you’ve skilled your fingers.

IDG / Hayden Dingman

In addition to these eight, you’ve additionally received two extra buttons alongside the left fringe of the Left Mouse button, two for the thumb, plus the scroll wheel, for a complete of 13 buttons. That’s much like the Logitech G502, although I feel the G502 might be a bit extra approachable for the common consumer.

Thirteen is simply the beginning although. In one other semi-successful gimmick, 5 of the Swiftpoint Z’s buttons are pressure-sensitive: the principle Left and Right Mouse, the 2 fingertip buttons, and the scroll wheel click on.

This tech, which Swiftpoint calls “Deep Click,” is enjoyable to…