Keychron M1  Mouse Review

Reviewed Dec 02, 2021 at 09:54am
Writing modified Feb 22, 2023 at 01:47pm
Tested using Methodology v1.0 
Keychron M1

Track

0.0
Office/Multimedia 
0.0
Video Games (FPS) 
0.0
Video Games (MMO) 
0.0
Ultra-Light Gaming 
0.0
Travel 

Track

 0

The Keychron M1 is a lightweight, wired mouse with rounded, pill-shaped cutouts in the top, sides, and bottom of its outer shell to reduce its overall weight. It has an ambidextrous shape and has a pair of side buttons on either side. It feels well-built overall and is well-suited for most hand-sizes; however, it isn't suitable for small hand sizes using any grip type. Performance-wise, it has low click latency, a very low minimum lift-off distance, and you can adjust the CPI by increments of 100 within a very wide range. Also, all of its default button functions work in Windows or macOS.

Our Verdict

0.0
Office/Multimedia 

The Keychron M1 mouse is adequate for office and multimedia work. It feels well-built and has a comfortable, ambidextrous shape suitable for most hand sizes. You can also program most of its buttons using the companion software. Unfortunately, there aren't any wireless connectivity options, and the scroll wheel lacks L/R tilt buttons and doesn't unlock for free-scrolling.

Pros
  • Feels well-built overall.
  • Comfortable, ambidextrous design with two side buttons on either side.
Cons
  • Scroll wheel lacks L/R tilt buttons and doesn't unlock for free-scrolling.
  • Wired-only.
0.0
Video Games (FPS) 

The Keychron M1 mouse is great for FPS gaming. It's lightweight, feels well-built, and has an ambidextrous shape suitable for most hand sizes; however, it isn't suitable for small hands using any grip type. It also has a very light and flexible paracord-like cable, and its mouse feet glide smoothly on mousepads and desks, but they have sharp edges and aren't as high-quality as those found on some gaming mice. Performance-wise, it has low click latency, a very low lift-off distance, and a broad CPI range. Unfortunately, you can only adjust the CPI by increments of 100, which isn't as precise as some gamers may prefer.

Pros
  • Feels well-built overall.
  • Very lightweight.
  • Great click latency.
  • Comfortable, ambidextrous design with two side buttons on either side.
Cons
  • Feet have sharp edges and aren't as high quality as those on similar gaming mice.
0.0
Video Games (MMO) 

The Keychron M1 mouse is good for MMO gaming, but it doesn't have as many side buttons as a dedicated MMO gaming mouse. That said, you can reprogram most buttons using the customization software. It also feels well-built and has a comfortable ambidextrous shape suitable for most hand sizes and all grip types. Performance-wise, it has low click latency, a very low lift-off distance, and a very wide CPI range. Unfortunately, you can only adjust the CPI by steps of 100, which may be disappointing to some.

Pros
  • Feels well-built overall.
  • Great click latency.
  • Comfortable, ambidextrous design with two side buttons on either side.
Cons
  • Not as many side buttons as a dedicated MMO gaming mouse.
  • Feet have sharp edges and aren't as high quality as those on similar gaming mice.
0.0
Ultra-Light Gaming 

The Keychron M1 mouse is an excellent ultra-light gaming mouse. It feels well-built and has a comfortable, ambidextrous shape suitable for all grip types and most hand sizes. It also has a very lightweight, flexible, paracord-like cable and feet that glide smoothly on mousepads and desks. Performance-wise, it has low click latency, a very low minimum lift-off distance, and you can adjust the CPI by increments of 100 within a very broad range. Unfortunately, its mouse feet have sharp edges, and their material quality isn't as high as that found on some other gaming mice.

Pros
  • Feels well-built overall.
  • Very lightweight.
  • Great click latency.
  • Comfortable, ambidextrous design with two side buttons on either side.
Cons
  • Feet have sharp edges and aren't as high quality as those on similar gaming mice.
0.0
Travel 

The Keychron M1 mouse is inadequate for travel and isn't designed for this use. It's bulky and may not fit in most laptop cases, and it lacks wireless connectivity options, meaning it can be cumbersome to use in small spaces like buses, trains, or planes. That said, it feels well-built overall and has a comfortable, ambidextrous shape suitable for most hand sizes. It also has onboard storage, meaning you can use custom settings on computers without the software installed.

Pros
  • Feels well-built overall.
Cons
  • Wired-only.
  • Bulky; may not fit in all laptop cases.
  • 0.0
    Office/Multimedia
  • 0.0
    Video Games (FPS)
  • 0.0
    Video Games (MMO)
  • 0.0
    Ultra-Light Gaming
  • 0.0
    Travel
  • Changelog

    1.  Updated Feb 22, 2023: We've added a link to the newly-reviewed Keychron M3 in the Wireless Versatility section of this review.
    2.  Updated Dec 02, 2021: Review published.
    3.  Updated Nov 29, 2021: Early access published.
    4.  Updated Nov 23, 2021: Our testers have started testing this product.

    Check Price

    Differences Between Sizes And Variants

    The Keychron M1 mouse we tested is the black color variant, but it's also available in white. There isn't a product label on the unit we tested.

    Popular Mouse Comparisons

    The Keychron M1 mouse is an excellent mid-range option that's very lightweight. The manufacturer, Keychron, is best known for producing keyboards. The Keychron M1 mouse is their first mouse on the market. The advertising material on Keychron's website indicates it's ideal for any use case, including work and gaming. Still, it more closely resembles other gaming mice, both visually and with its performance and feature set. Its body has perforations to reduce the overall weight, it has a PMW 3389 sensor, a high-end model used by many popular gaming mice, and has RGB lighting. At the same time, it lacks more office-oriented features like ergonomic finger rests, wireless connectivity options, or a scroll wheel with L/R tilt inputs.

    For other options, see our recommendations for the best wired mice, the best gaming mice, and the best lightweight mice.

    Keychron M3

    Track

    The Keychron M1 and the Keychron M3 are mice with symmetrical shapes. The M1 is a wired-only model with small cutouts in its body to reduce its overall weight. There are two side buttons on both sides of the mouse, making it a fully ambidextrous option. On the other hand, the M3 is a wireless model with a solid plastic shell and two side buttons on the left side only. The M3 is also lighter and offers considerably better gaming performance.

    Logitech G Pro Wireless

    Track

    The Logitech G Pro Wireless performs better as a lightweight gaming mouse than the Keychron M1. The Logitech connects wirelessly with its USB receiver, or you can use it wired. It feels significantly sturdier and has mouse feet that glide more smoothly. It also has a higher maximum CPI range, a more precisely adjustable CPI, and lower click latency. Additionally, you can assign a G-Shift button that allows you to access a secondary layer of button bindings. On the other hand, the Keychron is a wired-only mouse and is lighter.

    Cooler Master MM831

    Track

    The Cooler Master MM831 is a versatile wireless gaming mouse, while the Keychron M1 is an excellent ultra-lightweight, wired gaming mouse. The Cooler Master feels sturdier and connects either wirelessly via its USB receiver or  Bluetooth, or wired with its charging cable. It also has a much higher maximum CPI and supports Qi wireless charging. On the other hand, the Keychron is significantly lighter and has a much more flexible paracord-like cable. It also has mouse feet that glide more smoothly and lower click latency. Additionally, it has a pair of side buttons on either side.

    GLORIOUS Model O Wireless

    Track

    The GLORIOUS Model O Wireless performs slightly better as a lightweight gaming mouse than the Keychron M1. The GLORIOUS connects wirelessly with its USB receiver, or you can use it wired. It's marginally lighter and feels sturdier than the Keychron. Performance-wise it has a wider CPI range, you can adjust the CPI more precisely, and it has slightly lower click latency. On the other hand, the Keychron is a wired-only mouse. It has two additional side buttons on the right side, and its software is compatible with both Windows and macOS. In contrast, the GLORIOUS software is only compatible with Windows.

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    Test Results

    perceptual testing image
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    RATINGS
    Category:
    All
    Design
    Style
    Type
    LockedStandard
    Lighting ColorLockedLocked

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    Shape
    LengthLockedLock" (Lock mm)
    HeightLockedLock" (Lock mm)
    WidthLockedLock" (Lock mm)
    Grip Width
    LockedLock mm
    0.0
    Portability
    Volume
    LockedLock in³ (Lock cm³)
    Cable/Receiver Storing
    LockedLocked
    Weight
    Maximum Weight With Wire
    LockedLock g
    Maximum Weight Without Wire
    LockedLock g
    Minimum Weight Without Wire
    LockedLock g
    Weight Distribution
    LockedLocked
    Extra Weights
    LockedLocked
    0.0
    Build Quality

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    0.0
    Comfort Of Use
    Right-handed
    LockedLocked
    Left-handed
    LockedLocked
    Ambidextrous
    LockedLocked
    Coating
    LockedLocked
    Finger Rest
    LockedLocked

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    Palm Grip: Hand Size Recommendation
    Small Hand
    LockedLocked
    Medium Hand
    LockedLocked
    Large Hand
    LockedLocked
    X.Large Hand
    LockedLocked

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    Claw Grip: Hand Size Recommendation
    Small Hand
    LockedLocked
    Medium Hand
    LockedLocked
    Large Hand
    LockedLocked
    X.Large Hand
    LockedLocked

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    Fingertip Grip: Hand Size Recommendation
    Small Hand
    LockedLocked
    Medium Hand
    LockedLocked
    Large Hand
    LockedLocked
    X.Large Hand
    LockedLocked

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    0.0
    Wireless Versatility
    Bluetooth
    LockedLocked
    Receiver
    LockedLocked
    Battery Type
    LockedLocked
    Use When Charging
    LockedLocked
    On/Off Activation
    LockedLocked
    Receiver Extender
    LockedLocked
    Battery IndicatorLockedLocked

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    0.0
    Cable
    ConnectivityLockedWired
    SAMPLE
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    Keychron M1 Cable Video Sample
    Cable LengthLockedLock ft (Lock m)
    Cable Type
    LockedLocked
    Permanent Kink
    LockedLocked
    Port Type: Mouse End
    LockedLocked
    Port Type: PC End
    LockedLocked

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    0.0
    Mouse Feet
    Gliding Experience
    LockedLocked
    Material
    LockedLocked
    Extra Included
    LockedLocked

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    In The Box

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    Control
    Sensor Specifications
    Sensor Technology
    LockedLocked
    Sensor Model
    LockedLocked
    Works On Glass
    LockedLocked
    Minimum CPI (DPI)
    LockedLock CPI
    Maximum CPI (DPI)
    LockedLock CPI
    CPI (DPI) Adjustment Steps
    LockedLock CPI
    CPI (DPI) Variation
    LockedLock%
    Minimum Lift Off Distance
    LockedLock mm
    Maximum Polling Rate
    LockedLocked

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    0.0
    Buttons
    Buttons Activation
    LockedLocked
    Total Number Of Buttons
    LockedLock
    Number Of Side Buttons
    LockedLock
    Number Of Programmable Inputs
    LockedLock
    Profile Switching Button
    LockedLocked
    CPI (DPI) Switching Button
    LockedLocked
    Gesture Support
    LockedLocked

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    Mouse Wheel
    Scroll Wheel
    LockedLocked
    Scroll Wheel Steps
    LockedLocked
    Scroll Wheel Tilt
    LockedLocked
    Thumb Wheel
    LockedLocked
    Thumb Wheel Steps
    LockedLocked

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    Noise
    SAMPLE
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    Keychron M1 Noise Video Sample
    Click Noise
    LockedLocked
    0.0
    Click Latency
    Click Latency: Receiver
    LockedN/A
    Click Latency: Bluetooth
    LockedN/A
    Click Latency: Wired
    LockedLock ms
    Operating System And Software
    0.0
    Compatible Software Option
    Software NameLockedLocked
    Software Windows Compatibility
    LockedLocked
    Software macOS Compatibility
    LockedLocked
    Account Needed
    LockedLocked
    On-Board Memory
    LockedLocked
    CPI (DPI) Adjustment
    LockedLocked
    Polling Rate Adjustment
    LockedLocked
    Profile Configuration
    LockedLocked
    RGB On/Off
    LockedLocked

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    0.0
    Mouse Compatibility
    Windows CompatibilityLockedLocked
    macOS CompatibilityLockedLocked