Durable 22g 3D Printed Gaming Mouse with Updated Materials

Key Takeaways

1. Optimum created the Zer0mouse Blade as a personal project to design the lightest gaming mouse, weighing only 22 grams.
2. The mouse is made from Formlabs’s Tough 2000 resin V2, enhancing durability and rigidity through a single-piece 3D-printed design.
3. Design changes optimize the trigger mechanisms for a fingertip grip, improving the feel and performance for niche users.
4. The Zer0mouse Blade is priced at $179.99 and lacks customizable side buttons, differentiating it from competitors.
5. Compared to the Corsair Sabre V2, the Zer0mouse Blade is 71% lighter, but it is slightly heavier than the G-Wolves Fenrir mouse at 20.4 grams.

Optimum, a well-known tech YouTuber famous for his thorough reviews of Hall effect gaming keyboards and wireless gaming mice, has been working on creating the lightest gaming mouse possible while maintaining strength and durability. Initially, the first designs were just a personal hobby aimed at making the perfect gaming mouse for his own use, but this effort eventually led to the creation of the Zer0mouse. The Zer0mouse Blade is a 3D-printed modification of a Finalmouse Falcon Module that features a minimal skeletal structure rather than a solid casing, allowing it to weigh only 22 grams. In a recent YouTube video, Optimum discusses how a combination of strategic design changes and a shift in materials have produced a mouse that maintains the same weight but offers much better rigidity.

Material Innovations

As per the video, the latest version of the Zer0mouse is crafted from Formlabs’s Tough 2000 resin V2, a cutting-edge proprietary resin from the leading 3D printing company, which mimics the properties of injection-moulded ABS. Optimum states that the new resin and design modifications enhance the new Zer0mouse Blade’s resistance to forces exerted during use and potential drops. This sturdiness is showcased in the video through slow-motion footage of the mouse being dropped onto concrete. The updated mouse still utilizes the Finalmouse Falcon Module, but it now features an added cover for the battery compartment. The increased toughness and rigidity of the new design stem from it being printed as a single piece, rather than two parts assembled afterward.

Optimized Performance

Optimum has further refined the design of the trigger mechanisms to better suit fingertip grip, aligning the hinge and trigger placement so that the switch feels lighter further back on the buttons, in contrast to where it feels heaviest on typical mass-produced gaming mice. The objective is to ensure that the Zer0mouse is tailored for a specific niche use rather than aiming for broad market appeal.

Comparative Pricing

When comparing commercially available gaming mice, the closest rival to the Zer0mouse Blade is the new Corsair Sabre V2 (currently $99.99 on Amazon), which weighs 36 grams. While this is lighter than many gaming mice, such as the Keychron M7 8K we reviewed recently, it is still 71% heavier than the Zer0mouse Blade. However, the Zer0mouse Blade does come with some drawbacks. It is priced at $179.99 and only includes left and right click buttons along with a scroll wheel, lacking any customizable side buttons. Additionally, it is slightly heavier than the G-Wolves Fenrir mouse, which is another ultra-light fingertip option that comes in at an impressive 20.4 grams (excluding skates).

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