Surface

Out of the three Dark Project mice I've recently reviewed, the ME1 has the best surface coating in my opinion. The top shell has a pleasant soft-touch surface that is quite grippy too, which I'm pretty sure is due rubberization, but it's hard to tell. It definitely feels amazing, and I wish more manufacturers would use something like this on their mice—if it's durable, of course. It doesn't collect fingerprints easily, which is great news.


The side panels have a rougher matte plastic coating I also found nice and grippy. Of course, this may vary from person to person as there are different skin types. Fortunately, the sides tend not to attract grime or fingerprints quickly. The CPI and side buttons and the narrow top panel that surrounds the scroll wheel have a similar, slightly roughened matte touch to them, and the scroll wheel has a textured rubber finish to prevent accidental slips.

Build Quality

Build quality of the ME1 sits between the ME2 and ME3. It's not perfect, but not bad either. The upper mouse skate on my copy was slightly misaligned and has a small wrinkle. The right main button is looser than the left one, which can lead to some rattling when you gently tap it. Apart from these small errors, I couldn't find anything wrong. The overall build quality is more than acceptable, but quality control should be more thorough.

Weight

One of the best things about the ME1 is its weight—at only about 82 grams, it's very light for its size, which means it will be optimal for those who want a big, but light gaming mouse. Generally, a light mouse is better for your wrists in the long run, but a lot depends on a comfortable shape, too. Balance is optimal on the ME1 as well since it's neither rear or back heavy. Way to go!