The Package

It is very apparent that Func wants to ditch the crazy color scheme their original products were launched with. Their new box art is very docile with white, black, and a hint of orange. The box lets you try the fit of the mouse out, which is great.


The new 1030 has been launched in a black only color scheme, and there are only two available sizes: large and extra-large. The large variant is approximately the size of the SteelSeries 9HD, with a slight arch for better comfort.


The bundle is alright. You get a driver CD and a small manual.

Closer Examination

Mouse

That Func is gunning for the comfort crown is immediately apparent after you unpack the MS-3. The shell's shape is complex, and they seem to have spent a lot of time shaping the pinky finger side of the mouse. The mouse does, otherwise, look pretty ordinary with its all-satin, black-finish panels and a few opaque parts that light up once you hook the mouse up to your PC.


Func's design team apparently went nuts with buttons and features on the MS-3. This mouse has a lot of buttons, and all of them are easily accessible. A total of ten buttons are on the mouse. The second button for the ring finger is a bit odd and rattles a little when you jerk the mouse around violently. There is even a little back-lit button. It is per default assigned to the "Instant Aim" feature, which allows you to drop the DPI just by touching a single button. It is in a convenient location and has very light actuation pressure to ensure it does not mess up your aim.


The sensor is placed in the center of the mouse, which gives it neutral handling characteristics. The sensor is not the newest or most advanced. Func went with the second best laser sensor on the market: the Avago ADNS-9500 5600 DPI sensor. It has very similar performance numbers, where it matters, compared to the ADNS-9800. The only thing the 9500-series sensor is down on is DPI—the newer version has 2600 more.


The cable solution is pretty ordinary. It consists of a semi flexible black and orange braided jack cable.


The scroll area is a bit congested, but the spacing allows you to use all the buttons without fear of pushing the wrong one.


Func gives your thumb four buttons to handle. One of them is placed in a way that makes you push directly down towards the ground for activation. The button is quite hard and has a short travel time, which is probably necessary in order to avoid accidental button presses. The fact that you have to push it downward feels very odd, and you lose quite a bit of dexterity while using it. It feels a bit misplaced because the balance of the mouse is ruined while it is in use, which, ultimately, makes you perform worse in games.


The MS-3 is not quite as flashy as other gaming mice. The profile selection indicators are hidden in a small gap between the palm and side plate.

Mouse Mat

Func's old 1030 mats changed the mouse mat industry. The quality of their surfaces and the way you can just flip the core of the mat was a stroke of brilliance. Many have since tried to copy it and have failed. Today, the Func 1030 has been tweaked for comfort and durability.


The new 1030 has the same surfaces as the updated original design, but the colors have changed. The "frame" you seat the mouse surface into is now made of a hard plastic and has a slope where your wrist can move about, which really helps in raising the comfort while using this 5mm thick hard mouse mat.


The finer side of the mouse mat has an incredibly finely grained surface with excellent glide characteristics for precision work. The rough side is like a finer SteelSeries 9HD surface—same excellent glide and control with a bit less feedback from the grain structure on top of the mat. Both surfaces feel very smooth and the friction between mat and mouse is kept really low.


The frame of the 1030 only has one weak spot: it is only partially supported. The natural rubber should, instead, cover the entire bottom part of the frame.


The part of the mat that comes into contact with your wrist has been optimized in a number of ways. The most obvious is its slope, making for a smooth transition between desk surface and mat. The other is the way in which the entire mat is swept around your wrist's natural movement.


Finger prints show up really easy on the smoother side of this mat, which might be a bit of a bummer if you are a neat freak.