What constitutes a good gaming mouse? Most would argue that it's about performance. There is little value in dozens of RGB lighting effects and complex macro functions if the performance in games simply isn't there. In that regard, the VAXEE ZYGEN NP-01 most certainly delivers. PixArt's PMW3389 sensor is implemented perfectly, click latency can be set to an incredibly low value if desired, all buttons are of very high quality, and the combination of a low but still balanced weight, grippy coating, and still fairly flexible cable makes the NP-01 a joy to use in games.

Still, one could argue that none of this is anything special, and that mice with similar specifications abound. In recent years, it has become increasingly difficult to advance gaming mice even further and further. Sensor technology has matured to where improvements are marginal, and with the recent focus on lower weight and better cables, a lot of potential has been leveraged in that regard as well. But there is an area many manufacturers don't pay as much attention to: the shape. Zowie has always been known for their shapes, and VAXEE picks right up where Zowie left off. Essentially, the NP-01 is an ambidextrous design, yet most definitely an ergo mouse. While the NP-01 could be mistaken for a Zowie S2 when looked at from the top or back, the bottom is highly reminiscent of an EC2. It's a novel and rather bold design approach to merge two shapes that are otherwise taken as wholly incompatible opposites and make them work nonetheless.

Having said that, the NP-01 deserves clear criticism as well. Although I'm fully aware of the reasoning for going with this specific scroll wheel, I do feel the need to express that it's a poor choice all the same. While the noisiness and stiff scrolling aren't much of a concern while playing, it's quite horrendous for office work, browsing, or just general desktop usage. The wheel click itself is fairly stiff as well, which is great when it comes to avoiding accidental presses, but terrible otherwise. The feet are the second point of contention. Although glide is fine in theory, the feet are incredibly thin on my copy (0.4 mm)—as a result, the bottom of the mouse was scratching certain areas of my pad, impairing glide rather significantly. I'd be quite pleased if VAXEE would install the separately purchasable 0.6 mm feet by default. Lastly, my unit has some side flex. Although it never happened to me in games, actuating the side buttons by pressing the shell below them doesn't require a lot of force.

Where does this leave us then? For those looking for nothing but performance and reliability and willing to order the 0.6 mm feet along with the mouse, the NP-01 is most assuredly worth a recommendation. Although the shape isn't groundbreaking, it's still new and worth a try, especially for those coming from Zowie mice. I also feel that the NP-01's main contender, the Zowie S2, is surpassed in pretty much every aspect. At the same time, those expecting more from their mouse—a pleasant scroll wheel experience, granular CPI adjustment, or pretty looking RGB—may be better off looking elsewhere. In either case, I do hope VAXEE manages to address the feet and side flex concerns for future batches.