When it released roughly 1.5 years ago, the MZ1 debuted an entirely unique shape, which to this day hasn't been replicated to any degree. Designed by YouTube mouse reviewer Zy "Rocket Jump Ninja" Rykoa, the MZ1 was built primarily for fingertip grip or, more specifically, his specific flavor of that grip style. While a bold and novel design, the MZ1 wasn't for everyone, as its steep hump at the back in particular proved to be quite restrictive in regard to what grip style it allowed for.

With the MZ1 Wireless, this concern is addressed convincingly. Much as on the M4 and M42 Wireless before, the back cover can be swapped for a different one, such as the secondary cover included. The additional back cover has a lower hump and less pronounced curvature overall, which transforms the MZ1 Wireless into a wholly different mouse. While the grip style the original MZ1 was intended to be used with was approaching more of a claw than a full fingertip grip, the MZ1 Wireless with the secondary back cover can be used with a traditional full fingertip grip just fine, as the hump at the back no longer interferes with the palm. By comparison, the lower hump cover results in a less stable feel than the default high hump cover, but the range of motion gained in return certainly benefits the mouse greatly. Most importantly, for those still not satisfied with the default options, Xtrfy provides the necessary STP files for creating a custom back cover that then could be 3D-printed. In short, the MZ1 Wireless greatly improves in this regard over the original MZ1, and succeeds in making its unique design more accessible.

Another noteworthy achievement is the weight. The MZ1 Wireless only weighs 2 g more than the wired MZ1 while sporting a 500 mAh battery, without structural integrity or any other physical feature of the mouse suffering for it: Creaking is minimal when squeezing the mouse, and the side buttons cannot be actuated by exerting lateral pressure either. For comparison, the only slightly larger M42 Wireless weighs 6 g more, while having a comparable amount of holes and an identically sized battery. Unlike the M42 Wireless, the MZ1 Wireless only requires a single screw for fixating the removable back cover, and the internal design is notably more efficient. When it comes to the buttons, the MZ1 Wireless likewise matches the level set by the MZ1: The main buttons yet again are outfitted with Kailh GM 8.0 switches, providing the same firm and tactile button response. The side buttons haven't received any changes either, and roughly match the wired MZ1 in terms of button response. The same goes for the scroll wheel, which is as tactile as ever while keeping noise levels largely under control. The scroll wheel click, however, is less of a treat: A low-profile switch from Huano is used, which is exceedingly stiff, to where pressing it soon gets tiring. Those using the wheel click a lot may find themselves put off by how heavy it is. I have been informed by Xtrfy that this has been changed over the MZ1 intentionally after receiving feedback from Zy who occasionally experienced accidental actuation of the wheel click when scrolling. The feet are the same as on the MZ1 in terms of size and quality, and a set of replacement feet once again is included in the box.

When it comes to the wireless experience, the MZ1 Wireless matches the M4 and M42 Wireless. The 500 mAh battery enables battery life of up to 75 hours (albeit without illumination), and the flexible charging cable along with the reasonably high charging speed at 0.363 A make charging a hassle-free experience. Performance is likewise excellent: Owing to the included wireless extender, wireless sensor motion delay sits at around 1 ms, click latency in wireless mode at the lowest debounce time is 4.9 ms, general tracking fine, CPI deviation nonexistent, and polling stable, with the exception of polling rates below 1000 Hz in wireless mode, which exhibit periodic outliers. All of this is enabled by the CX52850 MCU, which has already seen use on the M4 and M42 Wireless, along with competitors such as Pulsar or Fantech. Unlike those, the MZ1 Wireless doesn't require any software for adjusting settings, instead allowing one to do nearly everything software could do directly on the mouse. While the RGB lighting has been toned down somewhat compared to the wired MZ1, what remains thereof is still plenty and likewise can be configured conveniently on the mouse.

Overall and as one would expect, the MZ1 Wireless is pretty much a match with the M42 Wireless. And yet, the MZ1 Wireless goes for $119.00 as opposed to the $99.00 the M42 Wireless retails for. This is due to the Rocket Jump Ninja tax of $20, which already made the MZ1 one of the more expensive wired mice around. Compared to a competitor such as the Pulsar Xlite Wireless V2, which comes with very similar internals, the MZ1 Wireless costs around $40 more, which of course is a fairly hefty premium. On the other hand, the shape of the MZ1 Wireless is nowhere near as generic as that of the Xlite or many other mice, and furthermore caters to a subset of an already niche demographic, which of course is reflected in the price. Ultimately, it is up to each individual whether paying this much of a premium is worthwhile for the shape alone. For those not too thrilled about the shape in the first place, the M42 Wireless is an otherwise near identical and considerably more affordable option. Regardless, like the M42 Wireless before it the MZ1 Wireless yet again earns our Editor's Choice.

When looking at alternatives, there are only those similar in performance and specifications, not in shape. The already mentioned Xtrfy M42 Wireless comes closest in both respects, having identical performance and features, a slightly higher weight, and the ability to swap the back cover, for $99.00. For $89.99, the Fnatic BOLT has similarly great performance, a similar weight despite no holes, and comparably good main buttons, but suffers from its poor software and lackluster side buttons. The $79.99 Glorious Model O- Wireless scores in the click latency, weight, buttons, and charging cable department, but wireless motion delay is below par, and the software is a resource hog. Lastly, the Fantech Helios XD3 V2 is the budget option for $59.95, with similarly great performance, very good buttons, and a big battery, but much higher weight, a stiffer charging cable, and lackluster side buttons.