Manufacturer Serafim, a company focused on gaming peripherals, aims to make its name known in the e-sports world by introducing its M1 Transformer Gaming Mouse. This 6-button, wired mouse comes equipped with a detachable shell, allowing for two separate looks and feels, making it an interchangeable ergonomic mouse. The M1 Transformer Gaming Mouse features some interesting components that attempt to separate it from the pack in the world of gaming mice.
Equipped with an instant a825 sensor, HUANO microswitches and an interchangeable outer shell, the M1 Transformer has some of the hallmarks of a solid gaming mouse. Without the shell, the M1 Transformer looks similar to many other 6-button mice, most notably the Razer Viper V3. With a narrow, elongated body, it’s an ideal mouse design for claw-grip gamers. Two side buttons align well with the thumb’s natural resting place, while the primary and secondary HUANO microswitch-enabled top buttons feel responsive and tactile on click. A single DPI button rests just behind the scroll wheel and is positioned for easy access on the fly.
An illuminated Serafim logo adorns the palm rest, while RGB lighting adds a nice accent to the rear underside of the mouse. On the note of RGB lighting, the M1 Transformer offers a single-zone, 7-colour selection lighting control that includes the aforementioned logo, rear underlighting, and scroll wheel. The RGB lighting creates some nice accents to the otherwise sleek, black design.
The M1 Transformer feels pretty good in hand for a claw grip mouse, though it is quite heavy considering its slim profile. Even without the shell, the M1 Transformer weighs in at about 95g and a whopping 118g with the shell. For reference, the Razer Naga Pro, a wireless, 19-button MMO mouse, weighs in at 117g and is massive by comparison.
“The M1 Transformer feels pretty good in hand for a claw grip mouse, though it is quite heavy considering its slim profile.”
While button placement feels solid and the M1 Transformer feels comfortable to hold, the gliding action is another story. The mouse skates are not nearly as smooth as I would expect from a mouse targeting gamers. There is a noticeable drag when making quick movements, which reduces overall accuracy while gaming. After a couple of weeks, it is something one can adapt to, but when compared to other gaming mice in the office, it feels sluggish to use.
Unfortunately, things do not improve when the outer shell is installed. In essence, the shell changes the mouse’s profile from claw to palm grip. Attaching the shell is quick and easy, thanks to the shell’s two-piece clip design. Once attached, the M1 Transformer feels much bulkier and more in line with a traditional palm grip mouse.
However, this is where the design starts to break down. While conceptually it’s a solid design, the outer shell of the M1 Transformer does not fit tight to the mouse body. The result is a mouse that rattles around inside the shell while being used. The shell’s additional bulk further compounds the previously noted drag issue, making the whole experience feel sluggish and finicky. In fact, after doing some initial testing with DOOM Eternal, Diablo 4 and then Aimlabs, it was concluded that it was much easier to use the mouse without the shell.
“Rated for a maximum DPI of 12800 and a polling rate of up to 1000Hz, the M1 Transformer is in line with many entry-level gaming mice on the market.”
While the design is unique and has a lot of potential, there are a few glaring issues that need to be resolved. For starters, the outer shell needs to be much better fitted to the mouse body. Having it loose inside the shell makes the whole design feel cheap. Second, the combination of poorly designed mouse skates and extra weight makes the experience feel sluggish and bulky to use. This is alleviated significantly by removing the outer shell, but it is still a fundamental issue that needs to be addressed. Not to mention that the workaround solution negates half of the design function of the mouse.
While these are some pretty fundamental concerns to the design, the M1 Transformer still does have some solid features to consider. For starters, the instant a825 sensor is a solid sensor with excellent response time. Rated for a maximum DPI of 12800 and a polling rate of up to 1000Hz, the M1 Transformer is in line with many entry-level gaming mice on the market. The a825 sensor also has a max frame rate of 7000 FPS and max acceleration of 20g, which, when compared to other mice in its class, is solid.
As for the HUANO microswitches, with a life cycle rating of 60 million clicks, they, too, are a smart inclusion for the M1. As for real-world testing, both the sensor and the buttons were quite responsive and, despite the drag caused by the mouse skates and the bulk of the outer shell, worked well for games. As a budget gaming mouse, the M1 Transformer still has some core functionality that is working in its favour.
Another impressive feature is the M1’s Serafim software. It’s simple to use and offers an impressive amount of control over mouse customization. With four customizable profiles, macro support, six levels of DPI control, and 4 Polling Rate presets, the Serafim has customization comparable to higher-end gaming mice like the ROG Harpe Ace or Razer Viper V3. Even RGB control, while limited to one zone and seven basic colours, still offers a host of options and customization.
The Serafim M1 Transformer Mouse is a mixed bag of features and components. The key components, such as sensors and microswitches, are in line with other entry-level gaming mice and offer a solid experience. However, the shell design, which is a major marketing piece for the M1, is flawed. When coupled with some drag issues attributed to the poor mouse skate design, the M1 Transformer is ultimately held back from being a great mouse. While the price point of USD $15.99 is enticing for an entry-level gaming mouse, it might be worth saving up for something else.
