Keychron M3 mini 4K Metal Edition review: Simply excellent

Image: Dominic Bayley / IDG

At a glance

Expert’s Rating

Pros

An excellent sensor that syncs movements precisely4K polling rateStrong and lightweight metal chassis

Cons

Perforated back won’t suit claw grippersSmaller size isn’t great for large hands Battery life isn’t great in 4K polling mode.

Our Verdict

The Keychron M3 mini 4K Metal Edition is an all-around excellent gaming mouse that boasts outstanding performance, a robust lightweight chassis and all the connectivity options you’d ever need.

Price When Reviewed

99.00

Best Prices Today: Keychron M3 mini 4K Metal Edition

RetailerPriceKeychron$99View DealPrice comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwideProductPricePrice comparison from Backmarket

Keychron’s M3 mini 4K Metal Edition is the ultimate all-rounder gaming mouse. It’s robust and strong, armored with a metal chassis, and yet very lightweight; it also has all the connectivity options you could ever need, and a lightning-quick 4K polling rate that will keep you competitive in the quickest games.

At $99 it carries a bigger price tag than some mice in Keychron’s lineup. But with sturdiness, functionality, and style aplenty, gamers of all types are really going to dig this mouse.

Further reading: See our roundup of the best gaming mice to learn about competing products.

Keychron M3 mini 4K Metal Edition: Design and build

With a perforated back covered by a grid of interlocking geometric shapes, the Keychron M3 mini 4K Metal Edition boasts a futuristic aesthetic that’s unique and fresh. That said, perforated backs are magnets for dust and spills, so it’s a mouse you’re really going to have to keep your coffee cup away from.

I could use less force in my clicks but still feel like I had the very quickest actuation I could possibly get…

The M3 mini 4K Metal Edition has a symmetrical right-handed configuration with two small thumb buttons on the left and two compact main clicks. The mouse wheel comprises three more clicks and, on the underside, you’ll find a DPI switcher, polling rate button, and a button to switch between Bluetooth mode and Wi-Fi mode.

Delicate contours on either side of the chassis easily molded the mouse to my hand for a comfortable fit, so that I felt a lot of control no matter which direction I moved it. The back sections of each of the main clicks are also perforated, which isn’t particularly comfortable for a claw grip, but it’s comfortable enough for palm or fingertip grip types.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

If you do prefer a claw grip, all is not lost; Keychron also make a non-metal version of the M3 mini 4K with a closed top, so go for that one if a claw grip is your jam.

I was happy with the mouse’s weight but its size only just fit my large hand. Still, its designation as “mini,” doesn’t mean it’s tiny — it’s just a little smaller than some other full-sized mice. The dimensions measure 4.76 x 2.36 x 2.62 inches in total, so some players may have a quarter-inch overhang at the front.

The chassis is made from a lightweight magnesium material, so the M3 mini 4K Metal Edition is remarkably strong. The perforated shell serves to keep the weight to a minimum. In fact, it weighs just 2.25 ounces (64 grams). That made it suitable for FPS games and it was easy on my wrist and arm for long play sessions.

Having now used this mouse, I’m a big fan of magnesium alloy in a mouse’s chassis. It made the black color shimmer like a starry night sky under bright lights, which was an effect I never got tired of seeing.

Keychron M3 mini 4K Metal Edition: Connectivity and battery life

The 4K Metal Edition’s connectivity options provide a lot of versatility for both gaming and for work on the go. For connecting wirelessly, you get a 2.4GHz wireless receiver. The Bluetooth connects via Bluetooth version 5.1.

Both of these connection types were quick for me, delivering smooth, uninterrupted gameplay. A 4K Wi-Fi receiver allowed me to set a maximum polling rate up to 4,000Hz, which is four times the reporting rate of some of the quickest esports mice released last year. Consequently, I was chuffed to see that it’s included in the purchase price.

In the box, the Keychron M3 mini 4K Metal Edition also comes with a USB-C to USB-C cable for a wired connection. It’s a paracord, so it has that quick shoelace-like feel that just glides across your table.

As to the battery life, you have the option of setting the polling rate to 1K for the longest possible life of up to 600 hours, or 4K for a more modest battery life of approximately 40 hours.

Keychron M3 mini 4K Metal Edition: Gaming performance

The M3 mini 4K Metal Edition boasts a Pixart PAW 3395 sensor with a maximum DPI resolution of 26,000 DPI and a maximum speed of 650 inches per second. Rounding out those impressive stats is the mouse’s lightning-fast 50g acceleration rate, which makes it exceptionally quick off the mark.

The PAW 3395 has a reputation for being a little more synced to polling events than some other Pixart sensors and that rang true for me in my playtesting. I noticed a lot of consistency in the mouse’s movements — they felt crisp with a clear absence of any hiccups or jumps in the motion.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

In Battlefield I the 4K polling rate made a big difference to the speed at which I could track opponents. Those times I thought I was going to miss targets, I would often pull off unexpected hits, which was a nice surprise and big confidence boost.

The buttons feel very nice too. They’re some of the softest I’ve used, but their debounce is incredibly quick. They took all the effort away from me, allowing me to click with just the slightest pressure. I could use less force in my clicks but still feel like I had the very quickest actuation I could possibly get.

That response comes courtesy of the mouse’s Huano 80M microswitches. They’re rated for a long life of 80 million clicks, too.

I also really liked how convenient it was to switch DPI and polling rate with the external buttons. Keychron has made this even easier, with useful RGB indicator lights that show you what polling rate you’ve chosen, so I never had to stop my game and go into the app to see what I’d switched to.

Keychron M3 mini 4K Metal Edition: Software

Keychron Engine is the 4K Metal Editon’s companion app. The software is easy to follow and provides a decent amount of customization.

You can tweak the usual suspects like DPI and polling rate, and assign macro key functions, but there are also a few more in-depth settings to modify like the mouse’s lift-off distance and sensor performance.

The “sensor performance” setting allows you to activate one of the key advantages of the PAW 3395 sensor, Motion Sync, which is how it syncs the mouse’s sensor movement to polling rate events for smoother, more accurate movement.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

Should you buy the Keycrhon M3 mini 4K Metal Edition?

If I was shopping for a mouse that’s quick enough to run toe-to-toe with some of the best esports mice, but packs in more functionality than you’ll see in most — things like Bluetooth, a DPI switcher, and a very strong metal body — then the Keychron M3 mini 4K Metal Edition would be top of my list.

This mouse has just about everything I’d want and need in a gaming mouse. I also really like that it would leave me with approximately $50 left in my pocket than if I bought some premium rivals. Ergo, if you want a stellar mouse and to save some money too, this mouse is a sure bet.

Best Prices Today: Keychron M3 mini 4K Metal Edition

RetailerPriceKeychron$99View DealPrice comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwideProductPricePrice comparison from Backmarket

Author: Dominic Bayley, PCWorld Australia Editor

Based in Australia, Dominic Bayley is a hardcore tech enthusiast. His PCWorld focus is on PC gaming hardware: laptops, mice, headsets and keyboards.

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