The Endgame Gear XM1r is light, small and very sleek, and it's really all you need in a gaming mouse. It's particularly ideal for FPS games due to its simple interface and highly customisable responsivity, but will suit any game. It's marketed as an esports mouse, and it's easy to see why. Plus, it looks good too!
For
Very light
Customisable responsivity
Against
Only two customisable buttons
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Weight: 70g CPI: up to 19000 CPI (steps of 50 CPI for 50 to 10000 CPI, steps of 100 CPI from 10000 to 19000 CPI; pre-defined: 400, 800 (default), 1600, 3200) Buttons: 2x top, 2x side, 1x mouse wheel, 1x CPI on bottom Sensor: Pixart PAW3370 Lift-Off Distance (LOD): 1mm (2mm inches via software) Max speed: 400 IPS Supported grip types: Claw Grip, Palm Grip, Finger Grip Dimensions: 122.14 x 65.81 x 38.26 mm (L x W x H) Primary buttons (right/left): Kailh GM 8.0 switches (Click Force: 55-60gf) Stated lifetime: 80 million actuations Click detection: Analog Technology (<1ms) Middle mouse button: Kailh tactile switch (Click force: 70+-10gf) Side buttons: TTC micro switches Materials: Plastic (Chassis), PTFE (Glides), Dry Grip Coating (Surface) Skates: Hybrid Skate Design (small skates pre-installed, large skates included) Connection type: Wired (USB 2.0 Type A)
A mouse is a mouse, right? Wrong. As the Endgame Gear XM1r proves, even the seemingly innocuous can make a big difference when it comes to distinguishing the outstanding from the serviceable.
The XM1r gaming mouse doesn't shout at you like some fancier ergonomic, twistable or design mice do, with its classic shape, two main buttons, scroll wheel and two customisable side buttons, with our review sample coming in a matte white with black side buttons and scroll wheel, with an understated gold logo on the front. Simple, but classy. (Also, maybe a little bit smudge-prone...)
The XM1r is a very similar model to the well-established XM1, with a new PixArt PAW3370 optical sensor and custom-sorted Kailh GM 8.0 switches. Also retailing under £50, it aims for the more budget-conscious gamer as it drastically undercuts offerings from makers like Razer that can easily eclipse £100-150 if you're not careful. But does it click like those more expensive cousins, earning a spot among the best gaming mice? I've been using the review unit for a month, both for work and play, and you know what? It might.
(Image credit: Erlingur Einarsson)
Endgame Gear XM1r review: Design and build
The XM1r is near-identical to the previous XM1, with its classic shell-shaped design, with a slight indent on each side to rest your thumb and pinky finger in a natural, unstressed position.
The two main buttons are large but not so that you'll find yourself accidentally clicking them too much, with analog signal sensor tech aiming for supreme responsiveness. Despite that eagerness to minimise reaction times, the buttons have nice resistance to them so you can rest your fingers on them without stressing about accidental clicks.
The scroll wheel has a tactile switch, which I prefer over 'free-scrolling' wheels, and the side buttons are comfortably placed for thumb clicking, although I must state that my hands aren't too big, so larger hands might find themselves having to flex the thumb a little more than I do for the larger button placed closer to the wrist.
The matte white colour looks very attractive, with the gold outline logo adding a touch of class to the package. As any white computer equipment often does, it does smudge a little, but a cloth takes easy care of it, as the surface is smooth (but thankfully grippy).
It's a wired mouse, attached to a USB 2.0 Type A cord. It's a black flex cord covered in high-quality fabric, which not only looks nicer, but makes tangling a worry of the past.
(Image credit: Erlingur Einarsson)
Endgame Gear XM1r review: Features and performance
Aside from the standard features mentioned above, such as the tactile scroll wheel and two customisable side buttons, the Endgame Gear XM1r has a sixth button underneath it. It's a CPI preset button with four preset movement speeds, ranging from really rather languid to faster than light (or rather 3200 CPI), each one indicated by two little lights next to the button (blue for slowest, green for comfortable browsing use, yellow for I've Got A Huge Screen and red for Super Saiyan).
Using the mouse day-to-day is really comfortable. I was a little apprehensive as I had used an ergonomic design mouse with a large raised left side for some years as my main mouse for years, and always hated any time I had to resort to basic shell designs. However, the XM1r is contoured just enough to stay comfortable in hand for extended periods, which is good news for my hand and wrist health/happiness (but very bad news for my Civilization addiction).
I also used it in FPS and RTS games, and the click speed and adjustable CPI really comes in handy when needing to react quickly or change between 'action-clicking' and only needing to use the mouse for menu-browsing and selection. Honestly, the only thing that gives the XM1r up as a budget offering is how light it is, and how it gives off a very slightly 'plastic' noise when placed on a table.
(Image credit: Erlingur Einarsson)
Should you buy the Endgame Gear XM1r gaming mouse?
It's a fantastic gaming mouse, no matter the budget. With the analog switches and highly customisable navigation speeds, the Endgame Gear XM1r is fittingly marketed as an esports mouse, and will certainly do well in the hands of any serious FPS gamer. As an all-around mouse, it's great too, and with its very approachable price tag of £49.99 (and discounts come around every now and then too) and relatively neutral, classy look, it's a good proposition for anyone looking for a comfortable mouse, be they a gamer or not. If you're extremely discerning, it does feel ever-so-slightly plasticky on close inspection, but it's much closer to premium gaming mice than it is to standard factory peripherals included with your computer or laptop bundle.
The Endgame Gear XM1r is light, small and very sleek, and it's really all you need in a gaming mouse. It's particularly ideal for FPS games due to its simple interface and highly customisable responsivity, but will suit any game. It's marketed as an esports mouse, and it's easy to see why. Plus, it looks good too!
Erlingur is the Tech Reviews Editor on Creative Bloq. Having worked on magazines devoted to Photoshop, films, history, and science for over 15 years, as well as working on Digital Camera World and Top Ten Reviews in more recent times, Erlingur has developed a passion for finding tech that helps people do their job, whatever it may be. He loves putting things to the test and seeing if they're all hyped up to be, to make sure people are getting what they're promised. Still can't get his wifi-only printer to connect to his computer.
