Marsback Zephyr Pro Review

Two minute review 

The Marsback Zephyr Pro gaming mouse is a brilliant entry level option that’s sure to wow your rivals with its bold design and unique features.

Thanks to the highly customizable settings, you’ll get a leg up over the competition by ensuring your mouse plays exactly how you need it to. When you need to get back to work (or swap to a new game) you can easily switch to the appropriate profile to match your preferences.

Fans of RPGs or gamers that like having plenty of mouse buttons may be let down by the Zephyr Pro’s limited options, but that’s to be expected of a device at its price. You still get two side buttons though, which for many will be more than enough to make your gaming experience a little smoother.

Of course we can’t forget the most over-the-top element: the in-built fan that promises to cool your palm and keep sweat away. In our testing, it definitely lived up to this promise, and it’s near silent too - so it won’t disturb you while you focus during intense encounters.

If you want to snag one of these mice for yourself, you can find the Marsback Zephyr Pro exclusively at Marsback’s own website for $59 / £42.55 (around AU$80). 

Design 

You can pick up the Marsback Zephyr Pro gaming mouse in either black or white. Both colors have a fractal design, with cutouts that give you a glimpse of the mouse’s inner workings. This material may play a role in making the mouse feel a little light, and while it’s still plenty sturdy, you might want to look elsewhere if you like your peripherals to have some weight to them.

Like most mice, this one has the usual left and right buttons as well as a scroll wheel, though you’ll also have a DPI button on top and two side buttons on the left. These keys are all remappable through the Marsback Zephyr Pro software, with the option to create custom profiles to quickly change between settings depending on the game you’re playing.

(Image credit: Future)

However, the limited button options will impact RPG players who might rely on quickly using multiple different ability attacks. It’s to be expected of a more entry level gaming mouse, but you might want to keep that in mind if you’re thinking of making a purchase.

In terms of size it’s roughly the same as most other mice, coming in at around 5.2 x 2.6 x 1.6 inches (131 x 66 x 41 mm). We found this to be a fine size, though the general comfort and ergonomics of the Zephyr Pro could have been better.

Like all pro gamer gear, Marsback’s Zephyr Pro is decked out in RGB lighting. Through the device’s Windows 10 app you can customise the effects between different options to meet your tastes; you can even create easily changeable presets for each game in your library to ensure your color coordination is on point.

Before we round off this section, we have to highlight  the Zephyr Pro’s most unique design feature: its inbuilt fan. However, unlike the cooling system sat inside your gaming rig, this isn’t keeping a powerful processor or GPU frosty, and is instead an anti-sweat measure.

By blowing air gently against your palm, the breeze is designed to keep sweat at bay and give you the best possible grip in high-intensity moments. During our testing we did generally find that the hand using the mouse was less sweaty than the other, though we can’t say for certain what performance advantages this grants.

What we can tell you is that the fan is almost unnoticeable. Sure, it’s decked out in RGB lighting that isn't the best camouflage, but in terms of noise you likely won’t hear any buzzing unless you put your ear up to it.

Performance 

It’s all well and good looking cool, but can this mouse deliver on its performance? The short answer is yes.

Thanks to the in-depth DPI settings, we could ensure the Zephyr Pro’s sensitivity was perfectly tuned to our needs. What’s more, we could tweak almost every aspect of the mouse from the scroll wheel’s speed to the X and Y axis movement sensitivity (the latter will be particularly helpful for those working in CAD programs or on digital art).

These options definitely gave our gaming a boost, and helped us land headshot after headshot in the handful of shooters we played during testing.

If you’re looking for a multi-purpose mouse you’ll find this perfect for your home office too, and you can easily turn the RGB lighting off if you want to feel more professional.

(Image credit: Future)

Buy it if… 

You love RGB and bold designs
The lighting and fractal pattern of this mouse are sure to make it stand out on your desk. 

Your palms can get clammy
Thanks to the in-built fan you can say goodbye to clammy palms and hello to a sweat-free gaming experience - at least as far as your hands are concerned.

You’re on a budget
This mouse is definitely worth its entry level price tag, and at just $59 / £42.55 it’s more affordable than many options out there.

Don’t buy it if… 

You prefer minimalism
Everything about this mouse oozes over-the-top, so if that’s not your vibe you’ll want to look elsewhere. 

You need multiple buttons on your mouse
If you’re after a mouse that’s packed full of buttons, this option most likely won’t cut it. 

You’re a hungry gamer
The fractal design might look awesome, but it’s also perfect for dropping crumbs into your mouse and its fan. 

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