My take on i-Rocks ROCK series M09 mouse and C10 mouse pad

First impressions

On my first look, I could easily tell its bilateral symmetry complete in its black matte finishing. Its series name, along with a monster head in the dark, stood imposingly at the back. But finding the side buttons on the left immediately corrected my initial assumption about its ambidexterity.

Usage

The M09 is a fully plug n’ play device. I was impressed that I-Rocks had taken the extra mile to plate its USB plug with gold. Whilst the gold plating may not give me an extra advantage during use, it certainly does make the plug last longer under repeated plugging and unplugging, given that gold corrodes slower than other metals.

Grabbing the mouse with a palm grip, there was no plastic feel thanks to its matte surface. The M09 fitted easily in my hand. Noting that the mouse had been designed to fit small Asian hands, Westerners with large palms may find the M09 too small to be comfortable. The grooves, located at each side towards the front, allowed my thumb to rest comfortably. The convex surface behind the groove gave support to my thumb muscles.

I knew I had to adjust the mouse’s sensitivity when my cursor doesn’t move at the speed I’m comfortable with. Thanks to on-the-fly adjustable switches, located at the bottom of the mouse, I need not reach for Windows’ mouse settings. Three choices are available for each switch: 125/500/1000 Hz for report rate and 500/1000/1750 dpi for resolution. All I need is to pick a switch combination that works and I’m ready to go.

Actuation force of left and right buttons worked just fine. The side buttons functions as Front and Back buttons in a web browser, respectively. As for its wheel, I had no problems scrolling a Word document or a web page with it and like its tactile feedback for a discrete feel. However, I needed to press the wheel harder than usual for situations like opening a link in a new tab.

Complementing the M09 mouse is the C10 mouse pad. The mouse pad is thick, providing support for my wrist. What I like about the mouse pad is its silky smooth surface that provides a seamless glide with little friction.

Conclusion

To sum it up, if you are looking for a solid and ergonomic mouse for everyday use, RM 90 is a worthy cause for the I-Rocks M09. There are no drivers to tweak, making it attractive for an average user. As for the accompanying mouse pad, it is a little pricey (RM 55), you may only consider it when you are serious about the smooth gliding experience.

*product photos courtesy of i-Rocks