Keychron M3 mini 4K Metal Edition review: Simply excellent

At a glance

Expert's Rating

Pros

• An excellent sensor that syncs movements precisely
• 4K polling rate
• Strong and lightweight metal chassis

Cons

• Perforated back won’t suit claw grippers
• Smaller 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

Best Prices Today: Keychron M3 mini 4K Metal Edition

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.

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

Dominic Bayley / IDG

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

            <div class="lightbox-image-container foundry-lightbox"><div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large enlarged-image"><img decoding="async" data-wp-bind--src="selectors.core.image.enlargedImgSrc" data-wp-style--object-fit="selectors.core.image.lightboxObjectFit" src="" alt="Keychron M3 mini 4K Metal Edition" class="wp-image-2330417" width="1200" height="900" loading="lazy" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><p>The Keychron M3 mini 4K Metal Edition has a DPI switcher and polling rate button on its underside.&nbsp;</p>