Back in July of 2020 we wrote a Blog article about feedback from actual M1K buyers. The general theme of the article was that the Zaunkoenig M1K was really good for aiming, but since it was so puristic it was not for everyone. In fact, we ended the article with a quote claiming that the M1K, with its lack of a scroll wheel, was so puristic that it only made sense for five percent of gamers.
The exact quote was from ZeZapasta over on r/MouseReview:
«I would 1000% buy at least one but leaving out a scroll wheel is a deal breaker for like 95% of people»
I can relate to that. I still remember how ten years ago, when I bought my first keyboard without dedicated arrow keys (of course I am talking about the famous Happy Hacking Keyboard, commonly abbreviated as HHKB), it was far from a no-brainer decision for me. In the past I had used arrow keys for everything from playing Commander Keen to renaming files. I was afraid that giving up arrow keys would be a painful decision in the long run.
In the end I decided to buy the HHKB because I loved the feel of the buttons, its small size and the minimalistic design of the layout. It took me a while to unlearn using dedicated arrow keys, but in the end it was worth it and I have never looked back.
Sometimes you only think you need something because you are used to it. Not because you actually need it. Old habits die hard.
Speaking of habits: a few weeks ago we got an email by ZeZapasta, the author of the above five percent quote. Here it is:
«Upon hearing about this mouse, I had no intention of ever buying one because of the lack of a scroll wheel, and I emailed you discussing how lack of a scroll wheel would be troublesome for me in Dota (my main game) and we discussed workarounds. After using the mouse for 3–4 months, I don’t know how I lived without a mouse like this. I have gotten used to edge pan and with how light this mouse is, my edge pan is set on max speed and I can still do it accurately. And with the Firefox addon you guys suggested for scrolling when browsing, this mouse has given me absolutely no troubles – this is my baby. Now, if anyone sees my Reddit comment they will ironically see me sporting my “Zaunkoenig M1K” flair. I cannot thank you guys enough for having this vision and having the fortitude to follow through with it.»
If improving your aim is your goal, the M1K will get you there. One hundred percent.