Customer Reviews

Zalman Mouse Fg1000 Programmable Up To 2000Dpi Usb Port Black

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Despite its odd shape this is a very decent mouse. It does seem to reduce wrist strain and the movement required to get from place to place on the screen. Fine control can be difficult, but it supports on the fly in hardware resolution switching which lets you toggle the sensitivity between three presets.

I have two problems with this mouse: First it seems too small - My hands aren't that big, but it is still difficult fitting all my fingers onto the grip. I think the manufacturer should provide an adult male hand size model as well as their current young adult model. Also the construction feels a bit flimsy, again not designed for adult human users.

Second problem was with the 'drivers'. This mouse is an HID compatible USB input device, meaning it operates just fine without any special drivers. I generally don't install mouse drivers, but I was lured by the promise of programmable buttons. Unfortunately the provided drivers were terrible - instantly turning my functioning mouse into a drooling idiot. It seems that by default the configuration software clears all settings from the mouse i.e. none of the buttons do anything and the sensitivity is set to full. Using my old mouse it took my ~15min. to get the thing back to a half usable state - at which point I hastily uninstalled the driver. The mouse still doesn't function the same - the resolution presets seem to be modified now. The punch line is that the software didn't provide an real button programmablity anyway - the only thing you could do is swap around the 5-6 preset functions they provided!

So if you wrist is bugging you, or you just like weird mice, go ahead and get this one. Just don't install the accompanying software! Better yet wait a few months and see if you can get the next hardware revision, the worst that could happen is you get it at a reduced price.

Have you ever looked at the McDonalds or Burger picture and thought with a hungry stomach, "Man that looks good, I gotta get it!".

That's how I felt with this product. The idea is cool, fresh and seems innovative. Boy did I get schooled. Zalman has a great reputation for making cool products. For one I love their CPU air coolers, they are the best and thats not just my opinion.

The Zalman FPS Gun however fails in many categories. Lets start with a couple.

Cons
1. The size of this thing is perfect for my future 3yr old gamer. Yes I do have a 3yr old gamer who playes Battlefield Bad Company 2 on PC. This mouse is too small for those with medium to large hands.

2. That 2000 dpi rating is pretty weak, I am thinking the max in Windows 7 64bit is maybe 800-1000.
3. Response time is so slow!
4. Buttons are clumsy and make no sense.
5. Does not have weights like most professional gaming mice, feels very light and cheap.
6. Too damn expensive!

Pros:

1. Great idea for the gamer who has carpal tunnel.
2. Nice design.
3. USB design is nice
4. Plug and play without software initially on Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit
5. Nice packaging.

I dig this mouse. I have Large hands so my pinkie finger is left extended when using the mouse. I have been using this mouse for 5 months. It has held up ok I tend to go through mice about one a year heavy left mouse clicking and dropping. no loss in the spring action or sticking of the mouse yet.

This mouse was exactly what I wanted, I actually bought it on a whim because I was talking with my friend and was saying how much I wished there was a mouse that I wouldn't have to hold onto with my fingertips so I could actually use the extra buttons (most gaming mice have extra buttons where your thumb would go, but I cant use those buttons because I hold onto and move the mouse with my thumb) so when I wanted to demonstrate to him how most gaming mice are, i google imaged "gaming mouse" and saw this. This mouse, if you can call it a mouse, however is moved around with the base of your thumb and your ring finger (if you hold it like I do) therefore leaving the tips of your other fingers, and thumb, for use with the buttons, so u can actually press the buttons with your thumb and move the mouse at the same time. Also i noticed a few people complaining that this is to small for their hands, however I have fairly big hands as well and I have no problem, I think that the people who are having problems are taking the whole pistol grip thing a little to literally, you aren't supposed to be able to fit all four fingers around the grip like a fist, you hold the grip more delicately and with your first three fingers and your pinky should go towards the base where they have actually built in a little bump for it to rest around, not on-top of (at least thats what I think that bump is there for)

it's just so much more intuitive to play fps game with a pistol grip mouse, i was able to get back my usual K/D ratio and even a little better after less than 2 hours of getting used to the new mouse. i guess i have 'girly hands' so the mouse fits just right. the mouse does kinda force you to relearn your mouse control techniques because the sensor is located in front of the grip, which makes any tiny wrist flicking motion magnified 10x on screen. at first i was annoyed by this design choice and would prefer having the sensor right under the grip. after awhile the design actually makes sense; just like a real pistol, it forces you to aim more with your forearm than relying on wrist motions. your aim will be way off not to mention wrist injuries if you aim a real pistol by twisting wrist in awkward manners.

because the way you hold the mouse, you're essentially pivoting your forearm for horizontal motion, which makes your horizontal shootings fairly precise. the trade off is your vertical motion will suffer a little because of the punching motion necessary to move the mouse forward and back, not to mention the mouse has lower sensitivity on the vertical axis than horizontal by default.

i cannot comment on the driver because i didn't install it thanks to the horror stories here. the mouse wheel works fine usually but on rare occasions it can get unresponsive; it might not register a scroll, or it performs a scroll without being pressed.

overall i'm happy with the mouse, it's specialized for playing fps games so using it for other programs will probably feel awkward. i do have some minor complaints, the dpi indicator is the led in scroll wheel, which is completely pointless since your thumb will be covering the wheel the whole time, it would've been so much better if they just put the indicator right next to the switch where you can just glance with peripheral vision. also the side buttons are bit too flat making it bit hard to press with the thumb so you end up twisting the mouse toward you a bit to press (just like real thumb release button!)

btw i think the correct way of holding the mouse is 3 fingers on the grip with the pinky hanging on the side and resting on that small area right on the edge, kinda hard to imagine people can't fit 3 fingers on the grip even if they have thick fingers; the mouse is about 4 inches tall, should be plenty to fit 3 adult fingers.

update after 4 month's use: the textured rubber pads on the grip started to pop out, i'm not sure if the original glue wasn't good enough or the rubber expands slightly overtime, not a big problem you can just glue it back if it bothers you.

I've recently had some problems with a pinched nerve that made working with a mouse painful and frustrating. I had looked at this mouse before, but with its price and mediocre specs always passed it over. This time I was desperate for something ergonomic and this mouse was on sale. I definitely don't regret the purchase.

First, let me say, this mouse is big. I'm not sure what planet of giants the people talking about it being small are from, but ignore them. It's 1 1/2x the length of my Logitech G500 and just a hair taller than the G500 is wide. Yes, my pinky rides off the side of it, but more of my hand rides off the side of a regular mouse. Incidentally, if you don't like your fingers gliding on the side of your mouse, try a Cyborg R.A.T. 7 Gaming Mouse for PC. They have a wing you can add to the side to rest your fingers on.

Because of the size of this mouse, as one reviewer noted, you'll need a decent sized gaming surface. I use a Ratpadz GS, which is 11.55" wide and 9.3" tall. At 2000 dpi, I typically use the full height of the pad and about half of the width of the pad during normal use and a bit more of it during frantic gaming. I would recommend at least a 6"Wx8"H area for using this mouse.

Overall, I like the mouse quite a bit, and wish other manufacturers would take a cue from Zalman and look into more innovative/ergonomic mice.

Pro's:
Ergonomics allow for more comfortable play for those with RSI/carpal tunnel
Cool gungrip design feels natural when playing FPS
Thumb scroll wheel changes color as clear indicator of DPI setting

Con's:
Large, so needs larger gaming surface
Thumb forward/back buttons could be better designed
Included drivers should be avoided, stick with plug and play

I am a gamer and also a hardcore programmer/computer user. I am on the computer 24/7 pretty much ... My wrist started hurting and wrist started twitching which led me to try other mouse replacements ...
Almost went with a trackball till I found this little baby. IT RELIEVED MY PAIN AND TWITCHES COMPLETELY!

Don't be fooled by the gaming marketing, this things definitely ergonomic!

Unboxing this mouse I was shocked at it's size. The pictures of this mouse are misleading about its size. It's very small. However, after the initial shock it's really not so bad. I have very large hands, even for a male, and can comfortably use this mouse. The only downside I have found to its size is the platform built as a pinky rest is just too small. The tip of my pinky drags the table at times and hinders my movements. Other than that I can comfortably use this mouse. FYI: It IS designed to be a 3 finger grip rather than a 4 finger grip. It also feels a little plasticky with no weight adjustments.
Now for the good things about this mouse (They far out-weigh the bad). It has a DPI toggle with a button on the sensor pad. It has 3 diffrent toggles, each one can be set to a diffrent DPI up to 2000. This is a FANTASTIC feature. Its just in a semi-awkward location for quick changes. All other buttons are customizable which is a BIG plus. I had no trouble at all installing the drivers. This mouse has a great feel that is hard to describe but worth mentioning. It's pistol-like grip is very natural and you know how it works the first time you use it. I had no adjustment period with this mouse at all! I would recomend it to any gamer, FPS, RTS, or any other type of game!

WELL WORTH EVERY PENNY!

First of all, this is a brilliantly designed gaming mouse. Second, it is very durable. I've used this mouse for over a month and beat the crap out of it and it still looks and works just like new. Once you get used to the design, it quickly becomes like an extension of your body. Using it becomes second nature. Highly recommended!

This mouse is touted as FPS mouse for gamers. I would like to add that it also works great as ergonomic mouse for people who might suffer Carpal Tunnel or Tendonitis on their wrist.

Initially, I wasn't too thrilled with the design and the fact that I had to get use to its new grip and button layout. After about month of daily use I started to notice that my wrist was not hurting or feel tense as much. I am so glad I decided to take chance and buy this mouse. It was icing on a cake that at the time I made the buy it was on Xmas sale.

I had no issue installing the driver. I am using mostly default preset. You can adjust dpi speed easily by clicking one of the button and the color on scroll wheel will change from blue (slow), purple (medium) and orange (fast). If you don't like the default setting you can easily change the button program to suit your taste by accessing the driver.

If your fingers can reach the buttons then chances are this mouse is going to work right for you.