Product Listing

Mountain Makalu 67 gaming mouse review: Made for palm grippers

By Hoots the Owl - 25 Oct 2021

Mountain Makalu 67 gaming mouse review: Made for palm grippers

Checking the right boxes

Mountain is a relatively new player in the gaming peripherals space. It takes pride in making relatively affordable, function-focused devices. And if the Makalu 67 is anything to go by, you can probably expect a lot more from this upstart firm. You've got to hand it to these guys – the gaming mouse space grows more saturated by the day, but they've managed to create something that feels unique enough to stand on its own.

At 67g, the Makalu 67 is one of those ultralight gaming mice that seem to be everywhere today. It's incredibly nimble, and it achieves that weight not with a traditional honeycomb shell but what the company calls a lightweight ribcage design. This supposedly provides strength without the need for a subframe, and the mouse does feel very robustly built with no noticeable flexing or creaking anywhere.

But make no mistake. This may be a super light mouse, but it's a big one. Measuring a good 127mm long, it's made for those with large-sized hands and is shaped for the palm grip. With ergonomic contours for your thumb and pinky, a tall hump that amply fills your palm, and a wide rump, it is extremely comfortable to use. I'll admit that it's too big for me and doesn't suit my grip style, but I'm not its target audience. That said, I don't think this is a mouse made for more precise grips such as the fingertip grip, and it seems designed more for comfort rather than aim.

That's not necessarily a bad thing though. Not every mouse has to be an esports-oriented, performance demon, and I can think of a lot of people out there who just want a mouse that feels this good in their hand.

It uses a paracord-style cable dubbed the Lifeline cable that is plenty soft and flexible. There is minimal cable drag, and it also exits the mouse at an angle so it doesn't rub against your mousepad as much. The pure PTFE mouse feet are nice and smooth right out of the box too. A set of replacement feet is also included, which is nice seeing as it'll probably be harder to find third-party feet for a less well-known brand like this one. 

The sensor is a 19,000DPI PixArt PAW3370 optical sensor, a new sensor also found in the likes of the Endgame Gear XM1r. Mountain says it offers a 50% lower error rate than the PMW3389, and in my time with it, it delivered with flawless tracking and no apparent acceleration or jitter. 

The switches are made by Omron and rated for 50 million clicks. They are easier to press than Huano or certain Kailh switches, and are better suited to those who prefer a slightly lighter touch. There is some post-travel when clicking, but it didn't bother me much when gaming. The side buttons are large and easy to press. They are pretty well-implemented, with a crisp feel and barely any post-travel or mushiness. It's common to see side buttons that kind of just sink into the side of the mouse when you press them, and I'm glad that's not the case here. 

The scroll wheel uses an ALPS encoder, and it's tactile, quiet, and overall great to use. A large DPI button sits below it, in case you need to switch it up on-the-fly. A unique LED indicator comprising four different LEDs lets you quickly check what sensitivity you're on.

The software, aptly named Base Camp in keeping with the whole Mountain theme of the brand, lets you customise the RGB lighting, key bindings, click speed, button response time, lift-off distance, and more. Some effort has been made to apply a veneer of polish to the Base Camp software, and the user interface is pleasing to the eye and easy to use. 

The RGB lights encircle the scroll wheel and DPI button, which creates a pretty striking look. You can save up to five profiles in the onboard memory, in case you want to use the mouse on another system. What's interesting is that there is also support for Razer Chroma RGB lighting for compatibility with a wider range of products.

 

Conclusion

The Makalu 67 is priced at US$59.99 (~S$81) (excluding shipping fees, but they do ship to Singapore) and offers a pretty good bang for your buck. It checks all the right boxes with a flexible cable, lightweight design, and solid build quality. However, it doesn't have what I'd consider a safe shape, and it's expressly targeting people who want a large, ergonomic right-handed mouse. Comfort was the top priority here, and I think the mouse more than delivers. It's not for you if you're after a smaller shape that lends itself better to precise aim, but it is a strong contender in the ergonomic space, going up against the likes of the Razer DeathAdder V2, Zowie EC2, and more. In this arena, it is more than capable of going toe-to-toe with the best. 

Join HWZ's Telegram channel here and catch all the latest tech news!
8.0
  • Design 8
  • User-Friendliness 8.5
  • Features 8
  • Performance 8
  • Value 8
The Good
Lightweight design
Super comfortable ergonomic shape
Solid build quality and flawless tracking
The Bad
Shape is not the best for aim
Not suitable for those with smaller hands
Only really works for the palm grip
Our articles may contain affiliate links. If you buy through these links, we may earn a small commission.