A lightweight gaming mouse with 8K polling that does it all (almost) — Keychron M7 8K long-term review

While it's not the lightest or fanciest gaming mouse, the Keychron M7 8K delivers on its promises where it counts. We were impressed by the powerful, easy-to-use browser-based customisation software, the solid, reasonably lightweight shell, and the satisfying tactile clicks. The versatility offered by the hardware buttons and tri-mode connectivity are stand-out features.

The Keychron M7 8K isn't perfect. Its coating is somewhat prone to getting oily, and it lacks some gaming-specific features. The ergonomic design and oddly placed side button also limit the possible grip options — a palm grip is the only viable option unless you have very large hands. The shell is a basic ABS plastic, but it's well-built, and there is no TPU rubber that will become sticky over time.  

If you're in looking for an affordable, lightweight mouse similar to the Razer Basilisk V3, Basilisk X, or Corsair M65, the Keychron M7 8K is an excellent option. 

The Keychron M7 8K comes in at $69.99 on the Keychron store and Amazon for $69.99. There is also a 1 kHz polling version for $49.99. 

The Keychron M7 8K is a wireless ergonomic gaming mouse with 8 kHz polling, a PixArt PAW 3950 sensor, medium-weight Huano switches, and a fairly lightweight design. 

The Keychron M7 8K comes in a nondescript box, and it includes a handful of accessories. While there are no extra skates or grip tape, like you might find on more premium gaming mice, the essentials are present. 

Box contents: 

• Paracord USB-C-to-C cable
• USB A-to-C adaptor (as a dongle extension)
• USB C-to-A adaptor (for PCs without a Type-C port)

At this price, it's not unusual to see a basic accessory kit, but grip tape would have been a nice touch. A slightly more flexible USB-C cable would also be nice, since the included cable is a tad stiff. 

The most noticeable aspect of the M7 8K's design is that it forces you into a palm grip. If you use claw or fingertip grip, the M7 8K might not be the most comfortable mouse. The placement of the forward side button emphasises the intended grip. The mouse needs to be firmly in your palm to reach the button without stretching or adjusting your grip. This is true even for larger hands. 

After adjusting to that grip, the M7 is comfortable to use for both gaming and productivity, and the back and forward buttons on the side are within reach of your thumb when it is on the thumb rest. The biggest ergonomic problem with the M7 is that the main click buttons form part of the side edge. This means your ring or pinky finger could interfere with the click if it is in the wrong spot. 

Build quality is a highlight on the M7 8K. There are no obvious issues, and the shell feels solid and exhibits no creaking. The coating is a satin finish — similar to a rubberised coating, but not rubber — and it's grippy, but it appears to be susceptible to wearing off over time. Over the four-month review period, some shiny spots have appeared on the thumb rest and left and right buttons. Luckily, this wear won't result in a sticky mess, as is the case with rubberised coatings. 

The decent selection of buttons combined with in-depth customisation make the Keychron M7 8K almost perfect for productivity users. The sensor tracks flawlessly on a variety of surfaces, and the hardware switch for connectivity modes is handy for those with multiple systems. The lightweight ergonomic design means it doesn't result in fatigue or discomfort, and Bluetooth connectivity is a huge productivity win that extends battery life and adds compatibility for tablets and iPads. There is no free scroll or horizontal scroll, but the scroll wheel provides good tactile feedback for scrolling and middle click. 

Keychron Launcher, the web driver used for customisation, allows for full remapping, macro creation, and advanced configuration. Keychron Launcher is easy to use, well-laid-out. It also features firmware updates and works over 2.4 GHz.

The Keychron M7 8K is a good mid-range mouse for most gamers. The coating makes it easy to hold, even when your hands are slightly sweaty or oily, the buttons feel great, and it never once hitched or behaved unpredictably. The main clicks are stable and have consistent weight, regardless of where you click, and all the buttons provide satisfying tactile and auditory feedback — no mushiness here. The skates are reasonably smooth, and the mouse tracks smoothly across different surfaces, but gamers might benefit from smaller dot skates instead of the stock pads. 

Hardcore FPS gamers are missing some features, like a “sniper” button to momentarily drop the DPI and game-specific profiles, but the latter is normal for web drivers. The internals are nigh-flawless, with no noticeable lag over wired or wireless connections, and the flagship PixArt 3950 sensor feels ultra-responsive, even if 8 kHz polling and 30,000 DPI are overkill. 

The Keychron M7 8K delivers impressive battery life, especially over Bluetooth. Even at 1 kHz polling, it never needed to recharge more often than once every two weeks during daily use. Bumping the polling rate up to 8 kHz results in a significant decrease in battery life, but it still lasted around a week under general use conditions. If you're gaming, you can expect around 50 hours of use with high DPI settings and 8 kHz polling enabled. 

The Keychron M7 8K offers solid performance for gaming and productivity without resorting to garish branding or flashy gimmicks. At its price, it's an easy recommendation compared to flagship gaming mice for both gaming and productivity use.