Key Specs:
Retail Price - £79.99
12,000 DPI PixArt PMW 3360 Sensor
Three five gram masses to add weight (130g without/145g with)
Five stage extendable palm rest
If you ask anybody in the gaming space what switches they've got inside their keyboard, odds on they'll say that they're CHERRY ones - most notably their infamous MX line that has adorned both their own keyboards and other manufacturers' for the best part of four decades.
Ask someone whether CHERRY makes gaming-grade mice though and you'll get a different answer. "CHERRY make gaming mice now?" Well, as a matter of fact, yes, they do.
The MC 9620 FPS, as the name suggests, is one of the German manufacturer's first entries into this space, with a 12,000 DPI sensor, additional weights and a decent design all putting it in good stead.
There is one thing to note though - by comparison to what's available on the market at the moment from competitors such as Razer or ASUS, the MC 9620 could be seen to be a little overpriced. Even then, China won't be too unfamiliar with this mouse - but is only now officially making the move into European markets.
Design - Open housing looks cool, but isn't without its pitfalls
As someone who has never really been a fan of the usual gaming mouse design tropes with sharp edges and random indentations, I'm pleased to say that the MC 9620 FPS does offer something a little different. It's a comfortable mouse to hold, and the fact there's a five stage adjustable palm rest means it's good for all grips and all hands by the looks of things. I've tended to have mine a couple of notches back during daily use, but the others should work for you.
Despite this length, it isn't the widest of mice though, and can feel a little narrow and flat in comparison to the contoured shapes of a Razer Basilisk or the smooth curves of a Deathadder, my traditional go-to in this sphere. But, where the MC 9620 does win is just in overall design. Whilst there are harder edges and it's made of the usual black plastics, the MC 9620 FPS notably opts for something a little more open and skeletal, in a similar vein to a lot of the open-housed gaming keyboards from Corsair and others.
In comparison to other more gaming grade mice too, the MC 9620 isn't half a heavy mouse. Without the three weights, it'll set your hands back 130g, which makes the ROG Gladius III from Asus or the current e-sports king, Razer's Viper 8K feel like feathers. For me, this isn't the biggest of issues as I quite like a weighty mouse, but when there's competitors that weigh half, then you have to start asking some questions.
One thing that the MC 9620 does miss out on, rather ashamedly, is any form of rubberised grips on the side. Sure, the adjustable palm rest is a good start, but including a different material not only breaks the design up a little but can also make this mouse as ergonomic as the datasheet says.
Even with the weight behind it though, it's still a mouse that can glide well thanks to the usual Teflon glide pads included, and the MC 9620's two metre cable provides ample length for even the biggest of desks.
Performance - A heavy hand is required to get the best out of it
Usually a good gaming mouse can be gauged by the combo of high sensitivity and low weight, almost in the same vein as a supercar's power to weight ratio. The reason why the ROG Gladius III from Asus is such a great e-sports mouse is because it's got a 19,000 DPI sensor in a 79g shell, for example.
With the MC 9620, its combo of a 12,000 DPI sensor and 130g weight puts it on par with the flagship mice of five years ago – think of one of the earlier versions of Logitech’s G502 HERO mouse. It’s still a perfectly gaming mouse in my usual testing field of the CS:GO training course and a few actual rounds, but doesn’t feel as responsive as the competition.
Of course, in the grand scheme of things, a drop of 7000 DPI once you get up to the dizzy heights of 12,000 isn’t that much to most people and for me, it works well. Truth be told, I’ve been using the MC 9620 FPS for a good while and haven’t once felt at a competitive disadvantage when using it. Most of that is probably down to the fact I’m crap at most shooters.
For the more seasoned players out there, the MC 9620 does come with a DPI clutch to allow for more precise aiming which can be a big help in those high intensity situations when shooting from a longer distance. This is of major use when sniping, not least in a game like Sniper Elite IV where wind distance and bullet drop are simulated well.
A wired connection also means that there’s zero latency with this particular rodent, although in future, a wireless version wouldn’t go amiss. A lot of wireless gaming mice in 2021 are also offering a practical zero-latency connection thanks to 1ms response times and there’s not much to pick from between the two connections these days.
Software and Lighting – Decent lighting and some usable software
It’s a roughly similar story when we get to the lighting side of the MC 9620 with the out of the box RGB set on offer feeling a little lacklustre and a tad dim when compared to Razer Chroma and Asus’ ROG Aura Sync and the way their lighting is portrayed. The only thing that CHERRY has done that’s a little different is by having an illuminated CHERRY logo emanating from the back of the mouse.
The software itself, CHERRY Utility, offers limited customisation options with four customisable lighting presets on offer. Other than that, there’s the usual fayre of five stage DPI switching and adding on-board profiles. The other piece of software bundled, CHERRY Assistant, didn’t want to recognise the MC 9620, and unfortunately I wasn’t able to test this.
Verdict
For those wanting a rather interesting looking mouse with some intriguing lighting, the MC 9620 FPS isn’t a bad option by any means. Its 12,000 DPI sensor is still plenty for the average gamer, and the fact it comes with additional weights too is a nice feature.
However, if you’re someone who wants that extra sensitivity, a lighter mouse and a more conventional design, then you’re better off sticking with the usual suspects when it comes to manufacturers. The MC 9620 FPS is a good mouse, but it isn’t earth-shatteringly incredible.
Rating: 3.5/5