Review: Satechi M1 wireless mouse gets the aluminum treatment

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2021
Satechi has given the aluminum treatment to every accessory under the sun from headphones to mousepads. An aluminum mouse was an appropriate extension of that design aesthetic -- hence the Satechi M1. This mouse is a simple, sleek mouse that is made primarily from lightweight anodized aluminum and comes in four different finishes to match your Mac.

Satechi M1 wireless mouse
Satechi M1 wireless mouse


The Satechi M1 mouse itself has aluminum all around minus a small patch on the top. This cutout, which is black or white plastic depending on your primary color choice, is where the scroll wheel is located and allows the Bluetooth signal to pass through. The plastic portion is also the part that moves when right or left clicking the mouse buttons.

Satechi M1 wireless mouse has an aluminum scroll wheel
Satechi M1 wireless mouse has an aluminum scroll wheel


There is a knurled texture to the aluminum scroll wheel surface, which does feel easier to grip than a smooth surface.

Satechi M1 wireless mouse
Satechi M1 wireless mouse


The most direct comparison to the Satechi M1 wireless mouse is possibly Apple's since-replaced Mighty Mouse. They both have the same curved oval design that feels better in the hand than the flat design favored by Apple's current Magic Mouse and Magic Mouse 2. It has a slightly lower profile to that of the Mighty Mouse, but otherwise feels very similar.

Satechi M1 wireless mouse uses USB-C
Satechi M1 wireless mouse uses USB-C


Perhaps the best aspect of the M1 mouse's design is the placement of the USB-C port. Apple took a great deal of criticism regarding the Magic Mouse 2 and the decision to place the charging port on the underside of the mouse, requiring users to to upend the mouse while it charged.

Thanks to the obvious placement at the front of the M1, users can use both charge and use the M1 simultaneously. And, this is the way it should be.

M1 uses standard optical tracking for monitoring movements. There seems to be no jumping as we move the mouse though this isn't a gaming mouse so that level of accuracy shouldn't be expected. It is on par with any other standard mouse from Logitech, Microsoft, or Apple. It will work on most surfaces, same as any mouse. We used ours though with Satechi's new eco-Leather DeskMate that is made of faux leather and has a great premium feel.

Satechi M1 wireless mouse on the ecoMat
Satechi M1 wireless mouse on Satechi's desk mat


The Satechi M1 Bluetooth wireless mouse comes in four colorways -- gold, rose gold, silver, space grey -- all designed to match Apple's lineup of Macs.

Apple's Mighty Mouse can be decisive with its ill-placed charging port, slim profile, and high price tag so Satechi's M1 is a nice premium alternative to complement Apple's designs.

We do wonder how the M1 will hold up over time being made entirely of aluminum. In our experience, even Apple's own Magic Mouse and Magic Mouse 2 exhibit some level of pitting along the sides from the repeated contact with the oils in one's fingers. That, however, can take years to happen and we've only been using it a few weeks, so time will tell how it holds up. If we see something we don't like, we'll let you know.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Where to buy

You can grab the Satachi M1 wireless Bluetooth aluminum mouse in a variety of anodized colors on Amazon or Satechi's website for $29.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 12
    hentaiboyhentaiboy Posts: 1,252member
    What’s a “sleep mouse”?
  • Reply 2 of 12
    bsimpsenbsimpsen Posts: 398member
    mrbofus said:
    hentaiboy said:
    What’s a “sleep mouse”?
    I was wondering the same thing myself. I assume they meant, “sleek”?
    "Sleek", particularly when compared to Apple's own Magic Mouse, makes about as much sense as "sleep".
    gutengelrevenant
  • Reply 3 of 12
    kimberlykimberly Posts: 427member
    bsimpsen said:
    mrbofus said:
    hentaiboy said:
    What’s a “sleep mouse”?
    I was wondering the same thing myself. I assume they meant, “sleek”?
    "Sleek", particularly when compared to Apple's own Magic Mouse, makes about as much sense as "sleep".
    Apple's "spoon in a bowl of soup" Magic Mouse? :#  I have a lot of Apple kit but the Magic Mouse and me just don't hit it off.
  • Reply 4 of 12
    The despicable Mighty Mouse is about as sleek as Trump is svelte... Both objects should never have been created.
    dewme
  • Reply 5 of 12
    firelockfirelock Posts: 238member
    I can’t stand the Magic Mouse. I find the touch surface to be too sensitive resulting in a lot of input errors, and the shape is not very ergonomic. Honestly I haven’t liked any Apple mice in decades. I currently use the Logitech M557 and couldn’t be happier with it. However, I like the look of this mouse and may give it a try. As much as I love Apple stuff, and despite the fact Apple essentially invented the mouse, I don’t think they know how to make a good one.
  • Reply 6 of 12
    mobirdmobird Posts: 752member
    "Sleep Mouse"
    edited June 2019 revenantbeowulfschmidt
  • Reply 7 of 12
    citpekscitpeks Posts: 246member
    If the body is truly made of aluminum, and not just plastic with a faux finish, then that's impressive for a $30 mouse.

    But is the scroll wheel button any good?  Logitech gave up on middle-clicking a long time ago, and even in their mice that still have a scroll wheel button, they use crap tactile switches.  One must choose one of their gaming mice to get any semblance of a decent middle-click action.
    edited June 2019
  • Reply 9 of 12
    revenantrevenant Posts: 621member
    this might be a great mouse, but when i used a monitor with my laptop, i like the magic mouse. i think it took a week to get used to and totally worth it. i ditched the pc at work ages ago (mostly because of windows) one of things i do not miss is the mouse.
  • Reply 10 of 12
    bsimpsenbsimpsen Posts: 398member
    Mouse preference can be a very personal thing. I have carpal and radial tunnel nerve damage and initially thought the Magic Mouse would be terrible. I'm nearing my tenth year of using them and they've been the most comfortable mice I've used since my RSI problems first surfaced.

    I don't like the placement of the lightning connector on the Magic Mouse 2, but that's my only complaint.
  • Reply 11 of 12
    neilmneilm Posts: 985member

    Apple's Mighty Mouse can be decisive with its ill-placed charging port, slim profile, and high price tag

    I like to do the deciding when using a mouse. Perhaps you meant 'divisive'?

    Honestly, doesn't anyone proofread anything at AI?
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