Asus TUF Gaming M4 Air Review
An absurdly lightweight gaming mouse
Verdict
The Asus TUF Gaming M4 Air is a joy to use with its marvellous 16,000 DPI sensor and ultra-light weight of just 47g, making it one of the snappier mice available. Moreover, its open housing looks cool but may not suit some, and it can feel a little cheap at times. Otherwise, Armoury Crate is a good piece of software that rounds off the M4 Air as a great lightweight wired mouse.
Pros
- Super lightweight
- Snappy 16,000 DPI sensor
- Good software integration
Cons
- A little cheap feeling
- Open housing may not please some
Availability
- UKRRP: £47.99
Key Features
- Super-light 47g weight:The M4 Air is one of the lightest mice around
- Latency-free wired connection:A USB-A ended cable also ensures a zero-latency connection
- Armoury Crate Software:The M4 Air is also customisable with additional software
Introduction
As the days go by, it looks like gaming mice are getting a hell of a lot lighter and the Asus TUF Gaming M4 Air certainly looks to take things to the next level.
The new wired gaming mouse weighs just 47g, but also manages to pack in a 16,000 DPI sensor and a rather open-housed look that really sets it apart from the rest of the competition.
A price of £47.99 also looks to make it rather affordable, especially given the high sensitivity you’re getting for the price. The Asus TUF Gaming M4 Air isn’t in stores just yet, with Asus claiming it will launch towards the end of January.
Design
- Cool design with an open housing
- Super-light weight
- Slightly cheap feeling plastics
The Asus TUF Gaming M4 Air is an interesting-looking mouse, even by modern standards. While being comprised of the usual hard plastics that make it feel pretty well-made, it also features an open-back to it with an intriguing triangular pattern that allows you to see the PCB beneath.
While the open-back design undoubtedly looks cool, it can sometimes make the M4 Air feel a little jagged as your hand rests on the individual bumps where the holes are. The same triangular pattern also extends around the sides of the M4 Air, which does make it a comfortable mouse to hold, even without any rubberised side grips. The M4 Air fits nicely in my hand and doesn’t feel noticeably narrow, unlike some other more affordable gaming mice I’ve used in the past.
When it comes to the weight, the M4 Air has to be the lightest mouse I’ve ever used with a total of just 47g. This practically cuts a lot of the competition’s mass in half and translates to a ludicrously snappy experience in games. In addition, there’s also a smaller selection of mouse buttons than the competition, with a simple six-button setup, keeping things easy.
You’ll also find some handy PFTE glide pads on the M4 Air’s underside to make it feel even smoother and its Flexible TUF Gaming Paracord cable feels premium, given it’s braided, and also allows for snag-free gaming.
Interestingly enough, the entire outer shell is kept clean by itself with ASUS’ Antibacterial Guard. This isn’t something that can really be tested, but it’s a really nice feature to have to inhibit bacterial growth.
Performance
- 16,000 DPI senosr is sharp and accurate
- Perfect to use for all grips
- IPX6 water resistance is an interesting feature
Given its lightweight design and powerful sensor, the M4 Air was an absolute joy to use. It packs in a 16,000 DPI sensor, which is comfortably responsive enough for the majority of gamers.
However, if you’re used to a heavier mouse, it may take some getting used to the M4 Air’s rather lightweight frame, so there will be a bit of an adjustment period before you can get the most out of it.
With its minimalistic button offering, you won’t find a DPI clutch here, which is a bit of a sore miss if you’re more of a competitive player, or you’re a fan of using sniper rifles in FPS games and need to aim precisely.
With that being said, this is a great mouse for fans of all grips, be it claw, palm or any other. The M4 Air was also rather comfortable to use for day-to-day work too, partially thanks to that low weight and relatively wide frame.
It’s also IPX6 water-resistant which means the M4 Air can withstand sweaty palms and small water splashes alike, which is impressive given the PCB is directly accessible through the fractal outer shell. A fully wired USB-A connection also allows this mouse to offer up zero-latency connectivity, which is always a bonus.
Software and lighting
- ROG Armory is intuitive and easy to use
- Distinct lack of unneeded functions
- No RGB lighting to be found anywhere
In terms of software and lighting, the M4 Air only delivers on one side of the story: the software. There’s no lighting on the mouse, which makes it look pretty sharp with a fully black outer shell.
As for software, the M4 Air utilises Asus’ own Armoury Crate software which allows you to conveniently reprogram the mouse’s functions, as well as change the DPI in four stages and apply any firmware updates.
Compared to other companion software out there, Armory Crate is intuitive to use and isn’t bloated with any unneeded functions or additional plugins, which really does make a difference.
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Should you buy it?
You want a super light mouse:
At just 47g, the M4 Air is a seriously light mouse and if you’re in the market for something snappy to use in FPS titles for instance, this is a great choice.
You want premium build quality:
At times, the M4 Air can feel pretty cheap, so if it’s a well-built mouse you’re after with more heft to it, you’re better off looking elsewhere.
Final Thoughts
For fans of ultra-light gaming mice, the M4 Air looks like an absolute revelation. That combo of the 16,000 DPI sensor and a 47g weight is a joy to use in FPS titles for quick movements, and while its construction feels a little cheap, it does look rather cool with an open housing. In addition, the lack of RGB makes a change to a lot of other gaming mice out there, and definitely sets the M4 Air apart from a good few other mice.
How we test
We use every mouse we test for at least a week. During that time, we’ll check it for ease of use and put it through its paces by playing a variety of different genres, including FPS, strategy and and MOBAs.
We also check each mouse’s software to see how easy it is to customise and set up.
Used as a main mouse for over a week
Tested performance on a variety of games
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FAQs
No, it is only available with a wired connection.
Asus claims the Asus TUF Gaming M4 Air will launch towards the end of January.
Full specs
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
