“The Corsair M75 Air is a straightforward wireless gaming mouse prioritizing ultralight weight without unnecessary features.”
- Extremely lightweight
- Symmetrical design is comfortable
- Accurate and responsive
- Triple connectivity
- Expensive
- Limited customization options
- Not the best-looking mouse out there
Corsair’s peripheral division is clearly moving in the right direction. Following my recent review of the K70 Core gaming keyboard, which is characterized by practicality and functionality without unnecessary frills, we now have the M75 Air. This wireless gaming mouse appears straightforward and no-nonsense, aligning with Corsair’s commitment to simplicity and efficiency.
With its latest mouse, Corsair is aiming to offer a premium ultra-lightweight experience suitable for competitive first-person shooter (FPS) gaming. It is also a solid competitor of the highly popular Logitech G Pro X Superlight, even if its price means it might struggle in head-to-head comparisons.
Design and comfort
When I first got my hands on the mouse, it struck me as surprisingly cheap, especially given its $149 price tag. It has a simple-looking design, almost dull to a certain level with its matte black plastic finish. The good part is that it doesn’t creak or flex in any way, and once I got used to the symmetrical shape, it was pretty comfortable to use all day. I also noticed that the matte coating helps to keep sweat away, which is great news for users like me.
Apart from black, the M75 Air is available in a bright yellow color option if you opt for the limited-edition bundle. White and light gray options are expected to launch in the coming months.
Of course, the highlight feature of the M75 Air is its lightweight design. It is the lightest mouse Corsair has ever made at just 60 grams, which is a marginal triumph over the likes of Logitech’s G Pro X Superlight (63 grams) and Razer’s DeathAdder V3 Pro (64 grams). To achieve a super-lightweight design, Corsair has trimmed down features like RGB lighting and opted for a limited button layout. There’s not even a DPI switch, which might seem odd for a premium gaming mouse.
The left and right mouse keys are long, extending almost to the middle of the mouse, thus making the mouse suitable for most grips and large hands. There are two additional buttons on the left that are flush with the body, but I found them to be fast, responsive, and placed in the correct position.
I believe that Corsair has missed an opportunity here as the M75 Air could have been a solid ambidextrous gaming mouse if it added some side buttons on the right side. The scroll wheel has a nice rubber texture, with Corsair’s signature yellow accents on the inside, and overall feels tactile.
At the bottom, there is the sensor, a storage compartment for the dongle, a power/connectivity switch, and some PTFE feet. While the mouse glides smoothly over most mousepads and desk surfaces, Corsair could have gone with higher-quality feet.
I am not saying that they are bad, but I noticed that the feet started gathering scratches in just two weeks of usage. You can buy replaceable performance glass skates for about $15.
Lastly, there is the USB-C port upfront, which thankfully has space around it. This means you can use almost any Type-C cable for charging. Speaking of which, the included USB cable is braided and comes with solid-looking connectors on both ends.
Connectivity
The mouse offers three connectivity options, including wired via the included USB Type-C to Type-A cable, Bluetooth, and 2.4GHz wireless using Corsair’s Slipstream dongle. I appreciate Corsair for not ditching Bluetooth on this mouse as I love having a single mouse to control all my devices. Just a simple press of the button at the bottom and you can switch between 2.4GHz and Bluetooth, which is indicated by the small LED on the top.
I didn’t face any latency or connectivity issues using the mouse in 2.4GHz or Bluetooth mode. Both offer a stable connection, and the mouse connects instantly after the initial pairing process. Of course, there are benefits of using the mouse in wired or 2.4GHz wireless mode as you get the option of a faster polling rate of up to 2,000Hz.
Granted, this isn’t the fastest polling rate, as other gaming mice on the market claim up to 8,000Hz, but one does not need anything beyond 1,000Hz unless you are a professional esports player.
I checked if the polling rate claims were true by doing multiple tests, all of which gave me a positive outcome. Notably, the mouse is set to a polling rate of 1000Hz by default, but you can switch it up using Corsair’s iCUE software.
Do note that there is a drawback to switching up the polling rate as it depletes the battery faster.
Sensor and switches
Corsair is using its Marksman optical sensor, which has been around for a while and is available on a variety of other mice from the company. It offers up to 26,000 CPI, as well as a maximum tracking speed of 650 IPS and up to 50G of acceleration. While those numbers aren’t really important, what you should know is that performance is top-notch in terms of tracking and accuracy. The mouse also uses special optical switches for the primary left and mouse buttons. The switches work very well in terms of response and overall offer crisp feedback.
Customizations
Since there are no additional buttons to customize the experience on the M75 Air, one has to rely on iCUE. Apart from key assignments, the software lets you change the DPI, calibrate the surface you are going to use the mouse on, and perform a slew of other things like updating the firmware, changing the polling rate, and so on.
You can even set when you want the mouse to go into sleep mode so it can save on battery, angle snapping, and multipoint connectivity. If you don’t like iCUE for any reason, you can theoretically remove the software after the initial setup as the mouse comes with onboard memory as well.
Battery
Battery life on the M75 Air is good, but not something one can brag about. Corsair claims that it can last up to 34 hours on the 2.4GHz wireless connection and up to 100 hours with Bluetooth. I primarily used the mouse in the 2.4GHz wireless mode and it managed to last for an entire week before I had to plug it in. That’s not bad and something that you can expect from most wireless gaming mice. It’s also very convenient to just plug in the cable and instantly move to wired mode.
There is no fast charging here, but the mouse can be fully juiced up in about 75 minutes. You can also quickly check the status of the battery or enable a battery gauge that can sit in the notification tray using the iCUE software.
Should you buy it?
In my everyday trials, the Corsair M75 Air truly impressed me, leaving behind a trail of positive experiences. Its incredibly lightweight build facilitates quick movements with minimal exertion. What’s more, I encountered no issues with connectivity or delays, ensuring that I could game without interruptions. The primary buttons, for left and right clicks, deliver precise and crisp feedback without unnecessary noise. The side buttons are conveniently positioned, and the matte, textured surface ensures a reliable grip. The scroll wheel not only offers fantastic resistance, but also grants precise control, making it a valuable addition to this top-notch gaming mouse.
The Corsair M75 Air is right up there if one is looking for a reliable ultra-lightweight gaming mouse. But with a launch price of $149 (currently selling for $110), I really cannot recommend this over other high-end options on the market. If Corsair can eventually lower the price to $70 or below, this could be a solid option for anyone who is looking for a clean and simple wireless mouse for competitive gaming and everyday usage. For now, there are more full-featured options that are worth considering first.
