Cooler Master MM731 Review — an underrated gem

Cooler Master MM731

9.5

This is the best ultralight wireless gaming mouse you can find at this price. Just get it.

• Ultraweave and grip tape is included in the box!
• Optimized ergonomic shape
• Tri-mode connectivity supports virtually every system out there
• Snappy buttons
• Excellent tracking performance
• Battery goes for two weeks on a single charge!

• More RGB would have been nice
• Lackluster software compared to the industry leaders

Mice are practically an extension of you, as you interact with your PC. Be it on a desktop or a laptop, most people prefer plugging in a mouse to work more comfortably. Recent years have seen an arms race by gaming mice manufacturers, making them ever lighter, and with ever higher sensitivities. The Cooler Master MM731 is no different, coming in at just 59g while offering an insane maximum DPI of 19,000. But more importantly, it’s priced at only RM239, with some vendors selling it for just RM189. This makes it probably one of the most affordable ultralight mice in the market… But is it any good?

The Hardware

While downright cheap, Cooler Master didn’t skimp on the good stuff. You get a set of grip tape, an USB-A-to-C adapter and an uber-flexible UltraWeave cord. While most people will probably end up using the Cooler Master MM731 wirelessly, Cooler Master gives you the ability to use it wired with almost zero drag. Quite a nice touch.

The Cooler Master MM731 touts a familiar ergonomic shape that is probably going to appeal to most right-handed gamers. They decided to go with somewhat exaggerated curves on both the left and right of the mouse, while also making it rather short and flat. Whether this fits you will probably determine whether you should get this. I use a palm grip when surfing the web, switching to a relaxed fingertip grip for gaming, and I am happy to report that I am comfortable in both scenarios.

RGB is very limited, with it being only featured on the Cooler Master hexagonal emblem. I was hoping that the scroll wheel will light up as well, but unfortunately that was not the case. I guess Cooler Master really went all the way to save as many grams as they can with the MM731, and an extra LED was not allowed in the weight budget.

Two small side buttons garnish the side of the Cooler Master MM731, and we can see that they are made of simple, glossy plastic. Nothing too fancy. While many ultralight mice suffer from issues like flex when the sides are squeezed hard, I am glad to report that the Cooler Master MM731 does not exhibit anything of that sort. It feels really solid in hand, while being ridiculously light, which does baffle the mind quite a bit.

On the underside of the mouse we have a pairing button, a mode switch and a DPI switch. Large PTFE feet ensures a smooth glide, and the little door you see houses the 2.4GHz dongle. There’s even a little spring inside to push the dongle out, just so you can pick it up easier. The mouse sensor is positioned rather far forward, which can take some getting used to if you are accustomed to mice with a different sensor placement. Personally, coming from a Logitech G703 which had a more centered sensor, I got used to it quite quickly.

The Experience

Like what I think most most people getting the Cooler Master MM731 will be doing, I will be using the Cooler Master MM731 mainly in its 2.4GHz wireless mode. You can use it wired, or even with Bluetooth, but you will experience higher latency with the latter, as it is only polling at 125Hz, versus the 500Hz that I usually use with my mice.

Speaking of which, while there were reports of the Cooler Master MM731 suffering from latency issues over 2.4GHz, I dare say that mine didn’t. All my movements were tracked accurately, without any delay. Or at least, I didn’t notice any sort of lag, which is good enough for me. If you do, Cooler Master recommends updating the firmware, and that might be the reason why I am not experiencing any sort of latency.

Tracking is very precise, all the way up to 19,000 DPI. If you for some reason have a need for more, the MasterPlus software allows for the aforementioned 38,000 DPI via interpolation. I can’t imagine anyone needing that high a sensitivity though, as I can’t really control my mouse at anything above 3000 DPI. At my preferred sensitivity of 1700 DPI, the mouse offers perfect tracking without jitter, acceleration or angle snapping.

Now I am sure another aspect of the mouse that many people might be concerned about is battery life. I mean, there’s no worse deal-breaker than having to scramble for the USB cable to recharge while in the middle of a game, right? Luckily, I found that the Cooler Master MM731 lasted over two weeks in my use, which involves the usual breaks in between for meals, sleep and everything in between. It’s rated for 72 hours of continuous use, so I guess that should be about ten full workdays?

Lastly, let’s talk about the software. MasterPlus offers all you need to customize your mouse, with seven DPIs and five profiles to switch between. And of course, you have the usual RGB, power saving modes. More advanced stuff includes button response time, angle snapping as well as surface profiles. One downside is that the software isn’t quite as mature as stuff like Logitech’s G HUB, which has better profile switching depending on the game or software open. If you rely on that sort of thing, Cooler Master isn’t quite on equal footing.

Specifications

Cooler Master MM731– should you buy this?

Yes. The Cooler Master MM731 is a great mouse with excellent tracking, superb battery life and a comfortable ergonomic shape. At the prices that it is going for, I really can’t find a reason not to recommend it. If you can get one at RM189, it will be the most affordable ultralight wireless mouse in the market right now. Even at its MSRP of RM239, it’s still one of the most affordable out there, so go figure. This is a no-frills, performance-focused gaming mouse, and I love it. Someone at Cooler Master clearly decided to follow the wise words of Colin Chapman, “Simplify, then add lightness”, when developing the Cooler Master MM731, and I commend him/her for it.