AIM1 Shigure Review
Specifications
Packaging
Shape & Size
The AIM1 Shigure is a symmetrical, medium-sized mouse measuring 122 x 61 x 40 mm. The sides and front flares are mostly flat, but what really stands out is the hump, positioned towards the back. This hump resembles mice like the Pulsar X2 but is noticeably taller, providing more support in the palm. Because of this design, the mouse is especially suited for claw-grip users and should fit most hand sizes comfortably. Overall, it's a long, narrow mouse with a high body, making it distinct compared to other mice, which are usually wider and shorter.
Coating
The coating on the AIM1 Shigure feels great, with a slight rubberized texture similar to premium mice from Vaxee, Zowie, and Endgame Gear, but a bit drier. It handles humidity and temperature changes well. Although some people prefer adding grip tape, I found the coating good enough to use without additional grips, so not including tape isn't a big downside for me.
Build Quality
The AIM1 Shigure is built very solidly. There is a tiny bit of flex when pressing hard on the sides, but it's not noticeable during regular use. The bottom also flexes slightly if you press directly on it, but again, this never happens naturally while gaming. There's no creaking under pressure or rattling when shaking, which is excellent.
Weight & Feet/Skates
Weighing just 45 grams, the AIM1 Shigure is impressively lightweight for its size, especially since it has no holes and maintains a sturdy build.
The skates are decent but aren't smooth straight out of the box. They need some breaking-in before they feel better.
Buttons & Scroll Wheel
I couldn't find exactly what switches the AIM1 Shigure uses for its main buttons, but they feel very similar to Omron D2F-F mechanical switches. They're easy to press, excellent for rapid clicking, and offer great tactile feedback. There's almost no pre-travel, very little post-travel, and no side-to-side wobble.
The side buttons have a similar quality, being equally tactile, easy to spam-click, stable without wobble, with no pre-travel, and minimal post-travel. They're among the better side buttons I've used.
The scroll wheel also lacks specific information on its encoder, but feels similar to popular encoders like TTC Gold or Silver found in many current mice. Scrolling requires minimal effort and feels smooth.
Sensor & Performance
The AIM1 Shigure features a PAW3395 sensor, supporting up to 8000Hz polling rate using its included dongle. I would've preferred seeing the newer PAW3950 sensor used here, but honestly, the performance difference isn't noticeable during gameplay.
Conclusion
Priced at $104, the AIM1 Shigure provides good value thanks to its unique shape, lightweight design, sturdy build, quality coating, and exceptional buttons. The use of an older PAW3395 sensor instead of the newer PAW3950 is a slight downside considering other mice offer this newer sensor at a lower price. Still, the mouse delivers great performance and overall value.
