Zaopin Z2 Mini Review

The Zaopin Z2 Mini is a compact ergonomic mouse measuring 117 × 62 × 38 mm. Its centered hump and flatter front flares create a comfortable shape. Compared to the original Z2, the Mini is smaller overall, but it does have a more pronounced bottom-left flare. On the other hand, the bottom-right side is mostly flat.

The Z2 Mini works best for fingertip grip if you have medium or large-sized hands, and an aggressive claw-grip can also feel good. For smaller hands, claw and palm grips are likely the most comfortable choices on this shape.

Coating & Grip-Tape

The coating feels good for its price range but is not as grippy as premium brands like Endgame Gear, Vaxee, or Zowie. If you need more grip, the included grip-tape can be applied to the main buttons and sides.

Build Quality

Build quality on the Z2 Mini is excellent. There is no squeaking or flexing even under heavy pressure, and there is no rattling when you shake it.

Weight & Feet/Skates

The original Z2 weighed 65 grams. The Z2 Mini improves on this by dropping 9 grams, coming in at 56 grams. While it’s lighter, other mice of a similar size can be around or below 40 grams, so 56 grams isn’t groundbreaking. Still, it’s a nice improvement for those who want a lighter mouse.

The skates feel decent out of the box but benefit from a short break-in period. After that, they glide much more smoothly. You also get an extra set of PTFE skates included.

Buttons & Scroll Wheel

The main buttons use mechanical HUANO Green Transparent White Dot switches. They’re light to click, very tactile, and have minimal pre-travel or post-travel. They aren’t soldered to the PCB, so you can swap them if you open the mouse. A screw-set is included for this purpose.

The side buttons also feel good, though not as tactile as the main buttons. They have a small amount of pre-travel and almost no post-travel.

The scroll wheel uses an F-Switch encoder. It’s easy to scroll up and down while still feeling tactile. Pressing down on the scroll wheel is lighter compared to many other mice.

Sensor & Performance

There are three variants of the Z2 Mini: the standard Z2 Mini, the Z2 Mini 4K, and the Z2 Mini Max 8K. The standard and 4K versions both use the PAW3395 sensor with 26,000 DPI and 4K polling support, but only the 4K model comes with the 4K dongle in the box. The Z2 Mini Max 8K uses the PAW3950 sensor, offering up to 30,000 DPI and 8K polling with its included dongle. Aside from these differences, everything else is the same across all models.

Conclusion

The Zaopin Z2 Mini currently costs $49.99 for the standard version, $59.99 for the 4K model, and $69.99 for the Max 8K. Code ELO is available for $5 off your purchase. Its unique shape, swappable switches, decent coating with included grip-tape, and strong build quality make the pricing very appealing. If you don’t need 4K, go for the standard. If you have more to spend, the Max 8K offers top-tier specs at a great $69.99 price. Overall, it’s a solid buy for anyone interested in this distinctive shape.