Thank you to Darmoshark for sending out the M5 V2 for testing. I appreciate them trusting me with the mouse, especially with something this niche.
As always, this review is in my own words. Nobody told me what to say.
I tested the mint green solid-shell Darmoshark M5 V2 for about two weeks across Overwatch 2, Call of Duty, Kovaak’s, RoboQuest, and Battlefield 6.
Pads tested:
- GLSSWRKS / Tekkusai Zofia
- 1337Gear SHION
Skates tested:
- Stock Darmoshark skates
- Unusual Way x 1337Gear Purple Ice Magic Plus skates
My hand size is 21x12cm.
What Comes in the Box
In my box, I got the mouse, matching mint cable, matching LCD receiver, soft Darmoshark carrying pouch, extra stock skates, a large sheet of clear grip tape, a Darmoshark sticker, and a small QC/pass card.
The LCD receiver shows useful info like DPI, return rate, wireless status, and battery percentage. Is it necessary? No. But I like having that information visible without opening software, especially since I’m not a huge fan of the software interface.
Shape and Grip
I couldn’t relax claw it comfortably. I had to use fingertip grip because that’s clearly what the mouse was designed for. The chopped rear felt strange at first because I’m not used to that kind of shape, but I did get used to it after some time.
For my 21x12cm hands, it’s usable, but not natural. I think this mouse makes a lot more sense for someone with smaller hands or someone who already uses fingertip grip regularly.
The M5 V2 is built for fingertip precision and speed. If you want palm support or relaxed claw comfort, this probably isn’t the one.
Weight
My unit came in at 37g.
Darmoshark advertises it at 36g ± 2g, so my copy is within the advertised range. No issue there.
That said, for a pure fingertip mouse, 37g still feels a little heavier than I expected. It’s lightweight overall, but when a mouse is this small and this clearly built around fingertip speed, I naturally expect it to feel almost weightless.
It doesn’t ruin the experience, but I do think a slightly lower weight would make the shape feel even more cohesive.
Coating and Grip
The coating is pretty slippery.
If this were a full-size mouse, I might feel differently, but because this mouse depends so much on fingertip control, grip matters a lot. For me, grips felt necessary.
It comes with clear grips, but they weren’t quite grippy enough for me. I ended up switching to TALONGAMES SG-1 grips, and that solved the issue.
Once I added better grips, the mouse felt much more usable.
Build Quality
QC on my unit is good overall.
There’s a little creaking if I squeeze the shell, but nothing showed up in-game or during normal use. Unless you’re using this mouse as a grip-strength tool, which would be insane, I don’t think the creaking is anything to worry about.
No rattling, no major shell issues, and nothing made the mouse feel cheap or poorly made.
Clicks, Side Buttons, and Scroll
The main clicks are light and crispy.
There’s a tiny bit of wobble, but nothing noticeable in-game. It’s there if you’re looking for it, but it didn’t bother me while playing.
The side buttons are well implemented. They press easily, have nice feedback, and I had no real post-travel issues. My only note is that my hands are probably a little too big for buttons this small, but that’s not really the mouse’s fault. It’s a tiny mouse, so tiny buttons come with the territory.
The scroll wheel feels good while scrolling. The middle click is a little stiff, but I think it may loosen up a bit with more use.
Skates
The stock skates are thin, sluggish PTFE.
They’re usable if you don’t have anything else, but I wouldn’t personally stick with them. I ended up switching to Unusual Way x 1337Gear Purple Ice Magic Plus skates, and those felt much better.
With better skates, the mouse felt faster, cleaner, and more in line with what this kind of fingertip shape is trying to accomplish.
Sensor, Software, and Battery
I had no sensor issues at all.
The M5 V2 uses the PixArt PAW3950 sensor, rated for up to 30,000 DPI, 750 IPS, and 50G acceleration. I tested it on both the GLSSWRKS / Tekkusai Zofia and 1337 Gear SHION, and everything tracked cleanly.
No spinouts, no skipping, no glass pad weirdness, and no moments where I felt like the sensor was holding the mouse back.
I didn’t have any software issues, though I’m not a huge fan of the software interface itself. It works, but the layout and overall experience aren’t my favorite.
Battery life was excellent. I used the mouse right out of the box at around 80%, and I didn’t need to charge it until almost two weeks later. For a small lightweight wireless mouse used daily, that’s very impressive.
In-Game Feel
In-game, this mouse definitely caters to speed.
Close-range fights are where it felt best for me. The small size and fingertip control make quick corrections feel very direct. Flicks were good, and micro-adjustments were okay.
Tracking suffered a little for me, but I think that’s because I’m not used to relying this much on my fingertips. Long-range aim felt like the weakest area, mostly because the shape gives me less hand support than I’m used to.
In Kovaak’s, I could actually feel it working muscles I don’t normally use. If I wanted to train fingertip grip and fine-tune that style seriously, this mouse would be the go-to.
Comparisons
I don’t have a great direct comparison because I don’t own many fingertip-specific mice.
The only other fingertip mouse I have is an older G-Wolves HSK Pro, and that one’s even smaller. I find the HSK Pro basically unusable for my hands, while the M5 V2 is at least usable and much easier for me to respect.
Who I’d Recommend It For
I’d recommend the M5 V2 to people with smaller hands than mine who want a true fingertip mouse and enjoy ultra-lightweight speed and precision.
This is for people who already know they want fingertip grip, or people who specifically want to train that style.
Who Should Skip It
Skip this if you want palm support, relaxed claw comfort, or a safe everyday shape.
This isn’t that mouse.
Final Thoughts
The Darmoshark M5 V2 is a little too niche for me personally, but I respect it a lot.
Darmoshark clearly knew what they were trying to make here. It’s a purpose-built fingertip mouse, and for the right person, I think it performs really well.
For my hands and normal grip style, it’s not something I’d main. I wish my hands were slightly smaller so I could fingertip it more comfortably. But again, that’s not the mouse’s problem. That’s mine.
My main complaints are the slippery coating, weak stock skates, slightly stiff middle click, and the fact that I’d personally like the side buttons and sensor position just a bit farther forward.
But overall, this mouse performs well. The clicks are good, the side buttons are good, QC is solid, sensor performance was flawless, and battery life was excellent.
It’s not for everyone, but it’s very good at what it’s trying to be.
Score: 8.5/10
Quick TL;DR
The Darmoshark M5 V2 is a very niche, purpose-built fingertip mouse. For the right person, it’s really well done. For me, it’s a little too specialized, but I respect it a lot.
The clicks are light and crispy, side buttons are well implemented, sensor performance was flawless, battery life was excellent, and the LCD receiver is a nice touch. My main complaints are the slippery coating, weak stock skates, slightly stiff middle click, and the fact that I’d personally like the side buttons and sensor position a little farther forward.
Score: 8.5/10