I'm not super into FPS shooters, so lightweight gaming mice never caught my fancy. I was content with my Razer Deathadder V2 X, an 88g wireless mouse, until I was offered to test Lofree's first gaming mouse, the Lofree Hypace. Known for its great mechanical keyboards and the Lofree Touch PBT mouse, the Hypace is the company's entry into high-performance gaming peripherals.

Consequently, you can expect all the essentials: a flagship sensor, ultralight materials, and an ergonomic shape. What Lofree has also added to the mix, however, is its signature attention to aesthetics, crafting a unique look that makes the mouse look out of this world. After two weeks with the Hypace, I can confirm that Lofree manages to score multiple hits, but there are some major misses, too.

About this review: Lofree sent me the Hypace for the purposes of this review. The company had no input into its contents.

Price, availability, and specs

The Lofree Hypace launches on Kickstarter on March 6th, but you can already reserve your spot for a $1 fee (on Lofree's website) to buy it at the early-bird price of $109. Starting March 7th, the price is likely to increase gradually till it reaches the MSRP of $199. The Hypace will be available in two colors: off-white and black. According to the website, shipping starts in mid-May, so you'll have to be patient.

What I loved about the Hypace

It absolutely does what it claims

When I first received the Lofree Hypace, I was curious to see how I would adapt to the "world's first built-on-frame mouse", as the company claims. The inner Magnesium core and the polycarbonate + ABS exterior sound high-tech, but all I wanted to see was how it all translated to the in-hand feel. Coming from the 88g Deathadder V2 X, the 49g build of the Hypace felt almost weightless — despite that, the build quality is decent, and I didn't find any creaks or compromises. Using my heavier Razer mouse afterward felt like such a drag.

Even before you start scoring headshots and executing flicks, you'll spend considerable time staring at the design, which, understandably, demands your attention. The approach here is simple — shave off every gram possible without making the mouse look like every other honeycomb egg on the market. The futuristic design reminds me of avant-garde architecture, with the see-through shell and orange side buttons perfectly fitting the minimalist theme. The bold Hypace branding on the side is a bit much, if you ask me.

The shape of your mouse is perhaps the most important element, and the Hypace, fortunately, is ideal for palm and claw grips. I would have liked it to be slightly longer and taller, but that isn't a major downside. Most people will find the Hypace ergonomic and appropriately sized, and that's what Lofree was going for. If you have unusually large hands, though, you might not prefer the shape that much. The left and right buttons and the two side buttons are sufficiently clicky, and the scroll wheel has decent tactile feedback.

You get the usual Bluetooth, 2.4GHz, and wired modes, with the latter two supporting the maximum 8,000Hz polling rate. I found both the 2.4GHz and Bluetooth connections seamless, and the impressive light show of the included wireless dongle added some more flair to the setup (you'll need to contend with its long cable, though). The flagship PAW3950 sensor places the Hypace in elite company as it ensures precise and accurate tracking.

Although insane DPI numbers (this one goes up to 40,000) don't matter in gaming, the 8kHz polling rate is certainly noticeable (even for a non-esports player like myself). You'll certainly appreciate the high-end specs of the Hypace if you're a competitive player, but the 8kHz mode will drain the battery much faster. I kept things more subdued at 1,000Hz, which helped extend the battery life (in two weeks, I'm still at 25%) and still kept things responsive.

Thankfully, Lofree's software for the Hypace is a lightweight web app that you can use to fine-tune the polling rate, DPI, debounce time, liftoff distance, and other performance features like ripple control, angle snap, and motion sync. You can also set the sleep time, choose the lighting effects of the wireless dongle, reprogram the five buttons, and configure macros. I had to frequently reconnect to the web app after being away, even for a few minutes, but since I wasn't changing things on the fly, it was mostly fine.

Something I really appreciated when unboxing the mouse was the quality of and attention to detail in the packaging. The box, just like the mouse, was sleek and minimalistic, and there's a translucent factsheet inside, along with the mouse feet and some stickers.

What could have been better

It's tough to justify the MSRP, but you can score an early deal

The Lofree Hypace can be yours for $109 on March 6th if you sign up for the Kickstarter launch before March 5th, but the eventual price is set to hit $199. At that point, the Hypace becomes much more expensive than even some of the best mice on the market, including ultralight models with the PAW3950 sensor and those from Razer, like the Viper V3 Pro. In fact, you can find $60-$80 lightweight mice with up to 4kHz polling rate and $120-$160 models with up to 8kHz polling rate.

Other downsides are that you don't get optical switches at this price when they're common on other models on the market. The DPI button is located underneath the mouse, which is a bit inconvenient if you want to switch things up on the fly. And the shape of the mouse might not be ideal for those with large hands since they'll prefer a mouse that's slightly taller and has a broader front end.

Should you buy the Lofree Hypace?

The bottom line is that the Lofree Hypace is unique. It boasts all the frills you expect from a high-performance gaming mouse and combines them with a singular design that you don't find elsewhere. I don't have any complaints with its performance, build quality, battery life, or software, but when you compare it with the competition, especially against brands that have been into gaming peripherals for years, the price ($199) is hard to justify.

You should buy the Lofree Hypace if:

• You want flagship gaming performance
• You value design as much as anything else
• You want a lightweight mouse with lightweight software

You should not buy the Lofree Hypace if:

• You want to spend $100 on a high-performance gaming mouse
• You want optical switches
• You don't care too much about aesthetics