Features and Photos
So the whole point of all of this is to take a look at the new colors that Mionix is offering the Castor in. But first I should include the original Castor that is also still available. It has a unique shape that mixes the ergonomic shape of old Mionix mice with a more modern shape. It came in just black but the logo and around the scroll wheel are both backlit with RGB lighting.
The new models carry on with that same shape but drop the backlighting altogether. They all also have very unique names to match the colors that are unlike any other mice on the market. SteelSeries has included colors in their mice in the past but they were normally traditional colors and most of the time just painted in a glossy car paint like finish. So for names, the pink that I will be looking at today is called Castor Frosting, yellow is Castor French Fries, the light blue is Castor Ice Cream, and the gray is Castor Shark Fin. The colors all come in a soft finish just like a normal mouse would with a black finish and that soft finish gives all of them a flat looking finish that really compliments each of the colors. Mionix asked me which model I would like to check out and I really had a hard time picking because I liked them all. I don’t think everyone is going to like the colors though but the mix offered does a decent job giving most people an option. I would kill for an orange model, that could call it Castor Sherbet. Most of the colors will most likely be more preferred by women, but that Castor Shark Fin isn’t too bad looking as well.
So the Castor Frosting finish is a spot on match for the frosting on a classic Simpsons donut, it is just missing sprinkles on top. New models have the same shape that for the most part, when I reviewed the original I loved. The groves down the triggers help keep your fingers in place and it has a peak up in the middle of your palm.
You have two thumb buttons on the left side along with the rubber finish on the side for additional grip. I still wish there was a little more curve to the side profile for more grip, but maybe that can be added to a Castor 2.0. I love how perfectly the rubber matches the pink finish. On the right side of the mouse, you have two very slight grooves for your fingers to sit in with a little overhang towards the front for people who lift their mouse.
There is a slight lean to the right that is visible from both the front and the back, so while the Castor looks a lot like an ambidextrous mouse it is exclusively for right-hand use, sorry lefties.
The top down view actually reminds me a little of the shape of Microsoft and Logitech wireless mobile mice with the shape curving in up towards the tip. In addition to the two triggers and the two side buttons the top of the mouse also has a button behind the scroll wheel. The scroll wheel drops the RGB lighting as does the Mionix logo for a darker pink on the logo and pink plastic and rubber on the scroll wheel.
Given how well they matched all of the rubber to the plastics finish I was almost surprised they also didn’t figure out a way to recolor the huge Teflon feet on the bottom of the Castor. That is still one of its best features, in my opinion, lots of contact area means less wear. The branding and the logo around the sensor did go pink though. It all goes around the same PWM 3310 optical sensor that the original Castor has.
Even the cord and USB plugs match everything! The only think non-pink here is the white twist tie used to wrap the cord up. The plug, the sleeving, the tag, and even the ferrite bead in the cord is covered in a pink plastic.
For more details on the Castor’s performance, check out our full review
