Now that we’re about, ooh, six decades into the existence of PC mice, it’s become apparent that they don’t need a dedicated little screen to feed us stats about them, at all times. Nevertheless, I’m quite fond of the baby display that comes with the QPAD Mark Model 3. Just because it won’t actively help me click on xenobugs in Deep Rock Galactic doesn’t mean I’d rather stay ignorant of how much battery I’ve got left, or that mashing the DPI button and eyeballing cursor speed is somehow preferable to just having that sensitivity setting on a readout. Given the closest thing that most mice have to an interface is a single flashing LED, the Model 3’s screen – which also acts as its wireless dongle – is bordering on futuristic. Almost.

The mouse itself… less so. At 49g it’s properly lightweight, and thus easily swishable even without the bundled grip stickers. This does, however, come at the cost of robustness: the left button on my sample unit has a plastic creakiness to it, and there’s something unrefined about how loud and heavy-feeling its mechanical switches are. Click this mouse, and someone in the next room is going to know about it. The tactile characteristics might actually work for you, if you prefer a weightier click sensation that’s resistant to accidental presses, though I found it fatiguing in extended sessions, despite the subtly contoured shape being comfortable otherwise.

Performance is fine, battery life is fine, wireless reliability is fine, and it’s easy to switch from 2.4GHz to Bluetooth, which is handy if you occasionally need to second your mouse to a USB-deprived handheld PC like the Steam Deck. But the Model 3 – as in, the mouse specifically – is lacking anything truly special, truly unique, truly worthy of having over quality, sometimes cheaper wireless ultralights like the HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 (£40 / $70). I still like the screen, but that’s the only standout feature here.

Quick Kits is a hardware review series about pouring as much fully-tested PC gear knowledge down your eyes as we can – within two or three paragraphs.