Lemokey G1 review: Functionality over form

If you’re a keyboard or mouse aficionado, chances are you’ve heard of Keychron. You might also have heard of Lemokey, which is Keychron’s gaming-oriented brand, offering premium peripherals for gamers on all budgets. If you’re a competitive player and don’t want to spend hundreds on a mouse, have you checked out the Lemokey G1 yet?

For as little as $64, you can choose between two sensors, both of which offer a polling rate of 8,000Hz and up to 30,000 DPI. Angle snapping, motion sync and ripple control aid versatile gaming styles, and these can be enabled/disabled via the user-friendly companion software. The 2.4GHz dongle that provides the high polling rate can also be safely stashed in a compartment on the G1’s underside. However, the G1 isn’t the most attractive mouse and corners have been cut in its construction.

Is this the best wireless gaming mouse for you? Read my full Lemokey G1 review for all the deets.

Lemokey G1 review: Specs

Lemokey G1 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A lightweight, budget wireless gaming mouse by Keychron’s gaming brand
• Who is it for? For gamers who don’t want to spend a fortune on a high-performance mouse
• How much does it cost? The Lemokey G1 with the PixArt 3395 sensor is available for $64, while the PixArt 3950 costs $69
• What do we like? The two different sensors available, the 8,000Hz polling rate and angle snapping, user-friendly companion software, and onboard dongle storage
• What don’t we like? The cheap build and lackluster design

Lemokey G1 review: The ups

What do you get when you combine an 8,000Hz polling rate, 30,000 DPI, angle snapping, user-friendly companion software and onboard dongle storage? The outstanding Lemokey G1, of course.

Spoiled for choice

The Lemokey G1 is available in black or white, and you can also choose the sensor you want. Depending on your gaming needs, you can pick either the PixArt 3395 or the PixArt 3950 sensor. We tested the PixArt 3950, which has a maximum DPI of 30,000, an IPS (inches per second, which is how the mouse’s speed is measured) of 750 and you can set the lift-off distance to 0.7, 1 or 2mm (the vertical height at which the sensor stops tracking when lifted). This version can be used on glass surfaces and costs $69.

On the other hand, the PixArt 3395 sensor has a maximum DPI of 26,000, an IPS of 650, a lift-off distance of 1 / 2mm and it doesn’t work on glass surfaces. This model is slightly cheaper ($64).

Snap-tastic gaming performance

The Lemokey G1 boasts impressive gaming specs. Up to 30,000 DPI and an 8,000Hz polling rate — the same as the Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro ($149) — make it sound mighty impressive on paper. Alongside this, you get angle snapping which removes minute inaccuracies from your mouse movements, motion sync which increases the sensor’s accuracy at the expense of a 1ms delay, and ripple control which smoothes mouse movements at high DPI but adds a little latency.

Advanced features like these are what you’d expect from more expensive mice. For instance, the Turtle Beach Kone XP Air ($129) features angle snapping but costs twice as much as the G1. The G1 also has an adjustable lift-off distance which is missing from the SteelSeries Aerox 5 ($139).

To see if the G1 lived up to these specs, I played Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Red Dead Redemption 2 and Hitman, and the mouse performed excellently across all three games. All my movements and button presses were registered quickly and accurately. And with angle snapping, I didn’t need to worry about under- or over-shooting a target. If you move the mouse horizontally, any vertical movements will be negated thanks to angle snapping, and you’ll be able to keep your cursor on the same level — very useful while stealthing in both RDR2 and Hitman.

A button on the mouse’s underside allowed me to change the DPI on the fly, which was especially useful in CS:GO where I wanted a lower DPI while using a sniper rifle, and a higher DPI while using my knife in close-quarter combat. If you’re a competitive gamer, you won’t find much use for motion sync. While it increases the sensor’s accuracy, you’ll be impacted by a 1ms input lag. Thankfully, this can be easily toggled off via the G1’s web-based companion software.

Bye, bye, bloatware

This brings me to my next point: The Lemokey Launcher which accompanies the G1. Since it’s web-based, you can access it on macOS, Windows and Linux, all via a wired connection. Easily program macros, remap buttons, adjust lift-off distance and debounce time, assign DPI levels and polling rate, and control motion sync, angle snapping and ripple control.

It’s a no-frills website that gives you everything you need without the need to install awful bloatware like Asus Armoury Crate, the companion software for peripherals like the Asus ROG Strix Scope II 96 ($179).

Hertz everywhere

You’d be surprised by how many premium gaming mice we test that don’t have a dongle compartment — I’m talking about expensive mice, such as the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 ($159) and the Turtle Beach Pure Air ($99). The Lemokey G1, thankfully, has a small slot on its underside where you can safely stash the 2.4GHz dongle, providing you with the 8,000Hz polling rate even while you’re on the move.

Lemokey G1 review: The downs

The Lemokey G1 truly shines when it comes to performance and its features, but its lackluster design and cheap construction materials are nothing to write home about.

Looks like any other mouse

The Lemokey G1 is far from the most striking mouse I’ve tested — the GravaStar Mercury M1 Pro (£139) takes the cake there. Think of the G1 as the Mercury M1 Pro’s antithesis. As soon as I held the mouse, I could tell it was cheap. The black (or white) body is made of ABS plastic and sports no Lemokey branding. There’s no RGB or single LED lighting. Overall, this is a no-frills mouse which won’t look out of place in an office if you want it to double up as a work mouse.

If you want a gaming mouse with flashy RGB, check out the SteelSeries Rival 3 ($30), or the Razer Viper Mini ($39) for classy lighting and a better design.

(Not) built like a tank

The Lemokey G1 is not an expensive mouse, starting at just $64, so it’s no surprise that corners have been cut in its construction. The mouse weighs just 1.9 ounces but it borders on feeling flimsy and not sturdy enough. Its body is made of ABS plastic which feels cheap and a little too plasticky — something you’d expect from a cheaper mouse, like the Redragon M916 ($44).

Lemokey G1 review: Verdict

The Lemokey G1 is one of the easiest gaming mice to recommend, thanks to its superb performance. The 30,000 DPI and 8,000Hz polling rate make it a delightful mouse to play first-person shooter and RPG titles. Angle snapping ensures minor movements don’t cause you to under- or over-shoot, and intuitive companion software lets you quickly toggle motion sync and ripple control. The 8,000Hz polling rate can be achieved via the 2.4GHz dongle which can be stashed into the G1’s underside.

So is there anything really wrong with the mouse? Well, it’s not winning any awards at Paris Fashion Week. If you want a more visually striking mouse, you’ll have to look elsewhere. You might also be put off by the G1’s cheap construction as it feels very flimsy.

Regardless, the G1’s flaws are easily overshadowed by what it does right. If you’re on the hunt for a mouse that won’t let you down at tournaments and doesn’t break the bank, you can count on the Lemokey G1 — it could be the key.