BenQ Zowie S1 & S2 gaming mice (2019) review

Should I buy the BenQ Zowie S1 & S2?

Are you the kind of person who hates the software gimmicks and relentless RGB lighting that gaming peripheral brands use to justify higher and higher price-tags? Then the Zowie S1 and S2 might be for you. They’re far from feature rich and somewhat-plain to look at but they’re as plug-and-play as these things get. 

In action, the Zowie S1 and S2 are incredibly comfortable and, if you’re on a budget, they’re easy to justify. 

Price when reviewed

In Australia, you can score the Zowie S1 for approximately AU$119.

You can buy the Zowie S1 on Amazon here.

BenQ Zowie S1 & S2 full review

Where brands like Logitech and Razer have always looked to pack as much into their mice, BenQ's Zowie sub-brand has always been more concerned with strong fundamentals. 

The new Zowie S1 and Zowie S2 both continue this trend. You won't find much in the way of fancy RGB lightning or customisable macro keys. The thing you will find is simplicity. 

In a world where things like gaming mice and keyboards are often overly complicated, there's something to be said for a humble plug-and-play mouse like the Zowie S1 and S2. 

In terms of specs, the Zowie S series comes in two sizes. The S2 is the larger option but each features a Pixart 3360 sensor. This isn’t quite as advanced as the 16K sensors you’ll find in the latest Logitech and Razer mice but it’s still pretty decent. 

Credit: BenQ

Both the Zowie S1 & S2 support DPIs of up to 3200 and report rates of up to 1000Hz.  There’s a generous 2-meter cable and five buttons on each mouse, which are used to toggle between the above settings. In other words, all the essentials.

In some ways, there’s more to be said about what the Zowie S1 and Zowie S2 don’t have than what they do. Again, there’s no RGB lighting or customisable macro keys. This is obviously a downside if you want or expect those things out of a gaming mouse. 

On the other hand, if having to install yet another piece of proprietary software is one of your biggest bugbears with modern gaming mice, this might be exactly what you want. The Zowie S1 and S2 ask very little of you but deliver a more than adequate performance in return. 

They might not shout about it or glow in the night but they’re still feel more proficient in action than most cheap gaming mice do. Both Zowie mice weigh under 90gs, so they’re pretty lightweight. What’s more, there’s a subtle but compelling sense of ergonomics to them and plenty of smaller, almost-imperceptible curves that make them a comfortable fit in the palm of your hand. 

Credit: BenQ

Historically, I’ve always found that BenQ’s Zowie mice have been some of the most comfortable gaming mice on the market and the S1 and S2 do little to dispel or disperse that idea. They don’t really do anything that the previous or other Zowie-branded options can’t but they are consistent when it comes to the positives. On some level, the S1 and S2 are just preaching to the choir and you're damned if you expect them to be that different from the rest of the Zowie line-up. I'm honestly curious and would love to see a version of this product that's a little pricier but opts for more expensive materials and premium flourish.

The Bottom Line

Yes, the Zowie S1 and S2 lack the flair or features of some of the other options. Nevertheless, if you're after a simple and solid mouse that'll give you the performance you need with none of the fuss, BenQ’s latest are a smart and uncomplicated way to go.

Credit: BenQ

Looking for something a little more expensive? Check out our guide to the best gaming mice here.