Introduction
Dream Machines is a polish company with its headquarters in Warsaw, the company is focused on manufacturing gaming peripherals. The company was founded by a group of enthusiasts, with the goal of bringing on the market quality products. Dream Machines gained its popularity with the launch of their first product, the DM1 Pro.
Official product link:
https://dreammachines.eu/en/dm3mini
Packaging and accessories
The DM3 Mini is shipped in a standard mouse box with a black & white design and full color photos.
The front side of the box features a top view color photo of the DM3 Mini with the name of the mouse on the lower side, matching the upper portion of the box that features the Dream Machines brand name.
The sides of the box are simple, having only two elements printed; the Dream Machines logo and the name and model of the mouse.
The back side of the box presents the full specifications of the mouse in both English and Polish. The info includes the model for the optical sensor, switches, polling rate and available DPI settings.
Accessories
The product comes with the following accessories:
– 1x User Manual
– 1x Extra pad set
Specifications
Model: DM3 Mini
MCU/Processor: Holtek HT68FB560
Main Switches: Omron D2FC-F-7N
Sensor: Pixart PMW 3360 optical sensor
Buttons: Scroll wheel + 3 buttons
Resolution: 400, 800, 2400, 4800, 12000 DPI
LOD (LIFT-OFF-DISTANCE): 1.8 mm
Maximum Speed: 6.35 m/s
Polling Rate: 500/1000 Hz
Surface: Matte rubber
Connection: USB 2.0, Gold Plated
Cable Length: 1.8 m
Weight: 77 grams (without cable)
Size: 118 x 64 x 37 mm
Warranty: 2 years
Visual inspection
The DM3 Mini is the answer for the gamers that wanted a smaller DM1 Pro S mouse, but with the same features and performance. One of the differences between the DM1 Pro S and the DM3 Mini is the removal of the side buttons in the pursuit of saving weight and lowering the price. In addition to the buttons, the cable is now simple without any sleeving.
The left and right clicks use Omron black switches with the model number: D2FC-F-7N, these are rated at up to 20 million clicks. These are the same Omron switches used in the case of the DM1 Pro S.
The scroll wheel features a rubberized outer texture with indents meant to provide a better tactile feedback. The sides of the scroll wheel are transparent to allow the passing of the light and color of the LED placed on the inside. The switch used for this model is made by Huano.
Following the path of all gaming mice from Dream Machines, the DM3 Mini uses a DPI switch placed above the scroll wheel at the center of the mouse shell. This button uses a Huano switch for operating, and has the main function of changing the DPI & Light color of the mouse.
The right side of the mouse is shaped to provide a better fit for both a claw grip and palm grip styles. The DM3 Mini has an ambidextrous design and can be successfully used by both left hand and right hand users.
The left side of the DM3 Mini is identical with the left, including the inwards curvature of the shell that allows for the thumb and fingers to better grip the mouse when in use.
The back side is similar with that of the DM1 Pro S and the DM1 FPS models, the Dream Machines logo is illuminated in tandem with the Scroll wheel. This also being the main illuminated element of this mouse. The back of the mouse is symmetrical to better accommodate both left handed and right handed users and provide more comfort.
The DM3 Mini uses a standard rubber coated cable that has a total length of 1.8m and uses a gold plated USB 2.0 connector. The cable itself is stiffer than the one used with the DM1 Pro S.
The inferior side of the mouse is simple; this model uses a single wide Teflon foot on the front while the back is resting on two narrower Teflon feet. One thing to note is that the Pixart PMW 3360 optical sensor is not centered and is instead placed towards the back of the mouse.
Testing
With the removal of the shell we can see the whole assembly of the DM3 Mini and the main components. Starting at the front the scroll wheel uses a Huano switch for pressing, while the left and right clicks are using Omron white switches rated at 20 million clicks. The whole illumination of the DM3 Mini is done by just two LEDs, the back LED is connected to a plastic diffuser that evenly disperses the light and color.
The processor used with the DM3 Mini is the same Holtek HT68FB560 unit present in both the DM1 FPS and Comfy S models. This is mounted in proximity of the DPI switch and the optical sensor.
Dream Machine mice are capable of working without any proprietary software. The DM3 Mini comes by default with 5 color options and 6 DPI profiles. Each color represents a DPI value; the available speeds are the following: 400, 800, 2400, 4800, 12000 DPI.
In order to better asses the performance of the mouse, the DM3 Mini was used as the daily mouse for a couple of weeks. The usage involves photo and video editing, office work and gaming.
The gaming performance is good, the tracking on many types of mouse pads and surfaces is very good without skipping. The PMW 3360 optical sensor also has a 1.8mm Lift Off Distance that is good for any gaming style but can be changed to 2.4mm.
The games used for testing are the following:
– Battlefield 1
– Grand Theft Auto V
– Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
– Rise of the Tomb Raider
– Kingdom Come Deliverance
– The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Final thoughts
The Pixart PMW 3360 optical sensor that equips the DM3 Mini offers a great gaming experience and it is paired with Omron D2FC-F-7N switches that are rated at 20 million clicks. The secondary switches are manufactured by Huano and are used for the scroll wheel press and for the DPI & Profile button. These offer a stiffer tactile feedback but are just as good as the Omron.
The overall build quality of the DM3 Mini is good, the shell has minimal flexing and the mouse has no rattling. The matte rubberized coating offers a pleasant experience and provides a good grip.
The main inconvenient of this mouse is the rubber cable that is too rigid and can grip on the mouse pad creating resistance when moving the mouse. With a total length of 1.8m, the cable is long enough to be stretched enough so it won’t rub against the mouse pad, however the rigidity impacts the overall experience with this mouse.
Due to the way the Dream Machines DM3 Mini is constructed, it is ideal for both left handed and right handed users, the sides of the mouse being identical. The PMW 3360 optical sensor is great and offers a good experience with no skipping. The Omron & Huano switches provide good tactile feedback and great reliability, both being rated at 20 million clicks. The shape of the mouse is also comfortable for both a palm grip and claw grip style of gameplay.
