Our cute meters just exploded with delight at this computer mouse

Akko is no stranger to producing some of the most fun gaming gear around, but its Capybara computer mouse that we just got to try out for the first time takes peripheral fun to another level. Along with its grey-striped kitty cat companion, and joined by the company’s new Hello Kitty Pompompurin gaming keyboard, there has seldom been a cuter combination.

While you may be seeing this squee-inducing delight and hoping it’s worthy of a place on our best gaming mouse guide, though, this Akko giant rodent is not only not billed as a gaming mouse, but resolutely does not have the performance to qualify as one. Nonetheless, with its AA battery power and wireless connection, it could be a great secondary mouse for travel and general relaxing fun times.

Spotted at the IFA trade show in Berlin, Akko has sold a range of these mice for a while now, but this is the first chance we’ve had to give them a go. Along with the Capybara and gray-striped cat, you can also get a pig-themed one, a calico cat, and of course a hamster mouse.

The mice take on a generally rodenty shape – even more so than a normal mouse – and have little sticky outy ears and paws. I actually hoped the ears might serve as useful comfort grooves/finger centering reference points (akin to how the Cherry Xtrfy MZ1 has pronounced grooves on its left and right buttons) but while that sort of is the case, they don’t work particularly well.

Indeed, the overall comfort of the mice is middling. They’re quite bulbous and the buttons sit quite high – an essential compromise to fit in those sweet faces. The buttons themselves are also fairly smooshy, without the responsive click gamers seek for an accurate-feeling mouse.

So, these might not represent a new frontier in gaming mouse performance, but they’re still perfectly comfortable and functional enough to be more than a complete novelty toy. What’s more, with a price of just $29.99, they can offer an affordable second-mouse luxury for most folks too.

As for the Pompompurin keyboard pictured behind these mice, this is a new range of keyboards and mice from Akko that ties into the beloved Hello Kitty golden retriever. These are gaming-grade options, with the mouse sporting a conventional shape and a quality PixArt PAW3395 sensor.

Meanwhile, the keyboard uses proper mechanical keyswitches and MOA-profile keycaps, which offer a more rounded top that perfectly matches the cute image of Pompompurin but with a concave top that’s much better for touch typing. Both the keyboard and mouse are available in pink or yellow options.

You can pick up these Capybara and other cute mice either from Aliexpress, or direct from Akko’s website, where you can also buy the Pompompourin peripherals. And while you’re visiting the latter, you can also check out the company’s on-point Dragon Ball Z gaming keyboard that, unlike this mouse, is a legit quality gaming peripheral.