With tremendous sensitivity, all method of shapes and buttons, RGB lighting, and extra, you may suppose the scope for innovation in a gaming mouse has in all probability peaked. To that, Logitech did an enormous previous’ ‘hold my beer’.
At its massive annual G Play occasion, Logitech’s gaming arm took the covers off the brand new Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike mouse. Spotting a Star Wars Stormtrooper-esque black-and-white livery, you would mistake it as a sharp-looking gaming mouse and transfer on.
But the Pro X2 Superstrike is rocking a claimed “industry-first innovation” in that it has analogue mouse clicks, minus the moving parts.
While many gaming mice use mechanical switches, the click is either engaged or not. An analogue clicking mechanism powered by magnetic hall-effect sensors, like those found in higher-end gamepads and gaming keyboards, allows for adjustable actuation points; the point at which a movement, like a tap, click, push, or pull, triggers an action.
This can allow for greater control and customization of a mouse click, but then, with no actual physical clicking mechanism, there’s no feedback to tell a user that a click has been triggered.
The smart thing Logitech G has done with the Pro X2 Superstrike is to use a “haptic inductive triggering system”. So rather than having a moving click mechanism, the mouse uses haptics to convey the physical sensation of a click; it’s a similar fashion to how Apple makes use of haptics in its Force Touch trackpad.
When utilized in mixture with Logitech’s G Hub software program, you’ve gotten 10 ranges of actuation to select from and 5 speedy set off reset ranges, which ought to allow you to customise when clicks are triggered to fit your gaming model.
After making an attempt this out briefly for myself, I used to be fairly impressed. You can have the press set off from the lightest of presses to laborious thumps of an index finger; one thing I’m positive skilled esports gamers and first-person shooter followers will recognize.
There’s additionally a speedy set off mechanism, which is one thing you get on keyboards and controllers with hall-effect mechanisms, whereby you possibly can have a pull of a set off or faucet of a key reset the second you scale back stress on them, with out the necessity for the mechanism to return to its earlier place absolutely. With haptics changing the click mechanism, you possibly can have that pace within the Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike.
I’m not a aggressive gamer, so in my very temporary time clicking away within the new mouse and utilizing the G Hub to tweak it, it’s laborious to get a really feel for the speedy set off right here.
But I do suppose it’s a neat addition to a gaming mouse and a characteristic that I’m positive devoted FPS gamers, esports execs, or streamers will recognize, particularly as Logitech claims the Superstrike tech can scale back click on latency by 30 milliseconds.
There’s additionally a bunch of different gaming mouse tech within the Pro X2 Superstrike, like a sensor with a most of 44,000 DPI and an 8kHz polling charge to maintain the mouse motion exact and snappy.
I appreciated it from a tech perspective, and as each a fan of the Force Touch trackpad – the most effective trackpad out of all of the contenders for our best laptops record – and Logitech’s mice, there’s positively a creeping attraction to the Pro X2 Superstrike, even when I lack the gaming chops to get probably the most out of it.
As for the remainder of the mouse, it’s harking back to different Logitech gaming mice. There’s nothing loopy within the design division right here, however it feels distinctly comfy to grip in the identical approach I really feel a lot of Logitech mice do. If you want that design, you then’ll really feel at house with the Pro X2 Superstrike; if you happen to’re extra of a Razer mouse fan, then chances are you’ll have to subtly regulate to this mouse.
At $179.99 / €179.99, you might want to be ready to pay a premium for the Logitech G X2 Pro Superstrike, however then you might be getting new tech for that outlay.
Furthermore, I’d be curious to see how different manufacturers, Razer included, react to this and if such haptics might usher in a brand new horizon for gaming mice.
Lightweight fantastic
For those of you turning your noses up at the Pro X2 Superstrike, then Logitech G has another mouse to tickle your face: the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2c.
That mouthful of a name is a very lightweight take on Logitech’s Pro X Superlight 2, and is smaller to boot. Designed in collaboration with professional gamers, the Superlight 2c has been made for people who like to adopt a so-called ‘claw grip’ to their gaming mouse.
I gave the new mouse a quick spring, and while I prefer mice with a bit more heft and ones that can be cradled in my hand, it’s still a slick bit of gaming hardware; just not my cup of tea.
If it sounds like yours, it’s being released on October 21 for a price of $159.99 / £159.99 / AU$299.95.
What might be more appealing to me, and surprisingly so, is the updated Logitech G515 Rapid TKL. This is the company’s first keyboard with low-profile analogue keys.
This design allows for fast key actuation and the use of the rapid trigger system to make for superfast key taps and presses, many of which can be tweaked and customised in the G Hub software.
While I don’t mind a lack of travel in laptop keyboards, I like my desktop ones to have deep, satisfying mechanical clicks. So low-profile keys don’t always appeal to me. But the G515 Rapid TKL may be the keyboard to convince me, as tapping away on it felt fast, snappy, and satisfying.
Not being able to take it for a long spin, and not being good enough at hardcore gaming to really embrace the rapid trigger mechanism, it felt good to type on at speed; I could have been imagining it, but I thought I made fewer typos while my fingers banged against the keys.
Logitech might have me rethinking my current mechanical keyboard with deep-profile keys, and prompts me to chew over an upgrade. You can get one today for $169.99 / £139.99 / AU$329.95.
There was more to see at Logitech G Play, however on the desktop PC gaming facet, these have been the highlights. Personally, I’d love to provide the Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike an even bigger go as soon as it arrives subsequent 12 months, and I’m curious in regards to the G515 Rapid TKL. What’s acquired your consideration? Let me know within the feedback beneath.