Logitech G203 LightSync review: A dependable low-cost gaming mouse

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The G203 LightSync is the epitome of fine worth, delivering consolation, model, and efficiency with out a hefty price ticket. Its small measurement and ambidextrous design make it comfy for all three foremost gamer grip types. And whereas its 8,000 DPI proprietary gaming sensor received’t match the pointer efficiency you’ll get from extra premium gaming mice, it’s nonetheless greater than succesful in nearly each informal gaming situation.

Note: This evaluation is a part of our roundup of best gaming mice. Go there for particulars about competing merchandise and the way we examined them.

Logitech G203 LightSync: Design and construct

Measuring simply 4.59 x 2.45 x 1.5 inches, the G203 is a small, wired, and well-built mouse, with a sturdiness you’re extra more likely to discover in costly gaming mice. Design-wise it oozes familiarity, that includes the sort of symmetrical, right-handed profile and six-button format we see in esports mice just like the HyperX Pulsefire Haste.

But whereas the G203’s design aesthetic is acquainted, it feels something however vanilla. Its foremost level of distinction is its rounded again finish that pushes up into the bottom of your palm offering palm grippers a snugger match than you’ll get with some gaming mice. This equates to extra exact pointer management, permitting your wrist to perform extra on display, however with smaller actions.

If you’re a fingertip or claw-style gripper, the G203’s small-sized physique additionally works to your benefit, permitting you to simply curl your hand over the mouse’s physique, or poise your fingertips proper on the set off with out stretching or dragging your palm upwards.

There’s loads to love concerning the G203’s right-handed button configuration too. It consists of two foremost clicks, two macros on the left-hand aspect, a plastic scroll wheel within the center, and a DPI preset button simply behind it. The central positioning of the buttons makes them considerably simpler to achieve than in longer mice.

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The button high quality is excellent too, all six being programmable and feeling fast and responsive when triggered. There’s additionally a great quantity of journey beneath the 2 foremost buttons, and so they really feel clicky – best for jitter clicking.

Logitech has thoughtfully integrated just a few different small touches that, given the G203’s price range standing, might have been disregarded, however we’re glad they weren’t since they in the end make the G203 extra satisfying to make use of.

One is a well-represented contingent of glide skates on the underside, which features a bonus sensor ring in addition to the compulsory high and backside skates. These do a terrific job maintaining motion easy and frictionless, whether or not you’re utilizing a mouse pad or not. The different good addition is a prolonged twine, which lets you sit as much as two arms’ lengths away out of your PC or laptop computer with out hitting the top of your leash.

All these design pluses add as much as make the G203 very ergonomic. One small peeve, nonetheless, is the G203’s weight: at 85 grams it’s just a little heavy for its measurement. Does this make an enormous distinction? If you intend on utilizing it as an esports mouse, it might—in any other case, it’s unlikely you’ll discover a distinction.

Logitech G203 LightSync: Software

The G203 makes use of Logitech’s G Hub software program, which is among the most complete apps out there for personalizing gaming mice. On downloading it, my evaluation unit was shortly acknowledged, and I might merely click on by means of on a visible picture of the system to alter the mouse’s DPI setting, polling fee, RGB lighting, and in addition to assign instructions and macros to buttons.

Assigning buttons is just a little higher in G Hub than in some mouse apps because the Assignments menu splits off into useful submenus that permit you to differentiate between profiles for video games or applications. You additionally get examples of instructions you could want to assign, which takes a number of the guess work out of pondering them up your self.

The ‘Actions’ submenu proved particularly helpful. It suggests key actions to assign for go-to applications like Overwolf, Discord, and OBS. Here you may configure buttons to, amongst different issues, seize replays and video or take screenshots—three indispensable instructions for streamers and sport builders. You can even assign instructions to the G203’s onboard reminiscence, so you should utilize it without having the G Hub software program.

For management of the RGB lighting, G Hub enables you to personalize three zones within the band on the G203’s again finish. Having three zones to play with means you may gentle up your mouse like a firecracker with dazzling multicolored shows. The LightSync RGB system is a worthy improve over the G203’s predecessor, the G203 Prodigy, and left a great impression on me. In reality, if I hadn’t recognized the G203 value simply $40, I’d have been none the wiser.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

You can even change the brightness and set numerous lighting results and animations. Regrettably, although, Logitech hasn’t made the RGB brand on the mouse’s high considered one of configurable zones, so it simply shows a fusion of colours out of your different colour choices. While it will have been good to have unbiased management of the emblem, there’s nonetheless loads of customization out there to maintain you busy for an extended whereas.

Logitech G203 LightSync: Performance

Budget gaming mice can range significantly with regards to their sensors, with resolutions ranging wherever from 1,200 as much as 24,000 DPI. Categorizing the G203’s 8,000 DPI sensor on this scale, it sits up from the underside however nonetheless in direction of the decrease finish. This places it slightly below close to rivals the Razer Viper Mini and SteelSeries Rival 3. That’s about the place efficiency lies too, which is to say, it’s respectable, however not excellent.

On the entire, although, the G203’s sensor proved responsive and reliable. It tracked properly in a variety of video games, from first-person shooters to RPGs. However, in some video games the place giant, quick actions have been essential, it have to be mentioned that the G203’s sensor struggled barely, displaying up seen ghosting that will undoubtedly be an obstacle in esports matches or critical aggressive matches.

Additionally, when you’re liable to lifting your mouse, the G203 isn’t the best choice, because it tends to have a better lift-off distance than another price range gaming mice. These drawbacks aren’t sudden for the G203’s value, or issues that you must essentially fear about for causal gaming, however they might flip off some players who require a extra flawless gaming expertise.

What did impress, nonetheless, was the G203’s click on latency, which is arguably the quickest I’ve seen in a price range gaming mouse. What’s extra, the buttons fired off with a satisfying audible click on.

Being in a position to change the DPI settings in smaller increments than opponents just like the Rival 3 additionally proved actually helpful for focusing on in first-person shooters, since I might extra exactly discover a DPI setting (and therefore a focusing on sensitivity) for various weapons courses—this being essential since completely different weapons/character courses could be topic to completely different sport physics.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

The mouse’s small design additionally proved an asset, maintaining my hand comfy and relaxed even after lengthy gaming stints. Ambidextrous mice are inclined to really feel wand-like, permitting you to level them exactly at targets as when you’re pointing a straight stick. This was the case with the G203, its miniature measurement permitting me to border up targets a mere few millimeters huge in my subject of view, thereby enhancing my precision.

Conclusion

The Logitech G203 LightSync could also be a price range purchase however it dishes up loads of consolation and precision management in video games thanks its small physique and ambidextrous design that resembles mice within the esports class. While its 8,000-DPI sensor isn’t excellent, it’s a succesful performer in most causal video games. Plus, the G203’s RGB lighting provides a welcome contact of colour to your gaming den.