The new Logitech G502 X gaming mouse doesn’t look very different to its predecessors, but the company has made some sizeable and important revisions to a proven formula. These revisions will help all gamers, but will be most notable to veteran first person shooter fans. The mouse’s sensor remains unchanged, but there are improvement elsewhere. In our Logitech G502 X review, we look at the new ergonomics, customisability and weight improvements.
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First and foremost, the Logitech G502 X is lighter than its predecessor, the only slightly older G502. It weighs only 89g, which is much lighter than the similar Hero’s chunky 121g weight. Unlike the aforementioned, you can’t actually change the weight of the G502 X – some hardcore PC gamers might see this as a deal breaker. For most, though, the reduced weight will be the defining feature.
So how was the weight reduced so significantly? Well, several changes were made, starting with the removal of the LED system in the hardware. The G502 X has no fancy RGB lights – it’s all about the gaming experience. The scroll wheel has also been changed from a metal part to plastic to reduce the weight, but it still has infinite scroll capability.
From a usability and customisation standpoint, the most important change may be the interchangeable thumb button with a little lip that can be rotated. It is useful in catering for people with varying hand sizes, and it can be swapped with a lip-sans silicon button that, when rotated, can act as a stopper instead of a button. It adds a lot of options for customisability, without adding any weight.
For players used to Logitech peripherals, there may be some getting used to in the positioning in the hand. It has a lower profile under the palm, which is a bit different to other gaming mice. It means your wrist is likely to still rest on the table, which isn’t to everyone’s taste. But using it for several days makes it clear why – the design is slightly skewed which gives it superior ergonomics to the simple flat, front facing hand placement of the original design.
The buttons are longer than before, which goes hand-in-hand with the changed angle of attack. It all lends to a very comfortable placement. Another change that’s not so evident to begin with is the lightforce hybrid switches. They’re opto-mechanical, so they combine optical speed with a mechanical actuation.
There are both wired and wireless options available. Most will tend towards the wireless version, but players that care about input latency and signal performance, likely people that play FPS titles, will opt for the wired version. It is also less expensive than its wireless sibling.
There isn’t a lot to complain about here. While many see its predecessor as a near perfect mouse, the Logitech G502 X is even better. I actually prefer the lightness, something that others might not be a fan of. The new ergonomics do have the potential to alienate those with larger hands or who don’t enjoy the sideways slant, and the weight reduction has meant RGB likers like me would need to spend substantially more.
But even with these caveats (for some), we would happily daily this mouse. It costs about R1,600 in South Africa, with the wireless version selling for at least R2,500. We would be very happy to pay the full price for the wired Logitech G502 X, and should be on any PC gamer’s shopping list looking for a new, premium gaming mouse.