Competitive gaming is all about speed, and that has been the guiding principle behind the design of gaming-focused mice. From optical switches and high-end sensors, to an ultralight build, precision and trimming unnecessary heft (hello, honeycomb clickers) continue to be the main focus, but tweaks to each new generation have proven more prescriptive than meaningful at times.
After all, there’s a limit to how far the numbers fixation can go, whether it’s top polling rates, the range of sensitivity levels, or the weight, culminating in stagnated growth. The Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike looks to shake up the status quo by introducing a first-of-its-kind tech without compromising on the basics, and it knocks the ball out of the park in every way – though only a small handful of users will be able to reap the full benefits.
Building on the low-profile, no-frills aesthetic of the G Pro X2 Superlight, the rodent adorns its previously white body with black-dipped main buttons for a neat, striking contrast. In a bold, confident display of its identity, the top-left and right sides sport the black lettering of ‘X2’ and ‘Superstrike,’ and the underside has ditched grey PTFE feet for black ones. The rest of the look, however, is unchanged from before, including the asymmetrical side buttons – making this a right-handed mouse – and the medium-sized, gently-sloped shell.
Similarly, the base houses a circular, magnetic cutout that doubles as dongle storage, a sliding power button, and the latest version of the Hero 2 sensor responsible for the sharp precision that longtime users have come to expect. The mouse weighs just 61 grams, roughly that of an egg and a mere gram heavier than its predecessor, an insignificant and negligible increase. A USB-C port sits in a crevice at the top edge, and there’s still no DPI button to change sensitivity on the fly. The design may be underwhelming for those who prefer bells and whistles, but it’s safe and has worked well for years.
The feel, too, retreads familiar territory. The G Pro X2 Superstrike offers comfortable versatility that accommodates different grip styles, be it palm, claw, or a mix of both, even if its low height and slimmer profile suit fingertip use better. While not as lightweight as some of its contemporaries, it requires little effort to lift off a surface, and the overall build is solid to the touch, although the tactile clicks of the side buttons can feel at odds with the silent main mouse buttons.
In fact, the latter is Logitech’s secret weapon here. The only iterative upgrade of the sensor is a maximum DPI jump from 32,000 to 44,000, with the polling rate range of 1,000Hz to 8,000Hz, an 888 inches per second (IPS) top speed, and 88G of acceleration inherited from its forebear, leaving the heavy lifting to an exclusive feature called the Haptic Inductive Trigger System, or HITS for short.
To be clear, the core technology isn’t exactly new. Instead of regular optical switches, the G Pro X2 Superstrike uses a mix of magnetic induction to register clicks and haptic motors for feedback delivery, much like the workings of Hall Effect mechanical keyboards. It’s the first mouse on the current market to fully embrace this analogue input, however, which enables customisable actuation and rapid trigger.
In practice, users can fine-tune the individual travel depth for the left and right clicks to their liking, divided into 10 levels of 0.1mm increments – a leg up over both traditional optical and mechanical microswitches, where the reset point falls around the 0.6mm mark. The smaller the number, the lower the actuation force required, allowing very light touches to register as clicks and reducing the time between pointing a crosshair at a target and firing off in fast-paced shooter titles.
Then there are the rapid trigger and click haptics settings, adjustable across five intensity phases. Where the former resets the key at the slightest upward movement rather than a fixed lift-off threshold, haptic feedback adds a rounder touch to clicks that may take some getting used to. Altogether, Logitech claims “up to 30ms” improvement in response times that cannot be accurately measured without proper lab tests, but real-world performance does lend credence to the math.
Starting with a five-second click speed test, the G Pro X2 Superstrike averaged 8.7 clicks per second (CPS) under standard conditions – meaning no specialised techniques such as jitter clicking, used to achieve high CPS by tensing forearm muscles to vibrate the hand, or butterfly clicking, involving rapidly alternating between two fingers – which is above the common average of 6 to 7 CPS.
The same snappiness carried over to Aimlabs, a training platform for sharpening core first-person shooter (FPS) aiming skills, and Overwatch, where landing shots felt breezy and satisfying at the fastest rapid trigger speed and shortest actuation point. Gliding is smooth, albeit with slightly more friction than other mice, and there’s a consistent, velvety quality to tracking that carries over to Soldier 76’s rapid-fire play style and Emre’s burst shots. Reticle snapping is equally impressive, making every shot by Ana and one-taps feel crisp and natural.
For Blizzard’s shooter and similar hero-swapping titles, the lack of a cycling DPI button poses a challenge for mid-match tweaks (at least the hero-specific settings in Overwatch allow for preparation beforehand), especially between characters who require drastically different mouse sensitivities for optimal performance. This issue only affects a select handful of players, however, and is in no way a deal breaker.
The G Pro X2 Superstrike doesn’t drop the ball in non-shooter trigger-happy titles, either, serving as a viable alternative for playing Hades II, rhythm game osu!, the APM (actions per minute)-focused StarCraft II, and more. Still, it bears reiterating that a gaming mouse is a mere tool and not a substitute for skill, so don’t expect a substantial leap in overall performance. In fact, casual and non-competitive players are unlikely to notice or even care about the minutiae.
As with the majority of the Logitech G gaming line, all customisation takes place in the G Hub app. The straightforward and polished user interface should be familiar to longtime users, who can access existing settings such as DPI, key binds, polling rates, saved onboard profiles, and more. All inputs are remappable to individual keys and recorded macros, and a nifty sensitivity-match feature eliminates the hassle of recreating the same feel of an older mouse here.
The previously mentioned HITS system has its own dedicated menu, which is easy to navigate and adjust, with other notable features including a Bunny Hop (BHOP) mode that prevents accidental jumps when the scroll wheel is bumped, and a G-Shift function to switch to a secondary set of commands and button assignments. Since no web option is available yet, mapping macros or actions to the mouse for general web surfing will be limited to basic functionalities, such as going back and forward on a browser.
Rated at 90 hours, the battery life of the G Pro X2 Superstrike represents a slight drop from 95 hours, and can fluctuate depending on the strength of its haptic feedback and polling rate. There’s no reason to worry, however, as daily use with intensity set to level 2 and a 1,000Hz polling rate saw a 30 per cent dip after around 35 hours, lasting nearly three weeks before needing a recharge.
Logitech’s latest competitive offering demands a premium at S$289, but it ensures that the investment is worthwhile. The breakthrough HITS system is, well, a hit, and coupled with its extensive fine-tuning, leaves other mice in the dust, cementing it as the champion of clickers. While its full potential may go unappreciated by the average gamer, those who value speed, precision, and performance don’t have to look any further to make their blood sing.
GEEK REVIEW SCORE
Summary
A game-changer in a space of figure chasers, the Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike will satisfy even the most fastidious of competitive players with its blazing-fast performance, flexible customisation, and then some.
Overall
9/10
-
Aesthetics - 8/10
8/10
-
Build Quality - 9.5/10
9.5/10
-
Performance - 9.5/10
9.5/10
-
Value - 8.5/10
8.5/10
-
Geek Satisfaction - 9.5/10
9.5/10
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
HSALS
Sherwin Loh
