FINE-TUNED TO PERFECTION
Logitech G502 Proteus Core
Will you ever need a 12,000 DPI setting? Probably not. After a certain point – around 8,000 – high DPI just becomes unwieldy, but it’s nice to have the option to set it that high. That seems to be Logitech’s design philosophy for the G502. With DPI settings as low as 200, or as high as 12000, as well as an adjustable weight system and a surface calibration tool, there’s more customization here than anyone would ever need, but the ability to fine tune your mouse to such a degree is certainly most welcome.
Unlike some of the gimmicky thumbpad and grip swapping customizable mice we’ve seen in the past, the G502 has only one shape, but it’s a comfortable one, with an ergonomic right-handed, low-profile design that will perfectly suit claw grip gamers, as well as most palm grippers (except maybe those with very large hands). The mouse looks amazing, with an angular aesthetic and a predominantly matte black finish, accented by a few glossy black panels. A streak of Logitech blue at the bottom of the thumb rest adds a nice finishing touch. Both the thumb rest and the grip for the two outermost fingers are rubberized and textured, providing both stability and a pleasant tactile sensation. By default, the mouse weighs 121g, but the underside has a magnetic door that hides chambers where you can add up to five 3.6 weights. Not only can you select how much weight to add, but where to add it, providing very precise control over the feel and balance of the mouse, e.g. adding weight to the center is very different from adding it to the rear.
With 11 programmable buttons, the G502 has plenty of key-mapping options, including left click, right click, three-way scroll wheel click, two DPI sensitivity buttons, one button below the scroll wheel and three thumb buttons. The G502 can
store three profiles internally, or with Logitech’s software, an unlimited number on your computer. There’s also a non-programmable button beneath the scroll wheel that changes the wheel’s friction from a firm, ratcheted scroll, more suited to gaming, to a free-spinning one that is handy for web browsing.
Buttons on the G502 are arranged in a smart and intuitive layout. The thumb buttons are large and distinctive, and the inclusion of a third thumb button feels natural and easy to use - contrary to our expectations, it doesn’t cramp up the thumb area at all. The DPI buttons, located next to the left click button, are both remote enough to stay out of the way and large enough to press easily without looking. Both left and right click have large clickable surfaces, with equal resistance throughout.
One of the interesting new features on the G502 is its surface calibration tool. This requires Logitech’s Gaming Software to be installed on the PC, and uses the mouse’s sensor to scan the surface, automatically calibrating the sensor for optimal use on that surface. It sounds gimmicky, but we were pleasantly surprised by how well it works. We tested the mouse first on a high-end gaming mouse mat, then on a sheet of white paper and finally on a hardwood desk and, after running the calibration scan, all three surfaces performed equally well.
In our testing, we found the G502 to be accurate, responsive and precise, and the large, sensibly spaced buttons make it ideal for almost any game genre. We didn’t encounter any problems with lift and it’s completely free of any jitters, smoothing, acceleration, prediction or angle snapping.
Overall, the G502 is a versatile and highly customizable gaming mouse that can easily jump from hardcore FPS gaming one minute to casual web browsing the next. Even if you’re not interested in fine-tuning it to perfectly match your requirements, it’s fantastic right out of the box, and boasts one of the best sensors we’ve ever tested.