What comes to your mind when you imagine a “professional gaming mouse?” Flashing lights, an elaborate weight system and an obscene amount of buttons? Logitech sees a different picture.
At a briefing for its new Logitech G Pro mouse, Logitech gave us an analogy: When you picture an auto race, what sort of cars would see on the track? Some people might imagine fancy supercars like an Audi R8 or a Lamborghini Gallardo, but in reality, you’ll see Formula 1 or Le Mans cars. Both types of cars are fast, but the latter eschews the leather seats and space-age cup holders for pure, unadulterated performance.
The same applies to what professional gamers look for in a peripheral. A gazillion extra buttons and flashy lighting don't give you a tactical edge over under-equipped noobs with $10 mice. However, all professional gamers really need is a lightweight mouse with an excellent sensor and ergonomic form.
Enter the Logitech G Pro, a no-nonsense gaming mouse created with feedback from pro gamers that comes equipped with the 12,000 DPI Pixart PMW3366 optical sensor, one of the most highly-praised sensors on the market.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Logitech G Pro |
|---|---|
| Sensor | Pixart PMW3366 |
| Buttons | Left click, right click, scroll wheel, forward, back, DPI |
| Resolution | 200 - 12,000 DPI |
| Max Acceleration | 40G |
| Max Speed | 300 IPS |
| USB Data Format | 16 bits/axis |
| USB Report Rate | 1000 Hz (1ms) |
| Microprocessor | 32-bit ARM |
| Cable | Braided (2 meters) |
| Software | Logitech Gaming Software |
| Dimensions | 62.15 x 116.6 x 38.2mm (WxDxH) |
| Weight | 83g (mouse only) |
| Price | $69.99 |
Design, Weight and Usability
Logitech found that the G303 Daedalus Apex was popular due to its button layout, sensor and lighting, but the shape was a major point of contention. Meanwhile, G100s users loved the shape of their mouse and wanted a better sensor. The result is a love child between the two, as the shape is reminiscent of the ergonomic G100s, but includes a top-of-the-line sensor.
As a result of the austere approach, G Pro’s resulting design is rather plain. The only decorative features are the RGB-illuminated Logitech G logo and an accent that encompasses the sides and rear of the mouse.
When it comes to mice, weight is mostly preferential. I prefer heavier mice a mildly aggressive DPI setting, but pro gamers, said Logitech much prefer lighter mice, and rightfully so. ESports athletes, especially those who play first-person shooters such as CS:GO, use low DPI settings and wide mouse pads. This means that their arm travels a fair amount while gaming, and moving a heavy mouse for hours on end can result in fatigue and discomfort.
Without the cable, the mouse weighs only 83g, and its weight is spaced evenly throughout the body. I found the mouse is pleasing to wield, whether using a palm, claw or fingertip grip.
The Logitech G Pro has only six buttons: left and right click, scroll wheel, a DPI button, and forward and back navigation buttons. Keeping in line with the G Pro’s lightweight design, the left and right buttons also felt incredibly light to click, to which Logitech credits its Metal Spring Tensioning System.
Coming from a G502’s Omron switches, the G Pro’s almost effortless click took a little getting used to. Additionally, the travel distance felt a tad shallow, and if you aren’t used to this, you might even find bottoming out unsatisfying. But hey, if a lighter click and shallower travel distance makes all the difference for a professional, who am I to complain?
To keep the G Pro’s weight at a minimum, Logitech omitted the popular infinite scroll wheel that can be found on many of its gaming and professional mice. Instead, a typical scroll wheel with a rubberized finish was included. For such a lightweight mouse with effortless right and left click buttons, the scroll wheel was comparatively heavy. Scrolling felt a bit sluggish, and clicking required much more force than what was to be expected for the G Pro.
Software: There When You Need It, Gone When You Don’t
As with other mice in the Logitech G family, the G Pro may be configured using the Logitech Gaming Software (LGS). Here, you can create and adjust lighting and button layouts. LGS provides five menus for the G Pro: the Home menu, Pointer Settings, Lighting Settings, Surface Tuning and Heat Map.
In the Home menu, you can choose between storing your settings on the G Pro’s on-board memory or on the computer. ESports leagues such as the League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) have strict peripheral guidelines preventing foreign software or cloud connectivity from being used on tournament machines. Thus, the G Pro’s on-board memory is ideal for pro gamers who can use their favorite settings on any machine worrying about software or drivers.
In the Pointer Settings menu, you can adjust the function of the G Pro's six buttons. These common mouse functions, keystrokes, or user-created multi-key macros. Up to five DPI sensitivity levels between 200 DPI and 12,000 DPI may be assigned. The DPI cycling button is used to, well, cycle through settings, assuming the button hasn't been assigned a different function. Finally, you can adjust the polling rate between 125, 250, 500 and 1000 Hz.
LGS allows you to adjust the G Pro’s Logo lighting, which in turn is synonymous with the accent lighting. The G Pro supports the 16.8 million RGB color spectrum and can sync to any other Logitech peripherals connected to your system. It would have been nice for the logo and accent to be illuminated separately, but doing so might have been an unnecessary addition the G Pro’s weight.
In the Surface Tuning menu, there are three predetermined surface profiles for cloth mouse pads, hard mouse pads, and the Logitech G Pro's factory default profile. The G Pro can easily be calibrated for new surfaces such as veneered wood. The process involves holding the left mouse button while drawing a figure eight with the mouse. Calibration took less than a minute, and the G Pro performed much better than with the factory default profile.
The final menu tracks the G Pro's heat map, which provides statistics on which buttons you press most and how long you press them.
Mission Accomplished, If That's Your Thing
The Logitech G Pro Gaming Mouse is the result of months of collaboration between Logitech and professional gamers, and the end result was made possible by their input. According to Logitech, the G Pro’s release was delayed by a few months based on the feedback received from the pros, and it shows. The G Pro is incredibly light and comfortable, and most importantly, it tracks spectacularly.
This isn't to say the Logitech G Pro is the perfect mouse. It appeals to a group that wants a well-performing mouse without having to buy into unnecessary upgrades like additional weights or an infinite scroll wheel. You don't have to be a professional gamer to appreciate the Logitech G Pro; you just need to enjoy the simple (and light) things in life.
