Logitech Pro X2 Superstrike review: this game-changing mouse is like nothing else I’ve used

Introduction

I’ve lost count of how many times new gaming gear has arrived with a promise to transform the way you play, but the Pro X2 Superstrike really can back up those claims. It’s the first gaming mouse with haptics rather than physical switches, giving your clicks the equivalent of nitrous injection.

Logitech’s Haptic Inductive Trigger System (HITS) is to mice what analogue switches are to gaming keyboards, giving you total control over how fast the left and right buttons react to your inputs. Tiny actuators then vibrate to mimic the feel of a mechanical switch, but without the sound. It’s an F-117 Stealth Fighter to the G Pro X Superlight 2‘s F-16.

New tech rarely comes cheap, of course. At $179/£159 the Superstrike competes with top-tier rivals such as the Razer Deathadder V4 Pro. But after having one on my desk for a week, I’m convinced PC gamers will be blown away by its instantaneous inputs.

Design & build: keep it in the family

Seeing how many pro players (and countless more bedroom gamers) feel at home with the Superlight 2, it makes sense that Logitech stuck religiously to the form factor. The Superstrike has the same almost-symmetrical shape, same five-button layout with side buttons that continue to favour right-handers, and same pinhole LED battery indicator. RGB illumination has been omitted again too.

A black-on-white colour scheme and graphics that look a bit like movie motion tracking markers help it stand out from Logitech’s other mice. The all-plastic shell has the same smooth plastic finish, which won’t be grippy enough for some gamers; a set of stick-on grips included in the box can help, though they’ll cover up the distinctive design – and add a little extra weight.

The HITS system hasn’t exactly added much in the way extra bulk, so this mouse is just a single gram heavier than the Superlight 2. A Deathadder V4 Pro has it beat at 56g and boutique mice with lattice-style cases go even lighter, but I had no complaints: it still flung rapidly around my mouse mat, helped by large PTFE feet on the underside. The sculpted shape also fit perfectly under my palm. Logitech wouldn’t say whether a DEX version with a humped shape more clearly sculpted for right-handed gamers was on the way.

It gets the same handy compartment in the base for storing the bundled Lightspeed wireless dongle, and the cover can be swapped out for a Powerplay puck if you have Logitech’s wireless charging mousemat. You don’t get the spare cover coated in PTFE material included in the box like you did with the Superlight 2, though.

Features & software: under pressure

Installing Logitech’s G Hub software is a must to get the most from the Superstrike’s HITS clicks. beyond all the typical settings like button reassignment and sensitivity adjustment (there’s still no physical DPI switch on the mouse itself), it visualises exactly how much pressure you’re applying to the left and right buttons, letting you fine-tune their actuation point using more than just ‘feel’.

The buttons themselves have a teeny 0.6mm of travel distance, and you can pick ten different increments as to where a click registers. Slamming it to the lowest setting results in a mouse that’s almost psychically linked to your clicking finger. Rapid trigger then controls the reset point – where the mouse will register a second click – letting you spam clicks at an astonishing rate. Settings can be different for the left and right buttons, letting you really dial in the sensitivity to suit specific play styles or game genres.

Being able to control the strength of the haptics, from a subtle buzz to a firm rumble that feels just like a mechanical click, is also a welcome addition. I don’t use the scroll wheel for bunny hopping in first person shooters, but those that do will like being able to ignore the first scroll within a certain timeframe. I don’t think there’s another mouse out there as tweakable to your own tastes as this.

Mouse buttons aside, the rest of the Superstrike’s hardware will sound very familiar to Superlight 2 owners. It has the same Hero 2 optical sensor, which can track movement at a stratospheric 44,000 DPI and stays accurate at 888 inches per second, or 88G of acceleration.

Lightspeed wireless connectivity was nigh on flawless throughout testing, even at the maximum 8000Hz report rate (or how often the mouse tells your PC its position). Playing wired over USB-C caps out at 1000Hz.

Logitech’s claimed 90 hours of wireless play time depends heavily on how you use the mouse; expect a lot less if using the haptics at the highest setting and opting for 8000Hz reporting. That said, I was able to go an entire working week without having to plug in; only those chalking up serious gaming time will notice the difference.

Performance: can you click it

Even before I jumped into my first game, I instantly noticed the X2 Superstrike’s quiet operation. With haptics disabled clicks are essentially silent, though they felt a bit like prodding a MacBook’s Force Touch trackpad with the power off; things were more natural at the lower feedback settings.

Click latency improvements between generations of gaming mice are usually measured in the microseconds – so small that even professional gamers aren’t truly benefiting. That the X2 Superstrike brings a 30 millisecond dip is a huge deal. The small travel distance also helps make it feel like you’re more connected to the mouse, and the way they instantly reset the moment you lift your finger slashes the delay between clicks.

In Counter Strike 2, I could instantly feel the difference: guns truly felt like they had hair triggers, letting me get shots off the moment my crosshair found an opponent. My headshot percentage saw a 10% boost after just one game, and has continued to climb (by admittedly smaller increments) the longer I’ve played.

MOBAs and strategy games where actions per minute are in the hundreds are not my strong suit, but could appreciate how much faster I was able to register clicks in Starcraft 2‘s campaign mode. My habit of hovering my index finger over the mouse button instead of laying it flat on the surface was becoming the limiting factor. If you’ve got a need for speed, no other gaming mouse comes close.

Having used a Superlight 2 for a few years at this point, I had nothing to grumble about on the accuracy or connectivity fronts either. Cursor tracking is simply superb, there were never any wireless dropouts or delays, and rapid movements aren’t an issue.

Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike verdict

The X2 Superstrike is gaming mice having their Hall Effect moment. Speedy, infinitely adjustable analogue keyboards have become the pro gamer norm in double-quick time, and now Logitech has given the humble rodent a similar treatment. Nothing else I’ve tried has improved my time-to-click so effortlessly. From shooters to strategy games and everything in between, there’s a level of responsiveness here you just won’t find anywhere else.

It comes packaged in a familiar form factor, carries next to no weight penalty, and only a minor one to battery life depending on how strong you have the haptics. The satisfying force feedback and whisper quiet operation help seal the deal.

The Superstrike is undeniably expensive, but justifiably so while the rest of the gaming world plays catch up.

Read the full article here