Logitech has gone above and beyond lately with refreshes to their product line. Whether you have the new G PRO Wireless or an old classic now revamped like the MX518 Legendary, you’re still likely to be surprised by the mouse we have today. This is our review for the new G502 LIGHTSPEED Wireless Gaming Mouse.
Specifications
- Cost: $149.99
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Technical Specifications:
- LIGHTSPEED Wireless Technology
- POWERPLAY Wireless Charging-compatible
- Tunable Weight and Balance System
- Dual-mode hyper-fast scroll wheel
- Onboard Memory
- LIGHTSYNC RGB Lighting
- PTFE Feet
- Dual-injected rubber grip
- Braided data/charging cable
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Physical Specifications:
- Height: 5.20 IN (132 mm)
- Width: 2.95 IN (75 mm)
- Depth: 1.57 IN (40 mm)
- Weight: Mouse Only: 4.02 oz (114 g), up to 16 g of additional weight
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Tracking:
- Sensor: HERO 16K
- Resolution: 100 – 16000 DPI
- Max. acceleration: > 40G
- Max. Speed: > 400 IPS
- Zero smoothing/acceleration/filtering
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Responsiveness:
- USB data format: 16 bits/axis
- USB report rate: 1000 Hz (1 ms)
- Microprocessor: 32-bit ARM
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Battery Life:
- Up to 48 hours (default lighting)
- Up to 60 hours (lights off)
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I have reviewed a few Logitech mice now, from the PRO Wireless and PRO Wired to the G502 HERO version released last fall, and one thing that has remained true with their direction is improving on what customers already love. The same is true here: a mouse that looks and feels similar but that has been remade from the ground up to take advantage of all of Logitech’s technological improvements over the last four years.
One thing that draws people into using this particular mouse is the shape. It is shaped so that the entire mouse fits in the palm of your hands with your fingers poised over the main buttons. There is a bit of a lip for your thumb to comfortably rest on while you are gripping it as well. It’s lightweight enough to be used in either a palm, hybrid, or fingertip grip and glides like a dream.
For people who like the buttons where they were on the G502 and G502 HERO, you will be happy to hear that they’re exactly where you would expect them to be. You have your normal left, right, and middle click, as well as two additional buttons on the left side of your index finger that are mapped to DPI adjustment. You also have your forward, back, and sniper buttons on the left side. Logitech has also included left and right tilt buttons on the mouse wheel, a lock/unlock toggle for the free wheel (the middle mouse can spin on a bearing for super fast scrolling), and an additional programmable button below that.
With buttons to use for macros, windows functions, or even actions within popular programs like OBS, the G502 LIGHTSPEED is a very customizable mouse that you can really tailor to particular games. It’s very good for first-person shooters especially with the ability to change the buttons to hotkeys for different weapons or items.
The Interior
The G502 HERO is a very well built mouse but to get the new LIGHTSPEED technology added, they had to make some interior changes. A trend with recent mice has been to lighten them. Logitech has done this by switching to a thin wall endoskeleton design. This made the walls of the mouse thinner while also providing more room for the interior pieces of the mouse to fit properly.
If you were to look at one of the internals of the G502, you would see some key changes. Onboard memory is now a smaller chip on an integrated circuit and there are fewer pieces used in its construction. The wheel is more lightweight. Other parts were now able to be both smaller and more powerful than the original G502. Despite an entirely new build process with more advanced internals, including the onboard battery, the G502 LIGHTSPEED manages to be 7-grams lighter than the G502 HERO coming in at 114g.
If you prefer a heavier mouse, that won’t be a problem as there are still 16 grams of weight provided to customize the feel of the mouse. Note that the 4-gram weights are designed to go into the cap that covers where the USB dongle is hidden on the bottom of the mouse. These weights will not work if you are using the Powerplay Wireless Charging Adapter. It isn’t a big deal for me but some people may want the extra weight. If you don’t use Powerplay, don’t worry about it.
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The Colors of the Wind
Well, at least it seems like Logitech painted with all the colors when they installed LIGHTSYNC RGB into their new products. G502 Wireless is no different. While there are only the main G logo and the lights for the DPI settings, it still maintains the full spectrum of colors with 16.8 million colors. You can customize the effects and animations with the Logitech G Hub software as well. With this software, you can use tools such as screen sampler, audio visualizer, and others to utilize with your games and other programs. I tend to lean towards just a color cycle for all of my devices because who doesn’t like seeing a rainbow on their computer components.
Powerplay With Your Mouse
Logitech wanted to make sure that this was an all-around heavy-hitter, so they also implemented Powerplay compatibility. You can check out our previous review here. Basically, the Powerplay charging system is a large mouse pad that can wirelessly charge your mouse. A small puck connects to the back of your mouse with magnets and allows it to charge with the Powerplay system just by sitting on the mat. It comes with a couple of different surfaces that you can utilize for smoother mouse play as well. Having the Powerplay mat has made a world of difference for my gaming for the simple fact that, I don’t have to have a cable attached to the mouse for charging while using it. I can still play wirelessly with no cord getting in my way as I play my games.
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Chewie, Prepare to make the Jump to LIGHTSPEED
While Han and Chewie used a different type of light speed in the movies, Logitech uses LIGHTSPEED Wireless for their new mice to finally allow “better than wired” performance, wire-free. This type of wireless is being used by everyday people as well as eSports players more and more. It offers you the freedom to play your games and work without a cord, and you can also take the mouse with you and sync it to any computer that you want to use. This is accomplished through the USB wireless adapter that comes with the mouse. Logitech claims that their LIGHTSPEED tech outpaces some of their competitor’s wired mice, though we don’t have a way to test that in house. What we can say is that the 1ms report rate feels responsive and completely indistinguishable from a wired mouse like the Logitech G Pro.
Coupled with the HERO16K sensor you will not be wanting for control. The HERO16K is Logitech’s new in-house sensor an offers accurate, filter and acceleration free tracking across the DPI spectrum. Competitors often have a “sweet spot” where they guarantee accuracy, somewhere around 3200 DPI. The HERO sensor does away with those limits and delivers outstanding tracking across its DPI range.
Final Thoughts
Logitech wanted to take something that people loved like the G502 and make it better with the G502 HERO, and then just knocked it out of the park with the G502 LIGHTSPEED Wireless. They take the best pieces of all three iterations of the mouse and merge them together seamlessly one fantastic mouse. Whether you are using it for normal everyday work or playing the newest first-person shooter out there, you are sure to fall in love with the connectivity and control available on this wireless version.
Pros
- Lightweight and sturdy
- Similarly priced to other wireless mice but offers more features
- Able to use anywhere
- Programmable buttons
Cons
- Some buttons used for push-to-talk will not hold the connection even with the button still pressed.
- Can’t use all the weights provided if you use the Powerplay Adapter
The product discussed in this article was provided by the manufacturer for evaluation purposes.
