Logitech G502 X Plus gaming mouse review: "Potential contenders for the top spot"

If you're on the lookout for a new mouse then you may have seen the G502 X or G502 X Plus from Logitech hitting the market recently. These pointers are the newest additions to the G502 line, which you've likely heard of before with the G502 Hero being a bestseller for a long while. 

These mice present features available on the best gaming mouse and best wireless gaming mouse, making them potential contenders for the top spots if they hold up well. 

Design

The first thing I noticed about the design of this mouse, for the G502 X Plus specifically, is where the RGB is positioned. Rather than being around the edge or on the palm only there is a cool cross-section of lighting. It's somewhat unfortunate that the wired edition doesn't come with RGB given the price point, but it still the same cool design. You are able to fully control the RGB with Logitech's Lightsync technology. 

The actual shape of the mouse is designed for ergonomic right-handed grip, with rubber grip texture around the thumb area to ensure comfort during long gaming sessions and no slipping. 

Included with the wireless version is a small removable puck at the bottom where you can store the 2.4ghx connector. This makes it easy to slip into your bag if you need it for on-the-go gaming. 

The wired version comes in at 89 grams and the wireless one comes in at 106 grams. This is to be expected as wireless editions tend to be heavier overall thanks to the rechargeable battery. These are certainly not the lightest options on the market as a result, but they are much lighter than their predecessor, the G502 Hero, which is closer to 120 grams. 

You can get both the G502 X and the G502 X Plus in black and white options, so that way it can match your setup whether it is dark or light themed. 

It's worth noting that there is a major packaging difference between the two options: the wireless one comes in an amazing box that feels premium to open up, while the wired edition comes in a box you'd expect a cheaper mouse to come in. You can really tell which version Logitech put more care into. 

Features

Aside from the fact that one is wired and one is wireless, the functional features offered by the two mice are practically identical. 

To begin with, you get 13 programmable buttons. The location of the buttons are easy access and I found them much more satisfying when compared to other models that just pile buttons on top of one another as you don't have to worry about fat-fingering them. There is a dedicated sniper button on the side of the mouse, but the cap on this can be swapped over to a standard one included in the box so it can be a normal button too. 

The DPI on these pointers go from 100 all the way up to 25,000. No matter what games you play or if you play a wide range of them, this mouse will work for you. You can also store up to five on-board memory profiles if you use Logitech GHUB (or two without it). 

You also get the choice between standard scrolling or ultrafast scrolling with this mouse, which you can change with just the press of a button. This is great for those who may need to bunny hop but still want the option to switch back and forth between scrolling styles.

The wireless edition connects with a Lightspeed 2.4ghz USB connector. However, you can also use it with a wired connection via a USB to USB-C cable. This is also the cable that charges it, meaning you can charge and play at the same time if you run out of power mid-game. The mouse boasts a 120-hour battery life without the RGB on or 37 hours with the RGB constantly on. 

The wired edition is obviously plug-and-play so you don't have to worry about battery life or input lag. 

Performance

I tested both the wired and wireless units and found that both of them worked amazingly. I much more preferred the wired edition but that's just because I prefer plug and play since my memory is too bad to remember to charge my mouse when it's got a low battery. 

Meanwhile, I found myself changing between the scroll wheel options quite often so I could navigate long webpages for work but still have a normal scroll wheel for when I want to switch between weapons without infinite scrolling between them.

I typically play both shooters and MOBAs, and found that the number of buttons suited me perfectly for both genres. I found myself not really using the sniper button so I switched it over to a normal cap and it became my ping button. 

I only very recently upgraded my mouse mat, so when testing these mice I actually had a relatively bad one and I found that I was still getting next to no drag at all. After changing my mouse pad and testing them again, they slid across my desk perfectly. 

The GHUB software was easy to use and allowed me to assign one of the buttons on the mouse to cycle profiles super quickly. This meant I could swap between them in the loading screen if I wanted different profiles for different characters. 

Should you buy the G502 X or G502 X Plus?

If you're looking for a new mouse then these could easily be the best option for you. They provide some amazing features for a relatively market-standard price. 

The G502 X comes in at $79.99 / £79.99, which is slightly pricey for a wired mouse, even with the features present. The G502 X Plus comes in at $139.99 / £139.99, which is pretty standard for a wireless mouse with RGB and the features present. 

A good comparison point here could be the Razer Basilisk Ultimate which costs $129.99 / £129.99. It presents the same features (aside from shorter battery life), and also comes with a charging dock.

How we tested the Logitech G502 X (+Plus)

I tested both mice by using them in place of my normal mouse, for both working from home and gaming. When gaming I played a wide range of game genres to ensure I could really put them to the test. This includes FPS games, MOBAs and fighting games. 

I was sure to test all of the features that it claimed to have and also see if the battery life rang true on the wireless edition. I used the mouse without the associated GHBU programme and with it to see if the mouse still functioned correctly without it. 

If you want to upgrade your gaming rig then you can check out the best gaming laptop or best gaming PC pages. Also, be sure to check out our best mouse pads so you have the right mat to go with your new mouse.