Logitech G302 Daedalus Prime review

Peripheral manufacturers must think that all gamers want expensive mice, chock-full of flashy, but superfluous features. They don't. Sure, what gamers want in a mouse often deviates from the basic two-button mouse packed in with a PC, but not often by much.

Logitech took a long, hard look at the peripheral scene, did their homework and came to market with the G302 Daedalus Prime. It's an impressive gaming mouse, more specifically, a MOBA gaming mouse, but you'd never guess it. Maybe that's because its impressive feature-set is disguised in its stunning, consumer-friendly body, or maybe it's because the G302 is just so affordable at 50 bucks.

With feedback from professional MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) players, a strategic genre of gaming where hours upon hours of relentless clicking is required, Logitech has crafted a mouse that's not only fine-tuned for marathon MOBA games into the night and short-session twitch gameplay, but it also happens to be a worthwhile choice for the PC community at large thanks to its ease of use, comfort and affordability.

Design

If a computer peripheral looks hard to use, it probably is. Most products made with gamers in mind sport an intimidating array of buttons and sharp edges, but Logitech went in a direction less traveled, making the G302 beautifully simple on the eyes and comfy in the hand with inviting curves.

On this right-handed only mouse, you'll find six customizable buttons, three of which are standard buttons you are probably used to, the left/right click and the scroll button. On the top of the mouse is a DPI (dots per inch) adjustment button. It allows for on-the-fly tweaks to the mouse's tracking speed. To finish the offering, two customizable buttons on the side allow for thumb presses. It's delightfully plain.

A stylish mix of glossy and matte black plastics wrap around the G302. The distinction between the two is subtle, yet purposeful. Matte plastic is in place for non-slip usability during intense matches, and its subdued appearance allows the gloss to take center stage. These glossy sections are reserved for the G302's boldest statement. Around the palm rest, blue light emanates through the grille, gently pulsating a cool effect onto the working surface.

The G302 weighs just over 3 ounces and while my opinion is certainly subjective, its feels lighter than it appears to be, but hefty enough to not feel like a hollow toy sliding around in my hand.

For the cheap price of entry, it's generously stocked with nice design touches that gamers and even general users who aren't so picky will appreciate. The mouse cradles fingers nicely, regardless of whether your grip is light, or if it's tight with your hand engulfing the whole mouse.

Looks can only go so far when it comes to tech, especially when it's engineered to perform up to spec of the most rigorous computing activities. Fortunately, the G302 is no slouch.

Performance

I'll admit it, I'm not a hardcore MOBA player, so the daily allotment of clicks the G302 gets on my desk isn't in the thousands, but the hundreds. I do, however, play games that require a similar level of pinpoint precision both in movement and click speed and accuracy. With games like Hotline Miami, Team Fortress 2 and Gunpoint, the G302 performed favorably.

With tips coming on high from a legion of MOBA professionals during the G302's creation, Logitech crafted a mouse that's a joy to use in-game and during normal computing tasks. On the technical side, it's capable of a whopping 20 million clicks and can cover a distance of 250 kilometers accurately with its 32-bit ARM microprocessor before it tracks its last movement.

To ground those numbers in reality, the mouse buttons click fast and easily thanks to the metal spring tension system, which claims to have an astonishing 1 millisecond response time. That many clicks will indeed last you a long time, whether you're a DOTA player or not.

There were several times that I forgot I was using a MOBA gaming mouse. This is the greatest compliment I can give to the G302. What it lacks in a good name (Daedalus Prime), it makes up for with distinct style and comfort.

We liked

For the low price of $49.99 (£39.99, AU$59.95), the Logitech G302 excels in its confident design and performance. It's on the more affordable end in the spectrum of PC gaming peripherals, but by no means does it feel or perform like a cheap mouse.

We disliked

The lack of ambidextrous support is a bit of a downer. Aside from the two thumb buttons on the left side, the design is perfectly symmetrical, which makes its left-handed omission that much more baffling.

Final verdict

If you're looking for a wireless mouse that ditches the LED effects and offers more of a subdued design, check out the SteelSeries Sensei Wireless. If you're right-handed and in the market for a hard-working wired mouse that won't break the bank, it's hard to go wrong with the G302.