Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum RGB Tunable Gaming Mouse Review

1. Introduction, Specifications, and Pricing
2. Packaging, Accessories, and Documentation
3. Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum RGB Tunable Gaming Mouse
4. Inside the G502 Proteus Spectrum RGB
5. Software
6. Final Thoughts

TweakTown's Rating: 99%

The Bottom Line

While it may not have lights all over it, the G502 Proteus Spectrum RGB doesn't need it. This mouse is at the top of the game when it comes to functionality, layout, feel, and what has become accurate and precise movements afforded all-in-one comfortable Logitech mouse.

Introduction, Specifications, and Pricing

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In an ever expanding sea of mice to choose from, a departure from what is expected is what will set individual products on a plateau above all others. There are companies out there breaking into the market, cloning previous designs, or at the very least, throwing something together. This is done to try to run with the big dogs in the peripherals market, in hopes to offer you a full assortment of products which share branding. However, as some companies, like Logitech, who have been around forever, are left holding the best hand, and can expand upon the basic, and deliver something unique and exceptionally user-friendly.

Even as we were getting our feet wet in gaming, it wasn't long until we got our mitts on the MX518 for gaming, and used the MX1000 exclusively for years, and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. With reviews taking us in so many directions, across the gamut of what is offered in mice, it had been a while since we played around with something Logitech. Not too long ago, we asked for the G700s, and were we ever in for a treat. There was a distinct evolution in every facet of design, in fact, we liked it so much we still employ it on the HTPC to this day. After nearly three years since, we thought we may as well see what Logitech has going on in mice, as long as we already had the G910 Orion Spark being delivered for testing, it only made sense to ask.

This bring us to why we have you here today. Logitech has paired our time with the G910, and sent us the G502 Proteus Spectrum RGB Tunable Gaming Mouse to get our opinion on it as well. In short, what you are about to see, is a product that offers superb tracking abilities, wrapped up in a sleek and ergonomic, almost a take on the RAT7, but nowhere near as ugly. This is form fit to any right-hand user and delivers everything we expect from Logitech, as well as taking things to the next level in gaming mice. The G502 Proteus Spectrum RGB is teetering at the top as one of the best mice ever, and that alone should be reason enough to find out why.

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The left side of the chart that is provided by Logitech covers all of the fundamental aspects of what you are getting. We are given the G502 Proteus Spectrum RGB's 910-004615 part number, and no matter how you address its name, it is covered with a two-year warranty. As for what you need to have to be able to utilize the G502 fully, the chart shows you need Windows 7 or a newer Microsoft OS, a USB port to connect the mouse to, and also an internet connection to obtain the software. At the bottom, it is said that there are a mouse and some literature in the box, but they do leave out the weight system that is also packaged in this box.

On a technical level, the PMW3366 optical sensor has a range of 200 to 12,000 DPI and it can be adjusted in 50 DPI increments. Maximum acceleration that the sensor can read at is shown to be more than 40Gs, but must fall under 50G, or they would have shown that. The G502 can also be moved at an astounding speed of 300 inches per second, and they obtained the IPS and G-ratings using the G240 Gaming Mouse Pad. Responsiveness is speaking about the 32-bit ARM MCU at the heart of this design. Data is sent at 16bits per axis, and it offers a 1ms report rate. Using the G502 on a veneer desktop, they also figured out the very low coefficient of friction, both when moving, and from a stop.

Durability is also discussed, and while we understand the 20-million click lifespan of the Omron switches, we assume the 250 kilometers means the total amount of movement, but that could easily vary from user to user in our opinion. Logitech is also sure to cover the dimensions and weight of the G502 Proteus Spectrum RGB at the bottom, but there is no mention of the materials or styling, you will just have to see it and find out along the way.

Now the G502 Proteus Spectrum is not exactly brand new at this point, but it is still fresh, and this is reflected in the pricing. It takes all of a minute to type in the model and search the internet, to see that this mouse is found almost anywhere. Of course, we go to our normal haunts and found that no matter if you are looking at the MSRP, shopping at Newegg, or Amazon, all pricing is identical. While this Logitech G502 does hit the upper threshold of what we think a great gaming mouse could cost, we assure you, with what Logitech delivered in this G502 Proteus Spectrum RGB Tunable Gaming Mouse, even the most frugal buyer will have a hard time passing this up.

Chad's Peripherals Test System Specifications

• Motherboard: ASUS X99-E WS - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• CPU: Intel Core i7 5930K - Buy from Amazon
• Cooler: Corsair H100i GTX - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Memory: KLevv Cras DDR4 3000 - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Video Card: ASUS GeForce GTX 980 Matrix Platinum - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Storage: Intel 730 480GB - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Case: SilverStone TJ11 - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Power Supply: Corsair AX1200 - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• OS: Microsoft Windows 10 Professional 64-bit - Buy from Amazon

Packaging, Accessories, and Documentation

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The Logitech logo and name appear at the top with the "G" added denoting their gaming series, and a large image of the G502 and its weights are placed in the middle. In bright blue, we see the G502, with white used for the Proteus spectrum, and in the blue bar at the bottom, we are told this is an RGB Tunable Gaming Mouse.

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Using the bright blue we saw on the front, this side delivers the specifications, in English and French, using dark blue and white text to get them across.

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The back of the packaging denotes the 16.8 million colors to the right, and down the left, Logitech covers the 11 buttons, the customizable lighting, and the weight system that is shown inside the G502. At the bottom, they also address the surface tuning with Delta Zero Technology, that there are five DPI settings, a 4D scroll wheel, three profiles, and that the cable is braided and durable.

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Again using the bright blue as the backdrop, this last side addresses the contents of the package, as well as the system requirements.

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Inside of the box, we found the G502 Proteus Spectrum RGB to be resting in a bright blue plastic support frame, which matches all of the packaging. To keep the mouse in place, a clear plastic top is used to form fit the mouse, and rest on the top edge of the lower section. As for this particular mouse, the G502 is in pretty good shape for images and testing.

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Under the mouse, you will locate the hexagonally shaped box with the Logitech name and logo embossed on the top of it. Under the inner packaging is where we found the literature. This includes a basic setup guide from Logitech, as well as the terms of their two-year warranty.

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Inside of the hexagonal case, the weights for the bottom of the mouse are shipped. There is a total of five 3.6 gram weights that can be used. They can offset the weight inside the mouse, just add heft, and in total this is 18 grams to play around with.

Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum RGB Tunable Gaming Mouse

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Five of the eleven buttons reside on the left side of the G502. At the top are G7 and G8, at the front, and under the DPI indicator LEDs, there resides G4 and G5. In the wing-shaped thumb rest, near the front is the "Shift" button, and the bulk of this rubberized surface offers a diamond pattern to ensure a good grip.

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At the heel of the G502, we see the left side carries that soft rubber over the back, and is enclosed with a body line, coming from the left and running straight down the middle, made of shiny plastic. The right section is not rubberized, but is slightly textured, but feels smooth under the hand.

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The right side sees the back section continuing, and is again stopped with shiny plastic. The lower section is rubberized, and like the left side, we find more diamond pattern grips as well. This side also sweeps under the mouse, making it very easy for the ring and pinky fingers to grab it.

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At the top, we find a heavy metal scroll wheel that operates in four directions and offers click functionality. The button just behind it allows free-wheel of the scroll wheel, and the second button is the G9 button. These are flanked to either side, by gently sloping, right and left click buttons.

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Just like we found with the G910, when it comes to shipping the wiring, Logitech does not kink the cable. It is instead rolled up, and in this instance, there is a strap of Velcro to maintain wiring from hubs or when traveling.

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Under the Logitech G502, we see that six feet support it. A large one at the front, with a smaller one, just below and left of it. One to the right side under the wing, one at the bottom, and two sections making up the hexagon around the eye of the sensor. We also like that the diamond pattern comes around and carries onto the removable weight system cover.

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The hole at the left allows the cover to stay in place via a magnetic connection made there. With the cover removed, we find a rubberized compartment that will accept the weight we saw earlier.

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There is a distinct pattern that the weights need to be fitted into. Of course, you may not want all of this added weight, but you can see where the weights fit, and what you options are for offsetting weight to specific sides or quadrants.

Inside the G502 Proteus Spectrum RGB

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Inside of the top, many levers and hinges allow all of the buttons on top to function free from each other and deliver the precision felt in all of the buttons. The lower section is packed with switches and is built with two PCBs on the bottom half.

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Under the left click, as well as under the G7 and G8 buttons set to copy and paste by default, are all backed with Omron switches. Also in this design, any wobble, gaps, or lag in the press of each button has been illuminated, delivering precise audible clicks when needed.

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Even the smaller secondary switches are made by Omron. The lowest one is used for the "Shift" button, and the two at the top are used for the G4 and G5, which are set by default as page back and page forward. These are slightly softer, and less audible when used.

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Switching DPI on-the-fly is no joke it seems, as that button on top of the mouse, the G9 button, is also an Omron switch. This isn't because of just DPI changing; it is because all these buttons are reprogrammable, and it keeps the same feel across the top of the mouse. We also see the MCU has had a sticker applied to it.

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Removing the sticker, we indeed find a 32-bit ARM Cortex M3 MCU used in this design. While marketed as a value-line product, there is plenty of grunt in this chip to do everything you and the G502 features demand of it.

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Some have said this is the best optical sensor in the game, and it appears that Logitech has exclusivity to the PMW3366 from Pixart. We have seen versions that are close to this, but we do not recall seeing this particular sensor in any mouse, Logitech made, or not.

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The rocker motion of the scroll wheel uses black pad switches; they are stiff, and they are audible. We also see that Logitech kept the theme going with the main switches, and employs this last Omron switch for the right click button.

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Putting the G502 back together, and then plugging in the cable to our PC, we found that we are greeted with the standard LED color as matching the packaging. It offers a breathing mode, color cycling of the millions of colors, and the DPI lights shown, turn off quickly, and are not adjustable as to their color.

Software

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After software installation, a firmware update, and a restart, we opened the software to the home page. Here we are greeted with an image of the G502, with a notation to the right of the onboard memory for storing your settings. While there is no mention of exactly how much there is, we would assume there is plenty to handle the remapping and various profiles.

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This is where the magic happens. On the left, you can click on any button on the mouse, and remap other mouse functions, use direct entry to set basic keyboard commands, or pick the Macro editor to devise anything you want to work with one of the eleven buttons over the three profiles you can select at the top. In the smaller window, you can select the number of DPI levels you want to use and set, and below that, you can set the DPI levels for each setting, as well as setting the "Shift" speed. At the bottom, you may adjust the Report Rate, and there is also a button to restore default settings.

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The lighting may be somewhat limited, with just the "G" on the back of the mouse lighting up most of the time, but you can select a breathing effect, where you can choose the color that is displayed for both the DPI and the "G". In Color Cycle mode, you do not pick the color; the only option is to turn off the LEDs or use them as you set them. Adjustability continues, as you can also adjust the lights rate and brightness, and even set a sleep time to turn all effects off after not being used for a certain amount of time.

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Surface tuning is a handy feature to have, and it is likely you never appreciated what a good sensor is capable of when programmed to work with the specific mouse pad you own. Logitech does offer a few profiles for basic use on any surface as well as a cloth and hard pad profile for their products. By clicking on the add new surface plus sign, you will be allowed to name the pad, and then you repeat a figure eight pattern for testing, and when done, the G502 will spring into a whole new meaning of control on that mouse pad.

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Just to show how this works, we madly clicked some buttons for thirteen seconds, recording what we did. This shows the buttons that we did use and is color coded to reflect amount used. This can be used to see where your hand gravitates to in gaming, so you can shift the button setup, customizing the mouse to the way you use it most.

Final Thoughts

In well over a decade, maybe closer to twenty years now, we have never been let down by a Logitech mouse. Of course, there are some who will likely jump in the comments with horror stories, but we have never had this. Whether buying them for gaming in the past, of in what Logitech has sent us for testing, we are always impressed. In the case of the G502 Proteus Spectrum RGB, the same rings true here. First of all, there is the form, layout, and functionality. We have used the RAT mice, and while the buttons can be handy, we always hit buttons that were never meant to be used.

With this Logitech mouse, it still puts buttons on the side of the main buttons up top, but none of them find themselves being used accidentally. Also backing them with Omron switches is never a bad idea. The same is said of the buttons to the side. While they are easily reached and used comfortably, they only came into play when needed. The form of this design fits the hand very well, and the rubberized grips make it easy to lift, adjust, and smoothly glide along. Not one bit of the aesthetics, not a single curve of the body, not even of the coatings used on the various parts, we fell in love with everything the outside of the G502 had to offer. Another thing we like that we only see from Logitech, is the free-wheel option of the 4D scroll wheel, making speed scrolling a breeze when scanning long documents or web pages.

Accounting for some of the cost associated with this mouse is the choice of components, as well as the work that goes into the software and ensuring one of the most precise clicking mice on the planet. The same can also be said for the sensor, as even after programming the sensor to the pad, it is always making adjustments and corrections to afford users the smoothest and most accurate tracking available in an optical sensor. With Omron switches found near everywhere inside, it keeps the feel of the mouse buttons similar, and with the audible clicks these deliver, along with the removal of any play in the buttons, it makes usage that much more enjoyable. The exclusive PMW3366 sensor at the helm is also a plus.

After many hours of use, both gaming and photo editing, the Logitech G502 moves into a league that only two or three mice have delivered in the past. Then, of course, the software plays a big part into the enjoyment of this mouse. Remapping, keyboard functionality, and a full Macro editor suite, delivers customization we expect, and with thirty-three possible commands, it does not top the chart of possibilities, but it does provide plenty. The RGB lighting is a cool feature, but is somewhat limited to the heel of the mouse, and also in the options of lighting because of this. However, it can be synced to the G910, and both G's will keep in pace cycling the same colors together.

Our mantra has always been that when you find a feature rich design in mice, which is both functional and comfortable, that the $80 mark is about the glass ceiling of what people are willing to pay. In the instance of the G502 Proteus Core RGB, the $79.99 pricing puts us right at the top. Unless you prefer extensive light systems over accuracy, precision, comfort, and functionality, this mouse is worth everything they are asking. Logitech delivers a mouse that fits like a glove to right-hand users, provides profiles, a multitude of buttons, Macro capability, all packed in a design that is an actual extension of one's hand.

From every angle, we cannot fault this design in any way, and if you are willing to pay for high-end components inside of a top notch layout and shape, you too will be rewarded for your expense. For us, only one mouse comes to mind in the level of accuracy and precision that is offered here, but it in no way delivered in form or features to this level. The G502 Proteus Spectrum RGB Tunable Gaming Mouse is just that good, that if you have the ability to use one, we strongly urge you to do just that.

Chad's Peripherals Test System Specifications

• Motherboard: ASUS X99-E WS - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• CPU: Intel Core i7 5930K - Buy from Amazon
• Cooler: Corsair H100i GTX - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Memory: KLevv Cras DDR4 3000 - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Video Card: ASUS GeForce GTX 980 Matrix Platinum - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Storage: Intel 730 480GB - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Case: SilverStone TJ11 - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Power Supply: Corsair AX1200 - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• OS: Microsoft Windows 10 Professional 64-bit - Buy from Amazon