Logitech G502 Hero overview: the golden standard

The gaming industry is booming at an exponential rate, thanks in no small part to the rise of viewership on streaming services like Twitch and the participation in eSports events held worldwide. In fact, I too dabble with a bit of gaming every now and then, and like to watch other streamers play online. Of the handful of Twitch streamers I routinely watch, I noticed that most of them use products from Logitech. In fact, many creators swear by the company's gaming mice, which allegedly are the best of the best in the biz.

Recently, the company announced its G502 Hero gaming mouse in the subcontinent and being the curious cat I am, got myself a unit to see what all the hype was about. Here's a quick overview of my experience with the G502 Hero.

The Logitech G502 Hero has been designed to appease to the gamers and the unit features an edgy look which is topped off by the company's glowing RGB logo. The mouse looks quite chunky from a distance, but tips the scales at just 121 grams.  That's primarily because it has been constructed in entirety using plastic, barring the metal scroll wheel which I'll talk more about later. That said, the G502 doesn't feel flimsy by any means. On the contrary, the mouse has been built like a tank and I didn't find any noticeable wobbliness on its chassis. Adding to its robustness, the G502 features a fancy braided cable and its main buttons have been tested for 50 million clicks. 

Now, if you'd like a bit more heft whilst gaming, then Logitech does give users the option to increase the weight in increments of 3.6g by adding metal discs to the G502 Hero. To do so, simply flip open the bottom panel and insert the weights in their respective grooves. I must admit, this is quite ingenious and I'm yet to come across another gaming mouse which allows buyers to change its weight on the fly.

During my stint with the G502, I was in awe of its phenomenal ergonomics. The mouse features a textured finish on either side which lends an excellent grip whilst gaming. What's more, the left mouse button has been sculpted in such a way that your index finger nestles comfortably on it. Lastly, I'd like to talk about the mouse hump on the G502, which for my usage and grip is of the perfect height. Your mileage could vary, but for what it's worth, most of my colleagues got acclimated to the mouse in a jiffy.

As I mentioned previously, the Logitech G502 Hero features a metal scroll wheel which simply put, is a joy to use. Now, you might be wondering why I'm obsessing over a scroller, and rightfully so. Well, much like its predecessors, the scroll wheel on the G502 Hero also features two different modes which can be toggled by pressing the button directly below the knob. One mode unlocks the tilt wheel, paving way for smooth, free-flowing scrolling which is ideal for browsing through web pages and documents. The other gives you a notched scrolling experience which is what you'd want when playing FPS titles like Counter Strike: GO and others.

Logitech has put a lot of buttons on the G502 Hero – 11, to be precise. You obviously get the standard left and right mouse click toggles, along with the middle button which can be toggled by pressing down on the scroll wheel. But, you can also tilt the scroll wheel sideways to access two more functions. Then, there is the sniper button which is positioned at the bottom on the left-hand side and can be accessed by your thumb. You can press down on it to decrease the G502's DPI momentarily, which should help you take precise headshots in FPS titles.

Again, there's a whole treasure cove of buttons you get with the device, and you can bind them to mimic various functions by using Logitech's companion gaming software. You can also use the software to change the colour of the RGB logo easily.

When you're shelling out upwards of Rs 6K for a gaming mouse, you expect it to perform phenomenally and the Logitech G502 Hero doesn't disappoint. The unit employs the company's brand-new Hero sensor which boasts a 1MS response time and can operate across a DPI range of 100 to 16,000. Suffice it to say, I didn't find any issues with the unit during my brief gaming sessions – pointer movements were swift, click registration was on point and I experienced little to no latency or delays.

So, is the Logitech G502 Hero a good buy? Well, the gaming mouse retails for anywhere between Rs 6,000 to Rs 6,500 on various online platforms which by no means is cheap. But, if you're a hardcore PC gamer, then I don't see why you shouldn't invest in the G502 Hero. The mouse offers a comfortable design, excellent performance and is durable enough to last you a few years. Therefore, if you're in the market for a brand-new gaming mouse, then you should definitely take a long, hard look at the G502 Hero.