Asus ROG Spatha X gaming mouse review: Gargantuan gaming goodness?

(Pocket-lint) - The Spatha X is an implicit monster of a gaming rodent that rocks 12 programmable buttons, fancy RGB lighting, a convenient charging dock, positive truthful overmuch more. 

This is simply a ample gaming rodent with immoderate intriguing plan aspects that mightiness marque it appealing to those large-handed, palm-grip gamers retired there. Here's however we got connected with it.

Gargantuan goodness?

• 12 programmable buttons
• Wired oregon wireless 2.4GHz mode
• Dimensions: 89 x 137 x 45mm / Weight: 168g
• 19,000 DPI, 400 IPS, 50G acceleration, 1000Hz polling rate

When we archetypal got our hands connected the ROG Spatha X we were instantly struck by the sheer size of this thing. Where different mice person gone tiny and lightweight, Asus has gone wholly the different mode here.

The Spatha X weighs successful astatine a staggering 168g, which is astir 3 times the value of immoderate of the lighter mice we've reviewed of late. Even the Corsair M65 RGB Ultra Wireless with its aluminium framework is conscionable 110g standard. So the Spatha X is already mounting a code for doing things differently. 

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Then there's the signifier and setup. The framework connected this rodent is huge, which we were honestly pleased to spot arsenic we mostly play with a palm-grip benignant and dislike having our manus interaction the mousemat. If you're that mode inclined too, past you'll beryllium pleased to spot that the Spatha X has digit and thumb rests connected some sides of its frame, truthful it's casual to support your digits retired of the mode portion you game. 

Although thumb rests are common, it's beauteous antithetic to spot a spot for your different fingers connected the right-hand broadside of a mouse. The quirky plan present besides means you tin seemingly clasp it successful 2 antithetic ways: either with your ringing digit resting connected the raised country connected the close and pinky connected the rubber grip connected the jut-out side; oregon with each fingers resting connected top, having to usage your mediate digit connected the rodent instrumentality (which seems similar an volition of this design).

Next to the near rodent fastener are 2 tiny buttons for casual entree - assuming you tin get utilized to them being there. By default these buttons are acceptable to beryllium 'backwards' and 'forwards'. These are actions usually assigned to the thumb buttons connected astir different gaming mice. It's different hint arsenic to the mode you're meant to clasp the Spatha X really.

On the near broadside of the mouse, wherever your thumb rests, determination are nary little than six programmable buttons. We deliberation these are weirdly designed, though, arsenic they look successful a assortment of shapes and sizes. This is again by plan arsenic they're styled successful bid to lucifer the iconic 'ROG eye' symbol. This country is nicely accented by the surrounding RGB lighting and there's nary denying it's surely large looking. 

Asus says that the "... placement of each fastener has been cautiously considered truthful they're wrong reach, and each person been designed to supply a tactile click consciousness for intuitive, responsive control." We're not definite we hold with that, unfortunately. Our acquisition with these buttons was muddied by however intimately clustered unneurotic they are. It's not casual to discern betwixt them connected the ground of interaction alone. With the objection of the beforehand bottommost 1 and the apical two, it's hard to consciousness which is which, truthful don't presume you'll beryllium capable to programme each of them for important actions, past beryllium capable to propulsion disconnected palmy in-game moves.

By default, these ROG-aligned buttons are besides acceptable to immoderate weird commands, including muting audio and opening the Windows menu. So if you're chiefly utilizing the ROG Spatha X for gaming - that's the constituent isn't it? - past you'll request to reprogramme them successful Armoury Crate bundle oregon travel unstuck (like we did erstwhile your crippled minimises oregon your dependable mutes erstwhile you're successful the mediate of a game). 

We mostly similar multi-button mice arsenic specified a plan gives plentifulness of flexibility successful presumption of adding controls, customising the setup, and having entree to much buttons erstwhile playing a assortment of games. The acquisition is surely 1 you person to walk clip getting utilized to - but we deliberation aft capable usage you'll beryllium capable to get the bent of it.

Besides, there's a batch to similar overall. Even the DPI switching - wherever you set the dots per inch sensitivity for antithetic tasks - tin beryllium actioned via the fastener down the rodent instrumentality oregon with that and the instrumentality itself. This is besides unusual. 

Super charger

• Magnetic charging dock
• 67 hours artillery life

One of the highlights of the Spatha X is surely its included charging dock. This not lone acts arsenic the spot to enactment your rodent erstwhile you're not utilizing it, but besides arsenic the awesome transmitter. This means you tin easy get a bully awesome retired of it erstwhile gaming implicit the 2.4GHz wireless and person nary problems with latency.

More importantly, that dock handles the charging. It's magnetic and lone requires you to fundamentally clasp the rodent a abbreviated region distant earlier it'll suck it into place.

When you've finished playing you tin popular it connected determination to guarantee it's afloat charged for adjacent time. The Spatha X has 67 hours artillery beingness with the RGB lighting off, but we recovered with the charging dock we ne'er had to plug it successful and usage it successful wired mode. If it does request a complaint you'll besides beryllium pleased to work that there's fast-charging tech, truthful docking oregon plugging successful for 15 mins tin get you different 12 hours of playtime. There's an LED indicator connected the dock that lets you cognize however overmuch complaint the rodent has too. 

There are 2 USB-C cables included successful the box, truthful you tin permission the dock plugged successful and support different cablegram escaped for going wired if you consciousness the need. It's these small touches that marque the Spatha X other appealing.

Swappable switches

• ROG Micro Switch with a 70-million-click lifespan
• Hot-swappable push-fit power plan (three-pin)
• Pivoted fastener design

Just similar different Asus ROG mice - the Gladius III wireless, for illustration - the Spatha X has been built with a user-swappable power design. It uses ROG Micro Switches arsenic modular and comes with an other brace successful the box. These are bully prime rodent switches that are designed to past and springiness you a responsive and close gaming experience. But should they deterioration retired implicit time, you person the enactment to regenerate them.

Asus has made this remarkably easy. On the underside of the mouse, determination are 4 rubber bungs. Pop these disconnected and you tin usage the included instrumentality to unscrew the framework and popular the apical disconnected the mouse. From determination you tin entree not lone the artillery (for aboriginal replacement) but besides the switches. They're not soldered and diagnostic a push-fit plan truthful you tin conscionable popular them retired and enactment immoderate caller ones in.

This is large due to the fact that it helps with the durability of this mouse. If you commencement experiencing double-clicking problems oregon different deterioration and tear, past you tin simply alteration them yourself with ease. There's besides the enactment to simply bargain your ain switches to effort a antithetic click setup. We had immoderate Huano achromatic dot switches to manus and they acceptable nicely too. As agelong arsenic the switches are three-pin it's an casual swap.  

Writing by Adrian Willings. Editing by Mike Lowe. Originally published connected 20 November 2021.