Logitech G Pro X3 Superstrike Review: $200 for the illusion of a click

It only launched at the beginning of this year, but Logitech's most innovative, game-changing mouse, the Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike, has already gotten an upgrade.

The new Logitech G Pro X3 Superstrike looks just like its predecessor (okay... the colors are different), but it's what's inside that counts. The new mouse features Logitech's new NxLOGI chipset, which improves performance and efficiency and supports 8,000 Hz polling over both wired and wireless connections. The mouse also weighs two grams less and has been rebalanced to be more center-weighted rather than front-heavy, like the X2 Superstrike.

The upgrade doesn't come without an upcharge, of course: The new G Pro X3 Superstrike costs $199.99, which is... kind of crazy for a mouse. The X2 Superstrike debuted at $179.99, which was already higher than average, but $200 seems like a line most will not want to cross. The mouse does come in two colorways now — black and "magenta eclipse," a black and pink colorway that matches Logitech's other pink G Pro peripherals.

Design and Comfort of the G Pro X3 Superstrike

The G Pro X3 Superstrike has the exact same shape as the original G Pro X2 Superstrike — which has the exact same shape as the G Pro X Superlight and Superlight 2. The mouse has a pseudo-symmetrical design, with sides that taper at the middle, and a centered hump with a mild slope. It's not a terribly exciting or revolutionary shape, but it's comfortable, easy to handle, and quick to get used to. The mouse measures 4.92 inches (125mm) long by 2.5 inches (63.5mm) wide, and is 1.57 inches (40mm) high at its highest point.

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(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

The X3 weighs just 2.08 ounces (59g), which makes it 2g lighter than its predecessor (2.15oz / 61g). While that's not a big difference, Logitech has rebalanced the weight in the X3 Superstrike to make it feel more centered — and it does feel more centered, though it still felt slightly front-weighted to me. But still, it feels noticeably different (and better) than the very front-heavy feel of the original X2 Superstrike.

Fancy chipsets and HITS technology aside, the X3 Superstrike is a pretty basic five-button mouse, with two large primary buttons that have slight finger grooves, two large side buttons, and a clickable, notched scroll wheel covered in textured rubber. The mouse has the same smooth matte finish as the X2 Superstrike and the Superlights, which feels fine but is prone to fingerprints. Of course, the mouse still has the Superstrike branding all over it, with crosses on the mouse buttons, "Superstrike" on the right side, and a giant "X3" on the left.

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(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

The bottom of the mouse is also pretty simple, with large UHMWPE mouse feet at the top and bottom, plus a strip around the sensor. There's also a power switch and a magnetic mouse puck that you can swap out — either for the included extra puck, which is covered in UHMWPE for even more glide, or for the charging puck that comes with Logitech's PowerPlay 2. Under the mouse puck, there's a slot for storing the mouse's wireless dongle, which is a nice touch — other ultra-lightweight, performance-focused mice don't always have this.

In the box, the X3 Superstrike comes with a rubberized 6-foot (1.8m) USB-C to USB-A cable, a 2.4GHz wireless USB-A dongle, an extra mouse puck, pre-cut grip tape, and a USB converter. The cable is lightweight and flexible — while it's not covered in paracord, it's fairly usable as a mouse cable with the X3 Superstrike. It's worth pointing out that the X3 Superstrike does support 8,000 Hz polling over both its wireless and wired connections, now (the X2 Superstrike only supported 8,000 Hz polling over wireless).

Specs

Performance of the G Pro X3 Superstrike

The G Pro X3 Superstrike features Logitech's Hero 2 optical sensor, which has a maximum resolution of 48,000 DPI and a maximum speed of 930 IPS, and can handle up to 90 G's of force. If those numbers seem different from the Hero 2 optical sensor in the X2 Superstrike, that's because they are — while both mice have the same sensor, apparently the new NxLOGI chipset in the X3 Superstrike unlocks the true potential of said sensor, and allows for higher resolution, speed, and acceleration. That said, it is a great sensor — accurate, consistent, and able to track on virtually any surface without skipping.

Like the X2 Superstrike, the X3 Superstrike features Logitech's Haptic Inductive Trigger System (HITS), which means there are no switches under the primary buttons — instead, there's a combo of haptic motors and inductive sensors that allow for adjustable actuation and create the illusion of a mouse click. This is the most intriguing part of the Superstrike line, since raising the actuation point genuinely does translate to faster, more responsive clicks.

The haptic click feedback is interesting. I found the feedback to be surprisingly convincing on the X2 Superstrike, even though it's still pretty obvious that it's not a "real" switch. The click feedback on the X3 Superstrike is still... fairly convincing, but it's definitely softer than the feedback on the original. You can still adjust the feedback level (five levels), but feedback just feels firmer on the original — I guess Logitech sacrificed some haptic power for efficiency, or something. The side buttons still have regular switches, and they're a little mushy but otherwise inoffensive. The scroll wheel has a very soft scroll and muted click, but at least it's not loud. In fact, this is probably the quietest mouse I've ever used — even with click strength set to the highest (5), it's barely audible.

In addition to adjustable actuation, the X3 Superstrike also allows for Rapid Trigger, which resets the mouse button's actuation as soon as your finger lifts, allowing for even faster clicks.

Features and Software of the G Pro X3 Superstrike

The G Pro X3 Superstrike is configurable via Logitech G Hub, which is the company's universal peripheral software. You can use G Hub to adjust the mouse's settings — DPI, DPI steps, and polling rate (both wired and wireless) — calibrate the mouse, and remap buttons (though you're probably not remapping a ton of buttons on a five-button mouse). You can also enable BHOP for the scroll wheel, which helps prevent accidental movement when you bump the scroll wheel.

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(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

And, of course, you can set up the HITS features in the HITS tab. These include adjustable actuation, Rapid Trigger, and click haptics, and each mouse button can be set independently. There's also a bunch of presets from professional competitive gamers, in case you're not sure where to start (you can also add your own custom presets to this list).

Wireless Experience and Battery Life of the G Pro X3 Superstrike

Logitech rates the battery life of the G Pro X3 Superstrike at 135 hours in constant motion, which is actually a pretty big improvement over the X2 Superstrike's 90-hour rating. This is over a 1,000 Hz polling rate, of course, and the number drops to under 40 hours with an 8,000 Hz polling rate (which is still not terrible, I suppose). Thankfully, the X3 Superstrike can get an 8,000 Hz polling rate over both its wired and wireless connections — the X2 Superstrike has an 8,000 Hz wireless polling rate but maxes out at 1,000 Hz when plugged in — so it won't be the battery life that does you in.

Bottom Line

The G Pro X3 Superstrike isn't too different from the X2 Superstrike — but the difference in balance, at least, is absolutely noticeable. This doesn't make me think the X3 Superstrike is revolutionary, though it makes me think that Logitech should have waited and launched the Superstrike line with this mouse. The click haptics are weaker here, but the mouse is better overall. However, is it better enough to justify the $200 price? Probably not.

If you're at the top of your game and you're absolutely certain that the only thing holding you back is the minuscule latency from non-adjustable actuation, sure, get the X3 Superstrike. If you already have the G Pro X2 Superstrike, the upgrade probably isn't worth it — in the time it took you to get used to the click haptics, you probably also got used to the balance, and that's the only noticeable difference. And if you're just looking for a symmetrical, ultra-lightweight mouse, you can always pick up the G Pro X Superlight 2, which can often be found for around $100.