ASUS ROG Pugio II Wireless Gaming Mouse Review

Conclusion

We’ll start off by getting our one gripe out of the way first. With the Strix Impact II the move of the DPI button from its regular place behind the scroll wheel to the underside of the mouse was the straw that broke the camel’s back. On the Pugio II the placing of the DPI button on the bottom is still as ridiculous as putting the F-Keys on the underside of a keyboard, but thanks to the two extra buttons on the side less of a deal-breaker than it was on the Impact II. It’s still utterly stupid though, and our only explanation is that the designer never actually uses a mouse and thinks that putting it underneath is the best way of not spoiling their smooth lines. For the user, it’s a royal pain in the behind.

Perhaps what most confuses us is that one of the key new features with the Pugio II is the ability to hold down the DPI button and scroll the scroll wheel to adjust the DPI on the fly, with the lighting reflecting where you are in the DPI range. All well and good but how do you determine that you haven’t made it too lethargic or hyperactive? Putting the mouse down and moving the pointer. So that’s pick up, hold button, scroll wheel, put down, test, pick up, repeat to fade. At least if the DPI button was in the industry-standard place of behind the scroll wheel, you could test and adjust at the same time. “Ahh, OC3D”, we hear you cry, “you’re supposed to use the software to find the sensitivity that suits you best”. Then why have that live adjustment feature at all? A brilliant idea, poorly implemented.

Thankfully everything else about the Pugio II is excellent. The scroll wheel is gorgeous, with a soft texture and smooth action that is just as happy performing a big scroll down a long page of web text as it is changing weapons accurately in your game of choice. While the Pugio II enables you to change the Omron switches to your preference, the default options are up to the usual exceptionally high standards of Omron. There is a reason why Omron has become an even bigger name in their field than Cherry are in the world of keyboard switches. Other companies might try and replicate the Cherry switches on their keyboards. Still, nobody bothers trying to make their versions of the Omron and with good reason, crisp, responsive, excellent. The side buttons are just as lovely to press, and that’s by no means a given as we’ve lost count of the number of mice with squidgy side buttons. No such issues here, all four are gorgeous.

So it’s light, comfortable, customisable. The meat of any wireless mouse though is the sensor and connection stability, which on the Pugio II are above reproach. It connects instantly and responds to every thought in such a spritely manner that you couldn’t tell if you were wired or wireless in an A/B test. Besides the obvious cable sticking out of it of course. There are no angle snapping issues, nor unexpected jerks in those super fine movements that can mean the difference between a stealthy headshot and merely splattering lead noisily on a nearby wall. The lighting is up to ASUS usual high standards with vibrant colours and white white’s. Even the subtle shades are well represented, and while the diffused nature of the chassis might be a matter of taste, there is no denying it gives an ethereal glow to the Pugio II. Lastly, the battery life is excellent, and you could play well past the point of sleep deprivation without needing to plug it in to charge.

If you are in the market for a high-performance wireless mouse, then the ASUS ROG Pugio II is an excellent product that will give you full satisfaction. The ability to change the side button style and Omron switches is more for the detail-obsessed than everyone. Still, it is a useful feature and indispensable if you are that demanding. All of which wins the ASUS ROG Pugio II Wireless mouse our OC3D Performance Award. Just put the DPI button back where it should be for the third model, eh ASUS.

  

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