ASUS Strix Evolve Gaming Mouse Review

Conclusion

There have been a few attempts at producing mice with interchangeable components in recent years. Some have tried to offer alternative side panels, some have changed the entirety of the top, but this is the first one we can remember that manages to combine the adjustable parts with an extremely simple method of changing them.

Normally the parts either connect with magnets – side panels – or require getting out your small screwdrivers and disassembling the mouse to switch the top panel. The ASUS Strix Evolve is an entirely tool-less solution to swapping the panels, with a gentle pull taking each side of and a simple click putting the new one on. What is particularly pleasing is how robust this system is. You might imagine that something that easy to pull apart would end up feeling a little wobbly or inaccurate, but once it is in place you would be hard pressed to be able to tell that the mouse can be swapped, much less work out how to do it. It just is solid.

The ability to swap them not only helps out the left/right handed people in obtaining their most comfortable shape, but because two sides are flatter than the others you also have the option of running with a slightly flat palm profile on an otherwise ambidextrous looking mouse, or use the other two to have a fuller feeling curve in your palm.

Rubberised side panels ensure that whichever hand you choose to utilise you’ll have full control over the Evolve. It has the same Mayan style design as we saw on the ASUS ROG Pugio, and it is just as attractive and effective here.

Under the hood the buttons are Omron switches which give a lovely crisp response. The side buttons are great too which isn’t always the case. Partly because the Omron switches are so good that anything even slightly worse is extremely noticeable. Fortunately with the Strix Evolve they feel excellent on both sides. The 7200 DPI sensor tracks accurately and there doesn’t ever feel like you’re fighting the sensor in those frenetic moments.

The negative element of the adjustable covers is solely that the lighting is extremely weak. It’s the merest sliver of light at the bottom edge. Yes the colours are good, but RGB lighting you struggle to see is pretty pointless. Obviously you might love extremely subtle lighting, in which case you’ll be happy with what there is. We tend to think that if you’re going to go to the trouble and expense of including RGB lighting you might as well show it off.

Ignore the lighting though and the Strix Evolve combines a good amount of customisation with a great underlying hardware to end up with a mouse worthy of our OC3D Gamers Choice Award.

  

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