If I asked you how many revisions Logitech has made to the G502 mouse over the years, would you be surprised to learn that there are at least five of them? Which makes it interesting that Logitech has decided to give this new variant of their mouse a slightly different name to set it apart from the others. Say hello to the G502 X, the latest, and purportedly greatest version of the beloved Logitech gaming mouse. 

The G502 X is incredibly similar to the G502 that came out in 2022, which itself is an improved version of the G502 from 2018, and so on and so forth. If you're had any experience with this mouse before, you'll already be familiar with what it offers: great ergonomics, a sharp design, lots of extra programmable buttons, and the proprietary scroll wheel that can switch between free and notched scrolling options. New to the G502 X is a much lighter weight, coming in at 89g, compared to the previous release, which was 121g. There's also a new thumb button, which works well with the slightly streamlined new design of the G502 X, now a little flatter and less angular in order to provide optimal comfort. 

While the new mouse feels better in the hand, especially for long gaming sessions, there's a few drawbacks with this model. If you were a fan of the adjustable weights that you could customize your G502 with, they're gone in the X version, as are any RGBs, in order to make the mouse as light as possible. Whether or not you'll like the G502 X depends on what you prefer in a peripheral--personally, I find that the budget-oriented G502 X is way nicer to hold, I miss the features the previous model offered. Both retail for about $79.99, which can seem awkward, given you're paying the same for a mouse with less to offer, beyond a more streamlined design. 

I'd easily give up the RGBs and weight system for the comfort that the new mouse offers, however, in Logitech's pursuit of making the mouse as light as possible, the G502 X has one more sacrifice of note: its scroll wheel. Even when locked to the infinite scroll mode, this new lightweight plastic wheel feels scratchy and unsatisfying to use. The ratcheted mode calls even more attention to how it grates along the side with every rotation, and while it makes no noise, it makes me think of nails on a chalkboard with how scratchy it feels to use. If you could transplant the older G502's wheel into this mouse, I think the overall package would be so much better. 

The changes Logitech has made with the G502 X mouse are great, on paper. But the lighter weight comes at a cost, in the form of a downright terrible scrollwheel. I do like the way my hand rests on the G502 X, and the buttons are just the right amount of clicky, but whenever I have to use the scrollwheel, I'm reminded of what's holding this mouse back from being a must-buy. Hopefully in a few months we'll see yet another new and improved G502 X that takes the best aspects here and improves upon them.