Logitech is a Swiss company with a long history of producing some of the best accessories for the PC. They started with the computer mouse, and naturally diversified into keyboards, webcams and speakers. Today, we will take a look at the Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum gaming mouse.
The Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum replaces the Logitech G502 Proteus Core, its predecessor. It is an evolutionary upgrade of the Proteus Core mouse with customisable RGB illumination. Let’s check it out!
Originally posted @ 2016-03-03
Updated @ 2017-01-15 : Corrected references to 6 weights. There are only 5 weights. Updated other aspects of the review.
Unboxing The Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum
The Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum comes in a very nice cardboard box with full colour printing. You will find its key performance characteristics listed on the right side of the box, and its contents and requirements on the left side. The back of the box has a nice top view of the G502 Proteus Spectrum together with its key features.
Join us as we unbox the Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum in this video. Please ignore the typo about six metal weights. There are only five weights.
Once you unpack everything, you will find the following items :
- One Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum gaming mouse
- One Logitech G502 tuning weight case with 5 weights (3.6 g each) inside (please ignore the typo in the video above)
- One Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum manual
- One Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum Safety Compliance and Warranty leaflet
The Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum
The Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum is a rather large mouse, designed for right-handed users with large hands. It feels comfortable even in my smaller hand. However, one of the side buttons was out of reach. More on this later.
It has a nice curved thumb rest which doubles as a latch for the weight-tuning system (we have special section on this later in the review), and a full body for proper palm support. This may not matter though if you prefer the finger grip style of holding the mouse.
In case you are wondering, it is only available in one colour – black. The top surfaces are all matte-finished to prevent unsightly fingerprint smears. It also has textured rubber strips on both sides for better grip.
Next Page > IR Sensor, Scroll Wheel & Buttons, Glide Performance & Stability
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PMW3366 IR Sensor
The Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum mouse uses an IR sensor, instead of a laser sensor. This may seem like a downgrade but professional gamers will tell you – IR sensors actually deliver better precision and sensitivity than laser sensors, especially on textured surfaces.
The Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum uses the much-vaunted PMW3366 IR sensor, which supports resolutions from 200 DPI all the way to 12,000 DPI. But ignore that upper number – no one will actually use that. What’s really important about this sensor is its precision and sensitivity.
In those aspects, the PMW3366 optical sensor really rocks – it was both sensitive and precise. Sensitivity is critical in gaming because you want your every move to register, even the slightest move. Precision is also important because you want your move to be precisely tracked so that it registers exactly in the game, or application you are using.
That said, please note that the PMW3366 sensor will not work with glass or highly glossy surfaces, unlike the Logitech MX Anywhere 2‘s Darkfield laser sensor. This isn’t really a problem because you can easily “fix” it with a proper mouse pad, or even a piece of paper.
Scroll Wheel & Buttons
Although Logitech claims that the Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum has 11 programmable buttons, there are really just 9 programmable buttons. To make it a little more confusing, there are actually 10 buttons on this mouse, but one isn’t programmable while the scroll wheel can be programmed for 3 functions. That’s how you get 11 programmable “buttons” – 8 physical buttons that are programmable + 1 scroll wheel that can be programmed for 3 different functions.
| Button | Default Setting | Button | Default Setting |
| 1 | Left Click | 6 | Back |
| 2 | DPI Up | 7 | Right Click |
| 3 | DPI Down | 8 | Left Scroll, Middle Click, Right Scroll |
| 4 | DPI Shift | 9 | Scroll Mode Switch |
| 5 | Forward | 10 | Profile Switch |
Pressing on the Scroll Mode Switch (Button #8) switches the scroll wheel between these two modes :
- a “hyperfast scrolling mode” – smooth and quiet scrolling but lacks tactile feedback, and
- a “click-to-click scrolling mode” – the typical ratcheted mode which precise but “noisy”.
We found the scroll wheel to be too loose in the hyperfast scrolling mode. A flick will send the screen scrolling far beyond what we would expect. The ratcheted mode is far better. The only downside – it is quite noisy if you scroll rapidly.
Note that smaller hands may find it hard to reach the DPI Shift button (#4).
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Glide Performance & Stability
The Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum is supported by four asymmetric pads of what appears to be UHMWPE (Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene), also known as UPE.
The traditional PTFE (commonly known by its trade name of Teflon) is slicker and gives a smoother glide, but is also more expensive and less durable. It is also hard to differentiate the gliding performance of UPE against PTFE. So we are not surprised to see UPE being used in the Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum.
What’s more important to us is the stability of the Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum. We are glad to report that it was very stable. Nothing irritates us more than a mouse that “rocks”. It’s pointless for a mouse to use PTFE feet for a smoother glide if it’s so unstable that it rocks as you move it.
Next Page > Weight Tuning System, USB Cable, Logitech Gaming Software
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Weight Tuning System
The Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum has an all-plastic chassis and weighs just 121 grams / 4.3 ounces (without the cable). That might be too light for some gamers, so Logitech included a weight tuning system. This comprises of a plastic case with 5 metal weights and a weight tuning chamber hidden inside the G502 Proteus Spectrum.
Watch this video to see how the Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum‘s weight tuning system works. Please ignore the typo about 6 weights. There are only 5 weights.
USB Cable
The Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum uses a USB cable, instead of a wireless connection. The USB cable is 183 cm (6 feet) long, which is fantastic for desktops but a handful for laptops. The USB cable is braided for strength and durability. The cable joint is also protected by a hard plastic sleeve and the two main mouse buttons.
The USB cable allows the G502 Proteus Spectrum to achieve a higher polling rate of 1,000 Hz. Wireless mice, on other hand, maxes out at 500 Hz. That is a difference of response time of 1 ms vs. 2 ms. Of course, whether you can really tell the difference in real world usage is another matter.
What will really matter a lot is the fact that a USB connection will never suffer from interference, which can happen to wireless mice, due to nearby USB drives or other wireless devices.
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Logitech Gaming Software
The Logitech Gaming Software is not necessary to use the Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum. However, it is highly recommended because it allows you to make full use of the G502 Proteus Spectrum‘s built-in features.
In the Home section, you get to switch between using the 3 profiles stored in the mouse’s onboard memory, or the profiles Logitech created for different games. Enabling Automatic Game Detection will allow you to scan for games in your computer, and assign preset profiles to use with the G502 Proteus Spectrum.
The profiles offer a variety of customisation options. You can change the functions of the 8 programmable buttons, adjust the DPI sensitivity levels, polling rate and even the colour of the RGB lights using up to 3 profiles.
The Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum comes with two presets which fine-tunes it for the Logitech G440 hard gaming mouse pad, and the Logitech G240 soft gaming mouse pad. However, you can fine-tune the G502 Proteus Spectrum for any surface by adding a new surface and clicking on the Tune option. Very nifty!
Finally, the Logitech Gaming Software comes with a “recording feature” which they call Input Analysis. Basically, it allows you to log your key presses so you can find out which keys / buttons you pressed the most or longest during a gaming session.
Next Page > Specifications, Our Verdict, Award
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Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum Specifications
| Specifications | Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum |
|---|---|
| Processor | 32-bit ARM processor |
| Profiles | 3 On-board Profiles |
| Sensor | Logitech PMW3366 optical sensor Resolution : 200 to 12,000 DPI in 50 DPI steps User Settings : Up to 5 sensitivity levels can be preset Max. Acceleration : > 40 G Max. Speed : > 300 ips |
| Buttons | Two main buttons Two top buttons Five side buttons One scroll wheel (doubles as a button) |
| USB Responsiveness | Data Format : 16 bits / axis Report Rate : 1000 Hz (1 ms) |
| Glide Performance | Dynamic coefficient of friction : 0.10 μ (k) Static coefficient of friction : 0.15 μ (s) * Tested on wood-veneer surface. |
| Weight Tuning System | Five 3.6 g metal weights, allows for up to 18 g of additional weight |
| Durability | Main left and right buttons : 20 million clicks Mouse feet : 250 kilometers |
| Size | Height: 5.2 in (132 mm) Width: 2.95 in (75 mm) Depth: 1.57 in (40 mm) |
| Weight | Weight: 5.9 oz, mouse plus cable (168 g) Weight: 4.3 oz, mouse only (121 g) |
| Additional Features | Customisable RGB lighting 3 DPI indicators Mechanical microswitches Braided cable with hook and loop cable tie Rubber grips Dual-mode scroll wheel |
Our Verdict
The Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum was designed with one goal in mind – desktop gaming. It is a full-sized mouse that offers a lot of palm support, and comes a nice braided USB cable that is 6 feet long. The PMW3366 IR sensor it uses cannot handle glass or glossy surfaces, but on regular desktop surfaces, it is precise and sensitive.
It also offers a ton of customisation features. You can customise the 9 programmable buttons for 11 functions, or the built-in LED lighting that supports up to 16.8 million colours. And like many gaming mice, you can change its sensitivity and polling speeds.
The Logitech Gaming Software it comes with is essential to accessing all those customisation features. It also allows you to fine-tune the Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum for different table or mouse pad surfaces. Everything you need to adjust the mouse to your exacting needs.
Some may gripe about its plastic build but it doesn’t rattle or creak. In fact, it feels really solid and more importantly – stable. Gamers who find the G502 Proteus Spectrum a little on the light side can use its weight tuning system to beef it up a bit.
[adrotate banner=”4″]We are not sure how popular RGB LED illumination is to you, but those who enjoy showing off their gaming PCs will love the fact that it allows them to choose from up to 16.8 million colours. Even better, they can sync the light and colour patterns with other Logitech G devices.
The Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum also comes with a scroll wheel that not only supports vertical and horizontal scrolling, but can also switch between ratcheted and smooth scrolling modes. Just press the small button next to the scroll wheel to switch modes – it can’t be any faster or simpler than that! Unfortunately, the scroll wheel had too much inertia in its smooth scrolling mode, and was quite noisy in its ratcheted mode.
Other than the fact that smaller hands may find it hard to reach the DPI Shift button, we really enjoyed gaming with the Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum. It is therefore our pleasure to award it with our Reviewer’s Choice Award. Congratulations, Logitech!
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