if you are looking for best gaming mouseyou’d probably expect to get something incredibly solid, if not perfect for your specific needs when you break the $100 barrier. It just oozes features and capable technology, making it seem like the kind of mouse that offers an exceptional experience.
Asus ROG Chakram X offers high sensitivity, fast wireless and even faster wired connectivity options, Bluetooth as a backup, fancy lighting, tons of buttons, analog joysticks and interchangeable switches. But Asus couldn’t fit everything into a seamless package or polish the final product enough to be worth $150. Worse, the obvious flaws make it completely unreliable in real competitive play.
Asus ROG Chakram X design and comfort
Without the glowing ROG logo on the palm rest, it would be hard to tell the Chakram X is an Asus product. It looks like many other gaming mice (specifically, it looks a bit like a blend).of Razer Basilisk and the Logitech G502).
The Chakram X has a smaller arc and is suitable for palm grippers with smaller hands, but can also be used for claw grips and hybrid grips if you have larger hands. Asus suggests the mouse is meant for palm or fingertip grippers, but the right side is less likely to be gripped by fingertips. better, but not the most secure way to hold the mouse when you pick it up.
Aerobatics in the air can be a struggle for a mouse, but sliding a mouse pad isn’t. The mouse is mounted on three large PTFE feet that slide smoothly. This makes up for the weight of this mouse, which at 4.48 ounces (127g) is significantly heavier than the ultra-lightweight gaming mice currently proliferating on the market.
Chakram X can put on a nice little light show that dances around your mouse pad thanks to its 9-zone RGB lighting. The scroll wheel lights up, the palm lights up with a removable ROG badge, and the front edge of the mouse has a multi-zone light bar. The illumination is well executed, but the placement of the lightbar makes it almost invisible.
Asus has put buttons and features in the Chakram X. Connect via USB-C and enjoy responsive input with an 8,000 Hz polling rate, or use a small USB-A dongle for 2.4GHz wireless with a 1,000 Hz polling rate. There’s also Bluetooth as a backup when gaming performance isn’t a priority. The mouse’s palm rest can be removed to store the USB dongle and access the swappable ROG badge when not in use.
The main left-click and right-click buttons also pop off to give access to the switches underneath. According to Asus, you can replace it with any other 3-pin mechanical switch or 5-pin optical switch. Removing the palm and button covers is easy, but it takes a bit of effort to put them on properly as the magnets that hold them in place will try to snatch them away.
The scroll wheel has a solid, rubberized finish that is easy to grip and easy to click. All thumb controls are a little washed out. There are 4 thumb buttons and they are small. They’re a little harder to feel, and even harder to reach without adjusting your hand position in a way that compromises your grip. , so another hand shift is required. The stick itself can be replaced with a longer or shorter stem.
Comfort is lacking on the ROG Chakram X for larger hands, and the side buttons feel like a struggle for any hand size, but at least the mouse feels solidly built.
The scroll wheel is clickable and has a rubberized finish for a firm grip. Chakram X has 4 thumb buttons and 1 thumbstick that act as an additional 4 buttons or analog controls. Unfortunately, all the thumb controls are a little washed out. Also, the thumbsticks are positioned so far forward that you have to move your hand position again to reach them. The thumbsticks are customizable and can be swapped out for longer or shorter stems.
The mouse is sturdy, but not very comfortable if you have large hands (and the side buttons feel like a struggle for all hand sizes).
specification
| sensor type | optical |
| sensor model | ROG aimpoint |
| sensitivity | 36,000CPI |
| voter turnout | 8,000Hz (1,000Hz wireless) |
| lift-off distance | Not Specified, Adjustable |
| programmable button | 11 |
| LED zones and colors | 9-zone (3 different) RGB |
| connectivity | 2.4 GHz USB Type-A dongle, Bluetooth, USB Type-A-to-C |
| weight | 4.48 oz (127g) |
| Dimensions (LxWxH) | 5.42 x 3.01 x 1.69 inches (132.7 x 76.6 x 42.8mm) |
| battery life | 114 hours (Qi charging) |
| software | armory crate |
Asus ROG Chakram X Gaming Performance
Chakram X has many advantages when it comes to performance, but it also has some major drawbacks.
Let’s start with the good: The Chakram X has a capable sensor with an impressive maximum sensitivity of 36,000 CPI. The mouse matches this with optional 8,000 Hz polling (wired), allowing speeds up to 650 IPS and acceleration up to 50G. The Chakram X tracked consistently and accurately in our competitive gaming tests, helping us nearly hit our goals in games like: overwatch.
The switches below the four thumb buttons, the scroll wheel, and the main mouse click button are also responsive. In particular, the thumb button does not present the difficulties often associated with mouse thumb buttons. Unfortunately, their placement, size, and spacing make it difficult to use all the side buttons (and the spacing between the side buttons and thumbsticks is even more of an issue).
The thumbstick sits about 3.25 inches from the rear edge of the mouse, and the rearmost thumb button is just 1.75 inches away. It may not seem like a big deal, but the 1.5 inch spacing makes switching between them a bit harder. When I slide my hand so my thumb is centered on the analog stick, my fingers are so far forward that I can’t reach the scroll wheel. So while the Chakram X does a good job of basic functionality, it does a terrible job of providing the extra control you’d expect at a premium price.
The mouse’s wireless performance is generally pretty good, but in all my years of using wireless mice, I’ve never seen the odd behavior I’ve found with the Chakram X. After you stop moving the mouse. To be fair to the Chakram X, I tested it in an environment littered with other wireless signals, so this could be the result of interference, but I haven’t noticed similar issues with other wireless devices.
Chakram X’s battery life, on the other hand, is incredible, lasting through long gaming sessions and long workdays without needing to be recharged. It can be charged via USB-C, but it also supports Qi wireless charging.
However, one big problem looms over ROG Chakram X’s capabilities and weaknesses. Somehow during the design process, Asus must have overlooked how easily a slap on the mouse (like when flicking in an intense game) triggers the main left and right click buttons. . These triggers gain enough momentum to depress the switch underneath when the mouse lands on the desk. Dozens of in-game misclicks are not compensated for by increased polling rates or high CPI.
Either or both buttons can be triggered, so you could accidentally set your scope at the worst possible time or fire a valuable round that could have made the difference in a shootout. There is. Perhaps a little less mouse slap, or the main mouse button is bound to a less important action in the MMO. Since the switches are hot-swappable, they could be replaced with higher actuation force switches to remedy this, but modifications are not the first requirement for new products.
Features and software
Chakram X uses Asus’ Armory Crate application for control. If you’re looking for a tool to tweak your settings, Armory Crate feels incredibly bloated. View news, deals, game library, and more.
Unfortunately, the one feature that didn’t work in my testing was mouse settings. Despite trying different connections, different USB ports, rebooting, updating the firmware, and reinstalling, the Armory Crate was consistently unable to access the device settings page. For once, I was able to adjust the lighting, change the key binds and the mouse liftoff distance (there are two settings). But even with access to settings, I got an error when trying to adjust her CPI for the mouse. Given that muscle memory is sacred in keyboard and mouse games, this is a huge failure.
Luckily, Chakram X has a trick that helps to partially work around this problem. CPI can be adjusted using the scroll wheel and CPI button on the bottom of the mouse. Briefly pressing the CPI button and scrolling the scroll wheel will initiate sensitivity adjustment, and pressing the CPI button again will lock it. Make sure it’s exactly my favorite 2,500 CPI.
Conclusion
The Asus ROG Chakram X feels like a gymnast performing incredible aerial maneuvers, hitting every spin and turn in the air and whiffing landings. It has potential, backed by impressive specs, high-performance connectivity, and excellent battery life.
But Asus didn’t fully grasp how it works. The result is a mouse that is prone to misclicks and difficult to get the most out of. A few minor oversights are forgivable, but there’s no excuse for the complexity of a $150 mouse.
If you can avoid hitting the mouse, or if you’re already planning on replacing the switch, the Chakram X could be an option.However
If you can avoid thumping your mouse, or if you’re already planning to replace it with a switch with a higher actuation force, the ROG Chakram X might be for you. But if you’re looking for a mouse with usable thumb buttons and multiple customization options, Razer Naga Pro.
