Logitech G305 X Superlight Review

The Logitech G305 X Superlight is a wireless gaming mouse fitted with the HERO 44K optical sensor and a maximum resolution of 44,000 DPI. It succeeds the previous G305, keeping the distinctive egg-shaped design essentially unchanged.

Nearly a decade after its launch, the original G305 remains one of the most significant products in the Logitech G portfolio. Its distinctive egg shape and its unbeatable battery life from a single AA cell made it a standard for players chasing performance without complication. The refresh carries the G305 X Superlight name, and the suffixes are not merely decorative: the new mouse gains up-to-date components while shedding a noticeable amount of weight.

Set side by side with its predecessor, the G305 X could pass for a new colourway. Its dimensions are identical to those of the standard G305, and the design follows the same broad lines right down to the grooves along the flanks, even if a few differences emerge on closer inspection. The plastic used here comes across as marginally better quality and more resistant to finger oils, with a coating that is pleasant to the touch and can be supplemented with the extra textured grip stickers supplied in the box.

The underside is where the break with the past becomes obvious, since it carries a switch for toggling between the 2.4 GHz radio dongle and Bluetooth. Bluetooth is a rarity across Logitech's gaming range, and finding it here is a bonus; combined with the USB-C port used for charging, it makes three connection modes in total. There is also a storage compartment for the USB-A dongle, and four PTFE feet complete the base.

Beneath the two main clicks sit Omron mechanical switches, the same units used in the brand's G Pro X Superlight. They are fairly light in use, with a 60 g actuation force, and are rated for 20 million clicks, which covers the brief expected of a gaming mouse comfortably. They do produce a fairly high-pitched sound, more pronounced than on the older G305; for comparison, Razer's Viper V4 Pro produces a deeper, longer sound at an equivalent volume level. Rather less impressive are the two secondary buttons on the left flank, which feel somewhat mushy and would have benefited from firmer feedback on activation.

There is no revolution around the scroll wheel and its mechanical encoder either. It takes a certain amount of force to move through each detent, which prevents mis-scrolls and lets you rest a finger on it without much risk. Below it sits the button assigned by default to DPI switching, set into a transparent plastic island that lets the RGB lighting through — and which feels rather dispensable.

Including RGB lighting on a mouse badged Superlight looks a little counterproductive, since a few grams could have been shed instead to make it a genuine lightweight benchmark. At 59 g it is inevitably lighter than its predecessor, which also carried an AA battery, but it still sits behind the Viper V4 Pro and the Be Quiet Dark Perk among others, something that will matter to users for whom every gram counts.

Anyone who has held a Logitech G305 will be on familiar ground here. The basic egg-shaped construction and relatively modest dimensions make it best suited to small and medium hands; larger hands may find it cramped. Grip styles are less of an issue, since it accommodates both claw and palm grips without much discrimination. Unsurprisingly, most of the mouse's weight sits towards the rear of the shell, around the Logitech G logo.

The G305 X Superlight introduces the HERO 44K optical sensor, developed in-house and making its first appearance here. The name is not incidental, since it offers a maximum resolution of 44,000 DPI along with a maximum acceleration of 40 g. Those are figures well beyond what any human player needs, and beyond what is usually expected from a mainstream gaming mouse. There is little to criticise: the mouse proves responsive and thoroughly capable in game.

One small complaint does apply. The 8000 Hz polling rate quoted by Logitech G is only actually attainable with the Pro Lightspeed USB-A dongle, which is sold separately. The default ceiling of 1000 Hz is more than sufficient for the vast majority of users, but it is a gap that stops the G305 X reaching the top of its range. The radio dongle supplied in the box, for its part, proved entirely consistent in its performance.

The G305 X Superlight renews the tradition established by its predecessor: a mouse that pairs solid build quality with front-rank performance. A few concessions are starting to show their age, notably the barely ergonomic shape and the weight, but the newcomer remains a strong performer for anyone who gets on with that familiar shape.

For anyone who considers an ergonomic shape essential, the previous-generation Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro is an interesting alternative. Larger hands may be better served by the Turtle Beach Kone II Air, while at the other end of the scale the Corsair M55 Wireless remains an option for the smallest hands.