MSI Clutch GM51 Review: Lightweight Wireless Gaming Mouse

MSI's Clutch GM51 Lightweight comes in two near-identical versions, wired and wireless, and this review looks at the wireless one, pitched as an affordable, light gaming mouse with the freedom of a cable-free connection. This review is based on that published test, not on a hands-on trial of our own.

The wireless model ships in a bulkier box to house its extras — a handy charging dock, a small 2.4 GHz RF USB dongle and a two-metre cable — and the two versions differ chiefly in weight, the battery-equipped wireless model adding 10 g at 85 g against the wired one's 75 g. On the wired version the cable cannot be detached, while the wireless mouse gains a three-position switch on its underside to move between Bluetooth, wired operation and the 2.4 GHz RF link. Both are compact, at 122 mm long, 65 mm wide and 45 mm high, with good ergonomics — but strictly for right-handers, since the curved shape and two thumb buttons would make left-handed use awkward, and those buttons could stand to be a little more recessed. There is nothing to fault in the main buttons, well placed and responsive, or in the comfort of the scroll wheel, but MSI has kept things simple: the wheel does not free-spin — nothing unusual there — yet it offers no side-tilt clicks either. The drive to "simplify" the mouse shows elsewhere too, with no advanced wheel, no extra button behind it and no sniper button by the thumb. The weight cannot be adjusted, and 75 to 85 g feels a touch high for something billed as "lightweight." MSI has also added a sort of grip to the sides, but these turn out to be two more RGB zones — on top of the logo on the back — that do not really improve the hold.

First impressions, then, are not dazzling: MSI has clearly sacrificed a good deal to bring the price down, though those sacrifices are limited to the advanced features, and it quickly makes amends on accessories with that handy charging dock, onto which the GM51 simply drops. The idea is to top the mouse up whenever it is not in use so it never runs flat; in truth the GM51's battery life is good enough not to demand it, but dropping it onto the dock soon becomes second nature. With the three RGB zones switched off, the published test reached MSI's quoted figures of around 150 hours over Bluetooth and roughly 80 hours over 2.4 GHz RF — more than respectable.

On the technical side MSI uses, like most rivals, OMRON switches for the buttons and a PixArt optical sensor — the PAW-3395, a safe bet that reaches up to 26,000 dpi. There is nothing to worry about here: responsiveness is faultless, the published test suffered no dropouts, and sensitivity can be changed on the fly through five preset thresholds, each identified by the RGB LEDs so you always know which step you are on. Naturally MSI provides a tool to adjust the settings, MSI Center, and it is impossible not to plead with the firm to redo it: the interface is cluttered and not especially practical, and bugs make the experience unpleasant — enabling the Mystic Light module to adjust the RGB can be a struggle, and it seems impossible to have the software clearly check for firmware updates. On options, while sensitivity and lift-off height can be tuned precisely, the polling rate is capped at 1,000 Hz and, for no obvious reason, angle-snapping cannot be enabled; the buttons could also offer more command-assignment choices, and the MSI Speedshift feature proves less decisive than hoped. In all honesty, only the most demanding users may find MSI Center of use — and they, in turn, will be disappointed at how easily the coating marks. One clear high point remains, though: the GM51 glides beautifully, and although it rides on nothing more than classic PTFE feet, its balance feels close to perfect, which is very welcome.

Well designed and fitted with a thoroughly recommendable sensor, the Clutch GM51 Lightweight Wireless nonetheless surprises with some of MSI's choices. At around 85 g it is a long way from a truly "light" mouse, even for a wireless model, and in a different vein one wishes MSI would finally overhaul a companion app that works when it feels like it and does not always give access to every option. That matters all the more here because the three RGB zones are particularly bright: many players will find adjusting them essential, which, as a bonus, will noticeably extend an already more-than-decent battery life. Without being a revelation, the Clutch GM51 does the job, and as an accessibly priced wireless model it earns its place.