Logitech launches a gaming mouse that you can tune for different surfaces

It’s still possible to innovate with something as old and established as a computer mouse. Logitech is launching a “tunable” gaming mouse that can adapt to different kinds of surfaces.

The high-performance Logitech G502 Proteus Core allows players to customize the corded mouse to the exact kind of surface, speed, and weight that they prefer.

“It’s like all-weather tires on your car,” said Chris Pate, product marketing manager at Logitech, in an interview with GamesBeat. “You can use it on any surface and change the way it behaves.”

The Newark, Calif.-based division of the Swiss computer-accessory company offers software that you can use to tune the mouse. To do that, you plug in the Proteus Core and put it on a surface like a pad, table, or cloth. The device uses its laser to scan the surface, and the software determines the right settings. Then, you can start playing. The process works with hard, soft, light, or dark surfaces.

The G502 has a sensitivity that ranges from 200 to 12,000 dots per inch (DPI). You can also load as many as five 3.6-gram weights into the bottom of the mouse to make it feel just right. The peripheral has both optical/LED and laser sensors. Those sensors work better with various kinds of surfaces. Players who like high DPI settings will likely prefer low friction for small movements, while low-DPI players will probably prefer a cloth pad for higher friction.

“I’ve been super excited to use this mouse in public. I got to test it, and it felt great! Was super comfortable and just fit perfectly to my hand,” said Hai Lam, captain for professional gaming team Cloud 9. “Adjusting the DPI is super easy and very flexible. This is probably my favorite mouse to date.”

Pate said the new mouse sensor is more accurate than previous generations. It can stay on track with your movements — at 300 inches per second — and respond quickly.

A 32-bit ARM processor controls Proteus Core’s onboard memory, so the device can store multiple macros that you can assign to 11 different programmable buttons. It also has a dual-mode, hyper-fast scroll wheel for fast clicking and Web browsing.

The mouse will sell for $80 in the U.S. and Europe starting in April.