Coming out alongside the Impact 700 keyboard (you can view our review of the keyboard right HERE) from Turtle Beach is the Grip 500 mouse. I got the chance to try this guy out in a few gaming sessions that I thought could benefit from a nice mouse, and I have to say, the Grip 500 is incredibly comfortable. The contours and curves are quite ergonomic and I took a quick liking to it over my older Corsair mouse. Whether you plan on spending half an hour sorting your desktop or an afternoon playing competitive Counter-Strike, this mouse feels great.
For seventy dollars you get Avago 9800 laser sensors and Omron switches, as well as the ability to program quite a few macros into all seven buttons. The official count on the back of the box lists 50, and although I didn’t have the chance to test that claim to the max I did try a few things like setting /oos to a button for when you get hit by desync in Path of Exile. It seems to work great, and I really don’t have any complaints in terms of handling or what the mouse is capable of functionally.
On top of this, you can program up to five user settings that you can colour code if you’d like. For someone like me, who likes to switch a lot between shooters, ARPGs, and strategy games a lot, this is a great feature. I can switch between sensitivities at the click of a button, ones that I’ve altered and chosen myself instead having to use some of a the manufacturer presets. Aside from gaming, this is actually an incredibly nice feature for anyone into level design or building mods for games, as you can have separate settings for each program one might use like Maya, UDK, or Unity. I initially wanted the switch to be in an easier to access location, but after many hours of play I’ve decided that it really is best left on the bottom. You’ll never hit it by mistake, unlike a few other mice I’ve used.
Speaking of the bottom, as with the rest of the physical features, the Grip 500’s skates are incredibly smooth. This thing glides across just about any surface you’d like, and there’s no need for a mouse pad if you don’t want or have one as long as you have a nice solid surface. On the front are two lights which change colour along with the mouse-wheel light, but unfortunately the logo on the back will always be red. This can be… upsetting. I personally just have to have matching lighting and it bothers me to no end (I know, first world problem). It’s not a huge deal as your palm covers the logo when in use anyway, but it’s odd that some lighting can change and the rest can’t.
It’s rather weird; all the things I wanted on the Impact 700 Keyboard seem to be present on the mouse instead. Customizable lighting, the ability to program a ridiculous amount of macros, and a slender long cable to reach your rig wherever you may have it placed. It’s as if Turtle Beach wanted you to buy the Impact 700 and Grip 500 together, and in some ways that doesn’t really come as a surprise. However, what does come as a surprise is that the Grip 500 isn’t really overpriced. Sure, other mice that sell for a similar price may have a bit more to offer in the feature department, but the level of comfort and performance that the 500 provides is solid.
Smooth, sleek, and versatile, Turtle Beach has won me over with the Grip 500. It’s not the best mouse on the market for the price, but I think it gives many a run for their money. When paired with the Impact 700 keyboard, the Grip 500 really does shine by providing the rest of the package. Easy to use and comfortable but with a wide range of options for those who work or play in many different environments, and I have to say that I do think that Turtle Beach has set a fair price for it.
***Turtle Beach Provided us a Grip 500 Mouse for this review***
