All You Need Is A Good Sensor

ASUS isn’t generally a brand associated with simplicity, but the ROG Strix Impact doubles down on the essentials with a plain, ambidextrous design.

- Wanzi Koh

​​​​ASUS ROG STRIX IMPACT

ASUS isn’t generally a brand associated with simplicity, but the ROG Strix Impact doubles down on the essentials with a plain, ambidextrous design. Its low-slung shape reminds me of the Razer Abyssus, and it feels more suited for a claw rather than palm grip.

I was still able to palm the mouse quite comfortably, but it didn’t feel as natural as on some of the other mice. Given that this is quite a small mouse, I imagine folks with larger hands would struggle even more, so that’s something to take note of.

This is truly a no-frills mouse, and I’d venture to say that it is a little too Spartan, especially considering its $89 price tag; affordable, but not exactly super cheap. The mouse has just four buttons (including a DPI button), and I’m so used to having at least two side buttons to navigate web pages that the ROG Strix Impact left me feeling quite lost.

Of course, this may be less of a big deal for you, but it definitely feels like a mouse that costs close to a hundred should have more buttons to work with, especially since it is marketed as a MOBA mouse.

In addition, there are just two available DPI steps, which again feels limited for the asking price. Still, I do appreciate the helpful LED indicator below the DPI button that shows which sensitivity stage you’re at.

That said, build quality is good, and the mouse trigger buttons are separate from the main shell of the mouse. This approach is technically more durable, as the entire plastic shell doesn’t have to flex whenever you actuate the buttons.

The rubber cable is a little stiffer than on mice like the SteelSeries Rival 110 and Razer Abyssus Essential, but it still feels much better than the cord on the Cooler Master MasterMouse S.