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Asus ROG Chakram X: two minute review
The Asus ROG Chakram X is the follow-up to the 2020 ROG Chakram, and although it excels in some areas, the device still has some of the same issues as before.
Chakram comes fully equipped with RGB lighting, 11 buttons, customizable switches, faster wireless charging, even more DPI range and as before, an analog stick on the side along with other notable features. It even comes into play with new software that can significantly boost your performance in some PC games.
However, despite these improvements, the mouse has some design flaws that may hamper your experience with it. So much so that we hesitate to recommend one of the best gaming mice on the market.
Design-wise, the Asus ROG Chakram X has a low-angle arch, a thumb rest on the left side, and some texture on either side for a little extra grip. Due to the thumb rest, the mouse is not ambidextrous so lefties may find it uncomfortable to hold. There are three PTFE feet on the bottom for velvety smooth motion. It’s a bit on the heavy side at 127 g (4.47 oz).
Like any good gaming mouse, the Chakram X comes with 9-zone RGB lighting throughout its form factor. There are lights in the scroll wheel, through the removable logo badge in the palm rest, and on the front. Customization is very easy as the clicky buttons and palm cover can be removed without any hassle. Bundled with the mouse are two extra ROG micro switches and some pincers for quick replacement.
On the left side, you have four programmable buttons and the unique analog stick for Line. This is where things start going haywire for Chakram X. The buttons are closely spaced and there’s no space between them so trying to press them with your thumb can be awkward. This problem is further compounded if you have medium to large hands. Instead you can program the four directions of the analog stick to certain keybinds which feels more comfortable.
By far, the most impressive aspect of the Asus ROG Chakram X is its display. At high DPI and polling rates, it’s lightning fast with very little noticeable lag. The range peaks at 36,000dpi which will be totally overkill for most gamers. the higher end of the spectrum is mainly for Hi-Res 4K Monitor, Most people will be happy staying around 1600 to 3200 dpi. Speaking of polling rates, the range varies depending on whether the mouse is connected directly to your computer via a USB cable or wirelessly.
With the cable, the polling rate maxes out at 8,000Hz – which is great for those wanting fast response times in their games. If you connect via a 2.4GHz signal, the rate drops to 1,000Hz. Not surprising but it can get the job done in slow motion titles. A Bluetooth connection reduces the polling rate even further to 250 Hz; A good number for surfing the Internet; But this is not the case with gaming.
Another feature we found impressive is angle snapping. Without going too deep into details, angle snapping helps stabilize the movement of the Chakram X allowing players to be more precise with their aim. In our playtests, the tool actually helped us score some kills in the games we played. It is important to mention that Armory Crate lets you improve the accuracy of angle snapping.
The only performance disappointment is the joystick. ASUS hasn’t really improved it in a meaningful way. Firstly, this only works with games that have gamepad support so nothing for PC-only titles. This stick functions like the left analog stick, but lacks any tactile sensitivity. You can’t push it a bit to hide it like you can with the PS5 controller. Additionally, it’s really awkward to use the joystick to move while aiming with the mouse. Better for you to stick to the keyboard.
Asus ROG Chakram X: Specifications
| Interface: | USB-C, Bluetooth, 2.4GHz Wireless |
| Ergonomics: | right handed |
| button: | 10 plus scroll wheel |
| DPI: | 36,000 |
| Switch: | ROG Micro Switch |
| weight: | 4.47 oz (127 g) |
Asus ROG Chakram X: Price and Availability
- How much is it worth?: $159 (£149, AU$269)
- When is it available? Available now
- Where can you get it? Available in US, UK, Australia
The mouse comes with far more customization options via the Asus ROG Chakram Armory Crate app, allowing users to configure it to their liking. Aside from the 36,000 max DPI range (great for large, high-resolution monitors) and new game-boosting software, you’re much better off spending $160 on the Chakram X.
Still, the near $200 price tag will scare some people off, especially those who aren’t too interested in customizing every little thing. Some of you may prefer plug-and-play options like razor wiper Which is pretty cheap. however not most expensive gaming mouse The Chakram X is definitely a high-end device, so be prepared to pay a pretty penny for its quality.
Should I buy the Asus ROG Chakram X?
| worth | It is quite an expensive gaming mouse, but it comes with a lot of features. | 3.5/5 |
| design | Most people will find this comfortable enough, but some may find the side button placement inconvenient. | 3.5/5 |
| Display | It performs quite well when gaming, although some may be disappointed by the flimsy additional joystick. | 4 / 5 |
| Total | If Asus worked on providing a better aim for the joystick, the Chakram X would get a perfect score. | 3.5/5 |
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
Asus ROG Chakram X: Also Consider
| row 0 – cell 0 | Asus ROG Chakram X | Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro | Logitech G502 Hero |
| Interface: | USB-C, Bluetooth, 2.4GHz Wireless | USB-C, Razer HyperSpeed Wireless | USB-C, Lightspeed Wireless |
| Ergonomics: | right handed | right handed | right handed |
| button: | 10 plus scroll wheel | 5 programmable controls | 13 programmable controls |
| DPI: | 36,000 | 30,000 | 25,600 |
| Switch: | ROG Micro Switch | Optical Switch Gen-3 | Hero 25K |
| weight: | 4.47 oz (127 g) | 2.22 oz (63 g) | 3.74 oz (106 g) |
How I tested the Asus ROG Chakram X
- tested it for a week
- It is used for gaming as well as for productivity tasks
- play games like final fantasy xiv And resident evil 3 with this
Testing the ROG Chakram X took about a week in total. I wanted to get a good feel for it in multiple scenarios. I switched over to my regular mouse to use the Chakram X as part of my daily routine. At that time the mouse was used almost every day. I opened it up to replace the customizable parts to fully understand it.
As for specific cases, I first used the Chakram X to surf websites, check my email, and perform other simple tasks. From there, I tried out the mouse in a variety of games, using different setting profiles. I resident evil 3 And heroic So I can test its accuracy in both slow motion and fast motion scenarios. path of Exile And final fantasy xiv There were also test grounds to check the DPI sensitivity of the Chakram X. I want to know what it feels like to zip a cursor across a screen with all the skill and inventory management those games demand.
As for me, I understand very well what makes a good gaming mouse. I have used many devices in the past to find the best one for me. Over my years of experimentation, I’ve learned that aspects like accuracy and DPI sensitivity are the most important things to consider when shopping for a mouse. It may seem obvious, but some people can get distracted by gimmicks or other bells and whistles that they forget to look at what’s most important in your gear.
We pride ourselves on our independence and our rigorous review-testing process, taking a long-term focus on the products we review and ensuring that our reviews are updated and maintained – no matter when a device is released Ho, if you can still buy it, it’s on our radar.
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