Logitech G303 Daedalus Apex: review

Hardware provided by the manufacturer

Someone at Logitech is seriously into starships at the moment. Not only does the G303 Daedalus Apex have a name like a space boat (much like the Hyperion Fury and Proteus Core before it), but the promotional video actual shows it flying through space. Although we must admit, the symmetrical design previously showcased in the G302 makes a pretty fine looking ship (better than any other peripheral basking in the glow of our monitors anyway). But space faring aesthetics aside, is it any good as a clicker?

The first thing you’ll probably notice is that it’s a dead ringer for the Daedalus Prime; indeed the outside and buttons are exactly the same. The key difference lies in the belly of this desk-straddling beast, as it features similar internals to the G502, including an advanced optical sensor that can tune itself to your gaming surface for optimal performance, precision and responsiveness. It might seem odd to dress up a new mouse in an old exterior, but that might be down to the pro gaming community. You know, the guys who are so good at games it earns them money and limited use of the word “athlete”.

You see, the G302 went down a treat with the eSports community, thanks to its simple yet elegant design that was as easy to use in the left hand as it was in the right. The only drawback was that it wasn’t particularly well endowed with techy bells and whistles, something that has been heavily addressed with the G303. As such, we’ve now got an ambidextrous mouse with guts that push it into the upper echelons of Logitech’s peripheral line-up.

Its DPI settings alone make it a fairly formidable beast, with a range of 200 DPI that stretches all the way up to 12,000. Of course, 12,000 DPI is way too high to be useful on 99% of monitors, but it’s always nice to know that the functionality is there, especially if you ever do get a 4K screen. We settled on a much more practical range that sits between 6,000 and 8,000, switchable using the toggle button that’s located behind the mouse wheel.

This is where our first major gripe arises with the G303. The DPI toggle button cycles through your DPI settings with each click, which is fine if you’re only shifting between the two; but if you have four different settings (as per the default), this can be quite fiddly. The button isn’t really located in a place that feels natural to click, requiring you to awkwardly curl back a finger in order to get anywhere close to clicking range. Add to this that the mouse has no visual representation of the setting you’re using, and you’re left with something that just isn’t practical for on-the-fly DPI shifting. To be fair, it isn’t a huge issue unless you like to flick over to a slow scope aim every once in a while, but it still feels like a poor design choice.

Other than that, the buttons are well placed, with two on the side and a middle mouse button in the scroll wheel alongside left and right buttons. And on the subject of the regular left and right clickers, they feel great! As with the G302 before it, the Daedalus Apex features the metal spring tensioning system that makes the primary buttons extra clicky. Or, to put it as the back of the box does, the buttons are “precisely positioned to reduce pre-travel and backlash, delivering optimal response and feel.” Like we said, extra clicky.

Another neat party trick the G303 has up its mouse hole is its light-up body. Whilst it comes sporting a fairly vanilla Logitech blue, you’re actually capable of changing the colour to one of 16.8 million others, allowing you to pick your favourite shade from the RGB spectrum. This light is projected from the ‘G’ logo on top as well as the spotted vent-like bits in the side. It also has a slightly eerie breathing effect to it that makes the light features of this mouse a little more interesting than the dazzling always-on effect used by most computer rodents. The lighting effects are also completely customisable using the ever impressive Logitech Gaming Software.

Although the mouse works completely fine straight out of the box, if you install the Logitech Gaming Software (or LGS as our lazy hands will call it from now on), you can get a lot more from it. The handy little program lets you do so much, including custom button bindings for specific games, fine-tuning your DPI settings, and all the cool light tinkering we talked about before. It also opens up toys like the surface tuning performance gadget – which allows the mouse to scan your gaming surface and adjust its setting to the optimum operating levels for your desk or mouse mat.

Whilst there’s nothing that really distinguishes the aesthetics of the Daedalus Apex over its predecessor (other than the customisable lighting), one minor detail is that the USB cable running from it is covered with a cord-like sheath rather than the plastic cover found on most mice. It’s a very minor difference, but it goes a little way to make this mouse feel like the premium version of the G302. Logitech’s record of durability and build quality is also continued in the G303 as it’s been tested to 20 million clicks without failure. Apparently. Not by us; we’re not maniacs.

Whilst it may not look like a mega mouse, the Daedalus Apex is definitely swinging above its weight class. A bit of a sabre-toothed tiger in sheep’s clothing, it’s perfect if you’re looking for an ambidextrous gaming mouse that’s packed with gadgets but isn’t overly flashy about it. As usual, the LGS makes almost every aspect easy to customise and configure, allowing you to get the most out of the mouse, even if it is a little light on the button front. It’s a direct upgrade from the G302 in every way.