Setup & Observation
Setting up the CLUTCH 2 is very straightforward, all you require is either a spare USB 2.0/3.0 port and a connection to the internet if you wish to use the OP software suite. By opting not to download, you don’t lose out on too much as some features can be adjusted using the mouse. A prime example of this is the CPI level and with that, there are three different levels that can be set at any one time. To do this via the mouse you hold down the forward and backward profile buttons for five seconds, and the LED indicators above the thumb rest buttons will flash indicating which profile you are adjusting. The next step is to then use the scroll wheel to alter the CPI in 100 increments. Once you’ve dialled in the correct CPI level, you can press the profile button and save the change. This is just one of the things that can be done via the mouse, but there are things that can’t, these include button remapping, calibration and macros. If you do plan on changing the various settings via the mouse, the quick start guide provides a great step-by-step guide on how to do so.
An observation we had with the CLUTCH 2 is the comfort, we found that the adjustment period was far less than that of the FLICK 2, but this is due to a right-hand prominence and the fact the mouse has been designed for right-handed users. If you prefer a more symmetrical design, then the FLICK 2 would be the one to opt for. The CLUTCH 2 is notably tall though which could lead to a brief adjustment period if you’re swapping from a mouse with a lower profile. The side grips are decent, however, they don’t provide as much grip as some other mice we’ve tested, but they are comfortable and do get the job done. The glide of the mouse is brilliant due to the two large glide feet on the underside of the mouse, and when using the mouse with a cloth mousepad the glide is super smooth and doesn’t catch or drag at all. The build of the mouse is tiptop as it just feels very well constructed. There is no scroll wheel wobble, and all the buttons, as well as the left and right click, feel superb. The body feels great too, it has a smoothly textured coating that is very comfortable, it does, however, mark easily and also shows up palm sweat prominently, but it is easy enough to clean.
Illumination
The RGB on the CLUTCH 2 is very toned down when compared to some other mice. There are only two small zones of lighting, but both are done very tastefully. The actual illumination is very good, there is a slight hot spot on the scroll wheel but other than that minor issue the lighting is vibrant, the colours are accurate and have nice levels of contrast and saturation. The lighting is also bright enough to be vibrant under the light provided by an LED desk lamp. To change effects - of which there are three main, you’ll either use the mouse or the software which is easier. The main effects include Pulse, Fade and the Colour editor. The main effects then have sub-effects that change the way the main effect act, these are nicely implemented and work very well. However, as the RGB zones are quite small, some of the effects are portrayed better than others, a good example of this is the Fade Gradient effect. This isn’t a negative of the mouse at all; it’s just that due to the small lighting area the effect can’t be fully appreciated.
CLUTCH 2 Performance
Using the CLUTCH 2 daily was a good experience, when navigating Windows or browsing the web the sensor felt responsive and even with a CPI of just 600 it was superb and didn’t require too much mouse movement to get across a 2560 x 1440 resolution monitor. For photo work it was surprisingly capable too, this is thanks to the adjustable CPI and brilliant sensor. Although the Pixart sensor is designed for gaming, the accuracy of it really helps when performing manual edits and it allowed the easy removal of any unwanted items. The adjustable CPI helped too as you could set a profile for photo editing and have three different levels to perform different tasks. The scroll wheel is also another strong suit as it feels great and doesn’t have any wobble, the action has some nice resistance and doesn’t scroll too freely, but yet it can cope with fast inputs. The individual steps are well defined which is great as you don’t often overshoot anything when using it to navigate vertically up and down a page or document.
When getting some gaming done the CLUTCH 2 really shines thanks to all its core attributes. It starts with the left and right click that is speedy and precise due to the Omron D2FC-F-7N switches. This makes them great for controlling burst fire or carrying out melee attacks. The scroll wheel click is nicely tactile but does feel slightly more resistive than the one found on the FLICK 2. There is no side-to-side movement which is a huge bonus if you have it custom mapped to carry out an action in game. The thumb grip buttons are a good size with positioning that is ideal if you use a palm style grip but also are still very comfortable for claw grip users, they are also well sprung, tactile and responsive. The sensor utilised in the CLUTCH 2 is the Pixart 3360, this is optical and often regarded as one of the best sensors at this price point. It has a max CPI of 12,000 and works at speeds up to 250ips. The CLUTCH 2 also sports an acceleration of 50G and a polling rate of 1000Hz; the polling rate can be adjusted using the OP software if needed. For gaming this combination is great as the tracking is highly impressive as is the accuracy and responsiveness, this makes the CLUTCH 2 ideal for fast-paced shooters like CSGO or if play titles like Fortnite or Overwatch. There are no signs of lag, jitter or stuttering in sensor and the action of movement for tracking is very smooth and consistent. The CLUTCH 2 also supports an adjustable lift off distance, by default, this is set to 2mm but can be adjusted to 3mm if you prefer it higher. When performing lift offs we did note that there is a slight deviation in cursor movement when the mouse is placed back down, but after that, there is no additional movement. The weighting of the mouse is nicely judged which makes it feel very agile when gliding it around. Some may prefer a lighter mouse, and some prefer heavier, but at 97g this is a nice compromise in the middle.
FOCUS 2 Performance
The FOCUS 2 mousepad is one of the better cloth ones we’ve tried at this price point, it feels smoother than most and the surface - thanks to the FOCUS TEXTURE, is brilliant. For tracking, we noticed some improvement as well as the way it’s made just seems to work better. We tried it against a SteelSeries QcK, and a Perixx and it feels superior for both gliding and tracking. The surface on the FOCUS 2 is less coarse and feels far smoother which results in an effortless glide. To try it further we used some different mice which include the Logitech G300s, Mionix Castor, the Fnatic FLICK 2 and an Xtrfy XG-M3 and the result was the same across the board. The underside grip is brilliant, and the pad stayed cemented to the desk surface.
