EVGA TORQ X10 Gaming Mouse Review

EVGA recently announced a new gaming mouse to be added to their ever growing product line – the TORQ X10. We got our first look at the TORQ X10 back in January at CES 2014, but now EVGA is ready to make it available to the masses. The TORQ X10 mouse comes in two versions, one with a real carbon fiber surface and another without. Both versions are identical in functionality and design, but the real carbon fiber model will be a bit more expensive. The TORQ X10 comes loaded with features and customization options that should appeal to a wide swath of gamers and enthusiasts alike. So, let’s find out how EVGA did with their first foray into the gaming mouse market!

Specifications and Features

Here are the specifications of the EVGA TORQ X10 as provided by EVGA. Of note here is the max DPI rating of 8200 and the use of the Avago 9800 laser sensor. EVGA has also provided weight adjustment, a host of LED color options, and 512K onboard memory for saving profiles.

Features

• Onboard storage can support up to 5 separate profiles
• Ambidextrous design supports right or left handed gamers
• Adjustable height system supports all gamers
• Adjustable DPI up to 8200 DPI with On-the-Fly Sensitivity adjustment
• Adjustable weight system
• Highest quality materials including silver coated wire and Omron switches (20 million click life cycle)
• Robust software allows full control over mouse including Macro setup, profiles and OSD
• Super low friction PTFE mouse feet
• Black nickel-plated USB connector
• Solid metal base provides solid construction
• 32-bit ARM MCU

The TORQ X10 has a lot of unique features that will enhance the gaming experience and provide a great deal of customization. Aesthetically, there are a rainbow of colors available for the LED lighting effects, which can be applied to the scroll wheel and EVGA logo.

The name TORQ X10 presumably stems from the torque wrench style height adjustment option. By using the included tool, both top panels can be raised or lowered to provide a custom fit and feel. The ability to add or remove weights gives the user another way of customizing the mouse to their individual tastes.

Super low friction PTFE feet are used to provide smooth operation as you slide the mouse around the surface. Couple that with the use of Omron D2FC-F-7N switches, which offer a 20+ million click life cycle, and you have the making of a smooth operating and long lasting product. To enhance reliability and give the TORQ X10 that finished look, EVGA opted for a nicely braided and silver coated wiring design for the USB cable.

Bringing the entire user experience together is EVGA’s Unleash software package. We’ll show the software in more detail later in the review, but you can see by the image below it offers a plethora of options for fine tuning the features of the mouse.

Packaging and First Look

At the front of the triangular shaped packaging, EVGA proudly displays the TORQ X10 through the clear plastic shell insert. The back of the box mentions some of the specifications and features we mentioned above, and the box sides are reserved for graphical explanations of a few high level features.

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Once the box is opened, you’ll find the TORQ X10 mouse and a few goodies along with it. The weight kit has two each of a 6g, 4g, and 2g weight. The weights can be used in any of nine possible combinations to customize the feel. The tool needed to adjust the height of the mouse is also included along with an envelope marked “accessory.” Inside that envelope is a replacement set of PTFE feet, a quick start guide, and instructions on how to install the weights.

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Photo Op

Here is a quick look at the EVGA TORQ X10 Gaming Mouse from a few different angles. The mouse certainly looks the part, I’ll give it that. As you look at the different angles, you’ll notice the left and right sides of the mouse are identical. The design is completely symmetrical, which makes it usable by left or right handed people.

A Closer Look

Each side of the mouse has two programmable buttons labeled 1 & 2. The sides are made of a glossy plastic finish that feels smooth to the touch while still providing good gripping qualities. The two top panels feature a good amount of dimples that really help the mouse feel secure in your hand while moving it about.

The scroll wheel is metal with a rubber coating, which again greatly aids in a “no-slip” experience. The rocker switch located just behind the scroll wheel is used for on-the-fly DPI adjustment and has LEDs that correspond with what setting you’re on.

Looking at the bottom of the TORQ X10, we can see the Avago laser sensor capable of 8200 DPI. The red button you see is for switching between the five macro profiles. It might seem an odd location for the button, but it will definitely prevent accidental profile switching during the heat of the battle. At the back of the mouse is where the mouse height can be adjusted using the included tool. Rotating the tool counterclockwise will raise the two top plates and turning it clockwise will lower them.

In order to add or remove weights, the top of the mouse has to be removed. It takes a fair amount of force to pop it off, but off it came! Once you get the top off, you’ll find a soft rubber holder used to house the weights. There is a small tab in the center of the holder that you can use to lift it out with. Once you do that, just pick the weights you want to use and put them in the holder. From there, just put the holder with weights back in the slot and replace the top of the mouse… done.

Included Software – EVGA Unleash Mouse Utility

There are five areas within the Unleash utility aimed at complete customization of the TORQ X10. When opening the utility, you land at the Button Assignment section, which is mostly informational in nature. By hovering over any colored button number on the left side of the screen, you will see a pop-up telling you what its assigned task is. The lighting control, DPI, and sensitivity adjustments at the top of the window will follow you as you navigate all the different areas of the utility.

If you wish to change any of the button assignments, then you’ll need to head over to the Button Settings section. From here you can change any of the non-macro button assignments. Once you have setup your macros, they will also show up here. At that point you can also use this section to assign them to any of the nine buttons.

In the Advanced area, there are three sub tabs dealing with DPI, in-OS, and LED settings. The DPI sub tab lets you customize the polling rate associated with each of the five available DPI settings, both X and Y axis. The OS sub tab is where you can set the in-OS behavior of the mouse. Under the LED sub tab you can control two of the three LED areas on the mouse. The DPI indicator LEDs behind the scroll wheel will always remain red and are not changeable. The scroll wheel and EVGA logo can be set independently to any of seven color options. You also have the ability to turn the LEDs off or give them a breathing effect, if so desired.

The Macro area has two sub tabs dealing with setup and management of the Macros you want. You can setup nine macros and give them unique names from the Macro sub tab. Then simply press the record button and perform the actions you want the macro to include. Then press the stop button and you’ll see the results in the right side of the window. By clicking the save button at this point, you will save the macro definition to the mouse. You can then continue on to the next macro setup… rinse and repeat. If you want to review your macros after they are setup, just click the macro name in the left window and press the Load button to display the definitions. From within the Management sub tab you have the ability to save macros to your computer and then use them to copy between profiles.

The last area is called Profile Management. This is where you can choose where to store your profiles, either in the onboard memory of the mouse memory or on your computer.

Admittedly, the Unleash software took me a while to wrap my head around, especially when setting up macros and profiles. I think EVGA could do great justice to the users of this mouse by providing a detailed users guide. I know it would have saved me a lot of time. Other than that, there were only a couple of oddities I ran across when using the software. Firstly, having to hit the Load button to review previously programmed macro definitions. You would think by clicking on the macro name it would load the corresponding definitions. Apparently, Unleash doesn’t have the capability to keep all the macros loaded simultaneously, or it was just missed in the software development. One other minor issue is related to assigning macros to a particular mouse button. Even though you assign a name to a macro, when you try to assign it to a button from the Button Settings area, they show up as a number instead of the name you assigned to it. I think it would be great to have the option of assigning a macro to a particular button right from the macro setup screen without having to toggle back to the Button Settings area.

Even with these minor issues, the software does what it should once you get everything setup properly. I’m sure these minor issues will be ironed out once EVGA gets feedback from its user base. EVGA is usually great at listening to their users and implementing changes based on that feedback.

Usability

One of the hardest things about reviewing products such as a gaming mouse, is relaying the experience of actually using it. What is considered the perfect mouse for one, may be a complete disaster for the next. Luckily the TORQ X10 has the ability to adjust the height of the top plates, so that alone will widen the scope of potential satisfied users. After using the TORQ X10 for a week or so, I found it to be very responsive, precise, and I was able to set the height to a level that fit me very well (just less than 1/2 way up). For me, the 1600DPI setting seemed to provide the best experience when gaming. The 8200DPI setting was way to touchy, but is probably better suited for Surround or Eyefinity (multi-monitor) gaming. Due to the PTFE feet, the mouse glided effortlessly across my mouse pad, regardless of the amount of weights used. I actually ended up using no weights at all, as that seemed to fit my usage style the best.

I really only came across one annoyance when using the mouse, and that had to do with the two buttons on the right side of the mouse. I found myself inadvertently pressing those buttons while doing mundane office type tasks or when gaming. The issue was a little worse when gaming because of the rapid movements required in some situations. In the end, I found myself disabling those two buttons. The default setting for those two buttons is disabled, which makes me believe others are likely to encounter the same problem. The buttons on the left side were in the perfect location to access with my thumb… good stuff there! Given the ambidextrous design of the mouse, I don’t think it would make much sense to relocate the buttons on the right side. Of course, this isn’t going to be an issue for everyone because people grip the mouse in a variety of different ways. Other than that, the mouse performed admirably in all situations.

Conclusion

The look and feel of the TORQ X10 leaves little to be desired in my view. I think EVGA did a great job with their initial entry into the gaming mouse arena. The mouse is loaded with features the most demanding gamers look for. From the solid construction, lighting effects, and height adjustments to a software package that allows a unique user experience, EVGA really did do a wonderful job with the TORQ X10.

Other than the inadvertent pressing of the right side buttons and the minor software issues, there really isn’t much to complain about here. There really isn’t much that can be done with the buttons and still keep the ambidextrous design intact, but I expect EVGA will improve upon the Unleash software as time goes by, they’re good like that.

EVGA sweetened the pot for the initial release of the TORQ X10 by offering it as low as $49.99 if pre-ordered through Newegg. Even the carbon fiber edition can be had at a low introductory price of $69.99. Those prices are roughly half of what similarly outfitted gaming mice cost, but these attractive pricing offers won’t last forever. Once the introductory pricing offer expires, the prices will rise to their still competitive MSRP of $99.99 and $129.99 respectively. So, if you’re looking for a gaming mouse with this feature set, get on it! Once you register the product at EVGA’s website, you can request a free TORQ mouse pad to seal the deal.

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–Dino DeCesari (Lvcoyote)