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To test the GM70, I used it as my daily driver for a number of days, using it in both wired and wireless modes. During this time I used it while playing games, editing photos and for general office work
First, let's take a look at MSI's Gaming Center app:
The software is definitely best described as ‘basic yet functional'. It is nowhere near as comprehensive as Razer Synapse or Corsair's CUE programmes, but it does get the job done. After all, it lets you set DPI stages, adjust the button configuration and play around with the RGB LEDs – everything that good software should do. Perhaps we are just spoiled by the added extras we have come to expect from Synapse and CUE, but in any case, MSI's Gaming Center is good enough to get the job done.
Moving on to the RGB lighting, I must say the GM70 does very well in this area. There are two LED areas (the MSI logo and the front of the mouse) but they are recognised as a single zone so unfortunately they are not independently configurable. That being said, there are plenty of lighting effects to choose from and the LEDs themselves are nice and bright. The light coverage across the MSI logo is also very even, so I really cannot complain. Good job MSI.
Now, let's move on to the day-to-day use of the mouse.
I'll start with performance, and I am happy to say the Clutch GM70 excels in this area. It uses the PMW 3360 sensor, and having seen plenty of mice that use this optical sensor, I can safely say it is a brilliant piece of kit. In short, I had no issues tracking with the GM70, so I felt just as comfortable picking-off headshots in Ghost Recon: Wildlands as I did editing my review photos.
However, the GM70 is quite heavy, weighing in at 142g. MSI's spec sheet does list it at 129g but that is a little bit cheeky as the 129g weight is only correct with no side grips or a top-panel attached, and obviously you're not going to use it without a top-panel. I weighed it with the rounded top-panel, but no side grips, attached and the GM70 came in at 142g.
This is obviously personal preference, but for a gaming mouse I do feel that the GM70 could be a bit lighter. The reason for the mouse's heft is the use of aluminium for the GM70's frame, so while it is heavy, it is very well-built, so I guess there is a bit of a trade-off there.
Now, let's talk about comfort. While I certainly appreciate the interchangeable side grips – it is a similar implementation to the Corsair Glaive and it works very well – there is a bigger issue holding the GM70 back. Essentially, I found the side buttons on the right-hand side of the mouse prevented me from getting any kind of a comfortable grip on the mouse.
The reason for this is, given the GM70 is ambidextrous in design, there are side buttons on both the left and right-hand sides. However, the side buttons protrude quite a way from the body of the mouse, so my fourth-finger would always be resting on the right-hand side buttons. Not only was it a nuisance as I kept accidentally pressing those buttons, it was also simply was not comfortable to grip the mouse.
It's a shame, as the GM70 certainly is a capable mouse and the interchangeable side grips work well. However, I really think the side buttons either need to be more low-profile – ideally, they would be fully recessed – or they need to be removable, something the ASUS ROG Strix Evolve actually implemented quite successfully.
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