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Originating from Thermalright in 2010, Leetgion is a new player to the peripherals game. Built to offer specialised performance, the company’s Hellion mouse is optimised for RTS gaming.
Sporting an Avago 9500 sensor capable of a DPI range from 100 to 5000, the Hellion is accurate and precisely-tracked, giving it the potential to be perfect for any type of game. A single Cherry MX Blue mechanical switch housed beneath the unique ‘Attack’ key can offer unparalleled durability and instantaneous feedback.
On-the-fly DPI switching, a 16.7 million colour LED strip and four pre-defined operating profiles, in addition to a single customisable variant, form the recipe for a successful gaming mouse. But has Leetgion put these enthusiast grade features to good use or is the Hellion a disappointment?
Specifications:
- Avago 9500 Laser Mouse Sensor (100 to 5000DPI)
- Four Made in Japan Omron Micro Switches
- Cherry MX Key Switch Attack Button
- Six Fully Programmable Hotkeys
- Four Custom Profiles sets
- Four distinct LED lighting cues, for indication of the current profile
- Customizable 16.7 million colour LED taillight for each profile
- On-The-Fly DPI Switching
Leetgion supplies the Hellion in a classy cardboard box that features the company's name.
Opening this box reveals the mouse in a showcase style configuration, protected by a thick plastic cover.
Consisting of a technical specifications sheet, pair of stickers and five cable straps, our bundle was packaged separately to the mouse itself. We expect this to be different for retail products.
The technical specification piece of cardboard clearly outlines the Hellion's dimensions and key features. A pair of Anaglyph glasses is provided, allowing purchasers to view the 3D graphics that exist on the technical sheet.
A black and white user guide provides clear instructions for changing the DPI settings and fully utilising the mouse buttons.
A single set of replacement surfaces ensures that your Hellion can continue to perform at peak accuracy even when it approaches a mature age.
Accompanied by the rear’s rounded shape, the Hellion's thick and angular front design shows slight resemblances to the appearance of a hammerhead shark. Graphite in colour, Leetgion hasn't created the most elegant of mice in the Hellion. Users that demand the market's most attractive design are likely to bypass this product, based on its colour and shape.
More apparent from eye-level, the curved design promotes a full-clench hold as opposed to the equally popular ‘claw' grip. LEDs positioned in both the Leetgion and Hellion words, as well as the rear strip located on the lower backside, are able to produce 16.7 million user-definable colours.
Perhaps the Hellion's most unique feature, the ‘Attack' key is perfectly positioned to be regularly tapped by a right-handed user's thumb. The Cherry MX Blue mechanical key switch beneath ensures that long-term durability and instantaneous feedback are achieved. The right side is identical to the left, with the exception of the ‘Attack' key, making it a perfect location to rest your unused ring and little fingers.
A bird's-eye view of the Hellion re-iterates the fact that all 6 of the mouse buttons are conveniently positioned for quick and simple use.
Leetgion uses a high-quality braided cord that feeds into a gold-plated USB connector. Thanks to its aesthetically pleasing design, the black cable won't ruin the appearance of a gamer's clean and modern desk.
No software is supplied with the Hellion meaning that users are forced to download the configurator from Leetgion's website. Not a bad thing as the user will always be sure of the getting the latest version.
The Leetgion Hellion configurator's main page is reserved for button management. Users can manipulate the profile default commands associated with each button.
Shown above are the default button applications for each of the Hellion's 3 pre-defined configurations as well as the single user-customisable ‘Custom' mode.
A drop-down list allows you to configure each button as you so desire. Plenty of options ensure that the Hellion can be tailored to each user's individual preferences and requirements.
A healthy selection of performance adjustments can be accessed via the ‘Adjust Performance' menu. Everything from the DPI and polling rate to scroll and double click speeds can be altered.
The Leetgion Hellion configurator gives users the power to tailor macros to their personal preference. A pre-configured list is also present for avid RTS fans.
The Hellion's LED strip colour can be changed via Leetgion's software. Capable of displaying up to 16.7 million colours, the configurator gives users the freedom to select a completely unique custom colour or, if they prefer, one of the more common choices.
With the lights dimmed, an attractive glow is emitted from the 5 different LED locations. Leetgion provides users with the freedom to adjust the rear LED strip to a colour of their choice while the remaining 4 LEDs retain their default configuration.
Initially, acclimatising for use with the Leetgion Hellion was difficult.
Most people will be able to use the mouse instantly with fluidity and comfort, but those of us with very large hands will require additional time to fully adapt to the Hellion's unique shape. Once a comfortable grip had been achieved, the Hellion was a pleasure to work with.
The main click buttons' large physical dimensions and instantaneous feedback, thanks to Omron's micro switches, make the Hellion non-restrictive for general usage. Buttons 5 and 6 which are set to ‘page forward' and ‘page backward', by default, were ideally located to make skipping through web pages and folders a fast and simplistic task.
For general usage, the ‘Attack' button served its purpose as a quick access route to ‘My Computer'.
During gaming, the Hellion was fast and accurate. The Avago 9500 sensor and its wide variety of DPI modes were perfect for switching between game genres on a regular basis; simply decrease the DPI for RTS games and increase the setting for shooters. 5000 was certainly on the extreme end of the DPI scale, but it did work effectively when operating the machine-gunner seat in a helicopter on Battlefield 3, where fast movement is a necessity.
Note the awkward position of the Hellion's pair of DPI adjustment buttons. We will discuss this design choice, in greater detail, later in the review.
Leetgion‘s first venture into the peripherals market has been a successful one. Throughout testing, we were impressed with the Hellion‘s performance, comfort and ease-of-use.
Built primarily to combat the tasks posed by RTS games, the Leetgion Hellion excels in a variety of gaming environments. Pre-defined and customisable button configurations, a convenient layout and the dedicated ‘Attack' key give users the flexibility to operate a game in the manner that they desire.
General usage was equally enjoyable thanks to the Hellion's comfortable design and efficient tracking speed. Serving its purpose as the ‘My Computer' short-cut button, the ‘Attack' key helped improved productivity, ever so slightly.
Positioning and a 2-3mm elevation of the ‘forward' and ‘backward' buttons were excellent design decisions, as proven by the fact that unintentional presses were phased out almost immediately. One's index and middle ‘click' fingers were directed into a natural channel, rather than hovering above the ‘backward' and ‘forward' selections.
The Avago 9500 sensor assisted the Hellion in achieving accurate and desirable tracking via the multiple DPI settings. Unfortunately, switching between the DPI modes was far less simple than it should have been. For some reason, Leetgion decided to position the DPI increase and decrease buttons on the bottom-rear edge of the mouse, making them face the surface which was around 7mm below. This is less than ideal due to the fact that users are now forced to physically lift the mouse off the surface to adjust the DPI setting.
It may not seem like much of an issue in general usage or time-insignificant scenarios, but try switching the DPI during the intensity of a real-time battle or when finalising that long-distance head-shot, and the issue soon becomes apparent.
There is a work-around that involves configuring the ‘forward' and ‘backward' buttons for the role of DPI adjustment. This is a feasible option for a gaming session, but then forces you to continually switch between game and general usage button profiles.
At £49.99 from Overclockers, the Hellion is priced at the upper edge of what we consider to be competitive. You won't be disappointed by your £49.99 investment, but, due to the mouse market's density, the asking price does make the initial purchase decision more difficult.
Pros:
- Very comfortable.
- Easy and enjoyable to use.
- Enthusiast grade Omron micro switches.
- Unique and innovative design.
- 5 multi-coloured LEDs including a customisable strip.
- Pre-defined operating configurations.
Cons:
- Poorly positioned DPI adjustment buttons.
- £49.99 price tag gives it tough competition.
KitGuru says: Combining a number of good design choices with enthusiast-grade components, the Leetgion Hellion is an impressive product worthy of our KitGuru approval, even if it does encounter stiff resistance from similarly-priced competitors.
I’m not sure if it’s mentioned, but it looks like the size is adjustable.
I like the lights around this mouse, especially the one on the lower back which looks like the bumper of a 1940’s sedan, but overall the contrast between shape (sharp vs round) is ugly.
Looks like a baby hammerhead coming out of its egg-case, or maybe just a slow snail trying to sprint.
Its a nice looking mouse, very different. Does it suffer from lag at all when gaming on a glass mouse mat?
It looks as if the bulbious shape would be comfortable in the hand, but its always hard to tell until you get your hands on it. That is hard as you have to buy it first.