ADATA XPG Alpha Review: An Ergonomic Gaming Mouse That Delivers

Adata recently launched its series of XPG Alpha gaming mice, which come in both wired and wireless flavors. The sleek and ergonomic mouse is designed to offer a combination of high-performance and gamer-centric features, with an array of customizable options available via the included XPG Prime software.

The XPG Alpha gaming mouse is based on an industrial design language Adata XPG has dubbed its "Exoskeleton". The focus of the design is a balance between form and function. The XPG Alpha aims to provide an ergonomically sound and comfortable mousing experience, without skimping on features intended for gamers.

XPG Alpha Gaming Mouse Specifications

Interface	USB Type-C
Connection	Wired | Wireless 2.4G / Bluetooth 5.1 / Wired
Battery Life	Up to 60 hours
Sensor	PAW 3335
Resolution	100-16,000 (via PRIME)
IPS	400
Max. Acceleration	40 G
Polling Rate	250 / 500 / 1000 Hz (via PRIME)
Switch	OMRON with 60-million clicks rating
Lighting Effect	RGB (PRIME Support)
Voltage	5 V
Current	410 mA
Material	PC + ABS
Buttons	6
Dimension	128 x 78 x 40mm (5.04 x 3.07 x 1.57 in)
Weight	78 ±5g (wired) | 98 ±5g (wireless) [without cable]
Cable Length	1.8 m (5.9 ft)
OS Compatibility	Windows
Warranty	2 Years

Find The XPG Alpha Gaming Mouse @ Amazon

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As we mentioned earlier, the XPG Alpha is available in both wired and wireless versions. Physically, both versions are nearly identical. Both measure at the same height, width, and depth. However, the wireless version weights in at 98 grams, while the wired version comes in at only 78 grams (not including the cable). Both versions can be connected to a PC with the included USB to USB-C cable via a port on the front of the mouse, but the wireless version incorporates a battery and radio transceiver.
The only other noticeable difference in appearance between the two is found on the bottom of the devices. The wireless version has a compartment that safely tucks away the USB dongle used for 2.4G connectivity.

The XPG Alpha's wireless connection can be made using the included 2.4GHz USB dongle, or via Bluetooth. The 2.4G mode allows for lower-latency and higher-performance, for the hardcore gamers out there. Throw in the fact that the battery lasts roughly 60 hours (depending on usage), and you have a killer combination for those long gaming sessions. If you need to save on battery life, you can opt for Bluetooth's low-energy, battery-saving mode. Like most other wireless mice, you will need to plug the mouse in from time to time to charge the battery using the included USB-C cable -- there's no wireless charging option through a specialized mousepad.

XPG Alpha Gaming Mouse Features And Experience

All of the details we'll present from hereon out can be applied to both versions of the XPG Alpha, unless otherwise noted. If you peruse the spec table above, you'll see just how similar they are.

The XPG Alpha uses high-quality Omron switches for its buttons. These Omron switches have an MTBF of over 60 million clicks. That should provide for plenty of headshots in your favorite shooter games. While using the mouse during gaming sessions, we found that the response time when clicking either the left or right mouse buttons to be excellent, when in wired or wireless modes. We also did not experience any mis-clicks and in general, the click-action just feels very good.

Adata claims that the Pixart Paw 3335 sensor featured in the XPG Alpha is designed for both high performance and high precision. You will find six preset DPI settings baked into the mouse that can easily be switched between via the DPI button at the top. The sensor supports a DPI range from 100 to 16,000 (customizable using the XPG Prime software), and has a max acceleration of 40G and max speed of 400 IPS. The DPI button also serves as a status indicator, with different colors indicating which DPI setting the mouse is currently using.

On the left side of the mouse there are two buttons that can be programmed to perform a vast array of actions, which can also be set in the XPG Prime software. The two buttons are positioned well and large enough that you should not mistakenly click the wrong one in the heat of battle.

While I personally prefer a mouse that has a bit more height, overall the XPG Alpha mouse was comfortable to use for extended periods of time. I did not experience any wrist fatigue or pain while using it, and the extended pad on the left side of the mouse was wide enough to accommodate my large thumb.

XPG Prime Software Features

The XPG Prime software included with the Alpha provides a host of customization options. Users can choose a custom lighting options, set functions for the six programmable buttons, choose custom DPI settings, and adjust the power status indicator.

In terms of its lighting options, the XPG Prime software provides nine options, which can all be further customized within the app. One further customization that can be made is adding an Effect Layer. This allows you to essentially add one lighting effect that will run beneath the primary one you have selected. Other adjustments that can be made are brightness, color, width, angle, and the speed at which the effect operates.

Once you have found the perfect lighting combination, you can move on to programming any of the six buttons on the Alpha. There are eight options to choose from when assigning a function to a particular button. Those include, mouse functions, keyboard functions, media controls, window shortcut, launch program, text, macro, and disable. With each of those options comes a plethora of additional, related options, giving you an endless sea of functions to choose from.

If you are the type that constantly changes your DPI, XPG Prime has you covered under the performance tab. The software allows you to assign any DPI from 400 to 16,000 for any of the six available steps. So, if you want a slower DPI for playing your favorite shooter, you can click the DPI selector until it is set to 400 DPI. Then if you switch over to browsing the web, you can once again click through the DPI selector until you find the perfect pointer speed.

Another option found under the performance tab is called Angle Snap. With Angle Snap, the mouse will try to predict the intended path of the pointer, and ignore a few degrees of movement in other directions that may stray from the inferred path -- it effectively allows you to move the pointer in more precise, straighter lines, that disregard unintended hand movements. Other customization options in this tab give users the ability to alter the debounce time, lift off distance, and USB polling rate.

The final tab located in the Prime software is for the power status indicator, which is located on the DPI button. Here you can change how long it takes for the mouse to wake up from sleep and adjust the threshold for the batter-low warning indicator.

Located at the bottom right of the software is a macro option menu. Here, users have the ability to assign macros to the mouse buttons. After creating a macro, you can then assign it to bind to whichever button you prefer.

When you first begin using your mouse, it is highly suggested that you first download the XPG Prime software. This is because you will need it in order to update both the mouse and the USB dongle if you have chosen the wireless version. You can access the update feature by clicking on the settings cog wheel in the top left corner of the app. If you have the wireless version, you should start by connecting the mouse via the USB-C cable and updating it first. After you have updated the mouse, you can plug in the USB dongle and click update once again, and it will apply any updates to the dongle that may be available.

XPG Alpha Gaming Mouse Conclusions

The ability to use the wireless version of the XPG Alpha via the 2.4G USB dongle, Bluetooth, or USB-C cable makes it an ideal travel mate. The battery life is another huge plus, as it is rated to last up to 60 hours. While testing we only had to charge the mouse once, and that was after nearly a week of constant use. If you don't need wireless operation, the wired XPG Alpha is functionally identical, though it is a few grams lighter.

The Adata XPG Alpha wired mouse has an MSRP of $43.99, while the wireless option comes in at $69.99. Unfortunately, as of the day of publication, the XPG Alpha mouse was not yet available online. According to Adata, however, they will both be made available on Amazon in the very near future.

	Comfortable, Great Ergonomics Solid Switches Affordable Pricing Good Battery Life (wireless)	Unintuitive Software Minimal Availability