The Asus ROG Harpe ACE Extreme is Asus’ latest attempt to really make a name for itself in the gaming mouse market, and it certainly packs in some impressive features that should ensure it’s an attempt that succeeds.
Made entirely from carbon fiber, Asus‘ new best wireless gaming mouse contender is astonishingly light at just 47g. It also includes the latest must-have high-end features, such as optional 8kHz wireless polling via a separate dongle, and a ludicrous 42,000 DPI sensor. I got hands-on with the new Harpe ACE at Computex 2024 and came away very impressed.
What immediately strikes you about the new mouse is its carbon fiber build. Not only does it wear its fibrousness for all to see, but you can feel the stiffness that this incredibly strong material provides. Where other lightweight mice – or not-so-lightweight ones – have flex in the button triggers or the sides of the mouse, here the whole unit feels incredibly solid.
The shape also seemed to work really well for a wide range of grip styles. It helped that the environment in which I was testing it made for a warm, sweaty palm (gross, I know, but facts are facts), which inevitably aids grip, but the shape also worked well for fingertip, claw, and palm grips for my 20cm long hands (measuring from the base of my hand to the end of my middle finger).
Grooves in the sides of the mouse further help grip while the generally matte surface of the carbon fiber no doubt helps as well.
The main buttons also feel very taut, seemingly thanks to the stiffness of the carbon fiber. There’s no flex in the material and no gap before the microswitch engages – it’s a truly instant feel when you press the buttons, without feeling like an overly delicate hair trigger.
Meanwhile, this mouse’s glass feet (or skates or glide pads, depending on your preferred terminology), offered incredibly gliding smoothness on both the soft mouse pad and the white desk top of the demo space. However, we’ll have to wait to find out how they hold up in longer-term use.
We weren’t able to test actual gaming performance, as no units were attached to functioning gaming PCs, but we’ve no doubt the sensor and wireless tech will deliver the goods, as few mice fail in these areas these days.
Suffice it to say, we’re excited to take this rodent for a proper test drive when it becomes available for review. We’re still waiting for word on an exact release date and price, though, so in terms of value it’s too early to get any sense of how it might hold up.
The ROG Harpe ACE Extreme launches alongside the Asus ROG Azoth Extreme aluminum and carbon fiber keyboard, so check that out if you’re interested in Asus’ full new premium peripherals lineup.