Rapoo VT2 Max Gen-2 mouse review

Lightweight gaming mice have become increasingly popular in recent years, with brands like FinalMouse and Logitech joining the fray. Where companies used to be interested in letting you play with the weight and feel (looking at you, Sidewinder), it's now in vogue to cut weight. This is for good reason: lighter mice make prolonged use less strenuous as well as more accurate, at least in theory. Enter Rapoo's VT2 Max Gen-2, an affordable mouse that, dare I say, has dethroned Logitech as my personal weapon of choice. 

Let's start with the basic specs on this little beast. The VT2 Max Gen-2 somehow found a way to show up even lighter. At an impressive 53 grams, it shows up in a big way while still finding some ways to cut the fat. It's all housed in a smooth, comfortable, matte plastic finish. The unit I reviewed was a delicious deep purple. 

The mouse itself features your standard left and right buttons, as well as forward and back buttons housed on the left side, situated by your thumb, and a couple of programmable buttons (typically used to increase/decrease DPI) just behind the scroll wheel. Everything feels like it's in just the right position and actuates like a dream. When you couple that with the VT2 Max's up-to 8k polling rate - the modern standard for high-end gaming mice - and up to 30,000 DPI, you have a seriously formidable piece of equipment at your disposal.

On the bottom of the mouse, there's a forward and rear gliding pad, as well as one surrounding the optical sensor. A plastic square held in place magnetically will, if pressed, give way to show a compartment for holding the wireless USB-A dongle. Should the gliding pads ever begin to wear away or fail to be to your liking, the kind folks at Rapoo included replacements packed in with the mouse. 

Speaking of the wireless dongle, the VT2 Max Gen-2 operates much like Logitech's superlight offering - there's a USB-C cable included that can be plugged into the front of the mouse for wired control (or use while charging). If you wanted, you could just plug the USB-A wireless dongle in and you'd be off to the races wirelessly, but Rapoo did you one better than that. Included in the package is a USB-C to USB-A dongle that can attach to the end of your USB-C cable. The USB-A receiver can then be plugged into THAT, letting you situate the receiver a bit closer and, when you need to charge it, you can just remove that C-to-A add-on, plug it in, and continue your gaming session. It's really a pretty simple addition, but it's one that other companies have started to follow suit with, and it makes the transition a breeze when the battery needs some love. 

With regards to the VT2 Max's battery life, I have to admit I'm a bit blown away. While other companies will boast 50-100 hours of use between charges, Rapoo claims they can get up to SEVEN HUNDRED FIFTY hours of battery life on a single charge. That would literally allow you to use the mouse unimpeded for a full 31-day month before needing to be recharged. I can't refute that, as I've only seen my VT2 Max's battery drop by 1% after 25-30 hours of first-person shooters. 

Using Rapoo's A HUB software (their take on Logitech's G HUB), I was able to keep an eye on the mouse's battery. The A HUB is actually a pretty impressive support suite. You can do everything from adjusting DPI to mapping all SORTS of functionality to your mouse (every button is programmable!) to analyzing and planning for battery use and adjusting the scan rate for even more responsive feedback. 

Rapoo does something else here that has really impressed me. Along with the additional gliding pads, they pack in adhesive rubberized grips to use with your mouse if you want. After several hours of naked use, I gave the rubberized grips a try and, man, it sounds like such a simple thing but it has improved my experience with this mouse in a way I was not expecting. A little extra cushioned grip on the sides and mouse buttons goes a long way toward making your time with the VT2 Max a sublime experience. 

I have only one point of concern I believe merits mention, and it's going to come down to personal preference. The physical design of the VT2 Max's body feels slightly less ergonomic to me than Logitech's Pro X Superlight, but the previously mentioned rubberizing gripping far more than makes up for it. 

Despite the disappointment of RGB-loving folks, the Rapoo VT2 Max Gen-2 offers a beautiful aesthetic with comfortable, lightweight construction. The buttons feel great and the whole experience is smooth and responsive. Thanks to their A HUB software, the mouse is almost infinitely customizable (or as much as a mouse with 8 buttons can be), and with up to 750 hours of battery life between charges, it's hard to argue this doesn't belong in the hands of every competitive gamer looking for a top-tier experience. When you combine that with the fact it's considerably more affordable than its competition, the VT2 Max Gen-2 is a no-brainer. Whether you're gaming or using this at the office, it's a mouse you should absolutely consider adding to your arsenal.