Asus ROG Harpe Ace Aim Lab Edition
The Asus ROG Harpe Ace Aim Lab Edition is a competitive gaming mouse featuring wireless connectivity, designed for pro gamers.
- Weight
- 54g
- Sensor and DPI
- ROG AimPoint / Up to 36,000 DPI
- Switches
- ROG 70M Mechanical Switch
- RGB Lighting
- Yes, with Aura Sync
- Programmable Buttons
- 5
- Connectivity
- Wireless 2.4G / Bluetooth / USB Type-C to Type-A
- Battery Life
- 90 hours without lighting / 79 hours with default lighting (Breathing)
- Battery Type
- Li-Ion
- IPS
- Max: 650
- Acceleration
- Max: 50G
- Dimensions
- 127.5 x 63.7 x 39.6 mm
Esports mice are a different breed to their regular cousins. While they may look similar to your average mouse, they’re filled to the brim with top-of-the-line tech to eke out more performance from every gram of their chassis. MMO mice are covered with thousands of buttons on every possible surface, while FPS esports mice are about shedding weight and maximising performance. The Republic of Gamers Harpe Ace Aim Lab Edition (I’m calling it Harpe from now on) takes that to the extreme, and some players are already calling it the “world’s most accurate gaming mouse.”
The immediate impression when opening the box of the Harpe is how light it is. Most top esports professionals prioritise lightweight mice so they can quickly manouevre them across their pads to hit 360 headshots and the like, but the Harpe takes this to the extreme. Clocking in at just 54g, the Harpe is barely even perceptible in your hand.
The shed weight means that the Harpe is missing some basic features that regular mice have, but if you’re buying for Serious Gaming, none of those frills will matter. The fact it has LED lighting under the scroll wheel surprised me, as that’s usually the first place manufacturers look to shed weight. I also think it’s a little unnecessary, as it usually clashes with the cool blue of the two side-mounted buttons. On the subject of buttons, the regular clickers have a nice, tactile feel, and the scroll wheel feels good. I must admit I miss the infinite scroll capabilities of my Logitech, but that’s an unnecessary addition for such a hardcore mouse.
There are also two buttons on the underside of the mouse, one to pair the Harpe with your PC (it’s got options to connect via Bluetooth, wired connection, or wireless USB-A receiver), and one to switch the DPI/ I’d have preferred the latter on the top of the mouse, but it’s a minor niggle.
The DPI itself is the real selling point of the Harpe. 36,000 DPI might just be too much for me. I like a competitive game as much as the next gamer, but I’m nowhere near a pro, and the minute movements to flick 360 require dexterity and skill beyond my level. However, I’m sure top esports players will appreciate this precision, which is far above that of any mouse I’ve ever used before, and lends itself to that epithet of most accurate in the world.
This is aided by Nvidia Reflex. If you’ve got a compatible monitor – I tested on the ROG Swift PG279QM – plugging the Harpe into that will drastically reduce latency. Nvidia’s internal testing suggests that Harpe is the fastest esports model out there when connected via Reflex, so your clicks will be registering in-game almost instantly. Again, these differences won’t be noticeable to most players, but esports players and competitive gamers need every advantage they can get when there are hundreds of thousands of dollars on the line. It’s still absurdly fast without Reflex, but that additional buff takes it right to the top.
Software-wise, I have the same issues with Armoury Crate that I did when reviewing the ROG Azoth keyboard, in that the software is nigh-impossible to install, and practically useless when it’s working. However, the Harpe can also be tweaked in Aim Lab, hence the name of this edition. If you don’t already have Aim Lab installed, this mouse probably isn’t for you, but it’s a free 12GB download on Steam and unlocks the real juicy mouse software. The customisation options here are unparalleled and will make the most out of the Harpe. From standard DPI shifts to customising the lift-off distance, you really can tweak everything.
The Harpe is a fast mouse with frankly unbelievable DPI sensitivity. It’ll likely be a go-to for professionals who like things small, lightweight, and completely customisable. It’s hard to justify the price if you’re looking for a more multifunctional mouse for day-to-day use as well, but if you’re looking for the extra fractions of performance to win you a tournament, this could well be the mouse that makes the difference.