Tecware Torque+ RGB Gaming Mouse Review

It's not often that we get to feature a new brand on eTeknix, but this is one we just couldn't pass up. Sure, they're not a "new" brand, and have been around and growing for the last 10 years, but are Tecware now ready for the prime time gaming market? That's what we hope to find out today! Tecware Torque+ The Torque+ is our first peripheral review from Tecware, and while it's not set to be an expensive product, it's hardly lacking in features. Of course, given the stiff competition, that's a good thing. It features the fantastic PixArt PWM3327 optical sensor, so it'll deliver good IPS and acceleration up to a maximum of 6200 DPI. It uses Huano mechanical switches too, a change from the common Omron choice and they're a popular switch with some competitive gamers. Throw in programmable buttons, RGB lighting, etc, and it seems like we're off to a great start. Features Material: ABS / RubberLED: 16.8M Color RGB, 2 Zones, 11 Lighting ModesSensor: PixArt PMW3327Maximum DPI: 6200Tracking Speed: 220 IPSAcceleration: 30GSwitch Type: Huano Mechanical SwitchesNo. of Buttons: 8 (Programmable)Cable: 1.8m Paracord Braided CableConnector: USB 2.0 (Gold-plated)Dimensions: 126 x 69 x 38mmWeight: 97g Packaging The box is nice and compact, although given it's just a mouse box, it doesn't need to be particularly big anyway. On the front of the box, we can see that it features the PWM 3327 sensor, as well as Paracord braiding on the cables. Around the back, you'll find more details still. A full feature list, which we've already covered, as well as showing you where the lighting zones are, what the button configuration is, etc. It's a nicely designed box clearly and tells you everything you need to know. In the box, you'll find the mouse (obviously), which comes hard-wired with a USB cable. What's really interesting is that it features paracord sleeving rather than the typical glossy black braiding. It looks and feels fantastic, and it's just a nice aesthetic change overall. A Closer Look There's no shortage of great looking peripherals on the market today. Thankfully, first impressions of the Tecware Torque+ are that it's just as good looking as the best on the market today. It uses a stunning two-tone glossy white and black design that just looks stunning. Down the left side, you'll find a moulded texture design providing added grip, but also, it looks aesthetically pleasing too. There are two main side buttons, typically the forward and backward navigation as you would expect. However, there's an extra switch right in the middle, which is great, as you can program these through the software. The glossy top finish looks great, but thanks to the sweeping shape of it, it's also very comfortable in your hand. However, I know those who get sweaty hands while gaming may not want this finish compared to some of the soft-touch material finishes on other mice. The LMB and RMB have a nice scooped out shape to them, it's subtle, but that's all you need to get a really comfortable and natural finger position. There's a huge cut-away in the middle, allowing for an oversized mouse wheel, which features a lovely textured grip. Down the right side, you'll find another textured surface matching the design on the left. Pretty much straight forward, but keep in mind, the ergonomics are built for right-handed use only. Around the back, there's a simple Tecware logo. They're a new brand to me, but I actually like the sound of the name, and the logo looks pretty decent too. Overall, I don't think anyone would be ashamed to have this on their desk, not one bit. Down the front edge, you'll notice some frosty plastics, and the same just around the bottom trim of the mouse. Why? Well, it's RGB of course! This is 2020 after all. On the underside, you'll find a pretty flat profile, with five slipmats to provide added glide; one in each corner and one surrounding the sensor. Setup & Performance The thing that stands out first of all with this mouse is how good it feels in the hand. The mixture of hard-wearing textures on the left and right side make it very easy to grip and control. Of course, it's very glossy and smooth on the top, and that gives it a very comfortable feel in my hand. Of course, that's subjective, but there's no hot spots or joins that really get in the way of a good palm rest, and the side grips work well for a hybrid/fingertip grip too. The larger scroll wheel is great too, it's very easy to control and has a nicely defined step/notch that makes it very precise when cycling through weapons while gaming, but it's got enough movement for quickly scrolling through reddit all afternoon... I've done plenty of both this week. The new switches are pretty decent too, and I think they're the first time I've used Huano switches, at least to my knowledge. They're a little heavier than most Omron, and that's a good thing. They have a really confident and clear click to them that feels really positive and snappy for FPS gaming. That being said, I also spent most of the week playing ESO with this mouse, but honestly, no complaints while MMO gaming either. Being able to adjust the DPI levels, button configuration and all the lighting in the software is great too. It's easy to dial in what you need, then simply uninstall the software if you so desire. Everything saves to the mouse, so you don't have to have it all on auto-start with your OS. I never felt the need to tinker with the default DPI settings though. I game at 4K with a fairly low DPI and the mouse glides and tracks wonderfully at that. However, even if you do go nuts and dial it up to twitchy speeds, it still performs fantastic, as one would expect from a modern PixArt optical sensor. You have to try hard to find a bad sensor in a gaming mouse these days. Of course, the unsung hero thus far has been the RGB lighting. The black and white design both contrast well, but also provide a lovely contrast for the vibrant lighting. How Much Does it Cost? Either I misheard or forgot, but when I first got this sample, I was under the impression it was affordable, and priced around about £40. I suspect that's my own fault. So, imagine my surprise when I find out it's only £24.99 on Amazon. That's ridiculously cheap, you can't get a mouse this good for that amount of money! Well... I guess you can. It should pair up great with their £54.99 mechanical keyboard we saw last week! Overview There's no shortage of high-performance gaming mice right now, and you're not short of affordable ones either. However, that sweet spot of affordable and competitive performance and quality is harder to strike. I think the last one to impress me with great performance and a low price was the Viper V551 about a year ago. However, I think the Tecware looks better and it's still another £10 cheaper. Build Quality There's certainly nothing to complain about here. The material choices are spot on, and it looks just as good as a mouse that costs three times as much. While they do offer a black version for the same price, the ultra-glossy white one is the one I would go for personally. They've used a good sensor, the switches feel great, and the RGB tech is decent too. Plus, the paracord sleeving on the cable looks fantastic, a nice change from braided cables. Performance It may be affordable, but the Tecware Torque+ RGB really is a great performing mouse. It features a reliable PWM 3327 optical sensor from PixArt, as well as great feeling mechanical switches from Huano. It's not quite to eSports standards, but it'll track up to 30G and 220 IPS, which is more than enough for me! Should I Buy One? It's a really nice looking gaming mouse, with good hardware, good performance and a really remarkable price. I can't really fault it at all, and it may be the best affordable mouse you'll find on the market today. Tecware Torque+ RGB Gaming Mouse Review