Fnatic Gear Clutch G1 Mouse Review – A Top Performer

I’ve always argued that the mouse is the most underrated tool of any PC gamer. You’re only ever as good as your mouse allows, and in this way it functions similar to tires for a racing car. You want something that’s precise enough to read your inputs accurately, comfortable enough to treat your hand with care, and durable enough to last you for thousands of rounds played. Not every mouse meets these three criteria, but Fnatic's latest product does.

Enter the Fnatic Gear Clutch G1, the second mouse to be added to Fnatic’s hardware line-up. The company has seen incredible demand for its other professional products, especially given their endorsement by the best players in the world. It’s now looking to expand on its offerings by taking the best things learned from the release of the Fnatic Gear Flick mouse and designing something that is familiar but tuned for the style of player that the Flick may not have resonated with.

Rubberized finishes have become popular in recent years, and the Clutch G1 has taken note. The entirety of the device is wrapped in a matte rubber coating that is soft to the touch. The only exception is in the case of the four buttons (two on the left side, two on top), which have a glossy plastic finish. The lack of any defined texture on the sides makes  grip a concern at times, but for the most part it feels great in the hands and will stay locked in your control no matter the circumstance.

The buttons operate flawlessly, and are placed in optimal locations. Using Mouse4 as a talk key and the center buttons that are traditionally used for toggling between three profiles as macro buttons for World of Warcraft worked like a charm during testing. The fit and finish is good, although the mouse wheel is loose and makes noise when the device is rattled [Editor's Note: this may have only affected our review unit]. This is particularly surprising given its $59.99 MSRP. On the plus side, scroll wheel operation is fantastic with tactile feedback that makes both gaming and browser navigation pleasant, and the braided cable is a nice touch.

The shape has been designed with professional Counter-Strike, Overwatch, and League of Legends gaming in mind, and it shows. With a mid-scaled profile and smoothly curved back, it works great for both claw and palm grip users. This is a mouse that has been shaped for much more of a general audience and larger form factor than the Fnatic Gear Flick, perhaps making it more recommendable. It’ll suit the average hand, making it Fnatic’s first true competitor for the market leading Razer DeathAdder and SteelSeries Rival.

This is a relatively light device, sitting toward the lower to middle end of the spectrum. For games that encourage you to use lower sensitivities and thus pick up the mouse often, this serves as a big win. The liftoff distance is similar to the Flick, which has been met with some criticism as it'll interpret movements if you don't pull the mouse higher than a couple millimeters. This is a factor that will depend on your style of mouse control, and it certainly didn't affect our experience.

It’s worth noting that this is not an ambidextrous device, so left-handed mouse users will need to look elsewhere. Also, the mouse touts that it has a "Drag Reduction cord", which has been raised 2mm to avoid friction with your mousepad. This made no different in our testing, but may be something you find valuable.

Setup is simple, and configuration of the Clutch G1 is one of its greatest strengths. Installation skips any shenanigans and provides a quick plug and play experience that serves as a fantastic initial impression. In addition, the Fnatic Gear software is dedicated to this specific mouse, rather than the bloated suites that other companies offer. The software requires a small download, and the interface is easy to interpret and interact with. You can setup any of its buttons, including the scroll wheel, to perform inputs of various types. This simplicity applies to its LED coloring, which has enough options to be able to match the colorization of your keyboard with perfection.

Performance meets the high expectations of Fnatic devices. This is an incredibly precise device equipped with the tried-and-true Pixart 3310 optical sensor that has been employed on many professional mice. It reads quick, subtle movements with 100% accuracy, in addition to capturing long swipes. Its vitals include 50 to 5000 CPI resolution, up to 1000hz polling rate, and 30G acceleration. Your virtual life is in safe hands.

There is a lot to like about the Clutch G1. It's a top performer with great design, held back only slightly by less-than-stellar build quality. It contends with the best on the market in every category, which is certain to make it a go-to choice for many well-known gamers.