Build Quality

Build quality is a mixed bag. The mouse itself feels very well built and rock solid. During the first few hours of usage, I didn't notice any kind of rattle. After some hours, however, I couldn't help but notice what sounded like a loose part. Upon closer inspection, I've been able to determine which part is responsible for the very audible rattle. It's the small bolt securing a piece of the main button shell, which came loose and keeps moving left and right. See the picture below:


I'm not sure whether my sample has exceptionally bad tolerances or this ought to be expected on all copies sooner or later. In any case, it can be fixed by applying some glue, but I am still of the opinion that the design isn't quite optimal, especially when taking the fact that gaming mice are subject to being tossed around a lot into account.

The second sample I received didn't suffer from this issue. A different one surfaced, though: The screw that secures the button piece of the left main button was screwed in so tightly that it proved impossible to unscrew. The screw itself is of poor quality as well, resulting in the screw head being destroyed after just a few attempts.

There aren't any issues with build quality otherwise. When applying lateral pressure, no creaking of the shell can be observed. Lastly, when slamming the mouse down, no accidental clicks occur.

Buttons

Main buttons on the Pugio II are very good. Pre-travel is very low, but post-travel is large. Click feel is quite snappy and satisfying nonetheless. Since the clicks are separated from the main mouse body, slight button movement can be provoked, but it's barely noticeable during use. Button stiffness is light. Omron D2FC-F-K (50M) (China) switches are installed by default, but can be replaced with either Omron D2F Series (D2F, D2F-F, D2F-01, D2F-01F) or Omron D2FC Series (D2FC-F-7N, D2FC-F-7N (10M), D2FC-F-7N (20M), D2FC-3M) switches.

Changing the switch is as simple as pulling the old one out and putting the new one in. It's a bit more finicky than on the Strix Impact II though, so using the included tweezers is definitely recommended.


Side buttons are good. The back button in particular has a decent amount of pre-travel, though post-travel is low. The pressure point is even across the button, however. Button size and placement is quite good as actuation is possible rather easily by rolling one's thumb over these. Huano (white plunger) switches are used here.

At the bottom of the mouse are a button for pairing the mouse with the wireless USB dongle, as well as a CPI button for cycling through the set CPI steps. Their click feel is decent. Additionally, there's a slider to switch between 2.4 GHz mode, Bluetooth mode, and the off state. Unfortunately, this slider leaves a lot to be desired. For one, mode recognition is unreliable; i.e., unless the slider is fully moved to the bottom, the 2.4 GHz setting won't be recognized. The slider also feels rather flimsy, which is less than optimal for a part that will be used a lot. This only applies to the first sample I received, though—the slider on the second sample is much more solid and working according to expectations.

Scroll Wheel

The scroll wheel is very good. It's fairly quiet when scrolling up, but tactility leaves something to be desired as the individual steps lack clear separation. The encoder comes from TTC. The middle (scroll wheel) click requires moderate force for actuation. The switch is another Huano (red plunger).

Coating

While the sides have a riffle pattern, the top appears translucent and lacks any special coating. Still, grip is fine, and it doesn't attract fingerprints, dirt, or the likes too much. It's easy to clean, and there are no signs of wear left after doing so.

Button Sound Test

Disassembly

Much like the Strix Impact II, the Pugio II is remarkably easy to disassemble. After removing the back cover as well as the two main button pieces, simply unscrew the four screws in the four corners of the shell and remove the top shell. The design is simple yet clever. Everything sits on a single PCB. Above the sensor, which is using external illumination, is a small plastic construction that holds both the four side buttons and the battery. The PCB itself is quite thin, so some thought has been put into keeping the weight low. Interestingly, the production date for the PCB was in early August 2019, whereas the auxiliary PCB for scroll wheel illumination had been created in the last week of October 2019. The MCU is a STM32F072CBU6. Click here for more information and the datasheet.



As for the soldering and general quality of the PCB, I'm unable to find any noteworthy flaws.