The ASUS TUF Gaming M5 is really something, and it really is something different. This shape is not something you'll see when you take a look at the vast majority of gaming mice. This is a good thing as there are people with very specific things in mind when it comes to a mouse—I too am among them. After having a Ninox Venator as my main mouse for almost a year, I would say I could use this one too, and it would deliver the frags just as well, if not better, if only the bottom part of the shell wouldn't be what it is. The way it nearly instantly scrapes the mouse pad once you tilt the mouse during the end of a bigger swipe is a letdown for me. For you, for other people, it might not be. Generally, I would say this mouse will mainly suit users with hands no longer than 20 cm, who use a claw grip and play with a medium or high sensitivity and tend not to pick their mouse up a lot. Now, this is quite specific, just like the mouse itself, but there are always exceptions, of course.

As for the buttons, they are great; the main ones are tactile but light, with next to no unnecessary travel, and they use high quality switches that should last for a good while. Every other button is objectively really good as well, but the scroll wheel could use some better defined notches in my opinion.

The sensor is not top-of-the-line this time around, but the PixArt PAW3327 is really not a part the M5 should be ashamed of. It doesn't have any unwanted features, is responsive, and tracks great, even though the CPI divergence is rather funky on the lower values, and the lift-off distance might be too high for some people.

Moving on to the mouse feet, they glide nicely, and smoothly, with relatively little friction. Even though I am very used to pure PTFE aftermarket feet, I could probably use these without a hassle. The cable is nothing extraordinary; it could be more flexible for my taste, but it's not overly stiff, and it fits into any mouse bungee easily.

More and more manufacturers realize that keeping the weight low is an important aspect of gaming mice, especially when it comes to such small devices as this one. The weight, 82 grams, is great; it's well distributed inside the shell and pretty much perfectly balanced. Many people tend to equate a low weight with lower-quality materials and a worse build quality. This is absolutely not the case as the M5 is absolutely solid, besides the slight creak I could make out while squeezing and pulling on the rear cover with great force, which doesn't happen during normal use, of course.

Of course, RGB is not missing from this one either. The rear TUF logo lights up, and the lighting can be customized to the user's preferences (if within the bounds of what the software can offer). The transitions are nice and smooth, the lighting is bright, and the colors are vivid. As for the driver software itself, it's pretty good. I could maybe nitpick on some of its elements, but when it comes to functionality, there is really nothing bad to say about it.

The main reason behind this mouse not getting a higher rating is the shell design, especially because of the sharp and abrupt bottom edges that tend to scrape the mouse pad if you tilt the mouse to the sides even slightly. In my book, this is a serious design flaw, but again: not everyone will experience this issue as it all depends on how you use the mouse (also, there are home remedies for the problem if you're not afraid of some sanding). Besides this, the TUF Gaming M5 is a stunner, and it's quite a good deal for $43.99 MSRP. Let's hope a redesigned version with a fixed underside area comes out soon!