Released in 2020, the ASUS TUF M3 wasn't half bad, but suffered from several performance-related issues. Roughly three years later, the M3 Gen II manages to improve on its predecessor in several ways, but still falls short in the performance department.

The most tangible improvement is the weight. At 59 g, the M3 Gen II weighs a whopping 27 g less than the M3, without any noticeable compromises in regard to build quality. On my sample, there is no rattle when shaking, and while minor creaking and flexing of the shell can be provoked when applying lateral pressure, activating the side buttons by pressing below them is impossible no matter the force. When it comes to the buttons, the M3 Gen II also fares very well for a $25 mouse. For the main buttons, ASUS has opted for TTC Gold switches rated for 60 million clicks, which deliver a rather firm and snappy button response, some pre-travel notwithstanding. For the side buttons, Kailh switches are used, which wouldn't look out of place on a $60 mouse. That said, the button design somewhat limits how good these feel, as the switches are soldered directly on the main PCB and are actuated through stems part of the top shell, resulting in higher pre and post-travel, along with a dull-feeling forward button, though actuation is pleasantly even. The scroll wheel has been outfitted with an encoder from Kailh (gray) as well, and even though scrolling up is noisy, tactility is quite decent, with mostly separated steps affording an average degree of control. Unfortunately, the cable hasn't received any improvements over the original M3. Due to how much lighter the M3 Gen II is, the stiffness becomes all the more apparent. The feet are now dyed white instead of black, but other than that, their glide is virtually unchanged, and due to the mostly nonexistent rounding of the edges, rather poor. Hence, despite its low weight, the M3 Gen II scores rather badly in terms of handling.

The TUF M3 Gen II utilizes PixArt's PAW3318, which isn't just a sensor but rather a SoC. General performance is quite formidable: CPI deviation is low, tracking fine, and polling stable throughout. Where it falters is motion delay. With a motion delay differential of roughly 4 ms across the entire CPI range, the M3 Gen II does worse than some budget wireless mice, which is unacceptable on a wired mouse regardless of pricing. The poor showing in regards to motion delay is fittingly accompanied by an even worse one in terms of click latency, which clocks in at a whopping 12.7 ms. Previous TUF releases such as the M4 Air delivered outstandingly low click latency, which is why the poor result shown by the M3 Gen II is doubly puzzling. In any case, for any gaming where latency matters, the M3 Gen II is a poor pick. Furthermore, one would also have to deal with Armoury Crate, which, albeit strictly optional, continues to be a major nuisance.

Accordingly, the verdict is very straightforward. For those looking for an affordable, lightweight mouse that is built reasonably well and has high-quality switches, the TUF M3 Gen II may be worth a look. For any latency-sensitive gaming, however, the M3 Gen II may not even be worth its already low $24.99 price tag.