After the X15, X17, and X20, EVGA continues to expand their gaming mice line-up. While competent when it comes to the execution on a technical level, the X17 and X20 in particular struggled when it came to ergonomics. This continues to be the case with the X12. Unlike the aforementioned releases, the X12 is an ambidextrous design. More specifically, it is symmetrical, which means it has side buttons on both sides. Even though ambidextrous designs are aplenty these days, fully ambidextrous ones are very much an exception, which is why the X12 deserves recognition for satiating the needs of the often neglected demographic of left-handers. Unfortunately, the shape itself isn't exactly what I would call ergonomically sound. Being symmetrical, the X12 has a thumb rest on both sides. While comfortable for the thumb on one side, having another one on the opposing side is quite irritating for the pinky or ring finger there. To be fair, "thumb rest" may not even be a fitting description, though it is too large to simply be called a flare, either. The shape is further compromised by the side buttons being placed a bit too low, leaving little room for the thumb below them and possibly getting in the way on the other side. Much like on the X17, the result is a design that is only partially compatible with human hands. Ultimately, the shape of a gaming mouse is a profoundly subjective matter, which is why this criticism isn't meant to be an objective one, but I do feel most people at least will struggle getting used to the shape of the X12 as it's no doubt an odd design.

At 74 g, the X12 is significantly lighter than previous EVGA mice. This weight is doubly impressive given the feature set of the X12, along with the lack of externally visible holes. However, build quality did take a hit as a result. In particular, the sides suffer from what I believe to be a design flaw. On a design like this, having the sides as part of the bottom instead of top shell would have been the better choice. On the X12, the opposite is the case, resulting in the sides being rather easy to push in. Granted, it's not easy enough to happen during regular use, but being able to create a considerable visible gap between side wall and bottom shell just by applying moderate force doesn't exactly inspire confidence. Another issue pertains to the main buttons, which are somewhat loose. With split-trigger designs, some degree of lateral movement is expected and typically unavoidable, but on most designs, the buttons themselves are firm, and movement needs to be provoked. On the X12, the buttons already move on their own, be it when shaking the mouse or simply resting one's fingers on them. While the degree of button movement isn't too pronounced, this again doesn't feel as solid as it should.

When it comes to the technical execution, the X12 once again does quite well. Much like the X15 and X17, the X12 is capable of actual 8000 Hz polling. While the PMW3389 sensor limits what is possible in this regard, the averages of 2000, 4000, and 8000 Hz are reasonably close to target, and all three of them are stable throughout. At and below 1000 Hz, things weren't looking quite as good on an earlier firmware, but EVGA has given me an updated firmware which greatly improves polling stability except for 125 Hz, which can be forgiven. Originally, polling stability also took a hit when RGB lighting was enabled, but this too has been improved. Overall, performance is really solid: CPI deviation is minimal, general tracking fine, and motion delay low. However, the latter only applies as long as one stays below 1900 CPI, where smoothing is first enabled. Since higher CPI is generally preferred for 2000 Hz and above, as these polling rates are easier to saturate this way, giving the user the ability to disable smoothing would have been a handy option. Speaking of options, the X12 thankfully allows switching between five full profiles at the mere press of a button. This is quite useful as it allows one to set up profiles with a different polling rate for each, which can then be switched to at a whim depending on which polling rate works best in a specific application or game. Another useful addition is the highly granular lift-off distance adjustment. By default, the 3389 has fairly limited LOD adjustment options, but on the X12, LOD can be configured in great detail, which is particularly useful if one is using a less common mousing surface. In general, the software once again is a strong suit of the X12 and EVGA mice in general: Pretty much all important options are present, resource usage is surprisingly modest, and bugs are nowhere to be found. Compared to the likes of Corsair iCUE or ASUS Armoury Crate, keeping EVGA Unleash installed is not a detriment to one's sanity.

Buttons are of generally good quality on the X12. While many recent releases come with Kailh GM 8.0 switches in particular, EVGA has opted for trusty Omron switches on the X12, which is certainly approved by those valuing lighter clicks. Button response is accordingly snappy, and this also goes for the side buttons, which further benefit from a lack of post-travel. The only issue here is the uneven actuation on the back side button, along with their already mentioned less than ideal placement. The scroll wheel is decent, though the individual steps lack separation, leading to very light scrolling, and scrolling upwards in particular is on the noisy side. Compared to the stiff X15 and X17 cables, the X12 cable is much improved, and now roughly matches the cable of the Corsair Sabre RGB Pro. Cables of mice capable of 8000 Hz polling inevitably are less flexible than those of their 1000 Hz brethren to ensure signal integrity, so the cable at least being decently flexible already amounts to the best case scenario. The mouse feet are nothing more than decent standard fare: not bad, but not particularly good, either. Lastly, click latency is quite low at 5.0 ms and can be lowered further by using 8000 Hz polling, coming out at a respectable 4.5 ms. That said, the debouncing implementation on the X12 is rather weird. Accidental clicks when slamming down the mouse are rare, but for some reason, the scroll wheel often enough scrolls on its own when slamming down the mouse. In fact, I was able to switch weapons in-game and scroll pages by repeatedly slamming the mouse. Of course, this isn't necessarily what one would call normal usage.

Overall, the X12 is not without its flaws. However, it does have a big thing going for it: the price. At $49.99, the X12 would already be competitively priced if it were a simple 1000 Hz mouse, but coupled with an additional LOD sensor and true 8000 Hz polling, value for money is virtually unmatched. In fact, the X12 is even on sale quite frequently, which makes the value proposition an even more favorable one. EVGA is even confident in giving a three-year warranty, which still is a rarity among gaming mice. Accordingly, the entry barrier into the world of 8000 Hz has never been lower, which is something the X12 deserves recognition for. The Corsair Sabre RGB Pro is the overall better mouse, but costs $59.99 instead, and the Razer Viper 8K is the much better mouse, but costs a whopping $79.99. As such, the X12 earns both our Recommended and Budget awards.