When it comes to gaming mice, left-handers don't have it easy: Razer Viper, Logitech G Pro Wireless, ASUS ROG Pugio II, SteelSeries Sensei Ten, Gigabyte Aorus M2—that's pretty much it if we only include releases in recent years and from bigger brands. And if we look at the $30 and under price bracket, things are looking even more dire. In that sense, the Sharkoon Light² S is in a fairly unique position, but at the same time, there are some caveats to consider for right and left-handers alike.

Unlike on the Light² 100, Sharkoon decided to go with PixArt's PAW3327 on the Light² S, and sensor performance no doubt benefits from this decision. Responsiveness still isn't perfect, but decisively improved, and general tracking without any notable flaws, just CPI deviation is as bad as ever. CPI deviation of the magnitude encountered on the Light² S is rather uncommon for this sensor, which brings me to another point. The sensor lens is completely loose, causing not just a clearly audible rattle, but also unintended cursor movement even at the lower CPI steps. Upon closer examination, I've found that the plastic cutout of the sensor is significantly larger than the lens, resulting in the latter not being sufficiently secured. It seems as though the shell wasn't originally intended for use with this sensor, which means neither lens stabilization nor sensor height were properly accounted for. In short, the loose sensor is a design flaw, and while it's possible to fix with some electrical tape, doing so requires opening the mouse, which isn't necessarily everyone's cup of tea. At least Sharkoon provides a set of replacement feet, which certainly helps ease the process, although this likely wasn't the original thought behind that addition. For what it's worth, I've had a talk with Sharkoon on this matter, and the issue will be fixed on future batches. Of course, I can only report on what's in front of me, but there's a decent chance potential future buyers won't encounter this issue at all.

Aside from the major blunders just mentioned, there isn't much wrong with the Light² S. One could argue that perforating the shell wouldn't really be needed to achieve a weight of 78 g, but the construction itself is commendably solid, and more importantly, button quality is surprisingly high. The main buttons are nothing short of excellent, and the same goes for the side buttons. I'm also quite pleased with the switch selection, which is higher-grade than what one would typically expect at this price point. The scrolling is a bit too smooth for my liking, but overall, the mouse itself definitely punches above its weight when it comes to buttons. Click latency is low as well, which isn't always the case on budget mice, either. Additionally, the Light² S in fact beats both the Light² 200 and 100 when it comes to the cable, which is significantly more flexible now, and hopefully included on future Sharkoon releases. Coupled with the good mouse feet, the Light² S handles really well. Lastly, the usual assortment of RGB lighting effects is present and can be configured in the software, which shines with record-low resource usage.

Overall, the Light² S present itself as a mixed bag. It's a perfectly fine mouse and much needed option for left-handers, but the presence of two major blunders, namely the loose lens and massive CPI deviation, certainly limit its appeal. If it weren't for the loose lens in particular, I'd happily give the Light² S our Recommended award, but as it stands, the Light² S falls a bit behind. This becomes even more apparent when looking at ambidextrous alternatives for right-handers, such as the ROCCAT Burst Core or SteelSeries Rival 3, which both outclass the Light² S for just $5 more each. Still, for left-handers in particular the Light² S provides good value for money, which is why I will settle for our Budget award as a compromise.