MSI makes some compelling hardware, including PC cases, fully built systems, graphics cards, and motherboards. The company also makes some gaming mice, and today, we’re looking at the MSI Clutch GM51 Lightweight Wireless, an excellent wireless mouse with a fantastic sensor and a fancy charging dock. Building lightweight wireless mice can prove a challenge since the battery pack can weigh a substantial amount, especially with the ever-increasing demand for longer periods of time between charges. MSI, like other manufacturers, has to strike a balance between weight and features.
MSI might not have been able to do that fully, but the Clutch GM51 Lightweight Wireless does boast an impressive 140 hours of battery life without the RGB lighting. This is considerably higher than what some of the competition offers. Inside the pointer is the equally impressive PxArt PAW-3395 sensor, which is found in many premium gaming mice and offers incredible levels of accuracy. Software support is present, though it falls short of what’s available from competing brands, such as Razer and Logitech.
Source: MSI
MSI Clutch GM51 Lightweight Wireless
A solid wireless gaming pointer
There’s plenty to appreciate with the MSI Clutch GM51 Lightweight Wireless. It has an incredible battery life, excellent performance, and comes with a magnetic wireless charging dock, but it’s not the lightest kid on the block.
- Weight
- 83 g
- RGB Lighting
- Yes
- Programmable Buttons
- 5
- Connectivity
- USB-C, wireless
- Wireless
- Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz
- Battery Life
- ~140 hours
- Multi-Device Pairing
- No
- DPI
- ~26,000
- IPS
- 650
- Polling Rate
- ~1,000
- Acceleration
- 50g
- Dimensions
- 122 x 62 x 45 mm
- Sensor
- PixArt PAW-3395
Pros
- Great performance for gaming
- Excellent Battery life
- Includes wireless charger
Cons
- Not the lightest wireless mouse
- Surface smudges easily
Price and availability
The MSI Clutch GM51 Lightweight Wireless launched for $100, but you can find it as low as $90 without any discounts applied. This is a reasonable amount to pay for a wireless gaming mouse with an included charging cradle and a premium PixArt sensor. The mouse is available in one color, black, and comes with a cable, charging dock, and wireless receiver USB dongle.
Design and features
One good-looking mouse
One thing that’s immediately noticeable with the Clutch GM51 Lightweight Wireless is the smudge-prone design. After using it for a few weeks, there were ample oil marks across the buttons and palm rest, and that’s with infrequent cleaning using wipes. This isn’t something that’s exclusive to this mouse, but the black matte design does make it more apparent than other pointers, especially white mice.
Besides that, this is a stylish mouse. In typical MSI fashion, there’s the dragon logo on the palm rest of the pointer, which has some RGB backlighting. The visual show carries on through both sides of the mouse. There are five programmable buttons, including the scroll wheel, which makes it a good choice for those who play a variety of games without treading into the deep end for MMOs and MOBAs. If you’ve spent time with the Razer DeathAdder series of pointers, the MSI Clutch GM51 Lightweight will look (and feel) very familiar.
For the sides, MSI went with its tried and tested diamond lightstrips that look as though they should offer enough grip for even the most intense gaming sessions. Everything is enclosed inside a shell that weighs 83g and measures 122 x 62 x 45mm. It’s not a massive mouse, but it does have some heft to it, which may be of concern if you’re used to lighter gaming mice. The scroll wheel is your atypical affair that’s quiet and easy to use without hyper-scrolling. Razer nails this area with its DeathAdder and Viper families of gaming mice.
Underneath the mouse is the PixArt sensor, a toggle to switch between wireless modes (as well as “off”), a DPI button, and numerous PTFE feet. There are six in total: two at the front, two on the side, one larger foot at the rear, and a ring around the sensor. This makes the mouse incredibly agile on a smooth surface. Using NZXT’s mousepad as a test, the GM51 Lightweight glides across the surface without issue. It’s considerably smoother than competing mice. Included with the mouse are a single USB-C cable, a 2.4Ghz dongle, and a wireless charging dock.
Interestingly, the dongle can be stored in the front of the mouse where the USB-C port is located. It can be connected to a USB port on your PC, though we’d recommend using the dedicated pass-through port on the dock itself. Speaking of which, connecting the mouse to the dock is a painless process that does not involve much fiddling to make the connection — something I found challenging with Razer’s earlier wireless charging mouse docks. The MSI Clutch GM51 Lightweight Wireless is a good-looking gaming mouse with everything you’d require for playing most PC titles.
One issue I could see is dirt and grime building up within the little diamond grooves on the side grip. So long as you frequently clean the mouse throughout the year and pay closer attention to this area, it shouldn’t be a cause for concern.
Performance
This thing has an excellent sensor
In terms of performance, however, MSI exceeds with flying colors. The PixArt PAW-3395 sensor is amazing when paired up with the PTFE feet. The sensor is capable of hitting a maximum sensitivity of 26,000, speeds of up to 650 inches per second (IPS), and acceleration of 50G. This is what we’ve come to expect from mice priced like the GM51, and it feels great to use in a wide variety of game genres. Everything from strategy to adventure, with a sprinkle of old school RuneScape thrown in for good measure. The Omron mechanical switches beneath the two main left and right buttons feel excellent, too. They’re rated for 60 million activations, and the past few weeks have provided no reason to question this.
However, this mouse is considerably heavier than some of the competition. I switched back to the trusty Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro before reviewing the GM51 from MSI, and this thing is heavy compared to the snake. This has a big impact on games requiring quick movement.
The MSI Center is good enough for controlling the basic aspects of the Clutch GM51 Lightweight Wireless. You can use it to alter the colors of the RGB lighting, program all five available buttons, set profiles up, and adjust the sensor sensitivity. It would have been good to see more options when programming each button, but the software is light enough on system resources. Wireless connectivity performs very well when using the 2.4 GHz dongle. Battery life is superb when lighting is disabled, and the mouse will charge quickly using either the cable or dock.
Should you buy the MSI Clutch GM51 Lightweight?
You should buy the MSI Clutch GM51 Lightweight Wireless if:
- You want a fantastic gaming mouse
- You want a wireless mouse
- You don’t play games that require countless programmed buttons
- You don’t have more than $100 to splash on a mouse
You should buy the MSI Clutch GM51 Lightweight Wireless if:
- You have the available funds for a Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro
- You don’t care for wireless capabilities
- You play MMO/MOBA games and need more buttons
- You want the lightest wireless mouse
If you’re hunting down a wireless gaming mouse that can pack a punch with a capable sensor and is designed for comfortable use in longer sessions, the MSI Clutch GM51 Lightweight Wireless is one I’d recommend. The PixArt PAW-3395 sensor is amazing, and I’ve always been a fan of the company’s components when used in other gaming mice. It works well inside the MSI Clutch GM51 Lightweight Wireless, and coupled with the PTFE feet, you’ll be gliding across almost any surface without sacrificing performance and accuracy.
I’m a big fan of how the mouse looks as well. While the Clutch GM51 Lightweight Wireless smudges easily, it’s super-comfortable to use. It’s not the lightest pointer out there, however, but the 140-hour battery life is excellent if you don’t mind disabling the RGB lighting. I’d recommend doing so since you likely won’t be able to see the lights beneath your hand.
Source: MSI
MSI Clutch GM51 Lightweight Wireless
The MSI Clutch GM51 Lightweight Wireless is a somewhat heavier lightweight mouse from the brand with reliable wireless connectivity, a battery life of up to 140 hours, and a high-accuracy sensor for even the most intense gaming sessions.