XM2w

Overview

The Endgame Gear XM2w is a wireless mouse built with a singular purpose: to be the best claw grip mouse under $100. Released in 2022 as the wireless successor to the XM2we, it has earned a devoted following on r/MouseReview and enthusiast forums where shape discussions dominate purchasing decisions. While it lacks the brand recognition of Razer or Logitech, the XM2w consistently appears in “best claw grip mouse” recommendations from the enthusiast community.

What makes the XM2w notable is Endgame Gear’s attention to details that matter to experienced mouse users. Pre-sorted Kailh GM 8.0 switches ensure consistent click feel across units, the PAW3395 sensor is proven and flawless, and the 63g weight is achieved without honeycomb cutouts. At $79.99, it undercuts most wireless competitors while matching or exceeding their build quality.

Design & Build Quality

The XM2w uses a solid PC/ABS shell with no perforations. The smooth matte coating is one of the most discussed aspects of the mouse — it provides a clean, uniform surface but can feel slippery during intense gaming sessions without grip tape. Endgame Gear chose aesthetics and structural integrity over grip texture, which is a deliberate trade-off.

The shell exhibits minimal flex when pressed from the sides or top. For a $79.99 mouse at 63g, the structural rigidity is impressive. There is no rattle when shaken, and the primary button gap is tight with no pre-travel. The overall build quality competes with mice costing $30-50 more.

The ergonomic right-handed shape is subtle — not as aggressively curved as a DeathAdder or Zowie EC, but with enough asymmetry to provide thumb and pinky comfort. The right side has a gentle slope that supports the ring finger without forcing it into a specific position.

The bottom shell houses four rounded PTFE feet, a power switch, and a USB-C charging port. There is no dongle storage compartment, which is a minor inconvenience for transport. The DPI button is on the bottom of the mouse to prevent accidental changes during gameplay.

Color options are primarily black and white. The design is understated and focused — no RGB, no logos on the top shell, just a clean competitive tool.

Shape & Grip Compatibility

The XM2w measures 122mm long, 66mm wide, and 42mm tall. These dimensions place it in the medium category — smaller than a DeathAdder V3 Pro (128mm) but slightly wider than a Pulsar X2 V2 (60mm). The shape is right-handed ergonomic with a medium-low hump that peaks slightly behind center.

Claw Grip (17.5-19.5cm hands) — THE PRIMARY GRIP: This is the grip style the XM2w was designed for, and it shows. The medium-low hump sits at exactly the right height to support the heel of your palm in a claw position without pushing your wrist upward. The 122mm length means your fingers naturally curl at the front edge rather than extending past it.

For hands measuring 17.5-19.5cm in length and 8.5-10.0cm in width, the XM2w provides what many claw grip users describe as a “locked in” feeling. The rear hump contacts your palm at the exact point where claw grip stability originates, while the moderate width (66mm) allows your thumb and pinky to pinch the sides without stretching.

The front of the mouse tapers slightly, creating a narrower grip width at the primary button area. This narrowing is intentional — it allows claw grip fingers to arch naturally without pressing against the sides. If you have used the Zowie S2 or FK2 in claw grip and wanted more rear support, the XM2w delivers exactly that.

Palm Grip (17.5-19.5cm hands): Functional but not ideal. The 42mm height and medium-low hump provide some palm fill, but players accustomed to tall-backed mice like the DeathAdder will find the XM2w insufficiently supportive. Your palm will rest on the hump, but there will be a gap between the back of the mouse and the base of your palm. For hands over 19.5cm, palm grip becomes uncomfortable as your wrist extends to compensate.

Fingertip Grip (17.0-19.0cm hands): Very good. The 63g weight and compact 122mm length make the XM2w highly maneuverable with fingertips. The low-to-medium hump does not interfere with finger-only control, and the width is sufficient to stabilize without being bulky. Fingertip users with hands in the 17.0-18.5cm range will find this mouse easy to lift, flick, and reposition.

Hand Size Warning: If your hands exceed 20cm in length, the XM2w will feel cramped regardless of grip style. The 122mm length simply does not accommodate large hands. Consider the DeathAdder V3 Pro or Zowie EC1-C instead.

Weight and Balance: At 63g, the XM2w hits a competitive sweet spot. It is light enough for rapid flicking and lift-and-reset cycles without feeling insubstantial or hollow. The weight distribution is slightly rear-heavy due to the battery position, which provides a natural pivot point for claw grip wrist movements. When you flick from a resting position, the rear weight creates a slight anchor that gives the movement a controlled, deliberate feeling rather than the floaty sensation of sub-50g mice.

Coating and Grip Enhancement: The smooth matte coating is the XM2w’s most divisive feature for grip discussions. Players with dry hands generally find the coating adequate — it provides a neutral surface that does not resist movement or feel tacky. Players with sweaty hands or those who play in warm environments frequently report that the coating becomes slippery after 30-60 minutes of play. The community’s universal recommendation is to apply aftermarket grip tape (Lizard Skins or BTL grips) to the sides and top shell. This $5-10 addition transforms the grip experience and should be budgeted into the purchase.

Shape Comparison to Competitors: The XM2w occupies a unique position between the symmetrical Pulsar X2 V2 and the ergonomic Zowie EC2-C. Its subtle right-hand ergonomics provide more support than a fully symmetrical mouse without committing to the dramatic curves of a full ergonomic shape. If you have tried the FK2-B and found it too flat, or the EC2-C and found it too curved, the XM2w splits the difference effectively.

Sensor Performance

The PixArt PAW3395 is one of the most widely used sensors in competitive gaming mice, and for good reason. It offers a DPI range of 50 to 26,000, maximum tracking speed of 400 IPS, and 40G acceleration tolerance. The XM2w’s implementation is clean — no firmware quirks, no tracking anomalies, no spin-out issues on any surface.

Lift-off distance is adjustable through the Endgame Gear software and defaults to approximately 1.0mm. At competitive DPI settings (400-1600), the PAW3395 tracks identically to Razer’s Focus Pro 30K and Logitech’s HERO 2 in blind testing. The performance ceiling of modern gaming sensors has flattened — the PAW3395 is indistinguishable from more expensive proprietary sensors in actual gameplay.

Click latency measures approximately 2.0ms and motion latency approximately 5.0ms. These numbers are slightly higher than the absolute top-tier mice (Razer Viper V3 Pro at ~1.0ms click latency), but the difference is below human perception thresholds. You will not notice 2.0ms versus 1.0ms in a real game.

For context, the PAW3395 was the sensor that enabled the 2022-2023 wave of affordable wireless gaming mice. Its combination of competitive performance, low power consumption, and reasonable licensing cost meant that smaller brands like Endgame Gear could offer flagship-level tracking without flagship-level pricing. The result is that a $79.99 mouse tracks identically to a $159.99 mouse — the sensor advantage that premium brands once held has been democratized.

Switches & Buttons

The pre-sorted Kailh GM 8.0 switches are a standout feature. “Pre-sorted” means Endgame Gear tests each switch pair for matching actuation force and travel distance before installation. This eliminates the inconsistency between left and right clicks that affects mass-produced mice. The result is two clicks that feel identical — a detail that matters more than you might expect during rapid alternating clicks.

Actuation force is approximately 52 grams-force with a crisp, tactile break. The Kailh GM 8.0 is a mechanical switch rated at 80 million clicks, which provides excellent durability without the double-click issues that plagued earlier Omron switches. The click feel is lighter than Razer’s Gen-3 optical switches but heavier than Logitech’s LIGHTFORCE — a comfortable middle ground that reduces fatigue during extended sessions.

The two side buttons sit on the left wall and provide a clear, tactile click. Some users note slight mushiness compared to the main buttons, which is the most common criticism of the XM2w’s button implementation. The scroll wheel uses a stepped mechanical encoder with well-defined notches and medium resistance — good for weapon switching and general use.

Connectivity & Battery

The XM2w connects via 2.4GHz wireless or wired USB-C. There is no Bluetooth, which limits multi-device use but keeps the wireless implementation simple and focused on gaming performance. The 2.4GHz connection provides a reliable 1ms polling interval.

Battery life is rated at 80 hours by Endgame Gear. Real-world usage at 1000Hz polling delivers approximately 65-75 hours — enough for one to two weeks of daily gaming without charging. USB-C charging is fast, and the mouse can be used in wired mode while charging.

The 2.4GHz dongle is compact and ships with a USB-A extension for placement near the mousepad. There is no dongle storage in the mouse itself, so a carrying case or dongle holder is recommended for travel.

Feet & Glide

The XM2w ships with four rounded PTFE feet, each 0.6mm thick. The glide is smooth on cloth pads, though some users report a slight scratchiness on hard pads during the break-in period. After 5-10 hours of use, the feet settle in and provide consistent, low-friction movement.

The 0.6mm thickness is on the thinner side compared to competitors. If you prefer a higher ride height or faster glide, aftermarket feet from Corepad or Tiger Arc are compatible. The foot shape is rounded (not flat-edge), which provides good initial friction for control-oriented play styles.

Software

The Endgame Gear Software is functional and lightweight. It provides DPI configuration (up to 5 stages), polling rate selection, LOD adjustment, debounce tuning, and button remapping. The interface is straightforward without visual clutter.

The mouse stores 3 onboard memory profiles, allowing you to configure settings and use the mouse without the software running. The 3-profile capacity is a practical middle ground — enough to cover your main games (CS2 at 400 DPI, Valorant at 800 DPI, general use at 1600 DPI) without the overhead of managing five or more profiles.

The software lacks the ecosystem features of iCUE or Synapse — there is no macro editor with complex sequences, no cloud sync, and no RGB management (because there is no RGB). For a competitive mouse, this minimalism is a feature, not a limitation. The software installs quickly, uses minimal resources, and can be uninstalled after configuration without affecting mouse performance.

Pro Player Usage

The Endgame Gear XM2w does not have documented professional esports players in major tournaments. Endgame Gear is a German enthusiast brand without the sponsorship infrastructure of Razer, Logitech, or SteelSeries. The mouse’s reputation lives primarily in the enthusiast community — r/MouseReview, mouse review YouTube channels, and Discord communities dedicated to competitive peripherals.

This lack of pro visibility does not reflect the mouse’s quality. The r/MouseReview community — which tends to be more technically rigorous than the general gaming audience — consistently ranks the XM2w among the top 5 claw grip mice regardless of price. Community reviewers and various mouse-focused channels have praised the shape and click quality extensively.

The XM2w’s target user is not the player who buys what their favorite pro uses — it is the player who has tried multiple mice and understands what shape parameters matter for their grip. If you have a spreadsheet tracking mouse dimensions and you know your hand measurements to the millimeter, the XM2w was designed for you.

The competitive implications of the XM2w’s specifications are clear: the PAW3395 sensor and Kailh GM 8.0 switches are tournament-legal and performance-competitive with any mouse in esports. The shape is the variable, and for claw grip users, it is among the best available.

The pre-sorted switch feature deserves special mention in the competitive context. In high-level FPS play, players develop muscle memory for click timing — particularly for counter-strafing in CS2 or ability activation in Valorant. If the left and right clicks have different actuation forces (a common issue in mass-produced mice), this muscle memory is constantly fighting inconsistent feedback. The XM2w’s switch sorting eliminates this variable, providing a consistent foundation for developing precise click timing. This detail may seem minor, but it is the type of refinement that distinguishes enthusiast-focused manufacturers from mainstream brands.

Common Complaints & Praises

Community Praises:

• One of the best claw grip shapes available at any price
• Pre-sorted Kailh GM 8.0 switches provide exceptional click consistency
• Excellent value at $79.99 — comparable to mice costing $120+
• Solid build quality despite 63g weight, no honeycomb needed
• PAW3395 sensor is flawless and proven across hundreds of mice

Community Complaints:

• Smooth matte coating can feel slippery without aftermarket grip tape
• Side buttons are slightly mushy compared to main buttons
• Software is functional but visually basic
• Limited retail availability outside EU and US markets
• No 4000Hz polling rate support or Bluetooth connectivity

Verdict & Buying Guide

Buy if: You are a claw grip user with 17.5-19.5cm hands looking for the best shape in the sub-$100 wireless category. The XM2w delivers a purpose-built claw experience with excellent clicks and a proven sensor. At $79.99, it is one of the best values in competitive gaming mice.

Skip if: You prefer palm grip with full rear support, your hands exceed 20cm, or you need Bluetooth for multi-device use. The XM2w’s smooth coating may also frustrate players who sweat heavily unless paired with grip tape.

Alternatives:

• Pulsar X2 V2 Wireless ($99.99) — Similar compact claw/fingertip shape, slightly wider, more color options
• Zowie EC2-C (~$69.99) — Classic ergonomic wired alternative, proven shape
• Razer Viper V2 Pro (~$149.99) — Premium symmetrical option with lower latency

Price Assessment: At $79.99, the XM2w is among the best values in wireless gaming mice. You get a PAW3395 sensor, pre-sorted Kailh switches, and a purpose-built competitive shape for $50-80 less than premium alternatives. If the shape fits your grip, this mouse punches well above its price class.

The XM2w represents what happens when an enthusiast brand builds a mouse for enthusiasts rather than the mass market. Every design decision — the pre-sorted switches, the bottom-mounted DPI button, the absence of RGB, the claw-optimized shape — prioritizes competitive functionality over broad appeal. This focus makes it the wrong mouse for casual users who want versatility, but the right mouse for competitive players who have narrowed their preferences to a specific grip style and hand size. If you know you are a claw grip player with medium hands, the XM2w should be at the top of your shortlist regardless of how much you are willing to spend.