Introduction
Founded in 1981, Trust International B.V is a company specialized in the manufacturing of IT accessories with its headquarters in Dordrecht, The Netherlands. The Trust products are oriented towards the budget segment of the market.
The Dutch company was initially founded under the name Aashima Technology B.V, but during the 90’ it became Trust International B.V. At this moment, the company has expanded in 19 countries from Europe while the Trust products are present in more than 44 countries.
Official product link:
https://www.trust.com/en/product/21813-gxt-170-heron-rgb-mouse
Packaging and accessories
The GXT 170 Heron is packaged in a regular mouse type cardboard box with a asymmetric design and red accents.
The front side of the box features the Heron mouse in the center while the name and model of the product are layed out on the lower part, on the right upper corner we find a couple of the mouse’s features while on the opposite corner there is the Trust logo.
The sides of the packaging are red, maintaining the overall Trust packaging design and colour scheme, in addition, the mouse case slides from the side of the box.
The back side of the packaging lists the features of the GXT Heron in six different languages while the same features are represented using photos and graphics of the mouse, on the lower side of the box.
The mouse itself and the cable are held in place during shipping by a plastic shroud, the accessories are found under the shroud and mouse assembly.
Accessories
The mouse comes with the following accessories:
– 1x User Manual
– 1x Trust GXT Sticker
Specifications
MCU/Processor: Holtek HT66FB550
Main Switches: Kailh Blue
Sensor: ADNS-5110 optical sensor
Buttons: 6
Resolution: 500 – 7000 DPI
Maximum Speed: 80ips
Polling rate: 125 / 250 / 500 / 1000 Hz
Surface: Matte
Connection: USB 2.0, Gold Plated
Cable Length: 1.8 m
Weight: 135 g (without cable)
Total size: 128 x 74 x 41 mm
Warranty: 2 years
Features:
Advanced optical sensor with 7.000 DPI resolution: Take your gaming to the next level with the Trust Heron GXT 170 RGB Mouse and the advanced optical sensor with 7.000 DPI resolution.
Advanced software: After the visuals of your Heron mark are set up, the advanced gaming software allows you to also create your perfect gaming mouse from within. Design macro’s and assign the 5 programmable buttons to actions to save yourself some crucial time and increase your reaction speed.
Adjustable, full RGB LED lighting (with rainbow wave effect)
On-board memory
Rubber top layer for enhanced grip
Smooth, low-friction gliding pads
Visual inspection
The GXT 170 Heron features a ambidextrous design, despite the fact that the mouse is a right hand mouse from the factory. The top case has an irregular pattern embossed on in and the irregular lines are the main part of the LED RGB illumination of the mouse. The RGB illumination is achieved using misted plastic components, the white helps in carrying the light from the LEDs to the entire mouse casing. This way, the mouse has a strip of light going around its edge without interruptions in the illumination or surface.
While the design of the mouse is symmetrical, the sides are different in the options they offer. The left side features two buttons, there serve the functions forward and back while having a glossy texture. The right side is simple and has the same RGB illuminated strip that surrounds the mouse.
The scroll wheel has a smooth rotating motion with uniform stepping points. The outer surface is coated in soft rubber with straight strips for better grip, the sides of the scroll wheel are semi-transparent with the same white coating to improve color diffusion.
Above the scroll wheel there is the DPI cycle button, the GXT 170 Heron has only one DPI button with the same glossy texture as the forward-back side buttons. However this button features a proximity sensor that is directly linked to the RGB illumination of the mouse, this means that the illumination for the mouse will turn on only when the mouse is being used.
On the back of the mouse there is the Trust GXT logo, it is also integrated into the illumination system of the mouse, unfortunately with no highlights.
The cable of this mouse has no textile braiding or special coating, in terms of length, it is 180 cm and uses a gold-plated USB 2.0 connector that is protected by a soft rubber cap.
On the inferior side of the mouse we find mounted the three Teflon feet and the optical ADNS-5110 sensor capable of up to 7000 DPI.
Testing
The GXT 170 Heron uses a local storage system, thus all settings saved within the Trust software is saved inside the mouse’s memory. This feature is great when on the go and the manufacturer’s software might not be available all the time. The mouse itself can be used without any software, plug-n play but its settings will be limited on the factory ones.
The mouse was tested both in normal use & gaming.
Normal day to day use consist of Internet browsing & a few photo & video editing software.
The games used for testing are the following:
– Battlefield 3 (multiplayer)
– Battlefield 1
– Grand Theft Auto V
– Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
– Rise of the Tomb Raider
– The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
– The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The internals of the Heron are quite complex, the processor is a unit made by Holtek, model number HT66FB550 installed on the right side of the PCB. In the middle of the PCB there is the ADNS-5110 optical sensor.
The internal build quality in the case of this mouse is good, there are no visible soldering imperfections or marks. The main switches are made by Kailh.
Software
The mouse can be configured using the driver offered by Trust on their website, this piece of software offers plenty customizing options with an intuitive interface.
Final thoughts
The GXT 170 Heron is an FPS style mouse, due to its symmetrical and ambidextrous design( even though the mouse is right handed), it suits better the general play-style of the FPS gaming genre. Due to it’s overall length, the recommended style of holding the Heron is a palm grip, the clicks are long and the top part of the body features smooth angles.
The ADNS-5110 optical sensor does its job and the gaming experience with this mouse is great, throughout the gaming session the sensor is accurate and the DPI can be changed on the fly, the mouse was used mostly with the DPI set at 1800DPI, however the lift off distance can be improved.
The software that is included with this mouse is good, the interface is easy to understand and has all the right buttons and features on the first page, however the software itself has some issues with when running within Windows 10, a computer restart is required after installing the mouse’s drivers for the first time. In addition, as a bonus feature, the Trust software includes an achievement system for the GXT 170 Heron.
In conclusion, the Trust GXT 170 Heron is a good value gaming mouse, the performance in games is good and the used optical ADNS-5110 sensor does its job in every scenario. One inconvenient of this mouse is the fit and overall finish of the outside case, some edges are not perfectly smoothed and thus the panel cap is not consistent and not smooth to the touch.
