Logitech has introduced two new wireless mice recently, the MX Master Wireless Mouse and the MX Anywhere 2. Logitech sent me a review unit of the MX Master Wireless Mouse so I could get my hand on it (pun intended).
The Logitech MX Master Wireless Mouse is an evolutionary upgrade to Logitech’s laser mice that are larger and more comfortable than a standard puck-shaped mouse. The Logitech G500s has been my day-to-day mouse for the past couple of years. The mouse is great for everything from browsing to gaming with its adjustable DPI and multiple buttons for easy navigation. My only complaint with the mouse has been the cord catching on the corner of my desk’s keyboard tray, which is more a fault of the desk than the mouse.
The MX Master Wireless Mouse continues on that same history of success for right-handed mousers. It offers dual wireless connectivity options with Bluetooth and Logitech’s Unifying connection which allows the mouse to connect to 3 different devices. One of my biggest concerns with wireless mice always comes down to the batteries. I like that the MX Master Wireless has a rechargeable battery, which is fast charging and is supposed to last 40 days on a single charge. I have not had the mouse for that long, so I will have to see what mileage I get out of it. The mouse continues to operate just fine if you have to charge it from the included micro USB cable. It connects to the front of the mouse and then operates like a normal corded mouse.
Aspects of the mouse that I do not like:
- The back/forward buttons are difficult to use due to their layout
- The curved part of the mouse goes too high and for too long, so that it digs into the web between your thumb and forefinger to hold the mouse comfortably
The back and forward buttons are the standard buttons that Logitech adds to their mice. They’re usually easily reachable from the thumb with the back button being bigger and easiest to reach. With the MX Master, the buttons are overlapping in opposite teardrop shapes. Forward is still further away and back is closer to your palm but the layout requires some concentration to ensure you’re hitting the right button rather than the more intuitive previous layouts.
Where the mouse usually slopes down in the web between your thumb and palm, I find this mouse to be still rising and a little uncomfortable.
Aspects of the mouse that I’m not sure on yet:
- the horizontal scroll wheel is really precise and smooth but I’m yet to find a frequent use case
- the gesture button is neat but requires coordination
I have not come across any real need for the horizontal scroll wheel. It’s unique and provides options but most applications adapt to the vertical scroll wheel, such as the Start Screen.
The gesture button is a bit hidden, but the thumb rest is actually a button. You can press down with your thumb and then move up, down, left, or right to kick off a different action. These actions are configured in the Logitech Options software. For example, you can perform windows management such as minimizing a window by holding down the gesture button while dragging backwards.
Aspects of the mouse that I really like:
- the wireless freedom
- the scroll wheel changing from clicking to smooth rolling at the press of the button
- the Darkfield laser that has this mouse operating very precisely on a variety of surfaces
- the Logitech Options software is really easy to use
I prefer the scroll wheel with a click to it. It feels more sure in the navigation and I found the smooth wheel to move up a little each time I scroll down. Personal preference but it’s a simple button press away to change.
The Logitech Options software is available to download from support.logitech.com. It allows you to configure the buttons to do what you would like them to do. For example, you could use the horizontal scroll to control your volume and the gesture button to control media.
The Logitech MX Master Wireless Mouse is available for $99.99 from Amazon.com. If your cord is getting in your way, I can recommend the MX Master Wireless mouse to continue Logitech’s trend of comfortable, durable, precise mice that you don’t have to fight with.
If you picked up an MX Master Wireless Mouse or other mice, you might be interested in a recent post from Logitech advising how to keep your mouse clean.
Gallery of Logitech MX Master Wireless Mouse pictures:
A review unit of the Logitech MX Master Wireless Mouse was provided by Logitech to 404 Tech Support for the purpose of review.