I’m a bit of a fan of Logitech’s peripherals, and I have been for years. I bought their MX1000 laser mouse, back when that sort of laser-tracking optical technology was new and if you had one, you’d know it was a rather impressive piece of technology.

Well, as impressive as pointing devices really can be. It was the mouse that finally convinced me that wireless mice could go beyond just being, but could actually be a joy to use, for a wide range of applications, including gaming. Its MX series has continued to shine – giving us excellent rodents by way of the MX Revolution, and the flagship Performance Mouse MX.

MXmaster_18

Those have now been outdone. Logitech’s new MX Master – a wireless, rechargeable mouse – is one of the nicest I’ve ever used.  It offers tons of connectivity options, great performance, excellent polling and refresh and works on just about any surface. It is, as you’d expect, a little on the expensive side, but it’d be money well spent.

I don’t usually go in much for aesthetics when it comes to my pointing devices, but there’s no denying that the MX Master is a beautiful mouse, with its champagne gold trim. Setting it up to use is a cinch. Like many of Logitech’s wireless peripherals, it comes with a unifying receiver, which allows you to connect up to six devices to one single, tiny USB dongle. Plugging it in, pressing connect, and finding the mouse working seconds later is great – especially as it had connected to the unifying receiver already wedged in to the back of my PC. There’s more to it than that though.

MXmaster_17

The MX Master has a little toggle at the bottom, allowing you to switch between three connections. If you happen to have another unifying receiver lying about, you can pair it, on a different channel, to a different receiver. This allowed me to move the mouse between my Laptop and my desktop at the flick of a switch – something I’ve wanted Logitech to implement for years. It uses a 2.4GHZ wireless tech that is, for my needs, indistinguishable from a wired connection.

Not everybody has a desk-drawer full of unifying receivers though, but Logitech’s not silly; the mouse also comes with full Bluetooth connectivity, so you can use the receiver on your desktop, and connect vie Bluetooth on your Laptop, or sufficiently smart TV.

There is course more to it than mere connectivity that made me excited to use the MX Master though; it’s super smooth, and works on just about any surface, thanks to its implementation of Logitech’s wordy and ominous sounding Darkfield Laser sensor. It’s a PR branding name, but suffice to say, it works as advertised, with the mouse gliding smoothly and working on just about everything I tried it on; my pants leg, my knobbly wall, and of course, a glass table.

MXmaster_15

It’s not built for the incredible, sniper-point precision you’d find in many high-end gaming mice, but has nominal operation of 1000dpi, which you can dial up to 1600dpi. It may not be the best mouse for Counter Strike professionals, but I found it served my gaming needs more than adequately – and is precise, smooth and decidedly responsive. As long as you’re right handed that is – the MX Master is not made for lefties, which is obviously a pity for those mutant freaks who’re right brained.

It’s got just 6 functional buttons; the usual three where your fingers likely sit, a pair of hard to press backwards and forwards buttons nestled next to the horizontal scroll wheel and a single, handy one hidden on the mouse’s thumb-rest. Pressing that, by default, brings up the Windows 10 Task view, which I found myself using far more often than I imagined. If you hold it down, you can also use it for all of those gestures the cool touch-screen kids like to use.

MXmaster_14

My very favourite thing about the mouse though, is its scroll wheel. Yes, like just about every other mouse on the planet right now, it double up as a middle click, but it’s got a sexy ratchet mechanism to it that is both clever, and somehow, addictive. If you’ve used one of Logitech’s G series mice, you’ll know that it’s equipped with a little button under south of the scroll wheel that once clicked, frees the scroll-wheel, allowing you to spin it with reckless abandon, so you can scroll through long lists and documents at breakneck speed. The MX Master has one of those two, but it also has an adaptive, ratcheted wheel; spin it fast enough (you can set the sensitivity) and it automatically switches from click-to-click to hyper-fast scroll, and back. And it’s something I couldn’t stop using; when sitting at my desk, just thinking, I’d scroll the wheel as fast as I could, letting the ratchet disengage, and re-engage.

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Obviously, because it’s wireless, battery life is an incredibly important consideration. The MX Master’s longevity is incredible. According to Logitech, you can get 40 days of 6 hours of usage out of a single charge, and that’s not much of an exaggeration. In the weeks I had the device, I charged it only once – and I spend up to 10 hours a day sat at my desk. If you do happen to let it run flat, plugging the included micro-USB cable in to the front of the thing lets you use it as a wired mouse.

Last Updated: August 24, 2015

Logitech MX Master
It’s comfortable, it’s precise, and it’s damn near one of the best computer mice I’ve used in my life. When Logitech came to pick this up, I very nearly punched their driver in the face and ran. Its biggest problem, other than its lack of left love and non-user replaceable battery is its price, which should set you back in the Region of R1, 699. Ouch.
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18 Comments

  1. Alien Emperor Trevor

    August 24, 2015 at 15:41

    Mutant freaks huh. Nice manicure you have there.

    Reply

    • Sageville

      August 24, 2015 at 16:42

      I totally see Geoff rocking a french.

      Reply

  2. VampyreSquirrel

    August 24, 2015 at 15:44

    I had an MX Bluetooth Laser mouse that you couldn’t change the battery, I got it with an MX Bluetooth keyboard that LOVED batteries, and had to get them changed all the time… that was the last time I went wireless (other than xbox 360 controllers)

    I miss my Naga Molten now.

    Reply

    • Geoffrey Tim

      August 24, 2015 at 15:46

      I have a logitech wireless keyboard that I’ve had since December. Haven;t swapped the batteries once. This mouse? I charged once in a month. Seriously impressed. I nearly cried real tears when they came to take it away.

      Reply

      • VampyreSquirrel

        August 24, 2015 at 17:04

        Glad they’ve sorted that out. My keyboard used 4 AA batteries, and I seriously had to charge them every 3rd day even though it was only on for about 4 hours a day. The mouse would die after 4 or 5 days… now it doesn’t last 4 hours.

        Reply

  3. RinceThis

    August 24, 2015 at 15:46

    In the words of the Virgin Mary, come again?

    Reply

  4. HvR

    August 24, 2015 at 15:48

    Should have gone Logitech MX instead went the gaming route with Tt series which is going back for the third time with the same problem.

    Reply

  5. The Sten

    August 24, 2015 at 15:51

    Wireless?…

    Reply

    • Geoffrey Tim

      August 24, 2015 at 15:54

      I generally have the same reservations (the Cyborg RAT 9, as an example, is a giant piece of goddamned shit.), but this thing runs and feels like a wired device. Amazing.

      Reply

      • RinceThis

        August 24, 2015 at 15:59

        An aired device? What PC nonsense are you speaking?!

        Reply

      • The Sten

        August 24, 2015 at 16:20

        I dont doubt its performance and design. Its the wireless part that i cant get past. It might just be me, but my pc and its peripherals are for the most part stationary, so i dont for example switch my mouse between a laptop and desktop. Wireless for me would be fixing a problem that i dont have and creating another one…batteries.

        P.s my boss bought himself the RAT9, and i dont have the nerve to tell him what i really think of it. 😀

        Reply

        • Geoffrey Tim

          August 24, 2015 at 17:04

          I get that. I move my pc/mouse etc between my office and my lounge quite a bit. Fewer wires = happier me.

          The RAT 9 really is a piece of shit though.

          Reply

  6. Hammersteyn

    August 24, 2015 at 16:59

    Not bad for R1700. Or any other mouse in that price class for that matter

    Reply

    • Greylingad[CNFRMD]

      August 25, 2015 at 12:29

      That’s about as affordable as a Lamborghini at this stage….

      Reply

  7. Kromas,powered by windows 10.

    August 24, 2015 at 17:22

    I’ll stick with my G502 Proteus Core TYVM!

    Reply

  8. Deceased

    August 25, 2015 at 11:06

    Found my next mouse 😀

    Thank you Geoff for this review 🙂

    Reply

  9. FirstShop

    October 29, 2015 at 01:56

    Good news, the Logitech MX Master is available to purchase at our store for less than R1, 200.00. Great review by the way.

    Reply

  10. FirstShop

    December 9, 2015 at 15:42

    This is a great mouse and absolutely love the look!

    Reply

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