Logitech G9 Laser Mouse by Logitech
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Digital camera reviews of Logitech G9 Laser Mouse
Digital camera Review: A Mouse for All Seasons
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought one of these for my wife to play computer games, while she was out of town for a week I stole it for my own use. Now I must have one!
Pros:
* great feel in hand.
* weight optimization is nice, I like it heavy.
* Two different 'bodies' customize the feel.
* versatility - unlock the scroll wheel for using for work, I love to be able to scroll through several hundred lines of a spreadsheet whithout needing to keep rolling the scroll wheel. The side buttons that control back and forth in WoW also let you go back and forward in Firefox. When doing any graphic work I can crank the dpi and get super precision without a bunch of fussing.
Cons:
* none that I know of, a lot of people have trouble with the software but I have found it satsifies all my needs without the software installed so I have never tried it out.
One of these is coming to my desk soon now that I have been forced to relenquish it upon my wife's return. Buy it - you can't go wrong.
Digital camera Review: A great mouse for the hard core gamer
Summary: 4 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
I have been a fan of Logitech mice for quite sometime. Ever since I started seriously getting into PC gaming, I've found the Logitech mice to be reliable, easy to use and customizable. My last mouse was the MX518, an excellent choice for those looking for a midgrade mouse. Now, we a new entry into the Logitech G series with the G9. The G9 is a a high-priced, highly customizable entry into Logitech's long line of gaming-centered mice. It's an update from the G5 mouse and, while it's more of a refinement than an evolution, it does offer some nice new additions.
The G series is all about customization and the G9 perfectly represents this. It comes in an attractive package that includes the USB mouse, the software CD, basic instructions, two snap-on covers and a cool package of eight weights (four 4 gram and four 7 gram). The software that comes with the CD will invariably be out of date, so I'd recommend just getting the latest from the Logitech site. But, once you do, the customization options open up.
The mouse has enough memory on it to hold four different profiles, which you can manipulate via the software. And there's a lot you can do, from purely cosmetic to technical. For example, the mouse has LED lights on top that you can change via the software. Want red lights? Have at it. Or, if that doesn't float your boat, you can choose blue. Or green. Or go to a color wheel and choose a variance of the available colors. Yes, it's purely cosmetic. Yes, it's totally unnecessary. Yes, it's really cool.
But the software also does some neat things that are more than cosmetics. You can select any of the buttons on the mouse and have them do something completely different with them. Everything, from the left mouse to the right mouse buttons, to the side buttons, to the scroll wheel, etc., all can be manipulated to your heart's intent. You can also mess around with the dpi, which is something I didn't really mess with, but it's there for those enterprising gamers.
The customization lives outside of the software, as well. Does the mouse feel too light to you? You can place four of the eight weights in the back of the mouse to give it the heft and weight you desire. As mentioned, the weights come in four gram and eight gram sizes, so there's enough choices there for the perfect weight options. Also, the two snap-on portions are pretty similar to each other. The only difference between them is that one of them is very smooth, like most mice, while the other feels rough and rugged, providing apt hold for, I guess, the really sweaty hand gaming sessions.
It's a lazer mouse and I found it to be even nicer than the optical mice I've played with. This is my first lazer mouse and while the difference between them isn't something everybody will notice, I can tell a bit of a difference. It's really nice. It also offers a maximum whopping 3200 dpi, with the ability to change on the fly from 200 dpi to 3200, via buttons on the mouse and your profile settings. The mouse is also completely compatible with Vista and you won't run into any problems. The software comes in two Vista flavors, as well, for the 32x and the 64x.
Another change from the G5 mouse is that the G9 favors a more boxy design. Instead of the sloping and curvaceous mice in the past, the G9's visual design didn't pique my interest at once. As you can tell from the pictures, it looks sometimes more like a brick than a comfortable mouse. In person, it not only looks better but actually feels comfortable in your hand. I especially like the sloping on the left hand side, creating a nook of sorts for your thumb placement.
A few complaints do exist, however. For one, this is undeniably a right-handed mouse. Even if you didn't use the two buttons on the left hand side, holding this mouse in your left hand is not very comfortable, in either of the snap-on covers. As you can tell from the pictures included here on Amazon.com, the left side of the mouse slopes as a nice little cubby hole for your thumb. Comfortable for us right-handers, not so much if you switch hands. Additionally, on the bottom of the mouse, a couple of indented circles spiral out from the lazer pointer part of the mouse. While the circles are slightly indented and it won't catch as you move the mouse, it does make an audible scraping sound, on my mouse pad at least. The side buttons will take some getting used to for some people, due to their placement. They slant downward which feels completely different from other mice I've played with. They feel very thin in the beginning, but once you've learned where to place your thumb, they feel great.
Finally, there's the price. I'm a firm believer that you get what you pay for and this mouse definitely fits the bill, for right handed gamers. This isn't a mouse for the average casual gamer, who doesn't care about dpi and won't use the customization options. These gamers will be wasting their money when a perfectly good mid-priced mouse will do. Then again, this isn't a mouse for them. It's created those gamers that want to be able to customize their mouse or that wish they had a bit more control over what is arguably the most important part of PC gaming, then this mouse is for you. It's well-made, durable (8 million clicks per button, I've been told) and very customizable.
I would definitely recommend the G9 for the hard core gaming enthusiasts. This is the mouse for gamers who understand dpi; who want that extra level of customization; who want to be able to adjust the weight of the mouse; who want to save different profiles for whatever they are doing; who care about (and actually know the defition of) dpi; and, yes, for those who want the LED color to match their case's lights. The rest of you? A nice mid-range one will do.
Digital camera Review: A great mouse, but LED mice are better for FPS gaming
Summary: 4 Stars
PROS:
+ Excellent tracking at LOW speeds.
+ Very sturdy and comfortable for some people.
+ Profiles and customizability (e.g. weight adjustment) are unparalleled.
+ Mouse wheel is amazing!
+ On-board memory saves your settings for other computers.
+ Braided cord gives some improvement over plastic ones.
CONS:
- Like most laser mice, bad tracking at high speeds.
- Not suitable for left-handed users or those who use a "claw grip".
- Only 3 grips to choose from. Where are our new styles???
The quick version: Great mouse, but not for everyone. Make sure that the ergonomics suit you before buying. It starts skipping when doing very fast movements, so if you're a low-sensitivity FPS gamer, get an LED mouse (like the MX518) instead of a laser one like this.
The mouse is solidly designed. Even though it has multiple pieces, it doesn't feel flimsy at all. The grip design is excellent--switching the grips can be done extremely easily and quickly. The buttons have very good response, though I think that they may be a step down from mice with the MX form factor. For instance, the side buttons are basically on the same surface as where the thumb sits, meaning that they are much easier to hit, unlike the MX-style mice (MX518, G5, etc.), where they sit on a lip above the thumb. The sensitivity adjustment buttons are well-placed, and there is no way you would accidentally hit them.
The scroll wheel is absolutely exquisite. When the gear is engaged, it clicks very fluidly, without being too sensitive, and the buttons (down, left, and right) have very comfortable responses. When the gear is disengaged (via a button on the bottom), you can scroll through huge pages or spreadsheets effortlessly.
This mouse is designed for right-handed users. While the controls can be flipped, it becomes a bit more awkward. The angular grip isn't too bad, but the more popular "wide load" grip is very awkward for southpaws. Also, this mouse is fully designed with palm-grippers in mind. Many people I have talked to say that it is a poor choice for anyone with a "claw grip", where you hold the mouse primarily by pinching it with your thumb and ring/little fingers.
The G9 also has a braided cord, which is interesting. It's still a bit rigid, which doesn't make it a huge improvement over the plastic cords. It is thinner, though, and the slight improvement in rigidity makes it get in the way a bit less.
The SetPoint 2 software is excellent. It allows you to configure profiles, adjust the LED colors, adjust sensitivities, create macros, and even customize the cursor speed, acceleration, and polling rate for each individual profile. Profiles can be changed by pressing the button under the mouse or by using automatic switching.
Now, for the main disadvantages. This mouse, like most laser mice, is inferior to LED mice for low-sensitivity gaming. Low-sensitivity gamers favor accuracy by lowering the DPI to slow down the cursor. Thus, when turning quickly is required, the mouse must at surprisingly high speeds. This mouse skips at many of those speeds. I switched over from an MX518, which has perfect tracking at most high speeds, and no skipping at any speed I could manage on my QcK+ mousepad. The G9 does a very annoying bump any time you exceed a certain velocity. I had to increase the acceleration and force myself to slow down, which impacts accuracy. It's not a huge deal, but LEDs are superior to lasers in FPS gaming mice, period.
The ergonomics are a bit difficult to get used to. Even for right-handed palm-grippers (like me), this is a huge change from the venerated MX form factor. Unless you have tiny hands, your palms will barely be supported by the back of the grip, meaning that they will mainly rest on your mousepad itself, potentially causing friction issues. I could also raise my wrist, of course, but I never had to do this with my MX518. Also, the mouse is harder to control overall. The MX mice allow you to move the mouse fluidly with only your palm pressed down. Trying to move the G9 with only your palm causes the mouse to slip back and forth, meaning that more effort is required to hold it in place.
There are only a few other disadvantages. The LED only really has about 7-8 colors, despite all the different colors SetPoint supposedly offers. Having to turn the mouse over to click the mousewheel button is annoying. I have heard some other mice with this feature have a software switch. Finally, there are really only 3 grips total for this mouse: the two that come with the mouse, plus the "ID Grip", on which you may put a custom picture. This is available from Logitech directly.
Digital camera Review: A splendid gaming mouse
Summary: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
I'm a long time Logitech mouse user. My current mouse, one that I've been using for four years, the wireles MX700, has become such an extension of my hand that using my computer is unthinkable without it. So it was with a mixture of trepidation and anticipation that I put the G9 Laser Mouse through its paces. I found it a comfortable fit with the adjustable grips, preferring the wideload grip to the precision because the precision grip seemed to make the cursor get a little jumpy. A function of my grip, I think. I found the weight tuning to be helpful in compensating for the way my arm moves and the precision with which the cursor moves. As far as the adjustable laser engine controlling the dpi from 200 to 3200, this appears to be a feature for someone whose feel for the mouse is more sensitive than mine. Such fine-tuning doesn't appear necessary for the games that I play.
The Precision scroll wheel worked nicely. I found the custom color LED display to be some serious eye candy that will also appeal to hardcore gamers who have gotten into macros and who are in need of quickly and visually checking the state of their profiles. Keyboard macros and advanced user profiles are not my daily usage modus operandi, though given the advanced features of this splendid mouse, they've piqued my interest. Though some of the features of the G9 might be considered esoteric, it's nice to know they're available should I evolve further as a gamer. This is a splendid gaming mouse which may replace my MX700 for daily usage, someday. Strongly recommended for those who need it or desire its possibilities.
Digital camera Review: Absolutely Amazing!
Summary: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
OK, this is a review from a non-PC-Gamer. My PS2 is for games, my PC is for work, writing, and the Internet. I needed a new mouse & this one won--and am I glad. This puppy has more bells and whistles than my car. I know I have had Logitech hardware in the past; if this is as durable as it was easy to install, we'll have more Logitech in the future.
First, when it says plug & play on the box, it means it! Our track-ball Dell mouse had seen better days. I unplugged it & plugged in this G9 & ten seconds later all the problems we had with the previous mouse were in the past.
We have had a "laser" mouse in the past and simply hated the way it worked. (It was wireless & the battery life sucked) The G9 has a one-touch sensitivity toggle on the top, and it's great. If the pointer is moving too quickly across the screen, tap it once for less sensitivity. And the over-the-top feature: you can change the color of the led display that tells you what level the sensitivity is set to. The cloth-coated cord is different, and it actually helps hold the mouse in place on the keyboard shelf.
It comes with two different grips "wide load" and "precision" which are literally a snap to change. Never used a more comfortable mouse. It comes with four 7g and four 4g weights which are wicked easy to install. Next to the thumb rest are extra buttons--the whole thing is programmable w/ on-mouse memory...This may just turn me into a PC gamer (while I save up for a PS3).