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So I've managed to build a decent sized collection of fairly popular computer mice so far, and I figured I'd write up a small review of each one. Hopefully it'll make it easier for people to decide on a new mouse or tempt someone to add one to their collection.
Now, slight warning, this will be focused on gaming as that is often the reason to get a new mouse and also because most of my pointing devices are gaming mice. Some of what I write here will be irrelevant if you aren't getting the mouse for gaming or just casual gaming.
Also keep in mind that this will be somewhat subjective, people use different grips and settings, but over the years I've become fairly flexible when it comes to mice, so I believe I will be able to cover a decent amount.
I'll admit that there's a fair bit more writing on the MMO mice and other flagship mice, as those are usually the ones with the most features to write about. As good as the simple mice like the DA are, there’s not much to be said about it, really, since there isn’t much that sets it apart from other mice.
Another thing to keep in mind is that this is, at the time it is published, pretty much just personal notes from a single mouse enthusiast, so if parts of this turns out to be awkwardly written or is either missing information or contains wrong information, do speak up, either in a post here or in a PM.
I know some parts get a lot of attention while others just get a brief mention, this is in part due to what I mentioned above; mice with more features have more features to discuss. I will be working to clean up ranty sections, correct any mistakes, remove unnecessary bits over time and as I get feedback, since if I were to try and get everything right before posting it would probably take ages to get this out there.
I've removed most of the section on sensors and settings as this is covered better in Grim Fandango's thread (http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=56240.0)
If you are looking for tech info on mice and a summary of what the internet in general thinks of the mice, I would suggest checking out his thread as that has far more objective information and facts.
My thread is mostly just my subjective comparison of the mice I own mixed with a few facts and some hearsay, so I would strongly recommend taking a look at Grim's thread before making a decision.
I'll still leave my opinion on acceleration here though:
For those of you who are unaware; acceleration basically changes your cursor movement depending on how fast you move it. For instance if you quickly swipe your mouse 10cm in one direction the cursor will move more than it would if you did the same movement slower. This can be an advantage if you like using low sens to get precision aim in FPS games, but want to be able to flick the mouse quickly when you need to react to something behind you. However, it does mean that mouse movement is less predictable and consistent, which for some people lead to reduced accuracy.
It all comes down to preference, acceleration in itself is not bad, the bad part comes in when sensors/games have inherent acceleration(possibly uneven) that can't be disabled.
Microsoft
IntelliMouse Explorer 3.0
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A real classic many gamers, both pro and amateur alike, still swear by.
I suppose what can be said about the IME 3.0 goes for the older IntelliMouse products as well as the WMO; cheap, reliable sensor and, as far as I've been able to see, with a popular palm shape that inspired the also very popular DeathAdder.
Despite the rather cheap feel of the materials, I have to admit that I do prefer the surface of the IME 3.0 materials to the DeathAdder.
MS/Razer Habu
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Same shape as the Mamba and DeathAdder, but materials used are closer to the IME 3.0, so it feels cheaper.
Comes with 2 side panels with different thumb button placements, but this neat feature is outweighed by the picky laser sensor as it was one of the early laser mice.
(Personal note: Despite the drawbacks it's still one of my more treasured mice)
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Logitech
G5
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Again a fairly early laser mouse, I don't know the exact sensor used but I wouldn't be surprised if it's the same as the Habu, so the sensor isn't what you'd call top notch, but it has the shape of the MX518 and a weight cartridge.
Hasn't changed much, what can be said about the G5 can mostly be said about the G500, although the G500 does have a better sensor.
Pricey mouse with fancy schmansy laser sensor, does about the same as a cheaper, simpler model, except worse but for more money.
The G5 was pretty much a bad MX518 and the G500 is a bad G400, except the G500 has more buttons and a hyperscroll wheel so there is something to it, but it's not enough in my opinion.
G9x
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A rather unique mouse, there is nothing quite like it, and it seems to be somewhat of a cult mouse in the sense that you either get it or you don't.
Personally I adore my G9x and I know I'm not alone.
It's not all smiles and sunshine, though. It's got a laser sensor, an off-center one at that, it’s not the cheapest mouse and can be hard to find, although I have been told that it’s still fairly easy to get in the US.
The shape can be a bit weird to some, at least with the fat grip, and the look is not for everyone. Personally I think the G9x looks good, but I haven't gotten much support for this.
So yeah, the G9x is all in the shape, it doesn't really have much else going for it to make it better than the competition, but if that shape is for you then there is no other mouse, the G9x is the one and only.
G400
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One of the best mice on the market right now; it's cheap, well made, excellent sensor and a shape that works for a lot of people, it's hard to not recommend this when people are looking for a new mouse.
However, if your G400 was bought before or during autumn 2012 you might have one with angle snapping/prediction.
Only drawback is looks; it's not exactly a looker on the desk, although this is subjective so you might like it, but I just haven't heard anyone praise the looks of it so far.
G600
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Logitech's MMO mouse, and from what I've seen it's quite possibly the best of the few available right now. It feels well made, the finish doesn't wear off as fast as your regular rubberised coating(at least not on the white one, I have not seen how the black looks after use, but my white one shows very little signs of wear even when I do my best to look for it) and the side buttons are placed in a rather clever way.
They way they're angled means it's very easy to find the right button without looking and the clicking action feels nice and solid.
Notable downsides for the G600; laser sensor, although not important here as the kind of games the G600 is meant for usually don't require pinpoint precision, and a somewhat buggy software if you use the current version of LGS, 8.41 I believe it is at the moment.
However, if you step back a version you lose pretty much nothing and you get no noticeable bugs, so this is a problem that is easily solved. The software also has lists of commands available for many games, so you can just drag and drop instead of having to assign each key manually.
G700s
I returned this before I took any pictures, so no pictures of this, sorry.
I can't really compare it to other wireless mice as I only have two; the G700s and the Mamba.
First off; the G700s has a small receiver as opposed to the massive charging base of the Mamba, so as a wireless mouse the G700s is easily better. It also uses a single rechargeable AA battery, so you can easily upgrade the capacity if you want, unlike the Mamba which uses its own battery pack.
It's worth noting that the G700s continues the Logitech trend of off-center laser sensors, in this case it's located at the front of the mouse.
My first impressions of the mouse are that it's heavy, the cord you use to charge and play corded if you prefer that is stiff, heavy and thick, meaning it will cause cable drag and be incompatible with a lot of bungees and other mouse cable systems. As a wired mouse the Mamba works better than the G700s as the cable is just a normal braided mouse cable, but removing the G700s cable is easier since there is no locking mechanism.
The buttons on the G700s looked ugly to me initially, but after a few minutes of using them I can see why they look the way they do; the buttons are shaped the way they are to let you instantly feel which button you're pressing, they seem to be made with the same mindset as the G600 numpad, which is incredibly clever.
G602
- pics to come -
Impressive wireless mouse from Logitech. Unlike most other wireless gaming mice the G602 can't be charged via USB or a base, but it uses 2xAA, so you can use your own high capacity rechargeable batteries.
I'm still on the batteries that came with the mouse, although using regular batteries might get expensive depending on how much you're using it. Mine still hasn't hit the 50% mark yet, even after several days of use with quite a bit of gaming. The G700s struggled to last even a day, even if you had it at 500hz. The G602 has a switch on top that switches between endurance and performance mode. I don't know exactly what it does, but in endurance it sets the polling rate to 125, and I would assume that it shuts off faster when inactive. I've used mine in a mix between the two, although 125hz feels a bit weird at times, so I do prefer to be at 500.
The side buttons are the same type as on the G700s, the small angled ones that are really easy to navigate. They're one of the best parts of the mouse, you've got 6 buttons on the right side and two on top that you can program.
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Razer
One thing to be careful about when you buy Razer is making sure you get a working product, Razer is know to be a bit sloppy with QC. That said, the only Razer product I've had to RMA was a DeathAdder where the LED stopped working after a day or two.
Another thing to note is what generation your Razer product is the current gen uses the Synapse 2.0 driver software, which is a cloud based replacement for onboard memory. It requires you to create an account and log on the first time you use the software. After that you do not need an internet connection at all, but all in all the software was not well received. Of course, it won't be much of an issue if you plan on using just that mouse, but for many it's a matter of principle.
The generation of mice just before the Synapse generation was Razer's short affair with the Philips Twin Eye Sensor, but most of the stuff outside of PTE and Synapse should be good.
DeathAdder
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Probably one of the more popular mice, and for good reason. It's got a shape that people can like, it's primarily a palm grip mouse although it's fairly comfortable as a claw grip mouse as well. It's also fairly lightweight and cheap, meaning it's a solid all-round choice.
DeathAdder 2013
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The DeathAdder freshened up to fit their new image, although thankfully they kept the wavy front instead of giving it the mouse buttons the've put in all their other new mice.
Same exact shape as the old one, but the surface is rougher, more durable and more grippy, and it has rubber pads covering part of the sides meaning that those who disliked the shiny plastic on the old one will be pleased with the changes.
Build quality feels pretty much the same, although the old one feels maybe a tad more solid, because it seems the new one has lost weight and is a tad lighter, something I suspect is another welcome change.
Sensor is still optical and pretty much flawless, but now goes to 6400 dpi, not much else to say about it.
LEDs look slightly less cheap and tacky compared to the old DA, but still not able to beat the Lachesis Refresh.
Someone asked for a click comparison; it feels and sounds pretty much the same as on the G400, but the DA buttons have a bit more material and feels maybe a tiny bit more solid, but I find it hard to find any differences doing a quick comparison.
Abyssus
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Fantastic mouse for claw/fingertip grip: it's lightweight, fairly cheap, ambidextrous shape, same sensor as the DeathAdder and a safe no-frills design.
That means physical polling rate and dpi switches underneath and no side-buttons, so using drivers is only necessary if you're planning on using it left-handed or just want to remap the mousewheel or something.
Lachesis Refresh
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The Refresh has the PTE sensor, but unless you're a hardcore gamer at a fairly high level(in which case I don't know why you'd be reading this) the flaws of the sensor are outweighed by the unique shape and very good looks. It's hard to compare the shape as I can't really think of any other mice that have a similar grip style, and it is probably one of the better mice for people with large hands considering the praise I've seen it get from large-handed Lachesis users.
As for looks, not a determining factor when you buy a mouse, but it's nice if your setup can look good in addition to feel right, and the Lachesis is one of the better looking mice I have and it has excellent lighting, far better than the older Razer glowy stuff that just looked tacky.
Mamba
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More expensive and heavier DeathAdder with an inferior sensor(PTE) and a tacked on wireless mode which is really just annoying. The cable locks in place with a mechanism that makes it a pain to remove. If you have the mouse connected while removing the cable I can pretty much guarantee you'll click pretty much every button on the mouse once while getting the cable out.
Don't get it. Of all the mice I have bought this is one of the few I regret buying.
Krait
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The original, mind, not the new scaled down version of the Taipan they made for the Asian market.
I don't really have all that much to say about it as it has only seen moderate use as my laptop mouse, all I have to say about it is that it's a bit too small for my hands and that the scroll wheel is fairly slippery.
However it seems to be a very loved mouse, and I am glad that I managed to snatch one before they disappeared off the market completely.
Naga 2012
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After being used to the G600 there were a few things that became clear right away;
First off the software is nowhere near as good, even if we disregard the fact that it's Synapse. Logitech's software already has a list of commands for most games available in a list that you can drag and drop onto the buttons you want them on, and setting up separate profiles for different games is a breeze compared to Razer.
Logitech's software will detect most of your games, adding games it fails to detect is fairly straightforward, and then you just select the game you want to configure the mouse for, a list of the various keybinds for that game shows up along with what each commands does in that game, and you're free to drag and drop.
Synapse has you create a new profile for the mouse, then select and exe for that profile and finally assign every button manually, which I find to be a hassle and so far haven't bothered setting much up yet.
However, Synapse is better at one point, and that's the cloud saving. The Naga doesn't have onboard memory, which isn't much of an issue if any memory would be like it is on the G600, meaning fairly useless for storing more than one profile, so both mice basically work as they should with their respective software running, but Razer stores your profiles online, meaning if you reinstall or switch computers you won't lose your profiles.
The numpad on the Naga is also inferior to the Logitech one; the G600 numpad is shaped in such a way that you can easily navigate it by thumb feel yet it doesn't feel uncomfortable.
Now, the Naga's numpad is completely flat, it has some tiny nubs here and there, but they don't really help you find the button you need right in the middle of a fight. For this reason, Razer has included what I like to call "training wheels", rubber pads that you can glue on the buttons to create your own little landscape for navigating them.
One thing I love about the Naga though is the interchangable side grips, I absolutely love this and I have waited for something like this for ages, now if they could only do something similar with a non-MMO mouse. The way you remove and attach the grips is done very elegantly with magnets and the grips are shaped really well, although I'm a bit iffy on the claw grip.
The palm grip reminds me of the shape of the Naos(and Qpad, I believe) mice, so if you're looking for a very palm-grip mouse that you won't be lifting a lot and with more buttons, the Naga is definitely worth considering, especially since you can swap the grip if you find that it's too flat and wide.
To conclude: I do like my Naga and I don't regret getting it one bit, but if you're only getting one MMO mouse then I can't recommend the Naga over the G600 in good conscience.
Side note about the other Naga mice;
Older mice are a mixed batch, I'd be wary of buying an older used Naga just because it's cheap, since it has no interchangeable grips and as far as I know the older models have a slightly more problematic PTE sensor.
As for the MOBA mice; they do look like they'd be nice for MOBA games, I also like that they have a solid column in the center of the buttons so you can grip it with your thumb without pressing a key down. If they had a 2012 Hex I might've considered getting that instead of the regular Naga.
Other notable MMO mice off the top of my head are the SS WoW mouse and the R.A.T. MMO mouse. The SS mouse I haven't heard a lot about, but both the SS and RAT are MMO mice with just a bunch of buttons all over instead of the numpad used on the Naga and G600.
If that's what you want then I can't say I've heard enough about the SS mouse to really say anything, but the RAT suffers from the same problems as other RAT mice, which I will cover later.
Ouroboros
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Razer’s answer to the spaceship RAT mice, although one major difference is that this is ambidextrous whereas the RAT mice are for right-handed users only.
It comes with a base station that acts both as a charging base and a wireless receiver, although having to connect it to the PC with a USB cable does make it too clunky for portable use.
The USB can also be plugged into the mouse directly if you wish to use it as a wired mouse. It’s powered by a single AA battery, which can be removed when used in wired mode.
An interesting feature are the clutch buttons, they are buttons that activate when you firmly press the lower part of the side grips, by default these are set to keep 800dpi while pressed. If you don’t like them there are switches underneath the mouse that locks them so that you can’t press them.
The side panels themselves attach to the mouse with 3 fairly strong magnets, you just need to leave the side panel about 1-2cm to the side of the mouse and it will snap in place by itself.
It uses the strangest setup of the PTE sensor system I’ve seen so far; the different sensors are placed separately under the mouse rather than together in one odd package, and from the TF2 and CSGO gaming I’ve done with it so far it seems to work ok.
I’ve used mine mostly in wireless mode as it’s nice to not have to worry about cable every now and then, battery life is decent, but if you’re not prepared to use this mouse wired then I would advise against it. The wireless function has been very buggy for me, sometimes the mouse will stop tracking, other times it will stop responding at all except for the dpi buttons, sometimes the tracking will slow down massively along one axis. Usually this can be solved by restarting Synapse, replugging the mouse or just putting the mouse on the charging dock and then removing it.
For the most part it works fine, but so far the issues have been annoying enough that I wouldn’t recommend getting this as a wireless mouse just yet. However, as of writing this I have only had a little time with mine, so I will update this if something changes.
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SteelSeries
Sensei
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I have the normal Sensei, I believe the MLG version uses the Avago A9800 sensor whereas the other models have the A9500, although compared to the Naos 5k I have had no issue whatsoever with the sensor in my Sensei.
Like the G600 this also has a surface that doesn't show wear, which is not all that important, but it's a nice change from all the rubberised mice that start to show wear during the first few hours of use.
Kinzu
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I bought a Kinzu on a whim as it was rather cheap, but along with the Mamba this is probably the only other mouse that I regret buying.
Too small for me and not a very good sensor, though the Kinzu v2 should have an improved sensor, so if you have small hands it's probably worth checking out at least.
Saitek
RAT 7
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Now this is a controversial one, it's got the infamous PTE sensor in it, the first generation had a particularly unreliable sensor, but they got an upgrade a while back and now they have a more reliable sensor.
Apart from the sensor this is a very unique mouse in that you can adjust quite a bit of it to your liking with swappable parts and whatnot, but this makes it a bit heavier than most mice even without weights on.
For casual gaming I have found this to be a great mouse, in part due to the software which is the only mouse software I've seen so far that lets you latch keys, which is great for games where you might want to toggle certain things, like crouch, right mouse button for MMOs etc.
I would be wary about buying a RAT, though, they are cool, yes, but the fact that they're so adjustable also means there's more that can go wrong.
I had to RMA my 1. gen RAT 7 due to the sensor failing, but the 2. gen I got as a replacement has been working great so far.
All in all the RAT is an exciting mouse, but can be prone to failure, so I would recommend buying from a source where you can easliy RMA. It's also fairly heavy, large and clunky, at least the 7, 9 and MMO, not sure about the 3, so keep that in mind.
Mionix
Naos 5000
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First off I would only recommend the Naos range of mice to mid-high sensitivity users, they have a superb palm shape, but it is not optimal for lifting, so if you lift the mouse a lot I would not recommend them.
Secondly, I have had a fairly poor experience with the implementation of the A9500 sensor in the 5000 model, it's very touchy and jitters easily unlike any other mouse with the same sensor I've seen so far. It can be eliminated, or at least mostly, by tinkering with lift-off distance and whatnot, but no other mouse I’ve had has required this much tinkering to get it to play nice.
Overall build quality is good, but the LEDs and the areas they shine through looks very cheap, again it's on the shoddy end of the scale.
The feel of the mouse buttons is also worth noting, not as being superior or inferior, but noticeably different.
All in all I can't give the 5000 a shining recommendation, might be worth checking out, but unless you NEED that extra dpi I would suggest the 3200 instead.
CM Storm
Xornet
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Now this is a real treat, quite possibly the cheapest mouse I have and yet it is one of the best. I would, however, recommend considering the Spawn over the Xornet as the Spawn has higher quality internals, but the Spawn hasn't been available here for months, so I had to settle for a Xornet.
I do like the Xornet; it has a fantastic shape, sensor is good, no apparent flaws in build quality and a very pleasant price for such a package.
Func
MS-3
- pics to come -
*note: there is a new revision of the MS-3 out, it's mostly the same but with a few improvements, like cable protection where it enters the mouse.
Hands down the best purchase I ever made; got it on massdrop for $30 which is amazing value. It does use a 9500 sensor, but the pros of the mouse easily outweigh the cons for me.
I really like the big flat palm shape, with rest for both ringfinger an pinky done well. Mice like the Mionix Naos were too small and flat, but the MS-3 gets the shape right.
It's also got a nice amount of buttons spread around nicely, it's got just about enough buttons for most games, and they're all placed well.
My one main complaint is the software. It's not too bad, but it isn't very powerful either. And if you're not careful when changing profiles or move the mouse when applying new changes you risk the buttons becoming unresponsive. Then you'll need to replug the mouse. Not something I've run into very often, but if you change profiles using mouse buttons often then it might be a problem.
The macro part of the software is very basic, you don't get much choice in how the macro works. You can't make a left click macro and have it repeat while the button is held down, for instance. Nor can you make a toggle macro, where the macro starts playing when you press the button and stops when you press it again.
You also can't assign separate profiles for games, which bothers me quite a bit since it's got a decent number of buttons, meaning there isn't much chance of the same mapping working in several games. And the software only has 3 profiles, so unless you only play one or two games you'll need to be prepared to remap often.
The coating is also the old rubberized stuff that wears off after a few hours of use. Not too impressive, but it does feel fairly solid.
It has become one of my favourite mice thanks to the shape and button layout, so I'm expecting it to see far more use in the future.
TT Esports
Level 10 M
- pics to come -
This mouse is noteworthy because it's designed by BMW Designworks USA, although it does look like there are some forced elements on it.
The best way to describe the looks of this mouse would be "interesting", it's not outright pretty, but it's not all that ugly either. It would look a lot better with some proper side buttons and without the lights, a slight redesign on the front would also be nice.
The good part is that this mouse has onboard memory with storage for several profiles, which is nice because you'll want to rid yourself of the software as soon as possible. Not only does the software take up 60mb, well over half of that is taken up by ****ty videos that supposedly showcase the features of the mouse, but the videos are 90% logos and music, with a few seconds of actually showing the mouse.
It also looks like the software was designed by a 12 year old who just discovered photoshop, and used every terrible tutorial from self-proclaimed gfx-sites out there.
You can adjust the height and tilt angle of the black top, which is quite nice. At first glance it might look ambidextrous, but it is designed around right hand use. It's actually fairly comfortable as well
Other pointing devices
Kensington
SlimBlade
My first, and so far, only trackball. As the name would suggest it's got a fairly low profile, which I think is fantastic, and the twist-to-scroll thing it has is also very nice, although this is a more controversial feature. Some prefer the scrolling to be separate, but I find that being able to simply twist the ball to scroll is very convenient.
Build quality is also fairly solid, although the sound and feel of the click is a bit cheap, so I would recommend swapping the microswitches.
Another gripe I have is with the software, since you can't adjust trackball sensitivity, all it does is mess with windows sensitivity.
I've heard that some find it to have a bit too low dpi, so if you're used to very high dpi then it may be worth looking at CST trackballs instead. Personally I found the dpi to be a bit too high at first but got used to it after some weeks of use.
CST
LTrac
Much better build quality than the Slimblade, switches don't feel like junk. While the overall design of the Slimblade is better looking, the all-black LTrac does fit better on my desk with all the other black peripherals despite the design being mostly function over form and isn't all that pretty.
For me, though, it's all downhill from there unfortunately.
Now, a lot of these issues are things that might not be an issue for other people, but I've found the LTrac to be a downgrade for my setup.
First off; I use both a trackball and mouse at the same time, with the trackball to the left of the keyboard. This means I prefer swapping left and right click on the trackball.
The CST software, which seems to be an old version of X-Mouse Button Control, just hijacks all inputs, so when you assign left click to right mouse button, this happens to all pointing devices. That's not a good thing. There's also no chording support and one button less than on my Slimblade, so until I add buttons to my CST(which is not a user-friendly procedure) I've got 3 less buttons to work with. Which sucks since I was using those for media controls on my Slimblade.
Second; it's taller than the Slimblade, so it's a bit more awkward to rest the hand on, and the scroll wheel is all the way back, which some prefer, but for me this means I have to move my entire hand just to scroll.
Third; you need to open it up to get the ball out, which is a pain in the ass compared to the Slimblade where the ball lifts out and you can clean the ball, bearings and sensors without having to unscrew anything.
All in all, it's a downgrade in functionality but a fairly decent step up in terms of build quality.
I don't regret the purchase; it's still a good trackball and while it's less functional than the Slimblade, it's more enjoyable to use. And a lot of these concerns are moot if you intend to either not remap the keys or don't have other pointing devices plugged in.
Next up I'll try adding keys to it, I've got some spare MX switches I can wire up, but the main problem is knowing exactly how to wire them and what to put them in, so I'll need to figure that out.
Wacom
Intuos3
A graphics tablet I would say is a must for anyone working with something like CAD, photography, graphic design etc.
Not sure if I'd recommend it as a permanent replacement for a mouse, but I find that it is invaluable when working with photography, drawing/painting and graphic design. Some may find it difficult getting used to having to draw somewhere you're not looking and having the result show up someplace else, but it doesn't take long to get used to, and if you've got the cash you could always get a Cintiq.
Although if you are getting a tablet; get wacom. There really isn't any competition, it would be nice if there was, but atm wacom is really the best option for good tablets.
Mousepads I have used
Not priority atm, will elaborate on these later
SteelSeries QcK+ and QcK Heavy
Decent cloth, available in all sorts of sizes and easily available. The QcK series is a solid range of pads, you can't really go wrong with one as they're decent value and easy to get. The padding on the Heavy and Mass is very comfortable, so far my Heavy is probably the most comfortable pad I've used.
SteelSeries Experience I-2, or IceMat if you want to call it by its original real, and far more sensible, name.
My favourite pad so far, it's got a matte surface giving it a glide somewhere between cloth and hard pad. Feels a bit satin-like.
However, it requires frequent cleaning and doesn't play nice with all older laser sensors, but no major issues.
Since it's made of glass it also feels colder than cloth if it sits in a cold room, so it can be uncomfortable at first when you sit down. But when it gets warmed up a little it just feels amazing.
Also looks very pretty.
Razer Goliathus Extended
Speed
Very slick cloth, stitched edges to prevent fraying, glide is like a smoother QcK. Not much else to say, it’s a decent deskmat.
Control
Much rougher surface for a more controlled glide, seems like it’s pretty good quality.
Might consider doing what someone else here on GH did(pretty sure it was kawa); put thick QcK pads under the Goliathus for better padding.
Razer Manticor
Not had this for too long so these are early impressions; overall a very good pad. The glide is good, quick comparison seems like it has more friction than a QcK.
Very sleek look as well; matte black coating with a small black-on-black Razer logo in the corner. So far no gunk buildup or anything, but I can't really say much on how well it handles wear yet.
Has rubber underneath to prevent it from sliding around, that's working great so far.
So far the only downside has been temperature; it can get cold, which isn't really comfortable. It's usually warm around my desk, but when I open the window the pad tends to cool down and get somewhat uncomfortable.
SteelSeries 5L
This is a funky pad; it's built up in several layers to make a cloth/plastic hybrid pad. I'm not quite sure what the layers are atm, I will look up and add later, but I think the surface is resin-soaked cloth or something.
My second favourite pad, coming in just behind the I-2, haven't found any pads that feel like it yet. Mine is so worn now that I don't dare use it much more, and finding a new one is impossible.
Not really too fond of SS atm; they've stopped production of all their interesting pads in favour of pumping out more QcK pads. Even the I-2 is gone. Bring back the I-2 and 5L and I will buy a stack of each.
Cooler Master alu pad
Got this with a case once, I don't know what they coated the surface with, but it is an amazing pad. Sadly it's too small to use with mid-low sens, so it hasn't seen use in a while.
Mionix Ensis 320
Coated alu pad. The coating is really nice and smooth, although the glide isn't as slippery as some plastic pads. It's still a hard pad, so the glide is fairly smooth.
While I was really happy with the pad at first, it didn't really take long before it started getting dirty and ugly. The glide is still ok, and it's easy to wash, but it seems to have gotten fairly scratched up as well.
It's a decent pad, but ultimately not worth the money unless you can get it on sale, which is the reason I picked it up.
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SOFTWARE(still WiP)
With the increasing popularity of all-in-one software rather than individual drivers I figure it's worth doing a section on software. Lets me clean up some of the above sections, most notably the Naga and G600 sections.
Logitech Gaming Software
More
(http://i.imgur.com/QEnGSo9l.png)
A real treat for gamers; it scans for installed games and comes with a list of commands for them. Not all games work with this, although adding game profiles isn't hard.
The picture shows my GW2 setup, the commands that you see in the list and used on it were all there by default, all I had to do was drag and drop them onto the buttons I wanted.
Another neat feature is that the game's profile is only actually active within the game, and once you minimise or quit the game it reverts to the default profile. If you alt+tab often this might cause some hiccups like the default profile staying active even after you go back into the game. Usually this is solved by just waiting a bit or alt-tabbing again. Although I'm not sure if this has been improved with newer versions of the software, I know it was an issue when I played GW2, but since then I haven't used it much.
LGS also lets you set up macros just the way you want to; if you record pressing a key, like shift or W, you can delete the key release and set the macro to toggle, meaning you can make a run toggle key if you want.
This is amazingly helpful in games like GW and GW2 where you need to hold right click to move the camera. Having a toggle means you save both your finger and the right mouse button a lot of work. If you're getting a mouse for GW2 or another MMO(or any game you plan on putting lots of time into) where you find yourself holding right click a lot, do your hand a favour and get either Logitech or Saitek, as both software solutions lets you make toggles.
Razer Synapse 2.0
Requires you to create an account to use it, so you basically need an internet connection to set up your mouse, or other Razer gear, when you get it. Although I don't think anyone includes CDs with drivers these days, so you pretty much need to get online to get the drivers in the first place anyway, but this is, as far as I know, the first to require an online connection to install and use properly.
Since launch they have actually listened to the outrage and added an offline mode, so once you've set it up you no longer need a connection.
Razer macros are slightly easier to make if you need mouse clicks, LGS requires you to right click the macro window and insert mouse events manually, whereas Synapse records all input events. Unfortunately, if you try to delete a key up event it deletes the whole key event, so you can't make any sort of toggle key.
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what an amazing reference
i will come here next time i need my next mouse ;)
bookmarked
good work bro!
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Wow ~ Nice guide man !!!
:D
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Would be curious to hear your thoughts on the Feenix line, or at least the Nausita v2.
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No Zowies yet? ;D
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Nice guide vun, since you like the Coolermaster Spawn/Xornet what about the others that company makes - like;
CM Storm Havoc, CM Storm Recon, CM Storm Sentinel Advance II, CM Storm Inferno and the older CM Storm Sentinel Z3RO-G.
Very little mention of these are provided anywhere except for the positive propaganda given to all Razer and Logitech products.
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No Zowies yet? ;D
Nope, so far Zowie has been fairly low on my priorities list. I've heard they're good mice, but they're very basic, and I've already got several mice like that; basic design, flawless sensor and no frills.
Would be curious to hear your thoughts on the Feenix line, or at least the Nausita v2.
I'm still a bit on the fence about that one. Apparently it's not an OEM mouse, at least not anymore, although it's still pretty obvious that they started out with an OEM shape and just went from there. Basically it doesn't seem like anything they're making lives up to their desired branding, since they seem to be marketing themselves as a brand of luxury gaming equipment, and so far all they've got is a rebuilt OEM mouse.
It's probably a decent mouse if you actually get one, but I don't really see any reason why unless you absolutely need that shape and can't deal with the cheaper OEM mice.
But this is just me being judgemental before I've even tried them, so don't take this too seriously if you're considering getting one.
Edit:
Nice guide vun, since you like the Coolermaster Spawn/Xornet what about the others that company makes - like;
CM Storm Havoc, CM Storm Recon, CM Storm Sentinel Advance II, CM Storm Inferno and the older CM Storm Sentinel Z3RO-G.
Very little mention of these are provided anywhere except for the positive propaganda given to all Razer and Logitech products.
I can't say I'm too big of a fan of the other CM mice, they look like OEM mice that someone stuck tacky bits onto. Again, like the Feenix mice, I haven't tried any as I don't want any of them myself and I don't know anyone who owns one, so this is just how I judge them based on the info I have so far. So yeah, rehash of an old and boring OEM shape that I don't like with tacky bits, which is pretty much how I view Roccat as well.
This is all hearsay, but from what I've heard Carter was a major player in making the Spawn, but didn't have much to do with their other mice. So if this is true, here's a free hint to CM; listen to Carter, he knows what he's doing.
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This is all hearsay, but from what I've heard Carter was a major player in making the Spawn, but didn't have much to do with their other mice. So if this is true, here's a free hint to CM; listen to Carter, he knows what he's doing.
Thanks for letting me know about this. I thought about buying another rodent and thought CM would be a good choice, but now.......... :-[ .
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Kensington
SlimBlade
My first, and so far, only trackball. As the name would suggest it's got a fairly low profile, which I think is fantastic, and the twist-to-scroll thing it has is also very nice, although this is a more controversial feature. Some prefer the scrolling to be separate, but I find that being able to simply twist the ball to scroll is very convenient.
Build quality is also fairly solid, although the sound and feel of the click is a bit cheap, so I would recommend swapping the microswitches.
Another gripe I have is with the software, since you can't adjust trackball sensitivity, all it does is mess with windows sensitivity.
I've heard that some find it to have a bit too low dpi, so if you're used to very high dpi then it may be worth looking at CST trackballs instead, but personally I found the dpi to be a bit too high at first, but I have gotten fairly used to it by now.
gotta ask, which microswitches would you recommend (or consider to be the best) to be swapped into the slimblade? might look into doing that for my expertmouse, but I don't have any experience as to which ones would be good.
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This is all hearsay, but from what I've heard Carter was a major player in making the Spawn, but didn't have much to do with their other mice. So if this is true, here's a free hint to CM; listen to Carter, he knows what he's doing.
Thanks for letting me know about this. I thought about buying another rodent and thought CM would be a good choice, but now.......... :-[ .
Like I said, it's hearsay and my memory is a bit fuzzy, so don't take it as fact, but that's what I seem to remember and it makes sense considering how different the Spawn/Xornet is compared to the rest of their mice.
Kensington
SlimBlade
My first, and so far, only trackball. As the name would suggest it's got a fairly low profile, which I think is fantastic, and the twist-to-scroll thing it has is also very nice, although this is a more controversial feature. Some prefer the scrolling to be separate, but I find that being able to simply twist the ball to scroll is very convenient.
Build quality is also fairly solid, although the sound and feel of the click is a bit cheap, so I would recommend swapping the microswitches.
Another gripe I have is with the software, since you can't adjust trackball sensitivity, all it does is mess with windows sensitivity.
I've heard that some find it to have a bit too low dpi, so if you're used to very high dpi then it may be worth looking at CST trackballs instead, but personally I found the dpi to be a bit too high at first, but I have gotten fairly used to it by now.
gotta ask, which microswitches would you recommend (or consider to be the best) to be swapped into the slimblade? might look into doing that for my expertmouse, but I don't have any experience as to which ones would be good.
I'm afraid I don't really know, although I figure pretty much any switch should be better than the stock ones, so I'll probably end up sacrificing a mouse I don't care about, like the Kinzu or something, and just put those in.
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ah, I see. Thanks. Now I wish I hadn't thrown away my old logitech mice.
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Wow, bookmarking this for the next time I need a mouse. Nice write up.
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Brilliant read vun, but you know what it is missing? Pictures! And lots of them, please!
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Thanks for all the kind words so far.
I'm glad I decided to put this out when I did, as I got my eDox soon after, and getting used to the layout is taking some time. So don't expect major updates to this just yet, since at my current pace it'd be slow going.
I can, however, try to get some pictures up.
edit: Anyone know the max amount of pictures in a post and if that number depends on the amount of characters in a post?
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Thanks for all the kind words so far.
I'm glad I decided to put this out when I did, as I got my eDox soon after, and getting used to the layout is taking some time. So don't expect major updates to this just yet, since at my current pace it'd be slow going.
I can, however, try to get some pictures up.
edit: Anyone know the max amount of pictures in a post and if that number depends on the amount of characters in a post?
I'd say it depends on the number of characters. Upload the images to imgur or some other image host
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OK MEGA PICTURE UPDATE
The pictures are fairly large and take up a huge amount of visual space, so I might cut it down to smaller thumbnails, but this will do for now.
I was doing this as I was sorting out the mess of cables in the drawer where I keep them all, so the pics are somewhat rushed and some will probably be replaced later. Some items are still missing pics, those will be added later.
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Hooray! You finally posted this! Im pretty happy its finally up! I had the pleasure of proof reading this and this article turned out better than the draft. Great job! ^__^
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Nice pictures vun. Very purdy!
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Thanks for posting this, it will come in handy when I start looking for a new mouse.
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That refresh looks a lot like the beloved boomslang, still the most reliable mouse I've ever owned. RIP boomslang.
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love the pictures, great touch
anyone else love their deathadder? :-*
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OK MEGA PICTURE UPDATE
Much appreciated. We all need something like this as a Vital Highlight when searching for a Mouse on the internet/shop.
The pictures help in defining the characteristics of each rodent, I would however urge everyone here to AVOID anything with the MIONIX label on it. They make such absolute rubbish compared to all other manufacturers. Even though all their rodents are made in China like everyone else - they unfortunately picked some dodgey-ass manufacturer to produce their current crop of failures.
Just my own personal experience with spending valuable money on the 5000 and 8200 models, which I should never have done.
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OK MEGA PICTURE UPDATE
Much appreciated. We all need something like this as a Vital Highlight when searching for a Mouse on the internet/shop.
The pictures help in defining the characteristics of each rodent, I would however urge everyone here to AVOID anything with the MIONIX label on it. They make such absolute rubbish compared to all other manufacturers. Even though all their rodents are made in China like everyone else - they unfortunately picked some dodgey-ass manufacturer to produce their current crop of failures.
Just my own personal experience with spending valuable money on the 5000 and 8200 models, which I should never have done.
Like I've said earlier; 3200 is good because of the price, above that you only pay more for poorly implemented laser sensors, build quality feels shoddy and the LED is something that should've been left out because it looks ridiculously cheap and tacky. In my photos it looks passable, but when you see it it's pretty bad.
Basically, you're not getting your money's worth above the 3200.
As for the first thing you said; yeah, that was my plan. I'm hoping that I eventually manage to tidy it up enough to be worthy of a sticky, but in the current state it's a bit too messy with the pictures taking up so much space
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I'm hoping that I eventually manage to tidy it up enough to be worthy of a sticky, but in the current state it's a bit too messy with the pictures taking up so much space
That would be perfect because we need a Sticky such as this. Helps people decide on what to buy instead of wasting money on Junk (like buying Mionix).
Don't worry about the pictures, they help explain visually that would take several paragraphs of wasted print. Pics are always welcomed. Since Ripster's wiki has been burned on here at Geekhack, we need something like your detailed explanation of various Mice more than ever.
Besides I don't even think Ripster ever did a detailed Mouse comparison........
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Well my problem isn't that there are too many pictures, it's that they are currently so large that they take up a huge amount of visual space compared to the text. I'll probably end up having smaller thumbnails that people can click, but on the other hand I think more people will bother looking through the pictures if they don't have to click each and every one. Maybe smaller thumbnails but with a link to the imgur gallery in case anyone just wants to look at the pictures.
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Well my problem isn't that there are too many pictures, it's that they are currently so large that they take up a huge amount of visual space compared to the text.
Dear Sir,
Keep the pictures as is. I am stuck in the 3rd World compared to your country and I am still using ancient twin-twisted Copper lines for the internet and telephone. I'm able to load all your Mouse Pics easily within a few seconds into my latest Firefox Browser.
If you make the pics small they then become irrelevant to most people. I don't want to waste time loading another website into another browser window. Keep it simple and easy to see. I just love the current pics showing how the mice look after some time of usage. Too many websites only show BRAND NEW mice thinking that people won't see how they really look after 1 or 2 years of use.
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Why not use the spoiler tag?
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Why not use the spoiler tag?
Put all the pictures in "more" tags, how does that work?
I suppose I could alternatively leave the pictures and have the text in "more" tags, maybe that'd be cleaner.
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Why not use the spoiler tag?
Put all the pictures in "more" tags, how does that work?
I suppose I could alternatively leave the pictures and have the text in "more" tags, maybe that'd be cleaner.
hehe
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DA 2013 added and the Xornet now has pics
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DA 2013 added and the Xornet now has pics
Already you supplied the pics to your NEW Rodent. I have to wait for my DA 2013 to arrive which will take about 5 days from the other side of Oz.
Nice to see it has slightly better quality than a G400. I just hope it lasts for more than 2 years without it dying on me (due to others experience with this product).
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Nice work vun. :)
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DA 2013 added and the Xornet now has pics
Already you supplied the pics to your NEW Rodent. I have to wait for my DA 2013 to arrive which will take about 5 days from the other side of Oz.
Nice to see it has slightly better quality than a G400. I just hope it lasts for more than 2 years without it dying on me (due to others experience with this product).
It's not really better than a G400, but the click feels a bit more solid due to the buttons being slightly larger and possibly thicker, so there's a bit more plastic there.
On the whole the G400 feels like it has maybe a bit better build quality, but the difference is so small it's not really worth mentioning. I don't think either mouse has any physical feature that makes it better, but the G400 is better simply due to the fact that you don't need to use Synapse for it.
Although the DA2013 does look much better imo, not that it matters for performance, but it's always a bonus if it looks good just sitting on the desk.
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I don't think either mouse has any physical feature that makes it better, but the G400 is better simply due to the fact that you don't need to use Synapse for it.
Do you need/have to use their dodgey "Synapse" software? I would rather let the OS control the speed of the mouse. Just don't like having extra software for the rodent loaded into the PC's memory.
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I don't think either mouse has any physical feature that makes it better, but the G400 is better simply due to the fact that you don't need to use Synapse for it.
Do you need/have to use their dodgey "Synapse" software? I would rather let the OS control the speed of the mouse. Just don't like having extra software for the rodent loaded into the PC's memory.
You can use it without synapse if you can live with the default dpi, I forget what the default is but I think it might've been 1800.
It seems that it stores dpi on the mouse, but not keybinds, so you can use Synapse once to set dpi and then uninstall it, but it won't store custom binds.
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Thank you for posting. I enjoyed reading it ;D
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You can use it without synapse if you can live with the default dpi, I forget what the default is but I think it might've been 1800.
It seems that it stores dpi on the mouse, but not keybinds, so you can use Synapse once to set dpi and then uninstall it, but it won't store custom binds.
Thank you for the heads up on this mouse. 1800dpi is plenty for me, I'm not a gamer but want to use something a little more comfortable than the usual rodents, and that's it.
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Anything else you have your eye on for review?
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Anything else you have your eye on for review?
ATM I don't plan on expanding my collection for a while, although I would eventually like to get some Zowie in there, and I've been curious about the TT Level10M. Also been wanting to try the Taipan, but at that price it might take a while before that happens.
I was planning on getting a rollermouse, but then I got an eDox so that most likely won't happen.
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For reference, I have a RAT 3 and I love it!
It's very light, responsive and accurate. I found the RAT 5, 7, 9 and MMO too heavy for my taste, I like them really light.
Fits my hand well, but that's because I discovered a dirty little secret of the mouse. You CAN adjust the palm rest, just need to undo a screw at the side. Only change I would make is to angle the button area up towards the index finger and down towards the ring finger. Just better ergonomics. Still, it fits my hand better than any other mouse I have tried so far (Logitech G9, various Microsoft mice, Logitech wireless, etc) with the possible exception of an old Genius Netscroll Optical I had years back.
In terms of mousepads, I really like the Steelseries hard plastic and aluminium ones. Can't stand neoprene and other soft ones any more. They just don't glide like the solid ones.
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Started work on a software section, although for those of you who want my biased TLDR opinion; LGS just wrecks Synapse. SS Engine is probably also worth mentioning, so I'll put that in later.
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Started work on a software section, although for those of you who want my biased TLDR opinion; LGS just wrecks Synapse.
Of course, spread the info everywhere because it's best that for the Rodent Freaks, who inhabit here on Geekhack, know exactly what's available and what it compares to other manufacturers. Nothing better than hearing your own personal viewpoint on this vun :thumb: .
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I've got a G5 and have had no problems with it whatsoever. Logitech treats me good too.
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Steelseries annouced a new mouse called the Rival, it looks like it has the infamous IME 3.0/DA shape, mind taking a look at it? Looks like there's mouse accel though.
http://steelseries.com/products/mice/steelseries-rival
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Steelseries annouced a new mouse called the Rival, it looks like it has the infamous IME 3.0/DA shape, mind taking a look at it? Looks like there's mouse accel though.
http://steelseries.com/products/mice/steelseries-rival
The sensor is optical so there should be no hw accel.
And yeah, I will take a look at it, although I doubt it'll be around release as my collection is large enough already so I'm trying to keep mouse purchases down, but this defo moved high up on my list of mice to get down the line.
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And yeah, I will take a look at it, although I doubt it'll be around release as my collection is large enough already so I'm trying to keep mouse purchases down, but this defo moved high up on my list of mice to get down the line.
No such thing as too much here on Geekhack vun. It's always never enough and nothing else 8) .
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Steelseries annouced a new mouse called the Rival, it looks like it has the infamous IME 3.0/DA shape, mind taking a look at it? Looks like there's mouse accel though.
http://steelseries.com/products/mice/steelseries-rival
The sensor is optical so there should be no hw accel.
And yeah, I will take a look at it, although I doubt it'll be around release as my collection is large enough already so I'm trying to keep mouse purchases down, but this defo moved high up on my list of mice to get down the line.
Oh god, I'm so out of it today.
I read "50Gs of Acceleration" at the bottom of the page. heh
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Just thought I'd mention the newer Mad Catz / Cyborg R.A.T. 3's have an optical 3500DPI sensor.
I know I am biased towards this particular rodent since it suits me so well, but thought it worth saying here in case others find it suits them, too :D
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Just got my hands on the Spawn, which vun has endorsed. I've gotta say that it feels AMAZING in hand. It feels great to hold, it has an 1800 DPI setting which I like, it has 5 buttons, and is pretty cheap. I'm a huge fan. I got to try this mouse out at mkawa's place so shoutouts to him and vun for recommending it to me! :D
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Well, Razer just released a CLG edition DA2013, same as the regular DA2013 but with CLG colours. Not a bad look either, tbh.
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Well, Razer just released a CLG edition DA2013, same as the regular DA2013 but with CLG colours. Not a bad look either, tbh.
Black & White...? I thought CLG colours where Light blue and a Blue shade, which Razer had shown on their website for more than a year now?
Is this Razer stuffing up again, which is not unusual at all :thumb: ?
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Well, Razer just released a CLG edition DA2013, same as the regular DA2013 but with CLG colours. Not a bad look either, tbh.
Black & White...? I thought CLG colours where Light blue and a Blue shade, which Razer had shown on their website for more than a year now?
Is this Razer stuffing up again, which is not unusual at all :thumb: ?
Well, there's no blue on the mouse, but there's plenty of blue on the box and all the marketing imagery, which I think is a much better approach, because the old CLG DA was blue and that looked like **** whereas this one is actually fairly elegant.
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Well, there's no blue on the mouse, but there's plenty of blue on the box and all the marketing imagery, which I think is a much better approach, because the old CLG DA was blue and that looked like **** whereas this one is actually fairly elegant.
So CLG has changed their colouration now? So you think Razer wants to look classy, may be so, but the class comes with quality and no one has got that current CLG model to confirm or deny anything about that.
I suppose some Razer fan will start glorifying it soon enough.
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Well, there's no blue on the mouse, but there's plenty of blue on the box and all the marketing imagery, which I think is a much better approach, because the old CLG DA was blue and that looked like **** whereas this one is actually fairly elegant.
So CLG has changed their colouration now? So you think Razer wants to look classy, may be so, but the class comes with quality and no one has got that current CLG model to confirm or deny anything about that.
I suppose some Razer fan will start glorifying it soon enough.
I expect the CLG model to be the same as the regular DA model, but with a different logo and different coloured plastic on some parts. Might be slightly cheaper, the marketing I've seen so far has no mention of the logo, but if it's just printed on and not lit up by and LED I would expect it to be cheaper(or not because it has speshul branding hurr). I do expect the logo to be backlit though.
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Well, there's no blue on the mouse, but there's plenty of blue on the box and all the marketing imagery, which I think is a much better approach, because the old CLG DA was blue and that looked like **** whereas this one is actually fairly elegant.
So CLG has changed their colouration now? So you think Razer wants to look classy, may be so, but the class comes with quality and no one has got that current CLG model to confirm or deny anything about that.
I suppose some Razer fan will start glorifying it soon enough.
I expect the CLG model to be the same as the regular DA model, but with a different logo and different coloured plastic on some parts. Might be slightly cheaper, the marketing I've seen so far has no mention of the logo, but if it's just printed on and not lit up by and LED I would expect it to be cheaper(or not because it has speshul branding hurr). I do expect the logo to be backlit though.
I think the CLG DA looks pretty good. I'm no Razer fan, but it looks good.
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Ooooo definitely will be picking up the Rival. I'm trying to trim my collection down to just optical mice, and this and an FK oughtta be just enough to round me out
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Ooooo definitely will be picking up the Rival. I'm trying to trim my collection down to just optical mice, and this and an FK oughtta be just enough to round me out
Just paid up (pre-order) for the Rival as well. They said it was due out today, the 8th of November - from the International Store Site. Can't wait to get it soon because this will be my FIRST SteelSeries purchase. I hope it's not going to be another Razer-like failure.
Never cut back on mice daerid, you need all of them as remembrance to hash buys and stupid choices (especially at my end).
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Ooooo definitely will be picking up the Rival. I'm trying to trim my collection down to just optical mice, and this and an FK oughtta be just enough to round me out
Still haven't gotten around to getting an FK? :p
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The FK is is halfway through it's life cycle!
Wait for a refresh!
(I'm kidding).
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Great review!
For me the top priority when it comes to mice is ergonomics and overall size. I love the Logitech G9/G9x. The only gripe I have with that mouse is that the middle mouse click is too stiff. CM Spawn is my absolute favorite. Was considering a Razor Orochi for my next purchase because of the size I'm comfortable with.
Can you take a picture of all the mice lined up from top view for overall size comparison?
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Can you take a picture of all the mice lined up from top view for overall size comparison?
I may do that the next time I have them out of their drawer, although the Xornet, Abyssus, Krait and Kinzu are the small ones, the rest are pretty much all fairly large and about the same general size. And then there's the G9x being 3 sizes at once.
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Great write up, enjoyed it, thank you :)
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The Logitech G400 has been discontinued in favor of G400S which has more treatment and no longer a perfect sensor I believe.
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The Logitech G400 has been discontinued in favor of G400S which has more treatment and no longer a perfect sensor I believe.
Afaik the sensor is still "flawless", but it has a higher dpi limit.
I would like to replace my G400 with the S, since mine is an earlier model with angle snapping, but I've decided to cut down on mice atm since I've got enough now. Right now I'd have to sell my current G400 to justify replacing it.
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I would like to replace my G400 with the S, since mine is an earlier model with angle snapping, but I've decided to cut down on mice atm since I've got enough now. Right now I'd have to sell my current G400 to justify replacing it.
What is this we're all hearing, the Mouse Expert cutting back on extra mice? Shock and dismay we are at knowing this now :o . Never cut back on owning MORE rodents because they are small and innocuous and they don't seem to breed all that much..... despite me encouraging them to do so.
Besides you can always own far more mice than keyboards and they take up far less space than almost every other PC device.
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Are there any genuine IE3.0 for sale? I've seen some on ebay for around ~$20-30 but not sure if they are legit.
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Are there any genuine IE3.0 for sale? I've seen some on ebay for around ~$20-30 but not sure if they are legit.
Yeah, some places still sell them, dunno about ones on ebay, but I have managed to find trusted sources for some here in Norway. Although you mentioned you didn't like the shape of the DA; the IME 3.0 is what they based the DA on, so the shape is nearly identical.
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I would like to replace my G400 with the S, since mine is an earlier model with angle snapping, but I've decided to cut down on mice atm since I've got enough now. Right now I'd have to sell my current G400 to justify replacing it.
Never cut back on owning MORE rodents because they are small and innocuous and they don't seem to breed all that much..... despite me encouraging them to do so.
Besides you can always own far more mice than keyboards and they take up far less space than almost every other PC device.
Christmas is a great time to sell rodents or give them away/donate!
:p
BRB opening amazon seller central.
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I just got myself an MX Revolution for 14$ shipped. It is the one from the auctionI mentioned vun. Sorry, but I will be gutting this rodent despite your animal rights protests.
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I just got myself an MX Revolution for 14$ shipped. It is the one from the auctionI mentioned vun. Sorry, but I will be gutting this rodent despite your animal rights protests.
(http://31.media.tumblr.com/319daced331b26d28ff3dcc4f87b52b6/tumblr_mtuc0aOpZ21rqp2rqo1_500.gif)
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Hey vun! Great thread. I enjoyed reading your reviews in the first page.
Currently - I am using Logitech's G500s as my daily driver. It doesn't have any sort of problems aside from its stiff braided cable - which I am worried that it might get broken and have some loose connection. On the LGS - I sometimes get confuse if I am currently using the on-board memory or the save profiles in my PC.
I'm hoping for more mouse reviews from you. I have also noticed that you have a fairly huge collection of mice - including the IME3.0.
Great work :thumb:
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I have also noticed that you have a fairly huge collection of mice - including the IME3.0.
The IME3.0 is the founding father for most mice here. Better yet get the current cousin, twice removed...... Zowie EC eVo CL1 - it just rocks with updated internal hardware and a surface coating to die for :thumb: .
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The IME3.0 is the founder father for most mice here.
I second that. It changed the mouse layout with the scroll wheel in the middle of left and right mouse buttons. Legendary - I must say.
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The IME3.0 is the founder father for most mice here.
I second that. It changed the mouse layout with the scroll wheel in the middle of left and right mouse buttons. Legendary - I must say.
That was the WMO I believe, not the IME 3.0
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The IME3.0 is the founder father for most mice here.
I second that. It changed the mouse layout with the scroll wheel in the middle of left and right mouse buttons. Legendary - I must say.
That was the WMO I believe, not the IME 3.0
My bad. I thought it was this http://www.theverge.com/2012/7/18/3155619/microsoft-intellimouse-status-symbols (http://www.theverge.com/2012/7/18/3155619/microsoft-intellimouse-status-symbols). The chassis is really similar. :D
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I used to own some of those old-school Microsoft mice. Sorry to ruffle some people's jimmies, but I was never a fan of them. =P Back then I used to be all about the Logitech products:
(http://hardware.mydrivers.com/pages/images/20061031160640_44436.jpg)
(http://pds.exblog.jp/pds/1/200601/20/68/c0004568_1819459.jpg)
The second blue mouse with the curves was my absolute favorite, back at around year 2000. Mice in that general shape still exist today, in the Logitech M500 and (very roughly) the G700s, and I still maintain that that's the most comfortable mouse shape. But I don't use the M500 and/or G700s for various reasons (I have a G700s sitting in my storage box, but I don't use it because it uses a laser sensor, and has a terrible battery life that requires me to plug it in to charge every other day).
It's sad, because I used to love Logitech products. Not anymore, though. Their mice still have top-notch build quality, but there's nothing in their line-up that I really want to use, (hopefully) yet. I might consider the G602, but I don't want to take a risk on its shape, and I don't want to deal with the extra added weight of the batteries again (like I did with the G700s - I know it's possible to use just one battery on the G602, but that was the same on G700s, and it was still too much). The G400s is perfect for me, feature-wise, but I once had a G7 (laser wireless mouse in the shape of the MX518/G400/G400s line), and I'm no longer a fan of its shape.
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I used to own some of those old-school Microsoft mice. Sorry to ruffle some people's jimmies, but I was never a fan of them. =P Back then I used to be all about the Logitech products:
Show Image
(http://hardware.mydrivers.com/pages/images/20061031160640_44436.jpg)
Show Image
(http://pds.exblog.jp/pds/1/200601/20/68/c0004568_1819459.jpg)
The second blue mouse with the curves was my absolute favorite, back at around year 2000. Mice in that general shape still exist today, in the Logitech M500 and (very roughly) the G700s, and I still maintain that that's the most comfortable mouse shape. But I don't use the M500 and/or G700s for various reasons (I have a G700s sitting in my storage box, but I don't use it because it uses a laser sensor, and has a terrible battery life that requires me to plug it in to charge every other day).
It's sad, because I used to love Logitech products. Not anymore, though. Their mice still have top-notch build quality, but there's nothing in their line-up that I really want to use, (hopefully) yet. I might consider the G602, but I don't want to take a risk on its shape, and I don't want to deal with the extra added weight of the batteries again (like I did with the G700s - I know it's possible to use just one battery on the G602, but that was the same on G700s, and it was still too much). The G400s is perfect for me, feature-wise, but I once had a G7 (laser wireless mouse in the shape of the MX518/G400/G400s line), and I'm no longer a fan of its shape.
Why keep the mouse in storage if you will never use it again? Why don't you sell it or give it away?
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I used to own some of those old-school Microsoft mice. Sorry to ruffle some people's jimmies, but I was never a fan of them. =P Back then I used to be all about the Logitech products:
Show Image
(http://hardware.mydrivers.com/pages/images/20061031160640_44436.jpg)
Show Image
(http://pds.exblog.jp/pds/1/200601/20/68/c0004568_1819459.jpg)
The second blue mouse with the curves was my absolute favorite, back at around year 2000. Mice in that general shape still exist today, in the Logitech M500 and (very roughly) the G700s, and I still maintain that that's the most comfortable mouse shape. But I don't use the M500 and/or G700s for various reasons (I have a G700s sitting in my storage box, but I don't use it because it uses a laser sensor, and has a terrible battery life that requires me to plug it in to charge every other day).
It's sad, because I used to love Logitech products. Not anymore, though. Their mice still have top-notch build quality, but there's nothing in their line-up that I really want to use, (hopefully) yet. I might consider the G602, but I don't want to take a risk on its shape, and I don't want to deal with the extra added weight of the batteries again (like I did with the G700s - I know it's possible to use just one battery on the G602, but that was the same on G700s, and it was still too much). The G400s is perfect for me, feature-wise, but I once had a G7 (laser wireless mouse in the shape of the MX518/G400/G400s line), and I'm no longer a fan of its shape.
Why keep the mouse in storage if you will never use it again? Why don't you sell it or give it away?
That's a good point. I just assumed no one would ever buy it. =P I also lost the box, so packing it up to ship would be a hassle. I suppose I could try craigslist, though.
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I used to own some of those old-school Microsoft mice. Sorry to ruffle some people's jimmies, but I was never a fan of them. =P Back then I used to be all about the Logitech products:
Show Image
(http://hardware.mydrivers.com/pages/images/20061031160640_44436.jpg)
Show Image
(http://pds.exblog.jp/pds/1/200601/20/68/c0004568_1819459.jpg)
The second blue mouse with the curves was my absolute favorite, back at around year 2000. Mice in that general shape still exist today, in the Logitech M500 and (very roughly) the G700s, and I still maintain that that's the most comfortable mouse shape. But I don't use the M500 and/or G700s for various reasons (I have a G700s sitting in my storage box, but I don't use it because it uses a laser sensor, and has a terrible battery life that requires me to plug it in to charge every other day).
It's sad, because I used to love Logitech products. Not anymore, though. Their mice still have top-notch build quality, but there's nothing in their line-up that I really want to use, (hopefully) yet. I might consider the G602, but I don't want to take a risk on its shape, and I don't want to deal with the extra added weight of the batteries again (like I did with the G700s - I know it's possible to use just one battery on the G602, but that was the same on G700s, and it was still too much). The G400s is perfect for me, feature-wise, but I once had a G7 (laser wireless mouse in the shape of the MX518/G400/G400s line), and I'm no longer a fan of its shape.
Why keep the mouse in storage if you will never use it again? Why don't you sell it or give it away?
That's a good point. I just assumed no one would ever buy it. =P I also lost the box, so packing it up to ship would be a hassle. I suppose I could try craigslist, though.
You can just put it in a box with some packaging peanuts and bubble wrap. Logitech's build quality is good enough that it probably won't get damaged in shipping as long as there is some cushioning.
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The IME3.0 is the founder father for most mice here.
I second that. It changed the mouse layout with the scroll wheel in the middle of left and right mouse buttons. Legendary - I must say.
That was the WMO I believe, not the IME 3.0
No the WMO (ambidextrous) was his older brother (evil uncle), the IME 3.0 (Right Handed ONLY) is the one that has stood the test of time because a vast number of other companies have copied it directly, which is what I'm referring to (the one I love such as Zowie EC1 eVo CL).
It's like the Origin of Species, the closest related one that bears resemblance to the current size and shape is commonly referred to as the "Father". So over a progression of time the Right-Handers will always recognize the IME3.0.
If you want to be very specific than all of us today who are using a computer mouse owe our thanks to Douglas Englebart, who created a wooded shaped box that started this whole development towards the input devices we enjoy today - he created the great, great, great, great, grand father of all input devices.
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The IME3.0 is the founder father for most mice here.
I second that. It changed the mouse layout with the scroll wheel in the middle of left and right mouse buttons. Legendary - I must say.
That was the WMO I believe, not the IME 3.0
No the WMO (ambidextrous) was his older brother (evil uncle), the IME 3.0 (Right Handed ONLY) is the one that has stood the test of time because a vast number of other companies have copied it directly, which is what I'm referring to (the one I love such as Zowie EC1 eVo CL).
It's like the Origin of Species, the closest related one that bears resemblance to the current size and shape is commonly referred to as the "Father". So over a progression of time the Right-Handers will always recognize the IME3.0.
If you want to be very specific than all of us today who are using a computer mouse owe our thanks to Douglas Englebart, who created a wooded shaped box that started this whole development towards the input devices we enjoy today - he created the great, great, great, great, grand father of all input devices.
I was replying to cinnamoncider's post, pointing out that the IME 3.0 did not introduce the now common layout seen on most mice.
The IME 3.0 is indeed the basis for quite a few mice, although I'd say that there are more mice that closely resemble Microsoft's ambidextrous design than the IME 3.0 on the market now.
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I have to agree with vun on this one. The Steel Series Sensei, Kinzu, Kana, and Zowie AM and FK are all (seemingly) based on the old Microsoft Wheel Mouse Optical design.
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I have to agree with vun on this one. The Steel Series Sensei, Kinzu, Kana, and Zowie AM and FK are all (seemingly) based on the old Microsoft Wheel Mouse Optical design.
But not the Zowie EC1, EC2 eVo range, Logitech's range, Mionix 3200, 5000, 8200, DA2013, Naga, Mamba, ROCCAT Kone range, Saitek Cyborg RAT's, SteelSeries Rival, Ikari and heaps more that were made in the last few years.
Because I'm right handed, these remain the single most popular input devices in the world and all owe their development to the IME3.0 :thumb: . Even before the IME3.0 was released with it's optical led sensor, right handed ergonomics started to feature heavily within Logitech's ball mice, which just progressed as time went by.
I still have the original (perfectly designed) IntelliMouse Pro Serial ball mouse (Made in Mexico) working nicely on a PS/2 equipped PC. IME3.0 owes a little of it's current shape to this little baby and you can see why they had perfected ergonomics easily - right back during the Win 95/98 days.
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But not the Zowie EC1, EC2 eVo range, Logitech's range, Mionix 3200, 5000, 8200, DA2013, Naga, Mamba, ROCCAT Kone range, Saitek Cyborg RAT's, SteelSeries Rival, Ikari and heaps more that were made in the last few years.
Eh... I would disagree that a good chunk of those above mice are any adaptations whatsoever of the IME3.0. Just because it's right-handed, doesn't necessarily mean it's a derivative of the IME3.0 shape. But, I guess that's just a matter of opinion.
Like, the Naos, G400, G700, RAT, Naga, Roccat Kone, Rival, and Ikari? I'm pretty sure they are not derivatives of the IME3.0. That just leaves the Zowie EC1/EC2, and the Deathadder/Mamba as adaptations of the IME3.0. But that's just to my eyes.
And, yes indeed, there were right-handed mice before the IME3.0, like the IntelliMouse Pro you mentioned, and the Logitech Mouseman (the triangular one that I posted in one of my previous posts), but doesn't that mean the IME3.0 ISN'T necessarily the "founding" right-handed mouse?
It's absolutely possible that the Naos, G400, G700, RAT, Naga, Roccat Kone, Rival, and Ikari were developed from scratch, without any influence whatsoever of the IME3.0, given that there were other right-handed mice before the IME.
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And, yes indeed, there were right-handed mice before the IME3.0, like the IntelliMouse Pro you mentioned, and the Logitech Mouseman (the triangular one that I posted in one of my previous posts), but doesn't that mean the IME3.0 ISN'T necessarily the "founding" right-handed mouse?
That was my fault for not mentioning that the IME3.0 was the founding father not only because of it's shape but also of it's use of an optical led sensor which most mice commonly use now. The previous mice with brilliant ergonomics (far better than most sold today) had the old mechanical ball which had a low rated dpi specs which was fine with windows 95 and 98SE. These were the days before Gaming had started to progress and 15inch CRT screens were common, hence highly sensitive sensors were not on the agenda but this was were hardware started to evolve at a frenetic pace.
It's absolutely possible that the Naos, G400, G700, RAT, Naga, Roccat Kone, Rival, and Ikari were developed from scratch, without any influence whatsoever of the IME3.0, given that there were other right-handed mice before the IME.
It's like saying that if the IME3.0 never was presented that everything would still exist unchanged, maybe so. Timelines are delicate even though I don't have a time machine to test that theory of removing something from history to see it's effect now, you have to imagine what would happen in the animal world if the dinosaurs never existed, then as time passes birds developed to occupy a new niche in this world. The birds couldn't exist without their valuable ancestors, being the dinosaurs (sorry to offend anyone here because I do know how some US citizens view the world only from the Christian Bible).
Everything evolves and develops to occupy a new niche that was previously unavailable, but over time you will have descendents presenting themselves in a new environment all due to having a common ancestry.
In the world of technology everything is copied and re-copied to sell to a market place hungry for new toys, that is why we exist here on Geekhack, always looking for new toys to play with ;) .
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Yea... I don't know, though. I still don't see the Naos, G400, G700, RAT, Naga, Roccat Kone, Rival, and Ikari as "descendants" of the IME3.0, but again, I guess it's a matter of opinion. :thumb:
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Just a heads-up:
The IntelliMouse range of mice may have inspired several mouse designs, although the IME 3.0 itself was actually released after the MX518 from what I can gleam from a quick search.
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I bought a cm spawn today cause my mx revo finally gave out after a few years.
For 30 bucks I am happy. Thanks for the writeups.
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Got a Func MS-3 from the recent Massdrop for it, will add that as soon as I can be bothered putting my thoughts into proper words and taking pics of it.
Short version is; for $30 it's probably the best mouse deal I've ever gotten.
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Since you seem to be one of our resident mouse experts, and I don't see much point in making my own thread...
I think it's getting time for me to finally retire my MX Revolution. It's still my favorite mouse of all time, but I am getting more and more frustrated gaming with it's low dpi since moving up to 1440p.
Some mice that I am considering presently... most obvious direct replacement I guess is the G700, and also the CM Reaper has caught my eye but seems to be kind of hard to find anywhere in retail, the Func MS3 looks very interesting but I am a bit worried about the radical finger shelf and the sheer width of the thing.
The three most important things I am after matching up as similarly as possible to the Revo are the general shape and size since it's so super comfortable for palm grip, similar amount of buttons and placement, and the weight. I would also prefer a mouse that has a more 'dumb' sensor in that it doesn't try to do a bunch of predictive and try and outsmart me on where I am attempting to move to. Wireless is also an important feature, but it must either have a very good battery life, or use some form that is easily to replace like upgrading it to a high capacity eneloop AA. Another bonus is that it is relatively easy to open so I can install other switches so I don't need to be too fussy about what it comes with. If it's easy to open I can add weight as well if it's absolutely necessary to make it 'perfect'.
Anything else I should be looking at? Perhaps I have missed some more obscure brands/models that may be a great fit? I am severely out of touch with mice since I have been content with the Revo for so many years and have essentially ignored all other mice.
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Since you seem to be one of our resident mouse experts, and I don't see much point in making my own thread...
I think it's getting time for me to finally retire my MX Revolution. It's still my favorite mouse of all time, but I am getting more and more frustrated gaming with it's low dpi since moving up to 1440p.
Some mice that I am considering presently... most obvious direct replacement I guess is the G700, and also the CM Reaper has caught my eye but seems to be kind of hard to find anywhere in retail, the Func MS3 looks very interesting but I am a bit worried about the radical finger shelf and the sheer width of the thing.
The three most important things I am after matching up as similarly as possible to the Revo are the general shape and size since it's so super comfortable for palm grip, similar amount of buttons and placement, and the weight. I would also prefer a mouse that has a more 'dumb' sensor in that it doesn't try to do a bunch of predictive and try and outsmart me on where I am attempting to move to. Wireless is also an important feature, but it must either have a very good battery life, or use some form that is easily to replace like upgrading it to a high capacity eneloop AA. Another bonus is that it is relatively easy to open so I can install other switches so I don't need to be too fussy about what it comes with. If it's easy to open I can add weight as well if it's absolutely necessary to make it 'perfect'.
Anything else I should be looking at? Perhaps I have missed some more obscure brands/models that may be a great fit? I am severely out of touch with mice since I have been content with the Revo for so many years and have essentially ignored all other mice.
The G700 is probably a good upgrade from the Revo, although as I said; the weight distribution and sensor placement are both pretty annoying, so might not be the best for gaming. It's also a gaming mouse, meaning the battery probably won't last as long as in a mouse designed for office use.
I can't really recommend any other wireless mice, since the only ones I've used other than the G700s are the Mamba and Ouroboros, and while I do like the Ouroboros, they're both flawed as all hell and not really worth the money.
I am curious about the G602 though, I'd give that a look if you get the opportunity. Ask if you can hold one in a store or something.
If we're talking wired, the Func MS-3 probably isn't a bad choice shape-wise, and the buttons are pretty nice as well. Weight might be an issue though, and I'm not sure how easy it'd be to open it and tinker inside it.
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G602 might be a candidate... While I prefer wireless, it's not a 100% must. Wired is OK as long as the cable isn't mega stiff or have severe drag. Grip comfort is always going to be one of the most important things for me, and will trump some other desired features. Thats also the biggest problem for me trying to find the right new mouse. As far as trying them out it is very hard. Locally I only have a couple big box stores like Best Buy, Staples, OfficeMax and the like, which have dire selection and mostly ****ty mini travel/laptop kind of mice. Pretty much all my friends use things like ambidextrous Razer, Steelseries stuff or also are MX Revo/Performance users... so not much luck there either.
I still have no idea why Logitech can't release MX Revolution 2... all they would need to do is slap a better more recent sensor with higher DPI and add a quick charge USB port instead of the bad dock charging system and watch them fly out of the factory.
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I am curious about the G602 though, I'd give that a look if you get the opportunity. Ask if you can hold one in a store or something.
The G602 is pretty cheap compared to a current G700S (only about $12AUD difference here) hence worth buying. The ONLY downside about trying a mouse in your hand concept, you could be holding a lump of granite and it will feel okay. You need to sit down at a desk, rest your mouse arm appropriately then move that input device all over the place for a few minutes. That way you'll know if it's right for you.
A pity all Retailers don't have chairs and desks available for you to try out a mouse (or keyboard just for basic ergonomic testing) in store.
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I am curious about the G602 though, I'd give that a look if you get the opportunity. Ask if you can hold one in a store or something.
The ONLY downside about trying a mouse in your hand concept, you could be holding a lump of granite and it will feel okay. You need to sit down at a desk, rest your mouse arm appropriately then move that input device all over the place for a few minutes. That way you'll know if it's right for you.
A pity all Retailers don't have chairs and desks available for you to try out a mouse (or keyboard just for basic ergonomic testing) in store.
+1
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I've read somewhere that the Cm Storm Xornet has pretty bad negative accel, you might want to add that in!
I'll look for the source...
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I love my Logitech G602, it's so comfortable and ergonomic.
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I ended up going with G700. I found deal on factory refurb for $40. I guess maybe slightly better than used... maybe. I suppose I will post what I think about after I get it and use it for week or two.
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I ended up going with G700. I found deal on factory refurb for $40. I guess maybe slightly better than used... maybe. I suppose I will post what I think about after I get it and use it for week or two.
Looking forward to it, especially any notes relating to battery life per charge. I am hoping it may do better than the current G700S but that's just me being stupid I guess ::) .
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regardless of what some have said about the steelseries sensei I used it for quite a while and it is a great mouse.
I have the steelseries rival now because I wanted to see if it was as good as they claimed.
so far it is a very good mouse.
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I think the only real difference between G700 and G700S is the rubbery grippy strip things on the shell? I suppose the included generic whatever rechargable battery they come with are not the best. I planned to get one of the higher capacity eneloop to stick in it.
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Just received my CM Storm Spawn. Super happy about this purchase. It's the first "gamer" brand mouse I've ever used and my god, it's comfortable and accurate.
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I think the only real difference between G700 and G700S is the rubbery grippy strip things on the shell? I suppose the included generic whatever rechargable battery they come with are not the best. I planned to get one of the higher capacity eneloop to stick in it.
Okay, so your G700 uses AA sized batts? I though that the G700 series had some kind of internal battery that you can't take out to recharge. I'm starting to forget what each mouse has since now they are all starting to look the same (old people eventually see everything as the same).
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I think the only real difference between G700 and G700S is the rubbery grippy strip things on the shell? I suppose the included generic whatever rechargable battery they come with are not the best. I planned to get one of the higher capacity eneloop to stick in it.
Okay, so your G700 uses AA sized batts? I though that the G700 series had some kind of internal battery that you can't take out to recharge. I'm starting to forget what each mouse has since now they are all starting to look the same (old people eventually see everything as the same).
I think most Logitech wireless mice have used AA or AAA batteries, at least from what I've heard. The only one I've ever owned though was the G700s, and that used a AA at least. Even Razer have started using AA now, much better than those custom made battery packs. That said, the battery packs, or at least the one on my Mamba, works as intended; very low profile battery, meaning there's little need to compromise sensor placement, shell shape or weight distribution. Unlike the G700s *grumbles*
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I think the only real difference between G700 and G700S is the rubbery grippy strip things on the shell? I suppose the included generic whatever rechargable battery they come with are not the best. I planned to get one of the higher capacity eneloop to stick in it.
Okay, so your G700 uses AA sized batts? I though that the G700 series had some kind of internal battery that you can't take out to recharge. I'm starting to forget what each mouse has since now they are all starting to look the same (old people eventually see everything as the same).
I think most Logitech wireless mice have used AA or AAA batteries, at least from what I've heard. The only one I've ever owned though was the G700s, and that used a AA at least. Even Razer have started using AA now, much better than those custom made battery packs. That said, the battery packs, or at least the one on my Mamba, works as intended; very low profile battery, meaning there's little need to compromise sensor placement, shell shape or weight distribution. Unlike the G700s *grumbles*
The MX revolution uses a custom battery, one which couldn't be replaced easily in the first revisions but they had major problems with the battery over time and eventually made it easier to replace. Its charging station was also messed up as it worked far better with a resistor applied. There are quite a few sites describing how to perform that mod to make the charging voltage more appropriate.
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My Revolution always charged really fast, and it lasted at least all day when gaming... if not gaming maybe a week. I never did anything to the charger to make it work better or anything either. The main problem I always had with the crappy cradle charger was getting it in just the right spot to even start in the first place. Sometimes I could just drop it in and it would start charging... other times I would have to **** around with it for several minutes putting the mouse on and off, twisting it about.
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Got my G700 in today. I've spent a short time with it (so far only on desktop/applications, no gaming yet) and overall I am satisfied with it. I think it will be a suitable replacement of the MX Revolution for me. First the 'cons'. At the first impression the buttons are WAY stiffer than my MX Revolution... but I suppose the old Revolution have gotten quite soft after many years of heavy use. If I can't get used to the stiffness, I do have some much lighter Omron D2F-O1F I may put in for the primary left and right click at least. I guess there isn't as much I can do about the little metal octagonal buttons they used for all the others. The right side doesn't have quite as good contour for the ring and pinky as the Revolution. I also notice the slant is a bit deeper towards the pinky side so my wrist is twisted more in that direction. I guess most people would probably find that more natural. I haven't decided if it's really a bad thing yet, I might change my mind... maybe right now it is just simply different. The stock glides are as expected not so smooth... I guess some corepad (or maybe I will try some other brand?) glides will be my next purchase. The leds on the side don't seem to do anything? I guess it's not really that important.
Now for the 'pros'. The overall shell texture is much better which gives some grip back against it's 'worse' contours for the ring and pinky. I do like the slightly less deep scoop for the thumb. Even though I customized my Revolution to improve it a little it was still fairly slick, especially on the thumb side with the glossy smooth plastic. G700 has a much 'drier' feeling on the sides. Button placement is very good and is similar enough that it is nice and familiar. I LOVE the click/free scroll control on the G700 compared to the MX Revolution. It's much harder to accidentally turn it on when I don't want it. I also haven't had it just drop into free scroll for no reason like my old Revolution would especially in Adobe programs. The higher dpi is something I already was pretty sure I needed, and I have settled on 1600 for desktop use as comfortable on 1440p. I'm pretty used to using a lower dpi in gaming so I suppose I will have to fiddle with it for a bit to find the sweet spot for me there. The Logitech Gaming software that controls it is certainly much less terrible to use for button assignment and other settings than the older SetPoint used with the MX Revolution. I set some of the extra buttons as global media keys (it's a bit more convenient than having them on a Fn layer on the keyboard) and they actually work properly and reliably with MusicBee even when it isn't in focus unlike the MX so that is very nice. To my surprise it came with a high capacity eneloop, so there is one less thing I need to get for it. The sensor seems to be quite a lot better as well, and I haven't noticed it randomly skipping/jumping while moving the cursor. At 1600 it's a bit less 'precise' for me in photoshop though I am probably simply just not used to it yet, so I have the G11 button set to dpi control so I can drop it down to 800. I like having that control quite a lot and I can guess it will be nice in gaming as well.
Well those are my initial impressions anyway. I will come back and talk about gaming with it once I have had a chance to put in some hours with a few various game genres.
In short, so far I would recommend it as a great replacement for MX Revolution.
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So if anyone cares... after using the G700 for awhile I definitely like it overall. It really is an excellent mouse, even if it does sound that I do not think so since I tend to complain more than talk the positives...
One of my remaining problems that I may get used to is I had a habit of pressing the right click on the Revolution basically at the very end of it... and this isn't possible on the G700 as there is part of the case there instead of the button going all the way to the front edge. I often find myself pressing this part of the casing and not the button. I'm not sure why on a clearly right handed mouse the button where your middle and longest finger goes is shorter?
The other problem which I don't think can be fixed easily is the battery life. Even though it has a high capacity 2500mah eneloop in it, it only lasts a fraction of the time of the MX piddly (but li-ion) 600mah battery. I've now gotten a 4pack of eneloop xx and a standalone charger so I can charge up and swap them out as I drain them every other day or so. It's too bad they didn't use a li-ion battery, an easy swap like the G7 + a spare would have been much nicer I think as they seem to last much longer charge. Using the cable with it is not an option for me, at least not the stock one it comes with. Thing is stiff as ****, too thick and a total nuisance to use in wired mode while it's charging.
It's certainly a marked improvement in gaming. I don't have to lift the mouse or push it half way across the table to turn anymore at 1440p and I can still drop dpi down when I need more steady control which I love.
Though... if I had the option/know how I would have happily taken a higher dpi sensor and stuck it in the old Revolution. I guess in the end I will call it a draw. Each has a major flaw on an otherwise very good mouse. For the MX Revolution it's the low dpi that is not so nice to use on 1440p+ resolutions. On the G700 it's their choice on using the less good nimh batteries with their much shorter charge.
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Added Logitech G602, Func MS-3, TT Level10M and Mionix Ensis 320 to the guide.
I'm not really in a writing mood, so I've probably missed a few important details, and there are no pics yet, but I wanted to get the basics of each mouse down. I'll polish it up once I've got some pics to add.
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Added Logitech G602, Func MS-3, TT Level10M and Mionix Ensis 320 to the guide.
I was going to buy a G602 but currently using my Frankenstein MX500 and simply not even thinking about another mouse. Maybe in a few days time I might get a G602 and see what all the fuss was about.
The TT Level10M is another surprise, even though I hate most of their gear their version of a high-end mouse might suit. Thanks for putting them into your compilation :thumb: .
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Added my experiences with the Razer Manticor pad and the CST LTrac trackball, as well as an update to the Ensis 320.
Still no pics, I've been lazy and not charged the camera batteries, so pics will come later when I can be arsed.
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Nice thread vun. Have you ever put your hands on corsair M45/M65? I think the shape is pretty similar to g9x and I would like your Pov about it. Thanx
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What mouse/feet with the Manticor? I noticed it makes the biggest difference on this pad, as well as other metal pads.
Great write-up BTW!
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What mouse/feet with the Manticor? I noticed it makes the biggest difference on this pad, as well as other metal pads.
Great write-up BTW!
So far I've had the Xornet, DA2013 and Abyssus on the Manticor, all on stock feet. I haven't really had much of an issue with pad/feet combos tbh, most usually feel a bit weird at first but then break in after a while.
Nice thread vun. Have you ever put your hands on corsair M45/M65? I think the shape is pretty similar to g9x and I would like your Pov about it. Thanx
No, sadly I can't say I have, as I don't know anyone who owns one and they don't really interest me, so I haven't had the chance to try any of the Corsair mice.
Might pick one up on sale, but outside of good deals I don't think I'll add to my collection all that much in the near future.
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right, Razer does have pretty neat stock feet - don't recall how the Xornet's were but sounds good. and yeah, breaks in quite nicely on such a smooth pad! though I did have some issues with rather poor quality Teflon. precision and speed were just really bad. it's definitely not as slow as the QcK for me, so was a bit surprised by your experience there. well, more friction as you put it - but assuming it means speed here.