Logitech G7 Wireless Laser Mouse

Reviews: Peripherals

Accessories | Gaming Devices | Keyboards / Mice | Printers

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Bradford Day
Brian
Logitech
Nov. 27, 2005

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Testing: Normal Usage

While the G7 is touted as a gaming mouse, there will be times when you won't be gaming! believe it or not. During that short, short time between games when you need to download the newest map from PlanetQuake, your G7 will behave as a proper desktop mouse. Should you ever find yourself more than 20 feet away from your computer, yet still grasping your mouse, fear not. The G7 had a mind blowing wireless range of over 25 feet when I tested it. Even with minimal line of sight, I was able to stand on the other side of a large room and move the pointer while the receiver hid behind my monitor. This is by far the furthest distance I have seen any wireless mouse attain. The MX1000 and Microsoft's Wireless Optical Mouse 2.0 were only good for about 10-15 feet before they lost signal entirely in direct line of sight. Logitech's 2.4 GHz signal operates on the same frequency as many cordless phones and wireless routers. However, when I placed my 2.4 GHz cordless phone between the mouse and receiver there was no noticeable lag or interference caused by either.

I'll be the first to admit that I liked the MX1000 better as a workstation mouse. The double rocker-type switches of the MX1000 offer a few more options for surfing and document related uses. The G7's lack of multiple thumb buttons doesn't allow for forward and backward page browsing (the G7 thumb button is set as a web browsing back button by default). But again, the adjustable resolution comes in handy if you are browsing a massive list of map downloads or fumbling through a never ending spreadsheet!high resolution for quick navigation, lower resolution for smaller movements. The precise movement mapping of the laser mouse lends itself to graphics work as well. Tweaking images in Photoshop is effortless as the Teflon feet delete friction like some sort of!friction!eraser. The side scrolling middle button allows for side-to-side viewing while altering images or surfing forums. But, unfortunately, the middle mouse button woes I described earlier still remain. The heavy feel of the button and imprecise clicking often lead to some unwanted down scrolling, a problem from which the MX1000 did not suffer. Again, with practice I was able to get used to it. This one flaw tends to be highlighted when surrounded by so many well-designed features. I guess no mouse is perfect.

Testing: Battery Life

The G7's battery life is more than adequate. After a 10 hour initial charge on the normal setting, I was able to get many days of use (3-5 hours a day) without even losing a bit of charge. The charge indicator is located in the same black window as the custom DPI readout. Alternating green and orange readouts let you know how much juice you have left and what your DPI settings are, respectively. But even if you do run out of juice mid-game, simply swap out the battery pack for a freshly charged one from the charger's base. Brilliant! After about 15 seconds of inactivity, the mouse will go to a power save mode until it is moved again. As mentioned before, within games and other various programs there is no lag when the mouse is awakened. A tiny green power button is located on the bottom of the mouse which completely powers down the G7 to ensure it doesn't wake up until you are ready. Press it and you'll conserve battery life until your next session.

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Page 1: Introduction
Page 2: First Looks
Page 3: Testing: Software & In-Game Usage
Page 4: Testing: Normal Usage & Battery Life
Page 5: Conclusion

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1 User Comment

1 - Posted by handrail on December 28, 2005 - 1:05 pm

One critique that has been brought to my attention by a friend of mine is that the G7 doesn't have a gripping surface on the sides of the mouse, unlike the G5. He has told me that the G7 can get a bit sweaty after prolonged gaming sessions...if you are prone to hand sweat.

brad.

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