This mouse does NOT bite (Logitech Optical Mouse)

Member Name: magicloudz

Product:	Logitech Optical Mouse
Date:	22/07/04 (302 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: 5-year guarantee, looks nice, performs well

Disadvantages: Won't work on very old systems

What am I playing with at the moment? My mouse, of course. Replacing the traditional ball-type mouse that was standard with my computer back in 1999, this mouse offers optical capabilities, which in short leads to better performance.

Looks

The length of a Nokia 3310 mobile phone but slightly wider, measuring 11cm(l) x 6cm(w) x 3cm(h), this mouse is easy to hold, and feels great even for long sessions of clicking. Of one the first differences I notice between this and a traditional mouse is the colour. Whilst, conventionally, previous mice have been a shade of monotonous grey, this beauty is finished in dark blue, with silver buttons. There is a dark grey wheel-style scroll button between the left and right buttons too. The sides are semi-transparent, allowing the user to look into the working parts at the red laser or just to marvel at the technology inside. Being symmetrical, this mouse is suitable for right-handed or left-handed people, another advantage.

Before going any further, I would like to point out that all references to PS/2 in this review are concerned with the standard mouse type for IBM-compatible PCs, and are in no way connected to the Sony PlayStation2.

Performance

Ignoring the cosmetic differences, how about performance? Well, I am very pleased to say that I find this mouse an awful lot easier to use, as well as being more consistent, than previous ball-based ones. By consistent, let?s look at the facts: with my previous mouse, dirt built up inside and resulted in me having to take the ball out and clean it, as well as the rollers every three to four weeks. On the contrary, with this mouse I have not had to clean it or make any other sorts of adjustments in six months of ownership.

How about being easier to use then? Well I don?t need to use a mouse-mat, and this thing still follows my hand movement. The optical system works on the principle of a laser detecting motion, instead of the motion prev
iously being detected by rollers inside the mouse picking up movement of the ball. This, theoretically, means that uneven surfaces can be used as workspace.

I have successfully used this mouse on the thigh of my jeans, just to test if it would really work ? and it does. The scroll wheel is an extra bonus, giving two buttons in one: the scroll itself, working as a wheel to move up and down a scroll bar, and additionally as a press-button, which can be set through the control panel to perform whichever function you require. This saves me lots of time when reading Microsoft Word (.doc), Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) and web (.html) documents, saving the hassle of clicking on the scrollbar and dragging it down.

Additional Information

You will need the following hardware and software to be able to use this product:

Free USB *OR* PS/2 mouse port
CD-ROM drive
IBM-compatible PC with Win95 or above *OR* Mac computer with OS 8.6 or above

This product is primarily designed for use with the Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports on your computer, however there is a USB to PS/2 adapter included in the box, which enables people with no free USB slots (or people who don?t know how to use USB) to use this mouse as well, by simply plugging it into the standard mouse port (often referred to as a PS/2 mouse port). Although this reduces the quality of precision, I have still found all the above-mentioned advantages to be true when using the mouse on the PS/2 port. Although this is a wire mouse, i.e. it is connected to the PC via a cable, I have not found this in any way to be a hindrance to its use and it never gets in the way. The cord is approximately 1.75 metres long, which is ample to wrap around the back of my monitor and into the tower without stretching or giving any slack.

All necessary drivers are included with the software, and additional updated drivers can be looked for at their website, noted below. A program called Logitech D
esktop Messenger is included in the installation, which checks for software updates when running. Reassuringly this product is covered by a five-year guarantee and full product support although I have to say I have experienced no problems at all with this mouse since purchasing it.

I bought this in PC World (of all places?) for £29.99 in October 2002 although this may be available slightly cheaper if purchasing online from elsewhere.

The Minesweeper Test

I had no difficulties using the mouse in this game, which requires quick manoeuvrability, and completed the beginner level in 3 seconds. Oh the glory.

Conclusion

Overall it is a pretty sturdy mouse, it is suitable for left or right handed people, it is accurate enough for internet browsing, data entry, basic games and word processing, it doesn?t require cleaning and it?s nice to look at. The five year guarantee wasn?t part of my personal purchasing decision, but it definitely adds more value, in terms of piece of mind. Any bad points? If you are running Mac below OS 8.6 or if you are pre-Win 95, you aren?t going to be able to use it. In fact, you aren?t going to be able to use much. I am so glad I bought this, I am giving it the full five stars and I thoroughly recommend it to you all.

No mice or other animals were harmed in the production of this review.

List of contents

Logitech Wheel Mouse Optical
Software (CD-ROM)
Documentation booklet (in 16 languages)
USB to PS/2 adapter
5-year guarantee
Full product support

Official Manufacturer & Support

www.logitech.com

Summary: