Logitech G5 Laser Mouse

Logitech’s G5 Laser Mouse is a dream to hold and use

There have been a lot of mouses in my houses over the past decade or more … or would that be mice. Funny thing about all that, the cat has shown no interest in them, but then, had he, there would have been a serious discussion about what the cat can and cannot touch. So far, he has been pretty good about knowing to leave these particular mice alone.

No, no – not the furry kind with the squeaky voices, but rather the kind that are usually hard plastic, connect to the computer and don’t get squeaky until they start to age and break down.

The names on their tops have floated past into memory – Compaq, Micron, HP, Saitek and most recently Logitech (a wireless, and a true pleasure to use). And then, with little fanfare, a drop-and-run delivery by the local DHL driver, IT arrived.

IT is the Logitech G5 Laser Mouse, designed for gaming goodness, but it’s applications extend to more than just that. The mouse is programmable, and you can tie in macros to it, making this a mouse to have in the house.

The first thing one notices about the mouse is the grips on the left and right sides and slick plastic top, which manages to sport some color and still have a burnished look to it. The side pieces are not slick, instead they have a rough texture, which combined with the ridges for the thumb on the left side and the pinkie finger on the right, make for a sure grip that will take many gaming hours without once feeling slick.

The mouse also comes with a removeable tray that you can apply weights to to give the mouse just the right heaviness as you use it on a mousepad or any surface. This is not a track ball, this mouse is dependent on optics for sensing movement.

It comes with a SetPoint program that makes programming the mouse a breeze.

There is the left click, the right click and the center button, plus a side button (left side) that – among other things – will allow you to browse back when surfing the Web, and two buttons to increase or decrease the mouse sensitivity.

This is a smart mouse that enables users to customize it to their usage.

The cord has a braided look and feel, giving the impression that it is much sturdier than the typical plastic covering, and this mouse connects via the USB port.

While all these aesthetics are fine, what it really comes down to is how responsive the mouse is in gaming. It was given a workout in a couple of online games – EverQuest II and the beta of another massively multiplayer game (one where responsiveness is a definite plus in the stylized shooter) and the mouse was incredible. No stalls in quick movements, and with the customizable controls, this was a dream. Eight-plus hours of gaming and the mouse was still easy to grip and maneuver.

This is a great little mouse.

Pros:
* Adjustable weights to give the mouse the right heaviness.
* Programmable buttons
* Full-speed USB connectivity
* Smooth-gliding underbelly
* Great grips with ridges to enhance the grip.

Cons:
None.

Overall: 9.5
About the only thing that may have made this a better device would have been if it was wireless, but with the connectivity, and high-speed responsiveness (plus a plethora of wireless devices already floating around the house), this is one of those great little products you don’t know you are missing until you have held it and used it – then other similar products tend to feel awkward. The buttons are easy to access, the mouse glides smoothly and is responsive. It does get much better than this.