Incredible wireless mouse! Not just for gamers.
Pros:
Comfy, great performance, good construction, attractive styling, simple design
Cons:
Expensive, lousy battery life, righties only
The Bottom Line:
Pricey? Yes, but the G7 performs, looks good, and is easy to use. Anyone will appreciate the engineering in this mouse.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
Most wireless mice just "get the job done". They're nothing amazing, but really don't seem to do any one thing great. And that's the problem: ergonomics are mediocre, tactile feedback is mediocre, design is mediocre, and so on. Logitech has completely reinvented the wireless mouse with the G7.
First and foremost, the G7 looks great. The newer style is a nice rubberized flat black with fake carbon-fibre insert and blue buttons. It looks awkward in the photos; in person, the G7 will catch everyone's attention. The LEDs are very functional and don't distract in any way. You can instantly see your DPI setting or battery level. Some of the Razer mice make a point of glowing an obnoxious red or green, but the G7 just sits there without being gaudy or flashy.
Ergonomics of the G7 are a bit dated, but why change a design that works? If you've used the MX518 or G5, among others, you'll like the G7's feel. The shape is obviously for right-handed users only. Buttons are all well-placed, and there is just the right amount of feedback. They click nicely and don't feel cheap and mushy. I like Logitech's choice of just 3 buttons and a scroll wheel, unlike some mice that give you 20 buttons (I never use those all). The scroll wheel is rubberized plastic and feels just fine. It has a solid click with each roll, but moving from side to side is a bit clumsy...I rarely use that feature though. The weight of the mouse is just fine -- not too heavy, but not too flimsy. Lightweight mice annoy me since they feel cheap and are too sensitive to movement.
Tracking and movements are precise and exactly what any user will expect. You can obviously adjust the DPI setting on the fly with the +/- buttons. Many people think that super-accurate mice are for gamers only, but even basic tasks feel much better with a sensitive and accurate mouse. The feet glide easily across any surface, though a nice mouse pad is definitely recommended. I crank up the DPI settings for games, but drop it back down for graphics work and basic Windows file browsing. Most people will be content leaving it on the middle setting, but I encourage you to experiment with the sensitivity.
Even though the G7 operates at 2.4GHz, which is prone to interference, I have not had a single problem with laggy movement or inability to sync the mouse with the receiver. The receiver is nice in that it can plug into the charging base, or into the computer itself. The charging base serves its purpose, but looks rather strange. I would've preferred the older style of a charging cradle for the mouse. This newer design is necessary because the G7 gets LOUSY battery life.
Yes, the G7 has horrendous battery life. The tiny rechargeable batteries are only 600mAh, and will last the average person two days before needing a recharge. You do get two batteries, and they're easy to swap. The indicator lights begin to warn you as the battery nears critical levels. It's too bad the G7 doesn't use standard AA batteries, as they last longer and are fairly cheap. The battery life is poor because this mouse does not automatically turn itself off/go to sleep; apparently this feature is not desirable for gamers because it might cause a slight delay in movements.
The G7 includes some driver software for customizing the functionality, but I never installed it. If you want, you can set it to change sensitivities and assign macros for games/applications. Most users will probably just plug in the mouse and go.
(The majority of my review also covers the G5, which is merely the corded model. The outer shell is identical, as is the functionality. You may prefer this mouse if you are worried about batteries dying.)