Logitech G500 Gaming Mouse

Let me start this review by saying that I had a G9x before this. I used the G9x for about 6 months, before I deceided to get rid of it because it was just too small for my hands (I'm 6'4" and have average sized hands for my height). I sold my G9x for just under what I bought it. I bought it for £65. And so, I went looking for another mouse that would do everything the G9x did, but was bigger.

It just so happens that the G500 is that mouse - and it's £30 cheaper!

This mouse does EVERYTHING the G9x does except from the on-the-go profile switching and the grip changer. The fact that these features aren't there doesn't matter because the grip on the G500 is perfect and the profile switcher was useless. 5 different DPI settings on a single profile are enough to satisfy anyone. Middle clicking was god-awful on the G9x, but it works a charm on the G500. The G500 also has one more thumb button than the G9x does.

There are many other nice features to speak of on the G500:
- The very high DPI.
- The braided cable.
- The rubber feet.
- The easy to install and use software.

There are no major drawbacks I can think of. This mouse is advertised as a 'gaming' mouse but it can be used for anything. I adore this mouse, and would reccomend it to anyone in a heartbeat.

In short: Logitech has made another "home run".

This mouse, the G500, is the youngest descendant of the MX500/510 series introduced about 5 years back. Whatever shortcomings that series and its immediate successors had, has been corrected in this great mouse.

I won't go into details with the product specs, other than say that the 5000 dpi precision of its laser sensor provides silk smooth tracking on most surfaces (supposedly even glass, if one would be foolhardy enough to use that as a mousing surface).

The mouse is very close to the G5 gaming mouse; same shape, (nearly?) same hand-surface coating (actually, I'm not quite sure if the back coating has the same "gritty" feel of the first G5 mouse, which at bad moments gave associations to nails down a blackboard), same large teflon feet for low mousing surface friction. It has dpi adjustment buttons moved away from the scroll where you would all to easily hit them in the heat of battle. Instead, the MicroGear scroll wheel alternator is placed there, but it has "deep click" action-type button which is not likely to be triggered by accident.

The side buttons are not just two, but three, akin to the MX revolution and MX1100; only the lower thumb button as found on the MX1100 is moved between the forward/backward buttons, but yet quite distinct form these due to thoughtful molding of these two buttons. There is no chance that you'll accidentally trigger these buttons while your thumb is resting in the thumb groove on the mouse left-hand side.

The dpi indicator is in deep, ruby red LED's which is a nice change from the everpresent blue LED's on most consumer electronics today, but that is perhaps just my personal quibble. However, it adds to the very agreeable aesthetics of the mouse, which, while decorated (the "stained steel" look on its back, refer to photos), does not "scream". (Also, there is no 1000-word essay on the back of the mouse in regards to standards conformity, parts numbers etc etc. Only a large text saying "G500" - likewise pleasing to the eye, should you look).

The weight cartridge is almost the same as in the G5, but I'm not enough of a gamer to ascribe much practical value to it; the option to adjust teh wight of the unit is there, your mileage may vary.

All in all, I am very happy with this mouse (made it this year's Xmas present to myself :), as I have been with most of my Logitech products through the years, and as Logitech is a Swiss company, perhaps it is not entirely misplaced to ascribe the same high standards of quality to "their" PC input units as it has been to their timepiece industry. I for one recommend this brand to all that ask, and this latest addition to their product line merely reaffirms their top placement in regards to PC peripherals.

Some reviews describe the scroll wheel on this mouse as flimsy, but for me it is nothing short of the best part of the mouse. Even in the 'clicky' mode it will still continue spinning for a fraction of a second if you spin it fast enough, which makes scrolling through web pages a very pleasant experience. It also doesn't have the issue the G5 v1 has where scroll clicks are registered if you so much as touch the scroll wheel. The free scrolling mode isn't something I would often use, but if the lack of complete resistance in the 'clicky' mode is a side effect of it, I'm glad it was added. The scroll wheel is also quieter than on the G5 v1, which was sometimes an issue in late-night gaming sessions. And for those of you crazy enough to use the scroll wheel for switching weapons, you will be pleased to know that when used slowly, the notches/clicks are well defined and perfect for gaming.

The extra side buttons are handy, though with the way I hold the mouse, the far button can be quite awkward to reach. This is not a major issue though, as I simply have it bound as a duplicate of the near button (mouse 4) as 2 side buttons are more than enough.

I was expecting the DPI change buttons to be awkward, given that my left finger often rested exactly where they are on my G5, but I have yet to press one accidentally and they are easily accessible when required, so +1 for the new positioning. Also, the left and right buttons are slightly easier to click than the G5, which is a very good thing for me.

And finally, the sensor - Wow. On the same surface (Razer Sphex) and at the same DPI setting as my old G5, while playing osu! it feels like autoaim in comparison. And that's saying something, considering both an MX518 and Coolermaster Storm Sentinel Advance failed to even come close to the G5.

Overall, an exceptionally good mouse at an equally exceptional price - considering the CM Storm Sentinel is pathetic in comparison and costs a fair bit more, and the MX518 costs only slightly less and is far from as good as the G500.