Logitech’s latest attempt at a gaming mouse, the G700s, is a very solid effort from the peripherals company. It’s so responsive that its performance is indistinguishable from that of a wired mouse, it’s comfortable to hold for hours on end and it’s got the kind of aggressive looks that will surely impress gamers, and as a result, easily justifies its R1,399 price tag. Here’s a more in-depth look at what it offers.
Look and feel
The G700s is super-comfortable to hold and use. The textured plastic along the edges of the mouse won’t pick up fingerprints or dust, and all buttons are within easy reach. The plastic along the top is smooth to the touch, and the right and left mouse buttons click without needing too much pressure. Logitech has gone with an all-plastic design, and it’s fairly heavy with its rechargeable battery installed. There’s also a micro USB cable in the box that can charge the G700s while you’re using it as a regular wired mouse, and one of Logitech’s “Unifying” nano USB receivers for wireless use.
Performance
With an 8200dpi sensor and the ability to adjust its sensitivity on the fly, the G700s performs like a champ. Switching sensitivity during games using the three buttons arranged along its left edge meant better control and more accuracy, particularly in first person shooters. We also noticed that there was absolutely no lag between moving the mouse and seeing the cursor moving on-screen; in fact, the G700s’ responsiveness is indistinguishable from a wired mouse.
Thumb rest buttons
There are four easily-pressed buttons just above where your thumb rests, and these can be customised to do whatever you like using Logitech’s easy-to-use software. It’s handy for setting up macros in massively multiplayer online games that perform in-game actions that would otherwise require several key presses, for example. They offer just the right amount of resistance and are easy to press for the most part, although accurately pressing the buttons closer to the front of the mouse takes a bit of practice.
Scroll wheel
The scroll wheel has a satisfying thunk to it when turned, and it has three scroll modes: normal, which scrolls like any mouse would; a free-scrolling mode that must be activated by pressing the button just behind the scroll wheel that lets you scroll really quickly through long documents and web pages; and a side-scrolling ability that’s handy when navigating wide programs or documents.
Battery life
A fully-charged battery gave us six days of moderate (non-gaming) use before requiring a recharge, but when gaming on a weekend, the G700s needed a recharge after only 9 hours which isn’t great news for those who like to LAN. The three green indicator lights along its left side let you know how much charge remains, and for those who like a lighter mouse and who don’t necessarily need the G700s’s wirelessness, it is possible to remove the rechargeable AA battery entirely and use the G700s as you would a wired mouse instead.
Conclusion
The G700s is a pricy, but ultimately worthwhile investment for gamers who need speed, extra buttons and comfort in their wireless input devices.
Specifications:
- Resolution: 200 dpi – 8200 dpi
- Image processing: 12 megapixels/s
- USB report rate: Up to 1 000 reports/second
- Supported operating systems: Windows® 8.1/ 7/Vista
- Button durability: 20 million clicks
- Connectivity: Wireless, micro USB
