Logitech is known for releasing awesome computer peripherals, ranging from speakers to mice and keyboards. In the past decade, Logitech has focused on all sorts of computing niches, including that of the gaming world. Logitech has been making quality mice and keyboards for years and years, and this generation's lineup of peripherals, including the awesome G9x laser mouse, is no exception.
As previously mentioned, this mouse is a gaming mouse. While it is an awesome mouse overall, the average consumer would probably find it to be overkill. Like I said, Logitech has a large array of mice for each and every user. If you're looking for a great mouse for regular computer use (Internet browsing, picture editing, school work, etc), you might consider some of Logitech's other high-end comfort mice, such as the MX Revolution. I consider myself a gamer, and I have to say, I did struggle to choose between the MX Revolution and the G9x, because they are both fantastic mice.
In today's standards, most gamers are looking for much in a gaming mouse: Marvelous hardware/features, customization, and comfort. The G9x excels in all categories.
Features/Hardware
The G9x has plenty of features that can be completely customized by every user. Before I get into the actual mouse buttons, I want to go over some of the mouse's physical features. It's a USB wired laser mouse, which is standard for most high-end mice. I'll talk about the laser more later. But first I'd like to explain a unique feature of this mouse: microgear. This certainly isn't the selling point of the mouse, but it is worth noting.
The mouse has a "microgear" scroll function. Normally, mice scroll only however much you roll the wheel. This feature is still present on the G9x. However, when you press a button underneath the mouse, the scroll wheel's resistance is virtually nonexistent. One good flick of the wheel will have it scrolling for a great deal of time, which is useful for scrolling through lengthy documents or game FAQs. I have to admit, though, the button location makes switching between regular and endless scroll more trouble than it's worth. Logitech's other mice with the microgear function all place the switch on the top of the mouse, which is much more easily accessible. I wish they would've done the same with the G9x.
Also, I'd like to mention the optical engine of the G9x. The G9x is a laser mouse of a high caliber. Sporting up to 5700dpi, the G9x is going to be able to detect even the slightest movement. If you don't know, dpi is short for "dots-per-inch". Basically, this breaks down to the number of units of distance the mouse's optical sensor detects per inch. As you may imagine, the more the dpi, the more accurate the mouse is. If you have the mouse set to such high levels of dpi, it will also move at very fast speeds. However, if you prefer slower movement (many gamers have widely varying sensitivity preferences), you can easily adjust the sensitivity. Currently, the G9x is parallel with the G500 (Logitech's newest gaming mouse) in dpi ability. Previously the G9x only supported 5000dpi, but a recent software update unlocked a previously untapped 5700dpi.
Now onto the mouse buttons. To boot, the G9x has 11 buttons that you can assign functions. Like most mice, you can use the left and right mouse buttons for regular clicking, but you can also utilize the scroll wheel in a number of ways. Scroll-up and scroll-down count for a button each, as well as Mouse 3 (pressing the scroll wheel down), and the recent tilt-wheel buttons, which translates to left- and right-scroll. To use this, simply tilt the mouse wheel to the left or right! This is useful for scrolling horizontally when you need to. In addition to these buttons, there are also 2 thumb-buttons, which normally are used for Back and Forward in web browsing, or similar functions. Finally, 2 buttons are used near the palm of the hand, to increase or decrease sensitivity on the fly. (More on this later). While you probably won't need to use all 11 buttons for separate purposes, you certainly have the ability to do so.
Like I said, you can use the buttons for almost any function. You can assign macros, which are shortcuts to execute complex commands, such as a sequence of keystrokes for casting a drawn-out spell, or whatever else you can imagine. To give you an example, I'll describe my gaming setup for the mouse buttons. Left click is shoot, right click is alt-fire, scroll wheel up/down is weapon switch, left-tilt and right-tilt are currently unused (I don't have any unassigned commands), the top thumb button is Voice Chat, and the closer thumb button is suicide. This is simply my gaming configuration, mind you.
As I mentioned before, you can change the sensitivity to your liking. The software bundled with the G9x has many features besides the sensitivity, but I will cover that later. The G9x is capable of "on-the-fly" sensitivity changing. This means that you can switch between a number of user-defined sensitivities at the touch of a button, to suit your needs. Whether you use the fast sensitivity for micromanaging your troops in an RTS or slower sensitivity for making a long-range sniper shot really count, the dpi can be changed in the blink of an eye.
Customization/Comfort
The Logitech G9x can store up to 5 "profiles" -- button/sensitivity configurations that are preset or replaced by ones you create. You can press a button on the bottom of the mouse to manually switch profiles; say you've just finished playing Team Fortress 2 and you're checking email. By switching profiles, you can switch from a high-sensitivity gaming setup to a normal, comfortable sensitivity for surfing. You can use the thumb buttons to go Forward or Backward, and take advantage of the multi-functional scroll wheel to easily fly through pages.
The G9x also features an adjustable weight-system to alter the total weight of the mouse. You might think this is silly, but once you find a good weight for you, you'll realize why it's so important. You can essentially control the drag and resistance of the mouse, which is completely up to your style of mouse use. Personally, my mouse is more weighted to the back. You might be completely different.
The G9x includes 2 mouse "grips" -- plastic shells of different shape and function that you place over the mouse. This is easier than it sounds. The 2 mouse grips are very different. The comfortable Wide Load grip is a wide, soft plastic grip that is ideal for large hands and long-term use. It is very, very comfortable, but the material of the plastic is very prone to sweat. Not everyone has sweaty palms, but if you do, this grip gets rather wet/sticky after extended use. I started off using the Wide Load grip, but my palms sweat, so I had to switch to the next grip, the Precision grip. The precision grip is very much akin to a normal mouse's shape; it isn't nearly as wide as the Wide Load grip. The texture is a lot different, too. It is rough, and is designed to wick away sweat from palms. Its smaller size allows quick hands to move it around faster, thus the name Precision. I personally find this grip more useful, because I spend a lot of my time gaming and my palms sweat often.
Logitech also has a separately-sold "ID Grip", available only on their website. The concept behind the ID Grip is having your own, personalized grip for your G9x. The ID Grip has a slightly different shape compared to both the Wide Load and Precision grips. I don't own an ID Grip, so I'll use Logitech's own description. The ID Grip features a broad-shape and longer design, which gives you more palm support, even if you have large hands. In contrast, the Wide Load and Precision grips offer more support for those who prefer fingertip-based control. In addition, the ID Grip features a soft-touch side grip to help improve comfort and control, especially during long sessions. As far as customization goes, the main thing you are personalizing is the graphic on the main section of the grip, near the palm. You can choose from a small gallery of cool graphics or upload your own picture, and have it printed right on the grip itself. The print is also designed to last a very long time; it's not just a cheap sticker. The price tag for an ID Grip is $19.99. I do not own one, nor do I intend on purchasing one, so if you choose to purchase one, take a look for yourself. I haven't heard from many people on how they like the ID Grip, unfortunately.
Now with all of these grips, you're probably going to want to change them now and then. To switch grips, you simply press a button near the back of the mouse and pull the grip off. To put the other grip on, you just place it over the top of the mouse and snap it into place. You could always use the mouse without a grip, but it's so square-shaped and small that it isn't really comfortable at all.
Conclusion
If you can't tell, the G9x has tons of features that can be tweaked to everyone's needs. I do need to make clear that this mouse is oriented towards hardcore gaming, so please consider your computer usage before buying this. However, I'm not going to say that this isn't a great mouse for gaming and regular use, as I do much of both. Unlike other mice available, this mouse is truly the most customizable mouse there is. Out-of-the-box, it has a vast expanse of buttons that you can mold into the perfect mouse for you. I can't stress how much the mouse is all about you. I read many reviews and watched plenty of YouTube videos and I wasn't convinced until I tried it. The reason for this is because everyone else had it tweaked to their desires! Don't be intimidated by the features of the mouse, though. If you take the time to find out what works for you, you'll never look back!
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