Cons: Expensive - nearly double the price of most optical mice, no "forward" thumb button.
The Bottom Line: The Logitech G5 Laser mouse is a high-end mouse geared for gamers who play FPS games and anyone who wants the most accurate mouse around.
kyuushu's Full Review: Logitech G5 (9313760914) Mouse
The Logitech G5 corded mouse (USB) is incredibly accurate, feels good in the hand, and has excellent build quality. Once you've used this mouse, you'll find most other mice inferior. It's only real downside is its high price. But for those who are willing to spend extra, this mouse will not disappoint.
Gaming Mouse?
Gaming grade mice tend to be those that are high-resolution (1000 dpi capable or more), and often cost twice as much as any other mouse with similar features. Most people, however don’t need a gaming grade mouse – not even most gamers. I say this because I work for a video game company and we make our PC games to play with any type of mouse. With that said, does it really matter if your mouse is high-resolution or not? Well it depends. For most casual users, you probably don’t need a high-resolution mouse. But gamers who play lots of hours of Half-Life 2, Counter-Strike, Call of Duty, and other FPS type of games may want to consider one. The reason for this is the improvements to response and accuracy these mice tend to have. Even so, I was never impressed with many of these expensive gaming grade mice because my $30 Microsoft Intellimouse Optical served me well enough for even games. Then a friend of mine bought the Logitech G5 Laser Mouse and let me try a game while using it. I was simply amazed. Not only was it accurate, but the tracking ability was top-notch.
Overview
The Logitech G5 is one of the best fitting PC mice I have ever used. (At the time of this writing, it's made only for PC with USB ports). The whole mouse is shaped to conform to a right hand easily and comfortably. I’ve tried other mice, including several gaming grade mice. While the other mice feel good, this one really does fit me like a glove. My hand rests on its contours very nicely and never am I uncomfortable. (I've tried the gaming grade Razor Diamondback mouse from Razor, and while it is very accurate, it isn't as comfortable as the G5.) The two main buttons of the mouse are formed from the same plastic piece, but the clicking ability is unhindered and feels extemely good. There's a single thumb button which is set to "back" by default and can be pressed comfortably. What is strange is that Logitech did not include a 2nd thumb button as the "forward" button as it does with the MX1000 (Logitech’s wireless Laser Mouse). At such a high price, the G5 should definitely have two thumb buttons for “back” as well as “forward.” Between the two main buttons is the scroll wheel which scrolls up and down as well as right and left (provided the application supports it). Lastly, the G5 has on-the-fly resolution buttons which change how fast or slow the mouse moves (more on this later).
Laser Technology
While most other mice use the conventional ball, or optical technology (which is basically an LED), Logitech built this mouse with laser tracking technology as well as high-speed processing. This means unsurpassed tracking ability. You can think of it this way: a laser mouse is like using a sharp pencil, while all other mice (such as optical) is like using a dull pencil. You simply cannot understand this until you actually use it. The first time you move the pointer with this mouse you will feel its extremely smooth and accurate movement. This is most apparent when you play first-person-shooter games such as Half-Life 2, Counter-Strike, Doom 3, Call of Duty, and others. I found that it was a lot easier killing the opposition using the G5. Movements that were jittery using my old optical mouse are downright smooth and dead-on with the G5. The ability that the mouse has to track even the most sudden of movements and yet remain accurate is amazing, and you realize how inferior other mice are.
Footpadding
The laser technology, while providing most of the performance, isn't the only thing that makes this mouse excellent. Logitech has included large footpads that allow the mouse to glide over surfaces with extreme ease. Compare this to a typical optical mouse, and the G5 has at least double the amount of footpadding. (In all honesty however, you could go to an electronics store and buy additional footpadding for any mouse, but at least the Logitech G5 has the padding custom fitted.)
Weight system
Underneath the G5 is a weight cartridge that can be slotted with up to 8 weights. The pill-shaped weights come in two types: 1.7 grams and 4.5 grams. There are 16 weights in all (8 weights for each type) and come inside a nice-looking padded tin container. You simply insert up to 8 weights in any configuration into the cartridge, and then slide the cartridge into the mouse itself. This way, you can adjust the balance and feel of the mouse to your own preferences. (I personally like it heavier towards the base of the palm so I have added weights towards the rear part of the cartridge. And you don't even have to use the weight system if you don't want to - leave it out if you so desire.)
Switching Resolutions on-the-fly
Another great feature Logitech adds is the ability to switch resolutions on-the-fly. This means that while you are using the mouse in a game (or any application), you can make the pointer move faster or slower by the click of a button. The G5 has up and down buttons near the scroll wheel. Clicking up increases the resolution (making the mouse faster) and clicking down decreases the resolution (slower). The pre-loaded resolutions are 2000 (max resolution), 800, and 400 dpi. Naturally, if these settings are not to your liking, Logitech provides extensive software allowing you to customize the settings yourself.
Software
While the default settings are actually good for most situations, you could change the resolution settings, click speed, and button assignment using Logitech's included software. (You could actually use Windows’ own drivers to run the mouse, but Logitech’s software is much more extensive.) Not only can you assign functions to each button on the mouse, but you can make buttons do different things in different applications. The software comes on an included CD-ROM meant for Windows 98, Me, and of course XP.
Overall Performance
Right out-of-the-box, the G5 is ready to go. Simply attach its USB connector to any USB port on the PC. Then install the CD-ROM's drivers and you're all set. (The G5 that I purchased did not have any software for a Mac.) The mouse fits comfortably in the hand (I’m right handed, with an average sized hand), and the buttons click easily with just the right amount of resistance. The scroll wheel is soft, and as you roll, the wheel clicks. However it does so in a “smooth” way so there is no sound, and the wheel itself feels very solid and secure. Naturally, the G5 performs very well when you use it for Web browsing, though some may miss the exclusion of a “forward” button (I certainly don’t miss it). But if you use it in an FPS game, you see how it can actually improve your scores. Targeting and shooting is amazing with this mouse – mainly because of its ability to accurately track even your fastest, most erratic movements. The ability to change resolutions on the fly means you can instantly change the feel when you switch weapons in a game, or when you switch from one game to another. (I switch to high-resolution when playing a game, and then back to a lower resolution when web browsing.)
Conclusion
As I stated earlier, you should really try to use this mouse yourself to truly understand how good it is. The tracking ability is amazing. Of course if you are a gamer, you’ll realize that this mouse costs more than most newly-released games. At about $65 or more, you can consider the G5 a luxury item. You certainly will find less expensive mice that perform very well for games. But if you want gaming grade mouse with extremely accurate tracking and a comfortable feel, the Logitech G5 should be on the top of your list.
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
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