This is not the only review on the Logitech's MX Revolution mouse available on the Web.
This particular review seems quite honest and points out not only the pros but also the cons.
I do not the PC for games. My main use is postwork of Photography.
After reading the reviews available about this mouse I decided to buy it a week ago.
So far all I expected from this expensive mouse is achieved.
Besides that my wrist and arm are painless after hours of intensive use.
I agree that Logitech should improve the MX Revolution mouse software as the configuration of buttons is quite limited compared to earlier models.
I bought one of these a few months ago to replace my MX1000, all I gotta say about it is the MX revolution is the biggest pile of overpriced crap in the mouse world.
First off the sensor is in the stupidest place, right under your wrist on the opposite end it was on the mx1000, so you gotta move it like a paperweight to move the pointer the littlest bit and its completely worthless for gaming(also it feels terribly imprecise like a trackball under both the logitech and windows drivers). The thumb scroll is too slippery/imprecise, as is the main scroll bar. Unless you have super long yeti fingers there's no way to reach the right button without inadvertently hitting the back button with your thumb. Mind you it took me atleast a week to get used to the MX1000, but I gave my MX revolution 3 weeks before I returned it.
This anandtech review has got to be the worse I have ever read, the fact that no one amongst you didn't want to throw the MX revolution out the window after 10 minutes of use(or that this review was likely done by only one person), makes it complete bogus to me.
Nice review. I'm currently using ancient Logitech "iFeel" mouse, with vibration feedback, which was supported (I think) by one game ever. The only good thing about the force feedback feature is that it adds a nice amount of weight. Maybe I should get a new mouse...
I have a MS IntelliMouse Optical USB. I think it was either MS's first or second optical mouse. I think it is much more picky about the surface its on than newer models so I may have to upgrade this holiday season.
G7 here as well. It's a good mouse with the notable exception of battery life, which sux. 24h if you use it a lot and much les if you game with it. Can be a few days if you don't really use it much.
I know that the MX Revolution isn't really designed to be a gaming mouse, but I'd like to hear your thoughts on how it fares for gaming, especially in the area of how much control you have over binding different buttons/actions. The horizontal scroll wheel, for example... would I be able to bind the forward/backward/click actions to different actions in, say, World of Warcraft?
I've been looking for a replacement for my MX500 and MX700 for a long time now, but all the new "gaming mice" (from Logitech, whose products I prefer having used their mice for nearly a decade, or even anyone else) have not been truly viable options. The MX518 is pretty much just a MX500 w/ better sensitivity, and I don't find that a problem; the MX1000 was tempting, but like the MX700, it's too heavy, and makes the switching between my computers awkward; the G5 looked like a wonderful mouse, but it had one major shortcoming - less buttons than the MX500; the G7 had the shortcomings of both the G5 AND the MX1000, so it was never an option.
So now we come to the MX Revolution. If the horizontal scrolling document flip... thingy... can have the 3 actions associated with it be remapped, it may just be what I need. I just don't want to have to drive 20 minutes, spend $100+Tax, and then find out that it doesn't work.
quote: So now we come to the MX Revolution. If the horizontal scrolling document flip... thingy... can have the 3 actions associated with it be remapped, it may just be what I need. I just don't want to have to drive 20 minutes, spend $100+Tax, and then find out that it doesn't work.
The mouse is not designed for gaming, that said I was able to map/bind the majority of buttons and the scroll wheel in several games. I was not successful in binding the side wheel at all. Email me with your WoW settings and I will try them for you. :)
quote: The mouse is not designed for gaming, that said I was able to map/bind the majority of buttons and the scroll wheel in several games. I was not successful in binding the side wheel at all. Email me with your WoW settings and I will try them for you. :)
Nothing special... just try to bind 3 different buttons to to pushing/pulling/clicking the document flip scrolling thing. If that works, it'll be all that I need.
Much appreciated, and I forgot to say earlier, but a very nice review. =)
I could not get the side scroll to bind properly. I tried uberoptions and it appeared to work at first, then the wheel stopped working. I have a call into Logitech to see if they have any insight into the matter.
It's nice to see Logitech is going back to the two side button design. I can't stand the fact that both the G5 and G7 only have one side button. It's one of the few reasons I'm still holding onto my MX700 :)
i use nothing but logitech mice, but i have to say i'm not a fan of the revolution. i bought this mouse and ended up having to return it because it was uncomfortable to hold. the area where the thumb sits is curves a lot deeper than the mx-1000 that i couldn't get used to it. where the review states that the design has a natural feel to it; in my case, it was the exact opposite.
quote: where the review states that the design has a natural feel to it; in my case, it was the exact opposite.
I should probably add a statement that it is best to run down to a store that has open display items and try the feel of the mouse before buying it. We really liked the Revolution while a couple of us did not like the feel of the MX-1000. It is a matter of personal tastes which makes reviewing an item like this very subjective. :)
For those of us who tend to be a bit leery wireless mice, what sort of period of steady use can you expect from this mouse's battery? And, how long does it take to charge it back up to full strength? Does the fact that this mouse shares the busy 2.4GHz spectrum pose any potential problem for those who are running a wireless network?
I have the MX Revolution's predecessor, the MX-1000. Battery life is about a week on a charge if you use it regularly, and the mouse has excellent power-saving abilities, so it shuts off quickly if you're not constantly using it and sleeps until you start again. The battery gauge is very intuitive (three bars, two bars, one bar, one red bar instead of green), and it only takes a few hours of charge to bring it from flat to full.
It has no effect whatsoever on my 11.g-turbo wifi network. I really like mine, and would find it hard to switch back. My reason for not upgrading would probably be that the MX-1000 still supports both USB and PS/2, and since I have a KVM switch that is PS/2, it works out well for controlling multiple computers. That, and it was a Christmas present from my wife. ;)
You say it's the world's most advanced mouse but not the world's best mouse...yet. Do you have an opinion as to which mouse is the world's best? If so, I'ld love to hear it.
As for the mouse I am still of the mind that mice and keyboards should not require software to function. My own personal experience with Logitech's drivers has been spotty at best and I would rather not have to install them to use the mouse or keyboard primary functions.
Changed to tactile as it should have been in the first place. Sometimes DNS is not exactly perfect and we obviously missed it on the edit. Thanks to both of you for pointing it out. :)
I am not a big fan of the mouse/keyboard software packages either. However, it almost seems they are required now to use of the new features.
Unlike MS's Intellipoint, it CANNOT detect which app is in focus and switch the customizable keys to another mapped key/function. This definately SUCKS big time, and I couldn't imagine that it is STILL not in SetPoint the mouse driver!
Your experience with the new scrollwheel is exactly what I've been looking for.
When the Apple mighty-mouse first came out this is the kinda of functionality i was expecting - being able to flick the ball in any direction, but unfortunately it's not really free spinning (not enough weight in the ball), and apple's mice really suck ergonomically for extended use for anything.
Now if only they'd drop the price, otherwise I expect this feature to take a while to trickle down to cheaper models.
Also must agree with the other comments about the review, nice change to see something more along the lines of (HCI) Human Computer Interaction.
And you did a great job describing your experience with something that essentially still boils down to personal preference rather than performance numbers.
I have been on Anandtech for about 3 years now and I haven't seen many mouse reviews. Great change of pace! I loved the review. I saw this at the store and it was rather nice although I cannot ditch my MX518. This mouse is just awesome. Period.
I agree. I have yet to use a mouse that made me want to replace my MX518. I actually prefer the way that "the on the fly" DPI buttons on the MX518 are set up. I will admit, the adjustable weights on the newer models is nice, and tempting, but I think I'll wait til the MX craps out. I digress....
$100 is alot for a mouse. I'll probably wait until the next iteration comes out and grab this one. Its always more economical to get a middle of the line mouse than the high end ones. I'm still using an MX510, but I think its awesome what Logitech is doing with mice. They're killing the competition, but I honestly hope Microsoft and other companies catch up. With only Logitech making high performance mice, they can jack up the prices.
You say that the Setpoint 3.10 supports Vista, but Logitech makes clear that Vista is not supported. I've found that Setpoint 3.01 does work in Vista, though it installs some upgrader process that loads at boot time and requires admin permission at every boot (Vista 5600 x86 -- haven't tried 3.10 or in build 5728 yet).
Logitech clearly states Vista support for this product currently - http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/products/details...">MX Revolution Page - and it worked fine in build 5728 in our testing. However, as you have experienced, a Internet connection is required to update a couple of core driver files and then a reboot. Logitech is still developing their drivers for Vista and we are sure to see an updated SetPoint package in November with full support.
Depending upon how Vista was intstalled you might be required to follow these instructions - In order for SetPoint to install properly you need to first change the compatibility settings for the installer program to run in Windows XP SP2 mode, click OK, and then right click the program icon and choose to run it as an administrator. The web-update section requires admin rights, the issue at this time is that you cannot disable it as a user or for a user with Admin rights. This has been reported to Logitech as a bug.
Is this better than my Logitech G7 :( i have been waiting for the next Logitech Wireless gaming mouse , if this is an Logitech MX1000 upgrade then i am not interested.
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38 Comments
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solrac111 - Monday, August 6, 2007 - link
This is not the only review on the Logitech's MX Revolution mouse available on the Web.This particular review seems quite honest and points out not only the pros but also the cons.
I do not the PC for games. My main use is postwork of Photography.
After reading the reviews available about this mouse I decided to buy it a week ago.
So far all I expected from this expensive mouse is achieved.
Besides that my wrist and arm are painless after hours of intensive use.
I agree that Logitech should improve the MX Revolution mouse software as the configuration of buttons is quite limited compared to earlier models.
Dainas - Sunday, April 29, 2007 - link
I bought one of these a few months ago to replace my MX1000, all I gotta say about it is the MX revolution is the biggest pile of overpriced crap in the mouse world.First off the sensor is in the stupidest place, right under your wrist on the opposite end it was on the mx1000, so you gotta move it like a paperweight to move the pointer the littlest bit and its completely worthless for gaming(also it feels terribly imprecise like a trackball under both the logitech and windows drivers). The thumb scroll is too slippery/imprecise, as is the main scroll bar. Unless you have super long yeti fingers there's no way to reach the right button without inadvertently hitting the back button with your thumb. Mind you it took me atleast a week to get used to the MX1000, but I gave my MX revolution 3 weeks before I returned it.
This anandtech review has got to be the worse I have ever read, the fact that no one amongst you didn't want to throw the MX revolution out the window after 10 minutes of use(or that this review was likely done by only one person), makes it complete bogus to me.
kmmatney - Thursday, September 28, 2006 - link
Nice review. I'm currently using ancient Logitech "iFeel" mouse, with vibration feedback, which was supported (I think) by one game ever. The only good thing about the force feedback feature is that it adds a nice amount of weight. Maybe I should get a new mouse...bbomb - Saturday, September 30, 2006 - link
I have a MS IntelliMouse Optical USB. I think it was either MS's first or second optical mouse. I think it is much more picky about the surface its on than newer models so I may have to upgrade this holiday season.GhandiInstinct - Thursday, September 28, 2006 - link
Great review Gary, keep em' comin' :)My G7 does wonders for me and for $100 it would not justify this minor upgrade.
AtaStrumf - Thursday, September 28, 2006 - link
G7 here as well. It's a good mouse with the notable exception of battery life, which sux. 24h if you use it a lot and much les if you game with it. Can be a few days if you don't really use it much.GokieKS - Thursday, September 28, 2006 - link
I know that the MX Revolution isn't really designed to be a gaming mouse, but I'd like to hear your thoughts on how it fares for gaming, especially in the area of how much control you have over binding different buttons/actions. The horizontal scroll wheel, for example... would I be able to bind the forward/backward/click actions to different actions in, say, World of Warcraft?I've been looking for a replacement for my MX500 and MX700 for a long time now, but all the new "gaming mice" (from Logitech, whose products I prefer having used their mice for nearly a decade, or even anyone else) have not been truly viable options. The MX518 is pretty much just a MX500 w/ better sensitivity, and I don't find that a problem; the MX1000 was tempting, but like the MX700, it's too heavy, and makes the switching between my computers awkward; the G5 looked like a wonderful mouse, but it had one major shortcoming - less buttons than the MX500; the G7 had the shortcomings of both the G5 AND the MX1000, so it was never an option.
So now we come to the MX Revolution. If the horizontal scrolling document flip... thingy... can have the 3 actions associated with it be remapped, it may just be what I need. I just don't want to have to drive 20 minutes, spend $100+Tax, and then find out that it doesn't work.
Gary Key - Friday, September 29, 2006 - link
The mouse is not designed for gaming, that said I was able to map/bind the majority of buttons and the scroll wheel in several games. I was not successful in binding the side wheel at all. Email me with your WoW settings and I will try them for you. :)
GokieKS - Friday, September 29, 2006 - link
Nothing special... just try to bind 3 different buttons to to pushing/pulling/clicking the document flip scrolling thing. If that works, it'll be all that I need.
Much appreciated, and I forgot to say earlier, but a very nice review. =)
Gary Key - Monday, October 2, 2006 - link
Answers today, going to try uberoptions also.GokieKS - Tuesday, October 3, 2006 - link
Any insights on the matter? =)Gary Key - Friday, October 6, 2006 - link
I could not get the side scroll to bind properly. I tried uberoptions and it appeared to work at first, then the wheel stopped working. I have a call into Logitech to see if they have any insight into the matter.GokieKS - Friday, October 6, 2006 - link
Ah, OK. Thanks so much for testing this out. =)JustAnAverageGuy - Thursday, September 28, 2006 - link
It's nice to see Logitech is going back to the two side button design. I can't stand the fact that both the G5 and G7 only have one side button. It's one of the few reasons I'm still holding onto my MX700 :)- JaAG
teng029 - Thursday, September 28, 2006 - link
i use nothing but logitech mice, but i have to say i'm not a fan of the revolution. i bought this mouse and ended up having to return it because it was uncomfortable to hold. the area where the thumb sits is curves a lot deeper than the mx-1000 that i couldn't get used to it. where the review states that the design has a natural feel to it; in my case, it was the exact opposite.Gary Key - Thursday, September 28, 2006 - link
I should probably add a statement that it is best to run down to a store that has open display items and try the feel of the mouse before buying it. We really liked the Revolution while a couple of us did not like the feel of the MX-1000. It is a matter of personal tastes which makes reviewing an item like this very subjective. :)
Spacecomber - Thursday, September 28, 2006 - link
For those of us who tend to be a bit leery wireless mice, what sort of period of steady use can you expect from this mouse's battery? And, how long does it take to charge it back up to full strength? Does the fact that this mouse shares the busy 2.4GHz spectrum pose any potential problem for those who are running a wireless network?Just wondering. I enjoyed the review.
LoneWolf15 - Thursday, September 28, 2006 - link
I have the MX Revolution's predecessor, the MX-1000. Battery life is about a week on a charge if you use it regularly, and the mouse has excellent power-saving abilities, so it shuts off quickly if you're not constantly using it and sleeps until you start again. The battery gauge is very intuitive (three bars, two bars, one bar, one red bar instead of green), and it only takes a few hours of charge to bring it from flat to full.It has no effect whatsoever on my 11.g-turbo wifi network. I really like mine, and would find it hard to switch back. My reason for not upgrading would probably be that the MX-1000 still supports both USB and PS/2, and since I have a KVM switch that is PS/2, it works out well for controlling multiple computers. That, and it was a Christmas present from my wife. ;)
mostlyprudent - Thursday, September 28, 2006 - link
"Speaking of battery strength, we noticed the mouse should last about seven to ten days on a single charge during normal usage." (page 5)mostlyprudent - Thursday, September 28, 2006 - link
Gary,You say it's the world's most advanced mouse but not the world's best mouse...yet. Do you have an opinion as to which mouse is the world's best? If so, I'ld love to hear it.
JonnyDuke - Thursday, September 28, 2006 - link
Did you mean http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/tactical">tactical or http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/tactile">tactile??As for the mouse I am still of the mind that mice and keyboards should not require software to function. My own personal experience with Logitech's drivers has been spotty at best and I would rather not have to install them to use the mouse or keyboard primary functions.
Gary Key - Thursday, September 28, 2006 - link
I am not a big fan of the mouse/keyboard software packages either. However, it almost seems they are required now to use of the new features. Changed to tactile as it should have been in the first place. Sometimes DNS is not exactly perfect and we obviously missed it on the edit. Thanks to both of you for pointing it out. :)
slashbinslashbash - Thursday, September 28, 2006 - link
The word is "tactile", not "tactical." On Page 2:fanbanlo - Thursday, September 28, 2006 - link
Unlike MS's Intellipoint, it CANNOT detect which app is in focus and switch the customizable keys to another mapped key/function. This definately SUCKS big time, and I couldn't imagine that it is STILL not in SetPoint the mouse driver!Zoomer - Saturday, September 30, 2006 - link
You could try logigamer and see if that works for you.Gary, could you see if logigamer will work with this mouse? That will give it per app mouse button setting. :) http://www.logigamer.com/">http://www.logigamer.com/
Gary Key - Monday, October 2, 2006 - link
I will have an answer today.AnnihilatorX - Thursday, September 28, 2006 - link
It does detect games thoughI could drop the quick scroll button functions in my MX1000 and assign them functions in BF2
ninjit - Thursday, September 28, 2006 - link
Your experience with the new scrollwheel is exactly what I've been looking for.When the Apple mighty-mouse first came out this is the kinda of functionality i was expecting - being able to flick the ball in any direction, but unfortunately it's not really free spinning (not enough weight in the ball), and apple's mice really suck ergonomically for extended use for anything.
Now if only they'd drop the price, otherwise I expect this feature to take a while to trickle down to cheaper models.
Also must agree with the other comments about the review, nice change to see something more along the lines of (HCI) Human Computer Interaction.
And you did a great job describing your experience with something that essentially still boils down to personal preference rather than performance numbers.
kristof007 - Thursday, September 28, 2006 - link
I have been on Anandtech for about 3 years now and I haven't seen many mouse reviews. Great change of pace! I loved the review. I saw this at the store and it was rather nice although I cannot ditch my MX518. This mouse is just awesome. Period.Rollomite - Thursday, September 28, 2006 - link
I agree. I have yet to use a mouse that made me want to replace my MX518. I actually prefer the way that "the on the fly" DPI buttons on the MX518 are set up. I will admit, the adjustable weights on the newer models is nice, and tempting, but I think I'll wait til the MX craps out. I digress....stromgald - Thursday, September 28, 2006 - link
$100 is alot for a mouse. I'll probably wait until the next iteration comes out and grab this one. Its always more economical to get a middle of the line mouse than the high end ones. I'm still using an MX510, but I think its awesome what Logitech is doing with mice. They're killing the competition, but I honestly hope Microsoft and other companies catch up. With only Logitech making high performance mice, they can jack up the prices.scott967 - Thursday, September 28, 2006 - link
You say that the Setpoint 3.10 supports Vista, but Logitech makes clear that Vista is not supported. I've found that Setpoint 3.01 does work in Vista, though it installs some upgrader process that loads at boot time and requires admin permission at every boot (Vista 5600 x86 -- haven't tried 3.10 or in build 5728 yet).scott s.
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Gary Key - Thursday, September 28, 2006 - link
Logitech clearly states Vista support for this product currently - http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/products/details...">MX Revolution Page - and it worked fine in build 5728 in our testing. However, as you have experienced, a Internet connection is required to update a couple of core driver files and then a reboot. Logitech is still developing their drivers for Vista and we are sure to see an updated SetPoint package in November with full support.Depending upon how Vista was intstalled you might be required to follow these instructions - In order for SetPoint to install properly you need to first change the compatibility settings for the installer program to run in Windows XP SP2 mode, click OK, and then right click the program icon and choose to run it as an administrator. The web-update section requires admin rights, the issue at this time is that you cannot disable it as a user or for a user with Admin rights. This has been reported to Logitech as a bug.
XBoxLPU - Thursday, September 28, 2006 - link
Fantasic review GaryGary Key - Thursday, September 28, 2006 - link
Thank you for the comments.Roy2001 - Thursday, September 28, 2006 - link
Wow, I am 1st.tuteja1986 - Thursday, September 28, 2006 - link
Is this better than my Logitech G7 :( i have been waiting for the next Logitech Wireless gaming mouse , if this is an Logitech MX1000 upgrade then i am not interested.Gary Key - Thursday, September 28, 2006 - link
Still awake after reading it? LOL.... :)