The Logitech MX1000

So my old mouse started to die on me and it came time to pick up a new one. I started to research them on the internet and narrowed it down to the Logitech MX510 because it was a gamer mouse and allowed you to map all the buttons to keystrokes that you could use in-game. Most mice I've used in the past never allowed you to use the 'extra' buttons. This one claimed it could so I headed off to Staples to look for it. When I got there they didn't have the MX510, instead they had the MX1000 - the new laser mouse. The laser mouse is supposed to be 20x more accurate than the optical. This mouse had it all, looks, 8 buttons, and best of all... cordless. I knew right then and there I had to have that mouse. That was until I looked at the price tag. $80 for a mouse? I thought "you have got to be kidding me". Even though I really wanted to buy this one I knew deep down inside that $80 was way too much for a mouse. So I put it back on the shelf and left the store. There is an Office Max about 1/4 of a mile down the street so I decided to go there. As I walked in and started towards the mouse section I noticed the MX1000 box as I approached. As I drew nearer I saw the price tag $52.00 "Manufacturer Instant Rebate". JACKPOT! The MX510 that I wanted to buy was $49 so it was a no-brainer to pick up the new 1000 for only $3 more.

When I got home and opened it up the first thing I noticed was the weight of the mouse. This was no pansy lightweight cheapo of a mouse. This thing had some weight on it. I plugged in the docking station (RF transmitter) and powered it up. When I put the mouse on the table I noticed that there was no red light emitting from the bottom like on optical mice. I loaded up the drivers that came with the mouse and began to test it out. What kind of a difference could there be between an optical and a laser, you may wonder? Well, let me tell you there is a difference. The laser mouse tracks MUCH better and faster. Also there is an LED on the mouse that shows if the battery is low. When it does run low you just dock it in the RF station/cradle and let it charge up. The battery inside is a Lithium Ion so it should last for quite awhile. The mouse is more geared towards right-handed people but I'm guessing that most left-handers use the mouse in their right hands (at least my wife does). The contour of the mouse fits perfectly in your hand and is very comfortable.

On to the testing. The first test this thing got was on Half Life 2. The mouse performed flawlessly and was extremely responsive. Even the button mapping that I had assigned in the mouse software (Setpoint) was working without a hitch. The next test was Counterstrike: Source. Again the mouse worked much better than the optical counterpart. I noticed the control of the crosshairs was even more precise than with an optical mouse. After trying out the mouse in games I decided to try the tracking on different surfaces. It worked on the mousepad, the table, my hand, and even tracked with no problems on my pant leg and couch.

I would definitely recommend this mouse to anyone who spends a lot of time on the computer. The $80 price tag is hefty, but if you can find it on sale pick it up - you will not regret it.