Capsule Review: Logitech's G100s, G500s, and G700s Gaming Mice
by Dustin Sklavos on March 30, 2013 12:01 AM EST- Posted in
- Mouse
- Peripherals
- Gaming
- Logitech
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Introducing the Logitech G100s, G500s, and G700s Gaming Mice
The dirty secret of gaming peripherals is that if they're good quality products in general, they're often going to be head and shoulders above hardware marketed toward the regular consumer. For whatever reason, high rent keyboards and mice just aren't marketed to consumers who'll often settle on an inexpensive wireless mouse and keyboard combination. This was strangely evident in Logitech's pre-G-branding era, and while the G branding is ultimately a good thing, some users are liable to miss out on some fantastic quality kit.
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In the strictest sense, the Logitech G100s, G500s, and G700s aren't new mice. They're three of the four mice that were recently announced (the fourth being the G400s, which we unfortunately didn't receive in time for review), but they're primarily refreshes. That's okay, though: the G100s is a descendant of the G100 which wasn't made available in North America, the G500s gives me a chance to properly review my beloved G500 as a new product, and the G700s sheds light on the oddly scarce G700.
When I met with Logitech in San Francisco, their statement with these "new" mice was essentially this: "if it ain't broke, don't break it." While I'd be liable to rib them a little bit for complacency, the reality is that many of these products have been phenomenally successful for them and well-received. Seriously messing with the formula runs the risk of disenchanting the customer as well as potentially resulting in a run on a dead product. That's not what you want; you want a run on a live product.
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Our conversations regarding peripherals were actually pretty long and detailed, certainly more than I've gotten from other vendors, but I think that's due to Logitech being principally a long-standing peripheral manufacturer. Mice and keyboards can be tricky things; each person's body chemistry is different which in turn affects the way different materials feel in the hand. I can't use Razer mice, they make my palms clammy in seconds, but I know a lot of people love the texture on their products. That's before getting into the differences in preference between the different mechanical switches Cherry produces in keyboards.
What Logitech is pushing with their G branding marketing, other than finally having a unifying brand umbrella (and software package!) for all of their gaming products, is summed up in their slogan: "Science Wins." It's goofy, but the philosophy is sound: they rigorously test their products (apparently one version of the G600 MMO mouse had a small production run alongside the current version, they were tested against one another, and the release one won out), and they design them based on scientific data about how they're used. That means looking at grip, looking at the situations they're used in, and so on.
The G100s, G500s, and G700s may have gradually increasing model numbers (and price tags to boot), but don't be deceived: each really does serve a unique purpose unto itself.
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mgl888 - Saturday, March 30, 2013 - link
One thing I hate about the Logitech software is the game/application detection. The software has trouble detecting whether I'm playing the game or tabbed out and the profile do not change accordingly.chanman - Saturday, March 30, 2013 - link
My main mouse is a well-used 5-year old Microsoft Sidewinder (the left-click sensor seems like its starting to go - it occasionally registers single clicks as doubles). The feature I enjoy the most on it that doesn't seem to be offered on newer mice (and Microsoft's office mouse line now that they've again discontinued the Sidewinder branding) are the vertically stacked thumb buttons. I love it and wish it was a feature that others making non-ambidextrous mice would use more often.rms - Sunday, March 31, 2013 - link
I also used a Sidewinder for years, but as I'm a claw/fingertip person the thumb buttons were too far forward. Wish they were adjustable! And in general I find thumb buttons to be unusable on any mouse I've ever seenzehoo - Saturday, March 30, 2013 - link
The g100 looks like an mx300, finally they are releasing a mouse with this shape again. I still use my mx300 it was such a great mouse. Only difference seems to be the feet.dbcoopernz - Saturday, March 30, 2013 - link
Do any of them have automatic switching between click to click and freewheeling mousewheel scrolling modes, like the original MX Revolution has?Dustin Sklavos - Saturday, March 30, 2013 - link
No, and that makes me sad all day. :(The MX Revolution's automatic switching was fantastic, I wish they'd use it more.
B3an - Saturday, March 30, 2013 - link
Dustin, it's disappointing you didn't compare the G500s or 700s to the Roccat Pure and Kone XTD that you reviewed recently. You seemed to like the Pure/Kone XTD a lot. What are your thoughts?Tracking benchmarks would also be nice, and maybe tests on different surfaces. Don't think you go in to enough detail in these reviews.
I went from a G500 to the Kone XTD and think it's superior is pretty much every way, including software. The improvements Logitech have made here don't seem to be enough to make any of these new mice as good as the Kone XTD.
The new markings on the Logitech mice look tacky and i can see them starting to wear off after a few months, which ALWAYS happens with every Logitech mouse i've had that has a coating/markings on it (usually silver, always comes off). You end up with a worn down ugly mouse. Any mouse that has this, especially around the buttons, should instantly get marked down for such a ridiculously obvious design flaw.
Dustin Sklavos - Saturday, March 30, 2013 - link
Truthfully I'm on the fence about whether I want to jump to the G500s or G700s or stick with the Kone XTD which is occupying my desktop presently. The coatings on the G500s and G700s don't generate as much raunchy handsweat as the XTD and they have the toggle freewheel, but the XTD's software is so ridiculously good it's tough to choose.That and the XTD *totally* matches my K90.
piiman - Wednesday, March 19, 2014 - link
I almost bought one of these but I couldn't tell if the wheel had a free spin mode and a good percentage reported wheel problems soon after buying.DarKHawK - Saturday, March 30, 2013 - link
I'm interested in knowing what exactly did they do with the internals. I got my G700 as soon as it was released. The micro-switches gave way about a year later. They are omoron brand made in china. Replaced those with omoron made in Japan and they are working ever since. If any one have more technical info about what Logitech really did under the hood please share.