Finding the "perfect" gaming mouse.

I just realized I have been a fan of Logitech gaming mice for 10 years now! I remember when one of our Intellimouse Opticals bit the dust and my dad replaced it with the just released MX500. Soon other MX500's replaced our other two Intellimice. I have been stuck on Logitech mice ever since.

I am a lot pickier with my mice than I used to be. A LOT. Right now I have a G500 and a G400 v2 as my gaming mice. Neither is a perfect mouse and both have their pluses and minuses.

G400

good:

• no prediction or acceleration built into the sensor
• PERFECT shape I have loved for 10 years
• no gimmicks like almost all other gaming mice have
• scroll wheel does not feel loose
• has a thin and flexible mouse cord

bad:

• no on-board memory
• only has 800 and 3600 native dpi settings so everything else is interpolated from one of those
• scroll wheel does not have good tactile feedback
• main mouse buttons hover just over microswitch plungers and do not rest on them
• all the microswitches are of inferior quality (varying resistance and noise for every switch in each mouse)

Three easy fixes that would not disrupt the production line would be to use higher quality microswitches, raise the left and right mouse button microswitches half a millimeter before soldering them, and to use the stock Aviago firmware for the optical sensor. The higher quality microswitches would would give a uniform feel and sound. Raising the left and right mouse button microswitches would make the left and right mouse buttons not rattle at all and make them feel higher quality. Using the stock Aviago firmware for the sensor would just reduce the maximum dpi slightly to 3500, and add two new native dpi steppings to the sensor.

G500

good:

• on-board memory that saves all customizations
• sensor dpi is native at any increment of 90dpi
• despite the sensor having a small amount of acceleration, it not super noticeable
• dpi setting easily read from meter

bad:

• sensor has positive acceleration and does not track as well on cloth
• scroll wheel is super loose, wobbly, and feels like crap
• sensor is placed at the front of the mouse instead of the center
• weight system is fluff that hinders gaming
• mouse is very unbalanced without weights
• mouse cord is very rigid
• side buttons not as good as on G400
• people complain about the rough textured rubber of the mouse, though this isn't as big of a deal
• uses only two good switches, for the main mouse buttons

There is one really easy improvement for the G500 without redesigning anything. That would be to give it a better cord. The stiff braided core is just like lights and a weight system. Superfluous for a gaming mouse and do more harm than good. Any other improvements would require making more serious changes to the mouse that would require new tooling on the factory floor. The easiest of these would probably be remove the weight system and shift the sensor and some of the guts back a bit. This would require a new mold for the bottom of the mouse shell, but otherwise nothing major.

Now if I had to design my perfect gaming mouse, it would be based on the G400, but with onboard memory, a tight hyperscroll wheel with no side scrolling, higher quality mouse switches, and stock Aviago firmware for the optical sensor.

For years I thought my MX500 was perfect. When I bought my MX518 and G500 I thought they were both flawless and could not tell them apart for gaming. Now I am clearly insane about this subject.

 

Very nice reading, I like it! Thanks for the insides! +1 rep

Have you considered the G700? I've heard it's nice even thought I don't like it looks... also ever occurred to change brand? I mean diversity is nice *cough* Sensei *cough* or maybe the DeathAdder?

 

Actually yeah. I have been thinking about picking up the deathadder. I can get it for $33 shipped. Or maybe an Abyssus for $20 shipped. I actually almost bought the deathadder instead of my G400. The store I bought the G400 at had all Logitech products 15% off and I was thinking about Razer's quality, so in the end I could not say no to the descendant of my favorite mouse of all time.

 

I was taking a look at the Logitech G600 today. If it didn't have all those side buttons I would probably like to buy it just to try something different. The three normal mouse buttons are very interesting. One thing I don't understand is the 8200dpi. I mean really, that is absurdly sensitive....

This mouse brings Logitech up to 7 gaming mice they have out right now.

G100 (eastern europe and asia, but I'm not sure what makes it a gaming mouse other than the name)
G300
G400
G500
G600
G700
G9x

(and the Alienware TactX if you want to get technical)

 

that G600 looks pretty crazy. 12 thumb buttons might be a bit overkill, but the sculpted body looks really comfy.

i actually love my G500. can't really think of a single complain about it besides wishing it had more buttons. i rather like the rigid cord because it stays in place. i will be replacing the G500 with a G700 when Guild Wars 2 is out though.

 

Oh man I totally forgot the G9x! I would really recommend it if you are into the G400 mice! It's very neat to hold if you like the other mice, especially if you are gifted with bigger than average macho hands

 

g500 performs well and i love the onboard memory where u can store your settings. only thing bad is it feels too plasticky scroll wheel is too
loose