Logitech M555b Review

by Jerry Jackson

The Logitech M555b is the newest Bluetooth notebook mouse that is a perfect match for laptops that come with built-in Bluetooth technology. Modeled after the Logitech V500 Nano cordless mouse, the M555b is compact, offers great battery life, and is highly customizable with Logitech's SetPoint software. Let's take a closer look at this smooth tracking Bluetooth mouse.

Before we take a closer look at what the Logitech M555b has to offer, below are the key features and specs for this Bluetooth laser mouse:

• PC (Windows XP or Vista) and MAC compatible
• Bluetooth compatible
• Left and Right hand usage
• MicroGear precision scroll wheel
• Laser tracking with 1000 dpi resolution
• 5 programmable buttons
• Estimated 4-month battery life
• Low battery life warning
• 3-year warranty
• Price: $59.99

Design and Features
Anyone familiar with Logitech's V550 Nano mouse will recognize that the new M555b looks nearly identical. The only obvious change to the exterior is that the color of the mouse is now black and gray rather than silver and gray. In any case, the M555b is a compact mouse but the size and shape are still comfortable enough for everyday use. You can find a few notebook travel mice that are physically smaller than the M555b, but none of the smaller mice I've used are as comfortable under my hand.

Since the M555b is identically contoured as the V550 this mouse is perfectly comfortable to use for either right-handed or left-handed users. The MicroGear alloy scroll wheel allows for hyper-fast page scrolling or standard scrolling by pressing down on the scroll wheel. I personally like the scroll wheel to function as a middle click when pressed, so having it toggle between standard scroll and hyper-fast scrolling isn't as convenient for me. Beneath the scroll wheel is a one-touch search button for rapid Google searches.

Logitech includes a software CD so that you can adjust some settings on the M555b, but the mouse is designed to be plug-and-play so you don't need to install the software to use the basic features of the mouse. However, without the software you will be unable to customize the buttons.

Despite the compact size of the M555b, the mouse is powered by two standard AA batteries rather than two AAA batteries which are typically found in smaller mice. The benefit of the larger batteries is usually improved estimated battery life, but Bluetooth changes the game a bit. The V550 had an estimated battery life up to 18 months with average use, but since the M555b has to maintain a Bluetooth connection to your PC this mouse only has an estimated battery life of 4 months.

Usage
Everyday notebook computing with the M555b was simple once you've paired the Bluetooth mouse to your notebook. Rather than having to plug in the receiver every time I wanted to use the mouse I just pressed the "connect" button on the bottom of the mouse and used the Windows Bluetooth manager to pair the mouse to my PC. The real benefit here is that I don't have to sacrifice a USB port for a USB wireless mouse receiver.

If you're someone who uses multiple USB devices on a regular basis I cannot overstate how nice it is to have a Bluetooth mouse that keeps your USB ports free. I no longer have to use a USB hub when I'm using my desktop replacement notebook at home.

The three large plastic glide feet are identical to what we saw on the V550 nano and provide a smooth movement as you slide the mouse around on a desk or mouse pad. The bottom of the M555b is really quite nice compared to the tiny glide feet on most travel mice.

As mentioned earlier in the review, there are only two things that really bothered me about this mouse ... both of which are pretty much unavoidable. First, you have to use Logitech's SetPoint software if you want to customize the mouse settings or change the functions assigned to each button. Since the M555b doesn't have page forward/back buttons or a middle click button you will have to use SetPoint to create commands for those functions.

Second, the Bluetooth connectivity really does mean that this mouse won't last long on a single battery charge. I've found that non-rechargeable lithium batteries tend to last the longest, but standard alkaline AAs or rechargeable NiMH batteries might last less than two months if you're a heavy computer user (spending more than 6 hours a day on the PC).

Conclusion
The Logitech M555b is a nice notebook mouse that offers Bluetooth convenience and an ambidextrious design. Size does matter for notebook users, and a giant desktop mouse just doesn't cut it if you're a road warrior. The Bluetooth Mouse M555b is easy to use on the road and easy on the wallet. While I would have liked some additional buttons and better battery life, it's hard to find much fault with this travel mouse. If you're looking for a Bluetooth mouse that can go everywhere with you then Logitech has exactly what you're looking for.

Pros:

• Excellent scroll wheel
• Great laser sensitivity
• Simple Bluetooth connectivity

Cons

• Requires SetPoint to customize settings
• No dedicated forward/back buttons
• Poor battery life

Related Articles:

• Microsoft Explorer Mouse with BlueTrack Review
• Targus Bluetooth Laser Mouse Review
• Microsoft Arc Mouse Review
• Logitech VX Nano Cordless Laser Mouse Review
• Logitech V550 Nano Review
• Logitech MX Air Mouse Review

 

Jerry, how come you are doing more reviews of accessories now?
More often than when I first came here...

But thanks for the review. Good to know something more.

 

We are still doing reviews of notebooks but we've been trying to add more accessory and software reviews since those matter to a lot of our readers.

Still, notebooks take the priority. We have a large number of accessories in our office that are in the queue for review that haven't been published yet simply because we don't want to overload our readers with accessory reviews.

 

OOOHH I see I see.
Good to know that they are here, and I dont have to move/open another account to read an post.

Do you have any laptop interesting there for review? Me wants to know! lol

 

Thanks for doing the review for us.

By the way, it's funny to see that at the top it says great battery life, and then you have listed battery life as a con at the end.

 

Thanks for the review on this Jerry...

I have had the M555b since it first came out..and I love it.

I have found the battery life to be pretty decent..I wouldn't have listed it as a *con* myself. I have had mine since early July, and I just recently had to place new batteries in it.

Are you going to be reviewing the Logitech Anywhere MX, and Performance Mouse MX?

Cin...

 

Looks like the perfect compliment to my Mac Book Pro.

 

i like accessory review, please add more of them.

 

What he said! :laugh:

 

so..how is this compare to the V470?

 

maybe the battery that came with the mouse suc*ed.

 

Yes, I debated how to handle the battery life issue. I am someone who is CONSTANTLY on the computer so my mouse gets a heavy workout. I probably kill wireless mouse batteries faster than your average PC user.

As for the other Logitech mice, we've got two more Logitech "darkfield" mice in the queue for review in the coming weeks.

 

nice review, I am in market for a bluetooth mouse (Dell E6400 & Thinkpad X200T, used avg 10 hrs a day), though not in same league and difference in price, how does this compare to Razers Orochi ?

 

Yes, I understand..I have several *mice*, and I bounce between them. But I use my Logitech M555b the most, along with my Microsoft Mobile Mouse 6000..they both get the most usage.

I like the way the M555b *feels in my hand*, it feels nice and *weighted*, yet not so *heavy*. And, the *scroller wheel* is nice and *smooth*!

Your right, the BT connectivity was super fast...No fuss..no muss..a very important thing!

Oh....I can't wait to see which 2 *darkfield* mice are in queue for reviews, in the upcoming coming weeks ahead!

Cin...

 

Typo? Copy and paste error between V550 and M555b? Or just difference between real world and lab?

 

That was a typo on my part. Before using the M555b I was using the V550 and since these two mice are so similar I incorrectly listed the battery life in the spec list at the beginning. It's fixed now.

 

Darwin11: I have a MacBook Pro as well. Check out the Kensington SlimBlade Trackball Mouse. The 'wheel' can also be used as a trackball, which is really nice for detailed work. It's Bluetooth as well. And the battery life is great.

 

Does the MMM 6000 have the same "free" wheel as the M555B? I mean does it keep turning like the M555B one after you tick it?

I have the V550 from Logitech (the blue/grey one) it's the same as the M555B but without BT. Before that I had two BT mice.

 

Why would anyone buy this if they could get the Nano?
True it uses a usb port, but it doesn't protrude, has better battery life, and has zero connection issues.

 

The M555b is of much better built quality than the V550. I have both sitting in front of me. The V550 feels flimsy and creeks when pressed and rattles. Feels cheap. The M555b feels much more solid. No creeking or ratling. The materials feels much better. I'm usually no friend of slick surfaces but on this mouse it feels great.

 

Is it very precise this thing?

 

Precision is no different to a regular wireless mouse (I mean a non Bt one). Doesn't lag either, which was my experience with older BT mice. I'm really positively surprised by this mouse. At first I wasn't sure if I order this one because I already have the V550 which is the same without BT but the quality alone was worth it. The material quality is really much better than the V550. Can say anything about the battery life yet. Battery life is surely shorter than the V550 but I don't care. I estimate maybe 2 months on a pair of alkaline batteries if you are a heavy user.

IMO the best BT mouse on the market.

EDIT: I use it on a SteelSeries QcK mini mousepad - also VERY recommended.

 

Cin', could you please answer: what impact each of your mice have on the battery life of your notebook. Does your notebook work longer on battery while working with MS Mobile Mouse 6000?

See, I try to decide which is the best mouse for me and my notebook with BT (Lenovo U450, 5hrs of battery life): Logitech m555b or MS Mobile Mouse 6000. And the battery life of my notebook really matters to me as I've read that work with BT mouse tend to eat the battery faster than wireless one. (I'm also concidering MS Wireless Mobile Mouse 4000 and Logitech m505).

Cheers ;-)
Alexx