Logitech MX Master 3 Advanced Wireless Mouse
Reinventing the wheel, successfully.
Targeting advanced users, like creators, software developers, engineers, analysts and other professionals, the MX Master 3’s innovative electromagnetic scroll wheel and per-app customisable settings mean you can fine-tune this mouse to be an ideal companion for any software you use. Additionally, you can control and send info across up to three PCs (Windows, MacOS and/or Linux), so the mouse can be with you for every step of multi-device activities.
The scroll wheel has been updated with electromagnetic technology – dubbed MagSpeed – that lets you toggle between smooth (‘Freespin’) and precise (‘Ratchet’) scrolling modes. It’s the only part of the mouse made in Switzerland (the rest in China). While the older MX Master mice’s wheels can also scroll in small, line-byline increments or spin freely, they make some noise when doing so. Even when scrolling line by line, with each line creating a click of friction you can feel, the MX Master 3 is silent. On top of that, when in free spin, the wheel spins for much longer and more smoothly than the mice’s predecessors or perhaps any other mice I’ve ever used.
You can toggle between Ratchet or Freespin mode by hitting the button underneath the scroll wheel or use SmartShift (activated in the software), which adjusts the mode based on how you move the wheel. SmartShift is very helpful when scrolling through long documents, PDFs or spreadsheets. Freespin rapidly took me past many pages until I reached the section I wanted, and when I placed my finger back on the wheel, I could make more precise scrolls to home in on the paragraph I wanted.
The mouse is pretty chunky, especially heightwise, but that height gives the palm a firm, yet softly textured, place to rest. Whether using a palm grip or claw grip, my pointer’s bottom knuckle was particularly comfortable on the mouse’s raised hump. The thumb rest is texturised and the palm rest and where you keep your pinky have the same feel for longlasting comfort. The right and left-click buttons are slightly smoother. It’s not the softest mouse in town, but it’s definitely an upgrade from a flat, plastic chassis.
The wireless mouse uses a USB Type-A receiver and connects to a PC via 2.4 GHz up to 33 feet (10 meters). If you use other Logitech products using the Logitech Unifying Receiver, you can use just one receiver for up to six products, which is very helpful if you’re low on ports. You can also connect it without the receiver via Bluetooth Low Energy, particularly useful if you’re pairing with a device that has no USB Type-A ports at all. The new MX Master 3 has the same sensors as the MX Master 2S, Logitech’s Darkfield sensor with a max CPI (counts per inch, sometimes called DPI) of 4,000, which is high for a productivity mouse They say you shouldn’t reinvent the wheel, but when you can make it smoother, quicker, quieter, more responsive and just plain more fun to use, why not? Logitech managed that with the MX Master 3, while also enhancing its ease-ofuse with a highly customisable button layout that’s almost completely navigable without taking your hand off the mouse.