Logitech MX Anywhere 3
Simply the best mobile mouse you can buy, as is reflected by its price
SCORE
PRICE £67 (£80 inc VAT) from logitech.com
Logitech has already created the king of mice in the MX Master 3 ( see issue 301, p65), and its dynastic legacy is obvious the moment you pick up the MX Anywhere 3. The most obvious sign of its DNA is the central stainless steel wheel. Using electromagnets, this allows you to slip seamlessly between a ratchet scroll (line by line) to freewheeling at a speed that will make long documents fly by. You can even use it to scroll sideways by pressing the shortcut buttons on the side at the same time.
It addresses one of people’s big criticisms of the Anywhere 2S: if you press down on the old mouse’s scroll wheel it selects between inputs (the MX series can connect with up to three using the supplied Logitech USB receiver or Bluetooth), but here it doubles as a programmable button. Using the Logitech Options software, you can set this to do whatever you want, or use one of the presets in common apps such as Word.
In many ways, it’s the Options software that lifts the MX family above common mice, as this is where you can take micro level control over what each button does. There aren’t as many shortcut buttons as on the Master 3, but it’s surprising how much time you can save by assigning common actions to the four available buttons. You can also use Logitech Flow to switch between computers by moving your mouse from one screen edge to the next.
Then there’s Logitech’s “Darkfield” laser tracking. This makes navigating on glass just as easy as it is on a conventional desk, and if you’re tight for space a trouser leg will do just fine. It feels comfortable in the hand thanks to a silicon side grip, and even though the Anywhere 3 is significantly smaller than the Master 3 it fits snugly in the hand – there’s enough weight to it that this doesn’t actually feel like a travel mouse.
Logitech claims the MX Anywhere 3 lasts for 70 days of typical use on a single charge, while a three-minute blast over its USB-C connection is enough to power it through a working day if you’re caught out. While it can’t match the MX Master 3 for customisation or features, this is a truly exceptional travel mouse and a big improvement over the Anywhere 2S. Let’s just not talk about the price.
SPECIFICATIONS
4,000dpi wireless mouse Bluetooth LE 2.4GHz RF (via USB Unifying Receiver) 500mAh battery USB-C 65 x 101 x 34mm (WDH) 99g 2yr warranty