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For most people, the mouse they use is of little concern. "So long as
it isn't a ball mouse," they'll say nowadays. "I can't stand those."
They have a point: laser mice are certainly better, but the market is
flooded with them. Which one should you get?
Once again, most people will just stick with whatever their computer
comes with, the standard insert-company-name-here two button mouse.
Completely functional, utterly boring.
That's where companies
like Logitech step in, to remind you that not only is life not meant to
be based around those extra tidbits that come with that important
something, but that everything should be that something. And
that's exactly what the G9 mouse is, a superior, superb machine that
out-straps every typical mouse ever to come to existence.
At the
same time, it's meant for gamers, typically for fans of the FPS genre.
Don't worry, the G9 is a monster compared to most gaming mice as well.
A monster in every way.
What it does require is a little
patience and some time to get used to it. The G9 is smaller than most
mice, with a thin top and a wide base, and it doesn't fit most people's
palms for a full grasp. It's not meant to; it's meant for quick wrist
movements instead of flailing arms, which are slower. There are also nine
buttons, an unprecedented number, eight of which are
programmable.
Two of the buttons sit on the undercarriage, one
which operates the profile settings and the other which commands the
scroll wheel lock. The former can be based around the default settings,
with three different profiles are available and can be set to different
resolutions (dpi, or how much the mouse reads while moving; the higher
the dpi, the less physical movement required for 'virtual' movement
on-screen), and more can be added with Logitech's downloadable
software. However, it isn't required and the mouse will work on most
machines as a plug and play with all it's default settings intact.
The
latter is pretty neat, especially if you never had the function on a
mouse. Most mice have scroll wheels that click. By click, I mean that
they have a stopper that keeps them from spinning rambunctiously to
ensure scrolling is smooth and clean. But sometimes that clicking is
just too slow, or perhaps annoying because of its insensitivity. Even
with changing the proper Windows settings, you may never get it the way
you like. Click the wheel lock, and that clicking mechanism goes away
and suddenly the scroll wheel spins (practically) without friction. It
may seem like a somewhat useless achievement, since it allows the
scroll wheel to effectively have little to no control, those with
nimble fingers and a sensitive touch will be able to control it
adeptly, both with simple applications and serious games.
The
other two buttons are the sensitivity setting, which sits directly
below the left mouse button. It's proximity to our favorite of buttons
means changing sensitivity settings is easy and affordable. If you're
selecting an area of files to delete and there is a large acreage of
display to cover, up the sensitivity and let the mouse fly. If
precision is required for photo editing, just hit the "-" button and
draw away. With a top sensitivity of 3200dpi, the G9 spans across the
typical desktop with ease and comfort.
Considering how well it
performs in standard, boring non-gaming applications, imagine our
excitement when testing it on games such as Bioshock, Crysis, Supreme
Commander and Portal. Having to test it against something, we had the
Razer Deathadder in hand and the Creative HD7600L, which came with one
of the assorted parts of my custom PC. Suffice to say, the order or
mice given is also the order of performance they gave.
In
Bioshock and Crysis, there were an assortment of weapons to go through,
though both games have limited weapons to carry or use altogether, so
there was little need to take off the scroll lock. Crysis called for a
medium-high setting, since there was an abundance of camouflaging used
while Bioshock ranged higher up. Being dark and scary at times, a
higher sensitivity to turn around was much appreciated.
Portal
performed wonderfully, and I was able to successfully do several tricks
previously unattainable because of the changeable sensitivity. Quickly
changing portal placement, turning a corner and doing it all over again
at the speed of light worked wonderfully, and kept the flow clean
because changing back to my regular settings was so very easy.
SupCom
also benefited, mainly due to how much land could be covered. While
RTS's aren't really the type of game that the G9 was made for, it still
found a suitor in it. Selecting individual units versus whole groups
was remarkably easy, and navigating from one section of the map to
another was unprecedented. There was almost no comparison. While the
Deathadder did feel more comfortable than the G9, it was outperformed
in every way. The HD7600L just felt very tacky compared to both.
Along
with all these wonderful features is an exquisite cable made of
low-friction weaved material so it rarely, if ever, gets stuck in
knots; a kit of weights to really customize the feel while moving the
mouse to and fro; two different grips, one widegrip seen on many newer
mice and one "Drygrip" which, true to its name, stays dry and helps
against sweaty palms; and on-board memory that can save up to five
different profiles directly on the mouse. With the exception of the G9
being made exclusively for right handed people and the small
form-factor, it resembles everything we expect to see in a high-end
mouse. The whole package retails at approximately $100, which is quite
a bit for a mouse. However, with the functionality and usefulness the
G9 has to offer, it's a deal. Still, a quick search showed that finding
a deal for it is pretty easy, and as of press time Amazon is selling it
for nearly half off at $55. That's not a bargain, it's a steal. A mouse
this good isn't something to cherish or praise; it's something to truly
appreciate.
Score: 9.5/10
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