The G9 mouse and one of its interchangeable
mouse grips.
Accuracy, a rich feature set, and a slick dual-mode scroll-wheel make the Logitech G9x Laser mouse one of the best gaming mice and general purpose desktop/ Web-surfing mice that $100 can buy.
The G9x Laser mouse offers near-perfect comfort, razor-sharp precision, and -- like most of Logitech's gaming gear (like their G35 headset) -- tons of customization options to fit virtually any purpose -- gaming or otherwise.
Features
Most gaming mice offer extra buttons, superior precision, and a host of customization and programmability features. The G9x offers all of these things and scores tops marks across the board for all of them. $100 may seem a steep price to pay for a mouse, but the G9x is worth every penny.
The G9x supports up to five different DPI settings (from 200 DPI to 3200 DPI), and enables you to tweak the speed and sensitivity of the mouse to the finest degree. For example, you can adjust the polling rate of the mouse as well as its overall speed and acceleration. You can set separate horizontal and vertical scrolling speeds, and you can adjust DPI sensitivity settings for the X- and Y- axis separately.
Switching between DPI settings can be done quickly via two buttons that sit just below the left-mouse button by the LEDs. Our only (minor) gripe is that the default buttons for controlling the DPI settings force you to step through the settings. It works well enough, but it's not quite as handy as having a separate button for each DPI setting (like the Microsoft Sidewinder gaming mouse).
If you don't use multiple DPI settings, you can change the function of the DPI switching buttons to virtually any keystroke, macro, or other function.
In addition to its near-endless programmability, the G9 can store up to five different profiles in its onboard memory. In addition, these profiles allow you to attach the G9 to any computer and use its full functionality, regardless of whether or not Logitech's SetPoint software is installed on the host computer.
Profile switching is a little awkward -- you must press a button on the bottom of the mouse and then use the DPI switching buttons to change to the profile you want. It's a little inconvenient, but not something you're likely to do often. Each profile can also have its own LED color assigned to it, so you'll know which profile is active based on the color of the LEDs on the top of the mouse.
If you like a bit of heft to your mice, the G9 also comes with a set of small weights that can be inserted into the mouse. You can add from 4g-28g to the mouse.
One of our favorite features is the dual mode scroll wheel, which can be switched between a click-by-click setting (best for gaming) to a smooth, fast-scrolling trackball-style of free rolling (great for general mousing and Web browsing). The only downside to this feature is that the scroll-wheel's behavior is changed via another button located on the bottom of the mouse.
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Ergonomics
All the cool features in the world won't matter if a mouse is uncomfortable or poorly designed. Fortunately, the G9x is plenty comfortable and you can customize it with different snap-on grips.
We particularly like the extra-wide thumb rest. The G9x practically 'marries' your hand to its grip.
The extra programmable buttons near the thumb rest are well placed, and like every other button on the mouse they can be programmed with a variety of pre-made functions.
You can also use Logitech's SetPoint control panel to record complex macros -- which can consist of mouse and keyboard functions -- and assign them to any mouse button you desire.
The G9 comes standard with two different grips -- one with a silky-smooth feel, and another grip with a coarse texture to prevent slipping. For $20 you can also order your own your own customized grips and add a personal picture or logo to it.
Overall
The Logitech G9x Laser mouse is precise, sleek, comfortable, and feature rich. It's not only an excellent gaming mouse, it's a stellar web-surfing and work companion, making it well-suited to virtually any computing or gaming task you could throw at it.
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Comments
Correction: the dpi on the G9x ranges from 200-5,000 (the original G9 was 200-3,200).
I own the original G9 and it is an awesome mouse for gaming or everyday use, but I do agree that the wheel button takes a bit more force to depress than I'd like. Still, not a dealbreaker!
Thanks for the info! My SetPoint software only allows me to go up to 3200DPI, although I can set the polling rate higher and adjust the X and Y-axis separately. Although anything over 2400 dpi is pretty dodgy for me anyway in games.
Thanks for leaving feedback!
great mouse and i have only been using it for a few hours. i suspect that the mouse wheel button is hard to press down so you dont do it accidently. with the side to side buttons also on the mouse wheel i like the fact that the down button wont be pressed unless i want it to. thanx logitech!
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