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Presenting the Logitech MX-Revolution
Posted: August 25, 2006, 4:44 pm
by Winnow
A quick checklist to see if all the basics are covered:
big feet? check (although not as big as G7)
long rechargeable battery? check
keeps basic MX-1000 shape? check
back/forward buttons? check
I'll be buying this the day I see it show up on the store shelves. My G7 is working great which is a first after almost a year due to it's humongous mousepad feet. My only two knocks on it are lack of a forward side button to go along with the back button and the short exchangeable battery life.
I like the dedicated search button feature on the MX-Revolution, I'm not sure how useful the second thumb scroll wheel will be until I use it. I hope it doesn't get in the way if I don't like it.
I'm glad my G7 is working perfectly still as a backup after I get this. The G7 has been the smoothest sliding, most accurate mouse yet with the two huge feet and I've gotten used to using mouse gestures in Opera, while not as easy as a button, not too bad.
Here's a link to the lengthy article:
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1 ... 826,00.asp
Here's a comparison of the G7's feet (middle) compared to the micro feet of some of the other Logitech offerings:
I'm going to get the MV-Revolution, but I'm interested to see what Logitech comes out with this year to replace these two great first gen products:
The G15 needs better keys (that don't wear off) and a larger, more useful LCD display would be nice. Maybe an ergo version of it too.
Posted: August 25, 2006, 5:13 pm
by cadalano
still weighs 10lbs? CHECK
no tx
i fuckin love logitech's simpler mice though.. the ones that are almost identical to the intellimouse. and the G15 is still pretty bitchin.. i agree on the keys. I wish the backlighting was done differently so it actually illuminated something on the surface of the key. At the wrong angle everything becomes pretty much unreadable. It also needs the ability to loop macros (might already, but i havent figured it out)
Posted: August 25, 2006, 6:19 pm
by Winnow
cadalano wrote:still weighs 10lbs? CHECK
I like the heavier mice as long as they have good feet. If you want lighter, the G7 is lighter, being a gaming mouse.
Posted: August 25, 2006, 6:24 pm
by Aslanna
My MX-1000 is still good enough for me. While you do get used to the weight (at least I did) it wouldn't hurt if it was lighter. Guess it's a tradeoff for the battery life. It pretty much lasts a week between recharges.
As far as the G15 keyboard.. Not sure I'd get it again. In the dark it's a bit hard to see the keys with a larger monitor since it washes them out. They need to be at least twice as bright. So far the keys haven't worn off though.
And no I can't 100% touchtype so leave me alone. At least with the G15. The previous keyboard I had been using a similar layout for 10 years so didn't make many mistakes while using it.
Posted: August 28, 2006, 7:16 pm
by *~*stragi*~*
my g-15 hasn't had any of the paint wear off the keys yet
Posted: August 28, 2006, 7:31 pm
by Winnow
*~*stragi*~* wrote:my g-15 hasn't had any of the paint wear off the keys yet
It must be the leftover turpentine on my hands I use to beat off with that's doing it!
I think only the earlier G15's had the worn key issue and then Logitech corrected the problem.
Posted: August 28, 2006, 7:58 pm
by Neost
Love my recently acquired mx-1000. Got used to the weight pretty quick, slides nice on the desktop, seems plenty accurate enough.
I need a good wireless keyboard. The one I have right now is a chintzy, low-end logitech my kids got me for my b'day. It had a sucky mouse with it so I went and bought the mx-1000 to use with it instead.
I'm mainly still using the keyboard so i don't piss the kids off about the b'day part of it. They should know better than to buy me tech without my prior knowledge and input.
fucking kids.
I thought they went away after 18 years.
Posted: August 29, 2006, 2:51 am
by Xouqoa
I have a G5 (which is the same as the G7 but wired, I think?) and I love it. I used the MX1000 before I got the G5 but it started flaking out on me during WoW sessions and when doing graphic stuff, so I retired it to a back up for my laptop. The G5 has been great and I like the fact that I can make it heavy - I prefer that to a lightweight mouse.
The big pads are definitely > small pads.
Posted: August 29, 2006, 9:36 am
by Siji
Xouqoa wrote:The big pads are definitely > small pads.
Size doesn't matter.
Posted: August 31, 2006, 1:06 pm
by miir
Hey winnow, do you steal your computer hardware as well?
Posted: August 31, 2006, 1:23 pm
by Winnow
miir wrote:Hey winnow, do you steal your computer hardware as well?
One thing I won't be stealing is your lame one-liners.
Posted: September 4, 2006, 10:21 pm
by Midgen
I just picked one of these up at CompUSA for $99.
Only had it a few minutes.
It's definitely lighter than the MX-1000.
It 'feels' smaller in your hand, even though it has larger footprint. Personally I have large hands and liked the size and weight of the MX-1000 better.
For those who thought the MX-1000 was too heavy or too large, should enjoy this.
The thumb wheel on the left is a toggle kind of thing that when activated either forward or back, activates the Windows "Flip" window, allowing you to select any active window from a list.
The small square button behind the mouse wheel is an auto-search kind of thing. It allows you to highlight (select) some text, any text, and press the button, and it will automatically open a web browser with search results.
The scroll wheel has a nice feel to it. It has a ratchet effect, and still spins very freely. The clicks are very positive.
Buttons feel great.
It looks as good in person as the pictures indicate. It doesn't feel quite as substantial as the MX-1000 does to me, but some people will probably like that.
Posted: September 5, 2006, 1:54 am
by Winnow
I found a couple mini reviews on Hard[op]. I'm undecided now on the Revolution. The more I think about it, the more I'm happy with the G7, it's weight, shape, accuracy, and my large mouse feet fettish. I've since reprogrammed the right wheel tilt button to be my Forward button so that solves my lack of a Forward thumb button. If the thumb scroll can't be reprogrammed, which is what the reviews are saying, it's not much use to me as I don't use the ALT-Tab method of switching Apps often.
Nice to have so many great mouse choices from Logitech.
Well for anyone who is interested I have some thoughts on the MX Revolution vs. the G5 and G7 series mice.
I used this mouse a bit on Friday and found that it was well built and a fairly neat mouse. I liked the number of buttons and found it to be adequate for general use. I purchased mine on my lunch break on Friday, and then used it some at work. I took it home that evening and let it charge. Late night Friday, and all through Saturday and Sunday I used the MX Revolution to see if I would keep it and replace my G5 mouse which I have been using since they were released.
I've been using this mouse all weekend while editing photos, playing games as well as general web surfing. Over long periods of time my hands will cramp while using this mouse. The MX Revolution is very narrow and resting your hands on the two thumb buttons feels the best, but if you need to lift the mouse even slightly it becomes awkward.
Resting your hand on the thumbwheel is very comfortable for the most part, but again while playing games or lifting the mouse it quickly becomes a chore. My hands would cramp after an hour of UT2004 or so. I am normally one of the first people to criticize individuals who complain about mouse weight. I generally tell those people to go workout. I never thought mouse weight could be an issue until now. The uncomfortable positioning of the hand on certain parts of the mouse combined with its weight could potentially cause you minor pain in the form of cramping.
The thumbwheel can not be mapped to do anything but zoom (for text) or serve as a kind of Alt-Tab function. Similar to what the application switcher button does. In games I had a very difficult time mapping the two thumb buttons. When using the Logitech software I found I could map the buttons, but only if I mapped the buttons as a keyboard key in the Logitech software first. Again the thumb wheel was almost completely worthless. When trying to bind functions to it, UT2004 specifically records it as a control key. No matter what I set the thumb wheel for, it always would switch between two weapons. The highest end weapon I had, and the shield gun. I used the MX Revolution with Prey as well, and found no binding problems, but you need less buttons for Prey. I am a pretty avid translocator user and I prefer to have my translocator mapped to the thumb button in UT.
As far as responsiveness, the G5 and G7 definitely track faster. In addition I miss the sensitivity adjustments you can perform on the fly with the G5 and G7. I was a big fan of this for sniper rifle use. I am a higher sensitivity player, and find the slower response modes are useful for making sniper shots. It was hard going back to using a mouse at the same speed full time. Additionally when it came to tracking I noticed a couple of instances where the MX Revolution would skip and occasionally act more like the MX1000 rather than the G5 and G7. The latter mentioned G5 and G7 never skip or stutter while in use. Even when the G7 is nearly completely out of power, it still works the same up until it completely dies.
Accuracy and speed are superior to the MX1000 but not as good as the aforementioned G5 and G7. When manipulating photos or making sniper shots I found the mouse to get a bit jittery when moving short distances at low speeds. The mouse also seems to track about as well as the G-Series on all the same surfaces. I tried the MX Revolution on my Black S&S Steelpad (The plastic Steelpad) and it worked well. Another downside is that when using the default Windows XP drivers, the mouse was far more accurate than it was when the Logitech software was loaded. I have often found this to be the case with Logitech mice, so this was no surprise. The unfortunate thing is that the side buttons are unmappable when using the default XP drivers. This has never been the case with the MX500, 510, 518 or G-Series. All of which I own and have used with the Microsoft driver.
The battery life of the MX Revolution is superior to the G7 but not as good as the MX1000. The MX Revolution reported 13-15 days of battery life under full charge and the MX1000 supposedly can go for 21 days without being charged. This is compared to the 16 hours or less I've seen the G7 operate. (Though the G7's saving grace is that it has two battery packs that are replacable in seconds.)
The quality of the mouses construction is overall pretty good. The shell is very solid and pleasing to the eye. Though unlike the G5, G7 and even older or lower end mice, the MX Revolution clunks when set down. If you shake it you'll hear rattling of the guts (which are heavy by the way)
Another annoyance that I found was that the MX Revolution try's to anticipate your scroll wheel mode speeds and needs. I often found that the auto wheel mode selection would happen at the wrong times. Fortunately you can turn this feature off.
The ergonomics are an aquired taste. Some people may like them and some will certainly not like them. Accuracy is good but not as good as some other mice Logitech has on the store shelves today. At the price point the MX Revolution commands I just don't think that it is worth the investment. If you are in the market for a new wireless mouse and don't mind the cost, it is worth looking at, but as a gamer your G5's, Copperheads and even the G7 would serve you far better overall.
I decided to pick up the new Logitech MX Revolution today to get it a test whirl. I currently use a MX518 which is by far one of the single greatest mice I have ever used.
That aside, (Sorry no pics search google for those) here is a mini review for those who are on the fence or simply unsure about the mouse.
Build:
Logitech has pumped out another solidly built mouse. It does have a bit of wieght to it. Coming from the MX518 (Corded light weight mouse) this thing feels like it takes a bit of pushing to get the cursor to move around. Shaking the mouse results in a slight rattle from the internals. This has been reported by others and does not seem to be a problem. Rather it is simply the design mechanic of the smart-shift technology.
Plug-N-Play:
Plugged in the USB adpater that came with it and I was off and running. I tested the mouse with Windows XP (x32), Windows XP (x64), Windows 2003 Standard/Enterprise Server, Ubuntu 6.06. All worked with no problems. You will have some troubles in Ubuntu if you want to customize your mouse as the installer is soley for windows.
Gaming:
If you are a serious FPS shooter, I will not recommened this mouse to you. Its simple weight and lack of DPI adjustment knock it out of the market. I personally will be sticking to my MX518 for any FPS. However, this is not to say I down right think this mouse sucks for FPS. I tried it out in F.E.A.R and Quake 4 and it worked like a charm. Granted I am not a large player of FPS Multiplayers (where I think this mouse would fall) but in terms of simple Single Player campaign mode for any FPS this mouse would suit the average / above average gamer just fine. So I wouldn't really listen to the people saying this mouse is not for gamers. To be more accurate there statements should read "Not right for the hardcore gamer"
However, if you are my type, (i.e. the World of Warcraft type) the Revolution is just fine for it. I would simply boil it down to say, if you are not playing intense fast played FPS this mouse will do just fine in any game.
Ease Of Use:
This mouse Glides, and boy does it glide. Even with the weight of the mouse, the cursor will glide along your screen with ease. It takes a bit of getting used to but once you do its pretty nice.
Ergonomics:
I must say I enjoy this mouse more than I do the MX518 from a "I spend lots of time on the computer" standpoint. Its very comfortable. You can rest your hand in/on it and it feels natural. The MX518 did give me some cramping problems after prolonged gaming, though I have yet to test the Revolution in a long term gaming session. In terms of "I like to jump on a game everyone once in a while, but for the most part I do work" this mouse is heaven to your hand.
Straight Up Dumbed Down Comparison:
MX518: Gamer Mouse. Quick, comfortable, adjustable DPI.
MX Revolution: Work Mouse. Comfortable, long battery life, for the average gamer.
FAQ:
How is the Smart Shift Technology:
I actually find myself using this feature a lot, especially now that school has started up again. Its very nice to simply enable the Fee-Spin feature and let it go. Its also great for forums like this, when i just need to get to a section fast. Whats also very nice, is the "smart" technology is actually pretty smart. It picked up on when I wanted to quickly go through the forum and enabled free spin and adjusted the speed so it wasn't going insanely quick, but quicker that a manual way would have gotten me. (That was a terribly long sentenace)
How is Document Flip:
Very nifty. You will need to install the software to get this feature to work. It essentially replaces Alt-Tab. I can see myself taking full advantage of this feature.
I hear you can get kicked out of games easily with the button positioning:
I am going to sound very childish, but unless you are stupid this isnt a problem. Furthermore with the SetPoint software you can change how the buttons function, so you can essentially remove this problem all together.
Search Button:
Useless. I'd remap it to something else. I think if you get in the habit of using it though, say in the sense of "having a button on your mouse to launch your browser", then it would be very handy.
Can you change the middle mouse button to a standard middle click:
Nope. Nadda. Can't do it. Sorry mates.
Breaking Information: Rejoice! I have found a way to mimic the functionality of the middle click. Please read below the original post to find out how.
If I had to give the Revolution a Score out of 10 (Being the best) Id give it:
8.5/10
Bottom Line:
Not worth 99.99 + Tax. Its a darn awesome mouse thats for sure, but if you have a MX518 or better I doubt this would be worth your time. I'll be keeping mine around for a bit and see how it fairs. I might end up keeping it but thats me.
Hope this mini review helps some of you.