Logitech has a very diverse computer hardware selection not only for the gamer but for everyone who owns a computer. The addition of the laser mouse was one that at first seemed like a gamers only area of the market but not only myself but my entire family has been switched to the high tech world of optical devices like the G5 Laser Mouse. For my wife to say that a more expensive device that only moves the cursor around your computer screen is nice is high praise indeed.
One feature that I really like that has nothing to do with gaming that jumped out at me was the back button for web browsing. I have never had a mouse that used this feature and I really like it. I know it’s lazy to not move my cursor up to the back arrow on the browser but for any serious computer user that spends any amount of time on their web browser or actually doing just about anything on a computer a good mouse with time saving features is a must.
The Logitech G5 Laser Mouse Battlefield 2142 Special Edition comes with the 2000 Dots per Inch Gaming Grade Laser. It has five programmable buttons as well as the two side to side movements of the scroll wheel. The mouse connects using a 500 reports per second USB cable that is six feet long. The G5 comes with the weight cartridge and eight each of the 1.7 and 4.5 gram weights. The driver disc is also included but you can download the entire software package from the Logitech website as well. The top of the gaming mouse has a nice picture from the game Battlefield 2142 as well as the illumination for the sensitivity adjustment.
When I first received a gaming mouse, the Razer Copperhead, I thought “How cool, a gaming mouse that I can use for gaming.” Since then my entire family agrees and so do many people who have used really good mice that gaming is not the only use a good mouse has. Of course you won’t connect your gaming mouse every time you start a computer game and only use it for gaming. A really good mouse like the G5 Laser Mouse from Logitech is not made just for gamers although it is highly marketed to them.
The Logitech G5 Laser Mouse is very ergonomic for the right hand and feels very good to hold and use. I really like the indents for the thumb and the feel of the coating on the areas that are commonly under my fingers. The sides of the mouse under my thumb, pinky and ring fingers is a rubber type material while the palm area and the two large left and right buttons are a smooth plastic with a picture from the popular game Battlefield 2142 from EA Games and Dice.
Other features I like are the adjustable weight and sensitivity. My wife does not like the weight of the gaming mouse when I have the cartridge installed so she just pops it out by pushing the button on the bottom of the mouse and setting it aside while she uses the computer. I like the weight and feel of something that is a little less flimsy while I’m gaming, especially during intense action like in the current hit BF2142. Yep, that is where this mouse excels, gaming and the features like 2000 dots per inch gaming grade laser and the on the fly sensitivity adjustment are great.
On the bottom of the mouse is a slot to insert the weight cartridge with the enclosed weights. The weights pop in and out but have a rubber gasket around the center so they stick in pretty tightly. I found that I had to use something to push them out of the plastic cartridge to change them. Enter the stick, I have a wooden dowel the size of a pencil I use for something else but this worked well and a pencil using the rubber eraser end would work just as well. You would not want to use anything flimsy as it takes a bit of effort to push the weights out. The mouse comes with a set of weights in both the 1.7 and 4.5 gram weight. You can pick and choose till you get the weight just right for your gaming or browsing pleasure and comfort.
There are a few adjustments and settings that come with the program for the G5 Laser Mouse. You can just use the mouse right out of the package with its plug and play connectivity but it is so much better with the program and drivers that come on the enclosed disc. After installing the mouse drivers you should update the software from the Logitech website to ensure you have all the most current drivers on your computer. The adjustment of the mouse sensitivity is really nice because you can not only adjust the speed that the mouse travels across the screen relative to how much you move the mouse but you can distinguish between the x and y axis to adjust each separately.
One thing I had noticed and wanted even before I was going to get this mouse was the difficulty in turning while at stationary turrets or in vehicles to move in a full circle. I would have to move my mouse over, pick it up and do it again to get the turret turned around completely. If I upped the sensitivity it would not work for the vertical view because I would move too quickly up and down. Now with the setting for the horizontal higher I use less movement to control the turning of my in game character better. Thus better gaming performance and scores for my video games.
The Logitech G5 SetPoint program that controls and sets your mouse features has a separate sensitivity setting for both axes. You can set each from 400 to 2000 DPI and this equates to being able to have the mouse move at a different rate for the vertical and horizontal axis. There are from one to five settings you can preprogram the mouse for and using the sensitivity wheel you can adjust either vertical or horizontal to your choice of settings. You can also have them linked at the same number so they move the same for both axes. This equates to having a different speed for the vertical and horizontal which is nice in gaming.
Each button on the G5 Laser Mouse can be assigned to various functions and you can set them according to applications like Microsoft Word, Internet Explorer, specific games or other programs. These settings can be things like scroll left and right or back depending on the application you set them up for. I find that this is a very useful function as I not only play video games often but write articles using Word and search the internet. With gaming the buttons and speed of the mouse movement is more important while the internet browsing and left right scroll are nice but I really like the back button.
It’s nice when a company thinks of the little time saving elements for their products as well as the larger and just as important things like durability and performance. The mouse wire is covered with a braided fabric I assume to protect it and prevent kinking which makes sense. The biggest problem I have had with optical mice in the past has been failure in the wire right near the mouse. The plastic on the bottom of the mouse is a PTFE plastic that is a Teflon polymer that makes for very smooth movement across a wide variety of surfaces.
The ergonomics of the mouse are one thing that is a comfort for the more frequent computer user, not just the gamer. I have found that a comfortable mouse will make long stretches at the computer less stressful. Also all the things like shortcuts using assignable buttons in separate programs like the back button is a joy when working on two or three different programs at once. You can assign different button functions according to the program. For instance the side button you click using your thumb can be assigned to back while in Internet Explorer but when I switch to Word I have it assigned to spell check.
It’s these small things that I like about the Logitech G5 mouse as well as the ergonomics and performance of the optical laser and smooth travel. The G5 Laser Mouse Battlefield 2142 Special Edition is a very good mouse and very well made.
I found the mouse rated very high in all areas except the software portion where I had to read up on it some. I think the average user would find this not difficult at all but it is not a completely simple installation for the SetPoint program and setting the button configurations. You can just plug it in and play it using the default settings but you would definitely be missing out on the great features of assigning the buttons in different programs. There is the help feature and it does explain things well so it is only a minor point and one that does not detract from the mouse in any appreciable way.
I would highly recommend the Logitech G5 Laser Mouse as well as the Battlefield 2142 Special Edition for gamers as well as frequent computer users. The G5 Laser Mouse is more than just for gaming and a comfort to use.
