Logitech G5 Weighted USB 2.0 Laser Gaming Mouse

For some reason, optical mice never worked out for me; it seems like regardless of the surface I use them on, they've always given me tracking problems at one point or another, sometimes to the point that using my optical mouse was about as bad as using a mechanical mouse with a gunked-up ball. I seem to be the only person I know with this problem, though; everyone else I know thinks optical mice are a godsend but somehow I've just found them to have their own set of annoying frustrations.In any case, I decided to give this laser mouse a go, and I'm pleased. Aside from the flawless tracking that this mouse provides, it's got a very solid feel to it. And after I got the very buggy software it comes with to work, I appreciated the 10 buttons it provided me for playing World of Warcraft.The software, dubbed "SetPoint", is a pain to use. Out-of-the-box, WoW wouldn't recognize any of the buttons other than the standard ones, which was understandable, but once I configured the SetPoint software to have the extra buttons simulate keystrokes, WoW still wouldn't recognize them. After doing some hunting online, I found out that a new major version of SetPoint had been released, yet oddly enough the "check for updates" feature of my SetPoint software disagreed, so I had to manually download the 45mb installer from Logitech's website.Upgrading didn't fix my problem, unfortunately. After fiddling around with the plethora of confusing settings and scouring the internet for hints, I eventually found that I needed to enable "Game Detection" but disable "Apply Game Settings when a game is detected", as useless a combination as that seemed. Doing this made my extra buttons work but broke my middle mouse button, causing World of Warcraft to freeze for 2 seconds every time I pressed it. Then I found out that I had to remap "Button 3" from "Zoom" to "Generic Button" in the "All Programs" configuration, while keeping that same button mapped to "Zoom" in the "World of Warcraft" configuration.All that annoyance aside, though, I guess I'd still recommend the mouse overall, because once you spend an hour or two getting past the confusing configuration, the mouse works great.

I have been using Microsoft Intellimouse for many years, both at home and at work. The problem has always been that my right hand ring finger would hang off the side of the mouse and drag on the mouse pad. After many years of gaming and working abuse, my fingers have developed different forms of tendentious. Currently, it affects my ring finger the most, simply because it sits so much lower than my other fingers. This started my search for a new, more comfortable mouse.It is well known that computer products designed for gamers are also designed with ergonomics in mind. The gamer is known to play for hours - the mouse needs to be able to support the hand position and its movement for all those hours. I chose the Logitech G5 for many reasons. First, the shape of the mouse now puts my irritated ring finger on the mouse itself - it no longer drags on the side. The mouse happens to be shaped better for my hand, so I cup the entire thing. This removed the necessity for severe wrist movement while operating the mouse. I can use my arm more than anything.A few things separate this mouse from anything else I have every used. First, it is a laser mouse. It is leaps and bounds above an optical mouse. It is capable of 2000 dpi, which is an extremely fast movement - faster than anyone really needs. But at about 800 dpi, the mouse is perfect to control. Since the dpi is customizable, you can configure it to your liking. The bottom line is that you don't need much effort to move this mouse to where you want to go. This saves countless amounts of stress on your arm and hand as you work the computer. Less effort = less stress. So far, I can play a game for hours without my ring finger throbbing in pain.This mouse also has a dpi control feature. You can use the software to set up to 5 dpi settings, which means you can change the sensitivity of the mouse on the fly. Playing a first person game with a sniper rifle and want absolute control? Drop it down a few dpi. Working in Photoshop doing pixel by pixel touch up or working on the details in Autocad? Drop the dpi down a notch. Want to speed up for web surfing? Click the button up and your mouse will go much faster. You can set any dpi by using the software and change its mode whenever and wherever you need it by using the buttons on the mouse.The mouse wheel is a typical wheel, but with the added feature of left and right movement. Now you can scroll left and right and up and down within one web page. This is also very useful in Photoshop and the web.The mouse also comes with a weight control system. I thought this was a gimmick, but it turns out to be very clever. You can add weight to a cartridge then slip it into the mouse to make it heavier. Some people, especially those who are used to wireless mice will find that this makes it feel like there are batteries. Personally, I keep the cartridge empty, but I like the option and it very well designed. If I want to make it heavier for very precise work (like Photoshop), it will only take seconds to make the mouse heavier.One reviewer who wrote about this product gave it a bad review because of how the mouse worked within games. His arguments are somewhat valid. If you start a game, it will only recognize the two main mouse buttons (left and right). However, if you explore the mouse software and all its abilities, you will find that you CAN customize the mouse and its buttons and have it work in any game (even the thumb button). You do this by going to the Advanced Game Settings and actually finding the .EXE file that runs the game. Adding it to the list will unlock all the mouse functions within the game. I don't know why Logitech made it this way, and it is certainly a pain-in-the-neck to do for each game, but I know it works and I don't want people to not buy this fantastic mouse because of what was previously written. In addition, the person reviewing this mouse stated that he was missing his targets and icons on his computer. That has happened to me too, and I found that if you turn off "mouse acceleration" and the "smart mouse" options, the mouse moves at a legitimate speed. Once I turned those off, I can hit my target with precision.The bottom line is that the mouse software is very complex and needs to be explored in order to get the full potential from this mouse. Most gamers will be able to do this and Logitech does provide a help button on every menu. Once configured, this is a dream mouse. It is easy to use and contoured perfectly for my hand. If you are looking for a mouse to help ease your pain, then this is it. If you are looking for a mouse to increase your gaming performance, than buy this mouse now. I have already increased my accuracy in Half-Life 2 and F.E.A.R. because of the laser and the control over the dpi. I have been very happy with the mouse and I recommend it to all PC users. The only negative - it does not come with MAC OSX software and Logitech does not have any of their website, so I will have to wait to upgrade my mouse at work. Otherwise, this is a perfect mouse - well designed, well made, and very, very precise.

Will not install on a new, fresh, PC with nothing else installed. The first thing I needed to install was mouse & Keyboard. Key board no problem. Setpoint software will not install NO MATTER WHAT! No help from Logitech, did everything in FAQ..... THREE TIMES. WILL NOT INSTALL. I have thrown it away. Installed Razor copperhead in 2.66 min., wasted 6.25 hours and could not get Logitech to work. I have been using PC's since they were invented and never have failed to install anything, software or hardware. Until now. Never owned a keyboard or Mouse that were not Logitech, until now.... I support Razor.... they install, not lockup.They are not trying. Good Luck to you with yours.

this is a bit more expensive than some of the other gaming mice available but well worth it. consider it an investment.i did a lot of research before finally narrowing it down to the razor Mamba. microsoft sidewinder or Logitech G7. weighing up the pros and cons (firmware updates, build quality, ease of battery replacement) the G7 had the edge.buying this gaming mouse and i can honestly say it is even better than i expected. i know some people have concerns over lag with cordless gaming mice but there isn't any. i play the latest games including Bad Company 2 & Modern Warfare 2 and there is no lag or delay, the mouse is extremely responsive.i have had it almost a month now and have no criticisms of it. i love how it gives me a warning when the battery needs charged and i am able to quickly swap it with the other one supplied. I use my mouse a lot and even on normal charge the backup battery is ready when i need it.a friend of mine who is a games designer and gadget freak tried it and said that it is the best mouse he's ever used and was shocked at how comfortable it is. needless to say he's trying to get one.The only problem with this mouse (in black carbon fibre) is that it is very difficult to find in the UK. i got the last one from this seller.by the way the seller was great and delivery speedy.If you are successful and do manage to get this mouse you will not be disappointed.