Logitech G5 Gaming Mouse

Logitech's G5 gaming mouse, an enhanced version of the late MX518 (G3), has a host of fancy features that you never knew you needed. 

With its sleek cracked blue and black grip, optional weights, and DPI LCD, it would seem Logitech has struck the formula for gaming success.  The SetPoint software, although limited in many areas, is good enough to last you for starters.  SetPoint does not allow the user to set additional mouse buttons as Mouse4 or Mouse5, but only lets us set the buttons as keyboard binds or other functions.  Mouse4 and Mouse5 are very useful for talk-buttons, among other binds, and it is sad that Logitech has removed this functionality in their latest software update.  However, users can add lots of options with uberOptions (this will not be counted in the review, as it is 3rd-party content). 

The G5 is only 200 DPI higher than its predecessor, the G3, but at 2000 DPI, it's unlikely many gamers will be able to control much more than that.  The top-mounted LCD displays three levels of precision: 400, 800, and 2000 DPI, and is accompanied by two buttons to change the sensitivity.  Logitech further reveals their sensitive side by adding an invisible "Gaming-Grade Laser," and works flawlessly with optical-sensitive mousepads, such as Razer's eXactMat X.

Maintaining the G Series' renowned ergonomics engineering, the G5 has an indented thumb rest and curved shell to fit the hand.  The shape is easy to get used to, so you won't have to worry about embarrassing yourself too bad when you get the new mouse.  Polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) feet make the G5 glide across any surface, perfect for an afternoon of runnin' and gunnin' or Whack-a-Zombie.  Veteran zombie-whackers and spray-n-prayers will be happy to hear that the accompanying non-tangle cord will not coil up and drag you down.  The cord is braided, and measures in at about 2m (~6.4 ft) length.

Feel free to take a crack at your Mac friends and their one-button mice, because with the G5 you can brag about your nine! Logitech continues in their goal to give gamers of all genres plenty of macro & microing room.  By default, Logitech's SetPoint driver will let you set a lot of the most common commands as button functions, such as: Undo, Redo, Scroll Left/Right/Up/Down, cut, min/maximize, etc.  I found that the left-side front and back buttons are perfect for my ventrilo talk button and my Call of Duty 4 knife button (I set it to Keyboard: V).  Similar to a couple of other modern mice, the G5 also has Left / Right scroll buttons.  These can be used by pressing the middle-mouse button (mouse wheel) to the left or right, and are nice for leaning to either side in a game - Ideally, anyway.  I found them quite useless, and all these buttons do is make it hard to use the middle-mouse button, because half the time you end up pressing the left or right one.  I'm sure someone can find a use for these, but for shooting purposes, it's easier to just use the keyboard functions - and less harmful to your health.  Using the left / right scroll make it easy to lose control of the mouse in intense situations, rendering it an unlikely solution to your gaming needs.

The G5 has one outstanding feature that I really admire: the weights.  You can add on up to 36 grams of weight to the mouse, in three different locations.  The weight cartridge slides into the back-bottom of the mouse, and has a front, middle, and back slot, allowing you to change weight placement.  I personally went with what I call the "drifter" setup, with most of my weights in the rear end of the mouse, making it drift around the large mousemat that I have easily.  I prefer a heavier mouse, while many people prefer it to be light.  You can change this with the weights, and even change the displacement of weight with the aforementioned slots.  For example, if you feel like you are constantly dragging to one side or the other, you could place the 4.5 g weghts on the left or right, and the 1.7 g weights on the opposite side.  I set mine up so that it has 3x 4.5 g weights in the back, and 2 x 1.7 g weights in the middle, and 3 x 1.7 g weights in the front.  This adds 22 grams of weight to the defaulted light weight G5, and makes it nearly impossible to accidentally pick up or slide in the middle of a crucial shot.

The 4.5g weights are the same color as the 1.7g ones, unlike the picture above

Button Breakdown:

The Good: Mouse 4 and Mouse 5 buttons make it obvious that they are no longer an accessory, but a necessity.  DPI + and DPI - buttons make changing your mouse speed quick and simple, perfect for switching between gaming and other activities. LCD to display your current DPI setting is slick, and novel for mice.  Nine buttons that make development environments beautiful to work in, and gaming environments easier to own in.  Ergonomic molding fits the hand nicely, and makes it easy to hold for long gaming or work sessions.  The cracked blue and black scales on the top of the mouse feel nice, are easy to hold, and look fantastic!  The added grip sensation really helps to drag the mouse around.  36 grams of weight packed into an attractive G5 case add lots of maneuverability to the gaming audience, and is a feature that all mice should include.

The Bad: MML and MMR scrolling buttons are almost pointless, and very difficult to use.  The middle-mouse / scroll button becomes hard to use without accidentally depressing one of the middle-mouse right and left buttons.  SetPoint software is limited, and a user mod is required to get complete functionality and control of the mouse.  Lack of profiles is disappointing, meaning you will need to change the SetPoint software every time you want different options, making it almost pointless to have extra buttons outside of your standard environment (be it gaming or development).

Overall: If you are a gamer or frequent Adobe CSx user, you should seriously look into this mouse.  After upgrading from my dated G3, I found that keeping the DPI at 2000 is a much larger difference than you'd think.  The uberOptions mod for SetPoint software (although not counted in the grade) adds an abundance of options and profiles, making it effortless for the user to switch between their development and their gaming macros.  A great price-point at $40 from Newegg makes it a steal, and certainly inflicts fear in the hearts of rivals Microsoft and Razer, who make mice that reach $90.