There's not much that can be done with the humble computer mouse – an extra
scroll wheel here and there, swapping mouse-balls for optical sensors, and
adding extra buttons for web and document browsing. The basic concept, however,
remains the same.
With the MX Revolution,
Logitech has added some
minor but significant innovations.
The most obvious one is the addition of a second scroll wheel, on the
left-hand side. This doesn't scroll horizontally, but either zooms into
documents or selects an application, depending on the settings.
The top scroll wheel rocks back and forth as well as side-to-side. All the
buttons are customisable using Logitech's easy-to-use software.
The most interesting innovation is inside the scroll wheel – some mice have
wheels that click, scrolling one line at a time, while others scroll
continuously. The MX Revolution does both: the wheel can be set to click or will
automatically figure out when to scroll continuously.
The MX Revolution comes with its own charging station, as well as a wireless
adapter which attaches to a PC's USB port. It would have been nice to see some
sort of combined adapter which would both provide the wireless connection and
charge the mouse simultaneously.
The battery life is a small worry, with a full charge lasting only a week or
so with daily use. Our usual mouse, a Microsoft wireless model that uses a pair
of AA batteries, lasts at least a month with the same usage. That said,
recharging is easy, and if you leave it in the dock each night, there's no cause
for concern.
Rather than a red LED to detect motion, the mouse uses an invisible laser
beam, which means more accuracy than a standard optical mouse. It can also
operate on more types of surface.
With all things considered, it's not the clever new features that make the MX
Revolution worthwhile. The mouse is well-designed, and fits the average hand
snugly, although accidental button presses are regular until you get used to the
feel of it.
It's comfortable and easy to use, and although the new features are very
useful, it's the old-fashioned quality that means the MX Revolution will suit
those looking for a really good mouse.
At £80, it's not exactly cheap but it really is a cut above other mice.
Related
reviews
Nortek Office
200 Wireless Mouse
Verdict: At the other end of the price spectrum, the Nortek
Office 200 is an ultra-cheap, middle-of-the-road wireless mouse.
Rating: 3
Price: £21
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