New features include a reworked CPI switch, onboard memory to store settings and profiles, and the ability to change the shape of the mouse via a shell attachment system.

Category: Mice
Manufacturer: Logitech
Product: G9
Gallery: Click Here
Price:$65.97

{multithumb} I could go on and on about the history of Logitech, but quite frankly, they need no introduction to gamers. We have gone on and on in previous reviews, but I feel there is no reason to repeat myself as Logitech is a “household name” in the gaming industry. They are a successful company with excellent products. The G series of mice started with the G5 as a follow up to the successful MX series of mice. The G series was one of the first in the era of laser mice in gaming. Not too long ago, the G9 entered the market at a retail price of $99.99, claiming new innovations and the quality that Logitech brings to every product it makes. New features include a reworked CPI switch, onboard memory to store settings and profiles, and the ability to change the shape of the mouse via a shell attachment system. Is this innovation or just creative gimmicks?

It arrives…

Standard Logitech packaging encloses the mouse securely and effectively. A clever surprise was the way the box opened diagonally; the pictures depict this better than any paragraph I could write. Inside contains the mouse, additional shell, weights, driver CD, and a manual.

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I had seen pictures online, but it was not until I held it in my hand that I knew there may be a problem with the new direction Logitech was headed with this mouse; It didn’t have the same Logitech comfort that I and most other gamers have become accustomed to. One thing I will say is that Logitech has learned the meaning of gamer mouse feet. Previously their mouse feet were tiny and quick to gunk up and fall off. Nowadays in Logitech’s gaming mice and even their consumer mice you can find nice, large, proper feet for comfortable use and impressive glide.

Everything was quick to install, the mouse recognized without the drivers and the DPI switching worked at the preprogrammed levels. To be honest, after reading through other reviews I had come to the conclusion that there are no serious gamers in today’s tech journalism. It would seem that FPSLabs is unique in the fact that we are, have been, and continue to be the only serious gamers in the review scene. The G9 has recieved rave reviews from many publications and I honestly wasn’t seeing why. However, this is the reason that reviews do not just stop on the introductory page. I encourage you to read on through our rigorous testing of this mouse that goes above and beyond wannabe gamer tech reviews.
{mospagebreak heading=Introduction&title=Shapes}
Shapes

As always, I need to emphasize the fact that reviewing mice is extremely subjective. Every gamer chooses his mouse based on his own comfort in grip, speed, texture and looks. Logitech has been a major player for a long time due to the fact they have one of the most commonly used comfortable shapes and grip styles in the gaming industry. The G and MX styles have been based on a very ergonomic, full-grip style for years. Surprisingly, the G9 departs from this commonly accepted, successful, highly acclaimed shape. This was perhaps the most alarming fact when this mouse was first announced.

In the name of innovation, Logitech announced the ability to change the shape of your mouse via a mechanical shell system. While this would seem like a very sharp move, it apparently made it impossible to stick with their original shape. The method for changing the shells is a simple button press for release and a snap on to attach to the base. The shell attached to the mouse base without so much as a rattle. Quite honestly, I had expected at least a slightly loose attachment here and was pleasantly surprised.

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The shapes included in the box are low, boxy, and flat, resulting in a very different grip style. Shell #1 has a rough texture and sharp angles. Shell #2 is a bit more rounded, wider, has a larger flange protruding for the thumb, and has a powder smooth texture. I personally found neither shape to be all that comfortable and was rather disappointed because this renders a great idea useless without additional shapes for purchase. This brings me to my next point: after dishing out $99.99 on a mouse, having to purchase another shell at an additional cost would really piss me off.

Other features

The weight system is exactly the same as it was on the G5. No changes were made and, in my opinion, none were necessary. The implementation is solid, centered, and easy to use just as before. One minor thing that would be nice is something that was done with the Sidewinder mouse, and that was making the weight case useful for something, such as a cord holder. Combine this with the shell you aren’t using and you better have a storage bin for the items that come in this box that you won’t ever use but once.

DPI settings, profiles, side buttons, and scroll wheel will be discussed in the performance and testing area of this review.
{mospagebreak title=Performance and Testing}

Performance and Testing

Games:

• Team Fortress 2
• Call of Duty 4
• Counterstrike (CS 1.6 and CSS)
• Portal
• BioShock

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Player Classes (Probable DPI rating):

• Scout (Fastest/Highest)
• Assault (Fast/High)
• Heavy (Medium/Mid)
• Sniper (Slow/Low)

After hours of testing on multiple surfaces (cloth/hard/hybrid), I conclude that laser has grown to become as reliable an engine as optical. While laser has always had a better technical precision, the performance was lacking on certain surfaces due to skipping problems. The G9 was near perfect, as I was only able to cause the mouse to skip three times on a matless wooden surface. These skips could easily be attributed to the surface and not the mouse.

Team Fortress 2 was a true test for this mouse due to the sheer number of gameplay styles within the game. As a scout, I jacked up the DPI and flew through the map with ease. Even at a high DPI there were no skipping problems whatsoever. As a sniper, I had a true feel for what it was like to switch your DPIs on the fly. I would lower my DPI two notches while scoped and firing. When my position was compromised and people started moving in, I would switch to machine gun and up the DPI. While the mouse performed flawlessly on all DPI levels during sweeps, flicks, and what have you, I have to say that the actual act of switching the DPIs was horrible as the buttons are located underneath your index finger.

While onboard memory is becoming a must in gaming grade mice (for LAN events where drivers are not always tolerated), I feel that Logitech took this feature too far. By this I mean the ability to store too many profiles with too many DPI levels per profile. This sounds asinine, but consider the time you have to react in game if you are any kind of a decent gamer. The fact is that during my extensive time with this mouse I used all of one profile and three DPI settings once I was properly adjusted. For testing purposes I set up multiple profiles and tried out the various features, but once that was completed I used just one profile. I had one low setting for Photoshop precision, a mid-low and a mid-high for gaming. Frankly, it is my belief and personal experience that only two DPI settings if any are necessary for gaming. I have seen some gamers use three on occasion, but never more. To have more than this is honestly a marketing gimmick.

The the profiles could be configured via the drivers and would then be assigned a color. This color is used to illuminate the meter on the top of the mouse for an easy recognition of what profile you are currently using. This is a decent implementation of a profile system, but the location of the meter and the buttons to switch the DPI are located directly below the left mouse button underneath your index finger, making it impossible to know anything about your settings other than by the color emanating from under you finger. The use of a discrete buttons for 2-3 different DPI settings down the center or on the side would have not only reduced the number of actions required by the user, but allowed it to be referenced more quickly and easily. The Ikari from SteelSeries has a fantastic DPI implementation that completely dominates this style. Gaming is about speed and reactions and anything that hinders this is a con in my book. Now, I understand that this type of implementation would have been next to impossible with the shell switching system, but then again, it is the belief of this gamer that Logitech should have stuck with what has been working for them for many years.

The scroll wheel is implemented well with a metal wheel and a rubber grip strip down the center. The G9 implements two methods of scrolling, one being the standard detented, mechanical scroll and the other being a smooth, free spin style. I love them both and would use each in different situations. For gaming, the detents are entirely necessary as this is how you typically switch weapons, while the smooth, free spin style is very comfortable while browsing and navigating documents. The style is switched with the push of a button on the bottom of the mouse and each method performs perfectly.

The side buttons are small and close together, which in my opinion is a poor decision. While again I realize the necessity due to the shell switching system implementation, I find it is too big of a sacrifice in the name of an “innovative” new feature. While I don’t mind the size of the buttons, it is the proximity of them that I found uncomfortable. The best implementation to date of side buttons are on the Razer DeathAdder, the Microsoft Intellimouse 3.0, and, most notably, the Microsoft SideWinder mouse. The side buttons are yet another feature that falls victim to the shell system.
{mospagebreak title=Conclusion}
Conclusion

Again, this is the opinion of one gamer, and what works and what doesn’t work for me could be completely different for another gamer that decided to use this mouse. Thus, I can’t blanket categorize this mouse as bad, but I can say that it would be a rejected design by the majority of gamers. The shell system was a fantastic idea that has fallen short. Not only has the feature itself disappointed in terms of comfort and size, but it has prohibited many other features from being properly and comfortably implemented. Logitech has a long standing and successful history in the gaming market and I have no doubts that their future products will be successful, but I can’t in good faith recommend this mouse to the majority of gamers. We, like millions of gamers, are huge fans of Logitech products, but other than the performance of its laser engine, the G9 is not what I would consider “gaming grade”.

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Pros

• Fantastic laser engine
• Good textures on the shells
• Solid scroll wheel and features
• Mouse feet are large and slick

Cons

• Side buttons proximity
• Location and implementation of CPI switching
• Shells/Shapes, while innovative, compromise other features
• Overpriced, especially considering that some gamers will be forced to spend more to get the shape they want.

Disappointing/Average | Rating Criteria | At the end of the day I was forced to give the G9 a 7.0, as we all had high hopes for this product and its innovative features. Unfortunately, the innovation caused too much to be sacrificed. This score is a direct reflection on the G9 product alone. Logitech as a company, through its superior products and its support of those products, deserves a score far above 10. Their customer support is second to none, and their product lines are usually nothing short of excellency. Unfortunately, we are not a business site and do not rate companies. The Logitech G9 could be done better and I would fully expect to see a second iteration of this product in the future.

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