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View Full Version : On the new G5: a review


Mango_Juice
07-10-2008, 11:27 AM
http://www.ozhardware.com.au/images/stories/review_images/Input%20Devices/Logitech%20G5%2007/top.jpg

How ironic that about a month ago, I eagerly awaited my G5 in the mail. It is not a bad mouse at all, there are somethings about that have searching for other options.

The mouse has the signature obtuse logitech ergonomic shape for right handers, which I can only describe as perfect, an almost custom fit (keep in mind i have tried the MSE mice and the overexpensive razer mice are probably gonnna be like the dell mouse im using atm). There is even a groove for where your thumb rests so it doesn't drag when you swipe. The second thing probably most notable about the device is the design. It is black with blue reptilesque scales, all of which screams out "nerd", however I gobble it up anyway. It still looks cool 8^*B. There are about 7 buttons in total: left click and right click, a dpi increaser and a dpi decreaser, and on the left of the mouse are 1 mouse4 button and 1mouse5 button. There is also the scrollwheel itself.

There is an adjustable weight system included in the g5. it comes with custom weights of up to I think 8, 1.7grams and 8, 4.5grams. That's certainly a cool feature for a person into customization and/or gaming edges. I also thought it would be useful for a person switching over from an old mouse to make the switch as seamless as possible. I tried them once, and took out both the weights and the weight cartridge, simply not for me. however they go right on the buttom of your mouse, so it's very inconspicious.

Now to holding it. it turns out the blue and black nerdy design is actually textured to feel as "scaley" as it looks. however, it came off as more stucco than scaley. i don't think i've ever slipped on my mouse, but i probably won't now. very neat, I thought to myself. I found myself just stroking it for at least five minutes O.O (im lonely) uh, what else is neat? the mousewheel can be tilted to the sides for horizontal scrolling (if you look closely at it, the mousewheel seems to be broken because it is slightly off center, but that's just logitech's ergonomic design which does prove itself). wow this thing just keeps getting better an better. However the scrollwheel itself is very hard to press. In addition there is a really neat dpi indicator with showed what dpi your mouse was at (the defaults are 400, 800, 2000?) I remember just spamming the - dpi button with my 518, even when i didn't need to.

On Fragging: my expectations were admitedly high. just coming off the 518 which insists on breaking on me (probably my fault) and knowing what a demon of a mouse that was, i was expecting alot out of this fancy schmancy new laser engine and updated mouse period, after all this is the NEW g5. i dunno, more headshots right? yeh, well not really. my ingame sens definetly felt higher than normal, but after finding my right sens all seemed well. It performed just as well, if not better than my 518 and that is saying alot. so i was very happy except for a couple nagging details. first of all, if i moved the mouse too fast for those sinister 180 randeags, it would freeze up and in the worst cases look up at the sky. very very annoying because I play free for all deathmatches and you need to turn for that stuff gong on. at first i thought it was because I actually lift my mouse off my pad at times when i turn, so i stopped that habit. yet, it still continued. So I actually had to adjust and learn to turn as fast I could without no breaking that threshold. so i was turning slower than normal. Not a deal breaker, yet... I now know that it is a common problem and it is because i didn't have a laser mouse pad, i was using a dark, dirty qck heavy. Laser mice usually do this on dark and/or reflective surfaces (which are good for optical mice, i believe). according to logitech support, the best surface for laser mice are light, non-reflective surfaces with a non uniform design. off the top of my head, i think of the steelpad 5L (as if my mouse track through the 1st layer :/). so that was dissapointing. bullspit, laser mice probably can't be turned too quickly. I should mention that i use 1.2 ingame sens., 6/11 windows, and 400 dpi.

In addition, I was noticing that i had a little bit of mouse accel, as I was aiming. it's not a problem related to the mouse; it is just because I use windows vista and mousefix doesn't work. it's not a huge problem, but after i've used it for so long, i can definetly notice it affecting my aiming. at times im either overaiming or underaiming in an effort not to overaim, a bit. how happy was i to realize that the new setpoint drivers could remove it (i never used drivers with my 518). so used the drivers and started owning bitches, but whenever my drivers are on my mouse4 button would not work and i use it to talk in vent. this apperantly is another common problem. none of the fixes i have seen thus far seem promising... I decided to go Spawn for a while and play with mouse accel. it's not too bad.. after all you shouldn't be aiming in cs anyway ;) Aside from that, setpoint is a preety amazing software if you're not already using secondary registry editors. for instance, i can set my mouse usb polling rate and it actually stays @ 500 hz constant which didn't happen with my previous mouse. I think using 1000 hz was what kept killing my 518 though.

the final verdict:
- the laser tracker isn't all the hype it carries, optical is just as good, unless you actually use 2000 dpi...
- make sure you have a laser ready mousepad
- im going back to the logitech mx518, probably the best CS mouse on the market. definetly the most of your money's worth.

4/5 on the G5 from me
but the mx518 gets a 4.5/5

asdf
07-10-2008, 12:09 PM
I'm not a fan of laser mouses ~_~
I have a mx510, and i'm perfectly happy with that.

Mango_Juice
07-10-2008, 12:55 PM
and you should, check this out:
http://www.esreality.com/?a=longpost&id=1265679&page=22

http://www.esreality.com/files/placeimages/2006/50190-results_mousescore2007.png

SexaCuti0n3r
07-10-2008, 01:11 PM
I wouldn't really say there's a hype for laser tracking. If anything, it gets bashed more than anything due to ignorant optical users afraid of change or when one person has a bad experience, they all hop on the bandwagon and bash it when they themselves have never tried it. ANYWAYS, mice are just preference IMO. Every mouse that I have tried has tracked perfectly for me whether it was optical, laser or infrared on surfaces such as wood, glass, cloth or my kitchen counter top. Good review except for the, "im going back to the logitech mx518, probably the best CS mouse on the market. definetly the most of your money's worth." Yah, BS. That mouse4 button issue can be easily fixed if you haven't figured it out.

eKomstop
07-10-2008, 01:14 PM
mango nice writup... I think the g5 takes longer to get used to because all of the options... i havent run into any of the issues you have been so it could be that the drivers dont work well in vista... I COMPLETLY agree that you need a gaming mousepad for this mouse... I have a rocketfish mouse pad from best buy (reviews recommended it) and i LOVE it... it made me play atleast 1.5 times better :p

the one thing i wish they changed on the mouse (even though i dont even use mouse 4) is to add 2 buttons where the current mouse 4 is (like the mx 518 currently has)

I think the weights should only be used if you dont pick up your mouse alot... it adds to the smoothness of it.

eKomstop
07-10-2008, 01:17 PM
"im going back to the logitech mx518, probably the best CS mouse on the market. definetly the most of your money's worth." Yah, BS. That mouse4 button issue can be easily fixed if you haven't figured it out.


i agree that its the best for the money... but if you have to go ahead and buy a new one.... its not worth it... stick with the g5 :p

xty
07-10-2008, 01:49 PM
ball mouses all the way<3

cabreezy
07-10-2008, 01:54 PM
i never looked this much into a mouse before, whenever mine breaks i just get the cheapest optical mouse i can find. my mice take a lot of abuse too, especially when i'm cut in CS and if i get a bad beat in poker, i send it flying across the room.

eKomstop
07-10-2008, 01:58 PM
i never looked this much into a mouse before, whenever mine breaks i just get the cheapest optical mouse i can find. my mice take a lot of abuse too, especially when i'm cut in CS and if i get a bad beat in poker, i send it flying across the room.

what a wonderfull way to treat an investment... dont buy a new pc :p

Mango_Juice
07-10-2008, 02:12 PM
I wouldn't really say there's a hype for laser tracking. If anything, it gets bashed more than anything due to ignorant optical users afraid of change or when one person has a bad experience, they all hop on the bandwagon and bash it when they themselves have never tried it. ANYWAYS, mice are just preference IMO. Every mouse that I have tried has tracked perfectly for me whether it was optical, laser or infrared on surfaces such as wood, glass, cloth or my kitchen counter top. Good review except for the, "im going back to the logitech mx518, probably the best CS mouse on the market. definetly the most of your money's worth." Yah, BS. That mouse4 button issue can be easily fixed if you haven't figured it out.


mango nice writup... I think the g5 takes longer to get used to because all of the options... i havent run into any of the issues you have been so it could be that the drivers dont work well in vista... I COMPLETLY agree that you need a gaming mousepad for this mouse... I have a rocketfish mouse pad from best buy (reviews recommended it) and i LOVE it... it made me play atleast 1.5 times better :p

the one thing i wish they changed on the mouse (even though i dont even use mouse 4) is to add 2 buttons where the current mouse 4 is (like the mx 518 currently has)

I think the weights should only be used if you dont pick up your mouse alot... it adds to the smoothness of it.

well you got me there, but i personally was hyped up. with the g5, the site i linked cleared it up for me. basically if you're a low sens. user and break 1.3 m/s while moving, the g5 will "malfunction". I guess that's why we had different experiences. Agreed on mouse4, but it still happened. and maybe saying "the best" was too strong, but i stand where i say the performance/price ratio is sweet.

make no mistake, im saying it now: this mouse is AMAZING, just not for me and less amazing than mx518.

mouse4 as in the left top button dj, where my thumb hits :D

asdf
07-10-2008, 09:51 PM
I would be much happier if my MX510 wasn't broken though.
haha

Raul
07-11-2008, 06:36 AM
http://images.tigerdirect.com/SkuImages/gallery/large/M17-1704-a.jpg


best mouse ever...

eKomstop
07-24-2008, 03:40 PM
http://images.tigerdirect.com/SkuImages/gallery/large/M17-1704-a.jpg


best mouse ever...

is that a microsoft mouse? if so i have that here at work :P... it does what i need it to do...