Logitech G915 TKL Lightspeed Gaming Keyboard review
TechRadar Verdict
Get wireless gaming performance to rival that of wired ones with the Logitech G915 TKL Lightspeed. This stunner is compact, long-lasting, and customizable – not to mention, amazing to use whether you’re gaming or working. Is its price too much to pay for a cable-free experience? We don’t think so.
Pros
- +
Amazing tactile feedback and typing experience
- +
Gaming performance is top-notch
- +
Wireless multi-device connectivity is impressive
- +
Great battery life
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Two-minute review
The Logitech G915 TKL Lightspeed gaming keyboard has charisma in abundance, so we won’t be surprised if you’re already crushing on it before you even see it in its aluminum alloy flesh. It’s even more stunning in person, its low profile deck, switches and keycaps looking like no other mechanical keyboard on the planet.
And, it doesn’t skate on its looks alone either. The Logitech G915 TKL Lightspeed might just be one of the best meetings of form and factor.
It delivers excellent gaming performance, unwavering wireless connectivity, and an elevated experience alongside its captivating aesthetic and robust build. There’s a lot to love here, in other words, so much that you’ll hardly notice its disadvantages, the biggest of which might just be the price.
If you’re on a budget and not ready to spend more than $150/£150 on a gaming keyboard, you might find the Logitech G915 TKL Lightspeed an extravagance. You’d be justified too, as it’ll set you back $230 (£199, AU$380). That’s a lot more than many of the best gaming or wireless keyboards we’ve tested, let alone TKL ones.
Our reigning favorite, the Roccat Vulcan TKL Pro, which boasts the same polling rate and about the same actuation distance, is cheaper at $159 (£149, AU$239). Meanwhile, the robust and highly customizable Corsair K70 TKL, which offers a much higher polling rate and a shorter actuation distance if you get the Cherry MX Speed Silver version, will cost you $140 (£140, AU$140).
To be fair, neither of these are wireless, and it’s only fair to pay more to get cable-free convenience.
(Image credit: Future)
You only need to take the Logitech G915 TKL Lightspeed out of the box, however, to realize that it’s well worth the price. At first sight, you’ll know this keyboard is top quality. The deck, made of an aircraft-grade aluminum alloy top plate and a steel-reinforced plastic base, looks solid. That’s even more impressive considering how thin it is at less than one inch (the whole thing including the keycaps is only 0.9 inches).
(Image credit: Future)
In fact, everything about this gaming keyboard is of premium quality. The very accessible on/off switch feels sturdy, as are the two sets of flip-out feet (one set for a 4-degree tilt, the other for an 8-degree tilt) underneath. Even the dongle compartment feels sturdy – we’re confident it’ll hold your dongle in place when you’re transporting the keyboard to and from the office or traveling with it.
Image 1 of 4
The floating keycaps feel tough and are fingerprint smudge-resistant. (Image credit: Future)The floating keycaps feel tough and are fingerprint smudge-resistant. (Image credit: Future)The dedicated media, wireless connectivity, Bluetooth, Game Mode, and RGB brightness buttons are rounded. (Image credit: Future)The dedicated media, wireless connectivity, Bluetooth, Game Mode, and RGB brightness buttons are rounded. (Image credit: Future)
More importantly, the keycaps feel tough as well as oleophobic-coated, making them fingerprint smudge-resistant. As thin as they might be, you can tell they can survive their fair share of button-mashing – though how much of it, we can’t say. Logitech hasn’t given this keyboard a durability rating either.
(Image credit: Future)
If that price tag is a bit of an issue to you, it might help that the Logitech G915 TKL Lightspeed is feature-rich, which means you’re getting bang for your buck. It comes with nifty dedicated media, wireless connectivity, Bluetooth, Game Mode, and RGB brightness buttons, whose unique round shapes only add to the overall look of the keyboard.
It has onboard memory that lets you save up to three profiles. And, there’s a ribbed volume wheel that turns smoothly while also offering very subtle tactile feedback.
(Image credit: Future)
The only thing that could have further rounded out its feature list is a plush, luxurious wrist rest. But then again, this keyboard is so thin Logitech would have had a hard time designing one that will match its thin frame while also lifting your wrists without raising the price even higher.
Naturally, the Logitech G915 TKL boasts Lightsync RGB lighting that looks absolutely stunning thanks to those floating keys and slightly reflective brushed aluminum plate. This RGB lighting is incredibly customizable as well via the Logitech G Hub software, with presets, per-key and per-zone customizations, and a number of lighting animations at your fingertips.
This same software also lets you assign commands, macros, actions, emojis, and a whole bunch of system commands to the keyboard’s 12 function keys, as well as set up to three on-board profiles.
So, even though there’s no full key remapping, there’s a lot here to keep your gaming sessions and workflows all the more seamless.
That’s especially with its 1000Hz polling rate (or 1ms response time) and 1.5 mm actuation distance. There are a few gaming keyboards out there that deliver a much higher polling rate – the Corsair K70 TKL, for example, comes with native 8,000Hz hyper-polling. Meanwhile, the Corsair K65 RGB Mini delivers a speedier 4,000Hz. However, the 1,000Hz is standard for most high-quality keyboards. Both the Roccat Vulcan TKL Pro and the Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition TKL, two of our best gaming keyboards, have it.
Most gamers won’t notice a difference in performance anyway. In fact, the Logitech G915 TKL Lightspeed feels incredibly fast and accurate while also being responsive and a pleasure to use. The keys only require an actuation force of 50g, which combined with that short actuation distance, means you don’t have to work hard for those keypresses to be detected.
That’s on top of those low-profile GL mechanical switches that are designed to deliver top-notch performance.
(Image credit: Future)
Testing this gaming keyboard with the latest games from the slower moving Valheim, which also has its intense moments, to It Takes Two and Cyberpunk 2077, we’ve only experienced immersive gaming. Because it works seamlessly and is very comfortable to use, it kind of just blends into the background, keeping you focused and wrapped up in your game.
What’s more is that unlike gaming keyboards, which aren’t the most ideal for typing, the Logitech G915 TKL Lightspeed is great for typing. Amazing, in fact. This is just as great for getting through your daily emails and for getting a lot of work done as it is for boss battles.
(Image credit: Future)
That’s even more impressive considering it’s a wireless one. Whether you’re using Logitech’s Lightspeed wireless or Bluetooth connectivity, its performance is impeccable. The range is great as well.
In fact, it works perfectly whether you’re right in front of your computer or in the next room with the door closed.
Finally, the battery life is decently long, giving you 40 hours of game time at 100% brightness. That, of course, slightly drops when you’re using RGB lighting effects. However, you can rest assured that you can partake in the RGB lighting goodness without having to charge every couple of days.
(Image credit: Future)
Buy it if…
You want something light and compact – not to mention, great-looking
Out of the box, the Logitech G915 TKL Lightspeed already looks fantastic and is just the ticket if you’re looking for something attractive yet minimalist and clean. The fact that it’s cable-free, fairly lightweight, thin, and compact makes it travel- and small desk-friendly.
You need a high-performing gaming keyboard
On paper, that 1000Hz polling rate and 1.5 mm actuation distance may look standard for higher-end keyboards, but most gamers will not notice.
This is just as reliable and accurate as its wired counterparts with a higher polling rate and a shorter actuation distance.
You’re ready to go wireless
This is among the best wireless keyboards out there, gaming or otherwise. It’s got two connectivity options, both of which are easily accessible, connectivity that doesn’t falter, and a long-range. Plus, the battery life is decently long considering its RGB lighting.
Don’t buy it if…
You’re on a budget
It isn’t the most affordable keyboard out there. In fact, at $230 (£199, AU$380), it’s actually among the most expensive that we’ve tested. The good news is that if you can afford it, its features and performance make it worth the steep price.
You prefer the big, bulky and loud kind of keyboard
Let’s face it; not everyone likes sleek, thin, and subtle. If you want something with a little more heft, Corsair has quite a few terrific options.
Michelle Rae Uy is the Buying Guides Editor here at TechRadar.
She’s a Los Angeles-based tech, travel and lifestyle writer covering a wide range of topics, from computing to the latest in green commutes to the best hiking trails. She’s an ambivert who enjoys communing with nature and traveling for months at a time just as much as watching movies and playing sim games at home. That also means that she has a lot more avenues to explore in terms of understanding how tech can improve the different aspects of our lives.
Razer Huntsman v2 Analog Keyboard review
TechRadar Verdict
The Razer Huntsman v2 Analog gaming keyboard combines the latest optical technology and Razers’ own mechanical key switches to provide both the best typing and gaming experience we’ve had in a long time.
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Pros
- +
Fully customizable key actuation
- +
Delightfully tactile key clicks
- +
The most comfortable wrist rest we’ve ever used
Why you can trust TechRadar
Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.
Find out more about how we test.
Two minute review
The Razer Huntsman v2 Analog may look familiar when compared to the Razer Huntsman Elite, but the similarities end at their shared appearance. This latest flagship gaming keyboard is a testament to Razer’s ability to develop innovative gaming-focused technology and its willingness to listen to consumer feedback, taking what was an already beloved mechanical keyboard and elevating it to a truly incredible new height.
Of the three previous downsides we listed for the Huntsman Elite, two have been addressed for the Huntsman v2 Analog, resulting in this feature-packed keyboard only requiring a single USB-C or USB 3.0 cable for power and the magnetic RGB wrist rest having a complete design overhaul. The keyboard even includes a USB 3.0 passthrough for additional flexibility, which is great for folk using newer peripherals that require a faster connection.
In fact, we struggled to find many cons to the v2 Analog at all.
The more we tested it, the more apparent it became that the features included in this latest edition to the Huntsman family could be setting the new bar for future gaming keyboards.
The Huntsman v2 Analog keyboard introduces Razer’s Analog Optical Switches, a new and innovative key switch technology that allows for full customization to completely optimize your gaming and typing experiences. User-configurable key switch actuation is something that has recently made an appearance in other keyboards such as the SteelSeries Apex Pro, but Razer has gone several steps further by including joystick-inspired analog input to remove the limitations of WASD style movement.
It comes with one of the biggest price tags we’ve seen in a commercially available gaming keyboard, but if you’re looking for the best keyboard on the market then the Huntsman v2 Analog is undoubtedly the current champion to beat.
Image 1 of 3
(Image credit: Razer)(Image credit: Razer)(Image credit: Razer)
Price and availability
The Razer Huntsman V2 Analog is available for $249.
99 (£249.99, around AU$330) from the official Razer website, with stock coming to authorized resellers on February 9 2021.
This is an alarmingly expensive gaming keyboard, but that isn’t to say that it isn’t worth the high price tag – the aforementioned SteelSeries Apex Pro will set you back $199 (£199, about AU$288), and while the Apex also makes frequent appearances on ‘best of’ lists and allows for custom actuation settings, it doesn’t include as many features as the Huntsman V2 Analog.
(Image credit: Future)
- Razer Huntsman V2 Analog (Black) at Amazon for $169.38
There have been a few subtle design changes to the Huntsman V2 Analog that set it apart from the older (but very much still capable) Huntsman Elite. The keyboard can now be powered via a single USB-C or USB 3.0 connection, however we found it a tad frustrating that both of these connections were built in via two corded wires.
A better option would have been to provide detachable cables and two additional ports to prevent unnecessary connections running across the desk, though you could connect the cords together with a zip tie to tidy up the appearance.
This also means you can’t use custom coiled cables for a cleaner look, which might disappoint the keyboard modding community.
This full size keyboard comes in matte black and has a sturdy aluminum top plate, with inbuilt media controls located at the top right for adjusting or skipping your music without tabbing out to your Spotify or Apple Music window. The Huntsman V2 Analog is also height adjustable without interfering with the optional magnetic wrist rest, with flip-out stands being located on the underside.
Razer’s signature customizable RGB lighting illuminates the underside of the keyboard itself and accompanying wrist rest when connected, as well as the keys and media controls. The lighting options can be adjusted or synchronized across other Chroma-integrated products in the Razer Synapse software.
The ABS plastic keycaps from the previous Huntsman keyboards have been replaced by lightly textured double shot PBT, promising to be more durable and provide a longer-lasting finish that won’t wear down.
Typing is delightfully clicky and smooth – these aren’t the quietest key switches in the world but you won’t sound like you’re running a Gatling gun either. You can also pick up keycaps for different region layouts or in different colors from the Razer website, but if you’re a modding enthusiast then you can rest assured that the Razer analog switches are still compatible with custom keycaps.
The magnetic wrist rest no longer features any hard plastic bezel edges, with the surface area now being fully covered by a soft faux-leather coated foam. This is an extraordinarily comfortable wrist rest, and one of the few that we haven’t removed from a gaming keyboard during our review process.
The extra support is a blessing when spending long hours typing or gaming so while it is entirely optional and removable, we’re confident that this is one of the best we’ve ever used.
(Image credit: Future)
Performance
The new features for the Huntsman V2 Analog make it arguably worth its lofty price tag, especially for gamers looking to get a streamlined hardware advantage over their opponents.
You can adjust the actuation points for every key, allowing you to set your desired activation depth between 1.5mm to 3.6mm in increments of 0.1mm.
This means if you’re at risk of accidentally setting off your specialized attacks by grazing the keys, you can adjust those specific keys to require a much firmer click. This is a blessing for any competitive players in games such as Overwatch who may be a little heavy-handed when things get heated, though this does mean you’ll be out of excuses if you accidentally vault yourself off the map.
The Razer Analog Optical Switches can also register two actions on a single keypress across different pressures, which is an absolute game-changer in competitive FPS environments. This dual-macro ability means you can lightly press your desired key to whip out a thrown item such as a grenade or knife, and activate the second step of throwing said item when you fully press the key.
You can even just delay the secondary action by not fully activating the required key, but having the dual-step actuation resulted in much quicker attack sequences.
We found it didn’t make us suck any less at games like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive or Valorant, but it completely streamlines actions that require the player to be reactive and will undoubtedly prove to be a huge benefit to players who master the use of this function in their ranked games.
Analog inputs such as joystick or controller settings can also be allocated to desired keys for better manoeuvrability. This means the keys themselves can emulate joystick inputs and allows for smoother 360 degrees of motion than the typical WASD movement style permits, creating better support for controller-optimized games. For games that we wouldn’t normally recommend keyboard use over a gamepad such as vehicle simulators or racing games, this leaves options open for players who are not accustomed to gaming outside of a PC environment.
You can make all of the above-mentioned adjustments in the Razer Synapse software, as well as control lighting options and gaming profiles. You can store up to five profiles via the on-board keyboard memory, or unlimited profiles in the Synapse software.
(Image credit: Future)
Buy it if…
You want the best that money can buy
This is far from a cheap keyboard, but that high price tag comes packed full of features and comfort that makes the Razer Huntsman V2 Analog one of the best gaming keyboards we’ve ever tested.
You play competitive online games
With customizable actuation and dual-step key activation, this is the perfect gaming keyboard for anyone wanting an edge over their opponents in ranked environments.
You love Razer’s key switches
Razer has made a name for itself in the world of key switches, and these latest Analog Optical Switches are the cream of the crop. If you’ve used any previous Razer switches, you’re sure to love these.
(Image credit: Future)
Don’t buy if…
You’re on a budget
At $249.99 (£249.99, around AU$330), this is a luxury piece of gaming hardware with a price tag to match. Other mechanical keyboards won’t have the same features, but they’ll burn less of a hole in your bank account.
You want a quiet keyboard
This isn’t the loudest keyboard we’ve used, but these switches don’t make for silent typing. There are quieter key switches (such as Cherry MX Brown) and keyboard builds available for folk who don’t like to make much noise.
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Jess is a former TechRadar Computing writer, where she covered all aspects of Mac and PC hardware, including PC gaming and peripherals. She has been interviewed as an industry expert for the BBC, and while her educational background was in prosthetics and model-making, her true love is in tech and she has built numerous desktop computers over the last 10 years for gaming and content creation. Jess is now a journalist at The Verge.
TOP-7. The best Logitech gaming mice. Rating 2021!
Author Anatoly Vorontsov Reading 8 min Views 1.8k. Posted by
Updated
Hello everyone! High-quality computer peripherals can not only increase the pleasure of the game.
It is also a way to get the experience that the developer wanted to convey. For fans and professionals of eSports, the quality of the device can play a decisive role in the fight with the enemy. One of the best manufacturers of computer peripherals is Logitech. In its assortment there are both ultra-budget solutions for offices, and professional gaming or working models. Today I have selected for you the top seven best gaming mice from Logitech. This includes both relatively inexpensive and top options!
And I decided to start with a model from the middle price segment. It does not have any cool chips or additional removable modules. And outwardly, this is a fairly simple mouse with a minimalist illumination of the wheel and logo.
But in technical terms, everything here is more than excellent. The top proprietary sensor provides the ability to select DPI in a huge range from one hundred to twenty-five thousand dpi. The maximum acceleration is more than forty Gs, which is more than enough for even the fastest hands. Simply put, it is practically impossible to pluck this mouse even on purpose. Switches from OMRON are capable of withstanding at least 20 million clicks and with active use, the device will live for at least a couple of years. In addition to the main three buttons, there is a DPI switch key on the top panel and two more on the left side. If desired, all of them can be reassigned to other actions. The mouse itself is quite light, although it has medium dimensions. Fans of something more massive will need the included weight. It will add another 10 grams to the total weight. A long braided cable will not cause problems when connecting. In general, there are no questions about the assembly and materials.
The device is of high quality and feels appropriate in the hand.
But the G903 is already a top solution. And if there are no changes in terms of the sensor, because the fat is already installed in the previous mouse, then otherwise it is a more advanced product. Take at least the switches, the resource of which has been increased to fifty million clicks. But the most important thing is that this mouse is wireless. And if usually only office solutions are chosen in this format, because the wire is best suited for games due to the shorter response time, then the situation is different here. Logitech uses proprietary Lightspeed technology and wireless connectivity. In sum, this gives a response of just one millisecond, which is comparable to top-end wired options. As for autonomy, there are no problems here either. The proprietary sensor is extremely energy efficient, so without recharging, even with backlight, the gadget provides 140 hours of continuous operation. And if you turn off the backlight, then this figure increases to one hundred and eighty hours.
Wired use is also supported, because the power connector is in the usual place for all mice. You can forget about the wire altogether if you purchase a branded mat with POWERPLAY technology. It will provide constant wireless charging right during operation. True, you will have to abandon the ten-gram weighting agent, but the mouse itself weighs a considerable 110 grams.
Logitech G502 SE Hero
- Sensor: Hero 25k
- Sensor type: optical
- Resolution: 250016
- Number of keys: 11 (programmable)
- Connection: wired, 2.1 m
- Dimensions (LxWxH): 124x68x43 mm
- Weight: 121 g
G502 has one of the best ratios of price, quality and technical equipment. This is one of the flagships in the company’s gaming series, but due to the wired connection, the price is kept in a very adequate framework for such a device. The sensor and switches are the same as in the previous top mouse.
But here special attention was paid to ergonomics. The device itself has a shape that fits as neatly as possible in the hand with any grip. But the buyer can additionally balance the weight distribution to his taste with the help of five weights of 3.6 grams each, which are installed to choose from over the entire area of the bottom of the gadget. There are already 11 keys here, and each one can be assigned its own action using proprietary software. In the same place, by the way, you can create separate profiles for different games and tasks. But it is worth considering that some buttons are quite far away and it is not always convenient to get to them. The cable here is long and, of course, braided. In general, if you need a top-end solution for adequate money, then this is your choice.
This is the real flagship of the company. Although, at first glance, this model is difficult to distinguish from a solid office mouse, but there is a reason for this. Logitech has made their lightest gaming mouse yet.
The G Pro X Superlight weighs just 63 grams. This is a quarter less than the average weight of such a device. And if you consider that this is a wireless model and such solutions are usually even harder because of the battery inside, then the difference can be almost twofold! Add here a huge Teflon panel on the base and as a result, the device is almost not felt in the hand, merging with it into a single whole. At the same time, there are no problems with technical equipment. It’s still the same top-end sensor at 25600 DPI with over forty G acceleration. The only thing is that I could not find any information about the switches, but according to reviews they are very pleasant and durable. As mentioned above, the mouse is wireless and connects via radio. Of course, there was no place for wireless charging technology here, but nothing prevents you from connecting the wire and continuing to work with it if the gadget sat down at the wrong time.
There is no point in dwelling on this model, because it is the G403, which opened the top, but with a wireless connection.
Therefore, the switches, sensor, shape and keys are the same here. Unless the weight has increased slightly due to the battery, but the difference is less than ten grams. It’s also worth noting that this is one of only two mice from the company that supports POWERPLAY, wireless charging from the carpet while you work. And here this decision is especially relevant, because without recharging the device can live no more than thirty-five hours.
And this is probably the most popular model of the company. Part of the reason it’s so common is the price. Firstly, this is, in principle, the most inexpensive gaming mouse from Logitech. And secondly, it offers a very good build quality, materials and equipment for the money. The sensor, albeit not branded, but also not bad. It gives out up to eight thousand DPI and acceleration up to twenty-five G. Yes, it cannot be compared with the tops, but, nevertheless, it is very difficult to disrupt it even on purpose. The switches, by the way, are also from OMRON, as in more expensive solutions, but simpler, 10 million clicks.
There are 6 keys and each of them can be reassigned to your taste. And it is also the most compact mouse in this top. In terms of weight, it certainly does not reach the G Pro X Superlight, although 85 grams is also very small, but in terms of size it is the best choice for those who love compactness.
And closes the top inexpensive wireless mouse. It is based on the G102, so the body and keys are the same. But, in addition to the ability to work via a radio channel, the sensor was also upgraded, throwing a proprietary HERO at 12000 DPI and with a maximum acceleration of over forty G. The mouse does not work from the usual built-in battery, but from a replaceable AA battery. This may seem inconvenient to some, but when using a high-quality battery, the battery life reaches a record two hundred and fifty hours. In the economy mode, the manufacturer does declare 9months without battery replacement. In addition, the market sells a bunch of rechargeable AA batteries of various capacities.
Having bought 2 of these, you can change them one by one and forget about buying batteries. The G305 Lightspeed is one of the company’s best value for money wireless solutions.
Logitech G102 mouse review. Armor-piercing tank
And now, when the two most high-profile novelties of the past autumn in the face of Logitech G Pro and Logitech G403 have died down, a mouse suddenly appears, which is shrouded in a halo of secrets. She appeared out of nowhere and no one was waiting for her … It’s good that she does not go nowhere. According to rumors, it was released specifically for the Asian market, hence the resulting price, and the need for its own budget sensor.
What is the Logitech G102? The shape is one to one like that of the G Pro, but it has a different sensor and some other changes (outwardly, it is completely invisible), but it costs like a typical budget mouse. Herein lies the rub! A very obsessive thought flies through my head: “A budget and top-end mouse? Does this exist in nature? After getting acquainted with the Logitech G102, I can safely say that it is in front of your eyes.
Find 10 differences! This is how I want to start my acquaintance with this mouse, since there is exactly one visual difference between the G102 and the G Pro — the cable. The G102 has no braid, and that’s all the difference between this model and the company’s symmetrical gaming flagship.
The box of the Logitech G102 is an example of the rational use of space. Inside there is only a mouse, a cardboard tray and a polyurethane bag in which the mouse is located. Cheap and cheerful, on the one hand, but on the other … The quality of the box is not the main thing. Moreover, the box looks very presentable from the outside. What a small gift. And the mouse is safe. It is logical that there is nothing inside, except for the mouse. But the pieces of paper were stuffed into the box with all their heart.
The Logitech G102 is a small, symmetrical, right-handed mouse, judging by the location of the side buttons.
The weight of the mouse is 85 grams without cable (for G Pro it is 83 grams), with cable it is not specified. Alas. It feels like around 115 grams (while the G Pro has 130 according to the specification). The dimensions of the mouse are exactly the same as those of the G Pro (in mm): 117 x 62 x 38. Under the main buttons are Omron switches for 10 million clicks (according to the manufacturer), inside there is a new optical infrared sensor marked «Mercury «. The mouse is fully supported by Logitech Gaming Software and has single-zone RGB lighting.
I stood in the store for 10 minutes, or even all of 15, twirling these two mice, trying to understand and somehow figure out where the differences are and what all the tact is … they are deceiving me, so to speak. Either I applied them with their belly to each other (at first I mistakenly thought that they did have different dimensions — after all, with such a comparison of mice, one of them has side buttons visible from the side, and this is misleading), then I simply measured it by eye from behind .
. I just looked from one angle, then from another, then I tried to find differences in materials, texture and other things … Well, at least I didn’t taste it. But all the conclusions and expectations annoyed me. Before me were two identical mice, the differences between which were immediately minimal. Yes, they are exactly the same shape.
The first thing that caught my eye was the cable. The G Pro has it with a braid, the G102 has no braid. The length of the wire is the same both there and there — 2 meters. The G Pro has a ferrite filter at the end, the G102 does not. Kink protection and so on — everything is the same. True, the Logitech G102, as it turned out, has a nicer cable — without a braid it is a little thinner, it is much lighter, it is less inertial, and therefore almost airy. And due to the fact that the smooth sheath is not very glossy (semi-matte), and there is no braid at all, such a cable does not cling to carpets, especially textured ones.
The cable is a little less flexible and soft than the Zowie, but it feels a lot better and lighter than the G Pro.
The second is a box. You saw it — the box is really miniature. We can say that they saved money on this moment, but the mouse did not suffer from this. After all, the G Pro has exactly the same equipment: a mouse and pieces of paper, that’s all. Well, the interior decoration is not so rich — they didn’t put PET plastic molds, and that’s okay. Well, miniature cosmetic differences: a sticker on the belly, a sensor window … Everything, in general. If you do not look at the wire — there are no differences. And with it, it turns out that the mouse received only an upgrade, compared with the thick sausage of the G Pro.
And since the G102 is an exact copy of the Logitech G Pro, let’s quickly go through the main points. Looks simple, stylish and solid; the top is made of matte painted plastic, the sides and the rest of the frame are made of textured matte plastic.
Let me remind you that my fingers on this plastic slipped all the time, which I personally did not like even from my acquaintance with the G Pro. But this is all, for obvious reasons, individually.
The Logitech G102 Mouse is palm-friendly and easy to control with your fingers. It is also suitable for a claw grip, but it was not very comfortable for me to control it in this position. But due to the flatness of the mouse, it is convenient to control it both with the palm of your hand (the back rests against the palm) and with your fingers — nothing prevents you from making small movements in the inner space of the palm. Well, all the due chips are also included — side buttons and other elements.
The main buttons feel a bit firmer than on the G Pro, but this can probably vary from instance to instance due to some build inaccuracies, as I discussed in my G Pro review. However, the clicks on the G102 are very good, taut and crisp, and the wheel spins even tighter than on the same G Pro I’ve had — bunny hoppers beware! At the same time, the cutoffs at the wheel are very informative, soft and rubberized, step-by-step scrolling is just a fairy tale.
But pressing the wheel is quite light and indistinct, with a very short stroke, and by pressing it is very different from the G Pro, but still, even using the wheel is quite comfortable. Yes, and under the main buttons there are also springs that return the buttons to their original position.
The side keys of the Logitech G102 are also quite elastic, but they are pressed very softly, and I almost do not feel the moment the button is actuated, that is, there is almost no recoil. And in general, they have almost no idling — the feeling that they are merged with the switch into a single whole. Yes, and their click is high, quiet, there is no pronounced sound from pressing. Given that the thumb is constantly in contact with these buttons, I would like them to be more responsive. In general, the side buttons came out not the most successful, but they are very similar to those in the G Pro.
Teflon — same as on G Pro. Pretty good quality, small legs, oily, rubs well, but for me, as I said, it seemed a little viscous, especially when starting the mouse movement.
But the wire is much, much better — it’s just great, and after the G Pro, I personally concluded for myself that the wire turned out to be more successful with a budget mouse than on the G Pro. That is, it is simply better — lighter, weightless and much more flexible. Yes, and the carpets do not catch — the charm is simple!
Logitech Gaming Software — the entire combat arsenal of software in action, including a click map. Simply put, there are almost no differences. Absolutely all functions, macros, hotkeys, program calls, compound and complex actions can also be assigned to any button.
The only difference between the older brother — G Pro — the G102 simply lacks surface calibration. All. This is where the differences end. And taking into account the low separation distance (around 1.5 mm), this setting, in my opinion, is not needed at all.
The Logitech G102 mouse has a new and never seen before sensor called Mercury (photo from overclock.
net). It’s not a marketing name (as Roccat does) or even a rebadged model designed specifically for a specific manufacturer (as is the case with Razer). This is just a new sensor, which is developed by the Swiss company CGS, probably by order of Logitech. In fact, if sensors were previously produced by Avago, Pixart and Philips, now, after the purchase of Avago patents by Pixart, there are only two players left on the market: Pixart and Philips. Less well-known and now obscure companies like STMicroelectronics (and the once extremely popular MLT04 sensor in Microsoft mice) are, of course, not considered within the current time frame.
Next, sensor technology. All Avago sensors, as well as Pixart, are based on CMOS technology in the manufacture of sensors. Philips sensors are based on VSCEL technology and work on the principle of Doppler shift. And now a company appears among them, which installs a sensor with Mercury’s own marking in the new Logitech G102 mouse. This, as it turned out, is not Pixart AM010 (as in Logitech G402), not Pixart PMW3330 (one of the company’s new products), and not even a stripped down version of Pixart PMW3366 — it’s just a new sensor.
Moreover, the sensor is based on CMOS technology, which means that it is a direct competitor to Pixart. Of course, all the information given here is rumors, unconfirmed data collected here and there, so you should not rely on them. But it is worth keeping this in mind if you are interested in the technical problems of various companies.
The Logitech G102 sensor has some pretty juicy specs that put it on par with the best current solutions like Pixart PMW3366 (Logitech gaming mice), Pixart PMW3360 (latest gaming mice like SteelSeries Rival 700 / Rival 500) and Pixart PMW3389 (Razer DeathAdder Elite). The characteristics are not taken from an official source, but there are suggestions that they are completely true: speed is around 250 ips, acceleration is unknown (most likely around 30-40-50 g), frame rate is 12000 fps. This is already the level of Pixart 3366 / Pixart 3360. That is, the new sensor is almost in no way inferior to them. Needless to say, I did not find any acceleration (if there is, then it is as negligible as at the level of all the same top sensors) and angular binding? Sensitivity in the Logitech G102 varies from 200 to 6000 dpi, the setting step is 50 dpi.
Notice, no chasing ten-thousandth digits.
Therefore, the most interesting thing for me was to try out the new sensor in practice. To say that the sensor surprised me is to say nothing. It proved to be at the level of… Pixart PMW3366, which is installed in all the best devices from Logitech. At my base, I use the Logitech G403, and after the transition, it was in terms of the sensor that I did not feel the difference. That is, I shot plus or minus as well, and this is due to the unusual symmetrical shape of the G102 (I generally prefer ergonomics). There is no input lag, the sensor has an excellent balance of speed and sharpness, and I worked out all the usual actions in the same counter exactly the same as on my beloved G403. Spray control, pinpoint aim, flick shots and any sharp turns — everything felt about the same. Even the separation distance did not affect the game in any way — well, everything is just very, very similar. And if this is a budget sensor, then I’m just afraid to imagine what will happen to Pixart when that same Swiss company introduces its best sensors in Logitech mice.
This will clearly be a breakthrough, and therefore I am looking forward to new products in the camp of the company.
I can honestly say that if they put G Pro and G102 in front of me, and offered to play with one of them without regard to the cable (well, let’s say, the wire would be the same there and there), in that As for CS:GO, I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. Now it remains only to look for rare cases of various possible errors in terms of sensor operation (if they, of course, appear), and only after that to say how much worse the new Mercury is than the proven Logitech Pixart 3366 sensor. So far, in my personal opinion, they have parity. Moreover, the G102 won for me due to the lighter and friendlier cable. In a good way, for deep testing, you need to play this mouse for about a week or two, and then switch to the G Pro and try to notice the difference at least at the level of sensations.
The new Mercury may not be up to the best sensors on paper, but I did not feel any stumbling blocks in CS:GO — everything flew just the same as I used to. And I used to play on the Logitech G403 (Pixart 3366), and when I switched to the Logitech G102, I didn’t notice a difference in the sensor at all. Yes, the mouse does not have a lift-off distance setting, but for all the time I have never felt the need to adjust it.
And about the feeling of the mouse in general after the G Pro, I have almost nothing to add: light, agile, grippy, just pleasant and easy to use — I’m talking about mass, and about clicks, and about ergonomics in general. Yes, I complained about the materials on the sides, but… it had little effect on my familiarity with the mouse. Therefore, the mouse literally flies on the carpet, and I myself got the opportunity to focus only on the gameplay.
I… wire. Here the wire here turned out to be, oddly enough, much better. It’s more flexible than the G Pro’s braided cable; thin, and therefore climbs into any wire holder; and light, therefore it has much less inertia, and therefore does not drag the mouse along. And he is without a braid, and therefore does not scratch and does not cling to all the carpets in a row. This is an example of how Logitech jumped above their heads.
Outwardly, it is almost impossible to recognize the differences. Only a sticker on the belly, no braid on the cable, a different sensor and sensor lens (which you just don’t notice if you don’t look at it initially), and some tactile sensations that don’t stand out in any way externally – these are all the differences between the G Pro and G102.
With the release of the new Logitech G102, the company has created a competitor for itself. See for yourself, changelog:
• G102 — new and improved lightweight wire
• G102 — a new sensor, technically close to the best solution in the face of Pixart PMW3366, installed in all flagship Logitech models (so far this is unverified information, but it feels like it)
• G102 — the price is about 2 times less
And from here it is easy to draw a simple conclusion — this is a bomb! In all senses. What are the other differences? The box is more modest, but the tactile sensations from pressing are slightly different (I would say that the G Pro has them more pleasant in this regard), and the sticker on the belly of the mouse. In general, everything. And, yes, there is no surface calibration — judging by the fact that the sensor has worked out all my suggested carpets, this is never a problem at all.
So in all respects, the new Logitech G102 was a very pleasant surprise. She has no weaknesses and shortcomings, especially given this value for money. Here, the Logitech G102 is clearly out of competition, and everything that may not suit you is just personal dissatisfaction, one way or another related to the company, form, or any features that do not suit you personally.
Therefore, if you need a gaming mouse for almost a penny, and a blow in your pockets, then a budget mouse is better, which can easily compete with other famous devices (like Zowie mice and some Razer and Roccat models), as well as with your own mice (Logitech G Pro), just can not be found.
