Logitech G9

New looks on the outside, new guts on the inside.

Logitech rarely fails at great industrial design. The Swiss company almost always nails it for design, innovation and outright quality. After many years at the top of the mouse pile with the flowing organic lines that originally debuted with the venerable MX series, Logi is forging off in a new style direction. The new style is more aggressive and angular. It’s a tougher, sci-fi look, and is in stark contrast to the old models that just screamed “state of the ergonomic art”.

It took us a while to learn to love the looks of the new G9, but making the leap is that, to use, it’s simply sheer bloody perfection. The nuts and bolts driving the G9 is a collection of the pinnacle of mouse technologies.

There’s on the fly adjustable dpi, from a gaming rock steady 200, up to an ultra precise 3,200 dpi. The laser Logitech uses is a matured technology and it’s impossible to imagine a smoother freer flowing cursor movement. The USB reporting rate is 1,000 samples per second. This allows for its claimed max acceleration of 20G and max speed of up to 65 inches per second. This envelope-pushing mouse engine is complemented by big fat wide Teflon feet. They’re full width and on any decent mouse surface the G9 just glides like it’s on air.

It’s even got a cloth braided cord to help prevent tangles. The G9 gets the machinery right, alright, but the other thing of it all is that it takes ‘customisable’ to new heights. The pack has two swappable outer shells, and apparently more will be offered for sale later. The ‘Precision Grip’ has a textured surface and hard sheen, while the ‘XL’ has a soft and smooth surface and is wider. We preferred the XL, but it’s individual taste here.

There’s a weight cartridge that slots in from the back. There’s 4 x 4g and 4 x 7g weights, for mixing and matching, or doing without completely. The G9 also has an improved version of the MicroGear scroll wheel, which gives you the choice of either smooth frictionless scrolling or clicky indents.

The G9 is pure mouse win. It’s not pretty, but it is beautiful.