Review: Logitech G600 MMO Gaming Mouse

QUICK SUMMARY

A high-end gaming mouse primarily aimed at the online RPG player.  It appears to have been designed in such a way as to feel as "natural" as possible to mouse users while expanding on traditional functionality.  Noteable design elements include no less than 20 "buttons", user-customizable lighting for the side cluster and onboard memory for a base profile to be assigned.

In all there are 18 push-buttons and a two-position momentary switch (2 more buttons).  Directly accessible software configuration allows for all 20 buttons to be reassigned.  Any button can also be assigned to the "G-Shift" function which allows two functions per button to be used, while another button can be assigned to Mode Switch to cycle (albeit one way) through the three avaialble Modes allowed per profile, making for a maximum of 111 unique momentary configurations.  Up to 5 separate, user-defined sensitivity settings can be assigned and then accessed using appropriately configured buttons - including a momentary "DPI Shift" function as well as a default sensitivity.

For further details, please visit the Logitech website.

BACKGROUND

In the case of the G600, this is not my first experience with a gaming mouse, nor my first experience with an MMO-oriented mouse - but it will be my first with what I will be referring to as a keypad mouse (one which effectively has a numeric keypad on the side).  Previously I've used mice of nearly every size, shape and form, ranging from classic 2-button Microsoft mice and the original Apple IIe one-button mice, to multi-button, gaming-oriented monsters like the Razer Lachesis and Logitech G700, as well as most every other kind of pointing device you can think of.  My most recent mousing experience has been with a MadCatz Cyborg M.M.O. 7 Gaming Mouse.

ACQUISITION

I purchased the G600 from U-Mart, at a cost of $77.  Delivery was an option, however I live close enough to make the pickup in person.  This makes it a mid-range gaming mouse - there are gaming mice for cheaper, but there are mice (such as the Cyborg MMO7 or RAT9) for twice the price or more as well.

As it's a Logitech mouse you can pretty much get it anywhere mice are sold.  Naturally the price may vary, but it's probably a good idea to ensure you get it from somewhere reputable.  While it remains to be seen what happens with the G600, my previous G-series mice have both demonstrated minor hardware failure within 12 months of ownership.  This may make it seem odd that I would purchase another Logitech - especially another G-series - but my experience with other mice has been much less pleasent, and Logitech mice are extraordinarly good when they're working.

WHAT'S IN A NAME

Officially, the mouse in question is known as the Logitech G600 MMO Gaming Mouse.  The numeric designation, however, has very little to do with its design functionality - or even the software it includes.  Numerically it sits between the corded, 10-button G500 and the hybrid connection, 13-button G700.  However both of those use the older Logitech SetPoint software, while the G600 uses the more flushed out Logitech Gaming Software (LGS).  The G600 also uses a different, higher resolution sensor (though it's slightly smaller and has a slightly lower maximum movement speed) and different microswitches (which are rated for 2½ times the "click" expectancy).

About the only commonality it has with its siblings (including also the G300, G400 and G9x) is that it's been designed for gaming, which is likely why it retains the G designation.

IMMEDIATE IMPRESSIONS

What struck me first was that it felt hollow.  I don't necessarily mean that it was poorly made - just that grabbing it didn't feel anywhere near as solid as I've come to expect from Logitech gear, though there's every change that's simply because the bulk of the mouse is untextured plastic.  I don't necessarily know that this is a bad thing, as that also means it's less likely to react negatively to sweaty hands after a long (or Summer) session, but it's a different sensation under the hand to be sure.  The other part that struck me was that the side pad was smaller than I was expecting (I think I was expecting the keys to be longer front-to-back), and also that they had less of a springy feel to them and more of a "clunk" feeling when actuated.  They'll probably wear in a little over time but it remains to be seen just how usable they're going to be.

In spite of the above, though, it felt comfortable to hold.  The extra button across the front didn't feel out of place (in part because I'm used to 3-button mice that pre-date the mouse wheel), while lifting the mouse from the desk had almost no chance of accidentally pressing anything.  If I did have to fault it in some way, I would say that the design of the third "main" button means that, while it can be used comfortably with your little finger, if you choose to do so than you can no longer lift the mouse from the desk.  A very minor negative in the grand scheme of things.  The two centre buttons (G6 and G7) also had a better design than I was expecting from my experiences with the G700, with the rear button (G7) being easily able to be actuated by the middle of a finger, with the other one's placement and recession meaning you had to deliberately reach for it.  With the G600's default function of this button being to change mode, not accidentally pressing it is a very good thing.

One thing I wasn't entirely a fan of, however, was the scroll wheel.  The wheel itself is extremely narrow and very rounded.  This makes it feel somewhat "off", for lack of a better term, even compared to its G-series siblings, and it is practically non-existent compared to the mammoth wheels found on gaming mice from other companies.  It still functions perfectly well - it just doesn't feel quite as sure as I really wanted it to, especially given it usually has somewhat critical functions in gaming.

There was also one rather weird element.  When you look at the shape and styling of the mouse, everything looks and feels as though it's been designed to be put together that way with one, rather perculiar exception: the left mouse button.  For some reason that I can't even begin to guess, the left-most edge has a pronounced overhang.  It doesn't negatively affect the function of the button, nor does it seem to be necessary for its operation.  It's just weird.

BEFORE USE

The whole setup process was about as smooth as you would expect from any Logitech mouse.  On being plugged in, it immediately sprang to life with its factory configured profile and began to work as you would expect.  What I didn't like, however, was the complete absence of both a manual and driver disc - all Logitech included was a little list of phone numbers for support, some erganomic information and a "Setup Guide" which is essentially a "quick start" booklet, totalling 5 small pages of information (in three different languages).  However, the Setup Guide did include a list of all the default settings so the mouse could potentially be used exactly as-is if you had no intention of customizing anything.

A quick trip online got me the latest version of the LGS suite direct from Logitech without any great hassles to speak of, which is version 8.35.18 at this time.  Note that the LGS suite apparently does solve some issues with the mouse so even if you weren't planning on changing any of the settings or using the application detection facilities it's probably a good idea to install it anyway.  At 52MB for the x64 version, it's quite large for what is essentially mouse drivers but it's not the largest I've ever seen and shouldn't be too much of a stretch for any user to download - regardless of their connection.  The software also supports a number of other Logitech peripherals as well, including the G35 and G930 headsets, G11, G15, G19, G105, G110 and G510 keyboards, the G13 "gameboard" and both the G300 and G400 mouse, so you may already have it or may be able to use it again later.

IN USE

While most people with any interest in a mouse like the G600 will doubtless be interested in its mode, profile and "shift" facilities, I really don't have that much interest in using them; though in fairness I do have the third main button bound, quite literally, to [Left] Shift.  Those who do use modes and/or profiles may be interested to know that each mode and profile can actually be assigned a different lighting setup to make it easier to determine what is currently active - including profiles activated by application detection.

As with any mouse, it was purchased with the intent that it would be a "one device fits all" solution.  Though I suspect that there are some people who actually have multiple mice for different situations, I'm not one of them - and I would wager that most people aren't.  As such this has to serve not only as an MMO mouse like it is advertised for, but also a general-purpose mouse, an RTS mouse, a FPS mouse and anything else that comes up along the way that the mouse is used for.  Logitech has, to a degree, already taken this into account with its default profile - its first two Modes seem more oriented to MMO games, while the third is significantly more generic in nature but geared more towards the FPS player.

For configuration options, Logitech has definitely taken into consideration that this will not be used by just one person for just one task.  Every single button, down to left and right click, can be moved anywhere else.  Any of the supplied functions, be they DPI or Mode toggling, can also be configured to any button.  In fact, the only thing which cannot be directly re-assigned or even removed is the scroll wheel's scrolling function.  This means you really can make a universal setup.  To give more meaningful feedback, I will do some more thorough testing in a few specific environments, namely World of Warcraft and Bulletstorm, along with the Windows desktop itself.

WORLD OF WARCRAFT

Rather fortunately, I was already going to have to "relearn" how to play WoW.  With the impending release of Mists of Pandaria and my natural disposition for Rage-based tanking, a lot of things I'd grown used to over the years were going to change as a result of the just-released 5.0.4 patch.  This made it the perfect opportunity to try a new control setup.  Unlike what a lot of users often suggest or feel appropriate for keypad mice, however, I had no intention of using the keypad to work as my default action bar - my intention was to use it exactly the same as I had with previous mice, having roughly 8 functions assigned for quick access with another 16 on the keyboard.

What I was naturally most curious about was, of course, using the thumb pad.  The relatively small size and high density of the buttons did take some getting used to.  I don't consider myself to have large hands by any stretch of the imagination, but my thumb could easily sit in such a way that rocking it forward would activate G10 (the middle, front-most button) and rocking it backwards would activate G19 (the middle, rear-most button).  I never really felt as though I was going to hit more than one button at a time but I had reservations that the two middle columns - in particular, the second last column - would not be entirely comfortable to use.  I also felt that having the upper and lower rows of buttons angled inwards could have made it both more comfortable and more precise in use, as I was expecting to simply be able to roll my thumb to access buttons on other rows.  I can still do that, to an extent, but not nearly as instinctively as I'd hoped.

When it came time to actually using them, however, the layout started to make a lot more sense.  The buttons had been designed, as most reviews will tell you, to function as two banks of 6 rather than a full cluster of 12 - and it makes sense when you actually get your hand on it.  The trick actually seems to be to sit your thumb in the middle, which gives you a good pivot point.  Rocking your thumb towards the front of the mouse puts the first 6 buttons under the top of your thumb, while rocking it backwards puts the interphalangeal joint (the "heel" of the thumb) in prime position to actuate the remaining 6 buttons.  This gives a remarkable amount of control while also making a very obvious distinction between the buttons, though it isn't an unreasonable statement to say that the rear 6 aren't quite as easy to contend with as the front 6, while the four corner buttons are arguably the least convenient to press.

This lead to me starting out with the 8 actions I'd grown used to having on my mouse, but with expectations that I would eventually be able to extend this to potentially use all 12 buttons (something which I found rather appealing, given the skill changes incoming with the MoP expansion).  The front 6 would be my "immediate access" buttons such as rotational abilities and interrupts, while the rear 6 would be more situational.  I also established early on that the G-Shift button (which I had bound to Shift) really isn't very suited to a function you don't intend to keep held down.  It requires less movement to actuate than the other two main buttons and also provides less feedback - both audible and tactile - when it does trigger and release.  This does, however, make it perfeclty suited to be used as a modifier (such as its default configuration) or perhaps a Push To Talk (PtT) key.

One rather interesting perculiarity I discovered in my testing was that binding modifier keys (as mentioned earlier, I chose Shift) simply doesn't work as you would expect it to when using the onboard memory features.  Despite the notes to the contrary with the latest version of the LGS suite, simply binding the third main button to Shift left me with a button that did absolutely nothing.  Fortunately, I discovered a work-around in the form of binding it to Shift (which actually corresponds to Left Shift) plus Right Shift.  Perhaps not ideal, but it works - and it's a necessary work-around for all three modifier keys.  That does mean, for now at least, if you specifically needed it to be one or the other that simply isn't possible, but I've made Logitech aware of the issue and hopefully that will lead to a fix.  I am also taken to believe that the computer-stored profiles do actually work correctly in this regard and the limitation is isolated to the onboard profile.

Actual gameplay tended to mirror most of my earlier feelings, with a few unexpected deviations.  I actually found that the middle two columns were the easiest to operate, given where my thumb was now resting.  But the entire design seems to be done in such a way that only one row can be "accessed" at a time.  By that, I mean you have to move your thumb up and down, away from the locator bumps, in order to correctly use more than 4 buttons.  Once more I feel that this could have been resolved more intuitively by curving the entire cluster outwards, towards the thumb, resulting in less of a "hunting" feeling when going for the extra buttons.  This also means my earlier thoughts of primary and secondary buttons being divided between the front and rear 6 wasn't entirely accurate, and that the buttons should be defined with a primary 4 in the middle row and secondary 8 flanking it top and bottom.

After a good few hours of raiding, I became very used to using the buttons.  I would quite frequently reach for skills which I had moved from their "usual" location, but my experience suggests it takes more than one night to overcome muscle memory.  Actually using the keypad - whether I hit the right button or not - felt fairly second nature, but the same couldn't really be said of the right-most button (default G-Shift).  I found that I would quite often lean on it without noticing as a result of its extremely short throw and lack of feedback when compared to the two primary buttons, which made it all the better that I had not actually assigned it directly to an action.

BULLETSTORM

Quite simply, there's too many buttons for a FPS.  That's not to say it can't be used for it - there's definitely nothing stopping it from being a perfectly good FPS mouse, and I intend to use it as such.  But there's a lot of buttons that are going to be sitting there not getting used, and the ones you do use don't necessarily feel like they're in the right positions; especially if you have a one-fits-all profile like I do.

With that said, though, it's pretty well everything it needs to be as an FPS mouse.  It's smooth, precise (more-so than Bulletstorm can handle) and has large, friendly buttons to mash your fingers into with confidence to actually take the shot.  Other functions along the way may not be on quite as friendly a button but the important part is well and truly covered.  There was basically no risk of accidentally hitting something I didn't want because some sneaky little button has gone and embedded itself within the left clicker, as seems to be the case with a large number of other gaming mice.

The "DPI Shift" function also has a place in FPS titles, though I'm still not entirely sure that it's something I'll get a great amount of usage out of.  Like the main DPI setting it can be custom defined in 50DPI intervals and manually selected from any of the existing DPI settings.  This even means it could be used as a momentary DPI boost, rather than a reduction, to switch from normal to "manouvering" mode rather than to "aiming" mode.  That's yet another functionality I'm fairly sure I won't ever use, but having that potential is a nice touch.  My muscle memory being what it is, I did eventually decide to switch this function with my Shift bind (from G16 to the right-most main button) which feels more natural to me - both because I'm used to having Shift under my thumb on a mouse and because the right mouse button is typically also the aiming (scope) button in FPS games.

Lifting and repositioning the mouse has no overwhelmingly negative feelings associated with it.  While the right-hand side of the mouse is extremely low profile, it provides enough surface (slightly textured for extra traction) to let your pinky "grip" it, while the buttons on the left are firm enough for your thumb to complete the job without pressing anything by mistake - even if it sits right in the middle of the entire cluster like mine does.  When it's off the surface, the mouse responds to a height of approximately 3mm and doesn't make any sudden or unexpected movements as you lift or drop it.

As an FPS mouse, it's quite simply button overkill - but since when has overkill been bad for a gamer?  It tracks well, it moves smoothly, it feels nice and it lifts clean and easy.  The two (or three, depending on your configuration) primary buttons are easy to press with nothing that can get in the way and stop you from hitting what you were actually after.  There really is nothing to complain about on the G600 when it comes to FPS gaming, except possibly being spoiled for choice when it comes to where exactly you want to bind your controls.

WINDOWS (OS)

Like any gaming mouse, the G600 was clearly not designed to spend its life navigating an operating system.  Even though it's hardly the most expensive mouse out there, there are still perfectly good (if not better) options for desktop tasks that cost considerably less.  But it's a fact of life that any PC is going to be spending time on the desktop - sometimes a lot of time, at that.  So a mouse has to also feel smooth and easy when doing even the most mundane of tasks, no matter how well suited it is to anything else.

What more really needs to be said about it, though, that hasn't already been covered?  It's smooth, it's accurate and it's easy to press the desired button(s).  What perhaps is worth mentioning, however (though I have not used it for this myself), is that the extra buttons on the sides could very easily be assigned to handle common desktop tasks.  Cut, copy and paste, create shortcut, open properties, open with and deleting (with or without bypassing the Recycle Bin), along with task or tab switching, could all easily be assinged to the default profile, with gaming or content creation then handled by the application detection facilities to allow more advanced programming options in those situations.  Unlike a "standard" multi-button mouse there are enough extra buttons that you could probably squeeze all the basics on there, rather than having to pick your favourite few, which makes it a much more useful endeavour.

NOT-SO-OBVIOUS OBSERVATIONS

What isn't immediately obvious to someone like myself (who doesn't use profiles) is that the real power of the LGS suite doesn't show until you change away from the onboard profile.  While the onboard profile is perfectly adequate for day-to-day mouse usage, it's really just the tip of the iceberg.  Automatic Game Detection mode opens up the options for adjusting the sensitivity of each axis individually (should you want such a thing), more thorough bindings such as application launching and media keys, timed multi-key macros and, perhaps the most powerful feature of all: a full LUA scripting engine which can be used to configure just about anything you want.  While I'm unsure of just exactly what its abilities and limitations are, some of the examples I've been able to find include things like creating button combinations (eg Button 1 does something, button 2 does something else, buttons 1 and 2 together is different again) or changing the lighting based on what button (or key) is being held down.

Another perculiarity I encountered involved the LGS suite and the default DPI setting.  Since it is possible to decide which DPI setting will be the default, the expectation is that the chosen setting will always be the one it starts in.  This is perfectly true if you use the mouse on a machine without LGS active (or even installed).  However, as soon as LGS loads, or a few seconds after plugging the mouse into a system with LGS already loaded, the DPI setting will be changed to whatever the lowest option available is.  In my case, that means I would start up to 500DPI instead of 2000DPI.  I have contacted Logitech regarding this, so hopefully a resolution will be forthcoming.  Much like the modifier issue I've also contacted them about, I'm taken to believe this only affects the onboard profile settings.

The last oddity I found is a physical one.  Due to the "wedge" taken out of the rear of the mouse, if I rest my palm on the rear of the mouse than the front lifts away from my desk.  When propped up like this, the mouse isn't sitting on either of its feet and doesn't respond to movement anyway.  Granted that this isn't a situation which comes up often for me, it is entirely possible that someone with smaller hands or a heavier grip may well wind up encountering it more frequently.  I can somewhat appreciate that the missing piece is about where the heel of my palm rests, but having it more sharply angle down rather than angling in would have been equally comfortable while being more stable.  This is just minor nitpicking, however.

ALTERNATIVES

While mice are available in every shape, size, configuration and price you could think of, the only real direct competition to the G600 comes in the form of Razer's Naga series of mice - though it may be worth mentioning they "only" have access to 17 buttons in total.  Having never used one I cannot say with any certainty as to whether they are better or worse.  The absence of a side scroll function is something I also see as a negative, but others may see that as a positive - I've grown very used to having it, and using a mouse without it causes all manner of issues with my muscle memory.

Currently, no left-handed option exists when it comes to keypad mice.  Razer has mentioned the possibility of a left-handed Naga but, as of now, there is still nothing in production.  Left-handed users will, instead, have to opt for an ambidexterous design which means there is no keypad option - though the WarMouse Meta (formerly the OpenOffice Mouse), with its almost-ambidexterous design and 18 buttons (17 of which are accessible with the left hand and no contortion), may be worth a look if you're desperate, and can obtain one.

It's also my understanding that the G600 currently does not support MacOS.  I don't know if this means it won't work at all on a Mac or if it simply means that it cannot be reconfigured by a Mac, but I suspect you would only be able to use the onboard profile (3 modes) at an absolute best.  Razer's Naga boasts Mac compatability and that reportedly extends to configuring it from within MacOS.

Ultimately no amount of research is really going to be enough when it comes to choosing a mouse.  It's one of the two most used input devices on any PC alongside the keyboard, so the demands even a light user places on it will be extremely high.  As no two people are the same it's always best if you can handle a mouse before making the purchase, and do your best to familiarise yourself with any common shortcomings - what's wrong with a mouse is generally more important than what's right, provided it has enough controls in convenient places for your purposes and is comfortable to use.

CONCLUSION

There are two questions you have to ask of any product you buy when forming an opinion on it: Do you regret purchasing it, and would you buy another one?

Do I regret purchasing it?  As of right now, no I don't.  It's smooth, the software is intuitive and it hasn't missed a beat.  I do feel that the thumb panel could have been better designed, but that could just be the fact I've only been using it for a few hours.  I will, however, be keeping my eye on it given my recent mousing experiences and my experiences with Logitech mice since my absolutely brilliant MX1000s.  Assuming Logitech has fixed whatever issue was plaguing my previous G-series mice, and that the side buttons "wear in" a little bit more, this could well take over from the MX1000 as my favourite mouse.

But would I buy another one?  Yes, I would.  It's relatively well priced, relatively well made and has performed admirably with every task I've thrown at it.  It's going to take me a little more time to completely come to grips with the layout but that's just part of owning a new mouse.  There's very little not to like about it, even if I'm still not entirely sold on the idea of having a keypad on the side.  Since it's still a very capable mouse without that, however, and you don't have to use every single button all the time, I would have no complaints replacing it with the same again.

In all, it's a very good mouse.  Though I would have preferred it be a little heavier (there's no weight customization features), it's still a decent weight, a good size and a good setup.  It can be used as a gaming mouse when wanted, or as a traditional mouse when needed without having to jump through any hoops or worry about pressing the wrong button - which is a very good thing when there are so many potential wrong buttons that can be pushed.

WHAT I LIKED

• All of the extra buttons have been added without interfering with basic mouse functionality.
• The thumb buttons were designed such that all four columns are accessible without repositioning your thumb.
• The thumb buttons require deliberate force to actuate, but not enough to move the mouse.
• Very large glide pads make it very stable in use without feeling sticky.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE

• Feels cheap to hold.  This doesn't make it function any worse, but it can be discouraging.
• The upper and lower rows on the keypad require too much conscious effort to use; though not enough to render them useless.
• More advanced configuration options aren't immediately obvious.
• The most advanced configuration options (LUA scripting) are hidden to the point you likely would never find them if you didn't know they existed.
• LGS v8.35 has a few minor issues with the onboard profile (v8.40 has resolved these).

TWO WEEKS LATER

Well, there really isn't a lot more to say.  In the past two weeks I've grown very used to using the extra buttons, but there's still a long way to go before I'd miss them on a different mouse.  Attempting to use the three rows of buttons near-simultaneously still requires some conscious thought, making them rather limited in function for "emergency" situations, but I am getting better at properly reaching for the row that I want.  If anything, the main problem I'm having now is remembering what exactly I've bound where.  FPS games are also feeling better on it as I'm now mostly only using the middle row for their extra buttons, and I've been playing with the sensitivity of the DPI Shift to find something more comfortable - 500 (1/4) seems to low, 1000 (1/2) seems to high, so I'm giving 800 (2/5) a go for now.

What I also found rather perculiar was that, over time, I grew to prefer the rear of the keypad to the front.  From my original impression where I thought the first two rows would be the most used, to my next impression leaning towards the middle two rows, I've honestly found that it feels the most comfortable to sit my thumb in such a way that the rear cluster is my "primary" cluster.  This actually leaves me feeling very sure of all but the front two corner buttons (G9 and G11).  It hasn't really changed how I've configured my controls (I already expected the corner buttons to be the least used) but it has meant that I can more comfortably work more buttons into my configuration.

I'm still waiting to see Logitech's solution to the two software issues I've encountered, unfortunately.  I've been in touch with them and their representative has stepped me through a miriad of FAQ pages relating to configuring the mouse.  Unfortunately, none of them actually helped the situation any.  These are definitely not show-stopper faults and are easily worked around, but it would be nice if they didn't exist at all.

LAST WORDS

In all, it's been a great piece of kit that I'd have no problems recommending to just about anyone after a "many-button" mouse for any purpose.  It's never missed a beat when it comes to tracking, every function has responded the moment I've actuated it and it has never left my hand feeling cramped after extended periods of use - regardless of the title in question.  To be fair, I still feel that the design could be improved upon slightly when it comes to the keypad, but as Logitech's first keypad mouse it's really hard to critically fault it in any way.

If ever a G600 v2 (G650?) were released with the keypad concaved top-to-bottom, the missing wedge on the back filled in and the wonderful in-hand feel of the G500, I'm absolutely certain I'd be an early adopter.

Highly recommended.

LATE UPDATE

I had an opportunity to get hands-on with a Naga today.  I will say that it felt very good to hold and that it was very easy to press all the buttons, which cannot immediately be said about the G600.  However, that also represents its biggest (in my opinion) downfall compared to the G600 - it's very easy to press ALL the buttons.  There was very little distinction between which button was what under my thumb.  I personally view this as a major negative, since being able to very quickly and easily press the wrong button can't really be viewed any other way.  Others may feel differently.

POST-TIME UPDATE

Since originally writing this, Logitech has updated their LGS software from version 8.35.18 to 8.40.83.  This corrects the modifier key configuration and the sensitivity settings for the onboard profile.  The sections have been marked accordingly, but left in tact as using the older software will doubtless still cause the same problem.

LEGAL STUFF

Please note that I'm not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned in this review.  Nothing has been provided to me outside of what I have purchased myself and nothing is expected as a result of having completed this review - it's just something that I felt like doing myself, in my own time.  All names and trademarks belong to their respective companies.  Etc etc.