Logitech G9

Typically computer mice retain a fairly standard design. Every so often, somebody will try something a little new, usually with mixed success. Logitech however are one company that tends to stick to their guns, and as such their last few generations of gaming mice have been fairly similar. As such, we were rather surprised when we unwrapped their latest high-end offering, the G9, and found a totally different looking mouse.

Logitech has flattened the design significantly, abandoning their signature curves for some slightly sharper edges. Towards the back the G9 thickens out to create a rounded shape that fits comfortably in the hand. It is much smaller than previous units, resting almost entirely in the fingers rather than the palm.

Also new is the interchangeable shell, which allows you to switch between a rough and smooth texture depending on your preference. The scroll wheel has been changed as well, split into many more sections, allowing for much more precise scrolling. The sensitivity adjuster returns, letting you quickly flick between three sensitivity presets at the touch of a button. Rounding out the controls are two generic buttons on the right hand side, which are positioned perfectly to be used with the thumb.

Once again the unit's weight can be adjusted, although you do have to remove the outer shell to gain access to the slot. This time around, only four sockets are offered to store the weights, which come in two varieties, 4g and 7g. This system isn't quite as flexible as the one seen on the previous Logitech G5, but it does the job well enough and you shouldn't really need to be tweaking it too often.

Overall the new design feels like an improvement. The smaller size means you move the mouse mostly with your fingers, allowing more precision, and it is more comfortable than having to use your entire hand. The ability to switch textures is also a boon, making the product more accessible to a variety of people who may previously have disliked one or the other. It does however suffer a little aesthetically. Previous Logitech mice had an attractive, shifting colour scheme and a curved design which looked extremely smooth. The G9 however is somewhat stumpy and definitely doesn't fall into the 'stylish' category at all.

Nonetheless, that is a minor issue compared to things like performance, and as usual Logitech deliver exceptionally well in this regard. We found the G9 was extremely accurate. It operates on a 3200 DPI laser sensor, which is much more sensitive than previous units. During our gaming tests the extra precision was obvious, offering incredibly accurate aiming that is, to put it simply, unrivaled by other mice at the current time. If you are a hardcore gamer who wants the best, you need not look any further.

Further enhancing the power of the G9 is the latest iteration of Logitech's SetPoint software. With this software, you can alter basically any feature of the mouse, from how precise the scroll wheel is to the how sensitive each of the three preset configurations are. It even allows you to go so far as to change the colour of the LEDs on the sensitivity display. The mouse also has onboard memory, allowing up to five configurations of settings to be stored on the unit itself and carried around with you, which is ideal for people who frequently play on multiple machines.