To many people, a mouse is a mouse. You move it and press the buttons, and it clicks things on your computer screen, and that’s it. But for full-time office workers, PC gamers, and other folks, there’s more to a mouse. Functionality, convenience, features, weight, responsiveness, etc. In this article I look at the Logitech MX Master 3. I’ve had the last two MX Master series mice (the MX Master and the MX Master 2S) and have really liked them. Let’s see how their latest addition to their tried-and-true line of pointing peripherals stand up.
Use Case
For reference, I should explain that I purchased the MX Master 3 for use in my office at work. My current role is as an information technology coordinator, so I manage day-to-day IT operations for a local casino. I also assist on our Service Desk for other locations in our western division. While a fair amount of my time is spent around the property, I do spend a lot of time at my desk doing computer work. I often have two devices at my desk, and I also take my keyboard and mouse with me from home to work. The primary use is simply productivity at my desk.
Features
Charging | The MX Master 3 features a USB-C port that can be used to charge the internal, non-removable battery. It’s nice to see USB-C connectivity on the mouse, as the vast majority of my other devices and peripherals have moved to include the port, and I would really hate having to throw a solitary micro-USB cable into the mix. USB-C is fairly universal these days unless you’re in the iPhone world in the United States, so this was a nice convenience for me. If you’re not a fan of USB-C for some reason, fret not. The MX Master 3’s 500 mAh Li-Po battery will last you about 70 days. I personally turn mine off at night when I leave the office, so I’ve only charged the device maybe 3 times since purchasing it in early 2020.
Buttons | Obviously the mouse has the standard left-click and right-click buttons. These are not at all mushy and provide an immediate and solid “click” noise when depressed. Between those is Logitech’s infinity scroll wheel, which looks and feels to be made of metal, though I wouldn’t be surprised if it wasn’t. Along with the infinity scroll wheel, there is a button just below it to enable or disable the infinite scroll feature–in case moving at hundreds of lines of text in a few seconds isn’t your cup of tea. At the side of the device there is a horizontal scroll wheel made of the same material, though not featuring infinity scroll, as well as forward/back buttons and multi-tasking button that is the equivalent of the Windows keyboard shortcut Win+Tab.
Logitech Software | The MX Master 3 is also compatible with Logitech’s softwares such as Flow and Options, allowing you to custom map buttons to different shortcuts, as well as copy from one device and paste on another. While a little bit gimmicky for my taste, it definitely works and is a feature worth noting on a mouse that is marketed for productivity.
Ergonomics | Like previous MX Master series mice, the MX Master 3 features a contoured shape intended to make gripping the mouse more comfortable for extended periods of time and at an angle that is less harmful to your wrist and arm.
Connectivity | With the MX Master 3, the user gets two options for connecting to a device. Logitech includes a nano-transceiver similar to the Unifying tranceivers we are all so familiar with–though it is important to note that the MX Master 3 is not Unifying-compatible. Additionally, users can choose to connect the device via onboard bluetooth. Not only is bluetooth available, but three bluetooth connections can be made and stored. There is a button on the bottom face of the device allowing users to click to switch between bluetooth connections. This is the route for which I opted.
Gripes
Wear & Tear | Much to my dismay, the Logitech MX Master 3 does not take daily use too well in terms of aesthetics. I’ve had the device for about 8 months now, and the left-click plastic button/panel is already worn and shiny. I wash my hands often and keep a clean work area, yet somehow the is a disproportionate amount of wear and shine on the left-click button. It’s a shame, because the MX Master 3 is a beautiful device, and the fast wear on the plastics kind of makes it feel cheap–which is an issue at it’s price point. Logitech isn’t a stranger to this issue, as both the MX Master and MX Master 2S also had issues with plastic wearing and discoloring. I’d think they would have resolved that issue in the design for their new flagship mouse, but I guess not.
Ergonomics | Overall, the ergonomics of this mouse feel quite good and it is comfortable to hold in hand. My only gripe here is that the raised palm area is angled just barely too far back, putting my fingertips not quite as far forward as I prefer. But, do note that this is entirely personal preference, and your mileage my vary.
Inconvenient Switcher | Why do companies continually insist on putting things like buttons and charging ports on the bottom of their devices? (Looking at you and your Magic Mouse, Apple). Logitech got the charge port right by including it at the front of the device, but still decided to put the bluetooth connection button on the bottom of the device. If the mouse featured a singular bluetooth connection, I would think this would be fine. But given that the device is centered around productivity and highlights the triple-bluetooth connection feature, it would be nice to have the switcher button readily accessible, rather than having to pick up the mouse, turn it over, and press the little button before setting the mouse back down and resuming work on your other device. While not hugely inconvenient, I find this design option odd where the marketing for the mouse is largely focused on productivity.
Price | Okay. So I’m the guy whose friends know as the one who spends more than most on things like mice, keyboards, and tech in general. So higher price points for quality products are no foreign concept to me. With a current purchase price of $99, the MX Master 3 falls in the upper-range of mice in terms of price–especially for Logitech. I would be okay with the price if the plastics stood up against time better and the connection toggle switch was more conveniently located. But given these two things, I recommend picking one up used for $70-80 instead.
Conclusion
Overall, I love my Logitech MX Master 3. While the bluetooth toggle switch is inconveniently located, the triple bluetooth connection feature is definitely great and I use it daily. The mouse is comfortable enough for daily use (8-10 hours). With great battery life and the abiltiy to easily change which device you’re connected to, this mouse is certainly a staple for my work kit. Despite my gripes, I would be comfortable recommending this mouse to anyone who used multiple devices on an all-day/every-day kind of basis.
Have you tried Logitech’s MX Master 3? What about another mouse you like? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
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