Ready to slip into your suitca... or not: Logitech wheels out new 'travel-sized' version of MX Master 3 It’s not exactly the best time to launch a travel mouse, is it? Nobody’s going anywhere, except perhaps to the shops. Oblivious to this fact is Swiss peripherals Logitech, which today introduced smaller flavours of its MX Master 3 mouse for both PC and Mac, dubbed MX Anywhere 3. Logitech flung both variants our way. Let’s …
So... The universal works with a Mac (I know. My boss uses the old Anywhere for his Mac), but they made a special version ripped out the USB functionality.
Why isn't it cheaper? You lose functionality (granted, that you might not use) and gain nothing. Why buy a limited-functionality version for the same money? Or am I missing something?
But... (a) All my computers have USB-A sockets suitable for RF dongle thingies (I know, I know, get with the times, grandpa); (b) current batteries last so long it's always a surprise when they run out after months and months and months; and (c) no way am I ever going to pay eighty of our finest English pounds for a mouse!
> no way am I ever going to pay eighty of our finest English pounds for a mouse!
Which I why I waited two years for the original full size MX Master to be on sale at half price, £45. Best money I've ever spent on a computer peripheral. The article didn't mention the darkfiekd laser sensor, but it's a significant part of the value. Being able to use a mouse on glass (as well as anything else I've tried it on) is a surprisingly nice experience, it glides very smoothly but controllably.
Only available for right hands, as far I I know, though, so southpaws are likely served better by the more symetrical travel version.
The full size versions have more buttons. The MX series mice allow more options in the Logitech Setpoint software, including a clone of Apple's 'Exposé' (but for Windows), which I have come to use as my primary task switcher.
I don't use a mechanical keyboard, but I'm sympathetic to those who will spend good money to make a task that much more comfortable, especially a task they may be doing hours a day.
Good bed, good shoes, good mouse.
I have to travel once every week and as such the MX Anywhere ( versions 1 and 2 ) have been faithful during the service...
They work and they work well, there is a nice weight to them, just right for working without being to heavy for the bag.... They are comfortable malgré their relatively small size and as mentioned above they can be used on anything form you knee to crappy train table to glass topped dining tables and they are chargeable and capable of being wired when necessary...
They are a little expensive but definitely worth it. I will probably get the V3 as I can't find my V2 for more than a week ... I took it on holiday but must have left it in the apartment, gggrrrr... ( These mice love to traval )
(a) All my computers have USB-A sockets suitable for RF dongle thingies (I know, I know, get with the times, grandpa)So, uh, don't buy the Mac version, then? That's exactly what the article is saying, that the non-Mac version does come with an RF dongle, which fits into a USB-A socket. Problem solved.
Indeed in fact I think I only ever have bought one mouse (Watford Electronics tail end of the 90's), the rest have come with desktop purchases or errrr as is usually the case rescued.
I usually salvage them from departing employee's kit (Says he coincidently with a very nice Anywhere MX by his side*, that fell out of a laptop case one day) or whatever turns up for going to the disposal pallets**. One good through clean later, bish bash bosh & job's a good 'un.
*There's a fair selection of M215's & higher models in the garage & most of them if not all have dongles.
**I love working in IT waste disposal, all sorts of interesting gems turn up at times, that need rescuing from landfill. https://thumbs.gfycat.com/MemorableWaterloggedBlobfish-mobile.mp4
I didn't pay full price for a MK 1 MX Master mouse, but I'm very glad to have it. It works flawlessly on a wider ranger of surfaces than a conventional laser or optical mouse. It just makes each mouse interaction with my computer (I do more CAD than I do coding or word processing) that little bit more comfortable and less frustrating.
The fancy sensor aside, the (switchable) free-scroll wheel makes things easier, too.
So, to do a cost (I paid around £45 for mine) against benefit analysis: compared to a conventional mouse, it has made things easier over all the years I've used it. What would I pay for my cursor to go where I want it to, everytime? Even at 1p an hour, it's paid for itself.
Incidentally, £40 is roughly what I paid for my first optical mouse around the year 2000. Again, it was so much nicer to use than a ball-driven mouse - which could be picked up for next to nothing.
The issue I have with most mice is that they're huge, and that eventually gives me RSI because it bends my wrist. I bought the first Anywhere MX because of its darkfield technology - in a duh moment I bought a glass surface desk, and the Anywhere MX just worked anyway. I never got on with the Apple mouse, and this did the job well (my main criteria for gear :) ).
As it's smaller than the "official" desk mice I have continued using them (to the point of typically having one on the desk and one in the travel bag), so I'll be looking at the v3 with interest.
I've been using a cheap Vilros keyboard (TKL) and mouse for several years. Small, but not too small on the keyboard. Mouse is damn good. Less than $30US and only one wireless USB dongle.
When Logitech can put out something as good in the keyboard and mouse combo range for $60 with their new "lightspeed" hyped-up, meaningless keywords I may try it if it's not too large but until then I'm sticking to what works well for travel.
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