Most gamers avoid cordless mice with good reason: their battery life can be short-lived, and you run the risk of lag. Logitech addresses both concerns with the G7 Laser Cordless Optical mouse, which features programmable buttons, adjustable sensitivity levels, and a quick-swappable battery. At AU$179.95, it's a good cordless option for the gaming set, but those who don't mind being chained to their computers should consider the Logitech G5 Laser mouse, which offers the same level of programmability for AU$40 less.
The 133 gram G7 is fairly light for a gaming mouse and most gamers will want more heft; unlike the G5, it lacks customisable weights to give it a heavier feel. Though it looks like it will fit both left- and right-handed users, it's made for righties only. It has two sensitivity buttons conveniently placed below the thumbwheel and another programmable button near the thumb rest. It has a small battery meter on top. An eject button on the bottom lets you quickly swap out the battery. The G7 comes with two battery packs and a USB recharging station. Logitech also includes a wireless receiver that you can plug into your computer's USB port or the USB port on the recharging station.
The G7's sensitivity buttons are preset to 2,000, 800 and 400 dots per inch (dpi); by default, the thumb button triggers the Back command in a Web browser. To get the most out of the G7, you'll have to install Logitech's included SetPoint software, which lets you adjust dpi settings and program the thumb button.
The G7 performs flawlessly and is very comfortable to use. Movement tracking is responsive and the sensitivity buttons are easy to reach during frantic combat. We didn't experience any lag or glitches in movement and the buttons provided good tactile feedback. Battery life is acceptable. Logitech rates each battery pack for up to eight hours of use and the packs charge quickly, in about three hours, ensuring that your mouse will always have power.
Logitech backs the G7 Laser Cordless mouse with a three-year hardware warranty, which is two years longer than the industry standard for input devices. You can access service and support online through Logitech's support Web site, which also offers software updates, driver downloads and user discussion forums.
