Unfortunately, like angry kittens on a tapestry, I demolished the box in my haste to get at the product. However who keeps boxes anyway? (By the way, very pretty gatefold type box with a magnet in to keep it shut - good stuff huh?)
Getting the mouse out the first thing that surprised me is that the cord is not plastic coated, its coating is like twine, more like an iron flex but far better quality. The G9 has an in-built memory so you can take your mouse with your personal settings to, say, a LAN Gaming Centre, and this is the reason for the coating. It cannot be twisted easily and therefore will give your mouse a much longer life.
The next thing I noticed is, to put it bluntly, it’s ugly. If this mouse were at a school disco it would be the last to be picked for a dance. However I didn’t buy this mouse to look at, I bought it for performance, so lets move onto that.
So we’re off. Well, not quite. Because before you can get going with the G9 you have two crucial decisions to make. The G9 comes with a built in weight pack and a box with eight weights in. Four are 7g each and four are 4g each. This really is personal preference and since I am used to, and prefer, a heavier mouse I opted for four 7g weights, and have had no reason to change it.
The second choice is the grip. The G9 comes with two grips, one is a satin-feel quite wide grip, and the other is a dry-feel precision grip. (left and right on above pic respectively) As stated in the bumf that comes with the mouse the fatter, wider satin grip is for everyday use, whilst the dry precision grip is for gaming. Since this is a gaming mouse I opted for the dry precision grip.
I have had this mouse for a while now and I have never used the satin-grip, its big and a bit clunky, the satin grip is also a bit sweaty. The dry grip, oddly enough is dry, but what I really like about it is the feel. This mouse is much smaller than most other Logitech mouses and unlike them is not the usual 'kidney bean' shape. What this means is that it fits into your hand rather than your hand over it. I find this far better for movement, particularly in FPS, my game of choice.
However swapping out the grips or the weights is very easy to do and can be done quickly and easily at any time.
So the next thing is the mouse itself. Well there's a lot of buttons there and I'm sure you're all familiar with left-click and right-click, scrolling wheels and back and forward browser buttons. So the real point of note here is the DPI settings. There are essentially three settings, I won't bore you with the figures, because in layman’s terms it basically means the response speed of the cursor across your screen as you move the mouse. Basically it goes slow, medium and quick! The control for these is on the top so you can do it on the fly as it were with your finger (+/-). For normal windows use I find the full speed setting is fine however I (and my fellow G9 owner Jk) have found that the highest DPI setting is too quick for TF2 for example, one slight movement and you've practically done a full circle. I have also found that when playing as a sniper putting it on the slowest setting gives you much greater control of your scope.
So, of course, in-game you could just change your DPI settings with your finger, but oh no, Logitech can help you there too.
Unlike most products you don't get a software CD, you simply have to download Logitech's Setpoint software. Once downloaded you can then configure the mouse to your heart's content. Similarly to the G15 it’s really simple. You can configure it to default to your settings when you load certain programmes or, more specifically, games and its entirely configurable, every button can be assigned to different configurations, single keystrokes etc. A simple example of this is that I have it configured for HL2 (and all related games, ie TF2) and have my 'back' browser button assigned to keystroke 'r' which means I can reload with my thumb very quickly, personal thing but I find it very useful. I obviously have it configured to have the medium DPI setting for HL2 also, and I have it on the slowest setting for GTA: San Andreas which is very twitchy otherwise.
Most importantly though, you can change the colours of the lights! You may laugh but I actually really like it, I have red for normal, blue for HL2 (and related games) and various others for other games. What I like is that I can tell, at a glance, that my mouse is configured for the game, they usually switch colour as soon as game is opened. The colours range from reds, through yellows, greens and then blues. All fairly fluorescent.
It also has an onboard memory to store all these configurations, which, as mentioned, means you could take it away and use it on another PC with your preferred settings, for example to a LAN Gaming centre, I have yet to test this but I see no reason why it wouldn't work.
What else then?
Well, like the G15 its clunky, and rugged, like my G15 I have battered it, stood on it, flinged it across the room when I've caught the cable by mistake and once again it just sits and looks at me and says, 'That the best you've got?' Again, I like that in a product.
The teflon (I think) undersides aren't the normal little feet in four corners, they are two bars that cover the bottom, this means that they glide but at the same time kinda grip as well, again though this adds to the responsiveness of it.
So the downsides.
Well Setpoint isn't great. Both myself and Jk have found that even though we have configured the G9 to hl2.exe, most times it doesn't work automatically without opening Setpoint first and applying and oking the setting. This is why I like the lights changing, I know I'm in the right configuration.
Secondly, despite the ruggedness, I have noticed that where my little finger rubs the side of the grip it has worn the rough away to smooth. I'm slightly disappointed with this, bearing in mind I only got it at the end of November. I'm sure replacement grips are available but a bit disappointed.
On the subject of grips, I really don't know why they bother with the fatter, satin grip. Its no good for gaming and this is, ultimately, a gaming mouse. Maybe some people like it, but I can't see why, and for the times when I'm not gaming its really not worth swapping over, what's the point, my hand is very used to the gaming grip, why faff about? Personally I'd prefer a replacement dry grip. If anyone out there is using the satin one and loves it, I'll happily swap you your spare dry for my spare satin!
And also on the subject of grips, no lefties I'm afraid. Despite being able to configure and reconfigure every button the mouse underneath its shell it's configured for right and therefore both grips are right-handed only. Sorry lefties. (I am actually left-handed but use a mouse with my right!)
However generally these are minor gripes. The ultimate test is in-game, and in-game I wouldn't have anything else.
Finally, I have said this before, but in my opinion, it is the perfect partner to the G15.
Two other points of note that I forgot to include.
I went from a cordless to a corded mouse, Eu and Jk, amongst others, had always extolled the virtues of corded over cordless and I had the top of the range Logitech cordless mouse before this. I have no regrets (other than catching the cord sometimes!) and unless the software significantly improves, will not have another cordless mouse.
That said the VX Revolution does have a nifty function whereby you can change the mousewheel to scroll freely or clunkily (?!) and I would have liked to see this on the G9.
Secondly I would recommend a mousemat, I have tried it on various surfaces but defo works best with a mousemat.
Apparently the mouse scroll wheel can be changed by pressing a button underneath, rather than pressing the wheel itself like on the VX! Obviously in cause you need mouse 3 in a game!
I do have pictures of the box, which I did not completely destroy , but seemlingly like everyone around here I'm cameraless at the moment, so I'll post the pics when I get mine back.
Secondly Stu, I have never used the small grip - I hate it. It's far too small for me and I find that you have to contort your hand to get a comfortable grip. The fatter one moulds to your hand shape better, and I'd happily swap you.
Secondly Stu, I have never used the small grip - I hate it. It's far too small for me and I find that you have to contort your hand to get a comfortable grip. The fatter one moulds to your hand shape better, and I'd happily swap you.
Well I stand corrected, really couldn't see anyone liking it! However this is perhaps a selling point, because obviously you can swap it over to see which one suits you best.
(I do have small hands and fat fingers so maybe that's why!)
Ok I can confirm that there is indeed a button underneath to change the scrolling wheel setting, you live and learn! There is also a Profile Switch button so you can do it manually.
Also Cheetah, dunno really as I only tested it on this one but generally speaking its better on a mousemat than not.
Very good review. I actually bought one after a poll here in the forum.
I like it. Just one problem though for people to be aware about...
I have a diNovo Bluetooth keyboard and mouse (MX1000) and they are great. I had a problem with the Bluetooth drivers in Windows at one point (probably the PC telling me that I need to format eventually) which brought me to the decision of buying a wired mouse (not funny not to be able to do most things in your computer)... fyi if your bluetooth gets switched off you will need to go to the system tray to restart it... HOW if your mouse doesn't work is beyond me...
I had the setpoint software installed because of my other logitech products so I though it would pick up the new mouse but didn't... I installed the software in the CD.. but nothing... well, it works (and well) so no problems there but its either 2 years of continuous work in my PC that are showing or a problem with the Logitech software integrating more than one product...
I hope its me (and my PC) and I can fix it.. but just in case...
.........Rated 
.........and I might get one after all 
.
, but seemlingly like everyone around here I'm cameraless at the moment, so I'll post the pics when I get mine back.
