I originally wrote this piece on Friday 3 October under the title, 'I've got the new Logitech MX Master 4 mouse in my hands, and it's a massive upgrade'. But after a weekend of working with it (and using a brand new gaming mouse - more on that later), I've changed my mind a bit.
There are some areas where the Logitech MX Master 4 still shines, and I want to reiterate, I have been a long time user of Logitech's mice (picking the MX Master as by far the best). But by further comparing it to my MX Master 3 model, and looking more at the competition in the price range, it's not as cut and dry as I originally thought.
Read on for my updated thoughts, and if you're interested in building an ergonomic home office, check out my guide on the best office chairs for back pain.
Issues with the MX Master 3 Master 4
I stand by the fact that the Master 3 is built of material that has worn over the last two years – so mine looks a little shabby – and the new silicone of the 4 seems more durable. The frosted buttons of the 4 I think look great and should definitely laster longer than my worn 3.
I also like the updated design of the buttons, getting rid of the cut out front wheel and incorporating it into the button material more (see images above).
But now for the issues I have with the MX Master 4.
First off, the silicone material, while no doubt offering a longer life to the mouse, just doesn't grip to my hand like the 3, and I feel that it's not secure as the 3 is. That plays on my mind every time I grab it, and though it may sound like an overstatement, I really don't want to be thinking about the feel and grip of the mouse I'm using, every time I use it. It's a small thing, but it's turned out to be incredibly distracting.
Not just good looks
I do like that the new thumb wheel of the 4 is more exposed than the 3, and so you get more scroll for each attempt. I also really like the new thumb button, and it's haptic feedback feature. It's cool, and could be really useful once I get into programming it a bit more.
But here's the deal breaker: I recently got the Sony Inzone-A mouse for review before it goes on sale on 31 October. And comparing the Master MX 4 with this gaming mouse, as well as the 3, the 4 is definitely third place when it comes to low latency and responsiveness.
Now, I understand that it is unfair to compare a gaming mouse – made for pro gaming – to a productivity mouse. The Inzone-A comes with an insane 8,000 Hz polling rate (the rate in which your PC receives input from the mouse a second) and is 48 g to the Master 4's 150 g. Add to that a far higher DPI (dots per inch – a measure of the mouse's sensitivity), and I felt the Master 4 was slow and unresponsive compared to the gaming mouse.
'But the Master 4 is NOT a gaming mouse', I hear you cry. And you're right. But I also found that the Master 4 was a little slower in responding than the Master 3 – and that's with the Logi Bolt dongle connection. Add to that I still prefer the grip of the 3, and so feel I have more control over the mouse, and the result is I have some major issues with recommending the Master 4 over the 3.
And with the Sony gaming mouse selling for $150, and the Master 4 selling for $120, if you have a similar work/gaming set up as me, it might make more sense to think about an ultra-light, super fast and low latency gaming mouse. Sure, you lose out on some of the features of a productivity mouse, but my god it feels way more responsive.
If you're going to stick with the Master MX series, I'd recommend the 3 over the 4.
