Page 2: Parts (more), Testing, and Conclusion
The Black G7 (Continued):
What were those two buttons below the scroll wheel? DPI adjustments. As you may know from reading my input device reviews, I always say that I do not bother testing software. I want my computer not to be bogged down with useless software like extra cruft from the input devices. Thankfully, the DPI adjustments work directly on the mouse. There is no driver support needed. What are DPI adjustments? Basically, you can increase or decrease the speed of the mouse. On the lowest setting, you can get the one pixel accuracy you need in Photoshop and on the highest setting, make that kill on that guy you could never get. The middle setting is fine for general operating system use.
On the bottom of the mouse you can see the battery port with a battery sticking out and the PTFE feet that Logitech is using. Polytetrafluoroethylene is basically Teflon. Teflon is the brand name that DuPont coined for polytetrafluoroethylene. I already explained why Polytetrafluoroethylene is not sticky in the »previous article.
Also interesting to note is that the mouse has a good battery indicator on it. If you leave the mouse for about five seconds, it will display the battery meter. Upon moving the mouse, the DPI setting is shown.
Testing:
What can be said about a mouse built for gaming? The tracking is the best, period. No other mouse tracks the same as the G7 series from Logitech. The black G7 offers nothing new in terms of functionality other than the color change. I will say that the battery seems to last a bit longer with the new G7. This has to be due to improvements in the mouse itself since the battery packs are identical. They are both 600 mAh. I do find that I need to swap out the battery every morning even though the battery is charged at night. I guess the mouse does not go to sleep as well as the previous model. This happens due to increased precision of the laser engine. It is detected movement and keeps the mouse on the entire night. The DPI buttons and the way the mouse handles clicks feel improved as well. There is more spring to the black G7 than the original. It is something that is hard to explain. You really need to try it for yourself. DPI adjustments on the fly are very handy in certain situations. I have used it many times in the past.
Conclusion:
Unlike the original G7, I am not going to recommend you go out and buy this mouse right now. If you currently own an »older G7, there is little reason to purchase the new black model. If you are still using a previous generation mouse, this may be the time to upgrade. Like any input device, you need to carefully test out the device before purchasing. Picking an input device solely based on looks and performance can hurt you in the end. Your wrist will thank you later in life. You can purchase a black G7 for the current price (as of writing) of $68. Thanks for reading and be sure to enter our contest to »win an ATI X1900 AIW PCIe video card. All you need to do is post in a single thread to be entered.
I would like to thank Kate from Logitech for sending the new G7 for review.
What were those two buttons below the scroll wheel? DPI adjustments. As you may know from reading my input device reviews, I always say that I do not bother testing software. I want my computer not to be bogged down with useless software like extra cruft from the input devices. Thankfully, the DPI adjustments work directly on the mouse. There is no driver support needed. What are DPI adjustments? Basically, you can increase or decrease the speed of the mouse. On the lowest setting, you can get the one pixel accuracy you need in Photoshop and on the highest setting, make that kill on that guy you could never get. The middle setting is fine for general operating system use.
On the bottom of the mouse you can see the battery port with a battery sticking out and the PTFE feet that Logitech is using. Polytetrafluoroethylene is basically Teflon. Teflon is the brand name that DuPont coined for polytetrafluoroethylene. I already explained why Polytetrafluoroethylene is not sticky in the »previous article.
Also interesting to note is that the mouse has a good battery indicator on it. If you leave the mouse for about five seconds, it will display the battery meter. Upon moving the mouse, the DPI setting is shown.
Testing:
What can be said about a mouse built for gaming? The tracking is the best, period. No other mouse tracks the same as the G7 series from Logitech. The black G7 offers nothing new in terms of functionality other than the color change. I will say that the battery seems to last a bit longer with the new G7. This has to be due to improvements in the mouse itself since the battery packs are identical. They are both 600 mAh. I do find that I need to swap out the battery every morning even though the battery is charged at night. I guess the mouse does not go to sleep as well as the previous model. This happens due to increased precision of the laser engine. It is detected movement and keeps the mouse on the entire night. The DPI buttons and the way the mouse handles clicks feel improved as well. There is more spring to the black G7 than the original. It is something that is hard to explain. You really need to try it for yourself. DPI adjustments on the fly are very handy in certain situations. I have used it many times in the past.
Conclusion:
Unlike the original G7, I am not going to recommend you go out and buy this mouse right now. If you currently own an »older G7, there is little reason to purchase the new black model. If you are still using a previous generation mouse, this may be the time to upgrade. Like any input device, you need to carefully test out the device before purchasing. Picking an input device solely based on looks and performance can hurt you in the end. Your wrist will thank you later in life. You can purchase a black G7 for the current price (as of writing) of $68. Thanks for reading and be sure to enter our contest to »win an ATI X1900 AIW PCIe video card. All you need to do is post in a single thread to be entered.
I would like to thank Kate from Logitech for sending the new G7 for review.