The Logitech brand has been on the market for a long time. In fact since I was still studying at university I have been using various Logitech products. For myself who is not a gamer, I rarely use their gaming products. But I'm more familiar with their productivity products and my favorite to this day is the MX Master 3 mouse.
Recently, Logitech has launched a new model for this mouse which is the MX Master 3S and along with it is the MX Mechanical keyboard which uses low profile switches.
After weeks of using these products, believe it or not they are some of the best I've ever used and throughout use I can say I haven't experienced any major issues. My daily tasks become smoother, I don't experience any interruptions and I feel like I have become a pro. But for you, is this the best keyboard and mouse set? Is it worth spending more than RM1000 for both? I will share my experience and opinion in this review article.
Logitech MX Mechanical
Specifications & Design
For the first product in the series, it's their new keyboard with their signature low-profile switches. According to Logitech, they have integrated features from their gaming keyboard into the MX Master series. For this review unit, the switch used is a silent tactile type like a Brown switch that gives a tactile effect when typing and does not make noise even though it is a mechanical type keyboard.
Logitech also offers a selection of click effect switches such as Blue and linear types such as Red. The Logitech MX Mechanical does not support switchable switch features and everything is already built into a slim body. The keys used are also thin type for a fast and smooth typing experience. It also has an on/off switch button, a USB-C port and a foot to make the keyboard a little taller when typing.
The size of this keyboard is a compact full type with a row of "F" keys not isolated on a separate row, as well as a close overall arrangement. There are also three connection keys to tether the keyboard to three different devices and can be switched with just one click. Connection is a wireless type with Bluetooth or via a USB dongle with Logi Bolt technology that supports one dongle for six devices.
The Logitech MX Mechanical also has a built-in white LED light to help users type at night when it's dark. Various movement patterns can be changed through Logi Option+ software, which is the same software for Logi Bolt connection settings and keyboard settings such as changing the function of each key. Logitech also includes an ambient sensor to automatically activate the light when the user's hand is close to the keyboard in a dark environment.
Usage Experience
As a user who is used to custom mechanical keyboards like the Keychron Q1, this Logitech MX Mechanical was not on my radar. This is because this keyboard is not a true mechanical type, but tries to offer a mechanical keyboard-like usage experience. It is also a versatile keyboard that is easy to carry anywhere, easy to use together with many devices and focuses more on the plug-and-play concept.
During my first day of using the keyboard, I felt a little strange because I haven't used a low-profile mechanical keyboard in a long time. It took me a few days to get used to it and before I knew it after a few weeks of use, this Logitech MX Mechanical was my everyday keyboard.
The typing experience on this keyboard is excellent. It feels smooth, comfortable and my fingers don't feel tired and every key press doesn't feel so heavy. I can also type faster and the articles I write with this keyboard feel more accurate than before. I like the feeling of pressing each key that has a tactile effect because it successfully mimics real Brown switches like Cherry MX Brown.
The comfort of this keyboard also makes me often bring it home to work on, even though I already have another keyboard. The Smart Illumination feature, which is a light that turns on automatically when it detects my hand approaching it, also helps me because I don't have to look for specific keys in the dark.
Finally what makes this keyboard suitable as my backup keyboard is that it is multi-device friendly. Not only because of the Bluetooth LE connection support that saves energy and guarantees battery life or the Logi Bolt that saves my computer's USB-A port because it supports one dongle for all – but it supports up to three devices simultaneously with just one button. The battery I got, more than 15 days with lamp usage. Since the first day of using it, when this article was written the remaining battery was 50%.
Custom mechanical keyboards do not have these features, as it is more about user experience and personal taste. For this Logitech MX Mechanical, it is a product suitable for all.
Logitech MX Master 3S
Specifications And Design
It's been years since I observed that many people love this Logitech MX Master mouse. I first became aware of the existence of this series through the MX Master 2 and 2S models because I saw many tech commentators using them. But at that time I still couldn't afford it and this mouse also still uses a micro USB connection. But this mouse started to catch my eye when the MX Master 3 was launched because it started using USB-C. Around last year I started using it and until today it is my favorite mouse and this time I had the chance to use the MX Master 3S which seems to be no different.
In terms of design, this mouse uses a thick and large design at the back but is slightly tapered at the front. On the left side, this mouse has a curve for the thumb which has quick access to four things. First is around the rubber surface that has quick access buttons to all open windows, then there are two physical buttons that can be changed such as for copy/paste, back and so on and there is a side scroll wheel that can be changed to control brightness, volume and others which is suitable for using scrolling controls.
On the top surface there are the usual left and right buttons which is where the noticeable difference starts to be felt compared to the MX Master 3. The MX Master 3S has a new switch that is silent and has no clicking noise. A surface that looks smooth, but actually provides a lot of grip. Also available is a motorized vertical scroll wheel for one-by-one scrolling or independent scrolling with buttons to change these scroll settings.
Below that is the on/off switch, a profile button for connection to three different devices and a brand new optical sensor that now supports up to 8K DPI compared to the previous model which was only 4K. Like the keyboard, this mouse also supports the use of Logi Bolt.
Usage Experience
The MX Master 3 mouse is the best mouse I have ever used in my life and the MX Master 3S still provides the same user experience. But I'm a little disappointed with it, because the switches on the left and right which are silent type don't give the satisfaction of clicking like before. It's quiet and doesn't annoy people around, but it seems to have its shortcomings even though Logitech is trying to offer something good.
For the 8K DPI sensor, it is quite high and difficult for me to use on this mouse because it weighs 141g compared to the gaming mouse I tested which is the Razer DeathAdder V2 Pro which is only 88g with 20K DPI. So I'm still using the same setting I'm comfortable with which is around 1K to 2K only. The fast use of 2K easily makes the hands feel tired and sluggish, imagine if it was higher.
What makes me love this mouse is the long lasting comfort. I've never had an issue using this mouse and with the settings that suit me, it's hard to get tired and sluggish. Then with Logi Bolt support and connection to many devices at the same time, this mouse simplifies my daily tasks if I want to use it on the computer then switch to the iPad very quickly.
The advantage of this MX Master 3S is also Logi Flow support which can use the mouse from one platform to another as smoothly as Windows with an additional monitor in Extended mode. But I rarely use this feature, because my work space is a little narrow.
Finally, what I like most about this mouse is the ability to assign different functions to each button and scroll wheel it has. For example I can change this mouse function to be different in Photoshop, different in Mozilla Firefox and many other software. Maybe for edits on the scroll wheel I can use to resize the brush then the left and right buttons on the thumb for redo/undo. While on a web browser, the side scroll wheel is for switching between open tabs.
Software
Making the experience of using the MX Master series complete is the Logi Option+ software which in my opinion is the best software for keyboard and mouse. It has a user-friendly interface, easy to use and very clear.
The software allows connections with Logi Bolt to be set for six different products, control other products in the Logitech ecosystem together, change settings on buttons, lights, keys and more. Logitech also takes good care of their products by regularly providing optimization updates to keep the MX Master series running smoothly.
Conclusion
After several weeks of using the MX Master 3S and MX Mechanical, I can say that these two products are the best match for productivity purposes. The keyboard is comfortable to use, smooth and fast typing works, thin and compact design, and there is an automatic lighting feature. As for the mouse that has a lot of custom buttons, and a scroll wheel that is really fun to use – it's hard for me to switch to another mouse after this.
Most importantly, the Logi Bolt ecosystem that can use one dongle for many devices at the same time and both this mouse and keyboard that can be directly connected to three different devices at the same time really helps me to further optimize my work to be more efficient.
Logitech MX Mechaninal is sold at RM819 and MX Master 3S is RM449. Both of these products amount to RM1,268 which is actually quite expensive. But in my opinion, I prefer a powerful mouse like this and the price offered is still acceptable compared to a gaming mouse that reaches more than RM700. For the keyboard, although I enjoy using it but for RM800 you can buy a custom mechanical keyboard that will give you more comfort like the Keychron Q1 which is sold for only around RM600 now – if you don't want the Logi Bolt feature.
Pro
Quality and environmentally friendly building materials.
Can be used directly.
Supports connection to three devices simultaneously.
Logi Bolt feature that requires only 1 dongle for 6 devices.
Long lasting battery.
Logi Option+ software that makes the user experience more complete.
Cons
The switches on the mouse are too quiet and unsatisfactory.
The surface of the mouse gets dirty quickly.
Arrange the keys on an overcrowded keyboard.
Unfriendly selling price for all users.