Home > Consumer Reviews > Logitech MX 1100 Cordless Laser Mouse

I have been using this mouse for more than a month now. When the MX1100 first came out, the price was more expensive than the Logitech MX Revolution mouse. So, I was expecting that the MX1100 was going to be an upgraded version of the MX Revolution and that might not be true in some aspects.

I have been a big fan of Logitech for a long time. Ever since they made their first mouse, I was a customer and have never been dissatisfied. The only other company that I think is the best for a mouse is Microsoft (Yes, they are a great hardware company). The reliability of a Logitech mouse is very good and I still have many Logitech mice and trackballs floating around my house. When I got the Logitech MX Revolution mouse, I thought that I finally got a mouse that can go with the rest of my life. :) And when I saw a Logitech mouse that was more expensive than the MX Revolution, I was excited how Logitech would have improved their technology even further. The thing is that there is no fancy feature added to the MX1100 and some things are not better than the MX Revolution. Here are the things that I felt during the month of usage. I mainly compare the MX1100 with the MX Revolution, because the mouse in this price range, I think still the MX Revolution is the best and it can be served as a reference for a review.

1. The MX1100 is fatter than the MX Revolution. At first, I thought that the MX Revolution was big, however, the MX1100 is even bigger. As a matter of fact, it is fatter and more round than the MX Revolution. When I first grabbed it, I felt like I was holding a baseball in my hand. Since I got too used to the contour of the MX Revolution, the MX1100 felt a little awkward to me in the first place. But, once I got used to it, it felt much better. Still, I like the shape of the MX Revolution better (I have a small hand) and now the MX Revolution feels much slimmer than before.

2. The material used in the MX1100 feels cheaper than the Revolution. It might be because of the grayish black color and the light weight plastic, however, the touch and the feel of the MX Revolution is way better. And the color and finish of the MX Revolution looks even better than the MX1100.

3. As far as the weight is concerned, the MX1100 is lighter than the MX Revolution. So, if you prefer a light mouse and want to have less burden on your wrist, then the MX1100 might work better for you.

4. I have always liked a mouse with a rechargeable battery. However, the MX1100 uses normal AA batteries (2) and does not provide rechargeable batteries. The good thing is that Logitech claimed that the battery can last almost 9 months of a normal usage. If so, I would not complain about this. Because, the rechargeable battery in the mouse gets degraded and you should recharge the mouse more often over the time. And the rechargeable battery in the MX Revolution is not easily replaced. If the battery in the MX1100 lasts about 9 months, I am happy with it.

5. In the MX Revolution, clicking the wheel changes the scroll mode from the fast scrolling mode to the clicky wheel mode or vice versa. In the MX1100, you should use the small button right beneath the scroll wheel to do that. I am using the MX Revolution and the MX1100 together now and am always confused about it. But if you are one who uses either one, you do not need to worry about it. BTW, I am a huge fan of the fast scrolling mode (you can scroll many pages within a second) and it also works beautifully in the MX1100.

6. Finally, there is a new thing in the MX1100. It is a thumb button and is located under the place that you put your thumb on it. It is not visible and hidden inside the rubber under the place for your thumb. Once you get to used to it, it is very convenient. As you expect, you can assign any action to this thumb button. And the horizontal wheel used to located near the thumb in the MX Revolution is gone. I am not missing it since I did not use it much. I assigned the volume up/down to the horizontal thumb wheel, however, I always forget that the wheel is there. I think Logitech might feel the same way that it is useless. No complaint.

Overall, the MX1100 mouse is a great mouse. The tracking couldn't be better and it is a top notch mouse in every aspect. It just has a sibling that shines more, the MX Revolution. Now the price of the MX1100 is approximately $10 cheaper than the MX Revolution and if you prefer a light mouse with a fat and round design, there is no reason not to choose the MX1100. I dropped the MX1100 more than several times from the table and it still works very well. It did not have a single scratch on it. It is very sturdy and firm. And if you are not a big fan of a shiny and glossy surface mouse like the MX Revolution, the MX1100 mouse is for you. They are like the glossy and matte papers in the a photo printing. The choice is on you.

I bought this mouse when I moved desks at work and my mouse cord could no longer reach. I was told that I could go pick out a new mouse and I thought, well the company is paying and I use it all day, I might as well get the best. It's certainly nicer that my $15 Dell mouse. Unfortunately, for every improvement, there seems to be a problem that makes me wonder if I should take it back and just get a USB extention cord.

Personal Preference and Comfort

This is obviously going to vary from person to person, but I did some research on this after realizing that this mouse isn't the best for me, and so it might be useful for other people. I would say that my hands are medium-sized (larger than most women). This mouse felt great in the store when I was resting my hand on it, but after using it for a while, my hand becomes uncomfortable and my wrist feels stiff. I had never realized it, but I'm a "fingertip" mouse user (http://www2.razerzone.com/MouseGuide/html/fingertipgrip.php), where I only make contact with the mouse with the tips of my fingers. This mouse is designed to have your hand rest on it so that the palm is in contact (http://www2.razerzone.com/MouseGuide/html/palmgrip.php). I can still use it with my fingertips, but its bigger and heavier than ideal for that type of use. The term "ergonomic" is misleading because ergonomics is all about finding what fits you well. I am disappointed with LG that they are one of the top mouse manufacturers but provide no guidance in choosing a mouse with a proper fit.

Buttons and Customization

This mouse has a lot more buttons than I'm used to, but the scrolling is still the most important for me. First off, the hyper-fast scrolling does as advertised and works well for my office-type uses. I can whiz through long documents, provided the computer can keep up. It works well in Word and Firefox, but is fairly useless in Adobe PDF reader since the software seems to insist on a maximum speed of crawl regardless. I've gotten used the smooth bearing and like using it even when it's not needed. However, I run into issues with AutoCAD and ArcGIS. The scroll wheel is absolutely essential for these programs because I use it to zoom and pan. To prevent accidental zoom, I have to put the scroll wheel back in normal mode. Not a huge deal; the button is right on the mouse but it's a bit annoying to readjust. Panning is performed by holding down the scroll wheel and this is where I make the most errors. It's so loose that if I don't push it down perfectly, I'll push it to the side and mess up the programs. I deactivated the side scrolling and that helps but it's annoying to lose potential functionality because the hardware is poor.

I like the button layout on the mouse. They're stiff and accidental presses are minimal. I have a little trouble getting the hidden thumb button to register sometimes. All the buttons are highly customizable and you can assign different functions to different programs. Some of their default settings are a bit weird so it's worth fiddling with. The document switcher is a lot less convenient than Alt-Tab, so I wouldn't bother with it. The thumb button is now set to go a Google search on whatever I have highlighted. I also changed the DPI buttons to Copy/Paste. We'll see if I use it.

Performance

The biggest issue I have with this mouse is an unreliable mouse signal. I can't have my cell phone near the mouse or the receiver without the cursor moving erratically. This issue seems to magnify when I use a graphics-intensive program like AutoCAD or ArcGIS. It's very inconvenient to have to have my phone kept away because I usually keep it on silent and rely on the vibration to alert me of a call. Without the cell phone, I still experience some issues. There's not much advantage to having a precise mouse if the signal doesn't keep up. From what I can tell, it seems like problems the 2.4 GHz bandwidth are common, and I would expect LG to go with something more reliable for a top-of-the-line mouse.

Overall

I would recommend this mouse if (1) you prefer resting you hand on your mouse, rather than use your fingertips (2) the USB dongle will be close to your mouse (3) you use the scroll button mainly for scrolling, rather than as a middle button. Otherwise, shop around because $80 should give you some nice options.

I must start this review by saying that this is the SECOND best mouse money can buy in my opinion....

The best mouse money can buy is still the Logitech MX revolution which is actually cheaper than this right now.

I've been a Logitech fan for many years. Every time they invent a fancy mouse I must buy it. I am a sucker for fancy high tech gadgets. By now I own (2) MX revolution, (3) VX Revolution, (1) MX Air, (1) G9, (1) VX Nano, (1) V470 and the list continues. (I know, I have issues :-)).

This mouse is nice built like all the high end Logitech products. Is very similar to the MX revolution with the following differences, which I consider, CONS:

1. The battery is not built in like the MX Revolution which comes with a charging cradle. The MX1100 works with (2) AA batteries. This can be a good thing in the long run but is annoying to keep changing the batteries. Another reviewer made a comment about the MX 1100 battery life, but I cannot comment on that yet. The box claims 9 months which would be amazing if is true.

2. The mouse is bigger than any other mouse I have. I prefer a normal size mouse but a person with large hands might appreciate this.

Now the other differences from the MX Revolution that I consider as PROS are:

1. The center wheel acts as a button only. On the MX revolution it toggles between the fast scrolling mode and the normal mode. On the MX 1100 they provided the button next to the wheel for that. I think it works better than pressing the wheel. The other good thing about it is that is as smooth as the MX Revolution.

2. They added a thumb button. I don't see myself using that but is nice to know is there.

I will rate the MX 1100 4 stars only because I still like the MX Revolution better but that is just me... Before spending that much money on a mouse I suggest stopping by a retail store and get an idea how it feels in your hand...

These are my 2 cents...

I bought this mouse to replace my Logitech G7 (Carbon Black) mouse. Since receiving it this morning, I've been very happy with this MX1100. I'll highlight a few things that made this mouse better than my old G7.

Ergonomics:
I can fully palm the mouse and all but my pinky finger can rest comfortable on the surface area of the mouse. I have large slender hands so I find that my pinky and fourth finger will stay tight together on the right edge of the mouse as I grip it. It would have been nice of the right slope could be extended for those of us with larger and longer hands.

Buttons:
Unlike my G7 which only had one thumb button, this mouse has three (one "hidden"). This is great for gaming as I usually use one for voice chat and have found a lack of a second problematic. I now use the second button as a grenade key and have not yet found a use for the stealth key.

Update (1/12/2009): I've been using this mouse for long gaming sessions most days of the week for the past 3 weeks and so far have only used 15% of the two AA alkalines. At this rate, I figure it'll last me at least another 4 months before I even need to change out the batteries. Although the box rates it for 9 months battery life, heavy use of the mouse will probably reduce overall battery life down to 5-6 months instead.

This is far better than putting a mouse into a charging cradle every day (like the MX1000 or MX Revolution).

DPI Switch:
Although this mouse only allows you to set two custom DPI settings, it is enough for most of my graphics, general, and gaming use. It's definitely not as nice as the five DPI setting ability of my old G7, but having a DPI switch with only two settings is still a good compromise.

Hyper-Scroll/Micro-Gear Wheel:
Unlike the MX Revolution, VX Revolution (and others with the same scroll wheel), this mouse has a button to switch between the indented/click-to-click feel and the smooth scroll feel. I find this much more reliable than clicking down the mouse wheel. Another plus is that I still have a middle mouse button unlike that of other Logitech mice with hyperfast scroll. The mouse wheel button is also far easier to press down than on my G7 which makes it now usable extra button my gaming sessions.

Batteries:
Unlike other battery powered mice, the MX1100 can run on one or two batteries (hence the same polarity for both batteries in the compartment). Unlike my G7 where 7-8 hours of gaming would drain the 900 mAh battery, the MX1100 can probably go for a full 248 days before needing a new pair of batteries (number taken from Logitech Setpoint 4.70 with Duracell batteries that came with mouse).

Update (4/15/2009): The two included Duracell batteries (2180 mAh @ 1.5v) lasted from 12/20/2008 to 4/12/2009. That's a total of 103 days of usage (heavy gaming 4 out of 7 days with the rest of the time spent on graphic work, general use, and animation. There were also a few days where I've left the mouse on overnight, so the two included batteries could have lasted beyond 4 months (approximately 120 days). I've since replaced the batteries with cheap alkaline "super duty" cells from Walgreens. I only expect about two weeks of total battery life before they die. If you have the money, invest in some reputable alkalines or rechargeable Ni-MH cells (high capacity ones - 1800 mAh or greater). Definitely beats having to swap batteries on my old G7 (or plug it into a charger like the MX Revolution).

Cost:
Lastly, this mouse cost $25 less than my old G7 (~$65 compared to $100). The feature set is about the same (maybe better depending on viewpoint), but the lower price tag makes this a better deal and a great step-up for me from my G7.

I've been using the Logitech Revolution mouse ever since it was available. I really like it, but it hasn't been updated in a couple of years now (though the price is now half of what it once was, which is quite nice!). I wasn't sure how this one would measure up against it, but now that I have it up and running, I think I've finally found a reason to switch.

The shape is very similar to the Revolution. So similar, that from the pictures it probably looks identical. It isn't, though. The MX-1100 is fatter around the middle, and when resting my hand on it, it feels perfectly shaped. I suspect they started the design with a lump of clay, and had several people try resting their hands on it. That's how perfect this feels.

The buttons are also in better, more reachable places (for the most part). On the Revolution, there were several buttons that I really couldn't reach very well (I have small hands) and required too much hand shifting to make them worthwhile. I eventually gave up trying to use them. On the new mouse, I can comfortably use all of them, with the exception of the page forward button (that's the one on the left front edge of the mouse). The page forward button is just a little too far past the curve, and my thumb can't reach it without moving my hand. Still, this is a massive improvement over the Revolution.

The sensitivity adjustment is nice for gamers, as it allows large movements on screen, with comparatively small movements of the mouse. With a quick press of the sensitivity switch, this can be reversed for high accuracy when aiming or doing other position-sensitive tasks. This is a feature lifted right from Logitech's high-end gaming mice, and it works very well. For non-gamers, the software allows full customization of the buttons. I currently have mine set to control my computer's volume, for example.

Switching over to alkalines (which are included) from the Revolution's rechargeable internal battery and recharging stand is a mixed blessing. Because there is no easy way of replacing the internal battery in the Revolution, it will eventually die and the entire mouse will be useless. It also means that it has to sit on its little docking stand when it isn't being used. The alkalines in this mouse, on the other hand, will have to be replaced every so often (nine months according to the packaging), but there isn't a stand to deal with either. Overall, I miss the recharging, but it isn't that big a deal.

The bigger change is with the scroll wheel, and I'm not as happy about that. It still does the hyper-fast spinning, but somehow doesn't feel as heavy and substantial as the older version. The machining marks are gone from it too, replaced by a bead-blasted finish that doesn't look as expensive as the Revolution's wheel.

More importantly, though, is the lack of the ability for the software to switch between smooth and click scrolling of the wheel. On the Revolution, this can be set to change based on the application, and also can be set to switch from clicking to smooth "freewheeling" when the wheel is turned quickly. That is a pretty cool ability, and on this one it is missing. It still retains the ability to manually switch it back and forth by clicking the small button just under the wheel, but I do miss the ability of the software to change it on the fly.

The dongle that comes with the mouse is very small, and looks just like the other Logitech dongles, if you have any of their other cordless mice and keyboards. They must tie each one to a particular model, however, as I now have both my Revolution and my MX-1100 up and running with both of their respective dongles along side an Edge wireless keyboard. There's no interference with any of these devices, which is surprising to me, but they all work fine together.

Overall I'd say if you already have a Revolution and are happy with it, you probably don't need this one. If you are deciding between the two, the nod goes to the MX-1100 due to the improved hand feel and better button placement. It isn't the perfect mouse, but it is very, very close.

Recommended.

Sean P. Logue, 2008