A "Legend" Reborn: Logitech Brings Back the MX518 Gaming Mouse

OK, I've had mine for a few days now and the first thing I noticed is that it feels like a mouse should feel. In other words, it feels "normal" to me because I used MX518s for so many years in the past. With one exception, the top surface makes my hands sweat a little. Not too uncomfortable, but it's noticeable. Still, I think I'm adjusting to it. What's more, it may feel "normal" as I said earlier, but I know the bits and pieces inside have been updated and that it's actually improved over what the mouse used to be. But it also means it's right for the performance we are currently used to so that's a plus you may not ever notice but is there all the same.
 
I had to get a G400S to replace my MX518 when it finally died.
Now I can return the favor.
 
Betauser said:
Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of. I'll do more testing. Keep us posted how you modded yours.
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Not much to be afraid of. Just request an RMA. Use the existing one until you get the replacement :)

I've only used Logitechs RMA process once (for a set of speakers) but from what I recall it went fairly smoothly.
 
The one time I had to RMA something to Logitech it went very smoothly. Once proof of purchase was confirmed I had a new mouse in my hands within a week. They didn't even want the old mouse back (G400) - so I repaired the faulty cable and it is still working to this day.

Thanks for the great pics, Zara. There are a few things I noticed:

A couple screws in the top shell makes me think the silver shiny cover can be removed and possibly swapped out. It would be cool to have the new innards and the old 'dented' look of the original 518, or even the red or blue colored section from a 510 - assuming the shape of those inserts is the same.

Interesting little teflon pad around the sensor. Alot like what they did with the G Pro, and 502 tho that one is done differently. I like the extra pad around the center.

Proper strain relief for the cord - something the 510,518, and G400 didn't have - and the reason my G400 failed and got RMA'd. 510 failed in that spot as well, but outlasted the warranty. Fortunately it is an easy fix.

Was good thinking to test the putty. I thought it would have been conductive.

Thanks for the pics and write-up on your mod. I don't like a excessively heavy mouse but I don't like featherweight light either. I am a little concerned I might have to add something to mine once I (eventually) get one.
 
maro said:
The one time I had to RMA something to Logitech it went very smoothly. Once proof of purchase was confirmed I had a new mouse in my hands within a week. They didn't even want the old mouse back (G400) - so I repaired the faulty cable and it is still working to this day.

Thanks for the great pics, Zara. There are a few things I noticed:

A couple screws in the top shell makes me think the silver shiny cover can be removed and possibly swapped out. It would be cool to have the new innards and the old 'dented' look of the original 518, or even the red or blue colored section from a 510 - assuming the shape of those inserts is the same.

Interesting little teflon pad around the sensor. Alot like what they did with the G Pro, and 502 tho that one is done differently. I like the extra pad around the center.

Proper strain relief for the cord - something the 510,518, and G400 didn't have - and the reason my G400 failed and got RMA'd. 510 failed in that spot as well, but outlasted the warranty. Fortunately it is an easy fix.

Was good thinking to test the putty. I thought it would have been conductive.

Thanks for the pics and write-up on your mod. I don't like a excessively heavy mouse but I don't like featherweight light either. I am a little concerned I might have to add something to mine once I (eventually) get one.
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You are right. It would be pretty cool to put the old school bump type top on this mouse.

I didn't check if it came off as it wasn't a part of my project, and I'd it does, I have no idea if the dimensions and screw Hole locatipns are identical.

You'd have to find one though. May need to come off of a donor mouse, and in that case it might be pretty worn at this point ...


My favorite pattern of all time was the semi metallic, semi camo pattern cover on the original G500. I had worn a bunch of that pattern off by the time I replaced mine though

I never had an original MX518. What was that bump pattern cover like? Plastic with a painted bump pattern?
 
Zarathustra[H] said:
You are right. It would be pretty cool to put the old school bump type top on this mouse.

I didn't check if it came off as it wasn't a part of my project, and I'd it does, I have no idea if the dimensions and screw Hole locatipns are identical.

You'd have to find one though. May need to come off of a donor mouse, and in that case it might be pretty worn at this point ...


My favorite pattern of all time was the semi metallic, semi camo pattern cover on the original G500. I had worn a bunch of that pattern off by the time I replaced mine though

I never had an original MX518. What was that bump pattern cover like? Plastic with a painted bump pattern?
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Right, it wasn't textured at all, just the "painted" pattern gave it the dented bump look.

At the same time, although smooth, it's not the same kind of smooth as the remake. The remake is so smooth it makes my hands sweat which I don't remember from the original as being an issue.

Of course, a modder would just get some fine grit sandpaper and make the texture what he wanted, then break out the vinyl dye.
 
lcpiper said:
Right, it wasn't textured at all, just the "painted" pattern gave it the dented bump look.

At the same time, although smooth, it's not the same kind of smooth as the remake. The remake is so smooth it makes my hands sweat which I don't remember from the original as being an issue.

Of course, a modder would just get some fine grit sandpaper and make the texture what he wanted, then break out the vinyl dye.
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Plastidip maybe? :p
 
Shadow_Foxx said:
Oddly enough yes, although I am not into car modding or anything, which is what I assume this is referring to? Sorry I have no idea what youre talking about. lol
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Not sure why, but plastidip is surprisingly popular for car modding in VW communities like VW Vortex.
 
Dekoth-E- said:
Yo Logitech..what about the G7 variation for those of us who hate dealing with wires? That is still hands down your best wireless mouse and it has gotten damned impossible to find batteries.

Edit: G7 not 700..sorry on cold meds screwing with my brain.
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G7 was the best mouse ever. I bought 2 of them, all of them burned down after 1-2 years, the sensor produced too much heat. Other than that the shape was perfect. I no longer had to warmup like I needed with wired mice and the accuracy was the best possible in the game I played professionally. I own a G603 now, but its ergonomy is crap compared to G7 and because of it the accuracy isn't the best either. You cannot grab it properly. Even my G400 is not as good as the G7 was. It would be nice to 3d print the shape somehow on a current mouse.
 
socK said:
The 400 in G400 is actually the number of mice I went though.

Fucking cable made out of rice paper.
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Interesting because, I have two G402's I use everyday and at least so far, I have had no issues with the mice.
 
socK said:
The 400 in G400 is actually the number of mice I went though.

Fucking cable made out of rice paper.
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ManofGod said:
Interesting because, I have two G402's I use everyday and at least so far, I have had no issues with the mice.
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I see both sides of this.

I've never had a G4xx, but I have used G5, G500, G502, and now the reborn MX518.

I wouldn't say cable failure has been a rampant issue, but when the G5 and G500 finally went, it was the cable that did them in. First that mesh surrounding the cable started getting bunched up and tearing, and then over time the connection became intermittent. This was after 5-10 years of heavy use though. I passed the G502 down to my stepson after I got the new MX518's and that cable looks like it is on it's way out too, but again that's after 6 years of heavy use.

So, the cable is definitely the weak point on Logitech's mice IMHO, but only to the point where it fails when the mouse is probably due for replacement anyway.
 
Zarathustra[H] said:
I see both sides of this.

I've never had a G4xx, but I have used G5, G500, G502, and now the reborn MX518.

I wouldn't say cable failure has been a rampant issue, but when the G5 and G500 finally went, it was the cable that did them in. First that mesh surrounding the cable started getting bunched up and tearing, and then over time the connection became intermittent. This was after 5-10 years of heavy use though. I passed the G502 down to my stepson after I got the new MX518's and that cable looks like it is on it's way out too, but again that's after 6 years of heavy use.

So, the cable is definitely the weak point on Logitech's mice IMHO, but only to the point where it fails when the mouse is probably due for replacement anyway.
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Oh, ok. One thing is certain, the original MX518 lasts what seems like forever. I gave someone mine about 5 years or so ago, since I was no longer using it.
 
Dan_D said:
All of those MX500 series mice did.
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Not really my MX510 failed after 2 years. I think it overheated just like the G7s. I was properly addicted to first person shooters back then, and sometimes played 12+ hours a day, so no wonder it did not last long. Sensors were pretty inefficient those times and produced a lot of heat.
 
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socK said:
The 400 in G400 is actually the number of mice I went though.

Fucking cable made out of rice paper.
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You can replace the cable. I heard that there are flexible cables out there (they are called paracord I think) https://paracablemods.co.uk/, but they lack some safety stuff we have in normal cables. One guy makes them in my country too, but I no longer use my G400. I just kept it for the case I need a mouse for my server, laptop, etc., so it does not make sense to replace the cable on it.
 
I remember getting a lot of use out of my MX518 back in the day. Then went onto the G5, and then G500. I remember all my friends had the MX518 too. It's a legend.

Having said that, one day I bought a Zowie mouse and never looked back. Going back to my previous Logitech mice, I realized none of them ever felt "just right" in my grip, but both of my Zowie mice of different models are fantastic.
 
t1337duder said:
I remember getting a lot of use out of my MX518 back in the day. Then went onto the G5, and then G500. I remember all my friends had the MX518 too. It's a legend.

Having said that, one day I bought a Zowie mouse and never looked back. Going back to my previous Logitech mice, I realized none of them ever felt "just right" in my grip, but both of my Zowie mice of different models are fantastic.
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I've never heard of Zowie. I will have to research them.

Everyone's hands are different though. Mine tend to be on the large side, so the large rounded body of the MX518/G5/G500 has fit my hands better than anything else I have used.

I also like heavy mice, which is why I loved running the G5/G500 with their weight cartridges maxed out.

When I got the new relaunched mx518 I was pretty disappointed in how light it was. I cracked open the case and added 3oz (85g) of pinewood derby tungsten putty to it, and now it feels perfect.

Out of the box it weighed 101g. With my putty mod it now weighs 186g, and it feels perfect to me.
 
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Zarathustra[H] said:
I see both sides of this.

I've never had a G4xx, but I have used G5, G500, G502, and now the reborn MX518.

I wouldn't say cable failure has been a rampant issue, but when the G5 and G500 finally went, it was the cable that did them in. First that mesh surrounding the cable started getting bunched up and tearing, and then over time the connection became intermittent. This was after 5-10 years of heavy use though. I passed the G502 down to my stepson after I got the new MX518's and that cable looks like it is on it's way out too, but again that's after 6 years of heavy use.

So, the cable is definitely the weak point on Logitech's mice IMHO, but only to the point where it fails when the mouse is probably due for replacement anyway.
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How are your cables getting bunched up? I have never had that issue with the braided cables that Logitech uses. Or the standard cables, for that matter. Sounds like a user issue.
inf3rno said:
Not really my MX510 failed after 2 years. I think it overheated just like the G7s. I was properly addicted to first person shooters back then, and sometimes played 12+ hours a day, so no wonder it did not last long. Sensors were pretty inefficient those times and produced a lot of heat.
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My MX510 lasted almost 12 years. I replaced it because the the scroll wheel wore down completely, and I didn't feel like fixing or replacing it. It saw the same kind of use yours did in addition to being used for my university work.
 
inf3rno said:
You can replace the cable. I heard that there are flexible cables out there (they are called paracord I think) https://paracablemods.co.uk/, but they lack some safety stuff we have in normal cables. One guy makes them in my country too, but I no longer use my G400. I just kept it for the case I need a mouse for my server, laptop, etc., so it does not make sense to replace the cable on it.
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I know, but they replaced it instantly for nothing every time. A Aouple times they made me physically cut the cable and take a picture. As soon as I mentioned cable issue, support was jumping to ship a replacement. I went through 5 or 6 in total.

Ironically, I bought it because they advertised that they reinforced the cable because it was an issue with the 518s.

There was never any visible damage, the failure point was always internal. Didn't matter what I tried. They all died the same way eventually.

Got pissed off and bought a deathaadder at some point. Worked fine for years until I bought the new 518.
 
Zarathustra[H] said:
I've never heard of Zowie. I will have to research them.

Everyone's hands are different though. Mine tend to be on the large side, so the large rounded body of the MX518/G5/G500 has fit my hands better than anything else I have used.

I also like heavy mice, which is why I loved running the G5/G500 with their weight cartridges maxed out.

When I got the new relaunched mx518 I was pretty disappointed in how light it was. I cracked open the case and added 3oz (85g) of pinewood derby tungsten putty to it, and now it feels perfect.

Out of the box it weighed 101g. With my putty mod it now weighs 186g, and it feels perfect to me.
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I don't like light mice either. People say that it is easier to aim with them, because you have a smaller momentum when you change direction. Or I don't know how they explain it, but I think a too light mouse means that it is easier to move accidentally and it can mean more errors. I believe there is a perfect weight for everyone and it is not zero. I bought bigger AA batteries for my G603 instead of AAA batteries because of the extra weight.

Zowie is a good brand, I think my brother uses a Zowie mouse currently, but I never really ask how good it is compared to Logitech. I had a Razer mouse two, but it was a Lachesis, it is both handed and had the worst ergonomy ever because of this or maybe they designed it for claw grip, idk. I use palm grip, so it did not work for me. I won a DeathAdder too, but I sold it without unboxing it. I think I'll give another try to Razer next time and buy a Razer Mamba. If that does not work, then maybe a Zowie, but as far as I remember only Razer and Logitech make cordless gaming mice.
 
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Armenius said:
How are your cables getting bunched up? I have never had that issue with the braided cables that Logitech uses. Or the standard cables, for that matter. Sounds like a user issue.

My MX510 lasted almost 12 years. I replaced it because the the scroll wheel wore down completely, and I didn't feel like fixing or replacing it. It saw the same kind of use yours did in addition to being used for my university work.
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Then I guess I was not lucky with it. I had the same phenomenon with the G510 and G7s. It takes a hot summer day around 40°C and all day playing to burn them down, though maybe they degrade gradually if there is hot, idk. I should have kept them, I could fix them now or just keep the shell and replace the electronics. It would have been a fun project. A G7 with G603 sensor. :cool:
 
inf3rno said:
I don't like light mice either. People say that it is easier to aim with them, because you have a smaller momentum when you change direction. Or I don't know how they explain it, but I think a too light mouse means that it is easier to move accidentally and it can mean more errors. I believe there is a perfect weight for everyone and it is not zero. I bought bigger AA batteries for my G603 instead of AAA batteries because of the extra weight.
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Totally with you on this, I feel the weight is almost a physical "mouse filter", smoothing out some of the smaller twitches and overall giving me smoother arcs and easier tracking of moving targets. If a mouse is too light or too small, it feels a bit twitchy, like a car with too-fast steering and low-profile tires, ready to zip off at the slightest provocation.
 
Evil Timmy said:
Totally with you on this, I feel the weight is almost a physical "mouse filter", smoothing out some of the smaller twitches and overall giving me smoother arcs and easier tracking of moving targets. If a mouse is too light or too small, it feels a bit twitchy, like a car with too-fast steering and low-profile tires, ready to zip off at the slightest provocation.
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Well you can say that's personal preference, but it stems from using poor mouse settings.
Like most people, you have your sensitivity way too high, so just like a car with super sensitive steering any tiny movement jerks your aim around.
To compensate for that you like the mouse heavier so it's harder to move and prevent unintentional twitches, but the better thing to do would be lower your sensitivity so tiny mouse movements move the crosshair tiny amounts and big movements move it big amounts.

If you're just casually playing and don't care about having the absolute best aim possible high sensitivity and wrist movements are fine. That's just a personal preference. But you want the best, quickest aim possible a lighter mouse and less friction is indisputably better. It's also better for your wrist health. 99% of your movement should be done with your arm, and only super tiny adjustments with your wrist.
 
sharknice said:
It's also better for your wrist health. 99% of your movement should be done with your arm, and only super tiny adjustments with your wrist.
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I have fucked up shoulders (already had two surgeries and still have a torn rotator cuff in my dominant arm) so it hurts whether I mouse with my wrist or with my arm :(
 
sharknice said:
Well you can say that's personal preference, but it stems from using poor mouse settings.
Like most people, you have your sensitivity way too high, so just like a car with super sensitive steering any tiny movement jerks your aim around.
To compensate for that you like the mouse heavier so it's harder to move and prevent unintentional twitches, but the better thing to do would be lower your sensitivity so tiny mouse movements move the crosshair tiny amounts and big movements move it big amounts.

If you're just casually playing and don't care about having the absolute best aim possible high sensitivity and wrist movements are fine. That's just a personal preference. But you want the best, quickest aim possible a lighter mouse and less friction is indisputably better. It's also better for your wrist health. 99% of your movement should be done with your arm, and only super tiny adjustments with your wrist.
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I disagree with this.

The best way to use a mouse is with the base of your wrist and hand firmly planted on the desk (or mouse support) and never moving.

Riding your hand around on top of the mouse like a cat on a roomba, and moving your arm at all when using a mouse is just wrong.

My desktop sensitivity is always set such that I can move my mouse pointer anywhere on my screens by just angling the wrist from side to side.

No weight sits on top of the mouse, it is just loosely gripped between the thumb and the pinky, with all the weight of the hand and arm resting on the wrist, firmly planted on the desk.

Same in games, sensitivity is configured such that moving the mouse from its center position as far as my wrist will reach, results in a 180 degree turn.

I can't imagine ever using a mouse in any other way.

I just don't think it gives you the advantage you think it does. By all means lower sensitivity allows more accurate positioning of the cursor (or aim in game) but we also have to keep in mind that our wrists have evolved for much more accurate movements than our shoulders and elbows have. These have evolved to be used for more gross movements for heavy lifting.

Also, what is th epoint of shaving 35g off a mouse if you are adding the total weight of your arm to the movement equation? I don't know how much an arm weighs, but it has to be at least a few pounds, and that must have a momentum impact as well...

I also don't think there is much to the argument about wrist wear. If that were the case, I should have wrist problems at this point after about 35 years of spending more time using a mouse than most people, and I don't.

I suspect there is no one way that is universally better than the other, and that people should just use what they are comfortable with. I am certainly not comfortable with moving m entire arm to use a mouse and I still do well in games, and am perfectly able to use my desktop.
 
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I ordered one of the MX 518 this past nov from worst buy when they had em on sale for $20. Switched over to it full time in Feb of this year from my G303(which i would like to see updated and released again)
 
Zarathustra[H] said:
I disagree with this.

The best way to use a mouse is with the base of your wrist and hand firmly planted on the desk (or mouse support) and never moving.

Riding your hand around on top of the mouse like it is some sort of vehicle, and moving your arm at all when using a mouse is just wrong.

My desktop sensitivity is always set such that I can move my mouse pointer anywhere on my screens by just angling the wrist from side to side.

No weight sits on top of the mouse, it is just loosely gripped between the thumb and the pinky, with all the weight of the hand and arm resting on the wrist, firmly planted on the desk.

Same in games, sensitivity is configured such that moving the mouse from its center position as far as my wrist will reach, results in a 180 degree turn.

I can't imagine ever using a mouse in any other way.
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Well enjoy having inferior accuracy and potential wrist issues I guess.
 
Zarathustra[H] said:
I disagree with this.

The best way to use a mouse is with the base of your wrist and hand firmly planted on the desk (or mouse support) and never moving.

Riding your hand around on top of the mouse like a cat on a roomba, and moving your arm at all when using a mouse is just wrong.

My desktop sensitivity is always set such that I can move my mouse pointer anywhere on my screens by just angling the wrist from side to side.

No weight sits on top of the mouse, it is just loosely gripped between the thumb and the pinky, with all the weight of the hand and arm resting on the wrist, firmly planted on the desk.

Same in games, sensitivity is configured such that moving the mouse from its center position as far as my wrist will reach, results in a 180 degree turn.

I can't imagine ever using a mouse in any other way.
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The claw grip is definitely worse for your wrist. The issue with only using your wrist is that introduces an arc to your movement, so you end up lifting and repositioning your mouse more often. Lifting and repositioning often is what is bad for your wrist. Using more of your arm gets rid of that issue. When doing desktop work I am a wrist pivoter, but when gaming I use my arm. I never have had issues pivoting with my wrist. I have had issues with my index finger, though, but that is a personal injury problem that exacerbates the issue with tiny repetitive movements.
 
Zarathustra[H] said:
I edited in some more detail in my post above.

I don't believe the "inferior accuracy" or "wrist wear" arguments for a second.
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Nearly every professional FPS gamer uses arm movements and low sensitivity. There are tons of cases of gaming wrist injuries, mostly from StarCraft and League of Legends players who use high sensitivity and wrist movements. I do believe you can be ok using only wrist movements if you stretch out properly, but it is definitely more prone to injuries than using full arm movements.


The lower your sensitivity is, the higher precision you have available. If the lower sensitivity takes 10 times the mouse movement to move the same distance as the high sensitivity it gives you 10 times the precision potential.
You can only reliably make tiny movements to a certain degree of accuracy, it's much easier to make bigger movements with higher degrees of accuracy. There is obviously a limit to how low you want to go too. You don't want to go too extreme where you can't move your hand fast enough to turn around corners, the perfect balance is so that you can perform a 180 without lifting your mouse.
 
Aaaaah yes... the next scalped-to-oblivion item to be released. I've given up before even trying to get one.
 
Glorious model O is simple, high dpi, light, and perfect.

Had lots of favorites over the years. Logitech MX300 (or was it MX310, one of the old opticals), Steelseries Ikari (discontinued, eventually gets the gooey melted plastic on the top, but it was great while it lasted), Mionix Naos QG, which is physically a perfect successor to the Ikari, 12000dpi sensor. But mine has been a tad flaky, buttons stop responding and it needs unplugged and plugged back in to start working again. Was fairly intermittent and only happens maybe once a month. Around the same time got a Glorious Model O at Quakecon for a good price, so figured why not try it. The Glorious Model O has the 12k dpi sensor, and has been 100% rock solid.

Tip: Once you find a mouse you truly love, buy 3 brand new ones and stick them in the closet. Eventually they will die, but worse, go out of production. I musta bought 3 of the Ikari's off Ebay, 1 was ugly white, 1 died after a month, just a generally sad experience being unable to buy a new one that was as good as my original one. So buy new extras of whatever, and save them. In a few years you will be glad you did.
 
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