Anyone have a Logitech G7?

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mrmagoo_83

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I received $60 in BB gift cards for Christmas, not much computer wise you can buy with these, and I am not a big game fan or big movie fan. Currently I have an MX700, which the batteries are dead in, and its about 3 years old (bought when they first came out). So I thought, since BB has the G7 for $99, I could use the $60 and then just pay $40 for the mouse, but I wanted to know what every one thought of them first.

So any opinions from folks who actually have one of these mice?
 
Its an awesome mouse, would be the best if they hadnt of removed the second thumb button the side, such a deal killer for someone who completely realies on it when playing FPS games. But if you dont need it then it gets my full recommendation.
 
Its a great mouse, I think I would rather have a G5 though its cheaper and pretty much the same thing. However if you want wireless the G7 is every bit as good as the G5
 
So what if the batteries are dead? Just put some new ones in. Although I've had my MX700 duo for over three years, the original batteries are still good. I use NiMH batteries in the keyboard and other devices. Dead batteries shouldn't be a factor in buying a new mouse. They're replaceable.
 
I have both an MX700 and a G7. The MX700 was great but constantly got interferance from my monitor, computer, etc...

The G7, however; NEVER skips a beat. It's insanely accurate (I feel as if it shouldn't work this well) and it comes with two batteries and a charger that you just pop one in while you use the other one. The battery life isn't a good as the MX700 but then again, the G7 has a laser and uses 2.4GHz so it's only natural the life wouldn't be as good.

It has an awesome feel to it as well.

Plus, the receive is so friggin small, you can actually take it with you and plug it into anything with a USB port (the MX700 has a HUDE receiver that acted as the charger).

Definitely money well spent.
 
i bought the G7 recently (like last week) and it's definately an improvement over the mx700 that i had. It's also less bulky than the mx1000 that I bought for my brother and it's more sensitive.

I really like how you can change the sensitivity by a click of the button without the drivers. I've never had interference issues with my mx700 and I have 2 computers, a sub, laser printer etc etc etc in the computer room with bluetooth,cell phone, and cordless phones running. I will say that the G7 is definately more accurate and its REALLY great how they give you two batteries. I just swap them out once they hit 1 bar on the meter, takes about 10 secs. Never had to do the whole 'sync' thing which is great too.
 
I've got the G7 and G5. As well as the MX500/MX510/MX518. The G7 is very responsive and is a pleasure to use. My biggest gripe is that the battery life sucks. Fortunately it comes with two battery packs.
 
I had the G7 but returned it for a G5. It was nice, but the battery life was pretty bad and the 2.4 GHz frequency is highly susceptable to interference from cordless phones and other devices.

Wired >>>>> wireless anyday.
 
Well, hmm, maybe I should look at the G5 then. I really wanted to get the MX5000, but with the current status of its crappy bluetooth connection, I really don't want to drop a bill on a POS :)

I really dig wireless as my case sits down and back under my desk, and makes cords suck. But my current keyboard is going south, as its 5+ years old, and the MX700 has just been flaky with the new rechargable batteries I have been using.
 
AppaYipYip said:
I had the G7 but returned it for a G5. It was nice, but the battery life was pretty bad and the 2.4 GHz frequency is highly susceptable to interference from cordless phones and other devices.

Wired >>>>> wireless anyday.
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I agree. While I had the G7 for 2 months, I could not stand how fast the batteries discharged. I even turned down the DPI to 800 and battery life was extended a bit but still, what's the point of lowering the DPI on such an awesome mouse to make sure you don't go through batteries that quickly? I returned it and got the G5. The cord on this mouse is braided which is nice and super long. I have the DPI at 1600 for normal day to day use and during gaming I crank it up to 2000 DPI. Headshots in UT2004 were never so accurate! The G7 is a great mouse except for the battery life.
 
i have the g7 and i must say going from a wired to a wireless mouse i wasnt dissappointed! i thought i would experience some lag and stuff but its completely fine! the battery does drain pretty fast but when im away from my computer i just turn the mouse off...and plus it comes with 2 battery packs so its a 15second switch and ur good to go again :)
 
while the battery life does suck on the g7, unless you are on the comp for a straight 8 hrs you probably won't drain it until it's dead. I've played wow for 6 hrs on max dpi and have had no issues with it. In between a safe zone or a map change, just pop the other battery in. It's really not a big deal.

The way i have my computer setup, a wired mouse would have to wrap around. I have no clue why computer monitor usb hubs are ALWAYS on the left side when most people are right handed...
 
When yall say the battery life sucks what are we talking? 4 hours, or 4 days?

I am not a heavy user. I work 8+ hours a day, then come home, and either surf, or play AA for a few hours or such, if that.
 
mrmagoo_83 said:
When yall say the battery life sucks what are we talking? 4 hours, or 4 days?

I am not a heavy user. I work 8+ hours a day, then come home, and either surf, or play AA for a few hours or such, if that.
Click to expand...


For me, @ max DPI I have to replace the batteries every 10 hours. I am not saying i play 10 hours straight, i am saying total time playing games. But like I said, I turn down the DPI when not playing games. I get maybe 3 days on a charge. I would rather it be a cradle type charging method like the MX1000 but with the ability to switch batteries in the event they won't hold a charge anymore. Kinda like if you could merge an MX700 charging scheme with a G7 performance.
 
ok, thats not too bad, thats about what I have been getting from the MX700.

So should I simply just purchase an MX1000, and a new keyboard?
 
mrmagoo_83 said:
ok, thats not too bad, thats about what I have been getting from the MX700.

So should I simply just purchase an MX1000, and a new keyboard?
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That's up to you. I personally didn't like the feel of the MX1000. I like the way you can customize the weight of the G5 though. Comes with weights. I personally think a wireless keyboard is a waste unless you can't run cables because your PC is too far away or your PC is a MCE PC.

The wireless mouse is a good thing, but I think that if the battery life issue could be resolved, i would go back to it.
 
got my g5 couple days ago. so far the best mouse i used and no batteries to worry about.
 
I am looking into just buying a combo I guess, seeing as I need a new keyboard as well.

Too bad the G15, and the G series mice dont have any combos yet.

Wonder what I can get a good keyboard by itself for...
 
Why are people complaining about the battery life? I've had my G7 since the first release, or since September 2005 and it kicks! Doesn't anybody read the specs? It's a full-blown, cordless "gaming" mouse which means it has NO standby mode like other cordless optical mice. That means it's "always on" and doesn't hibernate after a few seconds of non-movement. If you've ever sat in wait in a game (parked) then had someone attacking from behind, even a millisecond of "lag" while you wait for the mouse to respond to movement can be fatal. This doesn't happen with a G7, since it's always on!

So what if the battery in use only lasts a day or two, it comes with two batteries just for this reason. The charger can be set for a 2 hour quick or a 10 hour slow charge and mine is set for the 10 hour charge and I've yet to not have it fully charged when the one that I'm using needs replacing, even after hours of intensive gaming. The on-the-fly dpi buttons are sweet too, since you can program them and even using default speeds of 400/800/2000 dpi is enough. Switching to the lower 400dpi setting is perfect for those precision head shots at long distances and 800dpi is plenty fast enough for most situations. I rarely use the 2000dpi setting but there are a few times when it's come in handy. I do miss having the extra button on the left side though, since the G7 only has a "back" button and no forward button but even that's not a problem. Using SetPoint you can program the center tilt wheel for the same actions that those buttons made before, so that's really a non-issue too.

Is this a great "cordless gaming" mouse? YES! Is it for everyone? Apparently not, since so many are pissing and moaning about the short battery life but I don't see it as a problem whatsoever, since the second battery has always been there when I needed it. Having the Laser on all the time is what makes it deplete so quickly and it's also why it's so blazing fast at all times. If you turn off the mouse when not in use, you can get more life from a full charge. With about 3 hours of gaming per day, some Internet Browsing and other apps work, I can expect about 2-3 days from a charged battery. If I game for about 8 hours (which is rare) the battery in use still has enough charge left to get me through until the back up is charged at the 10 hour charge rate, or I can switch the charger to 2 hour quick charge but I've never had to do so. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the battery life and it's NOT too short, it's just some peoples' perception. Take any cordless mouse and try moving it every second non-stop, 24/7, the equivalent of the "always on" feature of the G7 and it would eat up battery life too. Just remember, the G7 is designed and built for gamers, that need that instant response and it's never let me down!
 
dog2525 said:
got my g5 couple days ago. so far the best mouse i used and no batteries to worry about.
Click to expand...

Loving mine too! :D

I've got 2 4.5g and 4 1.7g weights in it, love the customization.
 
Gator, thats exactly the type of response I have been waiting on, thank you very much.

I was unaware of an on/off switch on this mouse, that is perfect, as I can switch it off while I am at work, and then turn in back on when I get home. Have you used the LogiGamer software for this mouse during gameplay? I use it for my MX700 to set all the buttons to useable keybinds.

I mean, like I said, I have $60 in Gift Cards, and a 10% coupon (just found it), so thats:
$100 - 10% ($10) - $60, which means I pay around $30 + tax for this mouse.

I am still a bit on the fence, I guess I will have to go play with one at a store and see how I likes it :) thanks.
 
Well then have fun with your G7 because I have to replace my mouse batteries every month or two.

And I'm fine not having an always on mouse.
It should have a switch on it or something for gaming and regular use.

I like my $33.oo Microsoft Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer Cobalt 5 Button mouse.


I do need a better mouse but not the G7 from reading this thread.
 
@ mrmagoo_83,

I'm not sure what you're referring to when you say LogiGamer but I have used the Advanced Game Settings in SetPoint software that it comes with. I think that's what you're referring to, as seen here in a screenshot I took for you?
SetPointgamesettings.jpg

I really haven't used the software much and just use the default settings but they are there if you want to do some keystroke programming for the buttons. Looks as if the software is pretty intensive and even has X/Y resolution tweaks. Just haven't messed with more than a few resets and usually go back to defaults for all games. Maybe given some more time I'll program individual games into the software database.

I will warn you about some Logitech problems though, not specific to the G7. Go to the Logitech forums and read some of the complaints. Many people have had SetPoint issues and microswitch failures, with different Logitech mice. I've personally gone through 3 MX1000s that had double-clicking isuues and other problems, before I went to the G7. Each time it only took a few weeks to a couple of months before the functionallity of these mice began to suffer and each time Logitech was willing to replace/RMA a new mouse to me for free. It's been somewhat of a pain, to say the least. For around $80-$100+ for any mouse, you'd think Logitech would do more than offer free replacements, they'd make them last the first time out. If not for their great customer service I'd have gone with a Copperhead or something else but I really like the cordless feature of the G7. Cords just get in my way and really get me angry when they hang on something while gaming, so no cords for me. So far, the G7 has been good to me and Logitech has been even better. I guess only time will tell for sure.

It all comes down to personal preferrence. As long as they work, I'll go cordless every time especially for gaming. We depend so much on mouse movements and the freedom to move while gaming, I can't imagine going back to a corded mouse myself. Maybe someone at a local retailer would be willing to hook up a G7 for you to try but the biggest thing is understanding the battery life and the always-on feature and accepting this as the way the G7 is designed. It's not a problem for me and I just turn my mouse off when I go to bed or for long periods of non-use. Even if I leave it on all the time, there's always a fresh, fully charged battery waiting in the charger when I need it, unlike other cordless mice that only have one battery and those usually need a recharge if left off the charger for several days and usually need that charge at the worst possible time, in the middle of a long game. Not so with the G7, since a charged battery is always there, just waiting for you when you need it. The G7 is every bit as fast as any corded mouse and in my opinion, even more so due to the lack of a cord.

To each their own! I like my G7.
 
Gator FX--

Are you saying that the SetPoint software causes some mice to "self destruct"? Does this problem occur when the software isn't installed? I am unable to find specific links on the Logitech forums regarding the issue you described. What are the "double-clicking issues" you speak of?
 
http://www.logigamer.com/

That is the software I am using on my MX700 to allow me to assign the buttons to keybinds while in game. I tried the software that came from Logitech and it sucked, but it wasn't setpoint.
 
Nope, the software doesn't cause a self-destruct. There are just some people that update to the latest SetPoint software, version 2.47, then begin to experience problems they didn't have previously. I'll see if I can find you specific Links, when I have more time. They are there and I've written them myself as well.

The "double-clicking" I've had was as follows:
Click Back on your Browser, when more than one page has been visited. One click takes you back two or more pages. Open an e-mail to make a Reply. Under Reply is Send, in the next window. Click once to open Reply and it clicks a second time, or hits Send, thus sending an empty Reply to the person you wanted to write. I've had to apologize many times for sending empty e-mail replies to friends and family, just because of the double-clicking problem. Another problem was the balloon that pops up over the clock when the mouse needs to be connected, the one for the TX/RX funcion. I've had my MX1000s say I needed to push the button on the bottom of the device in order to connect, when it was already connected. I've had this happen several times a minute and had to keep pressing the button every few seconds or the mouse pointer would just freeze. Seems they had some receiver problems too. I've had problems with drop-down lists not staying dropped down, as if I clicked a second time releasing them, on and on and on. It's hit or miss it seems, some people having problems and some with none at all. I have two friends that bought new MX1000s and had problems like this right out of the box. Needless to say they took them back to the store immediately and bought something else. It's a shame too because I have Logitech products that are 5 years old and never had problems. It wasn't until the first Laser mouse, the MX1000, that I began to see things go wrong.
 
Nice! Thanks Magoo, I'd never used that before. It's on my Favorites list to check out in more detail later. Sorry the Logitech software sucks but as I'd said I haven't really used SetPoint yet, just messed around with it a little. Thanks for the heads-up!
 
GatorFX said:
Nice! Thanks Magoo, I'd never used that before. It's on my Favorites list to check out in more detail later. Sorry the Logitech software sucks but as I'd said I haven't really used SetPoint yet, just messed around with it a little. Thanks for the heads-up!
Click to expand...

Does one even NEED to use the SetPoint software?
 
Good question and sorry I didn't answer it sooner. No, you don't need the SetPoint software with the G7, it runs well off the native MS drivers. The only real reason for SetPoint is to reset the dpi settings of the two buttons, adding game profiles or attaching programmed moves to the buttons. I've used my G7 on ohter computers without SetPoint, just by pluggin the mini receiver into an available USB port. Works fine, even the default 3 dpi settings work without SetPoint installed, changing dpi from 400/800/2000 on the fly.
 
GatorFX said:
Good question and sorry I didn't answer it sooner. No, you don't need the SetPoint software with the G7, it runs well off the native MS drivers. The only real reason for SetPoint is to reset the dpi settings of the two buttons, adding game profiles or attaching programmed moves to the buttons. I've used my G7 on ohter computers without SetPoint, just by pluggin the mini receiver into an available USB port. Works fine, even the default 3 dpi settings work without SetPoint installed, changing dpi from 400/800/2000 on the fly.
Click to expand...

So let me ask you this, I use the G5 now and the only buttons I have "reprogrammed" are the ones used for changing the DPI on the fly--I currently use them for scrolling on webpages faster than using the wheel.

I also have a Logitech keyboard (a media center version) but i have no keys programmed. I use the default settings that the setpoint software sets the keys for. Not sure if the volume up/down/mute/skip track settings will work without the Setpoint software installed.


With that being said, is the setpoint software, in YOUR opinion, worth installing on my machine? Will the same functionality that I current use on my mouse and keyboard be available/configurable with the native MS drivers?
 
I think the G5 and G7 are pretty stupid for a "gaming mouse" given that they took away one of the side buttons. I personally use all the buttons on my mx510 and love it.
 
Um, brain fart so please excuse me. You're using the dpi buttons for Browser scrolling? Have you tried the wheel button, you know, pressing the wheel until it clicks? This actually places a small white button on the screen with arrows and moving the mouse will auto scroll for you. The further you move the mouse the faster it will scroll, leaving the dpi buttons free to do other things.


I don't have a Logitech keyboard any longer, I use a Saitek Gamers' Keyboard these days. All it has are mute/volume up & down plus a backlight button for the blue LEDs that light up the keypads.

OK, my opinion for what it's worth is this. If you're getting the functions you like, then why bother adding SetPoint BUT you will gain some extra features that native drivers don't give, such as setting up the gaming mouse speeds to engage when it detects a game then switches back to regular settings when the game is stopped. There is also an option to use either the SetPoint implimentation or the OS settings, change pointer Acceleration in games and other options. The thing is that all the games I have also use mouse settings in the Options page so I'm not sure having SetPoint will give you any real advantage, other than reassigning the button commands.

[EDIT] Exactly what I was saying Volume, that they should have put a "forward" button on the G7 as well as the "back" button it has. Not sure what the Engineers at Logitech were thinking when they designed it this way but there are workarounds, painful and stupid as that sounds.
 
GatorFX said:
Um, brain fart so please excuse me. You're using the dpi buttons for Browser scrolling? Have you tried the wheel button, you know, pressing the wheel until it clicks? This actually places a small white button on the screen with arrows and moving the mouse will auto scroll for you. The further you move the mouse the faster it will scroll, leaving the dpi buttons free to do other things.


I don't have a Logitech keyboard any longer, I use a Saitek Gamers' Keyboard these days. All it has are mute/volume up & down plus a backlight button for the blue LEDs that light up the keypads.

OK, my opinion for what it's worth is this. If you're getting the functions you like, then why bother adding SetPoint BUT you will gain some extra features that native drivers don't give, such as setting up the gaming mouse speeds to engage when it detects a game then switches back to regular settings when the game is stopped. There is also an option to use either the SetPoint implimentation or the OS settings, change pointer Acceleration in games and other options. The thing is that all the games I have also use mouse settings in the Options page so I'm not sure having SetPoint will give you any real advantage, other than reassigning the button commands.

[EDIT] Exactly what I was saying Volume, that they should have put a "forward" button on the G7 as well as the "back" button it has. Not sure what the Engineers at Logitech were thinking when they designed it this way but there are workarounds, painful and stupid as that sounds.
Click to expand...


Quite true you are (Yoda speak :D ) regarding the wheel. I guess I am just a lazy bastard when it comes to web surfing. Does the "side to side" tilt work without the setpoint software? I was going to get the Saitek KB, but I couldn't justify the $65 pricetag. If I can get all of the functions that i have now (excluding the reassigning of the DPI keys) without the setpoint software, then I guess I can uninstall the software. I use it very little anyways.
 
I'm baaaaack! (Independence Day, the movie, speak:D ). You know I don't recall if the side-to-side works without SetPoint but I'll pull the reciever and put it in my second computer and let you know. I'm pretty sure it does, though. Where are you that the Saitek Gamers' Keyboard costs $65? I got mine at first release, at BestBuy for @ $49.99 and they sell on NewEgg now for just over $40 from what I remember seeing. Still, not that cheap for a keyboard but I have no complaints. I think I'd rather of had the new Saitek Eclipse though, the one based on the Gamer but without the Command Pad I rarely use and with keys that light up, not just backlit. Sometimes it's hard to see the keys on a backlit keyboard and having lighted keys would be nicer. I'll check the side-to-side wheel, on a different computer and get back with you with the answer.

[EDIT] Nope, putting mini receiver in other computer didn't allow for side scrolling by tilting the wheel, without SetPoint installed. I was however able to press down the wheel and get a 4-way arrow to appear that worked for 4-way scrolling, just no tilt function without SetPoint installed. That seems odd, doesn't it? There's your answer though, strange as it seems. No side tilt without SetPoint.:eek:
 
GatorFX:

Thanks for the in-depth anaylsis. I'm def on my way to Fry's to pick er up =) Also, I use "uberoptions" with my mx518. It let's me change any button to...ANY button. Along with the per application button setups, I can do the following now:

+ and -:
Most programs - control volume and I get a nice little green gui on my monitor
MSPaint and Logitech Software - dpi switch...not all that important to me cause I leave it at 1600 all the time (jack down the windows sensitivity)
Firefox - Fast scroll (it's smoother and quicker than a middle mouse click when it comes to "quick n' dirty" slides)

Back and Forward:
DAMN YOU LOGITECH FOR REMOVING MY FORWARD BUTTON!!!!!!!
So obviously it's used as back and forward, lol :p

For games:
I always setup the buttons like this:
Back = ;
Forward = '
dpi + = ,
dpi - = .
app switch = /

It eliminates SOOO many hassles in Battlefield 2, F.E.A.R., etc.
 
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