Introduction:

Logitech has been quite active in the gaming market in the past two years, releasing a slew of products targeted at gamers. Specifically, the G-series keyboards and mice have become quite popular with avid gamers because of their performance and features. The G-series mice in particular have become well-liked because of the on-the-fly hardware DPI switching and fast USB polling rates, making them some of the most accurate mice out there.

The wireless G7 (which we reviewed last year) and the wired G5 were the first G-series mice to be released, and for the most part, lived up to their expectations. However, one feature missing from both of these mice was a second thumb button. This puzzled many people, since Logitech's previous gaming mice had always included a second thumb button, and many had grown accustomed to it. Thus, its absence was somewhat of a shock.

Well, it took some time, but Logitech has finally released a new version of the G5 that features the much-requested second thumb button. This is basically a return to the same design that had been featured on the earlier MX518 and MX510 mice, and one that shouldn't have been changed in the first place. Officially, Logitech is calling this new mouse the same as its predecessor - the 'G5 Laser Mouse'. I'm referring to it as the G5 Revision 2, since it's clearly an upgraded version of the original.

Specifications:

On the surface, the most striking change from the original is the new colour scheme. Instead of a metallic color, the body is covered in a black-on-blue colour scheme that has the pattern and texture of dry, cracked earth. The sides retain the black, textured grip surface from before, which is a good thing. The original wireless G7 had too smooth a surface, a problem not present on this mouse. And, of course, there is the second thumb button on the side.

• Full Specifications

The sensor in the G5 Rev. 2 appears to be the same as in the original G5. The mouse allows for three default DPI settings that you can switch between using buttons just below the wheel - 400, 800 and 2000 DPI. The sensor remains at 6.4 Megapixels/sec, and the USB polling rate is also the same, at 500 Hz. And, as with the original G5, a customizable weight cartridge along with a set of weights is included, to allow you to make the mouse feel just as you want.

One strange thing I noted is that Logitech's site still lists both G5 Laser Mice, though the older original G5 has a lower MSRP. I'm guessing it'll be phased out just like the older G7 was, when the stocks of it have been sold.

The G5 Rev. 2 came in the traditional Logitech gaming packaging, with a sticker emphasizing the extra thumb button. ("Now with 2 thumb buttons") In addition to the mouse, you get a weight cartridge, a tin full of little weights, and an install CD/Manual. The weight cartridge can be customized using the weights from the tin, and then it is inserted into a slot on the underside of the G5. (The slot is in the same location as the wireless G7's battery slot, so the bodies of the two mice are practically identical.)

The G5 Rev. 2.

What's included.

Braided USB cord.

Whether the new colour scheme is better than the original is a matter of personal preference, but I think the black/blue scheme works well, especially if you have a G15 keyboard, which has a similar colour scheme. Though this is a wired mouse, Logitech decided to make it stand out by braiding the cord. While it probably doesn't do anything for performance, it does look nice.

As mentioned, the body is the same shape as the G7 and original G5 mice. In fact, it's the same shape as the older MX518, MX510, MX700 and MX500 mice - some of these have been around for close to five years now. It goes to show that good design never really fades away, but just comes back in different revisions. The shape of the body is very comfortable, and almost feels like it was made for your hand specifically. The downside of this design is that it is strictly for right-handed users only.

USB cord.

Blue/black color scheme.

2 thumb buttons.

The thumb grip in particular is comfortable, giving you a curved surface to rest your thumb on. It feels much better than the flat sides of most mice. The black sides of the mouse are covered a hard grippy material that prevents slippage, and the top of the mouse has a nice texture as well. Overall, this is one of the most comfortable mice I've used, and I doubt most people will find this to be different.

Compared to the average mouse, the G5 Rev. 2 is packed with buttons, but this is pretty much standard fare when talking about gaming mice. In addition the left/right and scroll wheel buttons, you also get the aforementioned two thumb buttons and two DPI adjustment buttons. (One to increase the sensitivity and one to decrease it) The wheel also supports tilt or side-to-side scrolling. All of these functions are customizable using the included SetPoint software, so you can setup the mouse just the way you like.

Dry/cracked earth texture.

Tilt wheel.

Sides covered in DryGrip-like material.

As mentioned before, DPI switching is supported in hardware, so you don't need to install any software or drivers for this functionality. You'll only need to install SetPoint if you want to customize the mouse or change the DPI settings from the default 400/800/2000. The DPI buttons are located just below the scroll wheel, and are easy to reach. It's also easy to discern between the two, so switching between DPI levels becomes familiar very fast.

The rest of the buttons, included the two thumb ones, were all easy to reach and felt natural to operate, another sign of good design. Sometimes, devices with many buttons can feel difficult or awkward to use, but this certainly isn't the case here. This, coupled with the side grips, make this a very nice mouse to hold. The sides are made of a tough grippy material to the DryGrip found on the Logitech G3 we reviewed previously. This makes the mouse less likely to build up the "gunk" that accumulates on mice as a result of being held in sweaty hands. The original G7 mouse's surface was too smooth, and suffered from gunk accumulation.

Back view.

Thumb grip area.

Other side also has a grip.

There are a set of 3 LEDs just on the left side of the top of the mouse that are used to indicate the current DPI setting. They are placed in such a way so that they probably won't be covered by your hand during usage, allowing you to glance at them during the heat of an FPS battle. This is a small, but nice feature that's sure to prevent some annoyance.

On the bottom, you'll find the slot for the weight cartridge and three large feet. The feet do a great job at allowing the mice to slide, nearly friction free, on most surfaces.

Shape slopes to one side.

Weight cartridge slot.

Weight cartridge goes in.

Though this mouse is fairly large, it's also quite lightweight, without the weight cartridge. In fact, it's almost too light for me, but this is because I'm used to using wireless mice that often weight more because of the batteries. The weight cartridge and included weights allow you to "tune" the weight of the G5 to your liking. While this may seem a little gimmicky, it nonetheless does a good job.

Logitech really went all out with the weight system, and this is probably because it's the defining feature of the G5. You get a tin containing 16 different weights; eight are 4.5 g (grams) and the other eight are 1.7 g. The weight cartridge accepts eight weights, so you can customize the added weight to your liking. I don't feel like doing math, so I don't know how many different combinations of weights you could use, but let's just say that it is a lot.

Weights and cartridge.

Comparison.

Compared to MX1000.

The weight cartridge goes into a slot on the underside of the mouse. The slot is slightly angled, making it easy to insert. A button allows for easy spring-loaded ejection. The weight cartridge will be approximately centered in the mouse, so that it doesn't feel off-balance with all that additional weight. As I said before, I'm used to heavier mice, so I loaded up the cartridge with all eight 4.5 g weights and found it to my liking.

Compared to other gaming mice, the G5 Rev. 2 is about in size, though it's larger than most normal mice. Here, you see it compared to a V200 notebook mouse, the G3 Gaming Mouse, and the MX1000. I like the MX1000's shape the most, since that's what I've been using, but admittedly it's more bulky than the G5 and not as easy to move. Compared to the G3, the G5's larger and more comfortable, but the G5 is for right-handed users only, while the G3 is ambidextrous. The V200 notebook mouse was just included for a size comparison, as you can't fairly compare a laptop mouse to a gaming one.

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