Logitech G5 Laser Mouse: When an update is not worthy of a new name

We have always enjoyed Logitech mice and can count on them providing interesting product refreshes every couple of years. Their last major product refresh for the gaming community consisted of the G5 corded and the G7 wireless mice back in the fall of 2005. Both mice have enjoyed a successful lifespan with very good design ergonomics, software support, and desktop performance in the rodent arena. For the better part of the last two years the superb Razer gaming series of mice have been their chief competition. However, for some of us, the real competition to the G5 has not been from companies like Razer but from Logitech's very own MX518.

The G5 Laser Mouse was originally intended to be the replacement for the MX518 in the gaming sector but as it turns out; the MX518 continues to be sold and is doing quite well in the market. With a street price around $35 the MX518 is still a very good bargain for those needing a gaming centric mouse that is also very adept at performing general desktop activities such as Photoshop. One of the reasons we believe the MX518 is still a fan favorite besides the great value and still competitive performance is the fact the general design is very good, well at least for those of us who happen to be right handed.

While the G5 improved upon the MX518 with a vastly improved sensor engine, software adjustable support for USB report rates up to 1000 reports per second, improved dpi selection, and better surface textures, it was the lack of a second thumb button that was really perplexing to us. It was so perplexing that we never really considered an upgrade to the G5 was essential. After all, the ergonomics, features, and performance were close enough that an additional $20 at the time just did not seem to be a wise investment. As we were in the middle of preparing for our upcoming micro-ATX extravaganza (Yes, you'll finally see it in the very near future!) something interesting happened: we needed a mouse for our gaming system buildup and the "new" G5 Laser Mouse looked like it would fit the bill perfectly this time. Actually, we have a mouse from RAZER that is awfully close also, but for the time being our thumbs are happy to have the second button again.

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As we looked over the product packaging there was only one item that stood out to us. Logitech's marketing department plastered a "Now with 2 Thumb Buttons" label on the front of the "new" G5 box and apparently called it a day. Of course, we prefer not to use the word "new" when describing this mouse and apparently Logitech agrees with our sentiments. Unless you are able to physically view the two mice side by side then it would be difficult to determine which revision will land at your doorstep as the official description remains the same for both mice. However, we have noticed that most major e-tailors are now providing additional product details and generally there still is a price differential between the two units. This price differential can easily determine which version will be received as the original G5 is selling for around $45 and the revised G5 going for $59. We still recommend making sure which version the vendor will ship to you. In fact, when we originally ordered two of these of mice, both versions arrived although we paid for the 2007 version.

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The Logitech G5 Laser Mouse 2007 pictured on the left is meant as the direct replacement for the original G5 pictured on the right. The overall design of the revised G5 is strictly evolutionary in nature with minor changes to graphics design and a return of the second thumb button we were enamored with in the MX500 series. Both mice share the same laser engine specifications with a 2000-dots-per-inch (dpi) optical sensor and the ability to change dpi settings on the fly. Also retained from the original version is the same tunable weight cartridge system and braided USB cord. Let's take a closer look at the features of the revised G5 laser Mouse and see how it performs.