Since debuting the Master 1 back in 2015, Logitech have been at the forefront of creating peripherals with a sole productivity-boosting intention, while also ensuring we remain carpal tunnel syndrome-free, with sleek ergonomic designs.
Fast-forward five years and there is a new addition to the MX family – the MX Master 3. Is it a worthy successor to its predecessors?
The Master 3, as with its forebears, targets a wide audience, offering something for everyone, from coders to MS Office users, creative designers and the general web user. Paired with extensive customisation through Logitech Options, the Master 3 has a home on the desk of pretty much anyone. But at a retail price of £99.99, does it do enough to warrant the price?
Visually, a texture change and the relocation of the two thumb buttons to below the thumb wheel is all that separates this model from its predecessor – the 2S. Both scroll and thumb wheel have undergone a makeover and the thumb rest now sports subtle, supporting ridges.
Just like previous models, the Master 3 is ‘tall’ at 125mm. Across the length of its 84mm body, an ergonomic and subtle down-gradient means your hand moulds around the mouse. The Master 3 has gone on a diet and comes in a few grams lighter than the 2S, at 141g, giving it a nice lightweight feel.
Impressive features
As with other products in the MX series, each button has a feature and that feature is dependent on the application you are currently in. Within Chrome, the thumb wheel changes tabs; in Word, that wheel now controls zoom; and if you jump into Photoshop, you’re now making precise changes to brush sizes. In Photoshop, the thumb and palm buttons also bring easy gesture controls.
Logitech have improved the scroll wheel from the previous model, which had received some negative feedback. The new MAGSPEED feature on the Master 3’s scroll wheel gives you two modes: Ratchet, for a locked in, line-by-line scroll; and Free-Spin, for when you feel the need for speed – you simply disengage the magnets and scroll 1,000 lines per second.
Battery life remains the same as the previous 2S model – a not-so-shabby 70 hours on a full charge. Impressively, one minute of charging over the included USB C cable will pump a remarkable three hours of life back into the mouse.
Logitech boldly claims the Master 3X to be five times more precise than a ‘basic’ mouse thanks to its Darkfield Tracking. Surprisingly, this was very good and smooth, and you are able to track on virtually any surface – even glass. All of this with a DPI range of 200 to 4,000.
Overall, the MX 3 is a great mouse – wrist-friendly, with tons of features wrapped up in a simple elegant black shell, which is extensively customisable when teamed with Logitech Options. £100 is a lot to ask for a mouse, and personally, while its features justify the steep price, if you are not going to make use of all the features, it may not be your first choice. There are many other productivity-based mice on the market that are considerably cheaper.
