Logitech MX Anywhere 3S review: A quiet mighty mini mouse

Price When Reviewed

79.99

Best Prices Today: MX Anywhere 3S Mouse

What’s the distinction between the Logitech MX Anywhere 3 and the Logitech MX Anywhere 3S? If you’ll be able to inform simply by trying, you could have higher eyes than I do. Logitech’s top-of-the-line journey mouse is bodily indistinguishable from its final launch, which isn’t a foul factor. But underneath the hood it now has the “quiet click” tech of its greater MX Master 3S brother, plus a brand new 8,000 DPI sensor. It’s additionally utilizing the brand new Logitech Bolt proprietary dongle as a substitute of the Unifying Receiver.

Those adjustments in all probability don’t imply a lot to you, except your PC monitor is the dimensions of a eating desk and you may put that boosted DPI to the check. But even at a really barely diminished worth (the Anywhere 3S now not features a dongle, however stays the identical $80 retail value), it’s nonetheless top-of-the-line small mice round.

Using the MX Anywhere 3S

The MX Anywhere 3S is on the smaller aspect, clearly, however not so small that it’s uncomfortable to make use of for prolonged durations of time. My medium-sized male mits had been ready to make use of it for main computing duties for greater than per week, although after all, I choose one thing beefier. At a bit lower than 4 inches lengthy and, maybe extra crucially, about an inch and 1 / 4 excessive, you’d should be a really small grownup to think about this as your main mouse.

Michael Crider/Foundry

But that’s okay, this mouse is designed to journey in spite of everything— “Anywhere” is correct there within the identify. And with the graceful pebble form, it’ll slide simply into any bag, and even in your pocket if it’s essential to transfer in a rush. Wide, forgiving main buttons are cozy all day, and the aspect buttons are just a little stiff, however you received’t click on them unintentionally. A single non-standard button, which switches between commonplace scrolling and super-fast scrolling for the properly knurled mouse wheel, rounds out the bundle.

Can the MX Anywhere 3S actually go anyplace?

The different a part of the “Anywhere” model is that the mouse works on something, as much as and together with glass. Personally I discover that my pants leg is a way more frequent mousing floor on the go, however the Anywhere 3S handles each simply advantageous. In reality I’ve bought a rest room scale that simply occurs to have a full mirrored floor (so I can test my weight and my nostril hairs on the similar time, I suppose?), and the MX Anywhere 3S tracked on it with solely minimal skipping. So for those who want a mouse that really works anyplace, yeah, this’ll do it.

Another function of the mouse’s travel-friendly design is the flexibility to swap between three units with a button on the underside. As with earlier MX mice, this works flawlessly, whether or not you’re utilizing Bluetooth or Logitech’s proprietary Bolt USB dongle. (The new “S” variants of those mice ditch the older Unifying Reciever.)

Michael Crider/Foundry

The lack of a dongle within the field is likely to be a sticking level, because it was included with the MX Anywhere 3 on the similar value. But since it is a journey mouse, and most of the people might be utilizing straight Bluetooth for his or her units relatively than always occupying an increasingly-rare USB-A port, I can see the logic.

How did the MX Anywhere 3 carry out?

Aside from the 70-day battery life — which I couldn’t stress check in the course of the evaluate interval, however having owned the Anywhere 3, I don’t doubt it — the mouse’s different distinguishing bodily function is the scroll wheel. It actually is super-nice, particularly for a smaller mouse, feeling heavy and strong beneath my finger. And the flexibility to modify between commonplace notched scrolling and speedy scrolling with the contact of a button is one thing you solely recognize after you’ve used it for some time…and end up lacking on different mice. Don’t wish to swap? Fine, scroll quick sufficient and the mouse is wise sufficient to let it spin freely all by itself. This function has been round for just a few years, however isn’t any much less spectacular for that.

Michael Crider/Foundry

Speaking of which, for those who dive into the Options+ driver software program you’ll be able to really modify the pressure of the notched scroll mode, from barely there to a way more satisfying near-click. This is a function the earlier mannequin had, nevertheless it’s nonetheless tremendous cool. Something the older mannequin didn’t have is “quiet click,” and certainly, the 3S is a lot quieter than the final mannequin, identical to the MX Master 3S. It’s extra of a “tap” sound than a “click.” Which you like is a matter of style, however I’m positive anybody subsequent to you on a protracted enterprise flight would recognize the much less noisy choice.

The extra superior 8,000 DPI sensor — double the DPI of the final mannequin, equal to the MX Master 3S — is good. I suppose. I by no means used it at something close to that sensitivity, and I can’t think about doing so, particularly in a cell atmosphere. I believe that is merely a case of Logitech consolidating its elements bin, which is okay.

MX Anywhere 3 software program

In phrases of software program, Logitech Options+ is surprisingly nice. It’s definitely doable to make use of the mouse with out it, however you’ll be doing your self a disservice. Logitech Flow stays an important software for anybody who has to maneuver between a number of machines, and the choice to vary some or all the button performance for triggered functions is far appreciated.

Michael Crider/Foundry

Technically the mouse works with Logitech’s new Smart Actions system, however not like keyboards or the large MX Master, I don’t assume there are sufficient buttons to make it really helpful right here. You would possibly simply be capable of get some extra performance out of Gestures, which helps you to maintain the button and transfer up, down, left, or proper for extra actions. But once more, this looks like extra bother than it’s value when most of these (many, many) choices are only a click on or a keyboard shortcut away already.

Should you purchase the MX Anywhere 3?

The MX Anywhere 3S isn’t an enormous change over its predecessor, nevertheless it doesn’t should be. The quieter clicking in all probability isn’t value an $80 buy all by itself…except your coworkers or important different are asking for that particularly.

Michael Crider/Foundry

Still, for those who’re available in the market for a small journey mouse and also you don’t thoughts paying just a little above common for the top-of-the-line, you’ll be able to’t do higher than this. Even for those who don’t really must apply it to a mirror.