Logitech G5/G7/G15 Preview

[PAGETITLE=Logitech G5] We are taking a look today at the next Logitech gaming devices to be released. Logitech is the type of company that will release peripherals when you least expect it, and make you say "Wow, that's cool." Before we jump in on the new products, here is a quick company profile. About Logitech Logitech designs, manufactures and markets personal peripherals that enable people to effectively work, play, and communicate in the digital world. The company's products combine essential core technologies, continuing innovation, award-winning industrial design and excellent price performance. Last year when the MX1000 Laser mouse was released, there were definite mixed reactions for use with gaming. Some people wouldn't use anything else for gaming, and others like myself didn't find it to have the ultimate control I was looking for. Months later, Logitech released the MX518 Gaming mouse. This mouse went over so well, that it made people think "Why didn't they make this a Laser mouse?" It was only a matter of time before they did release a Laser mouse designed for gamers, but it's a surprise that they released two! We will be taking a look at both mice, as well as the G15 keyboard, which looks out of this world. Let's jump to it. Note: All images in this article can be clicked for very high res versions (1500*1000) G5 Laser Mouse Tune for game domination. The Logitech G5 Laser Mouse gives you the edge with a 2000 dpi laser engine sending out an astounding 500 USB reports per second* for precision response at blinding speeds. A Logitech exclusive, the G5's 36-gram adjustable weight cartridge gives you thousands of variations on balance and weightincluding one thats perfect for your unique gaming style. This mouse looks extremely similar to the MX510 and MX518 mice. The skin on this mouse even tops the MX518, with a cool rusted metal look. Of course, the MX 510 and MX518 were optical based, while the new G5 is Laser. Check out our review of the MX1000 to find out exactly what the benefits are. Simply put, Laser is 20x as accurate as an Optical for the utmost precision. Like the MX518, the mouse comes with three base levels of sensitivity: 400, 800 and 2000DPI. You can use the included software to set up to five custom levels of sensitivity. You will notice from the pictures, that there is a battery level indicator on the mouse. This is actually not what it seems to be, but rather let's you know which level you currently have your DPI set as. One thing I immediately don't like on the mouse, is that they removed one mouse button from the left side of the mouse. For all games I play, I usually pre-configure both those buttons since they do come in handy. Maybe I was the only one! Another thing that threw me for a loop, is that with this mouse they include a cartridge for weights! It's an orange cartridge that includes a total of 8 weights: (4) 4.5g and (4) 1.7g. They can all be removed, or customized to suit the mouse better for your gaming. Basically, you would move the weights around, adding and removing them until you figure out which feels best for you. This sounds like a funny gimmick, but it's definitely one I want to test out. Since this is a gamers mouse, they made the feet with high quality Polytetrafluoroethylene, which are as smooth as the word is to say. There are many gaming mice out there, but this one has me excited. There are a lot of innovations wrapped into this model, so it should prove a huge hit. This mouse will retail for approx. $69.99US Other Specs: Image Processing: 6.4 megapixels/second, Max. Acceleration: 20g, Max. Speed: 4565 inches/second (depending on surface), USB Report Rate: 500 reports/second, No Sleep Mode. [PAGEBREAK] [PAGETITLE=Logitech G7] The Logitech G7 Cordless Mouse delivers extreme cordless performance with a 2000 dpi laser engine for blinding speed and precision response. The G7s full-speed, bi-directional USB connection sends a blazing 500 reports/second* over 2.4 GHz wireless for a bulletproof connection. Dead batteries wont stop you mid-mission, thanks to a five-level power indicator and twin hot-swappable Li-ion battery packs that recharge while youre racking up points. If you like what you see with the G5, but hate cords, then the G7 may be for you. It's similar in a lot of ways to the G5, with a few exceptions. Looking at the specifics, this mouse definitely one-ups the MX1000. The mouse itself, just looks gorgeous. The Silver/Blue glossy look definitely works. This mouse has exactly the same styling as the G5, same buttons and design. Unlike the G5 though, it does not have the included weight cartridge. This is due to the fact that the battery pack is taking up the room that the cartridge would occupy. This brings up another smart move by Logitech. Firstly, the mouse battery indicator has five levels of indication, so you will know in advance when the battery will die. The smart move is that they provide not one, but TWO separate battery packs. While one pack is plugged into the base, it will charge it fully, with two separate modes, Boost and Full. Boost is faster, but is not USB compliant. When the battery in your mouse dies though, you quickly remove it, take the other battery out of the charger, and replace it. That way you will not have to go without the mouse at any time. This mouse proves to be much more responsive due to the 2.4GHz frequency it uses. This comes in the form of a USB add-on, that looks like a thumb drive. You plug this into the base, and it gives you the frequency needed. They call this "Bulletproof", and you should experience ZERO lag and interference. The mouse contains the same DPI quick switching as the G5, and also the super smooth Polytetrafluoroethylene feet. Personally, I found the MX1000 to be a fantastic mouse, but not so much for gaming. I am very interested to see if the G7 will prove my skepticism wrong. The G7 will retail for approx. $99.99US Other Specs: Image Processing: 6.4 megapixels/second, Max. Acceleration: 20g, Max. Speed: 4565 inches/second (depending on surface), USB Report Rate: 500 reports/second, No Sleep Mode. [PAGEBREAK] [PAGETITLE=Logitech G15] G15 Gaming Keyboard The Logitech G15 Keyboard offers gamers an unprecedented level of in-game information, programmability, and control. Its adjustable-tilt, back lit LCD display shows you crucial system info during game play, and lets you set timers to keep track of game events. You can even stay in touch with your IM buddies while you're playing! The 18 programmable G Keys let you execute macros for example, casting spells in World of Warcraft with a single button pressand the back lit keys are great for lights-out play. Ok, so this keyboard doesn't have the rich style like the Optimus keyboard, which has been the talk of the net for the last month. But, what the G15 does deliver, is extreme customization and geek features. One thing that must be made clear, is that this is not an ordinary keyboard meant for regular office use. It's obviously a gamers keyboard, as you can see by the design and feature set. Immediately, you can see that the keyboard is completely flat, and has a rough look about it. This ain't no sissy keyboard. The Blue/Black color scheme is not too bad, but I would have preferred maybe a darker blue, or even a green. The board has a standard key layout, with the addition of 18 customizable keys, that are labelled G1 - G18. Above those, are M1, M2 and M3 keys, M for Mode. If you play multiple games, such as Counter-Strike, Battlefield 2 and World of Warcraft, then you don't have anything to worry about. To make things easy, they made these mode keys so that you can customize the G keys for different games. That way, M1 could be for your Counter-Strike configuration, while M3 is for your WoW. This technically allows you up to 56 spots for configuration. The keyboard also contains the basic multi-media keys we're all used to, for playing movies/music and adjusting volume. You will also notice an MR button, which stands for Macro Record. Pressing this, will monitor your keystrokes and movement, which can be saved into one of the configuration keys. One thing that regularly makes me grit my teeth while playing a game at night, is trying to fumble around to hit the right keys, especially when chatting. This is made much easier with this board, because at night, the keys will illuminate a bright blue. Lastly, another aggravation is hitting the Windows key which can get you killed fast, because it can throw you to the desktop. In gaming mode, the keyboard disables the Windows key so you will have nothing to worry about! The biggest feature to hit the keyboard, is the LCD screen. The screen is completely back lit, and can be used for multiple uses. As you can see in some of the pictures, it's being used for in game chat and keeping track of your current ammunition status. I'm sure after the keyboard is released, we will be seeing additional features for it as well.. such as displaying the current song playing. If for some reason you are sick of looking at the screen, it can be closed. Conclusion Logitech never ceases to impress me with their products. They made quite a jump with their MX1000 Laser mouse, which took the peripheral world by storm. It's great to see that they finally took another step forward to make a Laser Gaming mouse, and I can't wait to see what kind of performance they will offer.. especially the G7 since it is cordless. The G15 keyboard is certainly unlike any other Logitech keyboard, and I didn't expect to get excited over a keyboard, ever. This one seriously intrigues me, with the macro function, programmable keys and especially the LCD back lit screen. The illuminated keys at night are also a hugely welcomed feature. We will be sure to report more information on these products in the very near future, so stay tuned. Want to add your opinion? Feel free to discuss these new products in our forums! You do not need to...

Logitech G5/G7/G15 Preview

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Rob Williams