The MX Master 3 is an excellent companion device to anyone who spends a sizable chunk of their daily life staring at a computer screen. No wonder, it comes highly recommended by all kind s of people-from gamers, coders, artists, etc. In this post, we’ll see why I too feel the same and why this is my best choice and number one recommendation to anyone looking for a solid mouse.
Design
The MX Master looks unlike any other regular mouse in the market, or that I was used to. It’s so curvy, and so elegant. The design looked a bit odd at first, since I hadn’t seen any ergonomic mouse before (later I even discovered vertical mouse- Vertical!! Seriously??? ) But it grew on me later. And now, I just want to hold it all day. Even if I’m not working, because it’s so damn comfortable. The curves I mentioned before fit perfectly on your palm and thumb and all your fingers fall naturally into the proper place such that all the buttons are accessible with minimal effort.
I was blown away. Normally, whenever a piece of technology introduces more features, it also becomes more complicated, not with this one. It’s a dream mouse to use simply because of how easy it is to operate this.
Buttons
There is a whole lotta buttons in here, some having multiple functionalities. Different websites call them differently, but based on how I use them, this is the case: –
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7 buttons which can be clicked-
- Gesture button
- Forward button
- Back ward button
- Left click button
- Right click button
- The vertical scroll wheel
- The button below the vertical scroll wheel
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2 scroll wheels
- Vertical scroll wheel
- Horizontal scroll wheel
Now the names I have used may sound different, but the truth is these buttons are all so customizable it’s pointless giving them a name. which is why I used some very generic names. Which brings us to the next discussion0
Customisation
All the customization is through the Logitech Options App . Once the app is installed and logged in, you get to the following screen: –
Clicking on each of the 6 white circles opens a rather lengthy list of options that can be set to that button. There are certain functions that are set by default such as:-
- Vertical scroll wheel click- middle click
- The Button below VSW – toggle scroll mode between smooth and staggered.
- Gesture button- task view
You can change each one of these to suit your needs, for example if you wish to change what clicking the vertical scroll wheel does, you click on that white circle and you get this screen: –
As you can see, I have assigned it to bring up the notification center via Win+N Keystroke assignment. I chose this because I am really annoyed by the splitting up of the action center in windows 11. Earlier, a simple Win+A was enough to access my notifications as well as quick actions, now I am bothered to remember two different keyboard shortcuts for each. This is an excellent example of how a device like MX 3 becomes your life saver. I have now assigned the VSW to bring up the notifications and the calendar, and the button below to bring up quick actions. Easy as pie!
You can, of course, assign any other keystroke assignment which you may often need. Or you may want to program it to open a folder which needs opening repeatedly -such as the screenshots folder perhaps?
Whatever might come to your mind, you probably can do it. Or if you rather fancy your buttons not doing anything? Don’t worry, that’s covered to. Just select “Do Nothing”
All this can be overwhelming at first, hence I recommend waiting. Don’t go into customization right away. First one or two days, just use the moue with its default settings and be alert for your needs. Notice what are the tasks that you keep repeating and which can be assigned to this mouse? Do you copy paste stuff all the time? So maybe you can program one button to copy, and the other to paste. It will save perhaps just a second, but optimizing small tasks, which are repeated, is an industry proven technique to maximize productivity. You’ll be surprised at how a large chunk of your time gets wasted doing common, mundane tasks.
Also, before I forget, remember that gesture button, the one under your thumb? Yes, its technically a 5-in-1 button. That single button can be customized to do 5 different tasks in 5 separate ways: –
So, it’s really mind boggling how much one can accomplish with device if one were to use it to its full potential.
Battery Life
On paper, specifications mention about 70 days of use on full charge, a claim most definitely true. I use this mouse every day, 8-10 hours at a stretch. I only charged this mouse full once, that was right after I unboxed it. It’s been a close to a month now and I am yet to go low on battery. That is. Just. Amazing.
One thing to note here though is that although you can charge it via a type c cable while connected to your laptop, it will still behave as a wireless mouse. I mean, just because the mouse is connected via wire doesn’t means it has become a wired mouse now. That may sound silly, but some other premium mice such as those from Microsoft do offer this functionality – a handy tool for avid gamers who genuinely appreciate the advantage in performance from a wired over a wireless mouse.
Verdict
For around 7-8k INR, this is no doubt, an expensive price. But if you are a professional, be it programmer, gamers, video/phot editor, or anyone else who works on computer for more than 6-7 hours a day – this device can save you a lot of time. It will make your life so much easier, simpler. It’s one of those things whose value you understand only when you have used it. However, if you are just someone who uses mouse for simply selecting files, double clicking folders and stuff- then this is most definitely an overkill. You are better served by tons of mice from Logitech, Lenovo, Microsoft, and other brands in the sub-1.5k category- all excellent value for money. Eventually, if you do decide to get yourself one of these Mx Master 3, you won’t be disappointed.