Logitech MX Vertical – Australian Review

In an ever expanding tech based world, we’re relying more and more on new gadgets and tools to help us in our daily lives. Smart phones got smaller & thinner, before becoming larger again to accommodate the fact that most people are using them to watch movies, and things like Netflix on commutes.

Headphones have become wireless and better at clinging on for dear life, allowing people to listen to their favourite playlists while running or lifting weights without worrying about getting choked by the cable. With the introduction of smart watches, we’re able to track things from steps, to heartrate & even our egg kilometre status on Pokemon Go.

One thing however that hasn’t really changed in the 50 years since it was released is the humble computer mouse.

Sure we’ve seen the invention of the optical mouse which did away with the ball, and wireless dongles that allowed users more freedom than their wired predecessors. But the overall shape, and design hasn’t changed much, if at all, in the mouse’s lifetime. This has created problems for many users in the form of RSI in the wrist, fingers and forearm after long periods of use.

Logitech is here to change that – inventing the most advanced ergonomic vertical mouse, promising reduced wrist pressure and forearm strain, without compromising productivity. Scientifically designed, it sits on an innovative “natural handshake” position of 57° to reduce muscular activity by 10% compared to a standard mouse, without any loss in overall performance.

It provides a 4000 DPI high-precision sensor, resulting in up to 4 times less hand movement, reducing fatigue. There is a cursor speed switch, which allows you to instantly adjust DPI speed & accuracy. The body houses a rechargeable battery which can last up to 4 months on full charge, and can give you 3 hours use in just one-minute of charging, via the USB to USB-C cable.

I spend my whole day using a computer mouse for my day job, and unlike other office-based jobs, there are no real breaks for typing, printing or phone answering. That’s close to 8 hours of solid mouse use, and it really takes its toll on my wrist, and pinky finger specifically. I also have abnormally large hands, and long fingers for a female, making using a small mouse almost unbearable.

Recently my mouse wore a flat spot in my pinky where it rested on my desk, and I’d had enough. I was in the market for a new mouse, hoping to buy the biggest mouse, nigh, rat, available. I didn’t care if it was wired, Bluetooth or cheap. I wanted something that would be comfortable in my huge hands for an extended period of use. In my research I came across the Logitech vertical mouse, but it wasn’t yet available to buy and I was desperate for something more ergonomic than my mini mouse.

When Logitech contacted Ausdroid informing them they would be sending the mouse, Chris decided to let me have a go first (sorry boys!).

We picked it up from the post office on our lunch break and I immediately got it out of the packet and hooked up the dongle to my work laptop, and began using it. Normally I’m one to read all the ins and outs to find out how it works, what all the buttons do and figure out all the features first, but I wanted to get straight into using it. Let me tell you, after 25 years or so of using a regular “flat” mouse, getting used to the vertical mouse took a few hours. For finer movements that required finesse, I found I was stabilising my hand with my pinky on the desk, which was something I was trying to get away from. But the more I used the mouse, I found I was making less mistakes (rogue clicks, missed selections etc), and requiring less stabilising. I think it will take a few more days of use to become fully competent at vertical mouse use, after all I am trying to undo approximately 25 years of muscle memory.

The more I use it, the more I’m enjoying it, every minute I seem to be getting better at controlling it & my movements are becoming smoother. Even the flat spot on my pinky is filling out again. I used to lose sensation in my pinky some days, often getting so cranky I would leave it out straight in an effort to avoid the pins & needles. I haven’t had to do anything like that since using the vertical mouse, my hand sits comfortably on the body of the mouse, and my thumb is well supported by the grip.

Overall the mouse is pretty chunky, boasting a weight of 135g, and dimensions of 78.5mm x 79mm x 120mm, but for my giant hands this is reason to celebrate! This, however makes it difficult to easily tuck into your laptop bag when on the go (or travelling), but for desktop use, it’s perfect.

You can pair up to three devices and switch between them using the tap of a button, or, if you have Logitech Options installed, you can just move the cursor from one screen to another. The MX Vertical Ergonomic mouse is the latest device in the Logitech Flow solution, and using the Logitech Options software you can customise the buttons, set application-specific functions & adjust the cursor speed.

With a hefty price tag at $169.95, this mouse wont be for everyone, but if you suffer from RSI, or any other sort of muscle issue due to mouse use, this mouse could be a cheaper option than GP visits and physio appointments.