I had an MX1000 years ago, and when the LMB developed the double-click problem, I took the plunge and purchased the new MX Revolution. There were some things I didn't like about the new mouse. Such as the thumb "wheel" being too far forward for my small hand to effectively use, and loosing the document search button inbetween the back and forward buttons (which I used as my push-to-talk button in various VoIP apps).
Even with these problems, the new features of the Revolution sold me. I love the SmartScroll wheel, and is the best new thing with the mouse. So all-in-all it felt like a good upgrade from the MX1000 to the MX Revolution.
Now several years on, my MX revolution is starting to develop the same left-click problem, and thinking of upgrading to next version of MX mouse, the Performance MX. All I've read about the mouse seems like a downgrade, not an upgrade.
Removing features that are part of my muscle memory for the sake of what? Simplicity? The main issue I have is with the scroll wheel, why remove the SmartShift wheel? It doesn't seem like there are any mechanical problems with the wheel.
As my mouse has had many problems with it, which have worsened with the age of it, such as, LMB double clicking, degrading battery life, some wireless connection issues. But the Scroll Wheel feels as smooth as the day I bought it.
Also the new way of charging the mouse seems like a step forward in some ways and a step back in others. Yes the ability to recharge "on-the-go" is a great idea, but to be honest I've never used my mouse to the point where the battery has died and had to recharge it, this with me being a hardcore gamer as well. So the idea of trying to hunt down a cable, and fiddling about with it trying to plug it in to keep the mouse battery topped up after every session, seems counter intuitive after using a recharging cradle for so many years.
The ability to use the mouse on glass/leg/trouser is great, but for most people upgrading from a Revolution, this is a non-issue, as we're probably content, for the most part, using the mouse on a mat or non-glass surface. So this new feature hardly makes up for the loss of the scroll wheel SmartShifting technology.
And from what I've read up on, the button below the scroll wheel is just a mechanical button which switches the wheel from click-scroll to free-scroll, and so cannot be programmed to another use. This is appalling, as on the Revolution and presumably on the Performance the scroll wheel MMB function is horrid, but on the Revolution I could reprogram the button below the wheel to be the MMB.
The ideal solution would be a merger of the two mice:
- Bring back the old scroll wheel, and have the scroll-click button be the scroll mode select button. So by default the mouse wheel would be in SmartShift mode, push the scroll wheel in once would switch it to click-scroll, push again to get to free-scroll, and push once again to get back to SmartShift.
-Keep the button below the scroll wheel, but have it act as the MMB by default, and the ability to reprogram it if neccessary.
-Thumb buttons, have a mixture of the two versions' buttons. So back and forward buttons, zoom button (programmable), and a programmable thumb button hidden under the rubber padding. Thumb "wheel" rocker with programmable actions and adjustable sensitivity levels.
-As for the recharger, use the best of both worlds. So you would have the the docking cradle as with the Revolution, but the cable that connects it is plugged into a mini usb port on the back of the cradle. And keep the usb port on the front of the mouse. So in day to day use, you can just sit the mouse in the cradle to recharge, but if you run out of power and still need to use the mouse, just unplug the cable from the back of the cradle and plug it into the mouse so you can recharge it while using it. This way people who prefer a cradle can use it, or not use it, and saves having a loose cable snaking across your desk.
-Obviously use the new Darkfield laser.
-Optional on-the-fly DPI switching buttons. Although this would put the mouse more into the gaming mouse category, as opposed to general use, but would be a nice function to include nonetheless.
Now this would be a positive upgrade to the MX series than the poor Performance MX we have now.
On another note, have there been any official responses from the Logitech designers/community reps on the design issues we have with Performance MX? Or if there are any plans in the pipeline for an upgraded MX mouse in the future?
