Review cover Logitech Anywhere MX 2 Mouse (Hardware)
Official GBAtemp Review

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Logitech has finally unveiled and released the newest mouse in their laptop lineup, the successor to the popular Logitech Anywhere Mouse MX. The Anywhere MX 2 brings several new features to the table and fixes a lot of the prior issues that hurt the performance of its predecessor. How did it fare?

Logitech Anywhere MX 2 - MSRP $79.99 

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Logitech designs some very good products. I've been a long time fan of Logitech's products for years now, having purchased the original Anywhere Mouse MX a few years back. With that particular model though, the mouse was a very mixed bag as the mouse had a number of problems connecting or tracking on surfaces after about a year. I've had issues in past with their hyper fast scrolling feature bouncing the page, and I'll admit, I wasn't fond of it because it just had so many issues. With the arrival of the Anywhere MX 2, however, it looks like Logitech finally got all their eggs in the basket on this one, and the product actually does its job splendidly.

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Design wise, Logitech opted to keep a very similar design as its older sibling. The mouse size is virtually identical on both models. While the Anywhere MX mouse had a glossier top to it, the MX 2 opted to go back to the matte top. The hyper scroll wheel received a minor aesthetic boost that gives it a more premium look. The trim of the mouse has also undergone some improvement with gold metallic highlights. The side grip has switched from a smooth texture to a more bumpy texture that gives it a better feel. Ergonomically, the mice are almost identical, with a remark that the MX Master mouse for desktop users is much better for that regard. As a means of carrying the mouse around portably, the MX 2 does a stellar job at looking classy and being portable. 

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Interesting enough, Logitech has decided to finally opt for a rechargeable battery model. If there was one feature that I absolutely despised on the original MX, it was its terrible battery life. The original MX had a battery life of about 53 days on two AA batteries. A side trick that I discovered was that only one battery was more than sufficient to power the mouse, and yielded the same battery life. But all that is gone with the MX 2. The MX 2 has a rechargeable battery that takes about two and a half hours to charge fully, through a micro USB port at the front of the mouse. It can be connected via Bluetooth using its newest Pico Receiver, an updated USB module that improves over the already incredibly tiny size of the original MX. The new receiver is a couple of millimeters thick and has almost zero obstruction in a USB port, to the point where sometimes it even is a little difficult to pull out.

Logitech has one upped their original connection method. As if the connection couldn't be any easier, this one has the memory to save connection configurations to three different devices, a feature that is new to the MX Anywhere 2. By flicking the power switch to the green and pressing connect, the mouse connects almost instantly to the device. To switch the device, there's a handy button at the bottom of the mouse that allows for quick switching. Blinking white means it is looking for a pairing, and a solid white LED means it has successfully paired. 

The new tracking module has also improved and tracks much better on many different surfaces. The original MX mouse had a cover that served as the mouse power switch and revealed a relatively recessed Dark Field Tracking module that tended to get choppy after a few months of usage. The new MX 2 tracking module looks like it has even increased in size to allow for more accurate tracking. There is no lag between mouse and computer. Clicking the mouse feels great, with a slightly higher pitch compared to the original MX. Some users have reported however that there are issues with double clicking. Thankfully I have not run into those issues but I will definitely update my review if there is a problem. 

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So where does that leave this product? This product is leaps and bounds above the original MX in terms of functionality. Gone are my hyper tracking woes that caused the screen to bounce around, and gone are the days of spending cash for AA batteries. Compared to its bigger brother, the MX Master, the MX 2 stands incredibly strong as a mobile mouse. The MX Master has a $20 increase in price, but it is worth it for users that favor at home usage with a desktop or for those who desire a better ergonomic feel for their thumbs and for the extended features with a side scroll wheel. Other than that, the battery life on the MX is very powerful, with myself having used this mouse quite heavily in the past several weeks. It has yet to be charged, and is still going incredibly strong. The included software is optional and honestly, for the end user, just plugging in and playing will prove efficient. It's a great device and a definitely worthy successor to the original Performance Mouse MX.

Acknowledgements

I'd like to thank Logitech for providing a review unit of the Anywhere MX 2, and for answering any questions that I had about the device. `

Verdict

What We Liked ...
  • Excellent tracking
  • Rechargeable battery that lasts much longer
  • Easy setup
What We Didn't Like ...
  • Price high for a mobile mouse
  • Relatively poor ergonomics
8.5
out of 10

Overall

This product is leaps and bounds above the original MX in terms of functionality. Gone are my hyper tracking woes that caused the screen to bounce around, and gone are the days of spending cash for AA batteries. Compared to its bigger brother, the MX Master, the MX 2 stands incredibly strong as a mobile mouse. The MX Master has a $20 increase in price, but it is worth it for users that favor at home usage with a desktop or for those who desire a better ergonomic feel for their thumbs and for the extended features with a side scroll wheel. Other than that, the battery life on the MX is very powerful, with myself having used this mouse quite heavily in the past several weeks. It has yet to be charged, and is still going incredibly strong.
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This mouse looks nice, but........ my problem with wireless mouses is that few are bluetooth. why would I waste a precious usb port when I can connect it via bluetooth??
the only gamer mouse I have found that has bluetooth is the Razer Orochi which is pricey and ugly looking. so I'm staying with my Microsoft Sculpt Touch.
 
Typical.. i have just purchased the Anywhere MX and now they have just released a updated model.. wish i had waited a little longer :wacko:
 
This mouse looks nice, but........ my problem with wireless mouses is that few are bluetooth. why would I waste a precious usb port when I can connect it via bluetooth??
the only gamer mouse I have found that has bluetooth is the Razer Ouroboros which is pricey and ugly looking. so I'm staying with my Microsoft Sculpt Touch.
MX2 IS a bluetooth mouse. You don't have to use the included receiver if you don't want to.
 
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I did and only says that can be connected via bluetooth through the receiver. doesn't specify that can be used with any bluetooth dongle.
Almost every bluetooth mouse out there is sold with it's own bluetooth adapter because... it needs it to actually work with your computer.

edit: also almost every bluetooth mouse out there works with a good chunk of bluetooth adapters (unless you have some kind of bluetooth adapter version minus 1 compliant or something)
 
Almost every bluetooth mouse out there is sold with it's own bluetooth adapter because... it needs it to actually work with your computer.
wrong. is the contrary, if comes with a usb dongle is because is tied to it and doesn't use bluetooth at all, uses a proprietary wireless protocol.
every bluetooth mouse or keyboard don't come with a dongle at all because don't need it, are designed for mobile devices, you just use the internal bluetooth dongle of you laptop/smartphone/whatever.
this mouse is a rare exception that comes with his own dongle and can use bluetooth too, which is nice.
 
Wrong, bluetooth mice can connect to almost any bluetooth adapter. However, bluetooth adapters included with those mice will not connect to other devices unless you hack their drivers or use unofficial drivers (at least on windows).
 
This is available at Staples for anyone that wants to pick it up and not order it online :P. Tooting my own employer's horn here, but just pointing it out haha
 
Wrong, bluetooth mice can connect to almost any bluetooth adapter. However, bluetooth adapters included with those mice will not connect to other devices unless you hack their drivers or use unofficial drivers (at least on windows).
Maybe I didn't explain correctly, but I'll try to do it this time.
When I bought my Microsoft Sculpt Touch it didn't came with any receptor. is a bluetooth mouse, so it doesn't need to come with one as you can use the built-in bluetooth of your laptop/smartphone/tablet or if you have a desktop then use any bluetooth dongle.
the same is truth for many bluetooth mouse. they don't come with any kind of receptor because isn't needed. is convenient sure, but isn't necessary. and less necessary as those are mouses designed for laptop use where bluetooth is always available and USB ports are scarce

NEWS FLASH: after a little investigation it looks like Logitech include USB dongles with all their mouses regardless if are only wireless or bluetooth. so what you say that always come with a dongle only applies to Logitech.

hope this clarify my point ;).
 
Maybe I didn't explain correctly, but I'll try to do it this time.
When I bought my Microsoft Sculpt Touch it didn't came with any receptor. is a bluetooth mouse, so it doesn't need to come with one as you can use the built-in bluetooth of your laptop/smartphone/tablet or if you have a desktop then use any bluetooth dongle.
the same is truth for many bluetooth mouse. they don't come with any kind of receptor because isn't needed. is convenient sure, but isn't necessary. and less necessary as those are mouses designed for laptop use where bluetooth is always available and USB ports are scarce

NEWS FLASH: after a little investigation it looks like Logitech include USB dongles with all their mouses regardless if are only wireless or bluetooth. so what you say that always come with a dongle only applies to Logitech.

hope this clarify my point ;).

I am going to jump in here, if the mouse says BLUETOOTH then the only way it can say that is if it is fully compatible with the BLUETOOTH spec. They can only display that if they follow the spec and are licensed for it, otherwise they will get sued by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group because Bluetooth is a trademarked brand. If it uses something property they will just say WIRELESS instead of BLUETOOTH.

Meaning it does not need the dongle. If a mouse comes with a dongle it will usually be paired with it out of the box. And you just have to pair the mouse it with your computer's bluetooth receiver that you are currently using instead (usually built in this case). That is all. Similar to a Wiimote or bluetooth headset, you have to sync/pair them. Sometimes there is a button combination you have to press on the mouse to get it into pairing mode. Other times there is a special sync/pair button.

And to further my point if you look at http://www.logitech.com/assets/53708/mx-anywhere-2.pdf it says that it can pair up to three devices with a switch/button on the bottom. :)
 
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It's certainly a nice mouse, but the price is way too high and I hate Logitech's scroll wheel now they added the hyperscroll toggle. It makes middle clicking nearly impossible and precise scrolling a pain!
 
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It's certainly a nice mouse, but the price is way too high and I hate Logitech's scroll wheel now they added the hyperscroll toggle. It makes middle clicking nearly impossible and precise scrolling a pain!

I've personally been waiting for Logitech to reperfect their hyper scrolling feature (which is loads useful for Excel spreadsheet combing) and the only mouse that truly got it right was the VX Nano from a long time ago. This one finally goes back to that level of quality and actually works right. ;)
 
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