Thanks to a plethora of useful features, such as a scroll wheel that can switch between smooth and ratcheted motion, a thumb wheel for other functions, a plethora of programmable buttons, and the ability to switch between three wireless connections, Logitech’s MX Master series has long been the gold standard for productivity mice. The Logitech MX Master 3S differs from its direct predecessor, the MX Master 3, only in that it uses a Logi Bolt dongle rather than a Logitech Unifying receiver, has quieter (but less tactile) switches, and has an 8,000 DPI sensor as opposed to a 4,000 DPI one.
The Logitech MX Master 3S’s style and comfort
You may be excused for not being able to tell the MX Master 3S apart from the Logitech MX Master 3 if you’ve seen the older model. The design hasn’t altered at all, but the color palette has somewhat expanded to include graphite, black, and light gray in addition to the original black and mid-gray. The black MX Master 3S will only be sold at physical stores, according to Logitech. The light gray is essentially white and looks fine, but it is more likely to show dirt than the graphite color, which is about as plain a shade of gray as one can imagine. Although I wish Logitech would offer more daring color options like it did with the “Midnight Teal” MX Master 2S, the objective here is to have a fairly understated appearance that won’t draw too much attention at the office.
The MX Master 3S is not a little mouse, measuring 3.3 x 2 x 4.9 inches (84.3 x 51 x 129.4 mm) and weighing 0.31 pounds (141g), but it is comparable to rivals like the Razer’s Pro Click (3.1 x 1.8 x 5 inches, 0.23 pounds). It is well formed for someone with medium- to large-sized hands because of its size and dimensions, and it feels lovely in the hand. The left side and heel area of the mouse, which are its primary touchpoints, are both constructed of luxuriously rubberized material that is incredibly soft and pleasant to rest your hand on.
The left side of the mouse has a slight slope and a resting area for your thumb (it is unmistakably a right-handed mouse). The thumb rest also serves as an additional, programmable button, however I wish it were easier to press because the pressable portion is at the base of the thumb. This button was really stiff on my everyday driver, the MX Master 3, but it’s considerably softer on the MX Master 3S, even though it’s still in the same awkward spot.
Above the thumb rest region, neatly, are the forward/back buttons, a horizontal scroll wheel, and an LED charge indicator light that only illuminates when the mouse is being charged or has low power. The scroll wheel, right and left click buttons, and a small button that can be customized but by default changes the scroll wheel’s mode are all located on top of the mouse.
The “MagSpeed” wheel allows users to choose between scrolling in the FreeSpin and Ratchet modes by adjusting the level of friction using magnets. Thus, if you want to scroll incredibly quickly, the wheel can loosen up and offer very little resistance, allowing you to reach above 1,000 lines per second. However, it will switch back to generating tactile bumps as you walk if you need accuracy. By default, the Logitech Options+ software uses a function called SmartShift to alternate between the modes dependent on the speed of the wheel rotation. In actual use, I never needed to utilize the manual toggle button because I found SmartShift, whose sensitivity can be changed in software, to be more than sufficient.
The bottom of the Logitech MX Master 3S is identical to the last generation, with three slick black strips to assist the device glide around, a power switch, the Darkfield sensor and the device-switching button. More on this will be discussed below when we discuss connectivity. But flipping the mouse over to change connections is rather awkward, even though this probably won’t bother you if you mostly use the mouse with one computer at a time.
New and Polarizing Logitech MX Master 3S Buttons
The MX Master 3S’s left and right click buttons employ new, quiet switches that, according to Logitech, give a 90% noise reduction over the previous model, which is the most significant change from earlier MX Master mouse. The switches have a completely distinct feel that can appear mushier and less tactile, despite the fact that they are substantially quieter than those of the majority of mice.
These buttons initially offended me because they seemed to provide less feedback than standard buttons. Theoretically, my clicking finger should last longer because they look to demand less actuation effort, which means I don’t have to press as hard. I got used to the mouse’s softer feel after using it for a few days, and at this point I believe I prefer it more because it does offer some great tactility and never gives me the impression that I’m bottoming out while clicking.
I also gave a few other individuals a tour of the MX Master 3S’s buttons, but none of them used it extensively. Andrew, a coworker who prefers quieter keyboard switches, liked the lighter feel. My wife and son, however, really disapproved of it.
Despite your opinion of how the mouse buttons feel, they certainly live up to their claim of being quieter. On a Google Meet call with my coworkers, I rapidly clicked the MX Master 3S and the MX Master 3, and they could clearly hear the 3 but could hardly make out the 3S. When I activated Google Meet’s noise-canceling feature, which is set on by default, neither mouse was audible, though. It is unclear whether having a quieter mouse matters for conference calls given that Zoom has a comparable capability. But, the lower noise level could be advantageous if you’re in a face-to-face meeting or working near to others.
Productivity Functionality of the Logitech MX Master 3S
Working with the Logitech MX Master 3S is a delight. It’s simple to accomplish more because to its comfortable grip, electromagnetic scroll wheel, thumb wheel, and excellent sensor. On nearly any surface, even glass, the Darkfield sensor operates without issue. Navigation was equally precise when I used it on top of a glass tablet screen as it was when I used a mousepad.
The sensor has a range of 200 to 8,000 DPI, which is double that of the MX Master 3’s 4,000 DPI. The mouse, however, defaults to 1,000 DPI (just like it did on the MX Master 3), so you must modify it in the Logi Options+ app before you actually see a difference.
According to Logitech, the goal of tripling sensor DPI is to make it easier for users of multiple monitors to move their pointers over all of the available screen space without overextending their wrists. I’m the ideal audience for this function, because I have a four-monitor setup at home and, certainly, increasing up the DPI in Logi Options+ made it simpler for me to travel among my desktops, but I’m not convinced that I need much more than 4,000 DPI. Setting my DPI up all the way to 8,000 or near to it made the pointer too quick for me to prevent overshooting my targets. But, on my four-monitor setup, 5,000 DPI seems to be the sweet spot.
Conclusion
Having a superior mouse can help you accomplish more in less time whether you’re a developer, creative professional, office worker, or student. The Logitech MX Master 3S costs $99, which is expensive but reasonable for a top-of-the-line productivity mouse given that it is comparable to the MSRPs of both its predecessor and its principal rivals—the Microsoft Precision Mouse and the Razer Pro Click, neither of which has thumb wheels or Logi Flow—both of which are thumb-wheel- and Logi Flow-free mice. Additionally, the MX Master 3S can transform the way you operate, especially if you use numerous devices, even though you can acquire an excellent wireless mouse for a lot less money. If you can discover a Logitech coupon code to assist lower the price, the cost won’t have to be an issue either.
