Logitech MX Master 3S Review
Even Better Value Now
Purchase Price: $99.99
WE ARE A PARTICIPANT IN THE AMAZON SERVICES LLC ASSOCIATES PROGRAM, AN AFFILIATE ADVERTISING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A MEANS FOR US TO EARN FEES AND SUPPORT OUR CHANNEL BY LINKING TO AMAZON.COM AND AFFILIATED SITES.This article was written prior to the release of the Logitech MX Master 4.
For more than ten consecutive years now, there has been one lineup of mice that has occupied space on at least one of my desks. The mouse in question is the Logitech MX Master. From 2015 all the way to this day, an MX Master has been in my hand without fail. With a reputation as one of, if not the absolute best work mice available to consumers, I’ve moved up an iteration and now use the MX Master 3S as my daily driver at the office. I didn’t know it could get any better than what I had, but the 3S showed me that it was possible.
Back in my film school days, I was introduced to a Logitech Performance MX mouse. It was a not-so-well hidden trade secret that most video editors found comfort in what was the new MX mouse by Logitech. The minute I got my hand on that first iteration of the mouse, I knew I had to get one for myself. 15 years later, I actually still have my OG MX mouse and it’s alive and operating just like it did all those years ago in the film editing lab.
A Long History
I first began using an MX Master while working for my production company in 2015. When we first started The Sypnotix back in 2016, I eventually moved up the 2S shortly after. My entire working career can be recalled by the type of MX mouse I was rocking in my palm. It’s obvious I have an affinity and a personal relationship with this lineup. However, that doesn’t mean I didn’t have qualms with older versions of the mice either.
The MX Master 3S retains essentially everything that makes the MX Master series so great for professionals, but refines every single part of the mouse to make it fresher while modernizing the design. I have the white variant of the 3S that does not have a USB receiver for Mac. This is a strictly Bluetooth-only connection that doesn’t come with any cables or receivers with the purchase. This isn’t a problem at all as the low energy Bluetooth connection pairs up to 3 devices and covers all of the major modern operating systems. I’ve never run into any connection issues using the mouse predominantly with macOS. It’s an instant and seamless input.
Ergonomics and Comfort
One of the consistent design cues that gets carried over every generation the MX sees is a dedication to comfort and ergonomics. This isn’t necessarily marketed as an ergonomic mouse, but it is one of the best hand supporting mice I’ve used nonetheless. The contoured shape mixed with the weight distribution contributes to being able to use the mouse for long stretches without strain. I’m mostly a palm grip user, and the larger size of the 3S gives my hand plenty of space to spread out evenly. While some users may not appreciate the heavier weight of the MX when compared to something in the gaming category, I only found that it contributed even more to the premium aura reputation of a workplace mouse.
There’s two separate scroll wheels on the 3S. The main one sits in the traditional position splitting the right and left clicks. It’s what Logitech calls a MagSpeed electromagnetic scroll wheel which scrolls at a high and precise speed. Logitech says users can scroll 1,000 lines per second which I don’t have scientific data to prove, but using the naked eye test, I’d say it’s buttery fast. The second scroll wheel sits by where the thumb rests. The thumb scroll wheel is at its most beneficial when programmed for horizontal navigation. That gets you better control and quicker access through timelines and lines of code.
I think both scroll wheels feel solid to touch and it was a nice, cool contrast to the softer texture from the rest of the mouse. I’m also a fan of the silver secondary aesthetic that offsets the clean white color of the Logi mouse. It just looks like a productivity powerhouse from a distance sitting on top of my workspace.
Consistency is Key
One of the consistent design cues that gets carried over every generation the MX sees is a dedication to comfort and ergonomics.
Making Adjustments
Another major change to the touch of feel of the 3S compared to my previous MX Master is just how quiet the clicking noise is. Logitech says it’s 90% less noisy than the MX Master 3. I cannot overstate just how satisfying it is to click into the left and right clicks as the soft tactile feedback just exudes any tension from recoil. If this is your office mouse, no one but you will hear the clicks of the mouse coming from your desk. It’s another reason why the 3S just currently sits on the throne of workplace mice. With a new 8,000 DPI sensor, I encountered no truly noticeable latency while swiping around with the mouse. While Logitech claims the mouse works on any surface– which it does– there is an operational difference on wood compared to a clean mouse mat. The 3S is unparalleled in high-precision on a desk mat. Once you customize the right sensitivity for you, it just works so well without any issues.
My one concern with the white color is just how dirty and discolored it’ll look in a couple of years. After a few months I’m already seeing dirt get logged into the crevices while dirt or sweat from my fingertips lodge brown spots throughout the MX Master. This is likely always going to be an issue with white peripherals, so I’ll try to enjoy the clean aesthetics of the mouse as long as I can.
While battery life will vary depending on the user and their workflow, I can attest that my experience is surprisingly close to the advertised 70 days of endurance. I only had to plug in the MX through the USB-C port at the top to charge after a little over two months of daily use. It also recharges quite quickly. 1-minute on the cable will pump back in 3 hours of juice into the mouse. There’s just a lot of user-friendly capacity on the MX Master 3S that once again, only contributes to that workplace horse reputation.
Still Worth the Upgrade?
I’m approaching nearly 20 years (where did the time go?) of using MX mice and I’ve never once regretted giving Logitech my money for any one of these iterations. That’s the same here with the 3S. If it’s not class-leading on a category, it darn sure is close to it. It’s even better of a deal now with the newly announced MX Master 4. Some of the changes to the newest MX Master don’t seem to be essential workhorse functions that everyone needs to enhance their flow. Whenever anyone asks me what productivity mouse they should be looking at, I do throw out a few options, but the final suggestion and always my highest recommendation ends with a Master in its name. The MX Master 3S is a highly recommended piece of hardware from me and about as much of a sure thing in consumer technology as it gets.
Alex
With nearly a decade under his belt running his video production team, and countless hours traveling the country to report on pop culture events during his tenure as a contributor for AXS Examiner, Alex has relied on a lot of gadgets over the years. That still hasn’t satiated his need to get his hands on the newest and greatest the world has to offer!