The Logitech G604 Lightspeed is a wireless gaming mouse designed for players of the massivelymultiplayer online role-playing and multiplayer online battle arena games.
Such games require a lot of hotkeys to execute different commands and macros.
Hence, players prefer gaming mice with plenty of buttons that they can program to fulfil certain commands quickly.
For that, Logitech has provided 15 programmable inputs for the G604, including two click pads, two sensitivity toggle buttons on the left click pad and a clickable scroll wheel that can be tilted in left and right directions.
On the left side of the mouse are six buttons – arranged in two rows of three – just above the thumb rest.
These buttons have thin rectangular protrusions that make them easy to press.
The bottom-row buttons protrude less than the top-row ones, so users can tell them apart easily by feel.
To configure these buttons, you use the very intuitive G Hub software, which lets one easily assign commands, create macros and adjust mouse sensitivity.
I find the design of the G604 to be very ergonomic – my palm rested comfortably on it, while all the buttons and controls are within easy reach.
However, its asymmetrical design is suitable only for righthanders.
On the middle of the mouse’s top, just behind the scroll wheel, are two more buttons that are not programmable.
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FOR
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• Ergonomic design
• Plenty of programmable buttons
• Great gaming performance
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AGAINST
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• No USB port
• AA battery is its only power option
• For right-handers only
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SPECS
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PRICE: $149
SENSITIVITY: 100 to 16,000 dpi
MAXIMUM SPEED: Up to 40 ips
CONNECTIVITY: Bluetooth, USB dongle
WEIGHT: 135g (with AA battery)
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RATING
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FEATURES: 4/5
DESIGN: 4/5
PERFORMANCE: 4.5/5
BATTERY LIFE: 4/5
VALUE FOR MONEY: 3.5/5
OVERALL: 4/5
One toggles the scroll wheel between a segment scroll and a free spin, while the other switches between the mouse’s two wireless modes – one using Logitech’s Lightspeed wireless technology (via a USB dongle) and the other using Bluetooth.
At the back of the mouse is a magnetic cover that can be removed to reveal a compartment housing the USB dongle and an AA battery slot. This is great as the dongle is less likely to be misplaced.
Inside the mouse is Logitech’s 16K Hero optical sensor with a sensitivity of up to 16,000 dots per inch and a maximum speed of up to 40 inches per second.
I connected the mouse to my gaming PC using Lightspeed, as it is supposed to have less lag. And I am happy to report that I did not experience any.
The mouse clicks and button presses felt instantaneous, akin to using a wired mouse. And I could move my game character around smoothly and without any stutter.
The extra buttons come in handy when one is in the heat of virtual battle, as you do not need to search for the right keys on the keyboard. It just makes life easier during gaming sessions.
The battery life in Lightspeed mode is around 240 hours. This goes up to 5½ months in Bluetooth mode.
However, for a mouse that costs $149, it is almost unforgivable that it does not have a built-in rechargeable battery.
Furthermore, the G604 does not come with a micro-USB or USB-C port. In the event the battery goes flat, there is no back-up option.
Sure, an AA battery is readily available. But if the battery goes flat in the middle of a virtual battle, the battle is over before you even get the chance to change the battery.
