The Logitech MX Air
Back at the end of February, my amazing Logitech Cordless Click! Optical Mouse hit the end of its life, so the search began for a replacement mouse. Naturally, given my overbearing love for the Logitech brand, they were the only option I explored for my input device. I had talked to a couple of my fellow employees beforehand and one pointed out the Logitech MX Air. Another friend of my, Docta Matt Lucido who works for Hillcrest Labs and helps in the development of the Freespace technology, confirmed that the MX Air was a badass piece of technology convinced me it was the right choice. So here it is, my review of the MX Air.
On the Desk. In the Air.
This mouse is the definitive of cool things that normal people won’t ever use. It operates just like a normal mouse when you have it sitting on the desk with laser tracking instead of optical, saving both battery life and you eyesight should you incidentally look at the bottom. However, pick it up off the desk and its a completely different experience. As soon as the laser doesn’t see a flat surface anymore, the Freespace technology kicks in, turning the mouse into a Wiimote on steroids. Using simple motions with the flick of the wrist, you can control the cursor on screen while sitting back in your chair, relaxing on the couch with a media center PC or walking around giving a presentation on a big screen. It works no matter how far you physically rotate away from the screen, whether you’re straight up or laying down, the cursor always follows the natural motion of your hand, keeping your cursor right where you want it.
In your hand it feels incredibly natural, which is where the function gains its appeal. When I first received this glorious technological marvel, I was afraid that I spent a ton of money for a feature I’d find myself not using. To the contrary, I use it almost as much as I would with it sitting on the desk. It comes in handy especially when watching movies or listening to music. It contains a play/pause button right on the mouse which is much more convenient in a pinch that using the one on my keyboard or physically hitting the button on screen. Just as well, it also has a volume control button as well as a back button for web browsing. It doesn’t stop there, though. Complimenting these buttons is a full array of software features that automatically install when you plug the USB adapter in. Want to skip to the next song? Simply hold down the play/pause button and make a circular motion with your hand. Same goes for the previous track, simply make the circle counter-clockwise. Volume control is incredibly simple as well. Hold down the volume button, and move the MX Air left or right for the volume to go up or down. Or to mute just hit the button once. The lithium-ion battery has good life, charges quickly and is simply a necessity given the amount of batteries I’ve gone through with my previous mice.
I’ve seen alot of people asking if the MX Air is good for gaming, but no one answering this question. So I think I’ll do the honors. The freespace element of the MX Air makes gaming awkward at best, and sends you in a dizzy whirl at worse. Especially in First Person Shooters, you already need one hand on the keyboard, so holding the mouse up in the air is unnecessary stress on your arm, so I just end up putting it back down. Now don’t get me wrong, its still a champ in games, due to the laser tracking, making motions very precise. The range and strength of the USB receiver provides no lag time at all between mouse action and computer response. Overall, this was an investment on my behalf that I most certainly do not regret.
4.8/5
