More and more people nowadays are switching over to wireless mice. However, not all of these neat little devices are made equal.
Some cheap models of wireless mice are difficult to hold in hand, have bad receivers or even bad wireless connections.
Of course, the tech industry has made huge strides in advancing mouse technology so users are more comfortable using them.
The Logitech M705 mouse falls into this latter high-tech mouse category. It’s designed with comfort, features, and style all in mind.
If you are still using an old USB connected mouse, it’s time to upgrade to something like this Logitech Marathon mouse.
The features on offer are quite endless. Also, the price isn’t bad either. You can find a new version of the product online or in tech stores for about $30.
You think that’s too much for a mouse? Then think about all the cheap wireless replacement mice you have bought over the years?
You can pay about $30 to $40 for this mouse and keep it for three years in the least.
This Logitech M705 review will go into details of the perks and cons associated with the product. Spoiler alert: there are plenty of perks and not that many cons.
In any case, this mouse will be a definite improvement over an old USB mouse. So, without further ado, let’s look at the cool features offered by the Logitech M705 mouse:
Design and Comfort
You can tell by looking at the M705 mouse that it is designed to be completely ergonomic. The mouse is gently contoured from the sides to make it fit comfortable in the hand.
The mouse slightly thickens in the middle to fit your palm and avoid straining other parts of your hand when using for prolonged periods. Essentially, the mouse is ergonomically designed to fit the natural curve of your hand.
The exterior of the mouse is also quite smooth. It’s an absolute delight to grip it. The silky exterior is unlike to make you sweat.
In case your hands are sweaty, there are rubber parts of the exterior on the site to prevent slipping. You will naturally grip the mouse with your thumb and little finger on the left and right.
The mouse has rubber padding on these ends to make sure that your grip is secure. That’s a very neat feature of the design that comes in handy when you have to move the rapidly, like when gaming.
This mouse is quite suitable for many needs that require rapid hand movements.
Interestingly, the contour of the mouse is slightly tilted to the left side. That is a design choice made to make your elbow work.
Instead of just using your wrist to move this mouse, your hand movement will include the elbow, so the workload is evenly distributed throughout the lower arm.
This prevents excessive wrist strain. If you already suffer from sore wrists, consider switching over to the Logitech M705 wireless mouse to prevent further harm.
It has to be mentioned that this feature exclusively favors right handed people.
If you are left-handed, you will not benefit from this design choice. In fact, you may find it very difficult to use this mouse at all if you are a leftie.
The surface of the mouse is standard. It’s designed to fit the average hand size from small to large.
It’s very unlikely that anyone would find the mouse size inadequate to fit inside the hand. You may only encounter problems if you have unusually small or large hands.
Logitech offers alternative wireless mouse designed for other than average sized hands that you can consider.
Functionality
The Logitech M705 mouse comes with the two standard left and right clickers and a scroll wheel. In addition to that, there is a whopping number of six extra buttons that expands the functionality of this mouse.
In total, there are eight buttons. On the side of the mouse, there are two thumb buttons for directions. You can make the screen scroll up or down using these buttons.
They can come in very handing when browsing the web or go through long playlists.
The scroll wheel has three separate buttons adding cool new features when clicking left or right. You can do things like zoom in and out using these buttons along with the standard clickers.
The sixth button is surreptitiously located under the left thumb pad. You can use this stealth button for things like horizontal scrolling.
Many mice do not allow horizontal scrolling so the Logitech wireless mouse M705 is like a diamond in the rough.
The scroll wheel is uniquely “speed adaptive.” That means you can scroll smoothly or in a notched manner at any speed that you like.
Logitech calls this “hyper-fast scrolling.” When you want to get to the bottom of a page really fast, use the speedy smooth scrolling.
But when you want to scroll down click by click, you can quickly adopt the notched function. You can switch to free scrolling anytime you want without compromising the functionality of the mouse.
This is quite an unconventional feature. Most scroll wheels are either smooth or notched.
The two are rarely featured on one device. Many users will definitely appreciate this feature for everyday use as well as for intensive use such as gameplay.
Performance and Wireless Capability
This mouse tracks movement with a laser. The performance in this regard is quite similar to other high-end laser mice available in the market.
The Logitech M705 wireless laser mouse is highly precise, fast and includes zero lag. The mouse uses traditional laser technology so you can use it on many surfaces including wood, skin, and clothing.
It will not give you trouble unless you are using the mouse on a reflective surface like glass or cut marble. Use a mouse pad when using this on such a surface.
As always, the smoother the surface is, the faster the mouse will be able to move.
The Logitech M705 mouse connects using advanced 2.4GHz wireless technology, which is quite standard for wireless mice these days.
You will receive a tiny USB adapter with the mouse called Unifying Receiver for connecting. You simply have to plug in the connector and you will be ready to use the mouse.
In case you are wondering why the receiver is called “unifying,” that’s because you can connect up to five other Logitech devices using the same receiver (six devices in total).
If you have a Logitech keyboard or a trackpad, you can connect those accessories using the mouse receiver without taking up excessive port space.
That’s a real space efficient feature. The Unifying Receiver itself is quite small and does not protrude like many flash USB connectors either.
If you need to free up the port, the receiver neatly tucks underneath the mouse for safe keeping.
The mouse is compatible with just about any Windows operating system, Mac OS X 10.5 or later and Chrome OS. Linux compatibility is not specified so you will have to plug this in and see if it works with your customized Linux OS.
The mouse is capable of receiving wireless signals from the receiver within 10 meters (about 32 feet).
Battery Life
One of the most notable features of the Logitech M705 mouse is the battery life. Logitech provides an AA battery when you purchase the mouse.
However, this is not the typical AA battery you buy at the store. It packs enough juice to power the mouse up to three years!
If you are sick and tired of changing batteries for wireless mice once or twice each month, this will be a refreshing detour from standard practice.
If you remember to switch off the mouse when not in use, you may be able to use the mouse without changing the battery for even longer.
The battery power will definitely vary with use. However, even if you don’t have to change batteries for a year, isn’t that enough?
Of course, once you have depleted the original AA batteries in around 36 months, you will be able to switch to a standard AA battery.
It’s recommended to take the original Logitech batteries to the store and ask someone what kind of AA batteries would best compare.
Quite annoyingly, Logitech fails to specify the type of batteries to use after the original ones deplete.
+Pros:
- Excellent Ergonomic design
- Comfortable grip that reduces wrist strain
- Up to 3 years of battery life
- Multi-use Unifying Receiver connector
- Hyper fast scroll wheel
- Total of 8 buttons for added functionality
- Precise laser works on almost all smooth surfaces
-Cons:
- Not suited for left-handed users
- Bluetooth connection not supported
- May not be Linux compatible
Final Verdict
Logitech M705 mouse is a strong contender in the wireless mouse race. It’s carefully and ergonomically designed to prioritize comfort when use.
The mouse fits in the hands nicely and does not cause wrist strain.
The mouse works precisely and definitely offers excellent functionality thanks to a total of 8 buttons. The super speedy scroll wheel is convenient and will make performing many computer functions far less annoying.
The Unifying Receiver that comes with the mouse as expanded capability of connecting up to 6 devices in total.
The cherry on top of this cake is the wonderful battery life that lasts up to three years.
The cons of this mouse are very few. You will only find it troublesome if you are left-handed or for some reason want a Bluetooth mouse.
Otherwise, the Logitech M705 Marathon mouse offers superb returns for the price paid.
Related Guides: Buying a Computer: 101 Tips Before you Checkout