Logitech POP Mouse: Two-minute review
The Logitech POP Mouse is a small and simple wireless mouse for productivity and general browsing, with its versatile Bluetooth connectivity and customization options pitched at modern workers.
It sports a stylish design courtesy of its pebble-like shape, front slope and one-piece unit for the mouse buttons. This is extended further by the multiple colorways, which utilize a soft, light palette, with some two-tone schemes thrown in for good measure.
Although it’s quite small and thin compared to the best mouse options around, the POP Mouse fitted my hand and fingers well. The body is thick enough to get a good grip, and the rear weight bias means it’s easy to tilt backwards for lift-offs between swipes. The completely symmetrical design also makes it suitable for left and right handers alike.
There’s a distinct lack of buttons on the POP Mouse, with the only topside additions being a scroll wheel and a button below it. Underneath you’ll find the power slider and the Easy Switching button used for pairing and toggling between three different Bluetooth devices.
The aforementioned one-piece unit for the mouse buttons also doubles as the battery compartment cover. It’s attached magnetically to the mouse’s body, and the robust plastic achieves the ideal balance between easy removal and secure fastening.
Even better, though, are the switches for mouse buttons. They’re very tactile and heavily damped, so much so that they barely make a sound in use. This makes for a satisfyingly padded sensation, and more pleasurable to use than I was expecting for a mouse of this kind. Those who prefer the loud, sharp clicks of traditional switches may not find the POP Mouse provides enough feel or feedback, but personally, I enjoyed using them for general and productivity purposes.
The scroll wheel is also damped nicely, as well as being lightly notched. When you flick quickly, it enters into a free-wheeling state to some degree, which is a handy feature; I only wish this triggered more readily, as it didn’t make navigating long documents and web pages as easy as I was hoping.
However, it does feel well-made and the rubber material on top is smooth to the touch. The scroll click is secure and tactile as well, while the button below – which opens an Emoji menu by default – is more snappy but still premium-feeling.
Using Logitech’s Options Plus software, you can customize the POP Mouse, with a surprising amount of tweaks available. The right and left click can’t be altered, but the scroll button and Emoji menu button can be remapped to perform a variety of actions. These include keyboard shortcuts via the recording of your own combinations, and a variety of system-level functions, which include media playback controls, opening apps, taking screenshots, and opening the Windows Action Center. There’s even an option to open ChatGPT in a pop-up window.
You can also map these buttons to gestures: by holding them and making certain mouse movements, you can perform a variety of navigational and cycling actions, such as switching app windows or selecting the next or previous tracks.
Logitech also has a feature called Smart Actions, a more advanced form of macros. There are various presets already included in Options Plus, such as Meeting Mode, which opens Zoom (if already installed) and Notepad at the same time, and Social Media Break, which opens Instagram’s website in a new Chrome tab. These can be edited as you see fit.
You can also create your own Smart Actions from scratch, by adding certain conditions and layers of actions to automate any number of processes you can conceive of. You’re given some basic building blocks, which are: opening applications, performing keystrokes, writing blocks of text, and performing system functions. You can also set delay times between each action.
Options Plus also has a feature called Logi Flow, which is supposed to make device switching even more seamless by letting you simply drag the cursor from one device to another, although I was unable to get this working on numerous machines, as a connection failed to establish.
Additionally, Options Plus lets you invert the scroll wheel direction, and toggle something called Smart Scrolling, which is supposed to make scrolling web pages smoother. While I did find this to be the case, it was also slower, so I didn’t find it particularly useful.
Logitech claims a staggering 24-month battery life for the POP Mouse. Naturally, I wasn’t able to exhaust it, but I can say that after about a week’s worth of use across numerous devices, the battery remained at 100%, so it certainly seems to have plenty of endurance.
At this price, the POP Mouse represents good value thanks to its performance and in-depth customization options via the Options Plus software. However, the lack of side buttons and additional connectivity methods is a shame, omissions that could deter those who demand high productivity credentials.
The wireless mouse sector is a hotly contested one, and there are plenty of great value options to choose from. The Microsoft Modern Mobile Mouse is an equally capable performer, although it costs more than the POP Mouse and lacks customization software. If you’re prepared to spend a little bit more, you could go for the Logitech MX Anywhere 3, which has better scrolling capabilities as well as side buttons.
Logitech POP Mouse review: Price & availability
- $29.99 / £24.99 / AU$59.95
- Available now in multiple colors
The Logitech POP Mouse costs $29.99 / £24.99 / AU$$59.95 and is available now in multiple and vibrant colorways, some with two-tone schemes. It comes with a AA battery preinstalled.
The best wireless mouse for those on a budget, as far as we’re concerned, is the Microsoft Modern Mobile Mouse. This similarly has a slim and light form factor, although it adopts a square shape rather than a round one. It also requires two AAA batteries rather than one AA battery. While we found its performance to be great for a mouse of this price, it doesn’t have many features, with no native software for customization. At 78g, it weighs slightly less than the POP Mouse, which sits at 82g.
If you’re willing to spend a bit more, you could get the Logitech MX Anywhere 3, which is the best portable mouse in our view, and a great mid-range buy thanks to its excellent scrolling abilities and overall accuracy – plus it can be customized using Options, Logitech’s last-gen peripheral tool.
Logitech POP Mouse review: Specs
| Interface | Wireless (Bluetooth 5.1) |
| Ergonomics | Ambidextrous symmetrical |
| Buttons | 4 |
| DPI | Up to 4,000 |
| Switches | SilentTouch |
| Weight | 2.9oz (82g) |
Should I buy the Logitech POP Mouse?
| Value | The POP Mouse is cheap, and makes sacrifices in largely the right places. It performs admirably and is well-made to boot. | 4 / 5 |
| Design | The lack of buttons is a shame, as is the absence of a USB port, wireless dongle, and rechargeable battery. However, the Options Plus software offers a surprising amount of customization options. | 3.5 / 5 |
| Performance | The mouse button clicks are glorious, and the body is comfortable and maneuverable. The scroll wheel could be faster, and there are no side buttons but that’s about my only gripe. | 4 / 5 |
| Overall | The POP Mouse is a surprisingly capable mouse given its limited form. The clicks are excellent and the Options Plus software provides some useful customizations options. The lack of wired connectivity and a rechargeable battery are drawbacks, but for the price these are understandable omissions. | 4 / 5 |
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
Logitech POP Mouse: Also consider
| Header Cell – Column 0 | Logitech POP Mouse | Microsoft Modern Mobile Mouse | Logitech MX Anywhere 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $29.99 / £24.99 / AU$$59.95 | $39 / £30 / AU$59 | $79 / £99 / AU$139 |
| Interface | Wireless (Bluetooth 5.1) | Wireless (Bluetooth) | Wired (USB-C-to-A), Wireless (Bluetooth, Logi Bolt USB receiver) |
| Ergonomics | Ambidextrous symmetrical | Ambidextrous | Ambidextrous |
| Switches | 4 | 3 | 6 |
| DPI | Up to 4,000 | 1800 | Up to 8,000 |
| Switches | SilentTouch | Not specified | Quiet Click |
| Weight | 2.9oz (82g) | 2.75oz (78g) | 3.49oz (99g) |
How I tested the Logitech POP Mouse
- Used with multiple devices
- Used with Options Plus software
- Plentiful peripheral testing experience
I tested the POP Mouse for about a week, using it for working and general browsing. I used it with multiple devices, including Windows 10 laptop and desktop, a MacBook Pro, and a Chromebook.
I also made as many tweaks and customizations as possible using Logitech’s Options Plus software, rebinding the scroll click and Emoji button to the various functions available.
I have experience reviewing a myriad of peripherals, including mice and keyboards for both productivity and for gaming, across a range of price points.
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/sXjXyoCrU5s6pxnqBTDPbE-1200-80.jpg
Source link
lewis.maddison@futurenet.com (Lewis Maddison)
