Why You Can Trust CNET Logitech MX Anywhere 2: The ultimate mobile mouse?
Logitech has a new mini version of the MX Master, its flagship wireless mouse. It ships in June for $80.
- Maggie Award for Best Regularly Featured Web Column/Consumer
Back in April we reviewed the MX Master Wireless Mouse , which Logitech called its "best mouse ever" and we thought was pretty darn good, too, though a tad pricey at $100.
Hot on MX Master's heels, we get the Logitech MX Anywhere 2 Wireless Mobile Mouse, essentially a mini, travel friendly version of the MX Master. It retails for $80 and goes on sale this month in the US, with no word yet on when it will be released or how much it will cost in other countries. ($80 converts to around £50 or AU$100.)
Shop for Logitech MX Anywhere 2
See all pricesI've been playing around with MX Anywhere 2 for a few hours -- I'm writing up these first impressions using the mouse with an Apple MacBook Air -- and I like it a lot, though ergonomically speaking it isn't as comfortable to use as the MX Master. That said, it's about as comfortable as you get for a smallish mobile mouse that's designed to easily fit in the side pocket of your laptop bag. And it's nicely weighted at 3.7 ounces (106 grams).
As you might expect from a high-end mouse, it has plenty of extra bells and whistles. Thanks to Logitech Darkfield Laser technology, it works on just about any surface -- everything from a glass table to the Formica-style finish of my work desk.
It has also has an integrated rechargeable battery that's supposed to last up to 60 days on a single charge, which is almost double the battery life of the MX Master (you can continue using the mouse while charging with a Micro-USB cable and just one minute of charging gives you two hours usage).
Like the MX Master, you can connect this mouse to your Windows or Mac computer with the included Pico Unifying Receiver (a small USB dongle that will also work with Logitech keyboards) or via Bluetooth Smart technology. If you go with Bluetooth, you can pair the mouse with up to three devices and switch between a laptop, desktop or tablet using the appropriately named Logitech Easy-Switch button.
Using the Logitech Options software, you can customize all the buttons on the mouse. Mac users, meanwhile, enjoy the extra luxury of gesture support -- most of the multi-finger trackpad gestures can be duplicated on the MX Anywhere 2 when holding down an extra key.
One of the most important buttons on a mouse is the scroll wheel. Like the MX Master, one of the key features of this mouse is its speed-adaptive scroll wheel that lets you auto-shift from click-to-click to hyper-fast scrolling with a press of a button. That scroll wheel and its smooth, precise nature is one of the components that helps justify this mouse's premium price.
What's missing? Well, you don't get the MX Master's thumbwheel for side-to-side scrolling and page switching, which is great for spreadsheet jockeys. It's also missing an extra button where your thumb rests on the mouse.
But as far as mobile mice go, it's a worthy successor to the original MX Anywhere, which was powered by two AA batteries and didn't look or feel quite as swanky as this mouse but had similar features.
That original MX Anywhere came with its own travel pouch, but this new model doesn't. Not a big deal, but it's always nice to have a little extra protection with your mobile products.
We'll post a full review soon, but in the meantime if you want more info from Logitech, go to the MX Anywhere 2's product page.