The Bottom Line
Introduction, Specifications, and Pricing
Logitech is one of those companies which needs no introduction. It seems that as long as computer users wanted to have a mouse to click, Logitech has been offering something to fit that desire. We have seen Logitech evolve over the years, not only due to the samples that they send us but with their wide availability and affordable price points. We have grabbed quite a few of their products over those years, and put them to solid long term use on many of our extra rigs. While Logitech does develop some pricier solutions as well, we have never felt underwhelmed, as their high-end gear is some of the best in the market.
We have had many of the Logitech mice, going way back to one of the early wireless mice, the MX1000, and the budget friendly MX518. We even got to see the G700s, and more recently looked at the G502, which is not wireless, but is no less impressive. We have seen that Logitech moved for the basic designs long ago, and has moved toward giving gamers everything they could ask for. Taking this all a step further, where most mice are designed with their switches mounted to the lower PCB, Logitech has found a way to improve upon this aspect, and can deliver a product which feels different than near every other mouse on the planet.
Today, we have the pleasure of bringing forth the Logitech G900 Chaos Spectrum Professional-Grade Wired/Wireless Gaming Mouse. This mouse not only gets delivered with an aesthetic we have never seen on a Logitech mouse, but the ingenuity of this design also makes usage simple as well. This is not just for right-hand users either. The ambidextrous design and the ability to swap out blanking plates for additional buttons caters to the left-hand users too. The new battery is solid out of the gate, but via software, you can tweak things to increase its usable time on each charge. The buttons being moved eliminates extra plastic bit, flexibility, and even the actuation distance of each of the switches. All of this and more combines to make the Logitech G900 Chaos Spectrum possibly one of the best mice ever to glide across our desk.
Within the chart provided by Logitech, we first are shown the 910-004588 model number of the G900 Chaos Spectrum, and that each mouse is covered with a two-year warranty. System requirement needs Windows 10 or older operating systems, an open USB port, and an internet connection to obtain the software. Inside of the high-end packaging, you will receive everything in the short list that finished the left column. There is the mouse, the cable, USB wireless adapter, an accessory case, and in it, you find extra side buttons, a side button cover, and there is also documentation found inside.
Getting a bit more technical, we jump into the tracking. The resolution of the sensor is wide, starting at 200 DPI, and can be adjusted all the way up to 12,000 DPI. It will record movements up to 40Gs, and at the same time, will accurately read the surface under it at speeds of 300 inches per second of travel. These results were gained by testing on the Logitech G240 mouse pad if you would need for some reason to replicate these astronomical figures. As to the responsiveness of the mouse, it uses a 16-bit data transmission, polls at 1000Hz, even in wireless mode, sends signals back and forth with 2.4GHz transmissions, and has a 32-bit ARM Cortex processor in charge of all of this.
There is a low coefficient of drag with the G900, whether tested with the mouse being moved or from a static starting point. What makes these numbers stand out, even more, is that results were obtained using a wood veneer desktop, no mouse pad involved. The durability is also quite high with this mouse, as we see each of the main buttons will last for twenty million clicks, and you will see 250 kilometers of travel with the mouse before it should give up the ghost on you. The battery life is also strong, with a constant usage time of 24 hours, with all features allowed. If you turn off the lighting, you can gain an additional eight hours of run time, and there are rumors of this mouse lasting a week on one charge with less usage.
The G900 Chaos Spectrum can be run wired or wireless, and is uses a USB 2.0 port for connectivity. We already discussed the DPI range and polling rate, but this is the first notation to the use of the Pixart PMW3366 optical sensor. The indicator lights are RGB LEDs, you have six to eleven buttons at your disposal, and there is the Hyperfast scroll wheel, on-the-fly DPI adjustments, and even five onboard profiles. Physically, the G900 is 130mm long, it is 67mm wide, and it stands 40mm in height, weighing in at 107 grams. The cable length is 1.83 meters, and as far as looks are concerned, while made of plastic, the aesthetics must be seen to be appreciated.
One look at the G900 Chaos Spectrum product page, right at the top, the MSRP of $149.99 is shown, so you know right away serious money will be involved to obtain this product. Shopping around hoping for a better deal, sadly, though, the pricing is firm across the internet. Honestly, this is quite a bit of sticker shock, as fully featured mice tend to stop much closer to the $80 mark in pricing, so Logitech has their work cut out for them. Keep in mind, though; innovative products are rarely affordable, and with all the thought, effort, and designing that went into delivering this massively different G900 Chaos Spectrum gaming mouse, it is not hard to see where all of this money is going.
Chad's Peripherals Test System Specifications
- Motherboard: ASUS X99-E WS - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
- CPU: Intel Core i7 5930K - Buy from Amazon
- Cooler: Corsair H100i GTX - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
- Memory: KLevv Cras DDR4 3000 - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
- Video Card: ASUS GeForce GTX 980 Matrix Platinum - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
- Storage: Intel 730 480GB - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
- Case: SilverStone TJ11 - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
- Power Supply: Corsair AX1200 - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
- OS: Microsoft Windows 10 Professional 64-bit - Buy from Amazon
Packaging, Accessories, and Documentation
On a thin cardboard sleeve which covers the main box, Logitech displays information for the customers to see. The front panel is used to display the G900 Chaos Spectrum naming across the top, a very large image of the mouse inside of the box, and the Logitech G naming at the bottom.
The bottom of the box is also covered by that same sleeve, and this time tells us a bit about the product. The contents, requirements, technical information, and even warranty coverage are all discussed here.
The last panel of that sleeve to house any information is found on the back. We see that the 1ms report rate is noted, the use of the PMW3366 sensor, and the ambidextrous design of the G900.
Removing the sleeve, we find this highly textured black box, sporting a bright blue trim line around its edges. This coloring also matches the naming on the top of it, and this opens like a watch box, you lift from the front to display what is inside.
Opening the lid exposes the G900 Chaos Spectrum so you can take it all in visually. The mouse is resting in the center, and it cannot move due to the angles insert aligning with the top, which keeps the G900 right here during its trip to your doorstep. The high-end packaging starts right out of the gate, making you feel like you have purchased something special.
Under the mouse, there are a few things that we found. First, we found the black braided cable for use in wired mode, or to charge the battery for wireless use. The standard USB 2.0 end connects to the PC and has a Ferrite choke in place. The strangely shaped end with the mini-HDMI connection is used to connect to the mouse, or can also be connected to the wireless range extender.
There is also a small case in the bottom of the box, and it contains everything that goes along with the G900 Chaos Spectrum. In it, you will find a pair of buttons for use on the right side of the mouse, there is the Mini-USB dongle for wireless transmission stuck inside of the wireless range extender, and we also get a cover plate for the left side of the mouse.
The manual to the left shows all the parts you should locate in the box, right on the cover. Once unfolded, it shows both methods of connectivity, points out the power switch, addressed how to move the buttons, and also shows off the battery LED to know when you are down on power. The smaller insert covers all of the things you can and cannot do with this mouse, and also gives details on the two-year warranty.
Logitech G900 Chaos Spectrum Gaming Mouse
The left side of the G900 Chaos Spectrum offers quite a bit in styling and textures. The main button stands well above the lower section, and the heel butts up to the switches and then continues the rounded curve to the back. The lower section offers a gray metallic section near the front, and at the back, under the G5 and G4 buttons, we find a grooved section covered in a rubberized coating.
The grooves continue around the back, and due to the ambidextrous design, the grooves are evenly spaced across the heel. We also noticed that the G logo is pushed much higher in this design than most deliver, and it can be illuminated when powered.
The right side of the mouse is identical in design to what we saw on the left. The only significant difference at this point is that due to it being sent as a right-hand mouse, Logitech has placed a button cover over the switches. Everything else is a spot on mirror image otherwise.
The lower section of the mouse angles upwards from the table and dead center is the Mini-HDMI female connection which accepts the long braided cable. Above that, we see that both main buttons stop short of the front, are sloped well for comfort, and are separated with a glossy metal-like section which runs down the middle.
The scroll wheel up front is a 4-way design, and can be set segmented or free spinning for use with the square button just behind it. The triangular buttons are used as the default DPI on-the-fly buttons. There are three LED indicators which are used to display both DPI and battery life, and we even see matching lines as the main buttons come out from under the heel portion.
Under the G900 Chaos Spectrum, we find it glides upon six feet. A large one at the front, one on either side, two around the sensor eye, and another large one at the back allow this mouse to glide effortlessly. Under the sensor eye, we can see the power switch for use in wireless mode, and there is also a pairing button below that switch.
With the way the G900 Chaos Spectrum is designed, you can leave in the G5 and G4 buttons, but for left-hand users, you can also opt to install the switch cover plate. Keep in mind, though, you can use this mouse with all four side buttons as well.
After pulling off the cover that once was inserted on the right side, we replaced it with the G6 and G7 buttons. The G900 Chaos Spectrum is now ready for left-hand usage.
Inside the G900 Chaos Spectrum
All but two of the feet need to be removed to get to this point, that and the removal of a few screws. Once that was done, the halves split apart easily, but there were the battery and thin ribbon cabling that we had to release. As you can see, there isn't all that much going on in the lower half, as most of the functionality is contained in the top section.
The most obvious component in the top half is this 750mAh 3.7V Li-Po battery. Do not go poking at it with sharp objects, and this battery should last you for quite a long time, delivering many hours of usage between charges.
We did try to disassemble the top but got to a point where too much force was required, so we stopped. However, near the front, we can see the Omron twenty million click switch under the left click button. From what we could see, the side buttons use pad style switches, but it is unknown as to what backs the DPI buttons on top.
Logitech is the only company we know of that builds a scroll wheel assembly this beefy and well thought out. This is a 4-way module which uses springs at the front to keep the wheel centered. The white plunger near the back of it selects between segmented and free scrolling, and pad switches are used to back the side tilt movements.
We had to remove the scroll wheel assembly to get this image, but after a couple of screws and a pin being pulled, it gets right out of our way. Under it, we found the Pixart PMW3366DM sensor in place and is the first time we have seen this exact sensor being used. It is said to be a more accurate version of the PMW3360 we saw in the Dream Machines mouse.
The ARM Cortex processor is in control of all of the conversing that goes on between the mouse and the PC and is also where onboard profiles are stored, as well as the firmware. The 32-bit STM32L100 is made by ST Microelectronics and will have no issues delivering the performance this design requires of it.
We would usually, at this point, show you the top of the Omron switch used on the right side of the mouse. However, it had to be inserted in the same manner as the left side did. This leaves us with no view of the painted text on the side, and because these switches are directly under the buttons, we cannot see the top either.
After plugging in the mini-dongle into a spare USB 2.0 port, turning the switch under the mouse on, and no need to pair it, the Logitech G900 comes to life. By default, the color of both the DPI indicators and the G logo will revolve through a rainbow of colors, and can be set solid, or in a breathing mode. The DPI lights do not stay on long after adjusting them, and will be green and turn to one red bar when denoting the battery life.
Logitech Gaming Software
After downloading and installing the software, opening it delivers this window to look at. Under the title, we can see the current battery charge, an image of the mouse in the middle, the ability to switch between onboard memory and automatic game detection, and a shortcut to the settings tab. Also, down along the bottom, is where all of the various tabs are listed to address each aspect of the feature set.
The next tab in line from the Home screen, this is where you address what the profiles will do for you. Clicking on the buttons on the image to the left allows you to start modifying the layout, and below that you can select which of the four ways you wish to use the side button layout.
The right side allows you to choose one of the five profiles to mess around with, and the larger window is where you can set the DPI levels. There is also an option to use one DPI setting, or you can choose to use up to five of them. You can also adjust the report rate setting or restore the profile defaults in this window.
Clicking one of the reprogrammable buttons brings up a new menu. There are predefined setting in which you can use from the mouse commands, and apply one to the button you wish to set to something new.
You can also set keystrokes to a mouse button via this tab. There is the ability to use a direct entry of the key wanted at the top, and you can also choose some of the options listed below, for more complicated inputs, without the need to make a Macro for them.
The last tab available allows access to the Macro Manager. It is pretty straightforward to use. You can tick the box to read time delays if needed, click the record button, and enter what you need. Once done, stop recording, and click OK to set it to that button.
There is also the ability to illuminate the mouse based on profiles. At the top, you select which profile you wish to adjust, and in the lower window, you can make the changes. The LED zones can be deactivated, cycle colors or use a breathing mode, and the brightness and rate of pulse or color change can also be set.
We did grab these images right before a recharge and is why the battery level is showing this low. The whole idea of this window is so that you can try different settings from the middle, and look at the power draw on the right. This way you can adjust things within the G900 and extend battery life with minor tweaks.
Surface tuning can be a step missed by a lot of mice out there. With a sensor this accurate, it only makes sense to adjust it to whatever mouse pad you do choose to use. We had already tuned to one of our test mats at this point, which required holding the left button, doing figure eights, and releasing the button when the time was up. The software and sensor recalibrate, and you get the utmost readability of whatever mouse pad or surface you choose.
The last tab offers a way to look at what you do most with this mouse. You can start the application via software or by mapping it to a G key, and then simply use the mouse for a while. When you get back to this window, you can see the results in either a key press heat map or key duration heat map presentations.
Gaming and General Impressions
DOOM
We did get to use the G900 Chaos Spectrum for some time before writing this and found that this mouse is an extension of our hand. We noticed many more head shots and much less wasted ammo being flung around the map. Every input in movement seemed effortless and over the long haul did not wear us out.
Tracking is on point, with or without using the analyzing software. Things did improve after using this tool, though, and made everything about swinging around and the shorter presses to activate the buttons came into play as well. Set up correctly, and in the right hands, this G900 Chaos Spectrum can be devastating.
Overwatch
We did lower the DPI for Overwatch, as we did not need the speed in tighter confined maps. This does bring an inherent accuracy boost as well, as everything is moving slower. Again, the G900 did everything we asked of it and found our end of the round statistics had increased, which lead to more votes.
It didn't matter if we were jumping from a high perch to make the kill shot, spinning after warping to the other side of the map, or head on confrontations. With the Logitech G900 Chaos Spectrum in our hands, we were comfortable and ready to pounce on anyone willing to show their face from around the next corner.
Windows and Productivity
Day to day use has been very pleasant, and so far the longest we have gotten on a single charge of the battery is just shy of three days. This is with some gaming involved, a lot of web browsing, and even a few hours per day of editing photos. We also do not feel a difference in wired or wireless modes, both are responsive and give immediate feedback on the screen.
As for the photo editing, this is where we could see there is no acceleration or prediction set by default. If you need to get to a particular area of an image, it felt intuitive getting there. When it came to following a line, not going much higher than 6000 DPI for this, we had no issues following that line or noticed any angle snapping when trying to change directions.
The reality is, gaming, surfing, or doing production based tasks, the G900 Chaos Spectrum feel like an extension of your hand, and in our testing, passed everything we could throw at it.
Final Thoughts
The aesthetics of the Logitech G900 Chaos Spectrum is a bit futuristic, but we liked everything about its design and appeal. The main buttons felt great and are ready for any grip style. The location of the scroll wheel and the on-the-fly DPI buttons are on point and easy to access. While this is an ambidextrous design and enables the user to choose the button layout, we opted to keep all four buttons in most of the time, as a couple more G keys being at our disposal came in handy.
The feel of the coating offers grip, and with the grooves along the contoured sides, lifting the G900 is simple to do, and with no feeling of it possibly being dropped. Movement is smooth and effortless, and even with everything this mouse includes, it feels light in your hand, delivering accurate and fluid movements on all the surfaces that we tested it on. As far as looks and movement are concerned, Logitech has them covered.
Inside of the mouse is an innovative layout with puts the switches much closer to the buttons, and delivers faster activation, all of them with a loud click associated with them being pressed. The tilt scroll wheel comes in handy for split screen work, and the free-wheel ability of the Logitech design is something we have always appreciated. The sensor is top of the line when it comes to optical sensors, and being backed with a 32-bit MCU gives each user every chance to get their inputs across to the screen. Wired or wireless, the high polling rate and 2.4GHz channel of communications left us with an identical feel in either mode. If in a blind test where we did not know if it were wired or not, we are not sure we could see or feel the difference without knowing ahead of time.
Depending on usage, you may only have to charge this mouse two or three times a week, similar to what we experienced, but at the bare minimum, you can make it an entire day of gaming if need be, before having to connect the charging cable. Also, Logitech suggests to use the cable and range extender and keep it close to the mouse. This way, you get less chance of interference, and where the USB receiver is placed matters little when there is no cord to get in your way. Then, we gain all of the benefits which the software brings forward. Remapping, multiple profiles, Macros, finite adjustments to the DPI and sensing ability of the optical sensor - Logitech left no stone unturned with this design.
To the average customer, the near $150 pricing is a hard pill to swallow. However, when brilliant new products hit the market, there is always a premium associated with the purchase. While you could wait around for someone else to try to deliver this level of design and performance, the reality is that nobody out there is copying Logitech designs, and while you may get most of the features, you will not get the feel, craftsmanship, or likely the same accuracy that this mouse delivers.
For those who like to have the latest and greatest in products, or for anyone who likes a mouse to disappear figuratively when using it, this is likely the mouse for you. As for us, we love what the G900 Chaos Spectrum has to offer, and it likely will become a permanent fixture in our office.
Chad's Peripherals Test System Specifications
- Motherboard: ASUS X99-E WS - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
- CPU: Intel Core i7 5930K - Buy from Amazon
- Cooler: Corsair H100i GTX - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
- Memory: KLevv Cras DDR4 3000 - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
- Video Card: ASUS GeForce GTX 980 Matrix Platinum - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
- Storage: Intel 730 480GB - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
- Case: SilverStone TJ11 - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
- Power Supply: Corsair AX1200 - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
- OS: Microsoft Windows 10 Professional 64-bit - Buy from Amazon