Entered CNET Catalog: 10/12/2004
SKU: 0097855025401
Manufacturer: Logitech Inc.
Manufacturer description
With its exceptional combination of beauty, comfort, and mobility, the Logitech V500 Cordless Notebook Mouse was built from the ground up for mobile professionals. As the new standard in notebook mice, V500 is based on four groundbreaking new technologies you simply won't find in other notebook mice. The 4-Way Scroll Panel represents nothing less than a total reinvention of the traditional scroll wheel. Simply slide your finger across the solid-state panel for hyper-responsive vertical and horizontal scrolling - perfect for viewing spreadsheets, images, and other large documents. The patented Expandable Chassis articulates 7 degrees to fit the hand while in use, and folds flat for travel - the perfect balance of comfort and mobility. The 2.4GHz Micro Receiver is a true enterprise-class wireless solution, providing 30-foot (10m) range with virtually no interference or latency. The Micro Receiver also fits inside the mouse for storage, completing a neat, all-in-one package. The all-new All-Terrain Optical Engine is the highest-performance compact tracking solution available, with superior surface coverage compared to lesser notebook mice. The V500 Cordless Notebook Mouse comes fully equipped for the road. Sculpted finger grips provide precise control. The fused aluminum skin and shock-resistant bodywork are robust yet elegantly detailed. And its integrated power management system includes a battery-saving on-off switch and status indicator. To complete your mobile experience, just pop the receiver back in the chassis, snap it shut, and put the V500 into its protective carry case for easy transport to your next location.Product summary
The good: Expandable chassis folds flat for travel; four-way touch scroll panel; "all-terrain" optical engine; carrying case included.
The bad: Expensive; not terribly ergonomic.
The bottom line: It will cost you a little more dough, but the V500 is one of the most responsive and out-and-out slickest laptop mice available.
Editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 11/11/2004
Aside from the convertible design, two other features distinguish the $70 (as of November 2004) V500 Cordless Notebook Mouse. The first is its solid-state scroll panel. Incorporating the same Synaptics touch-sensitive technology found in your iPod or laptop touch pad, the panel allows you to scroll both vertically and horizontally through documents, spreadsheets, Web pages, and photos by simply sliding your finger along the panel. Moving from a scrollwheel to a touch "wheel" takes a little getting used to, but with practice, you'll be scrolling smoothly in a fairly short time.
The second notable feature has to do with performance. Logitech has equipped the V500 Cordless Notebook Mouse with its new all-terrain optical engine, a 1,000dpi-resolution optical sensor matched or bested by only two mice we've looked at to date, both gaming mice from Razer. We weren't able to tell a huge difference between this increased sensitivity and that of mice with 800dpi optical sensors (such as the Logitech MX510 Performance Mouse), but we found that the V500 worked well on a variety of surfaces, including a metal countertop, living up to its all-terrain billing. You can roam up to 30 feet away from the receiver, which transmits in the 2.4GHz range (we did not experience any interference from cordless phones).
Notebook mice, because of their small size, generally aren't terribly comfortable to use over long periods of time. And while the expanding chassis puts the V500 Cordless Notebook Mouse at a better angle and gives it a sturdier heft than most portable mice, we can't say that it's a study in ergonomics--you'll probably end up taking your hand off every few minutes to keep it from cramping. That said, the Logitech V500 Cordless Notebook Mouse is one of the more comfortable portable mice we've used. It will work fine for a few days on the road, although we'd by no means want to use it as a full-time replacement for our everyday point-and-clicker.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32out of 32 user reviews
Best notebook mouse I've ever used
Pros: Easy to use, lightweight to carry around, durable (except the receiver, see below).
Cons: Recievers break too easily. As this product is discontinued, the only way you can buy them is remanufactured. But worth it, IMHO.
out of 32 user reviews
Awesome mouse
Pros: usb is stored in mouse, the battery life is good, best range with 2.4ghz
Cons: low on the ergonomic side, more buttons would be nice to see.
out of 32 user reviews
Great portability, great optics, lousy scroll.
Pros: very good optical tracking, Popup bottom takes up less space in your bag. Auto off feature when mouse is closed. Dongle storage in mouse.
Cons: Scroll pad works fin for moving large distances but not so well to move short distances
out of 32 user reviews
Best notebook mouse I've ever used in over 10 years.
Pros: Compact, solid-state scroll panel, 1,000dpi-resolution optical sensor, USB minireceiver slot to keep it safe and secure when closed , 7 degree expanding chassis, protective carrying case
Cons: I can't think of any.
About the only thing I can think of that would make this mouse better would be a laser version of it. But, then again, that would most likely make it far too large to be called a ‘portable’ or ‘notebook’ mouse.
out of 32 user reviews
Perfect Fit
Pros: Everything
Cons: None to speak of
out of 32 user reviews
Compact and sleek, a good mouse.
Pros: Sleek design, comfortable mouse, compact and light, no interference, and a fantasic touchwheel.
Cons: Not the most accurate mouse, touchwheel is sometimes slow to respond, the battery cover is being pushed out by the batteries, and can sometimes scrape on the desk. Touchwheel hard to get used to.
The touchwheel is an amazing feature, great for bragging rights, and I find it easy to use, except that for the first week you might have trouble keeping your fingers far enough apart to not touch the center. Touching the center even a little might make you scroll.
I like that when you are scrolling, the wheel clicks, but at the same time I would love it if I could turn it off, since it's probably just a waste of my batteries at this point. I like how the mouse buttons are attached to the frame of the mouse, not separate. Also, it is easy to shut it off, so it's not any hassle to save the batteries.
Speaking of the batteries, I've had this mouse for a few months now and it's lasted me fine. I had an optical desktop mouse a while back from Logitech that ate two AA's in 2 weeks, but this has lasted impressively a few months now on 2 AAA's and it doesn't show signs of stopping.
The problem with this mouse would be that it's not super accurate. On a flat desk surface, if you're going to complete accuracy, ex. on Photoshop, or gaming, this isn't the mouse for you. Often a tiny move for perfect accuracy won't register with this mouse, and it makes it difficult for things like image editing, and using a sniper rifle if you're crazy enough to play videogames on a laptop. (I am.)
Another little issue is that the battery cover is being pushed out by the plastic piece they put in to allow for easy removal of the batteries. It's pushing on the battery cover and now it is being pushed onto the desk, and it sometimes scrapes on the desk surface. Not anything drastic, but a slight annoyance.
Again, I love the touch wheel, the mouse buttons are great, the design is sleek and it looks great, the receiver is compact (less than 2 inches, probably 1.5 in) and there isn't any interference that I can see. And that's saying something since every outlet in this room is plugged into something.
Overall, at 70 dollars, this mouse is a bit pricey, but if you're looking for a top of the line notebook mouse that's sure to impress your friends, this is a great buy.
out of 32 user reviews
Excellent mouse!
Pros: works on any surface; high resolution
Cons: no mid button; a bit pricey
Not to mention that it works flawlessly on any imaginable surface.
Contrary to other opinions here I have never experienced any problems with the mouse due to radio interference, even if I'm always on WiFi and there is at least one other computer on WiFi around.
On the downside:
A mid "click" would have been great (I'm a Firefox user) and the scroll surface is a bit too sensitive. Sometimes I just rest my finger on it and the mouse starts to scroll the page all the way up to the top.
Incredibly Logitech went to all the trouble to simulate a real scroll whell click sound when you touch the scroll surface, but it is too soft to hear unless the room is really silent or you have the mouse near your ear.
Overall: great resolution and very precise, I can't live without it anymore.
out of 32 user reviews
Absolutely Amazing....
Pros: Very Responsive, sleek design,comfortable for me(i have pretty big hands), the touch pad is awesome, able to change the sidescoller to back and foward buttons, wireless, small usb, fits in the mouse
Cons: none, yet,
out of 32 user reviews
The mouse is amazing, but I need the middle click function for Pro-E.
Pros: Optical control is very responsive. Very compact and creative design. Has a 4-Way Solid State Scroll Panel.
Cons: -Doesn’t have a middle click button, I would change my rating to an eight if Logitech could solve this issue. Ergonomics are poor, but mainly just because the mouse is so small. 4-Way Solid State Scro
I also changed the left scroll button to a back function, which is very useful when using the web. The only draw back is I no longer have the right and left scroll function. I would now increase my rating to a 7.
out of 32 user reviews
Very responsive
Pros: Size and responsiveness
Cons: Not ergonomic
out of 32 user reviews
Smooth and handy mouse
Pros: Cute design, flawless performance
Cons: Don't forget to turn it off
out of 32 user reviews
Nice mouse, pity about the battery drain
Pros: Expandable chassis, compact size
Cons: USB dongle draws a heap of current
The price wasn't an issue because I'm a gadget junkie, but for someone who doesn't want to pay so much for a mouse then the Logitech Notebook Optical Mouse Plus looks like a better option.
I don't mind the touch-pad 'scroll wheel'. A third button 'click' function would be an improvement, though (my notebook's own touchpad manages that).
I wanted to raise an issue that no-one else seems to have mentioned - namely the mouse's effect on my laptop's battery life.
I've found that with the USB wireless dongle plugged in battery life drops by roughly 30 percent (from a little over three hours to barely two hours). Obviously this is only a problem when you don't have an AC power source nearby, but given that the mouse is designed specifically for notebooks, it seems a bit strange that Logitech didn't consider the effect it has on the computer's battery.
I've noticed the range is pretty good (well over five metres, which is about four metres range more than I need), which suggests to me the radio transmitter could stand to run at a lower power setting for when the mouse is less than a foot away from the transmitter.
I think a selectable high/low power setting on the USB transmitter would make the mouse a better thing.
Otherwise I'm very happy with its performance, size and so-on.
(My notebook is a Toshiba Tecra S2 with the standard six-cell battery, incidentally.)
out of 32 user reviews
Fantastic Mouse
Pros: Easy to use, long battery life
Cons: Nothing negative to report
out of 32 user reviews
Worst mouse I've ever used
Pros: cool usb fob receptacle; convertible size is a good idea
Cons: tracks poorly; scroll control has no feel; no middle click, uncomfortable, touchy
On my desktop, I use a Logitech M700--which I think is fantastic. I have always liked Logitech interface devices. I am looking forward to the day that my M700 craps out so that I have an excuse to get one of their hot new laser mice.
So, imagine my surprise to learn that the Logitech V500 stinks!
I had had the Kensington for a couple of years and thought that the arena of laptop mice would have improved somewhat--It might have, but none of those improvements are present in the Logitech V500.
To begin with, the motion sensor on the V500 is at the finger tip area of the mouse rather than right below the mouse's center of gravity, where it belongs. Having the sensor where it is makes it impossible to make a fine cursor motion by holding the front stationary and moving the heal of the mouse or by 'rolling' the mouse among the fingertips. This sensor location tends to exagerate some intended cursor motions and understate others.
The solid state mouse scroller is a neat idea, I suppose. But I suspect that this feature was implimented because solid state is cheaper than an actual wheel. Of course the solid state scroll control is incapable of returning any sensory feedback. I found myself scrolling up when I really wanted to scroll down. The scrolling is extremely touchy as well. First, while being careful, I find the scroller not working fast enough. Then I move my finger up the control and suddenly the whole damned page has flown by. Give me a mechanical/electrical wheel anytime.
The only feature that the V500 has over the Kensington pocket mouse is the usb fob. This item is smaller and less prone to breakage than on the Kensington. Additionally, it is easier to store the usb fob in the Logitech.
Another nice concept use by the Logitech V500 is the convertible size. The mouse is able to expand the heal portion of the mouse during use to make is somewhat larger and more pleasant to use. This is a GREAT idea--it should just be taken to a larger extent. These laptop mice don't necessarily need to be the size of hacky sacks. Make them nearly the size of desktop mice, make the usb fob stow conveniently and the product will be perfect. I would have no problem putting a mouse the size of the Logitech M700 in my laptop back--the problem is the charger and cords and crap.
The M700 is a lovely, comfortable mouse. If it could stow its usb fob and turn its light off during stowage, it would be the perfect laptop mouse.
Logitech's laptop mouse, the V500, is overall a very unpleasant creature to use.
Now I have to take this thing back to CompUSA and get a refund. If I'm asked why I'm returning it, I can only say that 'it stinks." I'm left with the prospect of taking apart my Kensington and buffing off the gloss from its wheel. I hope that this tides me over till Logitech or someone else can release a 'proper' laptop mouse.
Thanks for reading,
Doug
out of 32 user reviews
Great mouse
Pros: Very accurate, compact, does have touch scrolling
Cons: scrolling not very responsive
out of 32 user reviews
This is the most responsive, accurame mouse I've tested for laptops
Pros: Small, light, very sensitive, sleek looking.
Cons: Expensive for a mouse.
I was even more impressed by its sensitivity and acceleration. the built-in acceleration is exceptional; and in a Mac with no acceleration control, this was a bliss. Now, I am really enjoying my new laptop.
If you like to have your laptop on the move, this mouse is worth the $70 it costs. If on the other hand, you prefer the trackpad, then don't even bother.
out of 32 user reviews
Great looks, but no middle click!
Pros: Small, sleek, fashionable
Cons: No middle click
out of 32 user reviews
Compact and neat
Pros: Compact size, Cool design.
Cons: Scroll and software need to be improved.
Pros: Well-designed. A nice, small snap-in receiver.
Cons: Touch scroll wheel may be unstable and inaccurate. (Regular wheel is ten times better.) After installing the software, my laptop's touch pad click was disabled. I wanted to use both the mouse and touch pad without any inconvenient(My laptop is Toshiba Satellite).
Price is just about right if it is less than $60.
Overall, it was a good purchase.
out of 32 user reviews
can navigate in any surface
Pros: works on any surface, worked from 5 feet away, easy power off
Cons: pricey and not carried by bestbuy or circuitcity
I returned it because I am waiting for prices to go down or a deal.
out of 32 user reviews
slim and tiny
Pros: Good way to choose this product
Cons: Charm mouse
i love it so much because it's very nice but
i don't like scrolltrack.
out of 32 user reviews
Best toy mouse to date, but least value
Pros: Best feature? Two words: braggin' rights. Accuracy: V500 is more accurate than any other Logitech/Microsoft wireless mice I've tried. But still far from ideal, see CONs for more details. Portability: One of the most portable mouse border-line usable th
Cons: Price: Cost more than double other wireless optical notebook mice. Comfort: Not ergonomically friendly. It's simply too small (and I've got small hands). After half an hour of use, I felt noticible discomfort. Compared to Logitech's own "Logitech Cord
out of 32 user reviews
2.4 GHz interferes with Wireless devices
Pros: I like being able to store the receiver into the mouse and being able to swithc the mouse off. These features were the major factors in my buying the mouse. Had been using the Cordless Click Plus from Logitech and kept taking the battery out to conserve b
Cons: When transferring files over the wireless network, the mouse becomes sluggish at best. 900MHz would have been just fine for the transmission, I'm sure. The cordless Click PLus by Logitech that I have been using until now worked flawlessly.
out of 32 user reviews
Best mouse I've had
Pros: Batteries included in the package have lasted over 1 months with 8 hour + use each day. Carrying case is a plus.
Cons: Clicking is not as crisp as some other mice.
out of 32 user reviews
Very good mouse, but no middle click
Pros: I am very happy with this mouse so far. Reasonable size for a laptop mouse. Don't know about the battery life yet, but I think it would last pretty long since you can turn it off.
Cons: no middle click. The size is still small, so it's not as comfortable as a full size mouse
out of 32 user reviews
Excellent mouse, just super
Pros: Style - functionality - USB storage compartment. It is truly a Porsche feel and construction. Thanks for a great responsive mouse.
Cons: None at this time.
out of 32 user reviews
WOW Factor!!
Pros: You can use it on any surface!! I use while surfing the web, in bed. FANTASTIC product!
Cons: None
out of 32 user reviews
Excellent Mouse!! Bluetooth Would be Nice Though
Pros: Things that I find appealing: 1)Touch-sensitive finger scroll that mimics touch pads on the latest laptops 2)Shuts off when expandable chasis is closed saving battery life 3)Works flawlessly on almost any surface 4)Size makes it the perfect travel mouse 5
Cons: Things that could be better: 1)It would have been nice if it came with bluetooth- not to0 big of an issue because I have 4 USB ports 2)A bit pricey- With all the good features that you get this is expected- You get what you pay for!!!
out of 32 user reviews
cool, easy to use but no middle click
Pros: Thin when closed, nice bag, most surfaces work well. looks cool. the scroll spot is nice and much easier to use then I thought it would be.
Cons: Price is a little high. There isn't a middle click on the scroll area, I'd like to see Logitech do a driver update that'll make a tap on the scroll area into a click.
out of 32 user reviews
Cool Mouse
Pros: The feel to the mouse is really elegant. Even though the CNET reviewers wouldn't recommend using it on a full tim basis, I have and there are no problems or hand cramping. The touch scroll is really cool, and the optical sensor is really accurate.
Cons: There is no middle click button, so the mouse only has 2 buttons, which kind of sucks when operating some CAD programs but there are other ways!
out of 32 user reviews
Best mouse ever!
Pros: Wonderful range! Ultra slim and tiny receiver. Excelent fit into my hand. Perfect tracking. No communication trouble even at 10 meters range!
Cons:
out of 32 user reviews
No going back after using the V500
Pros: Scroll bar is great Size makes it easy to drop in my backpack Tracking is the best from any mouse I've owned
Cons: Takes some getting used to the scroll bar Can't figure out how to turn off the auto zoom that's linked to the scroll bar (need to read the directions I guess) Couldn't find it in Black
out of 32 user reviews
Awesome mouse, but no middle click
Pros: -Love the mouse -Size is perfect -Lift and hand fit is great -Middle scroll feels wonderful (even little clicks can be heard but not felt) -Small -Logitech quality -Optical off when shut -All terrain lens/led
Cons: -Expensive (went from $20 wireless kingston to this after breaking the 90 deg reciever in the kingston) -NO MIDDLE CLICK for us FireFox users to launch a new tab from a link!!! -Wish it would shut off when reciever goes in bay, rather than shutting it (wh
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Logitech V500 Cordless Notebook Mouse specifications
- General
- Device Type Mouse
- Wireless Receiver USB wireless receiver
- Input Device
- Connectivity Technology Wireless
- Interface RF
- Max Operating Distance 33.0 ft
- Movement Detection Technology Optical
- Features Scrolling 4-way button
- Expansion / Connectivity
- Interfaces 1.0 x USB - 4 pin USB Type A
- Miscellaneous
- Included Accessories Carrying case
- Microsoft Certifications Certified for Windows Vista
- Power
- Type None
- Battery
- Type AAA type
- Installed Qty 2.0
- Software / System Requirements
- Software Included SetPoint
- OS Required Apple MacOS X , Microsoft Windows 98/ME/2000/XP
- Peripheral / Interface Devices CD-ROM
- Manufacturer Warranty
- Service & Support 3 years warranty
- Service & Support Details Limited warranty - 3 years
- Sustainability
- CNET Labs: Estimated Annual Energy Cost nil
