Logitech’s latest line of gaming mice has its ups and downs. The G100s is a clear winner, and the G400s is a clear loser. The G500s is the G400s done right; a proper upgrade over the G100s that makes the $20 cheaper mouse irrelevant. As bad as that is for the G400s, the G500s is a mouse worth using. That’s all that matters. So keep reading to learn about this and some of the other best gaming mouse you can buy today.
And it makes sense. The G500s takes after not only the G500, another great mouse, but a far older predecessor, the G5, a famed and beloved gaming mouse for years. It wasn’t my mouse of choice during its reign (I preferred the G9 and SteelSeries Ikari Laser), but I remember using it and liking it quite a bit. The G500 had all of the same excellence, which led to the creation of the G700, a wireless version of the G500 with an almost identical build. And the G700 has been my favorite mouse and a mainstay for gamers who don’t need wired peripherals.
The G500s follows in it’s father’s footsteps with an excellent frame and the new oleophobic coating to prevent sweat buildup. It’s superior to the G400s in almost every way. The laser is twice as precise with a maximum DPI rating of 8200. It has ten programmable buttons instead of eight. It can store a profile through on-board memory. It has customizable lighting, a tilt-scroll wheel, a braided cable, and weights to adjust the feel while playing. In other words, there is no good reason not to spend $10 more; in fact, this wired mouse has more features than the more expensive G700s.
Related: Also check out our Logitech G502 Gaming Mouse review.
For standard computing, the G500s is excellent. I’ve used it for a few weeks and love it. For productivity and web browsing the G500s is slick, quick, and comfortable. I don’t prefer it to the G700 only because it isn’t wireless, but for long computing sessions the oleophobic coating keeps the mouse dry and clean. The one issue I’ve run into constantly was the frictionless scroll wheel: it gives way too easily, and will often scroll just from moving the mouse, not the wheel. Interestingly no other Logitech mouse I’ve tested has ever had this problem, even the G400s.
As a gaming mouse the G500s is at the top of it’s class. I threw down on a bunch of games, from Warframe to Metro: Last Light, and had a blast every time. The precision is excellent, the speed and sensitivity is exactly what a gamer needs, and an on-board profile plus ten programmable buttons makes switching to another game or another machine won’t take more of your precious time. A little planning ahead and you’ll be ready to go. On some games I prefer a heavier mouse while others are just a mad dash for speed, and like the 5-series mice replacing and adjusting the weight on the G500s is a cinch.
The only weird thing about the G500s is the three mouse buttons. The back and forward buttons are finely built and easy to press, but they are shaped around a middle mouse button. It’s actually a really slick design; the G700 featured four thumb buttons, two front and two back. That design works, but it becomes too easy to press one set versus the other. A larger middle-mouse button simplifies the coordination with just one button between the two, and it’s a far more elegant solution…though it does take time to adjust to.
I’m very good at finding faults with, well, anything, and the G500s puts up a great challenge. The craftsmanship is exceptional, and while the updates are sparse compared to the G500, they are great modern upgrades. As I mentioned in my review of the G100s, using an oleophobic coating on gaming mice (and mice in general) is absolutely brilliant. For me, that addition alone is worth switching to the newer mouse.
Bottom Line: You can’t buy the G500s and be unhappy. Just an excellent, well-rounded no-compromise gaming mouse.
