Digital Trends

Logitech G7 Laser Cordless Mouse

July 24th, 2007 | by Josh Norem

Use and Testing

Installation of the G7 Laser is so simple even a baby could do it. Just plug the USB charging station into a port, stuff the USB receiver stick into the charger, and the mouse is detected and begins functioning. You do not need special drivers for any of the mouse’s special functions, which is something we’ve always loved about Logitech mice. Of course, you’re welcome to install the SetPoint software that comes with the mouse. Doing so will grant you the ability to have the mouse auto-detect certain games and then load whatever settings you’ve chosen for that game (such as custom sensitivity levels).

The coolest advanced feature is that rather than the standard three dpi settings that you have normally, a menu is available to let you add two more in between the original three, giving you five choices of increasing or decreasing sensitivity. For example, the five stages could be 2000, 1750, 1500, 800, and 400, which is an incredible range of sensitivity, and to have it all available at the touch of a button is simply fantastic.

SetPoint Software Screenshot

The two included Li-ion batteries have a short life, and usually last around 8 hours or so, depending on usage. When you’re not using the mouse, it goes into a low-power state that helps preserve battery life. A small five-bar display on the mouse itself shows you the remaining battery life, and when it gets down to a pre-set level (that you can change), a warning message pops out of the system tray telling you to change the battery. A blinking battery icon also appears in the system tray, and the meter on the mouse flashes red.

The second battery sits in the charger at all times, and switching them is as easy as pressing a button on the bottom of the mouse to eject the battery, and then pushing the new one into the mouse. The process is the same for removing the charged battery from the charger. One interesting note is the charger has a switch underneath it that lets you toggle the recharging mode from “normal” to “boost,” which charges the battery in just two hours. We’re not sure why you’d need this mode, as a fully-charged battery last well beyond two hours, but it’s there if you’re in a hurry.

Image Courtesy of Logitech