Logitech MX Master 3 review: reinventing the wheel

In March 2015, Logitech introduced the first MX Master (Check on Amazon.com), which was actually the third generation of the MX mouse series previously called the MX Revolution and Performance MX. Four years later, the MX Master 3 (Check on Amazon.com) is in its third generation and remains true to its roots. Logitech implemented minor improvements, especially with the now electromagnetic scroll wheel.

Logitech MX Master 3 – Design

Ergonomically, the Logitech MX Master 3 is very similar to its predecessor. The chassis itself is somewhat narrower on top and the thumb rest texture has also been changed. When gripping the Logitech MX Master 3, the hand sits now slightly more vertical, potentially protecting the wrist.

If you like the feeling of the new rubberized coating on the back and sides (I certainly do), then this mouse offers improved ergonomics. The rubber coating also provides a more secure grip when lifting the device, although the ring and pinky fingers find no place to rest despite the slightly concave shape of the right side. If you have big hands you will definitely end up dragging those two tips on the desk or mat.

The two primary mouse buttons are not coated instead you can feel the rough plastic the mouse is made of. However, their haptic feedback is among the best you can get.

Since the Logitech MX Master 3 is relatively heavy at around 142 grams, mouse movements are always under the negative influence of high inertia. Anyhow, since this mouse is designed for office use and not for frenetic gaming sessions, it is something that shouldn’t be a factor.

The short USB-A to USB-C cable with a length of around 3ft does not affect gliding whatsoever since it is flexible enough not to oppose the mass of the mouse itself. Moreover, this is primarily a wireless mouse so why use a cable at all?

Logitech MX Master 3 – Features

Not counting the two buttons on the bottom – the on and off switch and the wireless device selector – the Logitech MX Master 3 offers 6 programmable buttons. The right and left click feel very responsive, due to their short travel, and low activation force. Another pair of buttons (the classic Forward and Back) can be found on the left side above the thumb, with the two switches now being arranged one behind the other and not – as in the previous MX master iterations – one above the other, which makes finding and pressing them way more convenient.

The fifth button is integrated into the thumb rest. Its default function both in Windows and macOS is to display and switch between the open windows or applications. Considering its position we were a bit worried but there were no accidental presses during our entire test period. Last, the button behind the mouse wheel is used to switch between the two scrolling modes (free and notched). This is no longer a mechanical lock release since the Logitech MX Master 3 uses two electromagnets instead.

It is here that we find the main difference between this MX Master iteration and the previous one. The use of electromagnets not only means that the transition from one scrolling mode to another is way smoother, but also that both modes feel a lot better. When in free mode the absence of friction ensures much smoother operation, while the notched mode is much more precise and offers an amount of tactile feedback that we haven’t encountered in any other mouse so far. And as a side note, both modes are also quieter.

Moreover, via the software you can also configure the speed at which the wheel will automatically switch from one mode to another and this according to us is the best way to take advantage of the new electromagnetic scroll wheel, without having to switch between modes, but everything is done automatically depending on how slow or fast you spin the wheel!

The secondary scroll wheel, located on the left side above the thumb buttons, doesn’t use electromagnets. Instead, it features a free-scrolling mode with a linear amount of resistance, significantly greater than that of the primary mouse wheel. In addition, it isn’t clickable.

The internals remained the same, although Logitech claims to have improved its famous Darkfield sensor. However, the USB sampling rate remains low at 125 Hertz, with the resulting latency at 8 milliseconds. In office use, this will not matter unless you make a direct comparison with a much faster mouse or if you are very sensitive to input lag.

After all, the greatest advantage of the Darkfield sensor is that it is superior to all others when used on a surface that is unsuitable for most mouse sensors, The Logitech MX Master 3 will work on smoothly polished surfaces or even glass. And although this is no gaming sensor it still reaches a sufficient high maximum DPI setting of 4,000, which is enough for use with a couple of UHD monitors.

Thankfully Logitech also retained the same 500mAh battery with an autonomy of “up to 70 days”. Logitech also states that a one-minute charge should provide around three hours of runtime. In addition, the mouse can also be used while charging.

Logitech MX Master 3 – Software

Although the MX Master 3 is plug and play, most users will want to install the Logitech Options software which lets you configure the mouse however you like.

Here you can adjust the sensor resolution and assign functions and macros to different buttons. You can also download and install ready-made presets for Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint as well as for Adobe Photoshop and Premiere Pro.

But the best utility here is Logitech Flow. If the MX Master 3 is connected to multiple devices, the mouse can switch between them by simply moving it to the edge of one screen and into the next. In addition, you can also copy and paste files and text between systems. The software works on both Windows and macOS devices as well as with Linux, Android, and iOS – the only requirement is that all devices are connected to the same network.

Logitech MX Master 3 – Verdict

Overall, the Logitech MX Master 3 (Check on Amazon.com) is successful at improving the previous generation: the shape is more ergonomic, the buttons are more functional and the mouse wheel is simply amazing. The improvements in the sensor are less noticeable, but it still offers sufficient precision – even on glass.

But the Logitech MX Master 3 does not reinvent the wheel. Its biggest advantage is still Logitech Flow. It can, therefore, be worthwhile to purchase other mice in the MX lineup (Logitech MX Master 2S, Logitech MX Anywhere 2S, Logitech MX Vertical, Logitech MX Ergo) that also support Flow and cost less.

Read more:

• Logitech MX Master 2S review: simply perfect
• Logitech MX Ergo review: trackball mice still make sense
• Logitech MX Anywhere 2S review: an excellent portable mouse
• Logitech MX Vertical review: the most ergonomic mouse ever created

On the other hand, if you want the most efficient mouse you can buy, I cannot think of a better one.