I'm done with Logitech mice. Alternatives?

[fuzzybabybunny]

Over the years I've bought four Logitech Anywhere MX - http://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/anywhere-mouse-mx-p

[img=http://s23.postimg.org/huje7hubb/Screenshot_from_2015_07_08_19_02_16.jpg]

On the surface I think this mouse is by far the best wireless mouse out there. Small, light, uses AA batteries, and tracks absolutely anywhere. The frictionless wheel is also amazing.

Too bad each one after a little over a year develops left button click problems. The issue is well-documented and the button mechanism simply isn't reliable.

I got the M510 to replace my string of MXs - http://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/wireless-mouse-m510

Now just today THAT has broken. The mouse is fine but it refuses to pair anymore. Devices that use the Unifying receiver have a limit of 45 unique connections. After 45 unique connections, it refuses to pair with anything new.

https://forums.logitech.com/t5/Keyb...ying-receiver-45-connection-limit/td-p/824117

The limit is easily reached if you move the Unifying receiver and device back and forth between two machines. My case? I dual-boot Windows and Linux, so that limit was quickly reached.

I no longer have the paper receipt because I bought this mouse a year ago at a brick and mortar store - because I had an emergency and needed to quickly replace my Anywhere MX that had developed left-click problems!!!

At this point I'm done throwing money down the black hole that is Logitech.

Can someone recommend me a good wireless mouse from another company that takes AA/AAAs, works with Linux, and can track more or less anywhere?

OH YEAH, and now it appears that Logitech no longer has email or chat support. Only phone.

 

[sao123]

Sorry.. i still use a wired Lenovo Scrollpoint Mouse...
i much prefer the mouse that has the blue finger pad rather than the wheel to scroll.

Best mouse ever.

i only wish they'd make a wireless version of it.

 

[Ketchup]

I also like Logitech very much. I guess I don't understand how the receiver needs to move /resync a lot for a dual-boot machine, but I am not here to argue. Before I was hooked on Logitech, I had a couple very nice Microsoft mice. On one of them the wireless receiver just stopped pairing, and on the other the contacts stopped working properly, so clicks stopped working. But that was at least five years ago, so maybe they have gotten better.

 

[BlitzPuppet]

I have one of the logitech track balls and started having left button click issues...it's an easy fix consisting of replacing/cleaning the switch.

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IJ38YQ2?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

Edit: nevermind, you can't pair so that wouldn't help

 

[Lorthreth]

I can recommend Microsoft Wireless Mouse 5000.
Needs cleaning occasionally but it's quite nice.

 

[gdansk]

I'm on my third Logitech Anywhere MX mouse since about 2011. They break easily but they're very comfortable for me. I wish there was an imitation mouse with the same layout and form but cheaper.

 

[VirtualLarry]

The mouse is fine but it refuses to pair anymore. Devices that use the Unifying receiver have a limit of 45 unique connections. After 45 unique connections, it refuses to pair with anything new.

https://forums.logitech.com/t5/Keyb...ying-receiver-45-connection-limit/td-p/824117

The limit is easily reached if you move the Unifying receiver and device back and forth between two machines. My case? I dual-boot Windows and Linux, so that limit was quickly reached.

WUT? That makes NO sense. I have several logitech KB + MSE wireless sets with the "Unifying" reciver, and I've never had any issues moving the receiver + devices as a set between machines, or dual-booting Win7 64-bit and Linux Mint on the same machine.

I'm pretty sure that's referring to using Logitech's software to manually re-pair a receiver with a device. How often do you do that? Dual-booting doesn't do that, to my knowledge.

Edit: I read that thread, and apparently it only happens if you manually pair one device with multiple receivers. FBB, do you have multiple receivers? Dual-booting with a single receiver (as I do) won't cause the problem.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

WUT? That makes NO sense. I have several logitech KB + MSE wireless sets with the "Unifying" reciver, and I've never had any issues moving the receiver + devices as a set between machines, or dual-booting Win7 64-bit and Linux Mint on the same machine.

I'm pretty sure that's referring to using Logitech's software to manually re-pair a receiver with a device. How often do you do that? Dual-booting doesn't do that, to my knowledge.

Make sense or not, that's what's happening. One day I wake up, use the mouse, and it doesn't work. After several minutes of trying different USB ports for the receiver I go to manually pair it and two seconds after turning the mouse on it says that the pairing failed. Always. I take it to a friend's computer and it doesn't pair either.

Logitech's thing says that if the Unifying receiver stays the same then the 45 limit thing won't be reached. I use Solaar in order to get Logitech wireless things to work with Unifying receivers under Linux. Maybe that program somehow causes the mouse to register the same receiver as a different one. I dunno.

Regardless, having a 45 connection limit seems like a completely senseless "feature" to have on a wireless mouse. It's a stupid wireless mouse. Just let the damn thing pair. Unless they're trying to build in some kind of obsolescence feature...

 

[VirtualLarry]

I use Solaar in order to get Logitech wireless things to work with Unifying receivers under Linux. Maybe that program somehow causes the mouse to register the same receiver as a different one. I dunno.

I'm not familiar with that software. Why wouldn't you just use the standard USB mouse driver?

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

I'm not familiar with that software. Why wouldn't you just use the standard USB mouse driver?

You need software to do the pairing. Logitech only makes it for Windows and Mac.

http://askubuntu.com/questions/113984/is-logitechs-unifying-receiver-supported

 

[JeffMD]

In the past all my mice left clicker has died, including the awesome logitech ifeel mouse (oh how I miss your booty shake). However my G5 has remained alive and kicking for many years now. Maybe if you went with a solid gaming mouse (ie, wired)? The construction on wireless mice may not hold well up to gaming level use.

 

[VirtualLarry]

You need software to do the pairing. Logitech only makes it for Windows and Mac.

Again, unless you are re-pairing devices with receivers, or devices with multiple receivers, why would you need to re-pair anything?

Edit: So you're not just moving device + receiver between machines, or just simply dual-booting. You're constantly re-pairing the devices and receivers. No wonder you are having issues.

How do you think that the "pairing" works? The devices exchange crypto keys, and they are stored in some sort of flash or SPI or EEPROM or whatever. Of which, there is finite storage and re-writes. So, with your usage, I would expect to have issues, eventually. It's simply how the technology works. To think or expect otherwise is a bit naive.

 

[skriefal]

Wow. My old Logitech Trackman Marble trackball is still working great (albeit with discolored plastics) after heavy use at work for ~20 years. They don't make 'em like they used to.

 

[Dude111]

Sorry.. i still use a wired Lenovo Scrollpoint Mouse...
i much prefer the mouse that has the blue finger pad rather than the wheel to scroll.

I prefer Wired things also..... But I keep accidently pulling the wire out!!!! (I suppose thats one advantage of a wireless one)

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Again, unless you are re-pairing devices with receivers, or devices with multiple receivers, why would you need to re-pair anything?

Edit: So you're not just moving device + receiver between machines, or just simply dual-booting. You're constantly re-pairing the devices and receivers. No wonder you are having issues.

How do you think that the "pairing" works? The devices exchange crypto keys, and they are stored in some sort of flash or SPI or EEPROM or whatever. Of which, there is finite storage and re-writes. So, with your usage, I would expect to have issues, eventually. It's simply how the technology works. To think or expect otherwise is a bit naive.

You sound pretty naive when you think that a normal person would know the ins and outs of how "pairing" works.

Sorry, exchanging crypto keys and storing them on EEPROM or whatever the hell is not obvious to someone other than yourself. I hope you understand that.

Also, you're wrong. According to Logitech only some Unifying devices have this limit. Others can pair an unlimited number of times.

And yes, I'm simply dual booting. I am not re-pairing constantly. My guess is that Solaar is pairing for some reason in the background unnecessarily.

 

[Eelectricity]

I like these mice too. But had no idea about the pairing limitation. I will look into that solaar driver and see what I can find out. Have not run into the left button problem(yet?). The pairing limitation sounds insane. But similar things have been uncovered with printers for example. The printer stops working after some pre-set number of pages have been printed. The printer is fine otherwise but is turned into e-waste because of a hardcoded limit on the numeber of pages.


The fact they only take phone support and no email/chat is disturbing. Maybe it is time to look at other mouse vendors for me too.

I know top-end wired gaming mice are well made and can handle a lot of clicks. You might ask in the gaming forum if there are any good wireless gaming mice.

 

[Eelectricity]

I would call this bad design. They should make a way to reset the device to factory at least. That way you start a new count to 45. But maybe it's not reversible.

Quote:"
Limitations on Unifying devices

Why can't I connect my Unifying device to a new Unifying receiver?

Most Unifying devices can connect with Unifying receivers an unlimited number of times. Some Unifying devices have a limit of forty-five (45) unique connections. If you're using such a device with multiple receivers, once you connect 45 times, you won't be able to connect to additional Unifying receivers. The device will continue to work with the last receiver it was connected to.
Examples:

• You can power your device off and on an unlimited number of times. The mouse doesn't go through a connection process when powered on, so this will not count toward the connection limit.
• If you have to reconnect your mouse to the same receiver for any reason, your device will recognize that the receiver itself hasn't changed. This won't count as a unique connection, so it will not count toward the connection limit.
• You sometimes use your mouse with your desktop computer, and other times with your laptop computer, but you use the same Unifying receiver (moving the receiver between your laptop and desktop). Because you only use one Unifying receiver, you will not hit the connection limit.
• You have two Unifying receivers: one on your laptop and one on your desktop. You use the same mouse with your laptop and desktop, and switch back and forth between the two Unifying receivers. Because your mouse is switching between two Unifying receivers, each time you connect, you use one of the total available connections. Eventually, you will hit the connection limit.

If you're unable to connect your device to another Unifying receiver, please contact Customer Care.
"

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

I would call this bad design. They should make a way to reset the device to factory at least. That way you start a new count to 45. But maybe it's not reversible.

Quote:"
Limitations on Unifying devices

Why can't I connect my Unifying device to a new Unifying receiver?

Most Unifying devices can connect with Unifying receivers an unlimited number of times. Some Unifying devices have a limit of forty-five (45) unique connections. If you're using such a device with multiple receivers, once you connect 45 times, you won't be able to connect to additional Unifying receivers. The device will continue to work with the last receiver it was connected to.
Examples:

• You can power your device off and on an unlimited number of times. The mouse doesn't go through a connection process when powered on, so this will not count toward the connection limit.
• If you have to reconnect your mouse to the same receiver for any reason, your device will recognize that the receiver itself hasn't changed. This won't count as a unique connection, so it will not count toward the connection limit.
• You sometimes use your mouse with your desktop computer, and other times with your laptop computer, but you use the same Unifying receiver (moving the receiver between your laptop and desktop). Because you only use one Unifying receiver, you will not hit the connection limit.
• You have two Unifying receivers: one on your laptop and one on your desktop. You use the same mouse with your laptop and desktop, and switch back and forth between the two Unifying receivers. Because your mouse is switching between two Unifying receivers, each time you connect, you use one of the total available connections. Eventually, you will hit the connection limit.

If you're unable to connect your device to another Unifying receiver, please contact Customer Care.
"

Yup. At this point I can't trust Logitech anymore. What other hidden nuggets of retardation could be designed into their products?

I've now got a mouse that is 99.9999% fine but 0% working and 100% e-waste.

 

[MongGrel]

If you say so.

I've still been using logitech trackballs so long I'll just continue to do so.

 

[GrumpyMan]

Used the 570 thumb tracball. Wore out too quickly, twice. Won't buy Logitech mice anymore.

 

[Mushkins]

Wow, so much hostility towards everyone making suggestions, coming from a Moderator no less.

This sounds way more like a receiver problem than anything else. But it doesn't seem like you want help with your issue in the first place. Personally, I've owned dozens of logitech mice over the years, bought and used god knows how many more in corporate settings, and had hardware failures with maybe two. Each time there was an issue I spent 10 minutes talking to logitech support and there was a brand new one on it's way to my door at no cost to me, even out of warranty.

You're welcome to buy what you want, but I'm going to keep using and recommending logitech products for anything that isn't a $2 throwaway two button.

 

[Ketchup]

Considering:

1. There are guides all over the Internet on how to fix the left click issue:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Repair-mouse-with-double-click-problem/

2. you can just buy a unifying receiver for $13:
http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Unifying-receiver-mouse-keyboard/dp/B0058OU8VY

I think that is still a small price to pay for some of the best mice currently made.

 

[PliotronX]

I can recommend Microsoft Wireless Mouse 5000.
Needs cleaning occasionally but it's quite nice.

I was about to suggest the same, and yeah they do seem to attract foreign matter like a hoover.

 

[Sabrewings]

*shrug*

Here comes the obligatory "are you sure you're done with Logitech?" post.

I have had no issues with my G700s. My only complaint at all is the battery life. I find myself charging it once a day usually. I do keep a spare AA rechargeable battery around if I'm gaming and swap it out very quickly. The ability to run wired is also a plus. I have little room to complain because I keep the refresh rate set to the max.

BTW, it uses a dedicated transceiver, not a unifying. Yes, transceiver because the computer can communicate to the mouse as well.