MX500/700 mouse - USB or PS2 for better performance?

NoVo

Senior member
May 16, 2001
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I just picked up a Logitech MX500 mouse, and have a few questions. First, will the mouse perform better connected to a USB port or a PS2 port? Will it still produce 800 DPI with either USB or PS2 connection?

Secondly, the latest MouseWare drivers from Logitech are version 9.79. I've read many times in the past not to install the MouseWare drivers, and just use Windows XP's drivers. Do the newest drivers behave well with XP and some occasional gaming? Again, is the only way to get 800 DPI out of the MX mouse require using the Logitech drivers?

So, best configuration:
PS2 with or without Logitech drivers? - or
USB with or without Logitech drivers?

Thanks in advance
 

Auric

Diamond Member
Oct 11, 1999
9,591
2
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I think you are confusing the resolution with report rate. PS/2 max RR is 200 while USB is only 125. Without using MouseWare, you may not be able to program all the buttons or have all options available but Microsoft's generic driver should be adequate for basic functionality. I recommend you take the opportunity to try MS's first since it will drive the mouse upon initial installation anyway. But if you want maximum configurability install MouseWare. Additionally, there is a MouseWare Advanced program available to further configure for games and CAD.
 

NoVo

Senior member
May 16, 2001
463
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So - mouse speed or refresh can be faster with the MX plugged into the PS2 port and running mouseware?

Good read on MX 500/700....

"After enabling a speedup in Logitech's MouseWare drivers, the USB mouse with the PS2 adapter scored a whopping 195 hertz on average. This is the best score you can get. It peeked at 238 hertz, but for the average 195 was as high as it went. Gamers should take note that a PS2 mouse with a speedup utility will enable it to have more fluid movement than a USB mouse. As of the time of this review, we were unable to find any type of USB speed up utility that would increase the hertz of a USB mouse. Using a speedup program with the PS2 adapter is key if you are looking for the most fluid movement that a mouse can offer."

Another annoyance about the Logitech drivers - there is a TSR process always running (EM_EXEC.EXE). Its not taking up very much resource, but I'd rather it wasn't running in the background.

 

Monoman

Platinum Member
Mar 4, 2001
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here is my $0.02,



Back with Win9x, Me (that erra) when ever you computer decided it would "think" really hard, I mean freeze the pc for a short period then resume it's normal progress, it will freeze the mouse too. That pissed the crap out of me so I never used usb.

From what I know now adays they have fixed this problem and it is no longer an issue no no worries there... but I still use PS2(mainly because I use a ps2 KVM switch). I have the MX300 and I use ps2rate to adjust the speed but you cal also use the mouseware software.


Good luck bro,

Mitch
 

Auric

Diamond Member
Oct 11, 1999
9,591
2
71
Originally posted by: Monoman

Back with Win9x, Me (that erra) when ever you computer decided it would "think" really hard, I mean freeze the pc for a short period then resume it's normal progress, it will freeze the mouse too. That pissed the crap out of me so I never used usb.

That seems like an issue with priority but even in the best case USB does load the CPU. On my last system (1.5GHz) I compared performance of RalliSport Challenge using the same gamepad in both gameport and USB modes and found USB to make a noticeably negative impact.

 

NoVo

Senior member
May 16, 2001
463
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Does anyone know to enable 800 dpi with the MX mouse? I've chosen not to install the Logitech drivers, and read that it will only operate at 400 dpi using XP's native drivers.
 

NoVo

Senior member
May 16, 2001
463
0
0
Bump..

Still looking for a way to operate this MX500 at highest accuracy (800 dpi) with native XP drivers. Any known registry tweaks?

Thanks again