Had a M$ intellimouse optical, worked like charm for 12 years during period of hardcore FPS pro gaming. Eventually its cable gave out, had to replace the mouse. Searched long and hard, finally decided to buy a logictech G9 mouse, like 4 times the cost, cr@pped out in two years of daily use, barely any gaming, left button started dropping as it was held, could not select stuff, could not drag stuff, pi$$ed the hell out of me. Lousy overpriced garbage!
I had a Logitech media mouse that I used with rechargeable batteries. It is over ten years old. Lots of gaming on it. I have replaced it with a Razer Orochi, which is Bluetooth and USB cabled. My Logitech is still in use for my kids gaming.
I had a Logitech G15 keyboard that died long before I expected it to. It was the first with monochrome LCD. I think it lasted 4-5 years. I have an MS keyboard that is 2001; it is due for replacement but is mostly functional - you have to beat the backspace key. It sucks more for typing.
The point is that Logitech has had good products. The durability and longevity of their gaming line has been suspect. I have Logitech 5.1 THX speakers that I absolutely love. Best ~$100 I have ever spent on any sort of computer equipment - these were the step down from the wireless rear speaker models.
I used an optical wired logitech mouse for 6 years. When i grew up and got a career i've dropped any kind of desktop and been using laptops since, then i got a M515 wireless mouse and still use it to date so far over 4 years. I used these mice for both gaming and work, no issues at all.
Picked up a G602 2 months ago for gaming. Just for more buttons. Left click started to give way, then the right click, i fixed the issue by sanding down the edges of the click covers. Then the mouse 3 button gave away which killed all the buttons combos related to mouse 3.
They have a lot of marketing claiming theres science behind their G lines of products but i call bs. Sometimes the simple designs are the best designs.
Yeah, I don't get it. It seems like every Logitech product I've ever owned has failed (granted, some have lasted a few years.) It's as if every single Logitech device I ever bought never made it through this testing.
I really liked the G9, especially the weights drawer, because I like heavy mice (had a huge steel nut glued in the shell of the intellimouse because it was too light), but I really didn't expect the switches and the wheel to be of such inferior quality. Got to give it to logitech engineers, they managed to implement planned obsolescence for this product just right, it broke not 2 months after the warranty period expired.
Had a logitech wheel too, the pedal was working lousy and eventually died, got surprised by the lousy mechanical design and the dirt cheap dime store potentiometer used.
Got better experience with the 2 sets of logitech speakers I have, 5-6 years in and still work. Seems like their that doesn't need to be clicked/pressed or interacted with mechanically is not uber bad, but their products which rely on mechanical parts - I'd rather stay away from in the future.
WOW. I'm right with you there. The devices inevitably fail right out of warranty. This happened to my G9, G35, mm28, and so on.
However, my Z5450's (5.1 speakers, wireless rear channels) pissed me off more than anything, because a rear speaker failed within warranty and Logitech was NOT able to replace it. They offered the Z5500's as a replacement. The problem being the Z5500's did not have wireless rear channels; the whole reason I purchased the system. I decided to keep the Z5450's for another year before the other rear channel finally failed and I ditched the system. I replaced it with the Creative Gigaworks G550W, which has worked perfectly for years.
I believe I could make a list of at least a dozen Logitech products I've owned that failed before they should have, whereas Creative, Microsoft (I still have the original Sidewinder Force Feedback from 2003, use it all the time) and Steel Series have all exceeded their lifespan expectations in comparison. Logitech is right up there with Razer in quality control.
It's odd how one's mileage varies. I've almost exclusively used Logitech input devices for the past 15 or more years, and I've never had a single one break on me. My old cordless media desktop from the early 2000s is still fully functional, even after dismantling and spray painting it in a rather garish color scheme (I was 16 at the time, so please don't judge me). My diNovo Bluetooth media desktop is still usable seven or eight years in, but has been out aside due to the spacebar becoming sticky and unresponsive after I spilled Coke in it. I recently sold my original G15, still as good as new, and my G9 was put aside this past week as I've grown tired of its ergonomics - but it still works perfectly as well. It's been replaced by a G602, which I'm so far very, very happy with - the only thing I miss is in-mouse profiles. My Marsthin Mouse recently kind of died (it was constantly right clicking everything), but it was my media center mouse, and thus had been dropped from the living room table and couch more times than I can count (and it started acting up as a direct result of me dropping it). And lastly, I've been using an Illuminated Keyboard for the past six years, which has worked flawlessly - even with notoriously failure prone scissor switches.
I'll gladly admit that I'm a little fanboyish here, but my experience with Logitech has truly been flawless, with a very wide range of products. Also, while I worked in electronics retail a few years ago, my experience with their support and RMA systems was second to none - and customers that contacted them directly verified this. Also worth a mention: they are the only peripheral company that sells (and even gives away if you ask under the right circumstances!) replacement parts for their products (wireless dongles, various adapters and so on). As I said, your mileage may obviously vary.
A small minority of my Logitech products have failed, but every single one of them was replaced free of charge by Logitech without argument, whether in warranty or not.
As a result, more and more of my peripherals are Logitech products, and I haven't paid to replace a mouse in nearly a decade.
Logitech replaces for free products which fail after their warranty has expired? Either your uncle runs logitech or you are a BS spreading die hard fanboy...
On a side note, I use the same mechanical switches olivetti keyboard since my PC was a 386SX, that's like 20 years, and it still works flawlessly. A good product is a good product. Too bad logitech is entirely all about making money, not making quality products.
It's neither; sorry to disappoint you. In both instances that it happened, I simply: 1) Contacted Logitech support via email describing the problem and inquiring about replacement parts (one a wireless mouse charging dock, the other... something I don't recall) 2) Logitech support advises no replacement parts available, but offers to replace the product 3) Provide Logitech support with my shipping information 4) Replacement product shows up in the mail, new in retail packaging, 2-3 weeks later
The above is also the same thing that happened the one time I had a product fail while still under warranty. It's only one person's anecdote and I'm not saying that this is how Logitech treats all out-of-warranty inquiries, but you can certainly see why, having received this treatment, I'm perfectly happy to keep buying from Logitech.
I have a Logitech G5 that is nearly 8 years old and still runs perfect. Like all companies, some products and production runs have better results that others. You can't judge an entire company's quality off a single product experience.
G5 here also with only one problem you have to really hit the DPI down button hard to get it to lower the DPI. Also have a 4 year old G930 Wireless Headset that is working great still with remarkably good battery life still.
Had a pair of M$ Natural keyboards 4-5 years ago, had to replaced them 3 times each, and ended up in the trash bin even before guarantee period ends.
They both suffer from the same symptoms, one key stop responding. I supposed that it's design problem.
Then I switched to Logitech wireless mouse&keyboard kit. Never have any major problem ever since. Only one annoyance is the print wear off.
Now all of my current mouse/keyboard are Logitech, excepts ones at works as they are MS Natural Keyboard (newer version, so far so good) and wireless mouse.
I'll admit I replace my Logitech Natural (4000) at least once a year. The keys just start to jam up from wear, especially the space bar. I tried lithium grease on the rods but the plastic actually wears. However, they're $20-$30 occasionally as shell shockers or random sales elsewhere, and being a keyboard, should realistically be replaced or thoroughly cleaned every year anyway.
Yes I've noticed that with the mouse too. The third button broke and it wasn't even old, as a result it kept sending non-existing middle mouse clicks and you can guess how annoying that is.
I can relate to what you are saying, every single Logitech G series mouse that I have used since that G9 has failed (double click issue due to poor quality omron switches) within 1 year of normal use(light gaming, and photo editing). Mx518 seems to be only logitech mouse that has lasted for more than a year and infact it is the Logitech product that has lasted the longest.
Do you guys really think it's ethical to publish this kind of advertising? It's one thing to take a look at a company with pluses an minuses , look at the technology,place it into context and maybe ask some tough questions too and it's quite another to publish such a puff piece that has nothing to do with journalism or actual tech. At some point Engadget will become more serious than Anadtech, if you keep this up. Sure you've been doing it for a while (M$ Surface launch, Synaptics, Aptina) but that's no reason to keep doing it.
It was an opportunity to see how the company is doing, how it does it, and to ask any questions / speak with anyone at the company. They wanted to update us on their latest products and the process by which they design them, which I felt was editorially justified to pass onto our readership as being a point of interest.
Don't take it personally Ian. A lot of "new age" internet users will take any opportunity possible to "nitpick". No matter what you do, they'll have a complaint. The internet as a place has changed a lot since this site was first started, sucks to have to address these types of people that have become more frequent online.
"Nitpick"???? You are talking about the 2nd most important asset for Anandtech - credibility. (1st being brain power IMHO).
As another suggested- lose that and you are a stone throw to being Engadget.
"New age"? I did not know asking for a credible tech journalist is a "new age" thing. WTF??
How old do you think I am and how long do you think I have been using computers and internet???
Anyway - ad hominem.
This article and the Sandisk article are not the end of the world. It will take more than that but it is unfortunate they clearly are taking steps in that direction.
Seeing how a company operates and what's in its development pipeline is valuable information for current or potential customers of said company.
This article and the Sandisk one have provided information while avoiding any semblance of "rah rah Logitech/Sandisk is awesome, all competitors are shit."
If you consider such articles advertising or somehow negatively impacting on Anandtech's credibility, I would suggest that that is a personal failing, not a universally-held or particularly justifiable viewpoint.
I don't mind these at all as long as an Anandtech writer comes up with his or her own words. The comments are always a free for all. I find it kind of interesting. I would like to see a followup review later on with the actual hardware and software.
I have to nitpick at your article: MOBA isn't another name for RTS.
MOBA is a subgenre of RTS where you control one character with RPG-style commands in a fixed and scripted arena.
RTS are any real time godview game. This includes the MOBAs despite controlling one character. Traditional RTSs also allow online playing, so "but now online" isn't correct.
I'll be honest, I had to look up what MOBA was. I knew LoL/DOTA existed, though I had not heard that name before. I've been gaming less of late compared to 10 years ago where BF2142, CSS, AoE2 and FF were my main go-to games :) I've updated the explanation a bit.
Thanks Ian for writing up your experiences from your visit to Logitech's R&D facilities.
Having owned several Logitech products in the past and present, (I am typing this on a G710+) my chief complaint is that Logitech refuses to sell spare parts.
Did some of the key caps on your G710+ break? Just send us the whole flippin keyboard so we can "fix" it. Potentiometers on your G25's shifter goes belly up? Yea, that's right send us the entire wheel, pedals, and shifter back.
For a company that says they are trying to cater to enthusiasts they sure don't cater to enthusiasts very well.
Logitech used to be my go-to manufacturer for peripherals, but over time it seems both their quality, design, and bang for your buck ratio is plummeting down. My keyboard is now a QPAD MK-50, my mx performance mouse is breaking down after roughly 3 years of not-so-intensive usage and will be replaced by something probably from either Razer or Mad Catz in the next few months, and even my F710 gamepad is starting to annoy me by sometimes going crazy for 3-5 second during gaming. It's sad to see such a great company fall so low, but I'm not gonna stick with them just for the sake of brand loyalty :(
Even though I still have an advanced Logitech multibutton mouse it's hard to forget and forgive them for buying and subsequently destroying the Squeezebox product line through pure mismanagement and lack of leadership. They gave away the market to Sonos.
page 2: I hope they use more realistic robotic fingers for testing their text/business keyboards. My fingers do not look like dowels, and do not hit all the keys vertically.
I find that the row of keys below the home row tends to wear out first. I suspect this is because when fingers over the home row bend to type the lower row, they hit the key with the fingernail. This causes a at least a couple differences that might lead to faster wear: higher impact force with the harder fingernail; and smaller impact area (tip of fingernail rather than finger tip), which may lead to greater keytop pitch forces on the hinges that keep the keytop straight as it descends. It might also lead to more variation of impact location.
Not sure if you mean a sticky click/drag problem when you refer the G300. This is a known issue with G500 and some guide posted a video on how to fix it easily. It is due to static electricity, the fix involves putting a small piece of foil between the button and the case.
I have still never had Logitech or MS peripherals die, or even develop issues beyond getting dirty or wearing down teflon with no mousemat. The negative side to that is that I can't find an excuse to buy new products.
For me in India logitech a name associated with the worst after sales service for overpriced and overglorified pieces of s*** which has left a bad taste in my mouth and a big hole in my pocket. Their service centre is filled with arrogant, irresponsible f***tards. Even after complaining about their staff in service centre to managerial staff nothing has changed in last 5 years. Their arrogance is going to be their undoing, I am hoping to read about their bankruptcy soon.
I still use my 12 year old Logitech Mouse Man Dual Optical. 50€ back then. I tried replacing it once or twice, but reviews for every device of every company claim that they break after warranty. So I never did replace it. Hopefully companies go back, someday, to building quality products. Same holds for speakers. I still use my Logitech Z4 which is probably as old. And I bought a pair of speakers for the living room, which are designed-in-Russia-made-in-China and got far better reviews. Articles suggested that Logitech cheaped things down with every generation of speakers.
I have a pair of 10+ year old Advent SB750 Powered partners that sound amazing hooked up to my SoundBlaster Z. A fantastic set of self powered studio monitors that are shielded Loud and sound perfect.
Still waiting for you to put the MX Revolution back into production, Logitech! Or at least produce another mouse with an actuated scrollwheel + thumbwheel.
Great products ruined by a color scheme. Why blue?! Half of your older products like headsets are red, now you include blue elements everywhere. There are no high-end gaming components (like motherboards, GPUs etc) available in blue, or at least most of them are red/black. Duh, it seems Corsair got infected with the same virus.... freaking yellow with horrible logos all over. What a fail.
It was obvious from the start what sort of ARTICLE this was. It was not a product review. It was a tour of a company, hosted by that company. Of course it showcases things they're proud of.
I like these opportunities to look behind the product logo.
If I feel it affects the analytical product testing AnandTech does, then I'll stop visiting. But I've told many, many people my FAVORITE THINGS about AnandTech are: 1) The objective analytical work on their reviews 2) The subjective analysis and personal opinion commentary* 3) The distinction between subjective and objective 4) When they share industry insight, sometimes in the form of interviews, analysis, or articles like this one.
----------------
* Favorite example: On one review of graphics cards, the author talked about how the loudest card was actually less annoying than a "quieter" one. It was due to the pitch and tone of the sound, and the "sudden increase" in sound, rather than a gentle ramp up as the card got warmer. It was obvious this was the author's personal opinion, but that was useful information that could not be gleaned merely by looking at the decibel noise chart.
Keep up the good work, Ian and everyone at AnandTech.
I spent over 10k $ on a gaming PC, but I never bought any Logitech G crap. Both for keyboards and mouse I went with Microsoft hardware. Simple, high performance and reliable.
Logitech only cares about annoying flashy lights and marketing. Thus the purpose of this "tech day". Marketing. Quality is a 2nd class citizen at Logitech.
I don't know. They've been screwing up lately. I've been a fan of their for a long time. First product I got was the Cordless Desktop Navigator. Flawless until I quickly moved my hand from the mouse towards the keyboard to type a cheat code in AoE and forgot about the glass of water placed in between the two. Next was a Cordless MX Duo. Mouse started double clicking after about 3 years. Keyboard stopped responding. Bought the X-530. Used. Still works, except the bass volume knob need cleaning. Bought the X-540. They work just fine. I have a basic webcam that still works too - even don't I'm not an avid webcam user. Have the G15 II. Works OK, except "A" has a sluggish return...can't really complain after all these years. I have the diNovo Edge. It was a dream come true. Works just fine to this day - bought it like..4 years ago. They don't make it anymore. I bought a couple MX Master mice. I dislike the idiotic side buttons placement, but other than that, they work OK. Admittedly, they're barely a year old. Damn, forgot about the Formula Vibration Wheel. Old hardware. Still works. The Bluetooth Speaker Adapter is also about 3 years old. Still works. I bought 2x X210 systems. They sound amazing for the price and work just great after at least 3 years, as far as I can remember. I also have the lower end 2.1 LS21. They still work OK. Forgot about choosing the Logitech z4i 2.1 over a Speed 7.1. They worked great and still do - what I disliked was kinda fake advertising (dual chamber made the sub driver look bigger than it actually was) -the sound was great - sometimes it would have a small screech at max volume, but nothing big - great quality for sure. I don't know what's up with Logitech that they don't make such amazing products anymore...maybe I've been lucky so far, but I for one will continue to go for the Logitech quality as long as these issues don't show up as often as people make it seem.
Jesus Christ...I even forgot about the EX110. Mouse is dead because of my fault, but the keyboard is in great shape and works like new. (surprising how this was supposed to be lower end than the Cordless Desktop Navigator (white and black as I've had both versions) and I believe it's outlasted them both).
How about an EDIT BUTTON. Can't correct spelling mistakes, sorry.
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HyperText - Monday, December 8, 2014 - link
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WithoutWeakness - Tuesday, December 9, 2014 - link
I love how Turtle has that huge smile on his face is just about every photo ever taken of him.ddriver - Monday, December 8, 2014 - link
Had a M$ intellimouse optical, worked like charm for 12 years during period of hardcore FPS pro gaming. Eventually its cable gave out, had to replace the mouse. Searched long and hard, finally decided to buy a logictech G9 mouse, like 4 times the cost, cr@pped out in two years of daily use, barely any gaming, left button started dropping as it was held, could not select stuff, could not drag stuff, pi$$ed the hell out of me. Lousy overpriced garbage!eanazag - Monday, December 8, 2014 - link
I had a Logitech media mouse that I used with rechargeable batteries. It is over ten years old. Lots of gaming on it. I have replaced it with a Razer Orochi, which is Bluetooth and USB cabled. My Logitech is still in use for my kids gaming.I had a Logitech G15 keyboard that died long before I expected it to. It was the first with monochrome LCD. I think it lasted 4-5 years. I have an MS keyboard that is 2001; it is due for replacement but is mostly functional - you have to beat the backspace key. It sucks more for typing.
The point is that Logitech has had good products. The durability and longevity of their gaming line has been suspect. I have Logitech 5.1 THX speakers that I absolutely love. Best ~$100 I have ever spent on any sort of computer equipment - these were the step down from the wireless rear speaker models.
phdchristmas - Thursday, December 18, 2014 - link
I used an optical wired logitech mouse for 6 years. When i grew up and got a career i've dropped any kind of desktop and been using laptops since, then i got a M515 wireless mouse and still use it to date so far over 4 years. I used these mice for both gaming and work, no issues at all.Picked up a G602 2 months ago for gaming. Just for more buttons. Left click started to give way, then the right click, i fixed the issue by sanding down the edges of the click covers. Then the mouse 3 button gave away which killed all the buttons combos related to mouse 3.
They have a lot of marketing claiming theres science behind their G lines of products but i call bs. Sometimes the simple designs are the best designs.
Samus - Monday, December 8, 2014 - link
Yeah, I don't get it. It seems like every Logitech product I've ever owned has failed (granted, some have lasted a few years.) It's as if every single Logitech device I ever bought never made it through this testing.ddriver - Monday, December 8, 2014 - link
I really liked the G9, especially the weights drawer, because I like heavy mice (had a huge steel nut glued in the shell of the intellimouse because it was too light), but I really didn't expect the switches and the wheel to be of such inferior quality. Got to give it to logitech engineers, they managed to implement planned obsolescence for this product just right, it broke not 2 months after the warranty period expired.Had a logitech wheel too, the pedal was working lousy and eventually died, got surprised by the lousy mechanical design and the dirt cheap dime store potentiometer used.
Got better experience with the 2 sets of logitech speakers I have, 5-6 years in and still work. Seems like their that doesn't need to be clicked/pressed or interacted with mechanically is not uber bad, but their products which rely on mechanical parts - I'd rather stay away from in the future.
Samus - Tuesday, December 9, 2014 - link
WOW. I'm right with you there. The devices inevitably fail right out of warranty. This happened to my G9, G35, mm28, and so on.However, my Z5450's (5.1 speakers, wireless rear channels) pissed me off more than anything, because a rear speaker failed within warranty and Logitech was NOT able to replace it. They offered the Z5500's as a replacement. The problem being the Z5500's did not have wireless rear channels; the whole reason I purchased the system. I decided to keep the Z5450's for another year before the other rear channel finally failed and I ditched the system. I replaced it with the Creative Gigaworks G550W, which has worked perfectly for years.
I believe I could make a list of at least a dozen Logitech products I've owned that failed before they should have, whereas Creative, Microsoft (I still have the original Sidewinder Force Feedback from 2003, use it all the time) and Steel Series have all exceeded their lifespan expectations in comparison. Logitech is right up there with Razer in quality control.
Gigaplex - Tuesday, December 9, 2014 - link
So why do you keep buying Logitech if they keep failing on you?Valantar - Wednesday, December 10, 2014 - link
It's odd how one's mileage varies. I've almost exclusively used Logitech input devices for the past 15 or more years, and I've never had a single one break on me. My old cordless media desktop from the early 2000s is still fully functional, even after dismantling and spray painting it in a rather garish color scheme (I was 16 at the time, so please don't judge me). My diNovo Bluetooth media desktop is still usable seven or eight years in, but has been out aside due to the spacebar becoming sticky and unresponsive after I spilled Coke in it. I recently sold my original G15, still as good as new, and my G9 was put aside this past week as I've grown tired of its ergonomics - but it still works perfectly as well. It's been replaced by a G602, which I'm so far very, very happy with - the only thing I miss is in-mouse profiles. My Marsthin Mouse recently kind of died (it was constantly right clicking everything), but it was my media center mouse, and thus had been dropped from the living room table and couch more times than I can count (and it started acting up as a direct result of me dropping it). And lastly, I've been using an Illuminated Keyboard for the past six years, which has worked flawlessly - even with notoriously failure prone scissor switches.I'll gladly admit that I'm a little fanboyish here, but my experience with Logitech has truly been flawless, with a very wide range of products. Also, while I worked in electronics retail a few years ago, my experience with their support and RMA systems was second to none - and customers that contacted them directly verified this. Also worth a mention: they are the only peripheral company that sells (and even gives away if you ask under the right circumstances!) replacement parts for their products (wireless dongles, various adapters and so on). As I said, your mileage may obviously vary.
Valantar - Wednesday, December 10, 2014 - link
*Marathon Mouse. This comment system really needs an edit button.Black Obsidian - Tuesday, December 9, 2014 - link
A small minority of my Logitech products have failed, but every single one of them was replaced free of charge by Logitech without argument, whether in warranty or not.As a result, more and more of my peripherals are Logitech products, and I haven't paid to replace a mouse in nearly a decade.
ddriver - Tuesday, December 9, 2014 - link
Logitech replaces for free products which fail after their warranty has expired? Either your uncle runs logitech or you are a BS spreading die hard fanboy...On a side note, I use the same mechanical switches olivetti keyboard since my PC was a 386SX, that's like 20 years, and it still works flawlessly. A good product is a good product. Too bad logitech is entirely all about making money, not making quality products.
Black Obsidian - Wednesday, December 10, 2014 - link
It's neither; sorry to disappoint you. In both instances that it happened, I simply:1) Contacted Logitech support via email describing the problem and inquiring about replacement parts (one a wireless mouse charging dock, the other... something I don't recall)
2) Logitech support advises no replacement parts available, but offers to replace the product
3) Provide Logitech support with my shipping information
4) Replacement product shows up in the mail, new in retail packaging, 2-3 weeks later
The above is also the same thing that happened the one time I had a product fail while still under warranty. It's only one person's anecdote and I'm not saying that this is how Logitech treats all out-of-warranty inquiries, but you can certainly see why, having received this treatment, I'm perfectly happy to keep buying from Logitech.
Murloc - Tuesday, December 9, 2014 - link
meh my G5 mouse is quite old now and it works as new. I guess your mileage may vary.Jammrock - Monday, December 8, 2014 - link
I have a Logitech G5 that is nearly 8 years old and still runs perfect. Like all companies, some products and production runs have better results that others. You can't judge an entire company's quality off a single product experience.varg14 - Tuesday, December 9, 2014 - link
G5 here also with only one problem you have to really hit the DPI down button hard to get it to lower the DPI. Also have a 4 year old G930 Wireless Headset that is working great still with remarkably good battery life still.mr_tawan - Monday, December 8, 2014 - link
Had a pair of M$ Natural keyboards 4-5 years ago, had to replaced them 3 times each, and ended up in the trash bin even before guarantee period ends.They both suffer from the same symptoms, one key stop responding. I supposed that it's design problem.
Then I switched to Logitech wireless mouse&keyboard kit. Never have any major problem ever since. Only one annoyance is the print wear off.
Now all of my current mouse/keyboard are Logitech, excepts ones at works as they are MS Natural Keyboard (newer version, so far so good) and wireless mouse.
Samus - Tuesday, December 9, 2014 - link
I'll admit I replace my Logitech Natural (4000) at least once a year. The keys just start to jam up from wear, especially the space bar. I tried lithium grease on the rods but the plastic actually wears. However, they're $20-$30 occasionally as shell shockers or random sales elsewhere, and being a keyboard, should realistically be replaced or thoroughly cleaned every year anyway.But it definitely has a planned lifespan.
Murloc - Tuesday, December 9, 2014 - link
Yes I've noticed that with the mouse too. The third button broke and it wasn't even old, as a result it kept sending non-existing middle mouse clicks and you can guess how annoying that is.Chaitanya - Tuesday, December 9, 2014 - link
I can relate to what you are saying, every single Logitech G series mouse that I have used since that G9 has failed (double click issue due to poor quality omron switches) within 1 year of normal use(light gaming, and photo editing). Mx518 seems to be only logitech mouse that has lasted for more than a year and infact it is the Logitech product that has lasted the longest.jjj - Monday, December 8, 2014 - link
Do you guys really think it's ethical to publish this kind of advertising?It's one thing to take a look at a company with pluses an minuses , look at the technology,place it into context and maybe ask some tough questions too and it's quite another to publish such a puff piece that has nothing to do with journalism or actual tech. At some point Engadget will become more serious than Anadtech, if you keep this up. Sure you've been doing it for a while (M$ Surface launch, Synaptics, Aptina) but that's no reason to keep doing it.
cmdrdredd - Monday, December 8, 2014 - link
Cause there's no information there about how they test things during R&D at all right?Ian Cutress - Monday, December 8, 2014 - link
It was an opportunity to see how the company is doing, how it does it, and to ask any questions / speak with anyone at the company. They wanted to update us on their latest products and the process by which they design them, which I felt was editorially justified to pass onto our readership as being a point of interest.tential - Monday, December 8, 2014 - link
Don't take it personally Ian. A lot of "new age" internet users will take any opportunity possible to "nitpick". No matter what you do, they'll have a complaint. The internet as a place has changed a lot since this site was first started, sucks to have to address these types of people that have become more frequent online.crimsonson - Monday, December 8, 2014 - link
"Nitpick"????You are talking about the 2nd most important asset for Anandtech - credibility. (1st being brain power IMHO).
As another suggested- lose that and you are a stone throw to being Engadget.
"New age"? I did not know asking for a credible tech journalist is a "new age" thing. WTF??
How old do you think I am and how long do you think I have been using computers and internet???
Anyway - ad hominem.
This article and the Sandisk article are not the end of the world. It will take more than that but it is unfortunate they clearly are taking steps in that direction.
Black Obsidian - Tuesday, December 9, 2014 - link
Seeing how a company operates and what's in its development pipeline is valuable information for current or potential customers of said company.This article and the Sandisk one have provided information while avoiding any semblance of "rah rah Logitech/Sandisk is awesome, all competitors are shit."
If you consider such articles advertising or somehow negatively impacting on Anandtech's credibility, I would suggest that that is a personal failing, not a universally-held or particularly justifiable viewpoint.
crimsonson - Monday, December 8, 2014 - link
I said basically the same thing about the SanDisk article. All SanDisk had to do was pay for flights....I do like Engadget though. It is like having a donut for breakfast. And there is always room for 1 more donut....
eanazag - Monday, December 8, 2014 - link
I don't mind these at all as long as an Anandtech writer comes up with his or her own words. The comments are always a free for all. I find it kind of interesting. I would like to see a followup review later on with the actual hardware and software.Murloc - Monday, December 8, 2014 - link
I have to nitpick at your article: MOBA isn't another name for RTS.MOBA is a subgenre of RTS where you control one character with RPG-style commands in a fixed and scripted arena.
RTS are any real time godview game. This includes the MOBAs despite controlling one character.
Traditional RTSs also allow online playing, so "but now online" isn't correct.
Age of Empires II online still rocks.
Ian Cutress - Monday, December 8, 2014 - link
I'll be honest, I had to look up what MOBA was. I knew LoL/DOTA existed, though I had not heard that name before. I've been gaming less of late compared to 10 years ago where BF2142, CSS, AoE2 and FF were my main go-to games :) I've updated the explanation a bit.Bull Dog - Monday, December 8, 2014 - link
Thanks Ian for writing up your experiences from your visit to Logitech's R&D facilities.Having owned several Logitech products in the past and present, (I am typing this on a G710+) my chief complaint is that Logitech refuses to sell spare parts.
Did some of the key caps on your G710+ break? Just send us the whole flippin keyboard so we can "fix" it. Potentiometers on your G25's shifter goes belly up? Yea, that's right send us the entire wheel, pedals, and shifter back.
For a company that says they are trying to cater to enthusiasts they sure don't cater to enthusiasts very well.
Barilla - Monday, December 8, 2014 - link
Logitech used to be my go-to manufacturer for peripherals, but over time it seems both their quality, design, and bang for your buck ratio is plummeting down. My keyboard is now a QPAD MK-50, my mx performance mouse is breaking down after roughly 3 years of not-so-intensive usage and will be replaced by something probably from either Razer or Mad Catz in the next few months, and even my F710 gamepad is starting to annoy me by sometimes going crazy for 3-5 second during gaming.It's sad to see such a great company fall so low, but I'm not gonna stick with them just for the sake of brand loyalty :(
halfflat - Monday, December 8, 2014 - link
Ah! You should have popped in next door to see the Blue Brain Project.Gadgety - Monday, December 8, 2014 - link
Even though I still have an advanced Logitech multibutton mouse it's hard to forget and forgive them for buying and subsequently destroying the Squeezebox product line through pure mismanagement and lack of leadership. They gave away the market to Sonos.BuddyRich - Tuesday, December 9, 2014 - link
True. The squeezebox touch was ahead of its time.Gc - Monday, December 8, 2014 - link
page 2: I hope they use more realistic robotic fingers for testing their text/business keyboards.My fingers do not look like dowels, and do not hit all the keys vertically.
I find that the row of keys below the home row tends to wear out first.
I suspect this is because when fingers over the home row bend to type the lower row,
they hit the key with the fingernail. This causes a at least a couple differences that might
lead to faster wear: higher impact force with the harder fingernail; and
smaller impact area (tip of fingernail rather than finger tip), which may lead to greater keytop pitch forces on the hinges that keep the keytop straight as it descends. It might also lead to more variation of impact location.
meacupla - Tuesday, December 9, 2014 - link
Mx510, Mx518 and derived mouses - endless high pitched coil whine/buzzing issues.G300 - POS clickers that fail within 4~6 months of average use.
AnnihilatorX - Wednesday, December 10, 2014 - link
Not sure if you mean a sticky click/drag problem when you refer the G300. This is a known issue with G500 and some guide posted a video on how to fix it easily. It is due to static electricity, the fix involves putting a small piece of foil between the button and the case.AnnihilatorX - Wednesday, December 10, 2014 - link
some guy*Mumrik - Tuesday, December 9, 2014 - link
I have still never had Logitech or MS peripherals die, or even develop issues beyond getting dirty or wearing down teflon with no mousemat. The negative side to that is that I can't find an excuse to buy new products.Chaitanya - Tuesday, December 9, 2014 - link
For me in India logitech a name associated with the worst after sales service for overpriced and overglorified pieces of s*** which has left a bad taste in my mouth and a big hole in my pocket. Their service centre is filled with arrogant, irresponsible f***tards. Even after complaining about their staff in service centre to managerial staff nothing has changed in last 5 years. Their arrogance is going to be their undoing, I am hoping to read about their bankruptcy soon.hydroo - Tuesday, December 9, 2014 - link
I still use my 12 year old Logitech Mouse Man Dual Optical. 50€ back then.I tried replacing it once or twice, but reviews for every device of every company claim that they break after warranty. So I never did replace it. Hopefully companies go back, someday, to building quality products.
Same holds for speakers. I still use my Logitech Z4 which is probably as old. And I bought a pair of speakers for the living room, which are designed-in-Russia-made-in-China and got far better reviews. Articles suggested that Logitech cheaped things down with every generation of speakers.
varg14 - Tuesday, December 9, 2014 - link
I have a pair of 10+ year old Advent SB750 Powered partners that sound amazing hooked up to my SoundBlaster Z. A fantastic set of self powered studio monitors that are shielded Loud and sound perfect.edzieba - Tuesday, December 9, 2014 - link
Still waiting for you to put the MX Revolution back into production, Logitech! Or at least produce another mouse with an actuated scrollwheel + thumbwheel.Nuno Simões - Tuesday, December 9, 2014 - link
It's great that the hills are alive, but the hills are in Austria, not Switzerland. XDLogitechFan - Tuesday, December 9, 2014 - link
Great products ruined by a color scheme. Why blue?! Half of your older products like headsets are red, now you include blue elements everywhere. There are no high-end gaming components (like motherboards, GPUs etc) available in blue, or at least most of them are red/black. Duh, it seems Corsair got infected with the same virus.... freaking yellow with horrible logos all over. What a fail.funguseater - Tuesday, December 9, 2014 - link
Logitech, I just have to say you build to last. My C7 serial mouse is still going strong after 20 years.justaviking - Wednesday, December 10, 2014 - link
I think that is a silly complaint.It was obvious from the start what sort of ARTICLE this was. It was not a product review. It was a tour of a company, hosted by that company. Of course it showcases things they're proud of.
I like these opportunities to look behind the product logo.
If I feel it affects the analytical product testing AnandTech does, then I'll stop visiting. But I've told many, many people my FAVORITE THINGS about AnandTech are:
1) The objective analytical work on their reviews
2) The subjective analysis and personal opinion commentary*
3) The distinction between subjective and objective
4) When they share industry insight, sometimes in the form of interviews, analysis, or articles like this one.
----------------
* Favorite example: On one review of graphics cards, the author talked about how the loudest card was actually less annoying than a "quieter" one. It was due to the pitch and tone of the sound, and the "sudden increase" in sound, rather than a gentle ramp up as the card got warmer. It was obvious this was the author's personal opinion, but that was useful information that could not be gleaned merely by looking at the decibel noise chart.
Keep up the good work, Ian and everyone at AnandTech.
justaviking - Wednesday, December 10, 2014 - link
Sorry... my stupid computer at work has a 52-year-old browser, and "replies" don't post correctly.My previous post was a REPLY to a comment that AnandTech should not do articles like this, and they are merely posting a huge advertisement.
Sorry the context was lost, but seriously, I think the computers at work are powered by steam. Can you spell Internet Explorer 8? Sheesh.
Chaser - Wednesday, December 10, 2014 - link
I'm typing this on the Logitech G910 mechanical keyboard. Best keyboard I have ever used by a landslide.wye43 - Wednesday, December 10, 2014 - link
I spent over 10k $ on a gaming PC, but I never bought any Logitech G crap. Both for keyboards and mouse I went with Microsoft hardware. Simple, high performance and reliable.Logitech only cares about annoying flashy lights and marketing. Thus the purpose of this "tech day". Marketing. Quality is a 2nd class citizen at Logitech.
dj christian - Tuesday, December 16, 2014 - link
Logitech once built good products but not anymore. Although i am pretty satisfied with my Performance MX it is a bit bulky and a bit too heavy.3ogdy - Thursday, January 19, 2017 - link
I don't know. They've been screwing up lately. I've been a fan of their for a long time.First product I got was the Cordless Desktop Navigator. Flawless until I quickly moved my hand from the mouse towards the keyboard to type a cheat code in AoE and forgot about the glass of water placed in between the two.
Next was a Cordless MX Duo. Mouse started double clicking after about 3 years. Keyboard stopped responding.
Bought the X-530. Used. Still works, except the bass volume knob need cleaning.
Bought the X-540. They work just fine.
I have a basic webcam that still works too - even don't I'm not an avid webcam user.
Have the G15 II. Works OK, except "A" has a sluggish return...can't really complain after all these years.
I have the diNovo Edge. It was a dream come true. Works just fine to this day - bought it like..4 years ago. They don't make it anymore.
I bought a couple MX Master mice. I dislike the idiotic side buttons placement, but other than that, they work OK. Admittedly, they're barely a year old.
Damn, forgot about the Formula Vibration Wheel. Old hardware. Still works. The Bluetooth Speaker Adapter is also about 3 years old. Still works.
I bought 2x X210 systems. They sound amazing for the price and work just great after at least 3 years, as far as I can remember. I also have the lower end 2.1 LS21. They still work OK.
Forgot about choosing the Logitech z4i 2.1 over a Speed 7.1. They worked great and still do - what I disliked was kinda fake advertising (dual chamber made the sub driver look bigger than it actually was) -the sound was great - sometimes it would have a small screech at max volume, but nothing big - great quality for sure. I don't know what's up with Logitech that they don't make such amazing products anymore...maybe I've been lucky so far, but I for one will continue to go for the Logitech quality as long as these issues don't show up as often as people make it seem.
3ogdy - Thursday, January 19, 2017 - link
Jesus Christ...I even forgot about the EX110. Mouse is dead because of my fault, but the keyboard is in great shape and works like new. (surprising how this was supposed to be lower end than the Cordless Desktop Navigator (white and black as I've had both versions) and I believe it's outlasted them both).How about an EDIT BUTTON. Can't correct spelling mistakes, sorry.