G9x Detailed Features

It's difficult to name many gaming mouse devices with nearly as many features listed in the Logitech G9x up to this point. The real kicker is that Logitech's G9x is a plug-and-play laser mouse offers integrated onboard memory for retaining sensitivity profiles without being fully dependent on supplemental software. With the onboard memory and an enhanced SetPoint configuration panel, the G9x mouse allows you to configure the mouse to your liking - and then store those settings for when you take your game on the road. For true plug-and-play performance, you can save up to five profiles in the onboard memory system. Then, no matter whose PC you’re on, your mouse will work the way you want it to. This is especially handy at commercial LAN-party environments, where you may not always have the same computer.

The G9x gaming mouse offers a weight-tuning system that accommodates your needs as a gamer. Logitech's G9x weight-tuning system allows up to four precision weight units to be added for fine-tuning the G9x to your unique style of play. Some gamers like a mouse with more heft; something that feels substantial with more control. Others (like me) prefer a lightweight mouse, especially gamers who skate over the mousing surface and lift their mouse often. A lighter mouse can offer more speed and lessen fatigue for these gamers.

Just pop the grip off to reveal the spring-loaded inset weight cartridge. To release the cartridge, just push it in and it pops out. Insert the weights you want and push the cartridge back in. There are four 7-gram weight units, and another four 4-gram units included with the kit. Adding or subtracting just a few grams can change the gaming experience substantially. With weight tuning, you get the feel best suited to your individual style of play. Additional weights are available from Logitech's Replacement Parts website. (Logitech developed the first-ever weight tuning system for mice for the G5 Laser Mouse, released in August 2005.)

Logitech's G9x has the capability to store up to five mouse profile settings within the onboard memory. However, when you use the Logitech SetPoint software, you can save additional profiles onto a local drive (such as a USB flash drive) and swap them in and out of the mouse on demand. You can configure and store the following settings:

• DPI Sensitivity level (200-5700 DPI)
• Separate X and Y axis sensitivity
• Button mapping assignments
• Angle snapping functionality
• Keyboard macros assignable to mouse buttons DPI settings (DPI levels, number of DPI levels)
• LED colors (choose from a broad color spectrum)
• Report rate (125-1000 reports/second)

Out of the box, the G9x includes three pre-configured onboard profiles groups that come loaded into the mouse's onboard memory: General, Gaming and Productivity. Unfortunately, the 5700 DPI cannot be used without the SetPoint software to initially configure the setting to one of the pre-existing profiles or a unique profile. Fortunately, if desired users can remove the software immediately after they customize settings and save them to G9x. The following chart differentiates key setting among the three factory default profiles:

The productivity setting is a good choice for non-gaming applications, such as word processing or spreadsheet. The gaming profile reports its position 1,000 every second, essential for high-precision operations. Use SetPoint to create and edit profiles, and then download them to the G9x mouse. If you use your mouse on another PC or remove SetPoint, you can choose to have that PC recognize your stored custom profiles or reinitialize the mouse to its factory defaults. It should be noted that there are a few special settings work only while SetPoint is running, such as speed/acceleration and scroll wheel settings. If you move your mouse to another PC not running SetPoint, the new PC will run the profiles stored on your onboard memory.

The Logitech G9x provides large, super-slick, precision-molded Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) resin gamer-grade mouse feet to minimize friction and provide smooth gliding over virtually any mousing surface. Large PTFE feet assure extra-smooth mouse movement, which is critical for heavy-handed users like me. The feet are user-replaceable, which is nice since you don't want a high-end item like this to become disposable when the feet eventually wear thin.

For easy replacement, a small groove adjacent to each foot allows gamers to pop it out with a small screwdriver. Replacement feet are supposed to be available for purchase directly from Logitech's replacement parts website, but as of July 2010 they were unavailable. Don't fret, though, because after three years of daily use with the original Logitech G9 the mouse feet appear to have many more years of life left to them.

Additionally, the durable low-friction braided cord on the G9x is made especially for full-speed USB capabilities. The braided outside covering enhances durability and simultaneously helps to reduce the possibility of cord snags - a real problem with traditional, rubberized cord coverings. It's worth noting that I did notice the braided cord likes to pick up dust that may be on the desk/table surface, so it may need an occasional wipe-down to look sharp.

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