Logitech MX Master 4

Introduction

The Logitech MX Master 4, as with its predecessors, has been one of the most hotly anticipated office mice in years.

The previous MX Master 3S did a lot of the heavy lifting, with this new version coming with the same 8000 DPI sensor, but there are wholesale changes elsewhere, such as a new outer chassis, the fun of haptic feedback and upgraded connectivity.

For the £119.99/$119.99 price tag, you’d expect it to be the absolute pinnacle of office mice – I’ve been testing it for the last couple of weeks to find out.

Design

• Thoughtful redesign
• Comfortable shape
• Clever button additions

Between the MX Master 3 and MX Master 3S models, Logitech made no real changes to the design and feel of the mouse, although with a properly ‘new’ model, we have seen some noteworthy optimisations to an already excellent shape.

This new version feels even better with more prominent rubber texturing on both the left and right sides, and the main chassis of the mouse is now a grey plastic. This had been requested by some users of the older mice, especially as the rubber coating tended to get immensely shiny and go bad after extended use, so I can see why this has been changed – it’s pleasant to see Logitech having a long-term perspective on the MX Master 4’s design.

For me, it makes this the most comfortable version of the MX Master mice, and the Master 3S was already a lovely option to use. A lot of this is down to the fact that Logitech hasn’t messed with the fundamental shape of the mouse, with it retaining its taller and ergonomically-minded shape that makes it ideal for extended periods. Weight has increased slightly to 150g or so, which means this isn’t going to be a gaming mouse any time soon.

In terms of buttons, we’ve seen the gesture button moved next to the navigation buttons, and the thumb wheel moved up a tad. 

There is also a new button called the Action Ring on the textured portion of the thumbrest, which opens a pop-up menu where you enter into apps and control things such as multimedia controls, taking a screenshot or even locking your PC. It features haptic feedback when you select an option for added responsiveness. It’s a pleasant touch, although I’m not sure how much I’m likely to use it. I’m also not too sure how they’re getting to the answer of it saving you 33% of your time. 

Otherwise, placement is largely standard with two main buttons, a metal MagSpeed scroll wheel and power and pairing buttons on the underside. The front of the unit is home to a USB–C port for charging, although there is still nowhere to store the MX Master 4’s receiver for easy storage, which is a bit of a shame.

Performance

• Zippy, accurate sensor for productivity tasks
• Solid wireless connectivity
• Unchanged battery life is a shame

It’s inside where things haven’t changed much with the MX Master 4. Logitech has stuck with the same tried-and-tested 8000 DPI sensor as the MX Master 3S. This doubled the sensitivity from older models to make for a zippier experience, which has remained with this latest iteration.

This means the MX Master 4 provides a largely familiar experience to its predecessor, with accurate and zippy tracking for productive office duties that I love using. It also has Logitech’s Darkfield tracking to work on surfaces including glass. The physical changes to aid its comfort help to make this a genuinely lovely mouse to use for extended periods with Mac or PC, in my case.

Logitech has retained the dampened Quiet Click mouse buttons for the main two for a tactile feel with much subdued noise, although they are even quieter with this new model, which is a welcome surprise.

The MX Master 4 works on up to three devices at once, switchable with the button on the underside, and connects either via Bluetooth or the Logi Bolt receiver. The Bolt receiver is now USB-C rather than USB-A, and Logitech says it can provide two times better wireless connectivity thanks to an upgraded processor and repositioned antenna inside the mouse. It works through utilising Bluetooth Low Energy over the classical 2.4GHz RF connection for a stronger connection in busier wireless areas. 

Pairing over Bluetooth and using the receiver with my MacBook or PC worked without a hitch, and I even paired it to the new MSI Claw A8 with an external display over USB-C for a classic PC experience, and it worked a charm.

One area I’m surprised that Logitech hasn’t made any improvements in is the mouse’s battery life. They quote the same 70 days and three minute quick charge for a one hour burst as the MX Master 3S. This still means weeks on a charge, although it would have been nice to see some improvement between generations.

Software and Lighting 

• Advanced software customisation with Smart Actions and Action Ring customisation
• No RGB Iighting

Logitech has stuck with its tried-and-tested Options+ software which offers a clean and slick means of customising inputs, changing DPI levels, and so much more besides.

Options+ has become a serious piece of kit in recent times, especially since Logitech added features such as their clever Smart Actions with the last MX Master mouse, which essentially added programmable macros for productivity and business use at the touch of a button. 

The MX Master 4 goes one step further with the addition of its Action Ring and associated programming. With it, you can map an array of quick-access functions to the ring, and download ones for specific apps that you might use a lot from the software’s integrated marketplace.

With it, you can set the mouse up right for things such as Adobe Premiere Pro and Microsoft Excel. There aren’t many third-party apps supported at launch, but Logitech has opened it up to developers who want to integrate their app into the MX Master 4’s clever functionality.

Perhaps given the more professional nature of the MX Master 4, there isn’t any lighting to be found. It isn’t necessarily needed, and probably would have detracted from the classier look of the mouse somewhat.

Should you buy it?

FAQs