Logitech

Logitech

Logitech

Logitech on Monday announced the MX Vertical, the first vertical mouse to come from the popular peripheral maker.

The mouse costs $99.99 and is available to pre-order on Logitech’s website as of Monday. Logitech says it will start shipping the MX Vertical to customers sometime in September.

Like most vertical mice, the MX Vertical is designed to be held as if you’re giving it a handshake rather than draping your hand over the top of it. The click buttons and scroll wheel are located on the right side of the mouse, which Logitech says is sloped at a 57-degree angle. There’s a large thumb rest on the device's concave left side, and the sides themselves have a ridged rubber finish aimed at making the whole thing easier to grip.

The MX Vertical is larger (79×78.5×120 mm) and heavier (135g) than typical mice, but the idea is that contouring the mouse this way makes it easier to keep the wrist and forearm in a straighter and less strained position.

There are two customizable buttons on its left side, along with a button on the aluminum top that is used to adjust pointer speed by default but can also be customized through Logitech’s Options desktop app. You can assign a series of gesture-controlled shortcuts in the app as well; for instance, one option lets you skip tracks in a music app by holding the Fn key and moving the mouse left or right. The scroll wheel is adjustable as well, but it can’t alternate between notched and free-scrolling modes like some of Logitech’s other higher-end mice.

The device connects over USB-C, Bluetooth, or Logitech’s Unifying Receiver USB dongle. You can connect up to six wireless Logitech devices to one receiver, so, if you own a Logitech keyboard already, it’s possible to add the MX Vertical to an existing setup without using any extra ports on your computer. The mouse also supports Logitech’s “Flow” software, which allows it to move between multiple computers without needing to re-pair every time it’s used on another device.

Logitech says the mouse has a resolution of up to 4,000 DPI. As for battery life, the company says the MX Vertical lasts up to four months on a charge and that it can gain three hours of use from one minute of charging.

Some quick hands-on impressions

I’ve used the MX Vertical for the past three days. While it’s too soon for me to say exactly how beneficial it has been for my long-term wrist comfort, my first impressions are generally positive. The mouse is constructed well, and the blend of soft-touch rubber and aluminum feels more premium than your typical lump of plastic. I've had no issues with responsiveness. It’s large enough for me to rest all of my fingers on the mouse itself but not so big that any buttons are out of reach. Logitech’s Options app has been perfectly straightforward for adjusting the mouse’s settings.

I don't normally use vertical mice, so there has been some learning curve—the mouse's relatively large size makes it more important than usual to move with your whole arm rather than using your wrist and risking too much ulnar deviation. But the contours aren't so drastic that they've made my workflow noticeably slower or less natural; you just have to get used to having your fingers rest at an angle.

Does this make the MX Vertical worth $100? That’s harder to say for certain. Vertical mice have certainly gained their fans in recent years, but some studies suggest they actually increase the risk of unnatural wrist extension and slower performance. What's comfortable for my hands may not be for yours. Regardless, the shape of a mouse alone won’t fix a less-than-ideal setup or posture; if you keep your arm below your desk and reach upward, for example, you’re probably bound for wrist pain no matter what.

At a briefing in New York City last week, a Logitech representative pitched the MX Vertical as an alternative to the company’s MX Master 2S, another “ergonomic” mouse that goes for the same price but sports a more traditional convex shape, rather than a comparatively superior product.

The niche design and the fact that some popular vertical mice cost as much as five times less suggest the MX Vertical won't be for everyone. There's no option for predominantly left-handed users, either. But if you’ve got the cash and this kind of design works for you, the MX Vertical seems nice for what it is. We'll have a more detailed review in the near future.

Listing image by Logitech