Updated on 2015-01-24 (Sat)
My score: 4/5 Stars
Summary: This is an affordable mouse with a neutral design for lefties, righties, and ambidextrous people. The mouse has good capabilities for typical computer programs and for PC games.
This mouse was approximately $30 to $40 (plus tax) as of 2012 May. AS of 2013 April, this mouse is now ~$20.
The mouse offers 1 scroll wheel with 9 buttons. The 9 buttons are highly customizable. You can use the default settings saved in the mouse's internal memory, or you can customize the mouse's settings by downloading and installing Logitech's program called "Logitech Gaming Software".
The mouse has the typical mouse buttons: right click, left click, middle click (i.e., press down the scroll wheel), and scroll wheel. It has an additional 6 buttons on top of the mouse. Two buttons are located to the left side of the left click, 2 buttons are located to the right side of the right click, and 2 buttons are located behind the scroll wheel.
You push downward onto the 6 additional buttons. This downward push means you typically do not move the mouse when you press any of the 6 additional buttons. This is good for keeping the on-screen mouse cursor in a fixed position. Some mice have additional buttons located on the sides of the mouse. This means pressing the side buttons could move the mouse sideways, which moves the on-screen mouse cursor. This is especially true if you repeatedly and quickly press the side button.
If Logitech improves this mouse, then I hope Logitech will keep the ambidextrous design, keep the 6 additional buttons on the top side of the mouse, and add a few more buttons on the sides of the mouse. The side buttons could be used for less important functions.
The program offers 2 modes. The first mode is the simpler mode, and it's saved in the mouse's internal memory. Thus, any settings you make on the mouse is stored in the mouse, and the mouse will/should apply these settings onto any computer it is connected to.
The second mode is a lot more complex, because it offers a lot more customization options, and it's saved on your computer. For example, the first mode or the simpler mode offers 1 profile with 3 sub-profiles. Each sub-profile has its own color, and its own unique commands for each mouse button. You could choose these color for each sub-profile: white (more like grayish white), yellow (more like yellowish light-green), pink, red, light blue, green, blue, or black (no light at all). Thus, you could customize the first sub-profile with a blue color, and give the first sub-profile a unique command for each mouse button to optimize your general computing needs. The second sub-profile could be red for Video Game #1. The second sub-profile's mouse buttons could be given customized commands to enhance your control over Video Game #1. The third sub-profile could be green for Video Game #2. The third sub-profile's mouse buttons could also be given customized commands for Video Game #2.
The second, more complex mode offers (I think) at least 6 profiles, and each profile could have 3 sub-profiles. I'm not sure, because the second mode has too many options for my needs. I barely tested them out. You have a default profile with, what seems to be, at least 5 personal-profiles. You create each personal-profile to operate with a specific program.
Every sub-profile has its color Each mouse button could be given these customized commands: (1) keystroke (a simple keyboard button like "A" or simple keyboard combos like "Ctrl+C"), (2) multikey (complex keyboard combos), (3) text (e.g., pushing mouse button #4 creates whatever text you want), (4) Standard functions (Left Click, Right Click, Middle Click, etc.), (5) media (Play/Pause, Stop, Previous Track, etc.), (6) hotkeys (zoom in, zoom out, close window, etc.), (7) shortcuts (e.g., pushing mouse button #5 opens whatever program you want), (8) functions (e.g., open email, web browser, media player, calculator, or My Computer), and (9) Ventrilo (which is a VOIP program).
A mouse's DPI basically determines how many pixels an on-screen indicator moves when you move the mouse an inch. A larger number for the DPI means the mouse's on-screen indicator (i.e., the moving white arrow you see on your screen) will move a larger distance when you move the mouse a single inch.
The report rate basically determines how frequently the mouse tracks its movements. A larger number for the report rate means the mouse checks its movements more frequently. A fast or high report-rate means the mouse will be able to accurately detect your fast motions. When you quickly move the mouse around, the mouses' on-screen indicator will NOT lag behind your real-life motions.
You could alter the DPI and report rate for each sub-profile. The first, simpler mode offers far less DPI options than the second, more complex mode. You could alter the report rate for each sub-profile (e.g., 125 Hz, 250 Hz, 500 Hz, and 1000 Hz). You typically use 800 DPI and 125 Hz for general computing needs. For first-person-shooter video-games, you usually use 2 DPI settings (a slow one like 200 DPI for high-precision aiming and a medium fast one like 1000 DPI for quickly moving and looking around). For real-time-strategy games, you usually use more or less 600 DPI. Monitors with more pixels (e.g., a monitor with a resolution of 4K) require a mouse with higher DPI options than monitors with less pixels (e.g., a monitor with a resolution of 720p). Video games require a mouse with a maximum report rate (e.g., 1000 Hz). A report rate of 125 Hz to 250 Hz is NOT responsive enough for fast video games like first-person-shooter games and real-time-strategy games, especially if you compete with other gamers.
Even if you are not a video-gamer, you could benefit from this mouse's faster responsive and higher accuracy. I detest the mainstream media's propaganda, thus, I avoid the television and just surf the Internet. With this mouse, I am able to easily surf the Internet at fast speeds. The mouse's on-screen pointer rarely lags behind my quickly moving commands.
Suprisingly, the mouse's single scroll wheel only offers a default option: scroll up and down. The scroll wheel has notched levels. If you use the third mouse button (i.e., Middle Click) to single-click on a website's text or open space, then you will have the option to auto scroll. I don't think this mouse has an option for universal scroll. I prefer universal scroll over auto scroll, but both functions are highly useful for me. Nonetheless, when using Mozilla Firefox, you could still use the middle click to open website links in tabs that are located in the background.
The mouse has a low mass with rubber grips on both sides. It's a small, low-mass mouse, so you should claw-grip the mouse. I think the button layout is excellent, but other reviewers felt the mouse buttons are uncomfortably positioned and the mouse is too small and light. I guess they prefer the palm-grip for mice.
The mouse is an optical mouse and it's wired. I know wireless devices are fashionable right now, but I prefer wired devices. (1) Wired devices usually emit a lot less electromagnetic radiation (EMR) than wireless devices. I'm paranoid about excess radiation from electronic devices or from any emitter. (2) Wired devices do NOT need toxic batteries. (3) Wired devices do not suffer from wireless-signal problems or conflicts with other EMR sources.
The Logitech software, "Logitech Gaming Software," is a bit confusing, but it does come with a thorough Help section. The two modes (simple and complex modes) could interfere with each other's settings. For example, when I entered the second, more complex mode, I switched the right and left buttons. I use my mouse with my left hand. This switch affected the first, simple mode. The Logitech software did NOT notify me about this in any way. The second, more complex mode has too many options, so I did NOT fully test out the second, more complex mode. I prefer using the first, simple mode.
Logitech Gaming software is not fully compatible with both the Windows XP operating system and Logitech SetPoint software. I ran into a very minor compatibility issue when I installed Logitech Gaming software with WinXP and SetPoint. I told Logitech technical support about this, and the tech support confirmed this very minor incompatibility. This incompatibility is NOT a deal breaker in any way. The incompatibility occurs when I boot up Windows XP. My PC will open an Explorer window with this address, "C:\Program Files\Logitech," and this window contains the folders and files for Logitech SetPoint software. The Explorer window could be closed without any problems.
The Logitech Gaming software seems fully compatible with Windows 7 (64-bit version).
After one year of usage, the Logitech G300 mouse began to have a double-click problem with the right button. If I press the right button once, then the mouse will activate the right button twice. Logitech customer support told me that the problem could be due to static or electrical build-up. There is the possibility that the right button's spring system is breaking down. Logitech customer support told me to try holding down the right button for a few seconds while the mouse is unplugged from the PC. This did NOT work. However, I switched the functions of the right button and left button.
In the beginning, I used the mouse with my left hand, thus, the mouse's right button was my main button, and the left button was the secondary button. Due to the button switch, the left button became the main button, and the right button became the secondary button. After a short duration with this button switch, the mouse's double-click problem fixed itself.
Overall, the Logitech G300 mouse has been the best mouse I've ever used.