Logitech's MX Master 4 mouse buzzes with haptic feedback but lacks lefty love

Ergonomic, feature-packed, and still right-handed only

(Right) Hands On Logitech has unveiled its latest MX Master mouse, filled with impressive new productivity features, including an added button and haptic feedback. However, like most mice on the market, it's right-handed only.

The device in question is the MX Master 4 mouse, which is a delight to use. As with its predecessor and others in Logitech's range, it is ergonomically sculpted and fits a user's hand. However, in a step backward, most of the body lacks the soft-touch, rubberized plastic we saw on the MX Master 3 and 3S.

Logitech MX Master

Initially, the MX 4 looks more like an evolution of what came before, the MX 3S. The left and right mouse buttons both curve around the device and the mouse wheel, providing more area for fingers. The sidewheel is situated higher, so it now straddles the side and top, and the feet of the mouse are larger, making gliding smoother. As on earlier models, there's a button beneath the mouse wheel to toggle between smooth and ratcheted scrolling, and three buttons are lined up along the side (including the gesture control button, which was annoyingly hidden under the thumbrest on earlier models)

Size-wise, the MX Master 4 measures 5 x 3.5 x 2 inches (128 x 88 x 51 mm) and weighs 0.33 pounds (150 g). The rechargeable battery is 650 mAh, and it is compatible with various operating systems via Bluetooth. For those who want a slightly faster or longer-range connection that standard Bluetooth, there's also a Logi Bolt USB receiver that plugs into a spare USB-C port (it's now USB-C instead of Type A). There is nowhere to store the USB dongle in the mouse itself, but considering that the mouse has three wireless profiles and works well over Bluetooth, you don't really need to carry it around.

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Clicking is 90 percent quieter than on the MX Master 3, according to Logitech, and signal strength has - we're told - been doubled. The 8,000 dpi sensor is more than adequate for productivity tasks (although gamers might scoff at it), and a full charge provides around 70 days of use. A one-minute quick charge is equivalent to three hours of use.

However, the star of the show this time is the haptic feedback. Located under the user's thumb is a rubberized panel that vibrates as the user interacts with supported apps, of which there aren't many at launch. Some Adobe products are on the list, such as Photoshop and Lightroom. Receiving a nudge from the mouse when a snap-to-grid event occurs, for example, is useful, yet the addition feels more like a gimmick at present. More software vendors need to embrace the technology to prove its usefulness.

The haptic panel also has a button that launches Logitech's Active Ring, a circle of customizable shortcuts that appears on the desktop when pressed. Logitech reckons that using the shortcuts will save 33 percent of a user's time and reduce repetitive mouse movements by 63 percent. Your mileage will definitely vary depending on how much you buy into Logitech's view of the world.

Running behind the scenes is Logi Options+, which allows a user to configure almost every aspect of the mouse, including what the gesture controls should do and the strength of the haptic feedback. The stronger the feedback, the shorter the battery life.

Logitech sent us the business version to look at; hardware-wise, the consumer version is identical.

From an enterprise standpoint, there is a lot to like about this device, but one caveat. It is an excellent mouse. One of the best – provided its styling isn't off-putting. The gestures, configurable buttons, side scroll wheel and powerful software will all boost productivity. However, organizations need to have different options for left-handed users.

The lack of lefty support is not a new phenomenon. and Logitech is not the only device maker to eschew southpaws for some of its hardware, but after multiple iterations of the MX Master it is becoming difficult to overlook.

We asked Logitech why, and it told us: "At Logitech, we aim to help people work smarter and live better. Developing a left-handed MX Master mouse requires significant investments, and we prioritize projects that benefit the widest range of users. While a dedicated left-handed version of the MX Master 4 is not available, it is also not part of our current roadmap."

"To support left-handed users, we've focused on innovative solutions in our mid-range portfolio, ensuring accessibility while continuing to improve product offerings across categories. We remain committed to creating tools that meet the diverse needs of our community."

Logitech does provide devices for left-handers, like the Lift mouse.

The MX Master 4 is a great mouse with appealing features, and will be a productivity boost to users willing to put in the time to configure it. Users running applications that take advantage of the haptics will also benefit.

Those who own an MX Master 3 or 3S probably don't need to upgrade, unless they really want to try the haptics. But for others, the MX Master 4's combination of ergonomics, scroll wheel feel, side scroll wheel, customizable buttons, and powerful software is hard to beat . . . as long as you're right handed. ®