Logitech MX Master 3S review: the perfect productivity mouse

I came from the PC gaming world, so when I got the MX Master 3S in the mail, it reminded me immediately of a buttoned-up version of the Logitech G502. It sheds the extra side buttons for a side-scrolling wheel while keeping the thumb rest.

But if you’ve seen the MX Master 3, you’ve seen the 3S. It’s nearly identical in terms of design and aesthetics. That’s not a bad thing, at all. The ridged thumb rest gives just a hint of interest, and there’s just enough chrome in the scroll wheels to make it stand out. The white version that I reviewed is perfectly minimalist and would fit into just about any office setting without a problem.

Just don’t expect a major shakeup or refresh here if you’re coming from older models in the line. But as someone with limited experience with the predecessor, I was able to appreciate the MX Master 3S’ approach to ergonomics and design with fresh eyes. Hopefully, that’ll help those of you who are new to the line or to high-end wireless mice in general.

The MX Master 3S’ shell is coated in a rubber finish, one of the few negative things I have to say about this mouse. The white paint on the mouse attracts dirt like a magnet and I’m a clean individual — I promise! I’m sure isopropyl alcohol would clean it up well enough.

When I first rested my hand on the mouse, I immediately felt like Logitech designed it with me in mind. I have very large hands, but the width of the mouse (84.3mm) is perfect for me, making it a pleasure to use over long periods of work. Furthermore, the ergonomics of the thumb rest have done wonders for the health of my hands.

The Logitech MX Master 3S is unlike any other mouse I’ve used before and that’s for one reason: the side scroll wheel found just above the back and forward buttons for your thumb. It can be remapped, but its default setting is horizontal scrolling — and I love it. I work in talent acquisition during the daytime, so I’m always sifting through Excel spreadsheets, which can be huge.

However, the MX Master 3S’ side scroll wheel allowed me to sift through the spreadsheets quickly, and I wish more mice had this feature. On top of that, the regular scroll can skim past 1,000 lines per-second thanks to Logitech’s MagSpeed Electromagnetic scrolling technology and can spin on its own or notched. It’s a massive boon to productivity.

There’s also a gesture button that’s embedded within the thumb rest itself. This one is less helpful in my experience. It feels a bit like pressing the increase speed button on a treadmill. The gestures baked into the MX Master allow you to activate the start menu by pressing the gesture button and pushing the mouse forward. Personally, I find the gestures to be a bit much, but they are there and can be remapped via Logitech Options.

The switches on the MX Master 3S are what you’d expect from a productivity mouse: silent. While the switches are silent, the clicks never felt mushy or unpleasant to use and I’m sure my co-workers are happier, too. The Quick Click switches are actually one of the few new features of the MX Master 3S — and while I can confirm how quiet they are, I didn’t have the MX Master 3 on hand to do a direct comparison.

The sensor within the MX Master 3S is Logitech’s own Darkfield high precision and works very well, even without a mouse pad. There isn’t anything bad about this sensor, as it can reach 8,000 DPI, which is respectable for a non-gaming mouse. That’s up from the 4,000 on the previous model.

Coming from the world of gaming mice, though, the MX Master 3S’ weight of 141 grams felt heavy at first, especially with the mediocre skates underneath. Because this is a Logitech mouse with a good DPI and sensor (and because, why not?), I wanted to test it out in a game. Call of Duty: Vanguard finally got a round-based zombies mode, so I knew I needed to give it a shot with the MX Master 3S in hand.

As I thought it would be, this mouse is too heavy and the switches feel bleak when gaming. However, it wasn’t unusable and I got to round 37, which is decent for me. I even managed to find a sweet spot of 1,600 DPI, and the DPI can be adjusted in increments of 50. So, unless you use a DPI over 8,000, you’ll be fine. Obviously, this isn’t intended for the sole purpose of gaming, but it’s good to know for those who might want to use it for some gaming on the side.

The MX Master 3S is also a champ when it comes to battery life. When we reviewed the Razer Pro Click, we were impressed by its 16-day battery life. However, Logitech has dropped the mic and dabbed on Razer by giving the MX Master 3S a 500mAh battery, which will last 70 days.

That 70-day battery life is when fully charged, but even more impressively, just one minute of charging can give you three hours of usage. Honestly, the battery on this mouse goes above and beyond; I use it religiously at work, and I don’t even bother bringing the USB-C cable to charge with me anymore. It’s to the point where I would’ve been fine with 35 days of battery life if that meant a few grams less weight.

The Logitech MX Master 3S is fantastic and is undoubtedly the most comfortable mouse I have ever used. I wish it was a tad lighter, sure, and that the white model didn’t pick up dirt so easily. But if you’re in the market for a decently priced productivity mouse, you cannot go wrong. 

Are there alternatives?

Somewhat. The MX Master 3 can sometimes be found for a bit cheaper, and there are only slight differences between the two. If you find it at a discount, there’s little reason to not get it.

Another option is the Razer Pro Click, which goes toe-to-toe with the Master, but lacks a side-scrolling wheel and is still $100.

How long will it last?

Logitech’s product page for the MX Master 3S promises one year. I can guarantee it’ll last way longer, but the rubber coating may not. I keep the MX Master 3S in my backpack with me, as I bring it to work every day, and after numerous hours of use and flopping around in my bag, it’s still good to go.

Should you buy it?

Yes. The Logitech MX Master 3S is the perfect mouse for productivity, especially for those using Excel spreadsheets. 

Editors’ Recommendations