Review: Logitech Cube
With an endless sea of ergonomic shapes, fancy LEDs, strangely misplaced buttons, sizes and oddly unnecessary features, the world of computing mice is filled with options to satisfy anybody from the hardcore gamers to soccer moms. The Logitec Cube has its own niche. Lightweight, simple, elegant, and economical, this is a mouse suited most for travel and Powerpoint presentation.
Presented in well, a cube as the name suggests, this rectangular mouse has some features one would not expect from a normal travel mouse. Relying on touch and orientation, the Cube is simply a highly presentable portable mouse that isn’t just for squares (Sorry, but I had to use that one at least once).
Design:
Most retailers will advertise mice as ergonomically designed to cradle the palm and create less tension on pressure points, which reduces hand cramping and reduces the chance of carpel tunnel. The Cube has something different in mind. Honestly, this mouse is not very comfortable to use over a period of two+ hours. As for gaming, forget about it.
With its main feature being its size and portability, the Cube dominates all competitors in its genre. The Cube also has a very comfortable grip that prevents unwanted finger sliding on every side. Right and left clicking was a bit awkward as the left click is in the middle of the mouse, but for simple things such as surfing the web, we found this very comfortable.
This mouse really capitalizes on scrolling. Effortless scrolling just by moving your finger from front to back is definitely a huge plus on this mouse and seems to be one of our favorite features with this model.
As a presentation tool, it’s effective but uses a slightly odd system to advance slides. To advance slides, you click the front mouse button in normal mode. To skip back, you don’t right-click but instead flip the Cube upside-down and perform the same left-click, just with the button on the underside. It works well in this mode; however, there’s no way to move the cursor, so don’t expect a full air pointer replacement. We would have liked to see gyroscopic movement.
Battery:
Battery life on this mouse is superb, lasting 50+ hours on a single charge. The lithium-ion battery is high quality and is easily charged through a provided extremely short micro-usb chord. A small LED indicator color coordinated green (high), orange (medium), red (low) is at the back of the mouse next to the power switch.
Software:
No additional software is provided or needed with this mouse, plug and play capabilities and internal drivers provide everything necessary for the cube to operate will full functionality with both Windows and Mac.
Presentation and Accessories:
The mouse comes with a convenient carrying case and a tiny USB attachment. One thing I would have liked to see is a small compartment in the case for the USB. When throwing it into my backpack or laptop case, I always seem to have problems locating it among the empty cans of Redbull and Funyuns wrappers.
Final Verdict:
The Cube is obviously most suited for Mac users. With a color-coordinated design and having one main front click-able button, it screams of Macbook. Although it occupies a USB port, it is indeed one of the most compact mice on the market with the best portable battery life, hands down. It’s best points have to go to presentation, charm, and class. While your home desktop mouse may feel like that pair of loafers aged just right, the Cube is best compared to the dress shoes you force yourself into when heading out to a meeting, wedding, or that first highly awkward dinner with your Asian girlfriend’s parents (that would be me).
Grade: B
Price: $69.99
