Recently, Logitech asked us to try out their latest accessories for Mac users – the Logitech MX Master 3 mouse and the new Logitech Lift for Mac. Both offer Mac users ergonomically designed input devices with some major differences depending on your needs. Both can be easily paired to up to 3 devices and both offer some level of customization – so, which one is right for you?
Logitech Lift for Mac Tech Specs
- Sensor Type: Logitech Advanced Optical Tracking
- Dpi range: 400-4000 dpi (Fully adjustable with 100DPI increments)
- Nominal value: 1000 DPI
- Number of Buttons: 6 (Left/Right-click, Back/Forward, Middle button, Scroll-wheel with a middle click button)
- Battery type: 1x AA battery (included)
- Battery life: up to 24 months
Giving Your WFH Setup a Lift
Yes, puns aside, that’s exactly what the Logitech Lift for Mac does – it provides an ergonomic lift to your daily grind. As a fully remote worker, I spend an unhealthy amount of time at my desk – it’s how I make my money, it’s how play (hobbies), and how I stay in touch with my friends and family. The Lift for Mac helps keep my wrists from cramping over long periods of use and forces me to maintain a better posture while I work.
One of the things that instantly stood out for me was the height of my hand while using the mouse. Having long been accustomed to using a traditionally designed mouse – i.e., one that lays flat on a surface with your hands arched over it – the Lift felt a bit odd at first. Its input buttons being curved and to the side of the device required a little retraining of the hand as my instinct was to try to force my fingers into a position that they were most familiar with. After about a day or so of use, this quickly became a thing of the past -my hand felt far more comfortable in a resting position and when faced with tedious/repetitive tasks, the Lift for Mac just melted away into my subconscious. If there’s anything to be said about good design, it’s that it should naturally meld with your daily life and not stand out.
The Logitech Lift for Mac also gets additional points for its customizability. Thanks to the optional Logi Options+ software, you’re able to customize your Lift for Mac to work with some pretty essential software. With the Logi Options+ software, I was able to bring remote control features to my Teams calls/meetings and even assign keyboard shortcuts to editing software like Adobe Photoshop.
By no means does the Lift for Mac have nearly as many options as the MX Master 3S, but most people looking for a mouse like this one would be willing to sacrifice some of those customization options for a mouse that travels a little easier. Overall, this mouse is perfect for the desk jockey that likes having more control at the palm of their hand without sacrificing portability – 4 out of 5.
Logitech MX Master 3S for Mac Tech Specs
- Sensor Type: Darkfield high precision
- Dpi range: 200 to 8000 DPI (can be set in increments of 50 DPI)
- Number of Buttons: 7 buttons (Left/Right-click, Back/Forward, App-Switch, Wheel mode-shift, Middle-click)
- Wireless technology: Bluetooth Low Energy Technology
- Wireless operating distance: 10 m (32.8 ft) Battery
- Rechargeable Li-Po (500 mAh) battery – up to three hours of use from a one-minute quick charge
All the Bells and Whistles and Some Extras on Top of That
I spend my day editing photos, working in Illustrator, and editing videos. I also spend a lot of time in spreadsheets and, of course, on the internet. Having said all that, I’m still not close to utilizing all of the features available in the Logitech MX Master 3S for Mac. If my SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless mouse was my idea of a solid compromise between high customization and sized-to-travel, the MX Master 3S for Mac is a no-compromises workhorse of a mouse. It’s large with just the right amount of heft, but more importantly, there are buttons on buttons and scroll wheels on the top and side of the device. Just about every button or wheel can be configured to your liking. The overall design remains the same for the MX Master Series – it’s a well-designed input device with deep grooves that allow your hand to fall naturally and without causing strain when used over longer periods. I like to think I have average-sized hands, and never did the mouse feel too big (as is the case with many ergonomic mice) or the buttons too cramped – hitting the goldilocks zone of ergonomic design. My wife, who has smaller hands, also liked how comfortable the mouse felt but didn’t care for the size compared to her Apple Magic Mouse.
As someone that’s been using Spaces on Mac since it became available, having the ability to press the bottom side button (the little fin), and drag to quickly switch between Spaces is a far better experience than anything, I had on my Aerox 3. Once again, the Logi Options+ software makes programming custom functions into your mouse a ton easier than any of the other options available now.
You’re somewhat limited to which applications can take full advantage of this customization. Still, I’m neither a programmer nor do I have the time to learn how to program my mouse for some pretty common applications. That’s really what I love about the MX Master 3S – aside from the aesthetics and how everything matches up quite nicely with my desk – the ability to get a highly customized experience without having to learn the intricacies of programming each function into applications like FinalCut, or Adobe’s Creative Cloud Suite. Tools should help me get my work done faster, not add another layer of work; for that, the MX Master 3S for Mac gets a 4.5/5.
Pricing and Availability
Both the Logitech Lift for Mac and the Logitech MX Master 3S for Mac are available now and can be had for $79 and $99, respectively.
