Logitech G309 LightSpeed impressions: a lot to like for the price

There are two ways manufacturers usually offer what is perceived as a “mid-range” product: they either take an entry-level one and improve it in several ways or they modify a high-end one in such a way that it can be built and sold at a lower price. The second approach is often the most effective one for companies and consumers alike, as improvements in manufacturing processes over time allow for advanced features to be implemented in more attractively priced products.

That is exactly what Logitech did with the G309 LightSpeed, the company’s latest mainstream gaming mouse that yours truly has been using for the past few weeks and can offer his thoughts on.

At first glance, the G309 does not seem like much because of its nice but ordinary design: other Logitech G mouse models look more interesting, modern, aggressive even, but this one goes for simple elegance instead – which some consumers may actually prefer, despite it not being… well, gamery enough for others. Its build quality definitely punches above its weight, though, as its premium materials and overall feel are usually offered by much more expensive gaming mice. It’s not as big as other gaming mice tend to be, but its symmetrical shape and tight grip mean that most people will find it comfortable to play and work with.

Speaking about weight, at under 70 grams the Logitech G309 is unbelievably, almost suspiciously light – but there’s a reason for that: it is one of the most recent models supporting PowerPlay, the company’s charging mat that keeps them charged wirelessly at all times. PowerPlay seems well-made and clearly handy (yours truly has not tested it yet) but it does cost an additional $120 to purchase, so the G309’s ability to also work with one AA battery is obviously a good thing – as is the fact that it adds less than 20 grams to the overall weight of the mouse. Not the lightest around anymore, but light enough for all use cases (including cutting-edge PC games).

Logitech claims that a single AA battery is enough for around 300 hours of G309 use when taking advantage of its excellent LightSpeed wireless communication tech or around 600 hours when it’s operating over Bluetooth. Yours truly can confirm that, in real-world use, it comes very close to that, as he’s only had to swap the first battery out for a new one once in two months while working and gaming for many, many hours daily (obviously over Bluetooth in the former use case and LightSpeed in the latter).

Some people may prefer their mouse to also support wired operation, which the G309 does not – but this was a conscious decision on Logitech’s part that makes sense in the context of more attractive pricing, PowerPlay compatibility and the cordless freedom most consumers seem to like.

So far, so good for a gaming mouse costing less than 80 dollars (it can be found for even less in flash sales yours truly has come across), but the real reason the G309 impresses is not its high build quality or satisfactory battery life. It’s rather the performance on offer, which is stellar: see, this particular model sports Logitech’s Hero 25K sensor found in many of the company’s Pro, e-sports gaming mice, so its speed and level of precision are excellent. That sensor, coupled with advanced tracking and the impressively low latency of the LightSpeed wireless connectivity tech itself, is able to deliver the kind of premium experience usually associated with professional, competition-focused gear.

The G309 also impresses when it comes to other features specifically related to gaming. The switches under its main buttons, for instance, are extremely responsive and their clicking is as satisfying as their sound is pleasing. There are six configurable buttons on the mouse – hardcore PC gamers focusing on specific genres like e.g. MOBA or RTS would have appreciated a few more, but that crowd usually goes for more expensive gaming mice anyway – and Logitech’s free G-Hub software makes setting each one up in different ways a breeze. The same software can assign complex macros to specific button presses and help consumers keep up to 5 configuration profiles in the device’s onboard storage.

There’s just one thing yours truly would consider a potential weakness of this product: the mouse wheel does not support free scroll. It’s only important for productivity, but it’s not unreasonable to expect that many people will use the G309 for that too. Other than that, though, it’s clear that Logitech has accomplished something noteworthy here: it’s basically offering a pro-grade gaming mouse at mainstream pricing by carefully cutting a few corners and focusing on what matters most. This may be the ideal choice right now for consumers tired of cheap, simple mouse models built for general use and feel ready for their first real gaming mouse.

For PC gamers with higher expectations and deeper pockets, Logitech promotes other such models in its ever-expanding line. But for mainstream gamers that want a taste of what high-quality pro gear feels like in use and need to have that for a fair price, the G309 delivers.