Customer Reviews

Logitech V450 Nano Cordless Laser Mouse for Notebooks (Red)

5 star:		(217)
4 star:		(40)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

This mouse is awesome! Please see my similar review for the silver one, with different details.

Got the silver one for my wife to match her new Dell Laptop. Vista recognized it immediately! She has used it as a hand held 'clicker' for advancing some PowerPoint persentations she gave. The left button advanced the slides and the wheel allowed her to scroll back or forward in the presentation (without having it on a tabletop).

I got the black one for use with my laptop, XP recognized it immediately. I have used this now for about a month, couple hours every day. There is a small button on the bottom to 'turn off the mouse' next to the button is a green led which will slowly fade out when it is turned off. The green LED on the top will light up as soon as my laptop boots up and it senses the wireless connection. When the PC goes to sleep, so does the mouse! As soon as the PC wakes up, the mouse comes back to life.

We are both very satisfied with this mouse and HIGHLY recommend it to others.

I use my macbook heavily at work and I bought the V450 because I wanted a way to prevent excessive trackpad wear and to navigate a little more effectively than a trackpad allows. The mouse rocks. It feels solid in my hands, tracks wonderfully even over the wrinkles in the sheets on my bed, and has had no WIFI interference to date. It's not too big that you can't take it traveling and yet it's not so small that usage is difficult. Really, it's the perfect size. The micro transmitter thingy is really a brilliant invention, and it was equally innovative to make the mouse hibernate when it senses that you've stowed the transmitter within the battery compartment. Also, the scroll wheel's three clicking functions work great with exposé on my mac.

Cons: I wish Logitech had made the scroll wheel a little more robust feeling. It's satisfactory, but it feels a little cheepy when you scroll (the model up from the V450 fixes this but Logitech should really put the nicer wheel on all their mice). The side to side click functions of the scroll wheel work nicely but the wheel's downward click function feels very stiff. Still, it's a super great mouse and I don't regret the purchase in the least.

The V450 Nano is a nice mouse, but please consider the Logitech VX Nano Cordless Laser Mouse for Notebooks even though it costs a few dollars more.

In addition to everything the V450 Nano does, the VX adds:

Hyperfast scrolling. Once I started using it, click scrolling felt like stepping back to the dark ages. If it turns out that you don't like hyperfast scrolling, the VX Nano has click scrolling, too.

Programmable buttons. I feel disoriented when I use a mouse without them. For example, I use Firefox as my browser and often have many tabs open at once. I have the button behind the scroll wheel programmed to generate a Ctrl-W, which closes the current tab without having to move to the keyboard or click on the white X in the red box.

THE QUICK EVALUATION

The Nano offers the convenience of cordless mouse operation to any computer (laptop OR desktop) that can spare a USB port. It performs flawlessly on any solid surface I've tested it so far. Its size is a little smaller than what I would consider a 'regular' size mouse.

Other notable features include: quick and easy plug-and-play setup (no disk), 1 year+ claimed battery life, the ability to mount a hook on a laptop lid to dock the mouse, extended features and customization can be achieved by downloading and installing Logitech software.

If what you need is a cordless mouse, it can't get much better than this.

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THE EXTENDED EVALUATION

Contents:
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What you get is the mouse itself, the small receiver that plugs into a USB port, a customized USB extension wire that allows you to have the receiver on the desk if the mouse is used with a desktop computer, 2 AA batteries, a mouse docking kit so that the mouse can be carried with the laptop and a glossy, multiple-languages setup/troubleshooting/dock mounting-removing quick reference sheet. There's also a small tin case that includes the mouse dock mounting/removal kit.

Mechanics/ergonomics:
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As I stated above, the mouse is a bit smaller than 'normal' size. It feels smallish in my hands (I am 6'2") but it may feel just right to most users. Form-wise, it's as perfect as it can be for a 2-button/wheeled mouse.

A plastic overlay (the black part in the silver and black mouse) can be easily removed to allow for batteries insertion and, surprisingly, to allow for the storage of the small USB receiver inside the mouse body when not plugged into the computer.

The mouse is expected to turn itself off when 'on the hook'. I did not install the dock and I can't tell whether it would reliably turn itself back on when off the hook. For those like me who don't care about the docking option, there is an on/off button on the bottom of the mouse. A small LED shows when the mouse is on by turning itself on.

The scroll wheel should offer the capability of adjusting the scrolling speed. I confess that I could not tell the difference. The up/down scrolling seemed to be 'quick' before and after pressing down on the wheel.

I tested the wireless capabilities with the mouse up to 20 feet away from the computer and the mouse operated as expected. Given that the mouse communicates with the USB receiver through radio waves (line of sight not needed) it is not clear to me why the USB extension cord is provided.

Logitech is very proud for providing the ability to dock the mouse on a laptop's lid. I did not take advantage of this feature and I am not planning to do so in the future. If interested in this feature, I suggest that you check other reviews that discuss it.

Customization:
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I STRONGLY recommend that all who purchased this mouse goes to the Logitech site (it's Logitech dot com slash download) and install the SetPoint software. SetPoint adds A LOT of functionality. By the way, anyone can download the software - no need to actually have a mouse - so, if you want to see what you can do with your mouse before actually buying it, do install SetPoint and see what's available. Briefly, these are the advantages of SetPoint running on your computer - again, I am using the mouse on a Vista Enterprise laptop and some features may be specific to this operating system.

- Swap the 2 buttons
- The little button behind the scroll wheel that's inactive without SetPoint can be used to switch applications (see the image I posted for Vista), as a third button, zoom, auto-scroll, play/pause, mute, a specific keystroke assignment...
- Tilting the scroll wheel right/left would do left/right scroll by default but it can be set to back/forward, previous/next, cruise up/down, even to specific keystroke assignments. Oh, and these can be done for 'all apps' or specific settings can be applied to an expandable list of specific applications - i posted an image showing the buttons setup first screen.
- Mouse movement can be customized for speed, acceleration, pointer trails and so on.
- A special 'gaming' setup is available and there is a 'game detection' option that can be activated - see the image I posted, showing the 'gaming' setup screen.
- Scrolling can be customized for acceleration on the vertical and horizontal AND for specific applications, if desired.
- SetPoint can also show the battery charge level. Right now, it claims that my battery is going to last for another 547 days. We shall see.

One note for Vista users. Once installed, SetPoint does NOT run by simply clicking on it. To run it, you must right-click and pick 'run as administrator'.

Conclusion:
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This is a wireless mouse well-suited for either a laptop or a desktop computer. I am VERY happy with it and, in fact, I'm not the only one in our household who feels this way :) - it may end up with one of my kids, eventually. The positives for this mouse are:

- Trouble-free operation.
- Easy initial setup.
- Customizable and feature-rich.
- Well designed.

As far as 'concerns' - and they are not necessarily 'negatives':

- It should be understood that this is NOT a Bluetooth device. Not being a Bluetooth device makes the setup and moving from one computer to another a lot easier (no need for pairing) but the receiver WILL take over a USB port so one should be mindful of this.
- The USB receiver small size makes it convenient for using it with laptops but it also increases the risks that one might lose it. The 'storage inside the mouse' when not in use is 'a solution' and it may reduce the risks of losing it but not everyone may feel comfortable with taking their mouse apart repeatedly.
- The on/off button on the bottom of the mouse is an interesting solution but, I bet, I will not always remember to turn off my mouse after done with using it - in fact, I just realized that I've had the mouse on since this morning.
- I still don't understand the need for the USB extension chord but, it's just an extra. It does not hurt anything.

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Note: I do understand the need for the USB extension chord now. This is a good thing. If someone wants to use the mouse on a laptop AND on a desktop and the desktop's USB ports are located at the back of the desktop, the extension chord provides the convenience of easily moving the little radio receiver from the desktop to the laptop without having to crawl under the desk every time one wants to move it. This is VERY useful, absent a USB port multiplexer and it was very thoughtful of Logitech to provide it.
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Overall, this is a 4.75 star product that easily rounds up to a 5-star.

Just bought this mouse at Staples for $30 (on sale). This mouse works perfectly with my new MacBook. Nano receiver is virtually non-existent plugged in on the side. Originally, I wanted to buy a Bluetooth mouse, but after hours of research, I learned of a few Bluetooth shortcomings (which I think one should keep in mind):

1. Bluetooth saps mouse batteries --> Battery life for most Bluetooth mice is <3 months.
2. Occasional loss of connectivity --> Particularly when waking up your computer from sleep/screensaver.
3. Relatively more expensive --> With no real gain in functionality over traditional wireless receivers.

This Logitech V450 mouse feels solid and fits nicely in the palm of my average-sized hand. You don't realize how important it is to have a mouse that at least meets your palm until you start using a smaller or flatter mouse for a long time. (The VX Nano didn't quite "cup" my palm - it was too flat, and more expensive.)

Laser tracking on this V450 is dead on, even on my textured comforter cover. Mouse movements are smoother and more responsive than my current MS Intellimouse Explorer 2.0 (optical). Mouse buttons have a responsive, quiet click. Scroll wheel is easy to roll with soft, shallow ratcheting (no loud or coarse clicks, like on cheaper mice). Scrolling can be very fast, depending on your system settings.


PROS:
-Nano receiver (2.4 GHz) is really small (preserves sleek look of your laptop, no awkward "dongle")
-Ergonomic mid-size mouse, with simple design
-Battery life ~12 months
-On/Off button
-Very smooth and responsive laser tracking
-Runs on AA batteries x 2 (easily replaced)

CONS:
-No extra programmable buttons
-Small for large hands
-No carry case/pouch


SUMMARY: Look no further if you want a practical, portable, high-quality laser mouse for everyday computing that will last up to a year, with a USB receiver so small that you can literally "plug-and-forget" about it. Buying this mouse is a "no brainer" and a real steal at $30 (on sale).

Easy set up. The receiver is tiny enough so as not to get knocked around. I am using it on a windows vista notebook which immediately recognized the device. I did not have to visit the Logitech website or install software/driver from a CD. I replaced a wireless optical mouse with this wireless laser mouse. I did not see a noticeable difference in the movement of the cursor when compared to my older optical mouse. The range has improved significantly (I tried using it from a distance of 15 feet and it worked liked a charm). It seems to work on all surfaces unlike my optical mouse (tried it on the back of my hand and it worked).
It is worth the money for the clutter free receiver. I have had it for a day - so it is too early to comment on the battery life.

When I say pretty nice, I mean it's the best out there, and you'll probably want to get one. No mouse I've tried (many new ones) is actually perfect or even 5-star worthy. Make sure to buy it online as Best Buy sells for $50 today. Mouse shopping is something that needs to be done in the store though to make sure the one you want actually "feels" right.

Pros (important factors for selecting any mouse):
- All buttons work with Linux (as of Ubuntu Intrepid Ibex, as do most these days). They don't all do The Right Thing, but read on...
- Just the right size. Not too large to fit in pack pocket, not too small to make hand uncomfortable.
- Symmetrical. Works fine switching from right to left handed mousing.
- Middle (vertical) scroll button is incremental. Most new mice have a continuous wheel that does not give a tangible feel for having actually gone up or down. Those also suffer from accidental scrolling when you're actually just trying to middle-click.
- Battery life is touted as a year (thanks to laser tech?). If this is true it's a big win. Don't use inferior tech that requires you to be wasting batteries every month (probably true of all the "optical" offerings).
- USB receiver wart is small enough to never have to unplug. The price goes up dramatically for this feature (compare to older model) but it's worth it. Lame pricing strategy though.
- Tilt wheel! This is a very cool alternative to the more expensive/clunky 5+-button mice. No need for extra buttons if the tilt wheel can do browser back/forward. Unfortunately, OSs will by default use the tilts as "horizontal scroll", which is really useless. You need to use "xbindkeys" (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=219894&highlight=logitech+mouse see section 2) to fix this.
- Responsive. No wake-up time AFAICT.
- Don't need a mouse pad. I guess this is another benefit of the "laser" tech.
- On/off feature works well. It even powers itself off when it detects the receiver has been stowed. But since you'll always leave the wart plugged in you'll need to remember to manually switch off the mouse when traveling.
- Cordless. Duh.

Cons:
- Middle button is way too hard to press down for middle-click. That's a huge problem since opening new browser tabs is such a common operation. Also really inconsistent with tilt buttons that are very sensitive.
- Heavy. That's simply the fault of the batteries. Seems like we'd have a really light-weight mouse available today.
- High acceleration default. Other mice I've plugged in have been at expected levels, but this one needed to be slowed way down. Minor nit, easy to fix.

The wife loves this mouse. Installation on her Toshiba M305D-S4831 laptop was a breeze, just plug the receiver into a USB slot, put batteries in the mouse and Vista 64bit found it just fine.

The receiver is so small, I just plugged it in and forgot about it. No having to unplug it to protect it from getting bumped/bent/broken.

Mouse also comes with a USB desktop garage for the receiver. This has a 5 foot cable for those that are using the mouse with a desktop.

Just ditched my V220(the one with the 2 inch dongle) for this on my Mini 9, its slightly larger then the V220, so probably shoulda went with the VX, but this works just fine.

edit-10/30/08
Just stuffed the little nanostik inside my mini via the mods at mydellmini. I really love this mouse. and now I have a freed up port.
11/05/08
I've been using the vx nano at work for a few days now and am glad I purchased this one, the slightly bigger design keeps my hand from fatigue a little longer.

I bought this mouse for my laptop. I had tried several others and were disappointed with the distance and some would not work on all surfaces. This is the best, the distance is great. I have used it up to 10' feet away and it works great on any surface. I leave the small receiver plugged in all the time. The price is a little more then the other ones I tried, but it is well worth the money. Highly recommend this mouse.