Customer Reviews

Logitech MX3200 Cordless Desktop Laser (Black)

5 star:		(82)
4 star:		(78)
3 star:		(20)
2 star:		(16)
1 star:		(27)

 

 

------------------- Review edited: May 30, 2006 ----------------------

EDIT: Downrating from 4 to 2 stars.

Reason: Durability and longevity.

Rough timeline:

P = Purchased product
P + 1 month = One key stuck, went away
P + 3 months = A few keys starting to stick
P + 5 months = One button is completely stuck
P + 6 months = Keyboard died completely. No amount of battery changes, receptor/keyboard refreshes, driver reinstallation, etc would bring it back to life. I'm starting to become disenchanted by wireless products. I've already replaced the wireless mouse with a wired one, and I'm debating doing so with the keyboard. I might give Microsoft keyboards a chance.

--------------------- Original review below -------------------------

My girlfriend gave this keyboard to me as a gift set with the HP f2105 monitor (which I have also reviewed). I ended up attaching my laptop to a dock and closing it, and generally use this logitech keyboard and mouse with the monitor.

The mouse is excellent - it is nearly the same as the MX600 laser mouse I used previously, except that it does not have the e-mail and instant messaging buttons that were on the MX600. It has also has a darker tone. The keyboard is great, though it doesn't have as nice of a "spring-back" as some other keyboards. Even so, I think it works excellently. The extra features are, once again, nice to have, though the dynamic search and zoom on the left side is very easy to activate. It is somewhat annoying to have my text zoom to 400% when I merely brush my sleeve across my keyboard. To solve this, I ended up uninstalling SetPoint. Less drivers, less headache. Nyways, who needs all those buttons? They are nice to have and use, but I believe that most people will end up forgetting about them after the first few days of excitement. The glossy black trim along the top, bottom, and left side are very attractive, and while they are fingerprint magnets, I never touch those areas much, so they stay pretty. (My sleeve also helps polish the glossly black finish on the dynamic search and zoom, so I never need to worry about that side).

All in all, a great keyboard, even though I just noticed that the volume down image is slightly off-printed on my keyboard. No biggie. Thanks Amazon Reviews, for helping me find all the previously unnoticed imperfections in my products.

Highly recommended.

I would encourage anyone running Windows Vista to check the Logitech Support Forums or customer FAQ before purchasing. After purchasing this product and installing on a brand new Vista-ready PC I found that the Logitech software disabled system sound. Returning to Amazon, I found this issue documented by another Amazon reviewer. If I had noted this earlier I would have purchased something else or at least held off until this issue was resolved.

I tried to resolve the issue with Logitech Customer Support for almost three weeks with no luck. The other reviewer (Scott Solanik) experienced the same result after working with them for over three weeks. I am assuming that a significant number of the favorable reviews here refer to Windows XP. - Although the keyboard and mouse are nice, I would encourage anyone using Vista to hold off on their purchase until they can confirm that Logitech has a solution for this known issue.

In my case, I simply returned the keyboard.

I have been searching for some time for my perfect wireless keyboard and mouse combo. I have tried a couple, and still, I did not find what I was looking for in a good long term set. The Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 3200 Laser is an excellent choice in terms of features, usability, and quality. It does have some quibbles, but overall, I am very satisfied with my purchase.

The size of the keyboard is great. It has some nice features, and it is not too big because of them. It lays pretty flat, which is nice. I am used to always having to use the legs on the keyboard to get a good typing angle, but this is the first keyboard that I do not have to prop it up in order to type accurately. The keys are wonderfully muted. They give good tactile feedback without being too noisy. My old Logitech S510 was great in terms of features, but it was VERY noisy. The lettering on the keys are not as bold as usual, and the labels for the shortcuts are hard to see.

The LCD screen on the keyboard would have been a nice feature, but it is near impossible to see from most angles. It would have been a nice feature if it was backlit, but alas, it is pretty useless. It does have some value if you need to use it as an alarm, or if you want to count how many characters that you have typed (which most people don't care about). But if not, they they could have really done without it.

Employing the features that you use with the enhanced F keys are tricky. It took me forever to figure out how to set the clock because the "FN" key is not a "F Lock" key. In other words, you have to use it like a "shift" key to use the special features. This is counter-intuitive to many users who are used to having an F Lock feature. Worse, there is NO help documentation that gives you any clue as to how to use the advanced features. You have to figure this out all on your own. That is pretty poor for a company like Logitech. It would have cost them nothing to produce a users manual for this.

There are drains in the bottom of the keyboard, so that if you spill anything on it, it will drain away quickly. Some of my favorite buttons that I had to program into my old Logitech S510 are available built into this keyboard, like calculator, My Documents, and even a calendar. The enlargement of the delete key can be off-putting to some users, but the insert key has NOT been removed, but shifted to the spot above the end key. There is now a close button key, so you can close your favorite programs without even using the mouse. There are 3 search buttons: one for web searches, one for a PC search, and one for a picture search. If you highlight text in your browser and then hit the web search, it will search for that text online. The zoom slider is really cool. I like the touch sensitivity of it. It probably won't be a feature that appeals to everyone, but it is fine for me. This keyboard really was made for Windows Vista, and many of the features on it work best there. That seems not too wise to me, because the majority of users are going to be on Windows XP. The "Doc Flip" button is for Vista, to employ Flip 3D. In XP, it just mimics the "Alt + Tab" function in windows to switch between programs. No benefits to XP users.

It includes some nice features of VoIP. It has a button that pulls up your favorite VoIP program, and a button to dial and end calls. I LOVE the fact that this keyboard has been treated with an anti-microbial to prevent the spread of germs. That alone makes it excellent to me. It comes already connected and encrypted, so that other nearby wireless computers can't detect your keystrokes.

The laser mouse that comes with this keyboard is okay, but it is not fabulous. It is really light, almost to the point of feeling cheap. The battery door is somewhat loose and shaky. For the money that you pay for the set, they could have given a better mouse. It has several programmable buttons on it. It has "forward" and "back" buttons, and they are nice except for the fact that they don't work in every program. It also has "zoom" and "search" buttons on it. The sides of the mouse are rubberized, and it has a contour to fit you hand more comfortably, even though it may not be best for some users. It is a nice mouse, but I am not sure it is hardy mouse for gaming or intense usage.

The Set Point software installed without a problem, although it took awhile to finish. And for some strange reason, even though the batteries are brand new, the status indicator keeps telling me that they are in good condition, but not completely full. I think this has something to do with the last Logitech set that I was using carrying over the settings. There is one good thing about the batteries for this set; the combo uses the same size for both the mouse and the keyboard. Also, the mouse can run on one battery. They keyboard keeps your LCD settings as long as you change them one at a time. I really like this set. I highly recommend it, if you can afford to spend the amount of money on it. It has some issues to be aware of, but overall, it is great!!!

The Logitech MX 3200 Cordless Desktop is a very nice keyboard plus mouse combo that is much sturdier and refined than prior mainstream desktop combos from Logitech.

The keyboard battery claims of eighteen months, time/month display on the keyboard, sleep and calculator shortcut keys, and touch-sensitive scroll bar on the keyboard are small, but collectively great appointments.

Away goes the recharging mouse cradle of my trusty MX 700, leaving a USB radio no bigger than a flash memory stick. The mouse ergonomics feel comfortable even for large hands like mine. The mouse also comes in a left-handed version, which is great if you suffer from RSI and need to switch hands often.

Pros
* Virtually silent typing. The keys landing is soft and the click muted.
* The ergonomics are great. The palm rest slopes at the base of the hand, so no pressure on the bony part between the hand and wrist.
* Large surface keys. The edge is also raise slightly, and towards the sides rather than towards the typist. Typing lands on the key center every time for me, where other keyboards tend to hit the edge raised instead.
* Shorter keys travel. Not quite scissor (laptop) keys, but very good for a standard keyboard.
* Multimedia buttons work in Windows XP without installing additional software. This is great at work as most companies do not allow installing non-approved software.
* Time and date display on the keyboard is convenient.

Cons
* The Escape key is small, and so are the function keys. They are half the standard height.
* The Delete key is over-sized, and the Insert key is next to F12. Ditto if you are acostumed to copy/paste text using Ctrl/Shift plus Insert.
* Lefty beware: Location of scroll strip. This is the keyboard equivalent of the scroll wheel on the mouse is at the left spine of the keyboard. If you are lefty or switch hands, and rest your hand on the edge of the keyboard when not mousing, get ready to watch the screen scroll when least expected.
* Time and date display readable only (about forty-five degrees viewing angle) in front of the keyboard.

One additional note is that Logitech stands behind their products. This set replaces my defective four-year old MX Duo, and the company sent me a brand new set.

Four stars for the product, plus one for great Logitech Support. Recommended.

This is by far the most advanced keyboard I have ever had. I am usually against things like this with all the fancy buttons and extras but I like the way this is set up and find them to be useful here. It is rather complicated to get it all set up but, as I said, I'm not used to keyboards with all the bells and whistles that this one has. The keyboard itself is very nice. I find it very comfortable and very quiet. It is unlike any keyboard I've had with how quiet it is and if you are used to a keyboard that came with your computer then you'll find it amazing.

I do have a couple of issues that I don't like though. First, the LED display is almost worthless. It is almost impossible to see at the angle you will be viewing it at. Unless you are viewing it straight on, which you will never be doing as you type, then it is awful. You would think that everyone would know how to produce a good LED by now.

The second issue, and most significant one for me, is I still haven't found an f-lock key and must press the FN button in unison with the F key to get the advanced features I programmed into it. I haven't owned this for more than a day and I may be looking in the wrong place but it isn't easy to find if there is an f-lock. I almost never use the F keys on a keyboard so this is bothersome.

I'm typing on the keyboard right now, it's great. The keyboard doesn't "lag" and the mouse is superb. Its light and sharp. I've only had it for a shot time, but I haven't had a single problem yet. The key design is fluid and "futuristic" so it takes a while to get used to typing on it, but once you do, it becomes much easier. I haven't installed the drivers, so I can't speak for any extra features.

The LCD may be a bother to some, and useful to others. For me, it's unnecessary but not a problem. The F-keys and other extra buttons, on top, are a little small but again, not a problem. My previous set war a Microsoft Desktop Elite, so this is an improvement. I used the mouse that came with this keyboard for a while, but I already have a Logiteck MX 1000 Cordless Mouse so I keep it as a backup. The mouse that comes with the keyboard is good for moderate web-surfing but not that good for gaming.

Overall Keyboard 9/10
-Excellent functionality!
-Looks nice
- No problems whatsoever (with function)
-Some keys are just too small
-No need for the LCD
-Side "zoom" is responsive but not very helpful

Mouse 7/10
-Good, light design
-Good battery life
-Not very good for gaming

I decided to purchase the MX3200 after getting tired of my old keyboard & mouse setup (also of Logitech making). Because the keyboard & mouse were technically different models, I had a mess of cables for the two different receiver units. Thankfully, with this new setup there's only one receiver for both peripherals, and it plugs neatly into one USB port.

The keyboard and mouse are sleek and "fashionable"--something you'd expect out of a $75 product. Interestingly enough, I have to agree with one of the other reviewers on the size of the mouse. When I was checking this unit out at Best Buy, I happened upon an MS mouse that felt slightly more ergonomic than this one. I'm not exactly sure if there was a physical size difference or maybe the MS mouse was just contoured differently. Either way, the Logitech mouse does feel slightly smaller, but after a week's use it's generally not perceptible. The keyboard is also an improvement over my old model, which was the loud "clickety-clack" series. The MX3200 keyboard is much quieter and "softer" when typing.

When it comes to keyboards and mice, I'm generally not one for bells and whistles. Personally, the only reason why I spent more on this Logitech unit is because I wanted the laser mouse and sleek design. The Dynamic Search and Zoom buttons on the left of the keyboard: don't use it. The One-Touch Internet Calling buttons: don't use it. Programmable Hotkeys: don't use it. To that end, I can't really speak to their usefulness or functionality.

The one thing that I will say that's completely useless is the LCD screen on the keyboard. Most of the time, if I want to know the date or time, I'll just look at my computer screen, watch or wall clock. Not only that, but the LCD display is really hard to see under minimal lighting conditions. I suspect that this LCD feature is what accounts for the 4 AA-battery requirement. (My old keyboard only needed 2.)

Overall, I would say that this is very good product. This is already my third-generation Logitech keyboard & mouse unit. I've always found their products to be quite satisfactory and the MX3200 is no exception. Consider it if you've got some money to blow or if that holiday gift card from Uncle Joe is just gathering dust.

I received this keyboard after as a gift after my old Microsoft Internet Keyboard Pro was starting to show its age. It apparently was one of the only keyboards available at the store at the time was purchased for me.

On the whole, I can't say I'm very impressed. This was my first wireless keyboard, and so far I am finding the implementation less convenient than a wired setup. The problem is that the USB wireless receptor seems to need a fairly clear line of sight with the keyboard itself ... if it doesn't, some keystrokes will go unrecognized, or sometimes a keystroke will be repeated over and and over again. This can be very irritating, particular when you're playing games.

I find that to ensure good, reliable reception, I have to put connect the wire USB receptor to the receptor that is included with the product and put it directly behind my keyboard on my desk's keyboard tray, which defeats the whole purpose of the wireless setup and is, in fact, more annoying than a wired setup, because sometimes I'll accidentally knock the receptor down to the floor. I found I could not put the receptor on the surface of my desk because my keyboard tray is at a lower elevation, and the receptor "points" upwards.

I don't know if this is par for the course with wireless keyboards or what, so if you're the sort of person who needs a mobile keyboard, maybe Logitech's implementation with this product is as good as anyone's, and thus cannot be considered a very negative point for the product. Or maybe I just got a semi-defective unit. I don't know, I just know that I don't like it.

The keyboard design is overall fine, except the function keys (F1 - F12) are not full-sized and have a different feel to them. Some people might prefer this setup, as it does let you know, tactilely, that your fingers are over a F key and not a normal number key ... however, I always felt that the spacing between the number keys and the F keys was sufficient to let you know where your fingers are, and with the MX 3200's setup, I find more difficult to tell (without looking) which F key my fingers are resting over, again, because of the unorthodox setup. The large amount of space between the F5-F8 key set and the F9-F12 key set is also confusing and for me has taken a lot of getting used to.

As for the keyboard's bells and whistles, I find they generally get in the way. I find it's nice to have volume controls, a suspend function and a few other things on the keyboard, but things like the touted "Dynamic Search & Zoom" function just gets in the way. Inadvertently brush it and the text in your web browser will balloon to gigantic proportions or shrink each character to a single pixel ... or in games and other applications, you may suddenly experience a series of menus opening/closing. On a slower computer, this might stall your computing experience for several minutes while your system tries in futility to catch up. Fortunately this feature can be disabled. (FN + close).

A few of the non-standard buttons are convenient, and I find the ones I use most are carry-overs from my old keyboard ... the volume controls, the suspend button, maybe some of the media player functions (play, pause, stop) might be useful as well. The problem is that these functions are all small buttons which are impossible to identify in the dark (I usually prefer gaming and watching video on my computer with dimmed lights), as they have no features that make them easily distinguishable by touch, which leads to a situation where half the time I accidentally mute when I mean to increase the volume, or increase the volume when I mean to decrease it, etc. and I end up totally ignoring the media player functions altogether.

As for the mouse, for some unfathomable reason, by default, the middle click function is not mapped to the scroll wheel click. This can be remedied in the SetPoint software (at least it can be in the later versions of it). Also, you have to press down HARD to get the middle-click to register, which can result in accidental scrolling action. Overall the mouse isn't that bad, but I've found that the rubbery finish on the sides of the mouse wears off pretty easily.

All in all, if you just want a quality keyboard and mouse, I say pass on this one, without a doubt. The extra features are distracting and what they add to the price of the product is not worth paying for.

If you've got your computer hooked up to a large display (like a nice big, HDTV) and you want some mobility, I can see the allure, as many of the extraneous features that are pretty much useless for normal desktop computing might come in handy if you're not using the mouse. However, because of the finicky and unreliable nature of the wireless connection (in my experience) the keyboard would only be marginally useful of this purpose as well.

I needed a cordless keyboard mouse combo for my Vista powered laptop and saw this on sale at a local retail store. My advice to those buying this product is not to install the software that came with it. Download the latest version of the Setpoint driver (v 3.3 as of this writing) off Logitech's website and install that instead.

The driver allows keys to be remapped to use other than the default settings if you want to customize these. The keyboard feels rubbery at first but I gotten used to it after a few days and I now prefer it. The mouse feels better, works smoother compared to the wireless Microsoft Optical 5000 I have been using on my desktop. I prefer the Logitech's mice scroll wheel operation... you can feel the clicks when you scroll the wheel as opposed to the smooth scrolling of Microsoft's.

You get a decent product for what you pay. Here are my pros and cons.

Pros:
-Keyboard keys soft and quiet
-Mouse comfortable to use
-Reception perfect
-Keyboard and mouse design
-Clock/timer built into keyboard
-Software allows mapping keyboard keys and mouse buttons to different functions

Cons:
-Battery life for mouse. Advise using rechargeable. I'm only 1 month in and am getting critical battery warnings (although they seem to come and go)
-Had to install the software a couple of times to get it to work. Still get startup errors sometimes when booting into XP.
-Still getting used to the design of the delete/home/end/page up/down grouping of keys (different than standard keyboards)