Logitech MX Master 3S Review
A mouse optimised for office work
Verdict
The Logitech MX Master 3S is a truly excellent office-based mouse. While there may be no real cosmetic changes compared to 2020’s MX Master 3, it remains supremely comfortable and packs a brilliantly powerful 8000 DPI sensor that makes office work a breeze. This is quite an expensive mouse, but if it’s a price you can stretch to, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better office mouse out there today.
Pros
- Uprated sensor feels fantastic
- Comfortable to hold
- Logi Options+ software is excellent
Cons
- No cosmetic changes to the previous model
- Expensive
Availability
- UKRRP: £119.99
- USARRP: $119.99
- EuropeRRP: €119.99
Key Features
- 8000 DPI sensor:The MX Master 3S’s sensitivity has been doubled compared to the previous MX Master 3 to 8000 DPI which will work especially well for office duties
- Dual modes of connectivity:It can connect to your PC either via Bluetooth or the Logi Bolt USB receiver
- Logi Options+ software:The MX Master 3S also brings with it a brand new software package
Introduction
The Logitech MX Master 3S represents the brand’s latest iteration of its long-running MX Master line of mice, and this new boy doesn’t half bring with it some notable upgrades.
Here you’ll find an all-new 8000 DPI sensor, alongside Quiet Click buttons, uprated software, all wrapped up in the same gorgeous shell of the Logitech MX Master 3.
All of these features (and a fair bit more) can be yours for the princely sum of $99/£119.99/€119. Let’s find out if this latest version is really worth that extra outlay.
Design
- Identical to the MX Master 3
- Comfortable, rubberised construction
- Quiet-click buttons feel great
When it comes to office mice, you’ll be hard pressed to find one more comfortable than the MX Master 3S, and a large part of that comes from the fact it’s practically identical to the MX Master 3 from a couple of years ago.
You’ll find the same tall yet sloping stature that ensures a comfortable hold for extended periods, complete with a rubberised coating that makes it smooth to the touch. That tall stature does mean this is more of an ergonomic office mouse, without being explicitly designed for it.
Its grey and silver colouring looks modern, and fits in well with Logitech’s other peripherals, including the new Logitech MX Mechanical Keyboard.
In terms of its weight, the MX Master 3S is quite a heavy beast, clocking in at 141g, which is, perhaps unsurprisingly, the exact same as the MX Master 3. It’s probably too heavy for any gaming usage, but for the office productivity tasks it’s actually designed for, the MX Master 3S feels great in hand.
Logitech has been more environmentally conscious this time around, with around a quarter of the mouse’s composition coming from PCR (post-consumer recycled) plastics. These are essentially made from materials that would have otherwise been considered waste, which means the MX Master3 3S isn’t just a good-looking mouse, it’s also a thoughtful one.
While the actual frame of the MX Master 3S is identical to its older sibling, complete with clever thumb wheel and firm-feeling side buttons, it’s on the top of the mouse where we find our first major difference. Logitech has introduced a couple of quiet-click buttons, which feel nicely tactile, albeit with a dampened sound. Being whisper-quiet seems to be the USP of these new MX peripherals, and the Master 3S takes it to heart.
There’s still the same USB-C charging port round the front. The scroll wheel still features its MagSpeed mode for scrolling 1000 lines a second, as well as standard scrolling, as controlled by the button below the scroll wheel. I still feel that button would have been better used as a DPI switch, but it’s clear Logitech values the MX Master 3S’s two scrolling functions more than sensitivity.
Performance
- 8000 DPI for an office mouse is a game changer
- Triple device connectivity is very useful
- Logi Bolt receiver offers some useful benefits
Logitech has upgraded the sensitivity, doubling it to 8000 DPI, so you can move the cursor across your monitor with smaller wrist movements. It has also retained the same super-accurate Darkfield tracking as the previous generation. This results in a great blend of speed and accuracy with an uprated sensor that also works well on any surface, including glass.
The MX Master 3S performs wonderfully with day-to-day productivity tasks, and the doubled sensitivity really does make a difference. Sure, it may not be a third of what any of the best gaming mice offer at this price, but for office duties, 8000 DPI is more than enough. It’s worth remembering that it wasn’t too many years ago when manufacturers were shipping mice witha maximum 1600 DPI and calling it perfect for office use, so a 8000 DPI is light years ahead.
Alongside the upgraded sensor, the MX Master 3S has seen some notable benefits to its connectivity. While the seamless switching between three separate connected devices remains, the method has changed somewhat. For its wireless receiver, the MX Master 3S uses Logitech’s new Bolt receiver. With this, you’re getting a much lower chance of any interference traditionally associated with RF connectivity, as the Bolt receiver works via Bluetooth Low Energy.
There’s also wider compatibility, as the Bolt receiver works on not only Windows and MacOS, but also Linux and ChromeOS. For reference, the previous Unifying receiver only worked with MacOS and Windows.
The battery life here is exactly the same as the old MX Master 3S, with this rodent lasting for a quoted 70 days on a full charge, which is impressive for an office mouse. And one quick minute of charging via the bundled USB-C cable gives you a full three hours of playtime.
Software and lighting
- Logi Options+ is some excellent software
- Plenty of functions for remapping buttons
- Logi Flow is a seriously clever feature for power users
When it comes to software, the Logitech MX Master 3S utilises a new package compared to the older model, which has seen some notable upgrades. Logi Options+ is a seriously powerful piece of kit which acts as the ideal companion for the MX Master 3S. Inside, you’ll find an intuitive layout that allows you to remap all of the MX Master 3S’s seven buttons to a wide range of functions, and even set up app-specific profiles in everything from Microsoft Teams to Photoshop.
Alongside this comes a feature carried over from Logi Options, the predecessor to Options+ known as Flow. This allows you to use your mouse on two different devices (with different OSes if you wish), as long as they’re connected on different channels and on the same network, and transfer files between them.
If you’re someone who has a Windows work PC, but a MacBook for personal use and you want to conveniently transfer a file between the two devices with a simple drag and drop, using the MX Master 3S with Flow makes it super easy.
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Should you buy it?
You want a powerful office mouse:
There aren’t many office mice that are more powerful than the MX Master 3S. So if it’s all-out performance you’re after, this will definitely serve you well.
You want an affordable option:
All of these new features come at a hefty price, so if it’s more of an affordable mouse you’re after, you may wish to look elsewhere.
Final Thoughts
The Logitech MX Master 3S is a truly benchmark-setting office mouse. Its body is supremely comfortable and feels marvellous to use for long periods of work. It may look no different to its predecessor, but the MX Master 3 from 2020 remains one of the most comfortable mice money can buy today.
It’s internally where things have been upgraded, with the new 8000 DPI sensor making this one of the most responsive office mice I’ve ever tested. Moreover, the addition of Quiet Click buttons means this is also nice and quiet as well as being immensely powerful, and when combined with the excellent Logi Options+ software, you’ve got an immensely formidable office combo.
At $99/£119.99/€119 it remains an incredibly expensive option, and considering you can now pick up the predecessor for £70 or so these days, it remains a personal decision as to whether this new MX Master 3S is worth nearly double the money.
How we test
We use every mouse we test for at least a week. During that time, we’ll check it for ease of use and put it through its paces during day-to-day use.
We also check each mouse’s software to see how easy it is to customise and set up.
Tested for at least a week.
Used both Bluetooth and dongle
Tested the battery life
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FAQs
The Logitech MX Master 3 is rather heavy, which will rule our eSports-grade gaming. But it’s perfectly fine for office work and general use with a PC.
There’s nothing stopping you from using it for gaming, but proper gaming mice will offer less input lag and quicker actuation speeds, and will also be significantly lighter. So the MX Master 3 isn’t recommended if you want a mouse mainly for gaming.
Full specs
Sustainability
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As part of this mission, whenever we review a product we send the company a series of questions to help us gauge and make transparent the impact the device has on the environment.
We currently haven’t received answers to the questions on this product, but will update this page the moment we do. You can see a detailed breakdown of the questions we ask and why in our sustainability info page.
Jargon buster
DPI
DPI stands for "Dots Per Inch" and measures the sensitivity of a mouse. A higher DPI figure will see the mouse cursor travel a greater distance from the same wrist movement, making it very useful for competitive gaming.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
