Logitech G903 Lightspeed Gaming Mouse Review

Introduction

Logitech are one of the leading brand when it comes to PC peripherals. They have a large range from keyboards (membrane/mechanical), mice, joy sticks, racing wheels and speakers. They have come a long way since they launched their first mouse, the P4 back in 1982. In fact, later this year the company will be celebrating their 40th anniversary, so kudos to the Logitech Team. Today we are going to be taking a look at the critically acclaimed G903 Lightspeed Gaming mouse, the successor to the valued G900. Logitech have kindly supplied EHW with the G903 Lightspeed Gaming to review.  So let’s delve in.

Logitech’s G903 Key Features and Specification

• LiPo Battery (Up to 140 Hour With RGB Lighting)
• Ambidextrous (7 to 11 Buttons with removable sides).
• Lightspeed 1MS Wireless Report Rate.
• POWERPLAY compatible.
• Hyper-fast scroll wheel.
• LIGHTSYNC RGB lighting.
• Right- or left-handed, ambidextrous design.
• Removable side buttons.
• 7-11 programmable buttons.
• Weight: 110 g (3.9 oz) mouse only Optional extra weight: 10g.
• Cable length: 1.8m (5.9 ft).
• Sensor: HERO 25K.
• Wireless report rate: 1000 Hz (1ms).
• 2-Year Limited Hardware Warranty.

Packaging, Build Quality & Design

The G903 arrives in a black outer box featuring the prominent and eye catching electric blue G series logo which is the go to series for those who want a gaming mouse from the Logitech line. The packaging is sturdy and well thought out which lends itself to the feel of quality product , shortcuts were not taken here. To the rear of the box you will find the products specifications and details as you would expect. Once you get into the packaging you will find the following:

• Quick Start Guide.
• Warranty Information.
• G Logo Sticker.
• 8M Charging cable.
• Accessories box.

Looking at the G903, the shell is made of charcoal black abs plastic, which is standard for most of Logitech’s G Series peripherals and appears stealthy and aerodynamic. It’s an outstanding looking mouse. It’s also accompanied with RGB lighting, which lights the “G” logo and the DPI display bars. The RGB is completely customisable with Logitech’s G-Hub software, which we will cover shortly.  For comparison, the size of the G903 is comparable to Logitech’s G502 wired gaming mouse, which is still much loved by the gaming community.

Like the Logitech’s G900, The G903 has a left-handed and right-handed mode. This works with replaceable magnetic forward and back buttons which are easily interchangeable, these are included within the accessories box.

Also in the accessories box is: 

• Mini-USB type B to USB Type A converter (Extender cable)
• Wireless USB dongle
• 10-gram optional weight
• Left-handed forward and back magnetic buttons
• Back magnetic buttons and right hand magnetic cover
• User documentation

The Right-handed forward and back buttons and left side cover are pre-installed, which makes sense as the majority of users are right handed.

As the G903 is the upgraded version of the G900, they do share many similarities, such as the ability to change from left-handed mode to right using the changeable magnetic buttons. They both share same dimensions, give or take a few millimetres. Both mice can change from wired mode to wireless mode. Added in the G903 is the Powerplay feature, Optional weight and improved left and right pivot switches.

Key Features

• Powerplay Feature – Many gamers worried about the battery life of a wireless mouse. Nobody wants a mouse, which turns off because of a low battery. To combat this, Logitech has added the ability to charge wirelessly using Logitech’s Powerplay Mouse Pad.
• Battery Life – The once fully charge the battery on the G903 can up to 140 hours with the RGB Lighting on and with the RGB off up to 180 hours
• Weight module – The G903 come with an optional 10-gram weight, the weigh compartment is located underneath the gaming mouse. The weight is the insert in the cap, which is held on with powerful magnets.
• Hero 25K Sensor with a DPI Range of 100 – 25,600 dpi
• LIGHTSPEED 1 millisecond report rate (1000Hz)
• 7 – 11 programmable buttons (uses G HUB Software)
• LIGHTSYNC RGB Lighting fully customizable using the G HUB Software
• Left or Right Handed Mode. Uses Magnetic removable buttons.

G-HUB Software

Logitech’s G903 Lightspeed Gaming Mouse has outstanding features on its own, however, to use it to its full potential, Logitech’s G-Hub is required. You can download G-Hub HERE.

The G-HUB software lets the user to tune and control most of the Logitech’s G series portfolio. Here you can add in key-bindings, DPI Settings and adjust the lighting on the G903. The Image below shows what you would see when you first open G-HUB, you can see that the G903 is displayed, as shown in the above image, the G903 will also give you an indication as to the battery status. Also shown is the Logitech’s G910 Keyboard which also benefits the G-Hub Software, as a side note. To alter the settings of a Logitech’s G903, you simply have to click on the G903 image which will open up additional menus.

After clicking on G903, the software brings you to the Lightsync settings. This is where you can change the effects of the RGB Lighting and what RGB effect you want. The effects for the G903 are off, fixed, cycle, breathing, screen sampler and audio visualizer. There is also an option for light sync, this where 2 or more Logitech G series devices can sync their lighting effects for the most immersive experience. The next is the assignments page, it is where you can alter the key bindings and assign macro’s to undertake certain system events upon a designated mouse button press.

The next tab is a tool to adjust the DPI speed setting on the G903. It’s very simple to use as you can just use the slider bar to select the desired setting. The DPI ranges for 100 to 25600 and the default DPI settings are 400, 800, 1600, 3200 and 6400. There is also an option to change the report rate between mouse and the USB receiver which could reduce latency for competitive gamers. The next image (on the right) shows the other settings for the G903. This is where the settings can be adjusted for left or right-handed modes, RGB light time out (based on time of inactivity), on board memory and battery level.  

Conclusion

Logitech’s G903 is the predecessor of the highly rated G900 wireless gaming mouse. Both mice look almost identical to each other. They both share the same smooth high quality plastic body as other mice in Logitech’s G series. They the share the same dimensions. Both are almost the same weight, the G900. Both have the same RGB lights. The only physical difference is that the G903 has on optional weight compartment. The fact is the G903 is a perfect of example of an ideal balance between work and play.

After Logitech released the G900 they asked for feedback from gamers on the G900 and they listened. Gamers who gave feedback had concerns about the battery life, the lack of weight and the fact that it’s a wireless mouse. Logitech took that all on board and came back with the G903. The G903 has a few minor improvements to its predecessor, such as they improved the durability by adding improved mechanical pivot buttons which lasts up 50 million clicks where the G900 could last 20 million. Some gamers who also provided feedback said the G900 was light, so they added an optional 10 gram weight to the G903. 

I have been using the G502 Hero for just over a year. I have never had an issue and you can say we are well matched. Until EHW got the G903 Lightspeed for review. I like how it rests in my hand while using the palm grip. The forward and back buttons are easy to reach and the G903 is has a great body shape and size. The new feature to the G series is PowerPlay. As many gamers such as myself don’t like using wireless due the battery life, Logitech has given the G903 Lightspeed the ability to charge it wirelessly, which is remarkable. Unfortunately, I could not test the PowerPlay feature as I could not get one due to lack of stock. However, I have had the mouse for over 2 weeks and yet to charge it, so that is a great sign.

The G903 will be a fantastic addition to your gaming rig with its sleek and modern look. It feels great to hold as your hand rest easily either palm and claw grip. It also performs fantastic for day-to-day office work and excels while being used for gaming with its minimal friction feet, it really does glide with minimal effort. It performs well on any surfaces but pairs pair well with the G640 mouse pad, also made by Logitech. The buttons while being pressed provide noticeable click feedback and are of substantial size making them easy to reach. The G903 gives the user may customizable options with DPI, RGB lighting, and macros. Using the G-HUB improves the overall experience and brings the whole product together, so I would recommend downloading G-HUB to get the most out of the G903. The G-HUB user interfaces is sleek and modern in design and easy to navigate. While G-HUB is not necessary to use the G903 gaming mouse, it does add to the user experience and configurability of the mouse. 

The G903 has some drawbacks. One of them is cost. The G903 is retailed at £129.99 which I feel is high for a mouse with this feature set. To use the PowerPlay feature, you will need to purchase The Logitech’s Wireless Charging Mouse Pad, which is £109.99. The PowerPlay is a welcome feature to PC gaming but an expensive one and it is hard to justify the price. Another drawback is the lid where the optional weight is inserted, can brake easily when trying to remove it, I speak from experience. I feel the G903 is aimed for the light weight mice user audience. When is comes to finding the battery status you have uses the G-HUB. Some other software comparable to G-HUB, Can provide the option to have a battery status bar in the Windows task tray, something I think is much needed when it comes to wireless mice. Irrespective of these few drawbacks, I can still easily recommend the Logitech G903 Lightspeed.

I would like to thank Logitech for providing us with this review sample.

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