I tried Logitech’s MX Master 4. Its ergonomic design, clever gestures and haptics won me over

Here is my review of the Logitech MX Master 4

What: Logitech MX Master 4| Price: Rs 11,995

Ergonomic design is the highlight 

I remember trying the MX Master 3S a couple of years ago, and it was the best mouse experience I’ve had. Maybe not everyone needs a mouse, but writers and editors like us spend hours in front of a computer, writing and editing copies all day. In my case, I also travel a lot, and having a mouse adds a bit of breathing space between long hours of writing. You need to step into my shoes to realise how, at times, it feels to balance writing, meeting deadlines, and travel.

The mouse is easy to glide around any surface. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

Anyway, the MX Master 4 feels much the same as its predecessors. It’s a right-handed mouse with two standard buttons on top, a clickable scroll wheel, and a third button behind it to adjust the scroll wheel’s mode. On the side, you will find a large rubberised thumb rest with one embedded button, three standard buttons arranged in a line, and a horizontal scroll wheel above them.

On the underside, there’s an on/off switch and a button to cycle through connected devices. And yes, the MX Master 4 works with a Windows PC, a Mac, a Chromebook, an iPad, or any Android tablet. The mouse features an 8,000 DPI sensor for smooth, accurate tracking on just about every surface, whether wooden desks or glass tables. It is also silent, much like the MX Master 3S.

I liked how the mouse is designed. In fact, it eases anxiety when you are under pressure, and a deadline is hours away – at least in my case. The mouse is ergonomically designed to let your palm rest comfortably, with a raised peak between the index finger and thumb for the horizontal scroll wheel. I also liked how it offers greater control of the wheel and helps prevent accidental scrolling when moving your thumb.

Gesture controls and haptics

One of the standout features of the MX Master 4 is the new Haptic Sense Panel, which Logitech added to the side of the mouse, right where your thumb naturally rests. Interestingly, pressing the button at the centre of the thumb rest opens Logitech’s new Action Ring overlay, accompanied by a subtle vibration. It’s an interesting addition, but what truly shines is how the Haptic Sense Panel works in conjunction with the Action Ring. This combination is a delight to use. In fact, this is the best implementation of gestures and haptics on a mouse.

The haptic feedback is only linked to the Action Ring and gesture controls, which are accessed with the thumb. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

Basically, Logitech’s Action Ring is a small overlay that appears around the mouse pointer when you click the Haptic Sense Panel with your thumb. It brings up a set of eight actions, all of which can be fully customised in the companion software. These actions can be configured system-wide on a Mac or PC.

I see a much stronger use case for the Action Ring in professional workflows. Not only are the actions useful for opening Photoshop commands and Excel functions, but they can also be mapped to AI tools like Perplexity and ChatGPT. All you need to do is hold your thumb against the Haptic Sense Panel, select an action from the wheel guided by haptics, and trigger it without straining your hand.

It’s simple: with a single gesture, I can open my most-used apps. The best part is that you can also programme any number of additional actions to suit your workflow.

Useful changes across the board 

I was surprised to see that Logitech is adding a USB-C version of its Logi Bolt adapter. Previously, the dongle offered low-latency connectivity to your computer with limited USB-A support. However, you can now plug the Bolt adapter directly into the side of a MacBook or iPad without a converter.

Feedback can be manually mapped to every button on the mouse through the Smart Actions feature. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

I am also glad that despite adding a new haptic motor system, the MX Master 4 still offers up to 70 days of battery life on a single charge. This is thanks to a larger, beefier 650 mAh battery, up from the 500 mAh cell found in the MX Master 3S.

My personal favourite thing about Logitech products, especially its keyboards and mouse, is how deeply they can be customised through software. I am referring to the Logi Options+ app, which lets you tweak almost every aspect of the MX Master 4. The best part is that the app also allows you to integrate haptic feedback with other apps.

The Action Ring is basically a customisable virtual pop-up menu with eight nodes. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

With support for Adobe Creative Suite and other popular software, Logitech is also releasing a software development kit that lets developers integrate haptics into their own apps. I have a feeling haptic feedback could be especially useful for both gamers and game development.

So, should you buy the Logitech MX Master 4?

The Logitech MX Master 4 is a thoughtfully designed mouse. It features an ergonomic shape, multiple thumb buttons, and both vertical and horizontal scroll wheels. For me, though, the Haptic Sense Panel and Action Ring add a new dimension to how I use a mouse.

That said, not everyone will find these features useful, and the mouse is priced on the higher side, making it better suited for productivity nerds and power users.