I You all know just how much I love my MX Master 3. I can’t imagine replacing it for any other mouse. So, when the new Master 3s released, I was as overjoyed as anyone else. Finally…. a better mouse than MX Master 3. I decided to buy it on the very first day of its release but couldn’t do it for my dwindling budget due to some unforeseen circumstances. That was when I decided to take a step back and consider how would the new mouse even benefit me. After a few days of research I finally came to my conclusion and also decided to write an article on the topic. Hopefully it would help you in deciding which mouse to go for, Logitech MX Master 3 or MX Master 3s?
If I have to give you an answer right here and now, I would say, if you already have a MX Master 3 and it’s up and running, there is no need to buy the Master 3s for the sake of buying it. But if you are thinking about buying a new mouse and are confused between Logitech MX Master 3 and MX Master 3s then by all means go for the MX Master 3s. You won’t regret it.
What Hasn’t Changed?
Almost nothing!! If two mouse are put in front of you on a table, you won’t be able to differentiate. They look just the same, weigh the same (141 grams), feel the same (with the same rubberised texture), and are same shaped. They are technically the same mouse with a few internal components changed. That’s nothing to worry about though. You ask why? That’s because MX Master 3 is one of the best mouse for office workers, graphic workers, editors alike and this is the best one I have ever used. That’s why maybe I am somewhat relieved that the shape and feel stays the same. In every version of the MX series of mouse Logitech changed its shape significantly. This time they have decided that maybe they have reached the pinnacle and don’t need to mess it up so that it can ruin the experience for users.
It comes with same set of buttons and same range of customisation options with Logi Option+ software. So, technically you are not gonna miss anything while upgrading from MX Master 3 to MX Master 3s. If you already have an MX Master 3 in your arsenal, it’s not worth it to spend 100$ for the new MX Master 3s as it doesn’t come with much of significant upgrades.
What has changed?
Three things have changes so far with the new mouse. They may be or may not be significant to you depending on use cases. Let’s discuss those in details.
Higher DPI Value :
The Logitech MX Master 3s now can go up to 8000 dpi value as opposed to 200-4000 dpi range in the previous generation. That means easier control for those working with multiple monitors. There hand won’t drop off of the desk while trying to get to the next monitor. But the downsides come with the polling rate. The newer one has the same polling rate of 125 Hz as the previous one. In simple term it means it won’t be as accurate as many gaming segment mouse that boast about 1000 Hz of polling rate. But, don’t worry, this mouse will still be more than enough for the productivity works that Logitech markets it for.
The higher Dpi doesn’t seem like much of an important feature when you realize that most of the people have never even used it with 4000 dpi yet. I use my mouse with 44% and 34% sensitivity from time to time. Anything faster makes me lose control while editing photos or videos.
Silent Mouse :
Silence is loved by many whether you are working in busy office, personal cubicle or at home. And Logitech knows that. According to the company this mouse is 90% quieter compared to its previous version. That MX Master 3 was already pretty quiet to begin with along with silent scroll wheels. But, this time, the mouse is almost silent. If you love to work silently, you will absolutely love this feature.
Logi Bolt USB Dongle :
This aspect has changed only for the windows version of the mouse. The new mouse comes with Logi Bolt USB Receiver instead of Logi Unifying USB Receiver. Currently the MX Master 3s and MX Keys Mechanical works with this receiver. Sadly, these two receivers can not be used vice versa. That means if you are using one older version of the MX series device and another newer version, you gotta use 2 different USB receivers together.
According to Logitech this new receiver is faster and has much better connectivity compared to the old unifying receiver. Practically speaking, I never faced any problem with my MX Master 3 yet with connectivity. Yes, in games it did feel sometimes laggy, but that might be due to low polling rate, dunno. So, I don’t thing this new Logi Bolt can be called much of an upgrade.
My Take on This
No matter how much I want to justify buying this new mouse to me, I have to be honest with myself. This mouse doesn’t come with much if any significant upgrades to justify buying a new mouse for 100$ whereas my Master 3 is just 2 years old. If you are in the market to buy a new mouse for yourself, the MX Master 3s is definitely worth going for. Because if you are going to spend that much money for a mouse, then why not stretch your budget little more and get the best and the latest the market has to offer?
If you are tight on budget then you can easily go for Master 3 as it comes 20$ cheaper now and packs all of the important bells and whistles of the Master 3s already. If you are not working with several monitors or playing games where the difference of dpi might matter, you aren’t gonna feel any difference between the two mouse. And if you already own a MX Master 3, there is no point in buying a Master 3s on top of that. The more you explore the capabilities of the mouse the better your productivity gets. If you are confused about whether you should buy any of those at all, I have a detailed article about MX Master 3 here to help you.
