J.G.
This is a great mouse for reasons all stated in other reviews. However, some complaints Ive seen about this mouse in other websites come from people who have not read the manual and missed some features this mouse offers that address their complaints. You dont know what to do with the receiver when transporting your laptop? First, the mouse does have a compartment for the receiver. The receiver is tiny already, so most people will just leave it inserted in their laptops during transport. However if you wish to store it with the mouse, you can do so. It does not require you to take out the batteries themselves to store the receiver, but you do have to take the battery cover off to access the compartment. The mouse is too heavy for you? The most awesome and rarely mentioned feature about the mouse is the ability to modify its weight and center of gravity by only using one AA battery instead of two. The reason this is so cool is because it gives you an option to lower the weight of the mouse if you think it is too heavy with 2 batteries (I thought so). You can also to change the way the weight feels in your hand by placing the battery in the slot closest to the center of the mouse or closer to the back of the mouse. Some people prefer the weight of the mouse to be on the back while others prefer it to be more centered. I left mine in the center. How does it work with just one battery? If you notice, the two batteries in its compartment are used in parallel (both installed looking the same way), instead of in series like most electronics do (going the opposite way). The mouse works on 1.5 volts instead of 3.0 volts like the usual 2 AA battery equipment would. This is what permits the 3 year battery time. Of course, using one battery means it will probably only last about half the time as using two. Im not an electrical engineer so I dont have much knowledge regarding the efficiency of using two instead of one battery. How does this compare to other logitech mice in size and weight? I use a wired Logitech G9 Laser Mouse for my desktop pc, which weights 122 grams with no additional optional weights inside. I just add 4 grams of weight for my preferences. In comparison the Marathon M705 weighs 88 grams without batteries. With one battery it weighs 112 grams and 136 grams with two. The batteries it comes with weigh 24 grams each (other brands of batteries might have a different weight). So, with two batteries this mouse is heavier than a G9 even though it is slightly shorter lengthwise and slightly thinner as well. The M705 is about 4.5 inches long, 2.8 inches wide, and 1.5 inches tall. As a G9 user, this was the closest feel I could find in a wireless mouse. All other ones either felt too big forcing you to place your entire palm on them and disallow an optional claw grip or felt not wide enough for my hands. I enjoy the width of the G9, and even though the M705 is not as wide and connecting with as much of my palm as I would want it, it does not make my hand cramp up as most other narrower portable mice and I can use it for games without feeling like Im using a non-full-featured mouse. It is the perfect blend of portable and full sized featured mouse. My only gripes: The DPI on the mouse cannot be modified. This is understandable as it is not a gaming mouse. When compared to the G9, it seems that is it is permanently set at 1000 dpi. Another problem is that it has negative acceleration. This means that when you move it fast from side to side, it registers less movement the faster you move it. This only occurs at high speed movements, such as doing a quick turn on a first person shooter game. Again, I dont detract from the rating of the mouse, because it is not meant for gaming, but I thought I would include this in the review as some people might want this information. Edit: Im adding an image of the M705 vs G9 to the product page so you can judge the size difference. I looked for this online but it seems not too many G9 owners have yet bought this mouse since it hasnt been out for very long.