Logitech MX Master 4 Review: The Ultimate Work Mouse, Reimagined

For years, the Logitech MX Master series has been the undisputed champion of mice designed for work and productivity. Its winning combination of a sensor that tracks on virtually any surface, a super-fast scroll wheel, and an incredibly useful second horizontal scroll wheel, all wrapped in a comfortable design, has been unmatched for getting tasks done efficiently. Now, the Logitech MX Master 4 arrives with significant upgrades, including an innovative haptic thumb pad and new gesture controls.

While a productivity mouse like this isn’t typically featured in guides for the best gaming mice, it’s a fantastic addition to any setup if you use your PC for both work and play. This is especially true if you prefer lightweight, minimalist gaming mice, like the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2, over more feature-rich gaming options such as the Logitech G502 X Plus. We’ve spent weeks rigorously testing the new MX Master 4 to determine if this latest iteration still holds its title as the ultimate work mouse.

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Key Specifications

Innovative Features

Many of the core macro features of the MX Master 4 are familiar from the MX Master 3 and 3S. You’ll find the standard left and right buttons with a central scroll wheel. Behind this, a dedicated wheel shift button allows you to toggle the MagSpeed scroll wheel between a precise, notched feel and a smooth, free-spinning mode – perfect for quickly navigating lengthy documents or zooming in and out of images in programs like Photoshop.

To the left, a second scroll wheel provides convenient horizontal movement. While it doesn’t offer the free-spinning speed of the main wheel, it’s invaluable for sideways scrolling in many applications that might otherwise require a key modifier (e.g., holding Ctrl for horizontal scrolling in Photoshop).

Further left, on the mouse’s side, are two standard back and forward buttons. However, this is also where the MX Master 4 introduces two of its most significant new enhancements.

Positioned just in front of the back/forward buttons is a new gesture button. By holding this button down and moving the mouse forward, backward, left, or right, you can trigger assigned functions. By default, these gestures control various Windows desktop actions, such as opening the Start menu (forward), minimizing windows to show the desktop (down), or switching between virtual desktops (left and right). Naturally, these gestures are fully customizable via software.

The other major new addition is the haptic pad, located beneath your thumb, replacing the traditional thumb button found on the 3 and 3S models. This soft, rubberized pad provides haptic feedback, simulating the feel of a physical button click when pressed. You can easily discern it’s a haptic system and not a mechanical button because there’s no response when the mouse is powered off – the pad simply yields slightly under pressure.

When pressed, this haptic pad activates the “Actions Ring,” a software overlay that gives you quick access to up to eight distinct functions. These rings are context-aware, meaning they can display different sets of functions depending on the application you’re using, whether it’s Photoshop, Premiere, Chrome, or your desktop. While you’ll need a Logitech account to download application-specific plugins (all free), you can also manually configure your own custom functions for each app.

Beyond these innovations, the MX Master 4 largely maintains its heritage. It features the same Darkfield sensor as its predecessors, ensuring flawless tracking on nearly any flat surface, including polished metal and glass. This sensor’s maximum DPI has also been boosted to 8,000, offering even greater sensitivity.

It’s important to note, however, that the MX Master series is still not designed for gaming. Its sensors are not optimized for rapid movements required in gaming, and its wireless connection – utilizing a minuscule USB-C dongle – prioritizes connectivity strength over speed. Logitech highlights a 2x increase in connectivity robustness thanks to a new chip and antenna design.

Ergonomics and Aesthetics

The enduring popularity of the MX Master series largely stems from its distinctive shape, which the MX Master 4 thankfully retains. However, one significant design alteration feels like a step backward.

On the positive side, the fundamental contours remain consistent. The mouse slopes gently downwards towards the right at an approximate 15° angle, theoretically reducing forearm twist. While I personally don’t find this tilt dramatic enough to rival a dedicated vertical mouse or a flatter, symmetrical design, many users find this ergonomic style highly beneficial.

The design is also theoretically well-suited for a palm grip, where your entire hand rests over the mouse. However, with my longer fingers (20cm from wrist to fingertip), I struggle to comfortably reach the scroll wheel and other buttons while maintaining a full palm grip. The raised section housing the horizontal scroll wheel can feel intrusive rather than supportive, which isn’t ideal for my hand shape. I generally prefer flatter mice with longer rear sections, such as the G Pro X Superlight 2, for a comfortable palm-resting experience.

Ultimately, mouse shape is highly subjective, and individual experiences will vary. A crucial drawback, however, is the removal of the full rubber coating present on the MX Master 3 and 3S. That older surface provided excellent passive grip, regardless of hand temperature or moisture. Without it, my palm tends to slide off the sloping surface, forcing a slightly tighter grip. This feels like a significant downgrade in usability.

Fortunately, the left side, featuring the haptic thumb pad, remains rubberized for enhanced grip. A smaller rubber patch on the right side also helps secure the mouse with a fingertip grip.

Countering any grip advantage, though, is the mouse’s substantial weight. At 151g, it’s 9g heavier than the already robust MX Master 3, approaching three times the weight of many ultralight gaming mice. While not designed for high-speed flicking, it still requires precise fingertip movements. This combined with the less grippy top surface makes it noticeably less agile than its predecessor.

Visually, the MX Master 4 is a sleek device. The translucent plastic accents on the main buttons add a touch of modern sophistication. It’s available in the graphite color pictured, as well as a darker graphite/charcoal and a pale gray. Mac users have options in Space Black and White Silver.

Software and Setup

To fully unlock the potential of the MX Master 4, installing Logitech’s Options+ software is essential. This software activates the powerful gesture controls and Action Rings, significantly expanding the mouse’s capabilities. It also provides access to Logitech Flow, a convenient multi-computer feature that allows seamless switching between connected computers and even enables copying and pasting content across them.

Within Options+, the “Buttons” section is your command center for customization. Here, you can reassign functions for all major mouse controls (excluding the main left and right click). For instance, you could configure the second scroll wheel to adjust volume instead of horizontal scrolling, set gestures to control media playback rather than Windows desktop functions, or assign the thumb pad button to bring up Task View instead of the Action Rings.

The “Feel” section allows you to fine-tune the mouse’s responsiveness. Adjust the sensitivity of both scroll wheels, including how pronounced the notches are on the vertical scroll wheel when it’s not in free-spinning mode. You can also tailor the haptics pad sensitivity and overall pointer speed to your preference.

Under “Haptics,” you control the intensity of the feedback. I personally found the default “medium” setting a bit distracting and preferred the “low” setting. I also chose to disable the haptic buzz when hovering over options in the Action Rings, which is enabled by default. Haptic feedback can also be automatically turned off when the mouse battery is low.

The “Easy-Switch” screen is designed to manage connections. It displays the devices the MX Master 4 is paired with, allowing you to cycle through them using a button on the mouse’s underside (or other assigned controls). However, this screen primarily serves as an informational display rather than a direct control panel for these connections.

Additional software features include a battery life indicator, the option to swap left and right mouse buttons (found in the general settings), and a firmware update checker.

The Action Rings are dynamic overlays that appear when you activate the haptic thumb pad. They remain visible until you select an action, click the central close button, or click elsewhere on your screen. You have complete freedom to customize the commands that appear for any application, and you can download plugins for hundreds of apps, providing quick access to common functions with matching icons.

Configuring Action Rings is handled in a dedicated section of Options+ separate from the main mouse settings. Here, you can meticulously set them up to your liking. Like Flow and gestures, this setup can be time-consuming, requiring you to consider all your frequently used applications, their most useful functions, and where they feel most intuitive within the ring. Remembering all these custom assignments can also be a challenge initially. However, once mastered, this system provides an incredible level of personalized functionality at your fingertips.

Performance Excellence

The Logitech Darkfield sensor, the technological heart of this mouse, is truly exceptional. This laser-based technology, exclusive to Logitech, surpasses both optical and conventional laser sensors by performing flawlessly on virtually any surface. While optical sensors demand an even, matte finish for accurate tracking, the MX Master 4 tracks perfectly on polished metal, mirrors, glass, and more. Although it still requires a reasonably flat surface, its versatility is remarkable.

The increased maximum DPI isn’t a feature most users with a standard desktop setup will fully utilize, as it can feel overly fast and erratic. However, for those with extensive multi-monitor setups, it could be beneficial for rapidly traversing across a vast digital workspace.

Regarding the mouse’s other core features, its main scroll wheel stands out as arguably its best. While other mice, such as the Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K, offer similar free-wheeling options, Logitech’s implementation here is exceptionally smooth. I particularly appreciate its intelligent design: it provides a precise, notched feel for slow, controlled movements, but with a harder flick, it automatically disengages the detents, allowing for an effortless free spin that Logitech claims can zip through documents at up to 1,000 lines per second.

When it comes to button performance, the main left and right clicks have a distinct feel compared to high-performance gaming mice. They lack the sharp, tactile click of gaming switches, instead offering a slightly softer response. Logitech intentionally designed these switches to be as quiet as possible, which is a thoughtful touch for users who find click noise distracting. Personally, the clicks on older MX Master versions never bothered me, but the silence here is a notable change.

Logitech has also refined the horizontal scroll wheel, making it feel noticeably looser and more responsive than on the MX Master 3. This enhancement significantly improves its usability, allowing for quicker and easier sideways navigation through documents, contrasting with the slightly stiff feel of its predecessor.

In summary, the MX Master 4 delivers excellent performance where it truly matters. Its tracking is flawless, and all its controls are intuitively placed and operate with remarkable ease.

Unrivaled Battery Life

The Logitech MX Master 4 boasts exceptional battery life, with Logitech promising several months of use on a single charge. Our testing confirms this claim, as the mouse consistently showed only a single-digit percentage drop in battery life within the Options+ software after each day of use. This impressive longevity is a clear advantage of its design, which foregoes the power-intensive, high-polling-rate sensors found in gaming mice and instead relies on the more efficient Bluetooth Low Energy mode for wireless connectivity.

Recharging is handled via the USB-C port conveniently located on the mouse’s front. What’s truly remarkable is its fast-charging capability: a mere minute of charging provides an astounding three hours of additional use.

Pricing and Value

Priced at $119.99 (or £119.99), the Logitech MX Master 4 isn’t a budget option, but its feature set justifies the cost. Many high-end gaming mice often come with a higher price tag yet offer far fewer productivity-focused features.

Final Thoughts

The Logitech MX Master 4 solidifies its position as the premier productivity mouse, thanks to its welcome new gesture controls and Action Ring features that enhance an already outstanding design. However, the increased weight and the unfortunate removal of its all-rubber exterior noticeably diminish its grippiness compared to previous MX Master models. While not a complete deal-breaker, some users might find this a significant step down in terms of handling and comfort.

Despite these minor ergonomic compromises, there’s no doubt that the MX Master 4 remains the top choice for anyone serious about getting extensive work done efficiently.

For those seeking to complete their workstation, explore our guides on the best gaming keyboards and best gaming mouse pads to find the perfect companions for your new mouse.