Logitech Cordless Desktop EX110 Review
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Written To Better Inform Our Visitors Regarding These Deals: • Logitech Cordless Desktop $18 [MAIL IN REBATES] |
If you’re sick of being tied to your desktop or cords are threatening to take over your life, getting a new cordless keyboard and mouse may be the perfect solution. The only problem is that there are so many on the market, it’s really difficult to know which ones are the best. Price is not always a reliable guide and there are so many choices that many consumers find it truly difficult to get the best one. Let’s see if Logitech’s latest release can stand out from the crowd.
The design for both components is very pleasing to the eye. The mouse is just the right size, not too big for those with small hands, and not too small for those with big hands. The finish on both the keyboard and the mouse is high gloss black so it should go with most of the newer computers that are on the market.
The mouse has the standard two button configuration with the scroll wheel in the middle. It’s actually kind of cute, but a little bit plain compared to some of today’s newest mice. It is more of a utilitarian mouse, but it does look like it will get the job done and do it well. Sometimes bells and whistles can take away from performance, so we’re not going to hold the design against Logitech on this one.
The keyboard is also very sleek and has that same utilitarian feel. If you’re looking for a keyboard with a lot of gadgets and features, it may be a bit disappointing. There are the usual short cut buttons but nothing that really sets the keyboard apart from the other newer models that are out there. The design is very pleasing to the eye and at the end of the day, it’s what the keyboard can do that really matters, not how it looks.
Setting up both components was very easy. Our testing computer recognized them instantly and we did not need to install a driver. Older models may go through this process, but you can always download the necessary drivers from the Logitech website if you need to.
You will need to keep a good stash of batteries on hand and this was pretty disappointing to tell the truth. Although the overall life span was pretty decent, we’d like to see just one of these cordless models that didn’t require purchasing stock in a battery company. You’ll need 2 AA batteries and 2 AAA batteries. The box includes the PS/2 RF receiver and there is a USB connection that you will need to hook up as well.
Both will function with a laptop or a desktop, so that was a nice feature that many consumers should enjoy. Sometimes, you just need a full size keyboard and this is a great way to have the best of both worlds.
The best feature overall, in our opinion, was the fact that the keyboard is spill proof. No matter how many of us know better, there are times when coffee spills or you knock your water bottle over. No more worrying about disaster with this one. If you are prone to accidents, this is definitely well worth the money and the other features will just be icing on the cake.
The mouse is an 800dpi optical model and we found that it was very responsive. If you are still suffering with an antiquated trackball mouse, it’s time to see what something like this can do. We didn’t find any signal or distortion problems and thought that it was very responsive without being too responsive. You can always play with the settings a little bit in your control panel if you need it to be a little faster or slower.
The F keys on the keyboard are all programmable and you’ll be able to enjoy the shortcuts and other little buttons. There aren’t many, but they do get the job done. You can control audio and video files with one button push, so that was a very nice feature.
There aren’t a lot of other outstanding features to talk about. It’s a bit mediocre when it comes to features that are worth writing home about, but we still couldn’t find much room to complain, simply because it was dependable and the price was definitely right.
This model comes with a five year limited warranty. That’s pretty impressive and could be the swaying point for many consumers. Too many manufacturers are going the 90 day route, so it was definitely nice to see that Logitech was willing to stand behind their product for five whole years.
While it’s not particularly inspiring, pretty or incredibly useful, this desktop set performed well. We would like to see less reliance on battery power however, but that is more of a pet peeve. Our recommendation is to invest in a battery recharger and use those batteries if you’re looking to save money over the long term. Again, the life span was pretty decent however, so this was not a major downside for us. We don’t like it, but we can live with it.
The lack of cords is probably the best feature about this desktop set. For those of us that are simply fed up with tangled messes, that is a major selling point on its own. We would have liked to have seen a few more hotkeys and features on the keyboard, but we’ll gladly trade those for the spill proof feature. That alone made us want to buy, keep and use this model.
The mouse quickly became one of our all time favorites, thanks to its quick response and reliability. No sudden floating around on the page, or acting up. It’s a solid little mouse and it does its job well. For the money, less than $30, you’d be hard pressed to find something better. Considering the warranty and that it’s made by Logitech, this is definitely a good little buy.
First Impression
The design for both components is very pleasing to the eye. The mouse is just the right size, not too big for those with small hands, and not too small for those with big hands. The finish on both the keyboard and the mouse is high gloss black so it should go with most of the newer computers that are on the market.
The mouse has the standard two button configuration with the scroll wheel in the middle. It’s actually kind of cute, but a little bit plain compared to some of today’s newest mice. It is more of a utilitarian mouse, but it does look like it will get the job done and do it well. Sometimes bells and whistles can take away from performance, so we’re not going to hold the design against Logitech on this one.
The keyboard is also very sleek and has that same utilitarian feel. If you’re looking for a keyboard with a lot of gadgets and features, it may be a bit disappointing. There are the usual short cut buttons but nothing that really sets the keyboard apart from the other newer models that are out there. The design is very pleasing to the eye and at the end of the day, it’s what the keyboard can do that really matters, not how it looks.
Setting Up
Setting up both components was very easy. Our testing computer recognized them instantly and we did not need to install a driver. Older models may go through this process, but you can always download the necessary drivers from the Logitech website if you need to.
You will need to keep a good stash of batteries on hand and this was pretty disappointing to tell the truth. Although the overall life span was pretty decent, we’d like to see just one of these cordless models that didn’t require purchasing stock in a battery company. You’ll need 2 AA batteries and 2 AAA batteries. The box includes the PS/2 RF receiver and there is a USB connection that you will need to hook up as well.
Both will function with a laptop or a desktop, so that was a nice feature that many consumers should enjoy. Sometimes, you just need a full size keyboard and this is a great way to have the best of both worlds.
Features
The best feature overall, in our opinion, was the fact that the keyboard is spill proof. No matter how many of us know better, there are times when coffee spills or you knock your water bottle over. No more worrying about disaster with this one. If you are prone to accidents, this is definitely well worth the money and the other features will just be icing on the cake.
The mouse is an 800dpi optical model and we found that it was very responsive. If you are still suffering with an antiquated trackball mouse, it’s time to see what something like this can do. We didn’t find any signal or distortion problems and thought that it was very responsive without being too responsive. You can always play with the settings a little bit in your control panel if you need it to be a little faster or slower.
The F keys on the keyboard are all programmable and you’ll be able to enjoy the shortcuts and other little buttons. There aren’t many, but they do get the job done. You can control audio and video files with one button push, so that was a very nice feature.
There aren’t a lot of other outstanding features to talk about. It’s a bit mediocre when it comes to features that are worth writing home about, but we still couldn’t find much room to complain, simply because it was dependable and the price was definitely right.
Warranty
This model comes with a five year limited warranty. That’s pretty impressive and could be the swaying point for many consumers. Too many manufacturers are going the 90 day route, so it was definitely nice to see that Logitech was willing to stand behind their product for five whole years.
Overall Impression
While it’s not particularly inspiring, pretty or incredibly useful, this desktop set performed well. We would like to see less reliance on battery power however, but that is more of a pet peeve. Our recommendation is to invest in a battery recharger and use those batteries if you’re looking to save money over the long term. Again, the life span was pretty decent however, so this was not a major downside for us. We don’t like it, but we can live with it.
The lack of cords is probably the best feature about this desktop set. For those of us that are simply fed up with tangled messes, that is a major selling point on its own. We would have liked to have seen a few more hotkeys and features on the keyboard, but we’ll gladly trade those for the spill proof feature. That alone made us want to buy, keep and use this model.
The mouse quickly became one of our all time favorites, thanks to its quick response and reliability. No sudden floating around on the page, or acting up. It’s a solid little mouse and it does its job well. For the money, less than $30, you’d be hard pressed to find something better. Considering the warranty and that it’s made by Logitech, this is definitely a good little buy.
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