I have a weird way of playing games; I love putting my dominant right hand to work as much as possible while leaving my left only a few dedicated tasks. For me, this applies to both console and PC gaming. On consoles, face buttons and most input lines up with my way of playing resulting in an enjoyable and easy experience. PC though relies heavily on left-handed input to play and I have a harder time with it. My typical solution to this problem is to just plug in a controller and play with what is more comfortable to me. Back in the day though, many PC games didn't offer native controller support so I would come up with different solutions including using the mouse in my left hand.
That solution really sucked to me but thankfully companies started to make mice that had a number of additional buttons that can be programmed to function in-game. Typically these kinds of mice have been marketed as MMO or MOBA mice but they have been perfect for how I play games. My main go-to for the last few years has been the Logitech G700s, though I swapped this out for the G903 then G903 Hero for the last year. While the G903 line still had a number of programmable buttons, they weren't set up in an optimal way for my preferences. This is when the Logitech G604 came into my awareness and the last month of playing with it has been like a return home!
What's In The Box
The G604 comes in the typical gray/blue Logitech G box. Since the 600 line isn't considered the higher-end product line, the box is disappointingly thin to me. The front bears the G604 in a stylistic pose with the glossy blue name. The side bears a list of contents and system requirements for use, but I would like to add that the G604 can run on Windows 98 and XP! The back of the box outlines key features of the G604 like the Hero Sensor, Dual Connectivity, and Battery Life. Opening the box we have the G604, AA battery, Logitech sticker, quickstart guide, Logitech thank you note, and a USB extender.
Aesthetics And Build Quality
I have larger hands so smaller mice have never been my favorite, but at the same time, large mice alienate themselves from users with smaller hands. The G604 strikes a nice balance that should feel good to users of any hand size. The top features the typical right and left mouse buttons and a metal scroll wheel, which includes a left and right click. Joining these are a pair of additional buttons, which by default adjust pre-set DPI settings, a scroll wheel lock, and a connection button that changes the mouse between its Lightspeed receiver and a Bluetooth mode. A single multicolor LED is also present that provides an at-a-glance look at what DPI mode is selected and battery life indication.
Speaking of batteries, a removable compartment resides along the back of the G604 where a single AA battery can be placed to power the mouse. The Lightspeed receiver can also be stored here when the mouse isn't in use. Along the left of the G604 are 6 additional programmable buttons to use during gameplay. 2 of the buttons are assigned to forward and back for easy webpage navigation and a third is for DPI shifting. I love DPI shifting as it lets you easily change things on the fly for when you are doing a quick task that might be suited better by a lower setting.
A thumb rest sticks out from under the buttons which adds to the overall comfort in my opinion. Also adding to the comfort of using the G604 is the rubberized grip that makes up the top and sides. Unlike the first few days of using the G903 where you will have the mouse slip from your grip, the G604 rests securely from day one! 5 glide pads are employed to give smooth movement on a variety of mouse pad surfaces as well as protect the Hero sensor from debris. A simple on/off switch can also be found down here.
The G604 feels very solid to the touch. It isn't as heavy as other Logitech G mice but that might be preferable to many as lighter mice seem to be a current trend. What makes me happy is that the left and right mouse buttons aren't able to be pried up making them feel more firm and secure. Each of the side buttons has an interesting tactile feel I didn't like at first, but after spending some time with it I have come to like them. The back compartment utilizes magnets to keep it in place so in case of an accidental tumble you won't have to worry about it snapping something off. As a whole, I am very happy with the build quality!
Gameplay
Now as I mentioned earlier, I felt like using the G604 was like a return home for playing games to me. I love my G903 Hero with its great performance and battery life. If I can have those key factors and my preferred hotkey placement, it is a pure win in my book! After setting up my DPI settings in the GHUB software I haven't been able to tell a difference between the two in that regard but the button placement has been a night and day difference. Assigning some generic keys to the three topside buttons and two DPI buttons, I was off to playing. Back and forward can already be assigned in most games and the DPI switch has been great.
For shooters, I typically like to have movement, sprint, jump, crouch, and action/reload on my left hand with the keyboard. It doesn't require much movement of my hand and I like it. But for anyone who actually plays a shooter on PC you know how much more there typically is to do. You have weapon functions, weapon switching, healing, grenade switching, special/ultimate abilities, etc. It's a lot of things and I hate having to do it all on my left hand. With the G604 I can once again consolidate many of these functions back to my right hand where I feel more comfortable using them. I will assign weapon switching to the top two DPI buttons, abilities will go to the G5 - G9 keys, along with healing and melee if applicable. With this basic layout, I can easily switch between a number of different games and enjoy not only a more standardized control structure, but a control method that is far more comfortable for me to use and I love it!
While I primarily play shooters on PC these days, the programmable keys also work well in RTS titles and I like to use them for quick squad assignments. With the side keys, I am able to quickly select between 6 different groups of units and I feel it has helped me greatly in battlefield control and management. For fans of MOBA's, I can imagine all the great shortcuts you can assign to quickly access abilities and ultimates!
The Hero sensor once again turns in a great performance for aiming and control. DPI can be set as low as 100 or all the way up to an eye-watering 16,000! I don't personally know a single person who uses such a high setting as standard but I do have to say it is hilarious to mess with. I don't typically use more than 2 settings at a time during gameplay so the quick DPI switch is perfect for me. During normal play, I will be at a higher 1500-2000 DPI and once combat begins holding the G4 button will drop DPI down to 400 for finer aim. Again, I haven't been able to notice any difference between the sensors in the G604 and the higher-end G903 Hero which is great considering the price difference between the two!
Of course, gaming isn't the only thing you can use the G604 with. Productivity tasks work well with the mouse and I have even assigned program hotkeys to the buttons for easier use. Being able to edit in Premiere using just the mouse is very enjoyable! I also haven't encountered any double clicks or dropped clicks through my past month of testing. Battery Life for a single AA battery is exceptional with the G604 being rated to last up to 240 hours of continuous gaming while using Lightspeed and up to 5.5 months while using Bluetooth. After a month of regular use, my battery life indicator in GHUB is still full!
What It Could Have Done Better
Even though I have greatly enjoyed the G604 up to this point, there are a few things that keep it from being perfect. In my setup, the placement of the Lightspeed receiver is very important. If I have it plugged directly into my onboard or case USB ports it can randomly lose connection if I have the mouse on my mouse tray and it gets too close to being under my glass desk surface. If I use it on top of the desk I have no issues. Likewise, if I use the USB extender to get the receiver away from my tower, the problems go away. I am not sure as to the cause of this, as my tower does not utilize Wi-Fi.
I am also bummed that the G604 can't make use of the Logitech G Powerplay charging mat. Not having a built-in battery is sure to cut down on cost and the AA lasts forever, but it would be great to see an alternative in the future. Not enough Logitech mice use the Powerplay in my mind. This also would have been an easy fix for my Lightspeed receiver issues. The last thing that has caused me a bit of grief with the G604, which really isn't the mouse’s fault, is the GHUB software. For no reason and at random times, GHUB will completely lose sight of the mouse and then rediscover it. This momentary hiccup sends button and DPI settings haywire and it is really annoying. To fix this, I had to customize my desired profiles and save them to the G604's onboard memory.
Verdict
The Logitech G604 is a fantastic mouse that offers the same top tier performance as mice twice its price. The Hero sensor continues to be a great performer and its power-saving abilities make what is possible on a single AA astonishing. The ability to set so many easy to use custom hotkeys is also an essential ability for any mouse I use, making the G604 my ideal mouse which will be my main driver moving forward. While there were a few hiccups through my month of testing, they weren't anything that couldn't be overcome. Well, except Powerplay compatibility of course; maybe one day.
