You know the mouse must be a big deal when it has a secret launch at the Sydney Opera House.
Logitech’s MX Master 4 launch event is a party for a mouse.
At least, that’s how I describe it to my editor. And why not? As well as unveiling a new product, Logitech is also celebrating 10 years of the MX Master range – in style, at the Sydney Opera House.
The tech company calls the MX series “high-performance peripherals”, designed to enhance productivity and creativity.
In the last decade, there have been four versions of the mouse: the first in 2015, the second in 2017, the third in 2019 and the 3s in 2022.
At the launch, Logitech senior cluster category manager (ANZ) Marisol Vargas describes the latest iteration as “an experience, not just an upgraded tool”.
She says it takes productivity to the next level with customisable features so users can adapt it to their needs.
Spectacular starts
On September 30, our team of eight from Aotearoa arrived at the Sydney Opera House, excited to see what was in store.
We were slightly early – just in time to see the sun set over Darling Harbour. A pretty spectacular way to begin the night.
When we checked in, we got a silver and a gold ticket, plus an MX wristband. One of our group pushed a button on the band – it changes colour! Oooh.
MX Master 4: front, centre and glowing
The clock struck 6: time to head in to the opera house’s Yallamundi Rooms along with other local media, content creators, partners and collaborators.
A low-lit corridor opened up to sparkling wine, a DJ mixing beats and the MX Master 4 projected on a big screen.
And here were the mice themselves. All five from the last decade had their own pedestals. The new one was – of course – front, centre… and glowing. We played spot the difference between models while trying to get the perfect photo of the 4.
We’d be leaving with a mouse of our own, and discovered we could exchange our gold tickets to get them engraved. A neat way to add a hint of personalisation, I thought.
Across the room, our silver tickets were for the cocktail experience. On a digital MX Master 4, I scrolled to choose a drink that was fresh, wild and curious. It appeared suddenly from behind some curtains, complete with a large MX branded ice cube.
Making life easier
During the brief formalities, we heard from Vargas and Logitech cluster head and managing director (ANZ) Damian Lepore.
Lepore spoke to Logitech’s commitment to make products that are more than mice, keyboards and webcams.
“Looking ahead, people expect technology to complement lives. There’s no reason why this should standalone. Everything is designed from our perspective to work together and make life a little bit easier,” he says.
Vargas talked about the features that make the MX Master 4 unique: the Actions Ring shortcuts allows you quick access to tools and applications with your cursor. Meanwhile, the haptic feedback enhances usability even further, she says.
Work mode
Now back at my desk, I’ve had almost a whole day of trialling out my MX Master 4.
It’s clear my previous mouse, while also wireless and from Logitech, doesn’t hold a candle to this one.
For a start, the 4 tracks smoothly my desk. The old one would sometimes stick – though nothing a bit of “percussive maintenance” couldn’t fix.
Being able to connect to my laptop via Bluetooth will make switching from working at the office and home a breeze.
The Action Ring overlay is a pretty neat feature and I’ve already customised some smart actions like “work mode” and “meeting mode”.
Fireworks to finish
Back at the event, as the speeches wrapped up, the wristbands lit up in unison, changing colours as the DJ kept the beats coming.
Enticed by the night time view of the harbour and the city lights, we popped out through the side door to get some more photos. As we did, fireworks erupted across the water.
“Do you think these are for the mouse?” we pondered. Yeah, nah. That’s just Sydney on a Tuesday.
Zahra was hosted in Sydney by Logitech.
