This Ergonomic Mouse Has a Thumb-Scroll Feature You Never Knew You Needed
Kimber Streams is a writer who has been covering laptops and other tech at Wirecutter for more than a decade. They once built a fort out of keyboards.
What if your mouse had a vertical scroll wheel, but for your thumb? That’s the bold question Logitech asked (and answered) when it released the first MX Master wireless mouse back in 2015. As soon as we tested it, we fell in love. And ever since, subsequent iterations of this lineup—the MX Master 2S, the MX Master 3, and the MX Master 3S —have been our upgrade picks for people who spend all day using a wireless mouse.
We like them for their comfortable, ergonomic shapes and versatile, multi-device wireless connections, as well as the handful of programmable buttons. And, yes, because of the handy thumb-scroll wheel, too.
Upgrade pick
The MX Master 3S has a bigger, ergonomic design and a useful thumb-scroll wheel. But it’s expensive, and it’s too large for those with small hands.
The MX Master 3S for Mac is identical to the Master 3S, but it doesn’t come with a USB receiver.
It’s wheel-y fun to use
The MX Master was the first wireless mouse we tested with a vertical thumb-scroll wheel, and it completely changed my workflow. By default, this side-scroll wheel is set to horizontal scrolling, which is great for graphic design, video editing, and large spreadsheets. But I found that configuring it to scroll between browser tabs is life changing. Not only is it useful, it’s also fun.
In 2017, Logitech released the updated MX Master 2S with battery and sensor improvements and support for Logitech’s Flow software, which lets you move your cursor and copy-and-paste between multiple computers on the same network. The MX Master 3, was released in 2019 with a USB-C connection and some tweaks to the thumb-scroll wheel position that also make the thumb buttons easier to press.
The current model, the MX Master 3S, has quieter left- and right-click buttons, an upgraded sensor, and works with the newer Logi Bolt receiver.
“I was using an Apple Magic Mouse on Black Friday, which involves a ton of scrolling, clicking and dragging, and it gave me an overuse injury. I bought the MX Master on Cyber Monday and have been thrilled with how much easier and more ergonomic it is for daily and high-intensity use,” said our deputy editor, Annemarie Conte.
In all this time, other competitors haven’t been able to match the MX Master’s excellent build quality or contoured shape, both of which our testers have loved over the years. It features five programmable buttons, in addition to the left- and right-click buttons and that iconic thumb-scroll wheel. The MagSpeed scroll wheel (not the thumb one, but the one on top) automatically switches between ratcheted scrolling (where it clicks to pause) and smooth scrolling, depending on how fast you scroll. We found this feature perfect for reading through long documents one ratchet at a time or quickly scrolling all the way to the bottom.
The MX Master 3S can pair with up to three devices via Bluetooth, and it can quickly switch between them with a button on the bottom of the mouse. The standard version of the MX Master 3S can also connect via USB dongle, but the Mac version does not come with a USB dongle and can connect only via Bluetooth.
Any ol’ mouse can be a significant ergonomic upgrade over using a laptop’s built-in trackpad. But splurging on one that’s even more comfortable and customizable to fit your individual workflow can be a life-changing upgrade for someone who spends their workday at a computer.
It squeaks past the competition
We’ve tested more than 40 wireless mice over the years and found that the Logitech MX Master 3 is the best option for people who spend all day using a mouse. Here’s why we love it:
- Different versions of the MX Master have been our pick since the original was first introduced in 2015.
- In addition to the customizable scroll wheel, the MX Master 3S has five programmable buttons. No other wireless mouse we tried provides as many useful customizable inputs combined with exceptional comfort and versatile wireless connection options.
- The MX Master can pair with up to three devices via Bluetooth, and you can switch between them by pressing a button on the bottom of the mouse.
- Logitech claims the MX Master 3 will last up to 70 days between charges, and our experiences are in line with this estimate.
- The biggest downside is that the $100 price is more than twice as much as the cost of our other wireless mouse picks.
How to maintain your mouse
The best way to extend the life of the MX Master 3S is with proper battery hygiene. The Master 3S has a lithium ion battery, just like most phones and laptops. Avoid letting the battery drain all the way to zero or charging all the way up to 100%. Whenever possible, try to keep the battery between 40% and 80% charged, though 20% to 80% is also cited sometimes. But even well-cared-for batteries degrade eventually, and you can still use the Master 3S while it’s plugged in and charging.
When your mouse looks or feels gross, or it doesn’t glide smoothly across surfaces anymore, it’s time to clean it. You can wipe the mouse down with a damp (but not wet!) microfiber cloth to wipe skin oils off the surface.
Don’t use isopropyl alcohol because it can break down the surface coating and make your mouse feel sticky and horrible forever. And use a toothpick to remove any gunk (like dust or pet hair) that’s built up around the pads on the bottom of the mouse.
The current version of this article was edited by Rachelle Bergstein and Catherine Kast.
Meet your guide
Kimber Streams is a senior staff writer and has been covering laptops, gaming gear, keyboards, storage, and more for Wirecutter since 2014. In that time they’ve tested hundreds of laptops and thousands of peripherals, and built way too many mechanical keyboards for their personal collection.