The Logitech G304 (which, for some reason, is called G305 on the Logitech website) is the most affordable wireless mouse from their G gaming series. But by no means does that mean it's a bad mouse, no sir. We'll get to the nitty gritty of it but before we do, let's check the specs:
HERO sensor
200 to 12,000 DPI
Max. accelration: > 40 G, which is way faster than you can ever hope to move your mouse across your pad, unless you're The Flash or something
Max. speed > 400 IPS
Wireless report rate: 1,000Hz
Wireless technology: LIGHTSPEED Wireless (It's what they call their wireless technology protocol. It's supposed to have 16x better wireless strength than the other types)
Microprocessor: 32-bit ARM
Button durability (left/right): 10 million clicks (or about a few dozen sessions of Diablo 3)
PTFE feet (essentially Teflon) 250 km range
250 hour battery life (I guess you'll get more battery life with a lithium ion double A battery)
Onboard memory: 1 profile
Mechanical button tensioning system
6 programmable buttons
No RGB (boohoo)
The Feel
Let's first talk about the comfort of the mouse, which I think is one of the bigger determining factors whether I like a mouse or not.
At first, I didn't think I'd like the Logitech G304 because it's smaller than I'm used to. I made it my main productivity mouse, replacing an Elephant Wireless Mouse that failed me after 3 years of faithul service. Replacing the Elephant with a mouse that looks to have a very generic shape didn't seem like a good idea. At home, my main gaming mouse is the Logitech G502 Proteus, and that thing was built for comfort. So even though I'm used to handling bigger mice and I'm surrounded by them, I found that I actually looked forward to using the G304 every time I come into the office. It's not that I'm starting to prefer smaller mice, it's just that I don't think the size of the G304 is as much of a hindrance as I thought I would.
It doesn't really fill up my hand the same way a bigger mouse like the Razer DeathAdder would, but I can cup it very well and it accommodates my palm grip decently. I'd imagine someone using a claw grip on this thing would be right at home with it, as well, simply because the shape is so accommodating.
In terms of build quality, the matte plastic that Logitech used feels really premium. It's durable and is quite lovely to hold - a lot better than most cheapo gaming mice. It has quite a distinct soft plastic texture to it, which I enjoy. Glossy parts of the mouse are cool to look at and break up the pattern of the mouse quite nicely.
The Buttons
Overall, the placement of all 6 programmable buttons is quite good, something I fully expect of Logitech. The thumb buttons are placed in such a way that they're easy to access but won't accidentally get hit. Each thumb button also feels nice and clicky to press. I'd even wager to say that they feel just as good if not better than the Logitech G502's side thumb buttons. The main left and right mouse buttons don't feel quite as good as the side buttons, and are in general not as pleasant to click as some more premium mice such as maybe the Logitech G903, but are still quite serviceable. The click sound of the LMB and RMB is a bit too high pitched for me but it's something you get used to quite easily.
That brings us to what I think is my favorite part of the G304 - the scroll wheel. I use the mouse mostly for productivity, scrolling through long pages and Google Sheets spreadsheets, so I tend to use the wheel a lot. Each wheel scroll is nice and solid, which is just a joy. Pressing on the scroll wheel also feels beefy, with the right amount of pushback and you won't accidentally scroll while pressing.
The Function
As a productivity mouse, it's way more than enough. It will do everything you need it to do any more, even when working with graphics or video editing. Using the DPI button lets you switch sensitivity on the fly, which makes going from very precise, minute movements for moving tiny pixels on images or scrubbing frame by frame through a timeline to big sweeping motions a snap. The lowest default DPI setting (400) is perfect for tiny movements like in-game sniping or very delicate editing. The highest default (3,200) moves your mouse incredibly fast, which makes it ideal for computers with massive displays. On some FPS games, I usually go all the way up to 6,400 DPI then slam my sensitivity in-game waaaay down. That's possible to do with the G304.
The light near the DPI button flashes yellow for the lowest, white for the next, red for the next, and purple for the highest setting by default. You can add more profiles using the Logitech Gaming Software app.
Remember, you can bump that number up all the way to 12,000 in the Logitech Gaming Software. I personally like the 2nd to the last automatic setting (1,600) for every day productivity use.
Underneath the mouse, you've got 5 polytetrafluoroethylene feet, which should help your mouse glide over any surface. The on/off button is there, too. I've tried it on cheapo mousepads as well as glass and they work just as well.
The LIGHTSPEED wireless technology protocol is supposed to reduce your latency to 1ms, which is pretty damn good. It essentially makes wireless mouse gaming just as good as wired mouse gaming, which is fantastic because wires are a thing of the past! Kidding. I love wires.
For the HERO sensor, I do feel like the G304 is about as accurate with high speed motion as my Logitech G502, so it's either they're both so good that they're indistinguishable, or that I don't do enough with either mouse to really show a difference. But that said, I am a pretty average user, so you should be getting pretty similar results. However, one area where the HERO is supposed to shine is the energy efficiency. That doesn't matter too much on wired mice but on a wireless mouse like the G304, it is a pretty big factor. The Logitech website claims the battery can last for about 250 hours. That's 10 and a half days of continous use. Using a better battery will probably extend that life, too. Get rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, please. You'll thank yourself in the future.
The Value
It is a mid-range budget-ish gaming mouse, so it doesn't come with a lot of bells and whistles. It just has the mouse itself, the dongle inside the back shell, a battery, and a USB cord extension.
The back shell of the mouse, where the Logitech G logo sits, can be removed with no issues by simply sliding it down. It'll work the way you expect it to. The USB dongle can be stashed away inside so you'll never lose it.
The Logitech G304 takes a double A battery, which sits in the middle, making it very balanced.
The Verdict
Coming in at a very reasonable Php2,499 from Lazada (I got mine during the 12.12 sale, at Php1,899), it is the most affordable wireless gaming option from Logitech. Sure you can probably get other wireless gaming mice for less, but you have to remember that Logitech's build quality is top notch, and it really does show in the Logitech G304. If you're looking for a wireless mouse you can comfortably use for both gaming and productivity that won't break the bank, then give the Logitech G304 a look. You won't regret it. Get your Logitech G304 here.
8Overall8Design8Functionality8Value