Desk & Power review
Logitech MX Anywhere 3S Review: It Tracks on Glass
Three reviewers tried to defeat the sensor with glass, granite, concrete, a fabric couch and an unmade bed. None of them managed it, which is the entire argument for this mouse.
By Paulo GerchonPublished 2 min read
Illustration, not a photo — we don’t have a licensed image of this product yet.
Logitech
Logitech MX Anywhere 3S
Good · researched from 3 sources
The sensor is the product. If your desk is a glass table, a granite worktop or whatever the train provides, this tracks on it and nothing else in this size does. Try the shape first if your hands are large, and accept that the shell feels cheaper than the price.
- Buy if
- Working away from a desk, on trains, in cafés and on hotel furniture · Glass and stone surfaces where ordinary optical mice fail · Shared and quiet spaces, on the Quiet Click switches
- Skip if
- Large hands over a full working day · Anyone who needs horizontal scrolling · Buyers who expect a premium-feeling shell at this price
We don’t list prices, because Amazon’s change hourly.
Everyone tried to break the sensor
This is the rare case where three reviewers independently set out to test the same claim, and all three failed to defeat it.
EFTM went through a mouse pad, a glass table, a granite benchtop, a concrete tabletop and a fabric couch, and reported accuracy on every one with no dropped movements.
SlashGear added glass, mirrors, an unmade bed and a train tray table.
An ordinary optical mouse fails on glass because there is no texture for it to read. This one reads it. If you work in cafés, hotels or anywhere with a glass or stone surface, that is the whole purchase decision, and no amount of shell quality changes it.
The clicks are the other reason
EFTM describes the Quiet Click switches as producing a dull click barely noticeable even in a silent room, and considers that alone enough to justify upgrading from the previous generation.
SlashGear extends the point to the scroll wheel, which they rate as nearly silent, and quieter than the larger MX Master 3S.
Between the two, this is a mouse you can use in a quiet carriage or beside a sleeping person without anyone noticing. That is a narrow benefit that matters enormously to the people it matters to.
The shell is where the money did not go
SlashGear is unusually direct about it: the plastic exterior feels very artificial and almost cheap.
The metal scroll wheel and the rubber side grips are the exceptions, and they are the parts your fingers actually rest on, which softens the complaint without removing it.
For a product at this price sitting under Logitech's premium MX badge, it is a fair criticism and worth knowing before you unbox it.
Size, and who it does not fit
95 grams and just under four inches long. SlashGear says it fits a trouser pocket, which is the point.
EFTM finds it comfortable in the palm even for small hands, then notes larger hands will find it less ergonomic over extended use. SlashGear says larger hands struggle. How-To Geek says it might be too small for some.
Three sources, one consistent caveat. This is a travel mouse that happens to be usable at a desk, not the other way round.
Software and the things that are missing
Three paired devices, switched with a button underneath. Two thumb buttons plus a mappable wheel and front button, configured per application in Logi Options+. Logitech Flow moves the cursor and files between two computers.
There is no left-to-right scrolling, which How-To Geek notes and which the larger MX Master offers.
And EFTM points out two absences from the box: no carry case on a mouse sold for travel, and no Bolt receiver, so Flow works best after another purchase.
How it scored
The overall 8.4 is the weighted average of these five criteria — we never adjust it by hand.
Tracking
EFTM tested a mouse pad, glass, granite, concrete and a fabric couch and found it accurate on all of them. SlashGear adds mirrors, an unmade bed and a train tray table.
Value
How-To Geek scored it 9 out of 10 and EFTM calls it worth the money while noting the premium price. Neither the Bolt receiver nor a case is included.
Build quality
SlashGear is blunt that the plastic exterior feels artificial and almost cheap. The metal scroll wheel and rubber side grips are the exceptions.
Ease of use
Three paired devices, customisable buttons through Logi Options+ and Logitech Flow between machines. How-To Geek notes there is no left-to-right scrolling.
Portability
95 g and just under four inches long, which SlashGear says fits a trouser pocket. Logitech claims 70 days per charge and one minute returns three hours.
Pros and cons
What we liked
- EFTM found it accurate on glass, granite, concrete, a mouse pad and a fabric couch
- EFTM says the Quiet Click is barely noticeable even in a silent room
- The MagSpeed wheel toggles between ratchet and free spin at up to 1,000 lines a second
- 95 g and small enough for a pocket, per SlashGear
- Three paired devices with Logitech Flow between computers
- One minute of USB-C charging returns about three hours of use
What we didn’t
- SlashGear calls the plastic exterior artificial and almost cheap
- Two sources say larger hands will find it uncomfortable over long sessions
- How-To Geek notes there is no left-to-right scrolling
- EFTM points out neither a carry case nor a Bolt receiver is in the box
- The 70-day battery figure is Logitech's own; nobody has run it flat
Specifications
| Sensor | 8,000 DPI optical, tracks on glass |
|---|---|
| Weight | 95 g, quoted as 0.21 lb by How-To Geek |
| Dimensions | 3.96 x 2.56 x 1.35 in per How-To Geek |
| Scroll wheel | MagSpeed metal, ratchet and free spin, up to 1,000 lines a second |
| Switches | Quiet Click |
| Battery | Up to 70 days claimed; one minute of charging for about three hours |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth for three devices; Bolt receiver supported but not supplied |
| Software | Logi Options+ with per-application mapping, and Logitech Flow |
| Buttons | Two thumb buttons plus a mappable wheel and front button |
How we researched this
We have not had this unit on the bench. This review synthesises the manufacturer’s published specifications, independent measurements and owner reports listed below. Every figure on this page comes from one of those sources rather than our own measurement.
3
sources reviewed
All three sources tested surface tracking, which is why that finding is stated with more confidence than anything else here. EFTM lists the specific surfaces and supplies the Quiet Click assessment, the battery observation after two weeks and the missing accessories. SlashGear supplies the weight, the additional surfaces and the criticism of the shell material. How-To Geek supplies the dimensions, the button and software detail and the scrolling limitation, and scored it 9 out of 10. No source measured click latency or ran the battery to empty, so neither is claimed here.
What we read
Common questions
Does the Logitech MX Anywhere 3S really work on glass?
How quiet are the clicks?
Is it too small?
How is the battery in practice?
What is missing from the box?
The bottom line on the Logitech MX Anywhere 3S
The sensor is the product. If your desk is a glass table, a granite worktop or whatever the train provides, this tracks on it and nothing else in this size does. Try the shape first if your hands are large, and accept that the shell feels cheaper than the price.
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