Logitech Pop Mouse review: Emoji button meets colorful simplicity

There are many reasons to prefer wireless mice. They keep your desk clear of unnecessary cords, and it's now easy to find one with advanced capabilities, a nice set of programmable buttons, and the ability to hold a reliable connection. Some people use a wireless mouse to control a distant system—like a media PC, for example—and are interested in mice that not only cut the cord but the volume as well.

The Logitech Pop Mouse is aimed at that latter crowd. But before you notice its absence of cable and ability to easily toggle across three devices paired with Bluetooth, you'll see the daring color options that scream "vibrant" in all their plastic glory.

Priced at $40, the Pop Mouse also boasts an "emoji button" directly under the scroll wheel, pushing the device toward a young demographic. But that emoji button is programmable, so the Pop Mouse can still be a viable option for advanced users looking for a secondary or travel mouse. Just don't rely on this diminutive, flatter, more limited mouse for your next big Photoshop project.

Let’s talk colors

One of the biggest selling points of the Pop Mouse is its colors. That may sound silly to some, but a bright, exciting look goes a long way in livening up a work setup. And the Pop Mouse still has enough other features to make it a serious contender.

My review unit came in what Logitech calls "Blast," which is really just a combination of black and yellow, with a splash of gray on the scroll wheel. The mouse also comes in "Daydream," a shade of lilac that has made its way from Logitech's gaming side with yellow and mint green, and "Heartbreaker," which carries various shades of pink.

Logitech Pop Mouse in Daydream (left), Blast (center), and Heartbreaker (right).

Credit: Logitech

Logitech is pushing for a double purchase by offering the wireless Logitech Pop Keyboard in the same color schemes. These are striking, playful designs, and there's no toned-down option. So if you're not into statement-piece peripherals, the Pop collection isn't for you.

Three wireless devices

I'm happy to see Logitech offer this much wireless functionality for $40. Like the Logitech MX Anywhere 3, which costs twice as much, the Pop Mouse has three Bluetooth profiles (the feature requires at least Windows 10, macOS 10.15, Chrome OS1, iPadOS 13.4, or Linux). You can toggle through them by hitting a button on the mouse's underside. A small light shows up by an image depicting PC 1, PC 2, or PC 3, so you know which one you're controlling.

One button toggles across three connected devices.

Credit: Scharon Harding

And like that pricier mouse, the Pop Mouse can work with a dongle—the big difference is that it doesn't come with one. If you prefer that type of connection, which should be more reliable and easier to work with than pairing it with your PC, Logitech charges $15 for the dongle. But I was fine relying on Bluetooth. Once my three devices were paired, I had no trouble toggling through the systems in just a second or two.

Another accessory the Pop Mouse doesn't include is a charging cable to connect the mouse to your PC. The good news is that it will apparently be years before that's a problem. According to Logitech, the mouse will last up to two years before needing a new AA battery.

The Pop Mouse needs a AA battery and isn't rechargeable.

Credit: Scharon Harding

But even if you get slightly shorter battery life, the mouse will still outperform many rivals. The MX Anywhere 3 claims 70 days of battery time, Razer's Pro Click Mini can go up to about 30 days, and the Dell MS7421W (another tiny mouse with three Bluetooth profiles) should last up to 6 months.

The mouse's software, Logitech Options, has a battery meter but doesn't provide a precise battery percentage.

Hear me out: The emoji button is actually useful

Let's get this out way. I have absolutely zero need or interest in an emoji button. The ability to pull up the Windows or macOS emoji menu in any app that supports text did absolutely nothing to improve my life. The gimmick may appeal to a younger crowd, but depicting the input as an emoji button really undersells its value as a general programmable button.

Don't worry: There are better uses for the emoji button.

Credit: Scharon Harding

By default, pressing the flat, smooth button under the scroll wheel brings up emoji if you're using Windows or macOS, but if you download Logitech's Options app, you can reprogram that button to perform more useful functions. Or you can use the button to input a specific, oft-used emoji instead.

The button under the scroll wheel can insert your favorite emoji—or do something more useful.

To be fair, I use the "thumbs up" emoji in Slack enough that the button could be useful with that functionality. But I preferred using the button for other functions, like showing or hiding the desktop, taking a screenshot, launching a webpage or app, or controlling media.

And remember, for quick access to emoji, just hit the Windows key and "." or ";" in Windows or Control, Command, and spacebar in macOS. Pop Mouse not required.

No one-trick pony

The scroll wheel's "click in" is also programmable.

Additionally, the Options app allows the button's settings to differ depending on the app currently in use. You can pick your own apps, and Logitech has a small number of pre-made profiles for some common ones, including Zoom and Teams, where the scroll wheel "click in" becomes a microphone toggle, and WeChat, where it becomes a screen capture tool.

Customize app-specific settings in Logitech's stripped down Options software.

Small, flatter shape

When I first saw the Pop Mouse, I thought, "Oh boy, not another Pebble-shaped mouse." No, I'm not talking about a rock. I'm talking about the Logitech Pebble, a mouse that looks similar to the Pop Mouse. Take a look:

But once I got the Pop Mouse in my hand, I knew it wasn't the same. It's noticeably taller at the back, while maintaining some width that helps keep it comfortable.

By my measurements, the Pop Mouse is about 4.5 x 2.6 x 1.4 inches. The Pebble is 4.2 x 2.3 x 1 inches. The Pop Mouse's extra width and height do a lot to add to the mouse's comfort and usually (but not always) kept my pinky from dragging on the mouse pad.

Compared to most mice, the Pop Mouse is still flatter, which helps with portability, but a nice, tall hump and more height around the left and right-click buttons would help it fill the hand better.

The small build prevented me from palm gripping. It touches palm, but just barely. Plus, my fingers hung off the left- and right-click buttons. The mouse was a good fit for my claw grip, where my wrist touches the mouse pad but the palm doesn't make contact with the mouse. Because the mouse is so small and only 2.9 ounces with the battery, flinging it around with a light fingertip grip worked, too, but the heavier weight toward the back hump made it feel a little unbalanced in action.

Claw was the most comfortable grip with Logitech's Pop Mouse.

Credit: Scharon Harding

Because of those comfort concerns, as well as the mouse's lack of buttons, I wouldn't use it as my primary mouse. But I could get by with it on a work or personal trip or as a secondary mouse for, say, controlling a PC connected to my living room TV.

An annoyance, however, comes from the slit running along the side of the mouse. In my typical claw grip, I could always feel the line on my thumb and ring finger. When left-clicking, I could feel movement by my thumb. It was distracting and made the mouse seem cheaper than it already is.

Buzz buzz.

Credit: Scharon Harding

The mouse's plastic can get clammy, but the bottom half has slightly more texture to help with grip.

Sensor and scroll wheel

Logitech wouldn't reveal the sensor model in the Pop Mouse or its max velocity and acceleration specs, but the company told me that the sensitivity can range from 400 to 4,000 counts per inch (CPI), just like the more expensive MX Anywhere 3.

You can adjust sensitivity in the Options software, but not to an exact figure. All you get is a slider. This isn't the kind of mouse that allows you to fine-tune performance to your exact liking.

The simpler mouse only has a few customization options.

Credit: Logitech