Logitech’s new Mobi Fold squeezes a lot of functionality into a tiny folding mouse

Logitech yet announced its caller ultraportable recreation rodent pursuing leaked marketing images that spoiled the astonishment past month. As the sanction implies, the Mobi Fold is simply a compact mouse that tin fold successful half utilizing a hinge that tin pivot astir 130 degrees. At $79.99 successful graphite, off-white, lilac, and soil colour options, the Mobi Fold isn’t Logitech’s lightest aliases cheapest mouse, but it’s decidedly 1 of its smallest and a well-featured replacement to your laptop’s trackpad if you tin get utilized to immoderate unconventional ergonomics.

The arch-shaped Mobi Fold looks akin to different folding devices, for illustration the Surface Arc mouse. But while Microsoft’s creation folds flat, making it thinner and easier to gaffe into a pouch aliases bag, the Mobi Fold is much for illustration a clamshell cellphone. And moreover though it doesn’t threat unopen pinch a satisfying clunk, it feels durable. Logitech says the hinge was “tested to withstand 15 years of regular use.”

That hinge, on pinch much than half the mouse, is wrapped successful a silicone tegument that improves grip while semi-protecting it from drops. Where it covers the hinge you’ll find a pleated creation that expands and stretches erstwhile the rodent is folded successful half, truthful there’s nary consequence of pinching.

At 79 grams the Mobi Fold is simply a fewer grams heavier than Logitech’s Pebble Mouse 2 and the bare-bones M196 that I’ve been precocious walking with. When folded, the rodent is simply a small complete three-quarters of an inch gangly and astir 2.6x2.5 inches successful size, making it consciousness earnestly compact. It reminds maine of immoderate wireless earbud cases, but a spot thinner.

Logitech claims the Mobi Fold’s rechargeable artillery will powerfulness the rodent for up to 1 period connected a afloat charge, while a 1-minute speedy complaint will support it going for up to 22 hours. It’s getting a world release. which intends we tin astir apt thank caller EU regulations for a removable screen connected the underside allowing that rechargeable artillery to beryllium replaced successful the future.

The Mobi Fold isn’t designed to wholly switch a full-featured desktop mouse, but it offers capable functionality and customizability to beryllium a coagulated trackpad alternative. There’s a 4K DPI optical sensor connected the bottommost and a brace of near and correct rodent buttons connected apical pinch a multifunction touch sheet betwixt them. That panel’s behaviour tin beryllium changed utilizing the optional Logi Options Plus software, truthful swiping your digit up and down either causes websites and documents to zip by aliases a much leisurely statement by statement scroll. The apical and bottommost of the touch sheet besides usability arsenic 2 further clicky buttons. You tin customize their functionality utilizing Logitech’s app, but by default they usability arsenic guardant and backmost buttons while browsing.

A azygous fastener connected the underside of the Mobi Fold is utilized to link and rhythm the rodent betwixt up to 3 different devices, and I had nary trouble connecting it to a mates of laptops and an iPad. Instead of a dedicated powerfulness button, you move the rodent disconnected by folding it successful half. I recovered that while scrolling pinch the touch sheet remains progressive erstwhile you’ve picked up the rodent to fold it, each of the buttons are disabled. That should forestall accidental presses and clicks because you’ll perfectly beryllium pressing them arsenic you fold it.

If portability is your eventual priority, the Mobi Fold is an fantabulous measurement to support a rodent connected hand. You’ll conscionable want to return immoderate other clip to get comfortable utilizing it.

While Microsoft’s aptly named Arc rodent features a gracefully curved arch that contours to your hand, the Mobi Fold feels much for illustration you’re resting your hands connected 2 sides of a portion of cardboard that’s been folded successful half. Its buttons and touch sheet are besides wholly flat, and I’ve travel to recognize I’m a rodent personification who prefers to often assistance and reposition a rodent alternatively of moving my full limb to push it around. The Mobi Fold’s bladed creation made it difficult to do that arsenic I struggled to find a sturdy spot to grip it connected either side.

For $80, the Mobi Fold delivers an impressively portable rodent that besides offers much than conscionable basal functionality. I will ever take a beingness instrumentality complete a touch pad for scrolling, but I’d happily strengthen digit swipes fixed really mini this rodent folds up. While I’d still opt for my laptop’s touchpad, the Mobi Fold is an fantabulous accessory for taking advantage of the iPad’s caller multitasking upgrades.

Photography by Andrew Liszewski / The Verge