The Swiss firm Logitech has developed a new range of office products. The MX mouse and keyboard are the result of long thinking and a long series of tests.

New mouse and keyboard, made in Switzerland, for Logitech.

Logitech is targeting the first target with its new products from the MX range, developed in Switzerland and marketed in early September. Keyboards and mice (MX Master 3 and MX Keys) were presented to the press and bloggers some time ago, to better understand the different stages of development.

Jean-Christophe Hemes, product manager, explains: “This mouse must work on all types of surfaces, be it glass, wood or paper”. The mice of the video game range have for example a high DPI. DPI means “dots per inches”, the fineness with which the slightest movement is detected. The accuracy of the sensor is good, especially thanks to the mouse pad of the same manufacturer. François Morier, Optical Engineer at Logitech explained during a day dedicated to the press that it was much easier to obtain good accuracy on a single known surface rather than a good precision on different subjects. A fundamental variable to take into account for the MX range.

The keyboard, for example, is backlit, which represents a greedy energy feature. But Logitech engineers have decided to include sensors that adjust the brightness of the keyboard according to the lighting of the room. Another feature: the light goes to sleep when the person moves away. If the user puts his hands close, the light comes back.

The great novelty of the MX mouse lies in its wheel. A “Mag speed” wheel is present. Concretely, to go down a page or an excel board becomes much faster because the wheel is conceived in this sense. “We have reinvented how the wheel mechanism works”. Logitech has developed this with a Swiss supplier. “It required the opening of a new production line,” says Jean-Christophe Hemes.

If the Swiss company manufactures its products in China – like most computer manufacturers – it has found this key partner through contacts at EPFL. “The module of the wheel and the electronics that comes with it are Swiss. It is true that this is an exception “concedes the product manager. The technical nature of the object largely restricts the number of companies capable of creating such a mechanism. The development of the keyboard and mouse of the new MX range lasted 18 months.

As for the price range, it is rather high. It takes 129 francs for the mouse and the same price for the keyboard. This is for people who are willing to invest for their work tools. The designers of the product have for example thought of the creators of video and photo content but also software developers or people working in finance and compatibility

Logitech has made an effort on the packaging of these products. “We had to find a solution, which removes the plastic and which remains of quality” explains Jean-Christophe Hemes. Without wishing to dwell too much on these changes during the presentation of the products, the company is slowly pursuing its efforts to align with the vision of its CEO.

Each year, Logitech presents its report on sustainable development. It details its actions to limit waste – including energy. The battery of a mouse lasts 70 days, much more than before. In addition, the miniaturization and redesign of the design has allowed the builder to save space and save material, which means fewer resources to use.

In order to renew the range, the product managers had a lot to do. They had to first identify the problems of previous products. What worked well or how the experts or the general public noted the keyboards and mice. Then, we must think with three data: the desirability of the product, its feasibility and its viability. “That’s how we manage to optimize development,” says Jean-Christophe Hemes.