Logitech Mobi Fold review: great if you hate trackpads
Logitech is launching its first foldable mouse, the Mobi Fold. It’s designed for people who are looking for an alternative to a trackpad for on-the-go use. Although the mouse delivers, the target audience is likely to be small.
If you frequently use your notebook on the go, you’re probably relying on its trackpad. It's convenient enough – it’s built into the latop – but it’s also awkward and inefficient in the long run. Logitech hopes to remedy this with the Mobi Fold. When folded, the mouse fits in your pocket and is designed to convert trackpad users to mouse enthusiasts. And Logitech might just be able to sway the odd user. After all, the Mobi Fold does its job well, although it takes a little getting used to.
Folding mechanism: handy and well-designed
The mouse is easy to fold and unfold, and the mechanism feels good. I’m also impressed with its finish. When folded, the Mobi Fold is about the size of a charging case for Bluetooth headphones. A nifty touch is that unfolding it switches the mouse on and closing it switches it off, so accidentally draining the battery is a thing of the past. However, if you prefer to leave the mouse on the table when you’re done, you’ll miss having a designated power-off button.
The hinge is designed to manage daily unfolding and folding for 15 years. According to Logitech, this was based on an average use of eight folds/unfolds per day.
Touch panel: effective, but requires precision
Instead of a mouse wheel, Logitech uses a touch panel. A gentle swipe equals slow scrolling; a firm swipe takes you to the bottom of the page. This works reliably. However, there’s no horizontal scrolling, which is useful in Excel, for example.
Two customisable buttons sit at the front and back of the touch panel. They’re pretty handy, as they perform functions that would otherwise be handled by side buttons. The problem is that you can’t feel them. When switching between keys, you have to consciously lift your finger, otherwise, you risk accidentally swiping the panel.
Handling: small, but surprisingly comfortable
Even after using it for several hours, the Mobi Fold is still comfortable – surprising for such a compact mouse. Obviously, it doesn’t offer the comfort of an ergonomic mouse, as your thumb’s just left hovering in the air. After a brief adjustment phase. Though I found myself resting it on the front edge of the mouse, which soon felt natural.
The mouse is designed for smaller hands. If you need better support, simply adjust the folding angle. The mouse works in any position. Make sure not to press too hard, though, or it won’t unfold anymore.
Volume: on the loud side
Logitech is hailing the Mobi Fold as a quiet mouse. While that is true for the dampened main buttons, the ones on the touch panel make a loud clicking sound.
There’s also no full protection against accidental clicks. Although the main buttons are deactivated when you lift the mouse, the touch panel remains active. So if you’re not careful when folding it up, you might trigger unintended commands.
Battery: powerful, but not perfect
According to Logitech, a single battery charge will keep the mouse going for one month. After one minute of charging, it’ll run for another 22 hours. It charges via USB-C and has a replaceable battery. Replacement batteries are available through iFixit.
That said, there are two drawbacks that dampen the overall impression. First, the mouse rests on the USB-C port when charging, which makes it wobbly. Second, there’s no wireless charging. A shame, as it would’ve been really handy to simply place the folded mouse on a charging station.
Connectivity and software: solid, but limited
The Mobi Fold connects via Bluetooth or Logi Bolt and can switch between up to three paired devices. The switch button is on the inside, protected from accidental presses when the device is folded. It’s a clever solution.
The Bolt dongle is only available for the Business version. For a product in this price range, that seems fair – unlike with some other Logitech bundles.
The Logi Options+ software is intuitive to use and offers many customisation options, including AI tools. However, it only runs on Windows and macOS. Linux and iPad users have to make do without.
In a nutshell
A mouse with a niche target audience
The Mobi Fold mouse lives up to its description: it’s pocket-sized, making it perfect for on-the-go. The folding mechanism is well-designed and really handy for everyday use.
But the price of 80 francs/euros is high. Especially for a mouse that replaces a scroll wheel with a touch panel that takes some getting used to. Just under 30 francs/euros will get you a Logitech Signature M650 with a classic mouse wheel and ergonomic design. If you already carry a mouse in your rucksack, you’ll hardly notice that more compact size of the Mobi Fold.
Sure, the mouse is handy, but my guess is that far fewer people are actually looking for this kind of gadget than Logitech was hoping for.
Pro
- A reliable, well-made folding mouse
- Pocket-sized
- Turns on and off when you fold and unfold it
- Replaceable battery
- Works at any folding angle
Contra
- Touch-sensitive buttons aren’t perceptible
- No wireless charging
- Expensive compared to alternatives
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