Last but not least a shot of the 4 AA batteries that are included and the USB mini-receiver. You can plug the USB mini-receiver in to the included base or you can plug it straight into the front/back of your computer.

The LX 7 Mouse:

     The installation process is pretty straight forward. Start of with installing the four AA batteries (two in the mouse and two in the keyboard). The LX 710 Cordless Desktop works much like the MX5000 minus the fact that its not using the Bluetooth technology. From what I have been able to read up on it, the battery life span is suppose to be really good depending on the usage. At this time I have no estimates on how long they might last, I have used the MX5000 for just over four months and have charged the mouse three times, and am still on the first set of AA batteries in the keyboard. I have no doubt the LX 710 will show the same kind of results. If you use the setup daily for your main keyboard and mouse I would suggest looking into some rechargeable batteries.


      At this point you will want to route and connect the mouses USB mini-receiver's base. You have two options with this setup and seemed to work flawlessly for me during the review. You can plug the USB mini-receiver in to the base provided or you can plug it straight into the PC USB port.

     On previous USB setups like this I have found that the amount of cabling you have can affect the functionality of cordless setups. For example with the MX5000 that I have here. It only allows for the mini-receiver to plug straight into the PC. This showed to be an issue on one of the computers I tested it on. Connecting it to this system (which has 2 others beside it) I experienced lag issues on the mouse and keyboard. Moving it over to my other setup (by itself) solved the lag issues. After doing some trials I was able to get that setup to work on this system simply by doing some re-arranging of the cables. Simply keep this in mind when working with cordless devices. If you experience lag with either of them, try re-arranging the wires that are close to the mini-receiver or devices.

     The next set of screen shots show the driver installation. It is all straight forward and self explanatory. Simply follow the instructions and select the needed options.

     The second tab allows you to change and configure the LX 7 Keyboard settings. You might find all this a little overwhelming at first. Once you get the feeling for the options its a breeze to run through and quickly configure your setup.

     The last tab is the Tools. Here you will find links to related informations and options for updating the software.

     From the Media controls to the programmable Function keys, the Logitech LX 710 has everything covered. The keys offer smooth action and are quite responsive. The only thing I really see missing from this cordless combination is rechargeable batteries. This is the second wireless combination that I have taken a look at for Logitech, back in Sept. I looked at the Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 5000 Laser combo. The LX 710 does not offer quite as many features as the MX 1000 does. The main differences between them is the fact that the MX 1000 uses the Bluetooth technology, while the LX 710 does not. The LX 710 does not have the LCD screen or use the touch pads for its controls. Other than those differences they are very close in functionality. The MX 1000 also has the extended range with the cordless. The LX 710 is not really geared toward the HTPC setup, but could easily handle the task. I have seen no issues with the wireless side of it. I did not experience any of the lag issues that I originally seen with the MX 1000 on this system.

     After playing with the LX 710 for a couple of days I was more than happy to see that it was performing as well as the MX 1000 for about half the price. This is definitely an excellent bang for your buck. At $79.99 US (can be found even cheaper with some searching) it is an investment that should please you. Deciding on what combination to go with will totally depend on what features a person is looking for. This will make a great everyday setup for a normal user that is not on their system 24/7. Slip in some rechargeable batteries and it will easily handle the extended use. I did not do any gaming tests with this LX 710 simply because I don't feel it fits in to that level. The LX 7 mouse works great as a desktop mouse for normal use but I don't feel its quite up to the challenge of trying to be a great gaming mouse. I am sure I am being biased on this aspect simply because I have yet to find a mouse I like better than my Logitech G7. The LX 710 Cordless Desktop worked flawlessly for the 4 day test period I put it through. The only thing I can think of that will make the LX 710 any better for its target area would be to include rechargeable AA batteries. Both the keyboard and mouse will go into a energy saving mode when not in use for a set amount of time. This will help extend the life of the batteries. I am still running the same AA batteries that came with the MX 1000 and it has the LCD screen that is on all the time (4 months and counting). I think I will have an even longer life span with the LX 710 keyboard. The LX 7 mouse will probably go through batteries a lot easier depending on how much use it receives.

     Being the modder I am, I had plans slated for this combination from the start. If you stopped by the Ultra Products Suite at the 2007 International CES event you might have caught a glimpse of it. Below you will see a couple of shots of the LX 710 slightly altered. I popped the covers off and did a two layer paint job on it just before it shipped out to Vegas.

     The Logitech LX 710 Cordless Desktop is one of the better affordable combinations I have used. It offers several great features like the programmable function keys, slim design, light weight, and is Windows Vista™ ready. I seen no issues with the wireless side of the mouse and keyboard. The center black section of the keyboard is similar to a lot of remote controls. It has a dull "cloth like" feel to it, while being a durable surface. The LX 7 cordless mouse is a little slimmer than I like for a mouse, this is really a preference issue though. The only real complaint I have on the mouse is the location of the forward and back buttons. Again this will be a preference issue, I prefer the thumb controls after being an avid user of the MX100 and G7 mice.

     Overall I have to say that the MX 710 is surprisingly feature rich for its $79 US price tag. It surprised me on how close it came to the MX 5000 I reviewed a few months back. I got to give the LX 710 a thumbs up for that.