Logitech’s new $80 Mobi Fold is conceptually quite appealing. This tiny 2.8-ounce travel mouse reminds me of the mini flip phones of yesteryear, folding up into a small square that’s less than an inch thick and pocket-friendly. Unfold it, and you have a fully functional, rechargeable mouse that works on any surface and offers very good performance along with a relatively strong set of features. But it has one drawback that may affect some hands more than others.
To me, anyway, its ergonomics feel a little cramped. In my testing, I kept finding myself adjusting my hand on the Mobi Fold, trying to strike a comfortable balance between where my fingers sat on the mouse and where my wrist rested. (I have medium-sized hands, according to my glove size.)
CNET Managing Editor Josh Goldman’s hands are larger than mine.
Logitech’s Arc mouse with less of an arc
In many ways, this is Logitech’s answer to Microsoft’s similarly priced Arc mouse, which is designed for use with Microsoft’s Surface tablets and laptops. The 2.9-ounce Arc folds flat but not in half. However, it does have more of a hump or curve that offers a little more support for your palm. I found it slightly more comfortable overall.
The Logi Options Plus app can be used to adjust mouse settings. I set the Back and Forward defaults on the touchstrip buttons to Paste and Copy.
Easy on and off
I liked that once you pair the Mobi, you just have to unfold it to turn it on, and it automatically connects to a device. Fold it shut, and it automatically turns off to preserve battery life. Logitech says a 1-minute charge via USB-C gets you 22 hours of use, and up to 30 days on a full charge. The battery does appear to be replaceable, which is nice, considering it won’t last the 15 years the hinge is rated for.
A button on the bottom of the mouse allows you to switch between up to 3 devices.
You can argue that it’s a little expensive at $80, particularly when you can pick up the arguably superior MX Anywhere 3S for $10 more. But in terms of design and build quality, it’s on par with Microsoft’s Arc mouse, so you can see why it’s priced where it is.
As an incentive to buy at launch, Logitech is throwing in a Mobi Fold Pouch (a $23 value) for free. For those on the fence, maybe later this year we’ll see some discounts (around $15) similar to what we’re currently seeing on the $80 Keys-To-Go 2, Logitech’s ultraportable keyboard equivalent to the Mobi Fold. But after the price drops a bit, you might not get that protective pouch as part of the deal.
