If you’re looking for a new presentation pointer, then the likelihood is that you’re looking at getting something from Logitech. Why? Well, they’re the most popular brand on the market by quite a distance when it comes to presentation laser pointers. But which is the best Logitech Pointer for your needs? Well, let’s take a look at their most popular models that are currently available.
I should probably start by saying that Logitech themselves rank their pointers like this; R400 good, R800 better and the Logitech Spotlight is the best.
But of course, the price tag reflects this and there are many people who still prefer the R800 over the Spotlight, and even the R400 over both of them. This is for a variety of reasons, which I’ll elaborate on further in a minute.
First, I’ve made a huge comparison table to help compare the differences between the most popular Logitech pointers.
R400 vs R700 vs R800 – Best Logitech Pointer?
The Basics
First things first, I’m going to run you through the basics and see where the differences are in terms of availability, release order, price, range and color. Then we’ll have a look at a closer comparison between the specific models.
Availability
At the time of writing, all of these presenters are currently available to purchase either through Amazon or directly through the Logitech website.
The brand however, have made the choice to opt to promote three pointers more than the other two.
The R400, R800 and the Spotlight are essentially the most popular Logitech pointers that the brand pushes, with the R700 being shelved and the R500 only being released recently.
Order of Release
Whilst it seems like common sense for the release of the pointers to be in accordance to their name, this isn’t the case. The R400, R700 and the R800 were all released at the same time – over 10 years ago back in 2007.
The Spotlight was released 10 years later in 2017, and the R500 was released in early 2018 as an alternative to the complexity of the Spotlight.
Update: Logitech have since actually discontinued the Spotlight, making it unavailable to those that are looking for a pointer without the laser element of it. Frustrating yes, and for now we’ll have to make do with the other Logitech laser pointers available.
Price
From a price perspective, it’s clear to see that the R400 is the cheapest option – it’s a third of the price of the Spotlight. But, price isn’t everything and if you have the extra budget, you may want to opt for one of the improved models.
The R500 isn’t much more expensive than the R400, but it does have a few things extra that you might find handy – the added range and extended battery life are likely to come in handy. Whereas if the battery life doesn’t matter to you, then you could opt for the R800, which offers other features that the R400 doesn’t have.
Range
The R700, R800 and the Spotlight all have a 100 foot range which is undeniably impressive. The R400 only has a 50 foot range, so it’s up to you to know whether you need the increased range. In my experience, the majority of people won’t need more than 50 foot range. But I have been in lecture halls that are quite large, so if you’re presenting from a certain area then a 100 foot range may be necessary.
Laser Color
You’d be surprised about how much the laser has an effect on your screen. The majority of people will prefer a green laser as it’s more visible, especially during the nighttime. But there are those who prefer a red laser – if that’s you, then opt for the R400 or R700. If you want green, then go for the R800.
Of course you’re probably wondering – what about the Spotlight? It doesn’t even have a laser pointer! Well, the Spotlight was designed to work with a unique system that doesn’t need a laser pointer. Instead, it uses a ‘spotlight’ to highlight where you’re pointing towards. They’ve introduced this likely due to the fact that lasers aren’t really great to use with high definition screens, of which the Spotlight is more compatible with.
Some people prefer to have a laser, some don’t – the decision to remove the laser pointer will likely determine whether the Spotlight is for you or not.
Now, I’m going to look at each of the pointers in a direct comparison with each other. I’ll start with the R400, as this is the basic Logitech model that is used to compare it to other options.
The Logitech R400 vs R500
The R400 was released over 10 years ago and has been Logitech’s most simplistic pointer ever since. In 2018, they took the chance to release the R500 – likely after many people didn’t want the new Spotlight, they just wanted an updated version of the R400.
And that’s pretty much what the R500 is. It’s very similar to the R400 in a lot of ways, but there are some additions that you might find useful.
- Bluetooth option – Whereas you need to connect the R400 via a USB receiver, the R500 has the added feature of using Bluetooth which makes things slightly easier.
- Better battery life – The battery life on the R500 is insanely better than the R400. You only get about 20 hours of battery life with the R400. Though there’s no ‘hourly’ state from Logitech regarding the R500, you’re going to get much more than that (they state ’12 months’.
- Greater range – Even though you get less battery with the R500, you get an extra 15 feet of range from the original 50 foot range of the R400. This might come in handy for those who
- More expensive – Of course as you’d expect, it’s a little more expensive than the R400 but not by much.
- Works better with Mac – All of the presentation pointers work with Mac OS, although only the newer pointers are stated as doing so. But, the R500 works with Mac more fluently than it’s competitors.
- App integration – Whilst the appearance of the R500 3 button remote is extremely basic, that’s because it’s designed to be used with the Logitech App. There, you have much greater customization over your pointer.
The Logitech R400 vs R800
I’m going to continue to use the R400 as the basis for the comparisons, as it’s the most basic model. The R800 is as similar to the R400 as the R500, but it has some different additions that the R500 does not have.
- Even greater range – The R800 has a 100 foot range, which is double of the R400. This is a pretty significant increase
- Alerts – You have a silent vibration that works with the R800 that will let you know how far you are through your presentation, which is a good way to keep your presentation more professional. It also has an alert that lets you know when you’re out of signal range using your pointer.
- Timer – The R800 has an easy to use timer to help you countdown your presentations.
- LCD Screen – The LCD screen makes it easier to use as you can easily see things like the signal and the timer that you’ve set up to use with your presentation.
- A bit more expensive, but still good value – The R800 is a bit more expensive than the R400 and R500, but not by too much.
The Logitech R700 vs R800
The Logitech R700 and the R800 are essentially the same pointer. The only difference? The R800 uses a green laser pointer whereas the R700 refers back to the original red laser that Logitech used prior. Aside from this, they are essentially the same product.
However, you shouldn’t underestimate the difference of a laser color pointer. Most people will prefer to use a green laser, as this is more easily visible for the majority of people.
The Logitech R Series vs the Spotlight
Overall, there’s a clear dividing line between the R Series and the Spotlight. The R Series is relatively basic in comparison and the Spotlight introduced some cool new features – of course, this also comes at a price.
- Battery – Aside from the new R500, the Spotlight beats the other R Series Pointers by a mile in terms of battery life. What the Spotlight has that really sets it apart from the others is the ability to charge it through the USB cord, which saves a lot of unnecessary hassle in the long run.
- Range – The 100 foot range isn’t an increase on the R800. In all honesty, the pointers will probably work at a little more than 100 feet, but that isn’t really necessary.
- Bluetooth – Like the R500, the Spotlight has the added feature of Bluetooth. This might be a complete deal maker for some people and I’ll admit, having Bluetooth is a handy feature.
- Colors – There’s an abundance of different colors available for the Spotlight; slate, gold, red, silver. This is good if you want something you can differentiate from other remotes or devices you’re going to use.
My Verdict
Overall, I would personally probably opt for the R500 because I do not need all of the added features that the Spotlight introduces. Usually the most recent product performs best, and I believe that’s the case with the R500 too. But if you want some more features included with your device, then you could opt for the Spotlight. Of course if you’re on a budget, opt for the R400! If you don’t want a Logitech pointer, then there are other presentation pointer brands on the market that you can find at a cheaper price.
Last update on 2023-05-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Hi
Nice review, but no mention of which works with a TV rather than an old screen. I see lots of comment on forums about lasers not working when they’ve upgraded from a screen to a large modern LED TV.
Some says that green laser solves the problem, but others say it’s a matter of TV reflection rather than laser colour.
Did you do your testing with a TV?
Cheers
Peter
For TV/LED screens, the Spotlight is the best option because it doesn’t actually use a ‘laser’ pointer, instead it has a highlighting feature that’s integrated into the screen itself. No laser pointer is ideal for TV screens unfortunately – I’ve used both the R800 and the R400 with TV screens and they both faded into nothing.
Hope this helps!
Interesting article. I tried to find something like that for a while, and it’s not easy even for a simple device like presentation remote. You summaized it very nicely.
Thanks for checking it out! Sure, the remotes themselves are very similar and there’s only subtle differences between Logitech Pointers in general (aside from the Spotlight).
Very good article. Thank you!