Logitech has finally officially announced the Mobi Fold, an ultraportable travel mouse that folds in half, after leaked marketing images ruined the surprise last month. The mouse uses a hinge that pivots about 130 degrees, transforming from a compact clamshell into something that supposedly feels like a full-sized mouse. At $79.99 in graphite, off-white, lilac, and sand, it's not Logitech’s lightest or cheapest option, but it is one of its smallest - and a well-featured alternative to your laptop’s trackpad, assuming you can get used to some unconventional ergonomics.
The arch-shaped Mobi Fold resembles other folding devices, like the Surface Arc mouse, but while Microsoft’s design folds flat for easy pocket storage, the Mobi Fold is more like a clamshell cellphone. It doesn’t snap shut with a satisfying clunk, but Logitech says the hinge was “tested to withstand 15 years of daily use.” The hinge and most of the mouse are wrapped in a silicone skin that improves grip and offers some drop protection, with a pleated design that expands when folded to avoid pinching. At 79 grams, it’s a bit heavier than Logitech’s Pebble Mouse 2 or the bare-bones M196, but when folded it’s just over three-quarters of an inch tall and about 2.6 by 2.5 inches - roughly the size of a wireless earbud case, but thinner.
Logitech claims the rechargeable battery lasts up to one month on a full charge, with a 1-minute quick charge providing up to 22 hours of use. The mouse is getting a global release, which likely means EU regulations are responsible for the removable cover that allows battery replacement down the road. The Mobi Fold isn’t meant to replace a full desktop mouse, but it offers enough functionality to be a solid trackpad alternative: a 4K DPI optical sensor, left and right buttons, and a multifunction touch panel between them. That panel’s behavior can be customized via Logitech’s Logi Options Plus software, enabling fast or line-by-line scrolling, and the top and bottom of the panel act as two additional clicky buttons - by default, forward and back in browsers. A single button on the underside connects and cycles between three devices, and there’s no dedicated power button; you turn the mouse off by folding it in half. While scrolling remains active when you pick it up to fold, all buttons are disabled to prevent accidental presses - because you’ll absolutely be pressing them as you fold it.
If portability is your priority, the Mobi Fold is excellent for keeping a mouse on hand. But you’ll want extra time to get comfortable. While Microsoft’s Arc mouse features a graceful curved arch that contours to your hand, the Mobi Fold feels like resting your hands on two sides of a piece of cardboard folded in half. Its buttons and touch panel are completely flat, making it hard to lift and reposition - a habit many mouse users prefer over moving their entire arm. For $80, it delivers impressively portable functionality, but the Verge’s reviewer notes they’d still choose a physical scroll wheel over a touch pad - though they’d happily endure finger swipes given how small this mouse folds. While they’d still opt for a laptop’s touchpad, the Mobi Fold is an excellent accessory for taking advantage of the iPad’s recent multitasking upgrades.