Price and Availability

The Logitech G Powerplay 2 Wireless Charging System is available from Amazon, Best Buy, or direct from Logitech for $120. If you purchase direct from Logitech, you can save 20% on a compatible Logitech G mouse. Compatible Logitech G mice include G309, G502 X Plus, G502 X Lightspeed, G502, G703, G903, Pro X Superlight 2, Pro X Superlight 2 Dex, Pro X Superlight, Pro 2 Lightspeed, and Pro Wireless.

In the box is the Powerplay 2 base with attached USB-A charging cable, soft cloth gaming mouse pad, Powerplay 2 coin, and paperwork.

Plug and Play Set Up

Setup is a simple three-step process, with the only caveat being that it won't work on ferrous metal desk surfaces. The first step is to place the cloth gaming mouse pad on the Powerplay 2 base. The second step is to plug the cable from the Powerplay 2 base into a USB-A port on your computer or any other USB-A power source, with the advantage to the former being that your Powerplay 2 will power down when your computer does. The third and final step is to remove the existing door on the underside of your compatible mouse and replace it with the included Powerplay 2 coin, which snaps in magnetically.

When power is applied to the Powerplay 2 base, the white indicator light below the top case stays lit when it's actively charging a mouse. You can check the battery status in the usual utility software for your mouse, Logitech G Hub for Windows or macOS. For battery health and longevity, the Powerplay 2 keeps a mouse below a 90% charge.

I'm using the Powerplay 2 with a Logitech G502 X Plus Lightspeed mouse, which works the same as any other compatible mouse. The Powerplay 2 just charges, so I need to use my mouse's existing Lightspeed USB-A wireless receiver for actual connectivity to my Windows 11 desktop. The only way to streamline the number of USB ports you use on your computer, besides plugging the Powerplay 2 into a separate USB-A power source like I do, is if you also use something like Logitech's G915 X Lightspeed TKL keyboard, which has a receiver that can pair two devices at once.

Steady, but Unremarkable Performance

You have to use the included soft cloth gaming mouse pad for this setup to work. The tacky backing of the mouse pad does a pretty good job of staying put on the Powerplay 2 base. The base itself has a rubber back that also does a reasonable job of staying put, although I find it does slide on my desk a bit if I push on it the wrong way. For normal mouse usage, however, both components generally stay in place.

The mouse pad itself is smooth but textured. It's what I would consider a slow mousing surface, so a mouse like the G502 X Plus Lightspeed moves at a rather pedestrian pace. This isn't necessarily a bad thing because it does help with day-to-day mousing precision. However, I wouldn't want to play a fast-action game on this type of surface unless I use it with a mouse like the HyperX Wireless Gaming Mouse, which tends to move too quickly on harder, smoother mouse pad surfaces.

As indicated, there's nothing stopping you from using an incompatible mouse on this mouse pad. It just won't charge. Similarly, you can place a different mouse pad on the roughly 13x17 inch base, but you won't be able to charge an otherwise compatible mouse. Logitech itself offers no additional mouse pads at this time, not even a replacement for the included soft cloth gaming mouse pad.

Similarly, additional Powerplay 2 coins are not available for purchase at this time. It's easy enough to swap the coin between compatible Logitech mice, but it would still be nice to have the option.

Differences from Logitech G Powerplay Wireless Charging System

Somehow, instead of improving on the previous Powerplay, the Powerplay 2 is worse in nearly every way. The $120 price point was already tough to swallow for a charging mouse pad, but dropping most of the features that made the original Powerplay arguably worth it proves to be the real head-scratcher.

The original Powerplay included two different mouse pads, one cloth and one hard surface, each of which was rigid. While the floppy cloth mouse pad included with the Powerplay 2 is considerably thinner, I'd argue it's not worth the trade-off, even if the cloth surface is a little nicer than the previous version. I personally like to use a hard surface for most mouse activities as it's cool-to-the-touch, smooth tracking, and fast. Given the choice, I'd only switch only to the cloth when I need extra precision. With the Powerplay 2, I no longer have that option.

The Powerplay not only included a removable cable, making it easy to unplug when I wanted it out of the way, but it also did away with the need for my mouse's own wireless receiver. As stated, if you plug the Powerplay 2 into a USB port on your computer, it just takes up the port and provides no additional functionality, a definite downgrade.

While the original Powerplay had other features that the Powerplay 2 lacks, it's not all bad for the newer model. For instance, besides being a simpler setup and overall product, the Powerplay 2 also has a 15% larger charging area in the same footprint as its predecessor (although I never found that to be an issue on the old model). Regardless, it's a shame that Logitech not only abruptly discontinued the original Powerplay, but actually provided less overall value with its successor for the same price.

Should You Buy the Logitech G Powerplay 2 Wireless Charging System?

It's truly freeing never having to worry about charging your wireless mouse again. The limited compatibility and high cost of entry for very little else, however, does make the Logitech G Powerplay 2 Wireless Charging System difficult to recommend.

If you're a dedicated Logitech enthusiast with a compatible Logitech G mouse and don't mind being limited to the included soft cloth mouse pad, the Powerplay 2 works well enough for its intended job. Unfortunately, Logitech itself showed how, with the original Powerplay at the same price, this type of product could be, and do, so much more than it is.