Logitech R800 Professional Presenter with Green Laser Pointer

Logitech R800 Professional Presenter with Green Laser Pointer

This was one of my first purchases when I began my teaching career. While I often take the time to walk over and physically touch a word on a wall with my hand (this forces me to slow down my delivery), there are times when you need to be able to point from a distance. I sit in the class circle (my classroom is deskless), so being able to help them quickly establish the meaning of words without getting up every time helps preserve the sense that we are having an authentic group conversation that I’m not going to interrupt.

My favorite feature of this presenter is the green laser. Green is far more visible in the dark than red. Military and law enforcement use green lasers in their optics for this reason. The laser is a vibrant green even with all of my lights on, whereas a standard red laser looks a little muted. I also like the fact that this presenter has a timer to keep you on track.

The USB receiver stores neatly in the base of the presenter. My slides always advance on the first click even without a clear line of sight to the receiver. I like how this presenter feels in my hand. Other cheaper units feel too small to me and are awkward to hold while gesturing during class or a presentation. The neoprene mesh zippered protective pouch keeps the unit from being damaged when you toss it into your laptop bag.

This unit takes two “AAA” batteries which last for about three to four weeks on average with moderate usage. I did notice that it was going through batteries far quicker when I kept the laser on while doing choral translations. A set of batteries will keep for months if you’re mostly using it as a presenter to advance slides in a presentation.

The company claims a 100-foot wireless range. I have used this presenter in a large lecture hall and verified this.

My laser pointer has been in heavy service (teaching, presenting outside of school, and entertaining cats) for more than four years and is still going strong. My only complaint with this presenter  is that the battery compartment lid doesn’t fit as tightly as it did when it was new, however I have dropped it quite a few times over the years.

I knew that I could trust this product because it has the Logitech name on it. Just like the Logitech MK550 Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo that I also use in my classroom every day, this presenter is a “must have” tech tool in my opinion.