Logitech will pull a Nintendo — only European mice will come with replaceable batteries
News Source
•2026-07-28T15:12:48-04:00
📰 What Happened
Logitech has announced that only European customers will get mice with user-replaceable batteries, following a similar move by Nintendo with the Switch 2. EU regulations will require replaceable batteries in electronics by February 2027, but Logitech's new gaming boss said 'very few people will do this' and has no plans to offer the feature globally.
This means customers outside Europe will continue to get mice with sealed-in batteries. When the battery eventually dies, the entire mouse becomes e-waste. Logitech's stance mirrors Nintendo's approach of offering replaceable batteries only where required by law.
🔍 The Backstory
The European Union has been leading the global push for right-to-repair legislation. New battery regulations require consumer electronics to have easily replaceable batteries, part of a broader effort to reduce electronic waste.
Tech companies have resisted replaceable batteries, arguing they allow for thinner designs and that most users never replace batteries anyway. Critics argue this is planned obsolescence. The EU's regulations are forcing design changes for the European market, but companies are choosing not to extend these changes globally, creating a two-tier system.
🎯 Why It Matters
If you're outside Europe, your expensive Logitech mouse could become useless when the battery dies, forcing you to buy a new one — a clear example of how your right to repair depends on where you live.
Logitech has announced that only European customers will get mice with user-replaceable batteries, following a similar move by Nintendo with the Switch 2. EU regulations will require replaceable batteries in electronics by February 2027, but Logitech's new gaming boss said 'very few people will do this' and has no plans to offer the feature globally.
This means customers outside Europe will continue to get mice with sealed-in batteries. When the battery eventually dies, the entire mouse becomes e-waste. Logitech's stance mirrors Nintendo's approach of offering replaceable batteries only where required by law.
The European Union has been leading the global push for right-to-repair legislation. New battery regulations require consumer electronics to have easily replaceable batteries, part of a broader effort to reduce electronic waste.
Tech companies have resisted replaceable batteries, arguing they allow for thinner designs and that most users never replace batteries anyway. Critics argue this is planned obsolescence. The EU's regulations are forcing design changes for the European market, but companies are choosing not to extend these changes globally, creating a two-tier system.
If you're outside Europe, your expensive Logitech mouse could become useless when the battery dies, forcing you to buy a new one — a clear example of how your right to repair depends on where you live.