More Dongles Despite Being Wireless? The ‘High Performance’ and ‘Standardization’ of USB Receivers, Inspired by Elecom Bridge E
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Why bother using a proprietary dongle to group peripherals that can already connect wirelessly without one?
I’d like to start this column with that very question.
Elecom has released the “ELECOM Bridge E USB Receiver,” which allows you to connect up to seven mice or keyboards to a single USB receiver.
This sounds quite convenient.
However, there’s something strange about it.
To begin with, if you use Bluetooth, mice and keyboards should be able to connect without a USB receiver in the first place.
Despite that, why did Elecom develop a new common receiver?
Meanwhile, in the world of gaming devices, we’re seeing an increase in high-performance dedicated receivers that support wireless rates of 1,000Hz, 4,000Hz, and even 8,000Hz.
Cables were supposed to decrease, but the number of dongles plugged into PCs is actually increasing.
With the arrival of Bridge E, what exactly is happening right now in the world of wireless mouse and keyboard connections?
First, let’s look at the specs of Bridge E, which started this discussion, and organize the reasons for providing a dedicated receiver despite the existence of Bluetooth.
Why develop a dedicated receiver when wireless connection is possible without a dongle?
Bridge E: Grouping Up to 7 Devices
Released by Elecom in early August 2026, Bridge E is a system that allows compatible mice, trackballs, and keyboards to be registered to a single USB receiver.
The maximum number of connections is seven.
You can switch between multiple input devices while keeping the receiver plugged into your PC.
Another difference from traditional receivers—which were fixed to specific products—is that it can be used as a replacement if a receiver is lost.
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I suspect that Elecom might stop bundling dongles with future products and start selling them separately. This is because if you can connect multiple devices with one dongle, you only need one.
The communication uses a protocol based on BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy).
Elecom highlights interference countermeasures designed for office use and security via Security Mode 1 / Level 4 as key features.
On the other hand, the report rate is up to 133Hz.
It doesn’t reach the 1,000Hz common in gaming mice.
Bridge E can be described as a common receiver that prioritizes the number of connections, power saving, security, and stability in an office environment over response performance.
Why Use a Dedicated Receiver When Bluetooth Exists?
If a PC has Bluetooth, you can connect multiple mice and keyboards from different manufacturers at the same time.
If the only goal was to save USB ports, there would be no need to create a new common receiver.
That’s because you could just use Bluetooth for wireless connections as usual.
The reason for using a dedicated receiver anyway is likely not because Bluetooth can’t connect, but because it makes it easier for the manufacturer to manage the communication path.
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Looking at this sentence alone, it might seem like the focus is on corporate convenience, but as a result, it also achieves user convenience at the same time.
A typical Bluetooth connection is affected by the PC’s Bluetooth chip, antenna, OS, drivers, and power-saving settings.
Therefore, even with the same mouse, the behavior might change depending on the PC it’s connected to.
The reason connection issues often occur in Bluetooth environments is likely because it’s difficult to control these settings on the host side.
On the other hand, by using a dedicated receiver, the manufacturer can design the wireless chip, communication method, pairing, and firmware from the input device to the USB all together.
Additionally, since the PC recognizes it as a standard USB input device, it has the advantage of being easier to implement on PCs without Bluetooth or in environments where Bluetooth use is restricted.
Especially in a corporate setting where dozens or hundreds of PCs are handled at once, internal SEs wouldn’t have enough hands if they had to deal with connection issues one by one.
With Bridge E, irregularities become extremely rare, so there’s a possibility of saving time on such support tasks.
Security isn’t the only important thing for corporate implementation.
In an office, Wi-Fi access points, PCs, smartphones, and Bluetooth peripherals are all concentrated in the same space.
Just as Logi Bolt promotes stability in such congested wireless environments as a value for businesses, Bridge E also claims stable connection for up to seven devices through its own interference countermeasures.
Considering this along with the support for Security Mode 1 / Level 4, it seems to be a system designed not just for “connecting safely,” but for “operating stably even in environments with many devices.”
Kawamura
This is likely why Bridge E is described as being “specialized for office use.”
Note that BLE is not a different technology from Bluetooth.
It stands for Bluetooth Low Energy and is one of the Bluetooth standards suitable for low-power communication.
However, Bridge E is not a receiver that connects directly to a PC’s built-in Bluetooth.
It uses BLE as the communication foundation between compatible devices and the dedicated receiver, and it operates as a USB input device on the PC side.
In other words, Bridge E is not about utilizing the versatility of Bluetooth, but rather a system where Elecom manages the connection environment using BLE.
Precedents from Other Companies
Before Bridge E’s technology, there was a system announced by Logitech called “Logi Bolt.”
Actually, a major office equipment company with overseas bases had announced it earlier.
There is a feeling of playing catch-up, like an “Elecom version of Logi Bolt”
Logitech has long deployed “Unifying,” which groups up to six compatible devices into one receiver.
Many of you have probably used trackball mice and such using this.
I am one of them.
In 2021, Logitech began consumer sales in Japan for the “Logi Bolt USB Receiver,” which uses BLE as a foundation to enhance safety and stability.
ELECOM Bridge E
Logi Bolt
Max Registered Devices
7 devices
6 devices
Communication Foundation
BLE-based
BLE
Mouse Report Rate
Up to 133Hz
Roughly 125Hz
Additional Registration
Elecom Mouse Assistant
Logi Options+
Since they use the same technology, Bridge E is very similar on the surface, and it’s true that there’s a feeling of playing catch-up, like an “Elecom version of Logi Bolt.”
On the other hand, looking at major domestic brands, we don’t see technology that “groups compatible products with a dedicated receiver” after the fact.
Based on Greenkeys’ review of current products from major domestic brands, Elecom appears to be the only domestic brand at this point that has stepped into a common receiver foundation spanning compatible mice, trackballs, and keyboards.
Even if they are late to the game globally, they are leading in the domestic peripheral market.
I believe the point of interest for Bridge E is not the novelty of the mechanism itself, but rather that Elecom, which has a wide range of input devices, has moved to build a common foundation.
I evaluate this as a very strategic move that is right on point, not just from an end-user perspective, but also from a business perspective.
Looking at Bridge E from a Business Perspective
Bridge E’s initiative is a first for a domestic company.
Unlike traditional PC-integrated Bluetooth, Bridge E allows the company to control connection-related matters. As a result, we’ve seen clear benefits for end-user convenience and for the companies managing them.
Actually, this initiative is very logical from a business standpoint as well.
Bridge E is convenient for users, but there are also clear business advantages for Elecom.
Once you buy a Bridge E compatible product, it becomes easier to choose Elecom for your next mouse or keyboard because you can “add it to the receiver you’re already using.”
This leads to what is known as lock-in, or keeping customers within the brand ecosystem.
However, it’s not a system that unilaterally traps users.
The reason to choose the same brand arises because there are actual benefits, such as not increasing the number of USB receivers and being able to unify pairing methods and configuration software.
It’s not a negative aspect like “if I choose Elecom, I can only use Elecom receivers,” but rather a system where users choose Elecom for the positive aspect of “if I choose Elecom, connection is easy and one receiver is enough.” In this sense, user convenience and the manufacturer’s ecosystem strategy are aligned in the same direction.
While “lock-in” sounds very negative, I felt it was “clever” in how they presented it as a win-win by “creating a system that gets chosen.”
Although the number of compatible devices is still small, by increasing them in the future, Bridge E will likely serve as the foundation that leads users to “choose” Elecom products for themselves.
What’s Happening in the USB Receiver Market
Broadening our view from the common receiver movement, we see that “standardization” and “high performance” are progressing simultaneously in current wireless input devices.
Wireless Dongles Moving Toward “Standardization” and “High Performance”
While Bridge E and Logi Bolt group many devices together, wireless for gaming is moving in the opposite direction.
In gaming scenes, the focus is placed on “transmitting quickly” rather than connecting many devices.
It is said that the faster the reaction to a key press is transmitted—meaning the shorter the latency—the more useful performance can be demonstrated.
Nowadays, wireless mice and keyboards that support 1,000Hz via proprietary 2.4GHz communication are not uncommon.
Furthermore, wireless receivers supporting 4,000Hz / 8,000Hz have appeared from brands like Razer and ROG.
In the middle are things like Razer HyperSpeed Multi-Device, ROG Omni Receiver, and Corsair SLIPSTREAM Multipoint.
These limit the number of connections to 2–3, grouping a mouse and keyboard into one receiver while maintaining about 1,000Hz.
Current USB receivers are generally divided into the following three stages.
Direction
Number of connectable devices
Pauling rate
Product Example
Office Common Type
6–8 devices
Around 125–133Hz
Bridge E, Logi Bolt
Gaming Common Type
2–3 devices
Approx. 1,000Hz
Bridge G1000, HyperSpeed, Omni, SLIPSTREAM
Competitive Performance Type
1 device (in principle)
4,000–8,000Hz
Razer HyperPolling, ROG 8K
Do you prioritize the number of connections or response performance?
Even for the same USB receiver, the intended value differs.
Elecom Itself Uses Both 133Hz and 1,000Hz
As mentioned earlier, besides the Bridge E released by Elecom, there is another USB receiver called “Bridge G1000.”
This has a different philosophy from Bridge E; instead of increasing simultaneous connections, it focuses on a high polling rate.
Bridge E
Bridge G1000
Max Connections
7 devices
3 devices
Max Report Rate
133Hz
1,000Hz
Primary Use
Office
High Performance / Gaming
Valued Quality
Quantity, Stability, Safety
Responsiveness, Tracking
Bridge G1000 combines a gaming sensor with a high-grade MCU to support up to 1,000Hz.
On the other hand, Bridge E allows up to 7 devices to be registered in exchange for a maximum polling rate of 133Hz.
These two USB receivers have clearly different personalities.
If you’re using it for gaming, Bridge G1000 is the first choice, and if you’re using it in an office, Bridge E will be chosen.
Currently, Elecom clearly separates gaming equipment and office equipment, so this distinction is perfectly possible.
However, if they were to enter the mechanical keyboard genre in earnest in the future, since the polling rate of competing 2.4GHz receivers is 1,000Hz, support for Bridge G1000 would likely be required.
Additionally, those users are likely to be Elecom fans, so simultaneous connection with devices like the HUGE Plus might become an issue.
Summary | The Current State of Wireless Connection Seen Through Bridge E
That concludes this column on the “high performance” and “standardization” of USB receivers, sparked by Bridge E.
Bluetooth is excellent for versatility, allowing connection without a dongle regardless of the manufacturer.
On the other hand, dedicated receivers allow the manufacturer to manage the communication path from the input device to the USB, designing stability, security, and response performance to suit the application.
Currently, dedicated wireless USB receivers are becoming polarized, and I believe they are moving in two directions: “standardization to bundle multiple devices” and “high performance focusing on high-speed connection.”
Considering the market size, “standardization” will likely be the one to lead the way.
For Elecom, the key to success seems to lie in how much they can increase Bridge E compatible devices and promote the benefits in B2B scenes.
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