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Top Mice Compared
Johnny writes "Unfortunately mice are one of the most overlooked computer peripherals, while in reality should be one of the first places where your hard earned cash should be invested in. TechSpot has posted a round-up of some of the best mice currently available in the market: Logitech's MX1000 and MX518, Razer's Viper and Diamondback, and from Microsoft, the Wireless Intellimouse Explorer and the Optical Mouse by S+ARCK."
When I recently started feeling a tingling smarting pain in my right arm, I got a Perific Dual Mouse and after the first week I not only have gotten used to it, I'm also almost symptom-free. I tend to change between using it as a regular mouse and setting it on end and using it as a trackball. Sometimes, I use it with the pistol-grip but rarely use the two-handed grip. It's a bit smaller than the Logitechs I'm normally used to, but it's pretty easy to switch between them. If you have any kind of RSI condition or even if you're afraid of getting it, I'd strongly recommend looking into the Perific mouse.
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I'm using a Logitech MX900 right now, and it's the best mouse I've ever owned.
I bought a Logitech MX-700 a few years ago and it's probably the best mouse I've ever had. The only complaint I have is that it tends to "jitter" when sitting in certain spots on my mousepad. I haven't tested a new pad, yet, but if I were looking for a new mouse right now, I can tell you I'd head straight for that MX-1000.
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I like optical mice because they don't get full of fluff. The problem I did have with them is that they don't like shiny desk surfaces. So I got the Logitech MX1000.
On a polished pine desk it never misses a twitch. It's very sensitive so I can minimize my wrist movement and maintain precision, and I get to say i have a laser mouse. The battery lasted a week away on business (using the mouse all day) without needing charging or even dipping below two bars out of three. It's just a shame it's an IR laser and you can't see it.....
Very much worth the price tag.
I've got the MX1000. I more-or-less agree with what the review says about it except for two things: 1. An additional con should be that the recharch station is also the receiver, so you have to have that honkin thing sitting out in the open (relatively). 2. I find this statement at the end laughable - "Best Precision and Responsiveness: Logitech MX 1000". THIS MOUSE IS 800 DPI FOLKS! If you do precise graphics editing and/or you are a fairly skilled twitch gamer, this mouse is not for you. The mouse does work fine for mere mortal gamers like myself though.
It's worth nothing that the laser in the MX1000 doesn't emit visible light :) (at least mine doesn't).
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Here ya go:
m #kbmrf100
http://www.fentek-ind.com/rf-wireless-keyboard.ht
the nipple is in the top right corner, so not quite as handy as a thinkpad.
They do ones with trackballs and touchpads too, but the best mouse is this foot operated one: http://www.fentek-ind.com/nh-mouse.htm
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I use a MX1000 and I'm happy with it for the most part. The battery life is very very good (though I do find it irritating that some reviewers assume the indicator scale is linear. I don't know if it is -- haven't bothered tracking it in detail -- but early reviewers went like "battery time is very good, X hours and only one indicator LED down" -- like that says anything).
Anyhow, the only problem I have is that due to being an "early adopter" I got a base reciever station with an irritating "skip bug" which oddly enough manifests only when using USB, not when using USB->PS2.. So I'm running on the PS/2 adapter (included) with no loss in precision.
The other thing is that you really don't want Logitechs intrusive GiantMouseWare software and drivers under Windows. Best thing is to track down mwadvanced_enu.exe on their homepage and change the acceleration curve to "OS implementation" and "tracking optimization" to "precision". This gives perfect smooth motion. Very nice.
I used several MS IntelliMouse Optical before, but they seemed to always break down in exactly the same way after a year or two. MX1000 are just as good "feelingwise", no problem with it being cordless at all.
I should also mention that I'm a leftie and tend to switch between using the mouse in my left and right hand. I have no problem using the MX1000 in my left hand at all. Sure ,the "groove" for the thumb won't be in the right place, but the mouse actually fit pretty good anyhow.
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The MS Intellimouse Explorer runs about 3-4 months on 2 AA w/o recharging. After the initial ones ran out, I simply swapped in a couple of rechargeables. The 2 AA in there now will outlast the mouse.
I found the Logitech MX900 Bluetooth mouse and keyboard combo on sale for around $100 US at buy.com
It moves relatively smoothly, but I soemtimes have to fight the need to lift it to cover the entire screen. I have set the Tracking Speed to maximum and need still more to be happy. I'm not using a mousepad. I'm going to try one to see if that helps.
The Logitech MX900 has worked well without ever connecting the USB cable from the charging/Bluetooth base. I just hated the idea that a) I had no way to turnoff the Bluetooth receiver I'm not using. I have no idea if it can or is causing interference with the receiver in the iMac. b) The mouse has to be recharged on that base so I can't just chuck it.
In hopes that a mouse that used simple AA batteries would be more appropriate, I bought a Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer for Bluetooth for ~$50US. It was pretty much wasted money. It's nowhere near as good as the Logitech. The mouse movement is much, much worse than the Logitech. It constantly disconnects - I assume it has an auto-shutoff to save the batteries. In spite of that, it's already eaten a set of the original Lithium batteries after only 3 months of occasional use.
Ironically I've had little trouble with the Logitech batteries being discharged as I feared. We just park it in the base when we're done working.
Bluetooth on the Mac has been a constant source of annoyance. I've had to power down to get the mouse and keyboard to work more times than I can count. Bluetooth will not wake up after the Mac goes to sleep. I reported that online to the "fine" off-shored Apple support who disconnected on me. That is apparently a known bug to Apple.
Tiger hasn't fixed the problem. Now we often get "No mouse found" and/or "No keyboard found" at power up after which we use the non-existent mouse and keyboard to log in. What an absolute pain.
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Overlooking the laughable application of you being a total waste of skin, you might want to examine this:
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