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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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Mice, Keyboards, and Monitors.
Sure, you can deal with your computer being a little slow, but skimp on the above and you can wreck your wrests, posture, and eyes.
With a gel wrist pad, your arm only moves when you want it to, and there's no RSI or other nerve damage.
And you can use it on any surface, since it doesn't move.
I've been using trackballs for about 10 years now, can't stand regular mice anymore.
Logitech seems to make the best ones. Their Trackman series is my favorite.
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I've been using a trackball for a couple years now. I enjoy it much more than a regular mouse. Its not only perfect when desk space is at a premium, but also in reducing RSI. When your are can remain in one position, its less likely that it will get into an uncomfortable/unnatural position which could cause injury. I also find it more accurate than a mouse, or at least as accurate. I find that they don't need to be cleaned as often, because they aren't rolling around on a dirty surface. Unless you don't wash your hands. Also, it's nice to be able to click without having to worry about moving the pointer.
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I hate mice and would much prefer a good quality keyboard with pointing stick like the IBM notebooks. Preferably something matching layout of my notebook keyboard, and comfortable for lap or desktop use.
Is a periperal like his marketed? Pointer?
All this talk of the mice, but what of 'high-performance' mousepads? I recently upgraded from a regular wooden desk to a 20$ job, I can't remember the name of the company, something 1080, but the mouse just glides across it. I personally think this was an excellent upgrade to make, not only for gaming, but overall computing pleasure...I'm even contemplating purchasing a second for my work machine...
I have a MS natural keyboard and a 5 button optical intellimouse.
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.
... oh forget it. I started to be perverted, but I feel like breaking precedent today....
It is the first place my right hand goes when I set down at the computer. Shortly afterwards, the left hand
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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.
Anybody else notice that the reviewer never tested ANY of the mice with a left-handed user?
All those "its ergonomic" Pro points would have been reversed, and suddenly the 2 Razers and the Starck thing would be the more ergonomic mice.
why oh why do we still use mice keyboards & monitors?
I'm looking at the gyromouse (can be lifted free from the desk) as an absolute comprimise. I can't even run two independent mice at once? I can't even run two independent keyboards at once? (why you ask? macros for one)
I don't care how good they make the "mouse" or the "keyboard" they are next to obsolete in my eyes. The manufacturers just haven't caught up with the present. Are we all still cynical because of movies like lawnmower man? Yes we *should* have direct interaction with the computer. We *should* be able to liberate ourselves from our desks.
i'm more able to expand the functionality & efficiency of my computer by expanding its controls indefinitely with midi. Yes I know it too has its limitations but it was atleast designed to be expandable, not be a static typewriter replacement.
give me an expandable interface. let me connect 10 racks of assignable buttons. Let me rotate an object in maya by grabbing one side of it with one hand and moving the other side. Theres no processing limitation on this, just a lack of vision (or marketability)
ah thats the end of that rant... - 'plex
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E.g., if you read the very first page of the review, about the MX1000: "As with optical mice, if you don?t make use of it for several seconds, the battery indicator turns off and the mouse goes into power saving mode."
Now I am a hardcore twitch-gamer, and let me tell you that those power saving delays are what gets you killed in multi-player. You end up doing weird stuff like slightly waving the scope around when you wait for a target as a sniper, because otherwise you have that brief wake-up delay when you do need the mouse.
I had an MX500 and went and bought an MX300 with a cord instead.
Basically my take is that it's a mouse that isn't really good for either. For twitch gaming I _really_ want a corded one, for someone who just browses the web, as you've said, a $6 mouse works just as well. So who are the target demographic that absolutely needed it?
The SFV (Stupid Fashion Victims). The people who buy for the buzzwords and the hype. OOOH, IT'S LASER!
As someone who actually spent a lot of time studying physics, lemme tell you what you probably already knew or suspected: there is nothing magical about laser light in a mouse.
Yes, you can use the coherent light wonderfully for other purposes. But an optical mouse works more or less like a camera: it compares consecutive snapshots and determines the movement from the difference. Increasing the resolution or the number of snapshots per second, yeah, that'll make it a better mouse. Putting a laser diode instead of a regular LED in it, however, won't do jack.
Logitech's problem is: the keyboards and mice business isn't a great place to be in. You won't make a big fortune by selling el-cheapo $6 mice. So they just need some buzzword to allow them to sell a $50 one instead. That's all.
And if you put up enough hype, there'll be enough SFVs that believe it. And enough sites who aren't even as much review sites, but prom queens: they just print whatever is currently popular and brings page views. They catter to stroking the ego of those who already knew which buzzword they really want to buy. If enough SFVs fall for a buzzword, those sites will dutifully print an article telling them how good it really is, and how pleased they can be with that purchase.
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I actually had a lecture from a guy who designs mice for Microsoft. It's true, when they design these, they have to make sure not to include certain features in their lower-end mice, as so they can have something to put in their higher-end to keep the price up. Even if it's something as minor as the groove for your finger -- it's considered a "higher end feature." It's not about the cost to make, it's about what people are willing to spend. BTW, it was a really interesting lecture -- showing the process that each design goes through and seeing the different stages of prototyping.