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The Best Computer Mice In Every Category
ThinSkin writes "Now that the folks at ExtremeTech have finished writing about the best keyboards for every occasion, they conclude their roundup of input devices with the best computer mice in every category, which includes ergonomic mice, gaming mice, notebook mice, and so on. While this year's crop of gaming mice didn't impress much, there were advancements in non-gaming mice and tracking, as demonstrated by Microsoft's Explorer Mouse with BlueTrack technology — which is considered more precise than optical and laser. Even ergonomic mice saw little growth in the year — prompting the reviewer to rely on the older Zero Tension Mouse as a favorite."
Bitter much?
A link to the printable version: here
Best mouse for any work that isn't intrinsically mouse-centric: none
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The Best Computer Mice in Every Category
December 30, 2008
By Jeremy Atkinson
Oh, the lowly mouse. Sometimes it doesn't get as much credit as it deserves. It is, you know, just as important to a computer user as a steering wheel is to a motorist. And, just like the steering wheel has evolved throughout the years, the mouse has grown up quite a bit too, even segmenting itself into several categories to meet the needs of the 21st century computer user.
That's exactly why we've assembled our "best of" list for several mouse categories:
* Best General Mice
* Best Gaming Mice
* Best Ergonomic Mice
* Best Notebook Mice
These aren't just mice reviewed in the last year. There are plenty of great mice out there that are just as good as or better than this year's crop. That's why we're here to help you decide which mouse is best for your needs.
A Note about Pricing
We'll present the list price for each mouse--not the street price. Our reason is to keep the playing field fair between the new and old mice, and to give you an idea how much the keyboard was worth on its debut. If you find something you like, feel free to click the "check prices" link next to each list price. Let's start with our non-gaming, general mice. Continued...
We place an even greater emphasis on comfort when judging regular mice--more than any other type of mouse. Next to that we like to factor in cursor precision, extra buttons, software, scroll wheel (clicky vs. non-clicky), and so forth.
1. Logitech MX1100 Cordless Laser Mouse
Pros: Wireless; programmable buttons; comfy shape; multiple scrolling modes; fast-enough sensor.
Cons: Size and weight may be too much mouse in small hands; no charging deck.
Summary: Unlike Logitech's G-series brand of gaming mice, the MX line is tailored more for general purpose-computing, though with the versatility, not expertise, for gaming. The MX1100 might be too much mouse for the person looking for an ordinary, two-buttons-and-a-scroll-wheel mouse, but that doesn't make it the best darned general mouse out there, period. Why? Two scrolling modes (clicky and non-clicky), on-the-fly dpi switching (for Photoshop or other tasks requiring a delicate touch), and button remapping. With its amount of customization options, it's hard to exclude users who have different tastes.
List Price: $79.99 (Check Price)
2. Microsoft Explorer Mouse
Pros: Best tracking around; comfy shape for righties; two side buttons; wireless and includes charger.
Cons: Not designed for lefties; scroll wheel might upset users who prefer clicky detents.
Summary: As for as customization and additional features go, the Explorer Mouse doesn't come close to the MX1100, but it does have the best tracking engine around. What this means is that you can use it on virtually any surface (granite kitchen-tops, carpet, etc.) without fail. Its pudgy design fits the hand nicely and its two side buttons are there for those who crave a little extra horsepower.
List Price: $99.99 (Check Price)
3. Logitech MX Revolution
Pros: Cordless; dual-mode scroll wheel; stylish and comfortable design; search button; document flip wheel; SetPoint software; great range and battery life.
Cons: Bit of a learning curve to adjust to the scroll wheel; no lefty version available.
Summary: We were big fans of the MX Revolution when it debuted. Its shape and extra buttons were intriguing, but that may have been a bit overwhelming for some folk. In fact, the MX1100 may very well be Logitech's scaled back version of the MX Revolution in an attempt to provide a more user-friendly experience. The MX Revolution is also the only mouse that exists (and perhaps the only that ever will) that has Logitech's SmartShift technology, which detects and automatically fine-tunes the wheel's scrolling mode depending on t
Best keyboard of all time is the old version of the G15 from Logitech, which has functionally been replaced with the new G11. You don't get the display but I barely used it anyway. I love all the macro keys on the left side for World of Warcraft, which make a really nice comp for pvp and pve in that you can easily combine them with the CTRL button, the CTRL SHIFT or SHIFT (which is a little more awkward than the ctrl and ctrl shift for some reason).
As for mice, I have to say that my Sidewinder from Microsoft represents some irony in the fact that it works nicely and does not impede me in any way.
The dangers of knowledge trigger emotional distress in human beings.
None of them has a normal middle button which is nice for select/pasting in X11. Have to stay with emulation..
But seriously, is Slashdot morphing to primary advertising site now?
I don't care what category it is - best mice are: Logitech MX518, Logitech G5 (1st edition has a less annoying texture, 2nd edition has 2 side buttons, but no perfect edition like MX518), and G7 (wireless G5 basically).
WHO NEEDS SHIFT WHEN YOU HAVE CAPSLOCK/ DAMN1
My best laptop mouse is the built in touchpad.
I usually sit leaned back in my office chair with my laptop on my lap and a mouse is a waste for me.
A touchpad is also more intuitive to me, the best option that gives me all the advantages of a touchscreen and a mouse.
And those ultra tiny portable mice drive me up the walls, and besides I spend most of my day writing mails and tooling through logs on the command line... no mouse needed for vi, grep or tail thanks a lot.
Seven Days with Ubuntu Unity
Hey, TypoNAM:
CmdrTaco apparently hasn't given up yet.
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from the i-remember-what-heat-felt-like dept.
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from the bet-they-have-power-in-the-upper-penninsula dept.
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/mice_pointers/trackballs/devices/166&cl=US,EN
This thing is fantastic -- imagine not having to move your arm and wrist in order to move the cursor. I'm kind of surprised that I haven't seen more people using them, although they do take a couple of days to get used to. However, once you're accustomed to it there is no going back.
Amazingly, even the slight tap of a touchpad still strains my wrist a little. However I'm not nearly in the pain I was from clicking a mouse all day long.
WARNING: DON'T simply switch to your other hand when the pain gets too much! That hand will go bad even faster, I found out.
For all of us who buy in the bargain bins of your favorite computer retailer.
Which mouse under $10 is the best mouse?
Which mouse under $20 is the best mouse?
Which mouse under $30 is the best mouse?
This is what most of us who are cheapskates really want to know.
Tsukasa: All I really want, is to be left alone...
Microsoft's Explorer Mouse with BlueTrack technology--which is considered more precise than optical and laser.
If you don't actually know whether it is more precise (and I guess if you did know then you would have come straight out and said it) then at least give us some clues as to WHO it is who "considers" it to be more precise. The people selling them? An independent study? Some guy you met on the bus? Without that rather fundamental detail, the statement is completely worthless.
I am not sure why a Gaming Mouse has to be Butt Ugly. It is like the Ax Body spry for mice. Anyone under the age of 16 will think it looks so cool, however anyone over that age wouldn't be caught dead with it, unless it is hidden in a dark basement.
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
...for gaming at least.
I've got a BlueTooth mouse, and even that has a noticeable delay that would just kill me mid frantic quake session.
2 mice FTW!
throw new NoSignatureException();
I like the touchpads, but only if the drivers allow a "delay while typing" setting. Otherwise, my thumbs inevitably tap the touch pad while half way through an email, deleting half, or sending half... :(
I have a Fujitsu tablet now, which has a trackpoint/touch stick. That works fine once calibrated, and saves some space which allows for a bigger keyboard with a smaller screen.
no comment
I use a tablet PC, having 4 of them, and find the ability to simply touch the screen, or use a Wacom pen on it is as convenient as a mouse in a lot if situations, especially reading and reviewing document, browsing, etc.
no comment
Are widely recognized as a good idea. I think electricity and heat backups should be the same. A generator and woodstove are not *that* expensive, and sure come in handy sometimes.....
I miss my old Microsoft Intellimouse, I used that one til the rollers where worn down. Now I use this shitty Logitech MX518.
Anyone have a recomendation for a mouse that is like the old Intellimouse but USB?
Pick one only:
-Be perceived an ignorant IT guy by users when talking about multiple computer mouses
-Contribute to the ignorance of said users
http://www.letmegooglethatforyou.com/?q=headless+%2Bnoun
It's amusing that these guys seem to count slick mouse software as a plus. I bet most of us would rather have a mouse that doesn't need any additional software. Wireless devices don't make any sense to me either, unless you're talking about a media PC. Isn't a mouse/KB that can run out of batteries just additional complication with no benefit? And isn't a charging pad a waste of desk space?
That Quill mouse, on the ergonomic page, just looks cool. Seems like it would be very restful to use - you just hold your hand in it, and don't have to grab anything. Pricy, but seems awfully neat.
No love for the trackballs!
Blasphemy!
http://us.kensington.com/html/2200.html
Mice? I use emacs as my OS you insensitive clod!
Not EVERY category.... that Keyboard article about 'every category' didn't even bother to include PROGRAMMING....like say where a keyboard is actually important!!?
It was just a 'best keyboard for gaming' article.
-- Given enough time and money, Microsoft will eventualy invent UNIX.
Microsoft Trackball explorer, best mouse ever made.
But the mouse equivalent = http://pckeyboards.stores.yahoo.net/ibm2butmous.html
Gets next to no love? I think this is the BEST mouse for EVERY occasion (Though it seems to be best suited for matching that god awfully huge clicky keyboard).
Actually, my mouse is the best mouse in the world ever. Simply because, it's wireless, rechargable, has a scroll wheel that acts like a 3rd button. Also, I only paid 13 quid for it, and that was about 8 years ago. I challenge any of those mice listed to beat mine in value for money. Of course, I'm sure those mice have extra 'worthwhile' features...like...wait...what exactly is there on those mice that actually has substance? I mean the rubbish like "UBER LAZOR IS SO REALLY REALLY PRECISE" is utter marketing drivel and I'm very sure that 99.9% of the entire technically literate world would not be able to notice the difference in 'precision' of a $90 laser mouse compared with my 8 year old £13 mouse. Is there actually any features on those mice that actually justify their price tags? I mean, sure, some of them have a couple of extra buttons, but from past experience of using mice with extra buttons stuck on the side - they're really rather pointless and didn't really catch on (like the Welsh language [reference to a show Rob Brydon did recently, I can't remember what it's called, but I'm not being racist]). Ok, so it makes skipping forwards and backwards in your browser that little bit quicker. But hitting the buttons on your browser's navigation bar doesn't exactly take much time. Neither does hitting backspace for going back or hitting whatever the button is for going forward, for going forward.
He's bitter because in Dexter, Michigan, they have no power, along with 200,000 other south eastern Michiganders. Take it from a fellow Dexter native, Michigan Winters suck enough already without loosing power.
G7 is the only mouse I use.
Coordless offer a pleasant versatility in particular when you work with someone else on the same computer or if you use a laptop. I use a cordless one for my laptop and I really don't miss those annoying cables. But cord mice are usually lighter than cordless which need they battery included. Because of this weight difference I prefer good old cordful mice for pure desktop machine.
Additional but lesser arguments again using cord everywhere are than you need to pay the additional circuit plus to recharge and recycle additional battery.
I love the keyboard trackpad on laptops. I use an IBM/Lenovo UltraNav keyboard with trackpad on my desktop. It's identical to a Thinkpad keyboard, including trackpad, but it also includes a numeric keypad.
What I really like about the UltraNav is that it has three mouse buttons, most only have two.
My problem with all mice is that that they require moving your hand away from the keyboard.
Michigander?
I neither live in Holland nor am I poultry.
Viral software licensing is not freedom, it is in fact GNU/Socialism.
I still have a functioning CH Products trackball at home. Still works after 15+ YEARS as a tool. Sure, I had to open it up and clean it inside a couple of times, but I have to do that more often with mice at work, so that shouldn't matter. I also had to get a PS/2 to USB convertor for the one I have (cheaper then buying a new trackball).
They don't take up much desk real estate, you don't have to constantly be picking up and moving them, they don't get gunked up as easily as mice do and you can be just as precise if not more so with them.
I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?
That's what bugs me about 99% of the mice out there these days: the good ones(ie 5-buttoners) just have to be wireless. I simply don't want a wireless mouse. I like it permanently connected without having to sync, or charge batteries or have dongles to worry about. Sadly, all i could find was this okay Logitech 5-button corded mouse with smaller side buttons. My all-time fave mouse of yesteryear was the MS Explorer mice that had a whopping 5 buttons on them. I had one for work & home & wore them out(the paint flaked off where my finger rested). I used the side buttons for Forwards/backwards navigation, PLUS I could use it as undo/redo in any editor app. The driver software was quite handy. You could customize it on a per-app basis.
Sadly, that wasn't the best driver software out there. Many moons ago, I remember the Logitech mouse drivers let you use the scroll wheel WITHOUT having to click to focus on the window to scroll. You just moved your mouse to the zone even if it wasn't in focus. Sadly, I can't find that nowadays. In additinon to that, you could properly assign the often awkward middle mouse button to do a bona-fide double-click. Wheel mice back then actually had a wheel button that you wanted to use. Nowadays they are a bit less recessed & stiffer. Trying to click with it often makes your finger zip up or down, making that button not very useful.
I've been working with computers for over 22 years now and when I was young I had a dishwasher safe mouse and keyboard. I never knew the manufacturer of it and since the house fire back then I have never found one since.
They were heavy and all you did was pop the bottom off (two thumb screws on the sides unlocked it) and you put the upper part in the top shelf of the dishwasher. Same with the keyboard and mouse.
Now with that new marine waterproofing stuff can we PLEASE GET A DISHWASHER SAFE KEYBOARD AND MOUSE COMBO!? I mean seriously I am more grossed out by keyboards and mice then I am toilets and Lysol is expensive.
-=[ Who Is John Galt? ]=-
I've owned a number of logimice (G5 v1 and a 518 at the moment) as well as the razer products, but nothing will ever beat the old school 3 button Wingman for me. Probably still have a bag of "spare parts" for the 4 or so I had over the years (they tended to explode when my quake dm's weren't going so well).
If only they'd re-release that design with an optical sensor instead of a ball... I'd buy another pile of them.
Such ... a ...waste
Slashdot, where armchair scientists get shouted down and armchair theologians get modded up.
I will NOT condemn a USB port just to communicate with some mouse's non-standard RF when my PC already has a usable means of communicating with my mouse.
Then get a hub. As I understand it, Bluetooth mice cost more because Bluetooth is patented with a nonzero royalty.
The whole concept of a mouse driven GUI has lost its appeal and significance over time. The touch screen, meaning the ability for users to interact directly with a display and objects embedded within that display, is the next technological leap. Many such devices exist now, we see the intelligent sensitivity of the classic iPhone and other PDA's were no stylus is involved. It's just the desktop computer and high definition screens need to evolve and be priced accordingly so it becomes commonplace.
After Finger 10.5 we might see screens picking up retinal and eyeball movement, hand motions and gestures without gloves, wires or hookups of any type that allows a user to interact with their desktop displays much like the primitive but highly popular Wii interface allows right now.
The future looks bright for dynamic, kinetic based desktop GUIs. And some of us older folks might see our beloved mice behind the glass at the Smithsonian along with all the other deprecated computer interfaces that lived and died over a whirlwind of fast moving generations.
Do other lefties feel a bit left out? Only two of the mice listed were symmetrical. As a left-handed PC gamer, it seems impossible for me to find a high-quality mouse that comfortably fits my hand. Especially mice with 5+ buttons.
This problem is often exacerbated by games like Fallout 3, in which bethesda felt the need to perma-bind numpad 7 (strafe left for us southpaws) to the 'Stop the game and open windows live' command. Is there no money in making a mirror version for those of us with a recessive gene or two?
is also the best product Microsoft have ever made: the Intellimouse Optical.
Why?
* optical (duh)
* scrollwheel
* large side buttons
* symmetrical design
* no funny drivers needed
Who spends $80 to $100 on a mouse? Is there honestly that much "value" going into it, regardless how fancy it is? I'm calling bullshit. Geeks need to reign in their enthusiasm and just say "no" once in while to ridiculous pricing; greedy pricing only works if we're stupid enough to agree to it.
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/mice_pointers/trackballs/devices/156&cl=us,en
Probably the most underrated ergonomic mouse in my opinion. Inexpensive, reasonably sturdy, large trackball, can be used with both hands. I have tried quite a few of the mice mentioned there, but nothing comes close to the comfort and accuracy of this. Also I find that my control is better when I manipulate the trackball with my index and middle finger rather than my thumb.
I still use a track ball - I love saving desk space and not having to pick-up the mouse when playing FPS games (or anything else where your movement is not confined to the range of a screen).
There is still a market for track balls. When my Microsoft Trackball Explorer died, and I actually lost the eBay bid for one at $200.
See:
http://www.contourdesign.com/pmo/
Pro's:
+ USB or PS/2
+ 3 buttons, like the creator intended
+ Multiple sizes
+ Lefty, righty models
+ Great thumb action scrollwheel and scroll-slider
Con's:
+ BIG - especially the larger sizes
+ Not 100% ergo IMO - still can have a bit of discomfort
+ Optical pickup only, no more ball model (I prefer a ball)
Definitely worth trying out.
I'm 40. I've been using a mouse for 20 years now.
I've noticeably developed pain in my right wrist, arm and shoulder over the past ten years. It's only my mousing arm, I rarely get pains on the keyboard, but mousing causes huge grief. Most of my pain seems to relate to the act of clicking a mouse button with my fingers.
I prefer my Model M for typing, but for mice I rotate through them. My favourite is the 3m Ergonomic (especially when I click with my thumb and not my fingers). I'm dissatisfied with it on my Mac, though, and primarily use a Mighty Mouse with it. I plugged in a cheap-o Logitech RX300 that came bundled with a new system we got because it feels comfortable to use for a while.
ANYTHING that keeps me productive for a few extra years is worth it. I doubled my salary when I started working professionally in IT - you're damned right that $100 on a mouse is worth it to me.
I've loved the MX series of mice since I first found them, and I will continue to love them, especially the 518 - it's essentially weightless. The buttons are placed perfectly, and it contours to my hand extremely well. It's probably a gamer mouse, but I'd recommend it for everyone.
When $80 gets me a mouse that doesn't hurt my hand, then I'm going to shell out that money.
Ergonomics is expensive.
"Nobody will ever need more than four categories of keyboard/mouse usage!"
* Best General Mice
* Best Gaming Mice
* Best Ergonomic Mice
* Best Notebook Mice
What about the Best Portable Mouse? The Best Bluetooth/RF Mouse? The Best Mouse for Graphics/DTP? The Best Trackball? The Best Light Pen?
Is it time for an Ask Slashdot supplemental?
The support for this mouse for both my OSes (osx, vista) is pretty broken out of the box, but once you get online and update, the software is pretty amazing (well, it was to me, I dont' really have a lot of experience with mice!)
anyways, I got this mouse because it was bluetooth, and since I use an MBP, I'm kinda hurting for usb ports and have bluetooth I'm typically not using.
Well, it turns out that they have this ridiculous usb bluetooth dongle which MS claim is the only way you can use their mouse. Okay, whatever. Luckily there are some wonderful people who can help you remove your dependancy on this completely useless dongle.
However, compared to my other "mouse" (a mouse-shaped stylus that goes to my wacom intuos 3 :p) this thing, minus all the bluetooth details, is a dream. It comes with a rechargable double A (although the retailer I got mine from didn't include the power adapter, D'OH, but shipped one as soon as we told them), plenty of buttons (although the scroll wheel doesn't so much scroll as glide. Think one that you've had for so long it doesn't click anymore ;.; )
Anyways, I pretty much fell in love with it, and it allowed me to finish my CAD assignments without spending every moment at the computer labs (have you tried working in autoCAD with a touchpad? It's impossible. my god.)
so, just my experience ^^^
Surely you must acknowledge that your predicament is outside the scope of what would be considered normal? I've been using mice for even longer than you, both professionally and personally; though I had a bit of carpal tunnel pains for a year or so, I remediated that myself and I've experienced nothing like what you described. Your pointing-device purchasing criteria are not the same as mine; your criteria almost define the mouse as a "medical device". I suppose if I were purchasing a medical device (what with medical costs being even more insane) I would expect to pay $100, but I at least am not.
$100 for a mouse seems egregious, considering most keyboards are priced less, for instance. Is a mouse really more expensive to make than even a cheap keyboard?
It shouldn't be: that ergonomic design "cost" is paid exactly once and then replicated ad infinitum. Further, ergonomics is not rocket science; it's mostly just astute observation, though I concede that is itself a skill largely absent from the general population. :-/
I own both an MX Revolution and a VX Revolution. I use the VX Revolution for travel or for when I've forgotten to put the MX Revolution on the charger for awhile. (VX runs on AA.)
Is it worth $100? It is to me. Maybe not to you.
1. No pain!! Owned it for 2 years now and have had zero pain.
2. 13 Programmable buttons. Makes being forced to use mouse bearable.
3. Wireless.
4. Laser.
5. Click-to-click or "fly-wheel" type scrolling - switchable on the fly or set permanently.
6. Works on Linux, Windows, and Mac. (Although on Mac I bought SteerMouse for it [$20] because I didn't care for the Mac version of Logitech software.)
I also expect it to last for five years at least, probably more. $20/year is not that bad for something I use every day for long periods of time.
Should how much you personally value or desire a thing really dictate its price, or should it be based on the more objective factors of its actual cost to manufacture?
(Disclaimer: I'm pretty much a socialist and despise subjective valuation.)
A poorly designed mouse is still going to be a problem, no matter how much a person knows about ergonomics.
I've been looking at some highly ergonomic keyboards (Dvorak layout, contoured), which have a list price of $289 (PS/2) or $299 (USB). I really out to put out the money for one, but I still haven't managed to learn Dvorak and don't want to buy a keyboard I can't type on (well, I can touch-type Qwerty so it wouldn't be entirely useless).
Best Portable Mouse?
See "Notebook Mice."
Best Trackball?
Trackballs aren't mice.
Best Light Pen?
Light Pens aren't mice.
Plain and simple: I love my wireless Mighty Mouse which I use with my iMac. Never liked any scroll wheel before until the scroll ball Apple added to this mouse. It is genious! Scrolling in any direction and very precise but still sensitive!
And there is no desire for a laptop mouse. The reason might be the small red dot in the center of my keyboard. The track point of IBM/Lenovo just rocks, no need to move the right hand from the keyboard to the right to grap the mouse and move back to the keyboard for typing...
I don't know about you, but I sit at a computer 8 to 12 hours a day, and my mouse is in my hand a lot of that time. It arguably makes more sense for me to choose wisely and spend the money (where it makes sense) on a mouse than on a cell phone, which I probably use about 30 minutes a day. But I don't see anyone complaining that $80-100 is overpriced for a cell phone.
Anecdotally, no I consider it quite normal. It's rare that I hear of people who don't have some sort of pain after being in this industry a while unless they took precautions all along.
My point is specifically what you reference: I've stuck with the same keyboard (more or less) for the past 20 years, but these days I switch between several different models of mice. It's not typical for people to have five very different mice sitting on their desk, most will do with one or two. Even most people who get an ergonomic mouse get just the one and stick with it.
Getting a suitable mouse is personal and, as TFA more or less points out, there isn't a single perfect mouse out there. It costs a lot to develop the different shapes, sizes and textures of the shells themselves. Then the electronics and switches have to be developed to fit inside the shells. That's going to cost a bundle to make and test. And there aren't going to be a lot of units sold at the end of it, because that market is fragmented and personal and most people won't go out and buy five different $100 mice.
I haven't been keyboard shopping lately. I don't look at extra buttons or grips or textures on the keycaps as features, I look for tactile feedback and durability. I happily spent my $100 at pckeyboards to get my USB-flavoured Model M remix for the same reasons I'll spend on a good mouse.
If it's comfortable and keeps me productive, it's worth it.
For a mouse connected to a desktop computer a cordless mouse adds zero value. I bought a Logitech MX Revolution when it came out because I liked the shape and I liked the wheel. After about 2 months the mouse wouldn't function for more than 4 hours w/out a recharge and the wheel got hopelessly jammed. Cordless is a huge PITA.
OOPS I can't use my PC for a few hours because I need to put the !@#%^!@%!#$@ mouse on the recharger!
OOPS I can't use my PC until I go to the store to buy some new batteries!!
OOPS, I don't have any freshly recharged AA batteries, so I can't use my pc!!
None of these things are anywhere near acceptable. I have been looking for months for a high quality corded laser mouse. I can't find one.
-- QED
Considering some of us sit at our computers for 12-18 hours a day I don't really see the problem. A good mouse will usually last you for 2-3 years. Why is that so crazy?
it looks like something my sister has, except hers runs on batteries and it vibrates
I am not reading the article, nor clicking through all the stupid pages filled with ads, because I already know the answers. The best mouse is the one I've had since sometime in 1998 or 1999: Microsoft IntelliMouse Optical USB. It's continued to operate flawlessly for the past 10 years, and was well worth the $75 I paid for it at the time. Five buttons, and a scroll wheel when such things were considered novelties. I regard the yellowing plastic with amusement, since most computer peripherals don't last anywhere near as long (OTOH, it is sitting next to an Apple Extended II keyboard, which is at least 5 years older).
That said, this is not meant to imply that mice are the best pointing devices! Being somewhat of a hardcore computer user (typing all day, and... ok, most nights, too), I've developed a bit of a pain in my mousing elbow. This was all promptly eliminated by the purchase of a Kensington Expert Mouse, which really is the best damn input device I've ever used. The scroll ring is especially cool, because it can zip through long webpages much faster than a scroll wheel can. I should have gotten one years ago.
No doubt, eh? I never want to use anything besides a Microsoft Trackball Explorer ever again. The fact that they haven't been made in years makes me very uneasy. They're getting harder and harder to find now, too. They used to be rather plentiful on ebay, but now they're getting more and more rare on there, too. And the prices that eventually get paid for them seem to be in the $200-$300 range now pretty regularly. I have been holding off on getting more because of that, but now I think it's time to forget that and just start biting the bullet and getting as many as I can to horde for myself. I think they're the best pointing device ever made, and I think the ebay situation mirrors that view. Sure wish they had sold well enough for Microsoft to have continued making them.
I was a little dismayed to see in TFA that SmartShift's "absence in more recent mice leads us to believe that consumers weren't too thrilled with it". I love the SmartShift on my MX Revolution, it's the best feature of the mouse by far and I really hope Logitech aren't dumping it for good.
In my job I'm always being sent huge source code files or CSV data that I need to quickly scroll through, and being able to give the scroll wheel a quick flick so that it switches to freewheel mode and zooms down the file has been invaluable. I wouldn't want another mouse without it. If Logitech dump SmartShift I'll probably have to subsist on second hand MX Revolutions on eBay for as long as I can....
I can't stand the application specific profiles though, I want my scroll wheel to operate consistently in every application, but for some reason even if I delete the profiles they reappear after a reboot. :/ I won't mourn the loss of that feature if Logitech want to remove it...
Is it possible that you're assuming there's some enormous expense that goes into them merely based on the price that is demanded? In trying to visualize the process myself, I can't justify what they're asking based on cost alone: they're pricing it based on the anticipated emotional response of consumers ("demand"), not upon the cost to manufacture.
You shouldn't have to pay $100 for that ergonomic mouse just because you need/want it really bad. That would be them profiting from (a) your misfortune or (b) your ignorance. (b) is really a misfortune, too, I suppose. ;-)
Because, I'm claiming, it' doesn't cost them anywhere near $100 to made the thing. There are cliches about taking advantage of other people's misfortune, so why is this okay? Need/desire/addiction isn't that far down the road from misfortune, and if it's priced as it is in anticipation of your need/desire/addiction, then that is wrong in my socialist book.
Ever read much about subjective valuation?
There's quite a bit more that goes into a cell phone, in my estimation. Even so, I have no doubt some of the blingier cell phone are unfairly priced, too.
2-3 years? I'm still using the Intellimouse Explorer I bought in ~1999. It gets beaten about in a laptop bag every day.....so it hasn't led the decadent and coddled lifestyle that some of you geeks grant your mouse.
Cost is only one part of the pricing decision. If a good ergonomic mouse costs $50 to make, and the consumer puts an economic value on it of $100 (i.e. the consumer's maximum willingness to pay for this particular mouse is $100), should the vendor sell it at $50.01 or $99.99?
I still use cheap PS/2 mice because 1) KVM (PS/2 and VGA only), 2) price, 3) simple.
Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
Bitter cold?
That would depend upon whether the vendor has socialist or capitalist/Darwinian ethics, wouldn't it? (I'm being kind in allowing that pure capitalism even has any ethics... truly it doesn't: it's only the intrusion of socialism into capitalism that imbues it with any ethics at all.)
My answer is that it should be somewhere in between, but a lot closer to $50.01 than $99.99.
What does it take to get a Trackman with a damned scroll wheel?
I'm not really sure who can put up with all the extra fuss with wireless devices. The batteries needing to be changed so often, the lag, the extra bulk, all of it. Terrible. Wire is the only way to go for perfect response time, weight, and no headaches.
How about a thought powered mouse?
haven't got one of these myself yet but probably will at some point
OCZ Neural Impulse Actuator Controller
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GC-000-OC&groupid=702&catid=23&subcat=&name=OCZ%20Neural%20Impulse%20Actuator%20Controller%20(OCZMSNIA)
I've had a logitech wireless from a long time ago, mx700 i think. It's great, but for one thing; it must be put in its dock to recharge. I prefer this to using regular rechargeables as it is actually kind of convenient, but why is it necessary? That is, why can't there just be a wire that I plug into the mouse just where a normal wired mouse's wire would go. Then I could keep using it while it recharged. As it is I have had to have an extra wired mouse connected to my computer for the few times when I need to keep working when the wireless one is low on charge. So, tell me, why can't somebody do this?
Mice are for the weak. I can't understand why not more people use trackballs.
Is that like a trackball or my Thinkpad's red eraser?
A hub. That I have to pull out & plug into my laptop every time that I want to use my mouse.
Hey why don't they come up with an incompatible dongle for connecting external keyboards, and another incompatible RF dongle to link cell phones to PCs. Add yet another incompatible dongle to be able to use the wireless mike+headphones use for skype. All I need is a 5 port powered USB hub to be able to connect all this, yeah that's a great idea.
Why is it that you cannot see that your "suggestion" is even less optimal than using a USB RF dongle?
I am aware thet BT licensing adds to the cost. I will pay more for a good BT mouse (as would many other people that want to use their existing BT instead of adding RF dongles & USB hubs).
Democracy is a sheep and two wolves deciding what to have for lunch. Freedom is a well armed sheep contesting the issue
Don't lump all wireless mice together just because the ones you've used are bad. Weight is a valid complaint, but honestly, it's negligible enough that you'll never notice it after you've spend some time getting used to it. Logitech's wireless RF laser mice (I'm particular fond of the MX620) have an instant response time and a single battery charge will last over eight months. After using one for a while, I can't stand going back to a corded mouse and dealing with a cord constantly getting in the way.
Karma: Terrifying (mostly affected by atrocities you've committed)
I am doubting that the reviewer actually uses what they are saying is the best.
<3 the Nub
Then the best (price+reliability+comfort)=Dell workstation mice. But you can't buy them at best buy, so they didn't make the list.
Part of the ergonomics has to do with size. I wish someone would come up with a standard for measuring palm width and middle finger length and then index mice sizes based on that. Like shoes, but for computer mice. (Although having a proper standardized hand size index might be useful for gloves too, instead of the generic sizing in use that never fits right.)
I wouldn't mind having a mouse that was about a half-inch wider and a whole inch longer over the top curvature than my current Logitech V-320. But the only other mice in the price range were either smaller or even less ergonomic, despite bigger size. I think a bigger mouse would lift up the heel of my palm a bit and I wouldn't crimp my wrist so bad. But too big a mouse would just be clunky and a bit awkward. A proper array of sizes might be a breakthrough advance in mousing ergonomics.
Yeah. There's all sorts of DSP and radio and battery and display tech that goes into a cellphone. A mouse? not so much.
However, having said that... it is worth *quite* a bit of money to have peripherals that will not damage the user over time. Having said that... why aren't *ALL* peripherals designed so that they won't damage the user over time? Eh? Eh?
I loved the Fingerworks gesture pads when they were available...but since they were acquired by Apple, the only place to get them (or at least lesser versions of them) is in Mac portables.
Nowadays I use the 3M ergonomic mouse and that works really well for me -- it allows me to use the thumb instead of the index finger, which I find much better for long sessions at work.
Funny how socialist countries never produced anything as ergonomic or as profitable as a Logitech MX revolution.
Subjective valuation FTW!
echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
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check out www.3dconnexion.com SpaceNavigator, best 3D navigation device. Great for CAD, can't wait til the gamers get ahold of it
I had a wireless keyboard (2xAA!!!) (and used a mouse on a few ocasions).
Wireless means you suddenly stop moving while you see a rocket going your way. Or get behaviour like "thisttttttttttttttttt" typing in commands in terminal. And battery indicator still shows 30% power.
Wireless means you find yourself wondering "where the hell is my keyboard" after watching a movie from your bed last night and moving the bed around to find it behind in dirt. The mouse gets around even more (as it's smaller).
My keyboard was Logitech something, batteries lasted for about a year.
Wireless is not Nirvana, you know?
Well, I don't live on a ship, but I do live on the largest commercial farm in this whole area (it's not mine but I am the oldest employee here). We have automatic start and run large diesel generators to operate the farm itself, three of them needed. Those are computer controlled and have redundant wireless and hard wired controls that coordinate that with the climate control systems in the various buildings and broiler houses and the main feed from the electrical grid. They have their own bulk tanks and the farm itself has a separate diesel bulk tank in the thousands of gallons size for all our equipment, which runs from the smallest diesel tractor at 24 horse up to multiple crawlers at over 100 tons apiece, and large trackhoes and pans, etc. We have three 60,000 gallon propane tanks for the heat, and all the residences have 500 gallon tanks. I am the only residence with an additional woodstove though, and I put up around 4 cords a year. I grew up up north but live in georgia now, we don't get those "lost in the blizzards" type of snow, but I sure have seen it before. I also have two smaller gas generators myself and a small solar array with battery bank and an additional windcharger. Oh, we also have a decent enough airport here on the property with full hangar space enough for a couple dozen planes and maintenance/machine shop facilities, roughly equivalent to a normal small size county airport, albeit it is only a grass strip, no jets, but it takes twin engine planes fine.
I was just commenting on Taco's remorse at having to sit in the cold with no juice, that's all, because there's no need for that really, not today with so many options out there, enough to fit most any reasonable budget. Waiting for the crisis to hit and *then* thinking about it (especially in Mich with lake effect snow and ice storms being so very common) doesn't work, you have to build out your redundant infrastructure in advance of an emergency.
My reply was more responding to the relative cheapness of having something for people to use for when their main supplies of energy got disrupted, and noting that in the tech geek community that data backups are a good idea and accepted, but it falls off fast for additional types of backup, but I was encouraged on the followup thread considerable with all the interest and the people who had gone that route of eneregy backups.. You can get a nice automatic start exterior permanent mounted propane generator for under two thousand dollars now and maybe 500 bucks to have it professionally installed to comply with codes and safety, etc, at the 7kw level, which is good enough to run the basic stuff people need, although perhaps not everything, but "enough". I'd say something like that is affordable for most folks in the "middle class" range if they own their own homwe anyway (or a natural gas model, although I prefer propane, it stores well onsite and isn't reliant on exterior delivery as much as natgas is) and even a smaller portable gasoline unit at well under $1,000 is still good enough to work, as evidenced by all the anecdotal in the follow up post he did asking about home generators and so on.
As to doing without and so on, I did a stretch of over five years in my young man days living totally feral way the heck back in the moose and bears woods with no electricity or anything of that sort (I had one flashlight and one battery operated radio to be fair about that), grew/harvested most or all of my own food as well, etc. I'm a bit more comfortable now but we still grow over half our food here (veggies, fruits, our own grassfed beef and my personal flock of chickens and ducks)
I've been into survivalism/preparedness for a long time now, mostly since I went through a big blizzard in 67 that closed everything down for two weeks. 48 inches in 24 hours then drifts, right over the top of our two story home. It was medium big, hehe. (I still have some super 8 movies of it, including getting shots of an *arctic owl* that showed up in the backyard, that was cool..). It mad
I inadvertently wrote tons instead of thousands of lbs. The big crawlers are both over 50 tons apiece. Pretty large, not the biggest, but fairly impressive in what they can move.
We ARE a socialist country, at least to the degree that it definitely ain't pure capitalism nor anarchy we're practicing.
The people that make mice are able to take advantage of selective value though. So they can make $100 mice with features that a sizable minority of people want. I have a MX 518 which I like a lot that worth $30. It probably cost a fraction of that to make. I've also got a couple of much cheaper Microsoft wheelmose opticals. The point being is that the mice manufacturers can sell basic mice cheap and a variety of more expensive ones.
A planned economy does work like this - you'd get one type of mouse sold at cost. There isn't much point improving on that mouse either, just keep knocking out the same thing over and over. And the producers get paid no matter how many they make, so expect queueing for your mouse or bribing an official.
Hell try reading how crap the Soviet Union was before Gorbachev started his reforms.
echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
Geeks are generally not the target market for high-end consumer-level computer gear.
I guess whether that is true or not is entirely dependent upon how narrowly one defines "geek". I was using the loosey-goosey popularized definition, but I'd guess you're using a rather different one.
I might be in the target market of a $100 mouse... if it didn't cost $100.
It was an awesome input device, until a couple of months after I bought it the mouse started acting squirrely. The cursor would stop reacting to the mouse every few seconds, and clicks would either not register or would register as double clicks. The receiver was only 2-3 feet away from the mouse, with no major obstructions besides the computer desk. I changed the batteries so many times. I even bought those fancy Radio Shack batteries advertised as special for computer peripherals. Needless to say fresh batteries were no help.
Unrelated to the review of best computer mice, but relevant to Logitech's wireless peripherals, I had a miniature wireless laser mouse for laptops that did the same thing.
I agree. I wear clothes 14 to 18 hours a day, and my underwear is my penis protector a lot of that time. It arguably makes more sense for me to choose wisely and spend $80 to $100 on a pair of underwear than on a cell phone, which I probably use about 30 minutes a day.
TO START
PRESS ANY KEY
Where's the 'ANY' key? I see Esk, Kitarl, and Pig-Up...
Didn't you know that you can get a Dvorak layout on any keyboard? In almost any OS, the keyboard layout is defined in software. Check it out:
http://www.mwbrooks.com/dvorak/support.html
You can pick up a split-key or "natural" style keyboard for about $20 if you look hard enough.
I switched to Dvorak about 5 years ago. My wrists and fingers are thanking me for it.
--
Promoting critical thinking since 1994.
What exactly do you think that a wireless laser mouse entails to operate, and how do you think the market size of a cell phone compare with a niche computer peripheral? Plus those are all MSRB prices. You can buy all of them online for less than they're listed on that website.
My "Shouldn't we all have devices that don't damage the user?" comment was meant to say that perhaps these "niche" devices should be more mainstream.
A wireless "laser" mouse requires DSPs that are *much* lower performance than one would find in even a cell phone from the 1990's. It requires commodity LEDs. It requires its own custom-made plastic lens. It requires a low-power, low-bandwidth radio. It requires commodity switches. It requires a relatively low quality sensor.
I change batteries on my mouse once a month at most, I use the computer at least 4 hours a day, often much more than that.
IANAL but write like a drunk one.
I paid close to $100 for my mouse.
It is wireless, optical, can be used as a regular mouse, a trackball or with only one hand as a pointer for presentations.
It is also ergonomic, it comes with different adjustments for gripping, has a wheel and works with Linux out of the box.
The battery lasts for long and you can recharge it while continue working.
Worth every single penny I paid for it.
IANAL but write like a drunk one.
All my former colleagues were experiencing varying degrees of pain, which could only be relieved by changing mousing hand or the device altogether. A couple of them actually needed physiotherapy and one of them surgery.
Cheap mice will get you eventually. People not spending the necessary amount of money in ergonomic devices will be creeps, this is not a matter of if, it is a matter of when. Those of us that spent our $100 early in life and live without pain are in no doubt about the correct course of action.
IANAL but write like a drunk one.
Frankly it is beyond comprehension ....
IANAL but write like a drunk one.
I meant to say "high-priced computer gear". There are of course exceptions... when you're doing something requiring high performance or extreme reliability, then you need to get what you need regardless of cost. But the computer mouse is certainly something of a solved problem. All that the manufacturers can really "innovate" on is the number of buttons and the shape of the plastic. Although it would be nice if once in awhile they could figure in reliability and long-term use.
Trust me they have and they can... but you'll have to pay LESS than $100 to get it. That "high-priced computer gear" is planned to obsolete much sooner so you'll "need what you need" much sooner rather than later. ;-)
The Kensington Expert Mouse is a trackball. That you couldn't be bothered to look that up, but that you could be bothered to express your dissatisfaction about it is, frankly, beyond comprehension.