How to choose a wireless mouse?
Wireless gaming mouse
Wireless mice are popular among gamers due to the greater range of movement. Unlike most office mice, gaming mice usually feature programmable buttons. Other differences include a striking, eye-catching design, backlighting, and rubberised coating (to provide a good grip). Wireless gaming mice also have a significantly lower response time compared to wireless office mice. Response time indicates the speed with which the mouse reacts to your motions. On the downside, the low response time results in high power draw, so the mouse can discharge completely in a matter of hours. They are also more expensive compared to similarly equipped office mice.
Wireless office mouse
Wireless office mice tend to have much longer battery life compared to gaming mice – some can last months on a single charge. Their design is usually more muted and backlighting is rare. They also have a significantly higher response time, which, however, is almost imperceptible in normal office work. Compared to similarly equipped gaming models, they are also noticeably cheaper.
Travel
Travel mice are compact and small in order to fit in a laptop bag. Generally speaking, they are just scaled down office mice.
Other types of wireless office mice
- Vertical - provide a more natural grip to the wrist and help prevent carpal tunnel syndrome.
- Trackball - mice that let you control the cursor (the little arrow on the screen) by a trackball instead of the sensor on the bottom of the mouse.
Vertical Mouse
Trackball
Orientation
Wireless mice are generally made for right-handed people or with a symmetrical, neutral design. If you are buying a mouse for a lefty, keep in mind that even most left-handed people control the mouse with their right hand.
What else should I know before buying a wireless mouse?
Power
Wireless mice need a power source in the form of a battery or battery pack. Most mice require one or two batteries (either AA or AAA). The more expensive models sometimes feature a rechargeable battery, which recharges if you connect the mouse to the computer using a USB cable. Office mice can last months on a single charge or battery set, while gaming mice may discharge completely in a matter of hours.
Connection
Neither of the technologies listed below can be said to be objectively better than the other. It mostly depends on your computer’s compatibility and options.
- Wi-Fi - the most common type of connection. Usually cheaper compared to similarly equipped Bluetooth mice. Wi-Fi mice require a dedicated receiver (comes with a mouse), so they take up a USB port on your computer.
- Bluetooth - unlike Wi-Fi mice, these do not require a USB port. They connect to the PC directly via Bluetooth. Tend to be more expensive compared to similarly equipped WiFi models.
Sensors
- Optical - the most affordable type of sensor. Today's best optical sensors are highly sensitive and responsive, so a laser sensor may not be better necessarily.
- Laser - generally more accurate than optical sensors. May have difficulties with shiny, reflective surfaces, in which case we recommend buying a mouse pad.
- BlueTrack - manufactured exclusively by Microsoft. Suitable for rough and uneven surfaces.
DPI
Higher DPI boosts mouse sensitivity, so small mouse movements translate to large movements of your cursor on the screen. Most modern mice have DPI values of 1000 and higher, which is more than enough for a normal user. If you play games or work with specific applications such as CAD, choose a mouse with DPI 2000 and higher.
Scroll wheel
Some scroll wheels can be tilted to the side, allowing the wheel to move the picture both vertically and horizontally. The popular Hyperscroll feature (manufactured by Logitech) lets you quickly scroll through very long documents. Some mice don’t have a scroll wheel at all and feature a small touch pad instead.
