Laptop mouse suggestions

[ratdude747]

I've probably already made a thread on this in the past, but that was a long time ago, so here goes again...

I'm looking for a decent mouse to use with my laptop. Here's the past mice:

-Microsoft wireless mobile mouse 6000- I loved the layout, but after 3 dead mice in 4 or 6 months, I bodged the last one together and used it until I upgraded laptops and then used:

-A4 tech G7-750D. I like how it has no optical sensor, and as result doesn't clog with dust. However, the button layout sucked (buttons 4 and five were on the left, not one on each side) and it feld kinda cheap. Not to mention it died a few days ago (the only pointer movement it produces is diagonal).

So, I'd like to ask if anybody has any suggestions for mice. A few general preferences:

-5 buttons, with buttons 4 and 5 on separate sides preferably.
-wireless USB- for laptop use, wireless really comes in handy (but if there is a wired mouse that does well in everything else, then I'll consider it).
-DURABLE- I'm tired of flimsy mice.
-not a ball-type... this is for a laptop, i don't want to lug a mousepad everywhere. As for the other types (optical, laser, a4 tech dust-free, etc.), if it works well, it's cool.
- not bluetooth... bluetooth and dualboots don't go well together (since both OS's share a MAC address, everytime you switch you must re-pair).
-4 way scrolling is a plus, if it works well. I also prefer scroll wheels that have a detent.
-Non-rechargeable... this is a laptop adfter all.
-I don't care if it's a "laptop" sized mouse or not...

so, keep your suggestions coming.

[delaware74b]

Re: Laptop mouse suggestions

I have a decent Logitech cordless mouse, M525. Laser-based, 2-AA batteries. The scroll wheel doubles as the back/forward browser buttons if tilted left(back) or right(forward).
Estimated 15-month life on batteries (real life is more like 9 months with heavy use).
It has the micro-receiver which sticks out 1/4" from side of my laptop, I never remove it. My netbook is dual-boot with Win7 and Ubuntu 12.04 and the mouse works with both, no issues.

[ratdude747]

Re: Laptop mouse suggestions

I have a decent Logitech cordless mouse, M525. Laser-based, 2-AA batteries. The scroll wheel doubles as the back/forward browser buttons if tilted left(back) or right(forward).
Estimated 15-month life on batteries (real life is more like 9 months with heavy use).
It has the micro-receiver which sticks out 1/4" from side of my laptop, I never remove it. My netbook is dual-boot with Win7 and Ubuntu 12.04 and the mouse works with both, no issues.

meh, I personally don't like having my side buttons where my horizontal scroll normally is.

[domas]

Re: Laptop mouse suggestions

what about M325. It is small though, only two extra buttons on scrollwheel.You have to push it left or right for back and forward, respectively by default config. (sometimes i would actually push back/fwd instead of middle mouse button, can be annoying)

Love mine, runs like charm for 2 years already, no annoying red laser light (hate those), very nice build quality, got one of those for my gf, had defective nano receiver, ghetto-fixed it. Both mine and her were actually genuine products from dx.com. 25-28 usd, IIRC. Manufacturer reports 18 months of time on battery, which is actually right. I use it a lot.

I wasn't sure what did you mean with 4-5 buttons, 4-5 extra buttons, or 4-5 buttons in all? If extra, then my suggestion is useless.

[goontron]

Re: Laptop mouse suggestions

had this since it came with my (now discontued) Logitech wave 2.4 keyboard mouse pair, still works a charm. http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-1100-...ref=pd_sim_e_7

[shadow]

Re: Laptop mouse suggestions

- not bluetooth... bluetooth and dualboots don't go well together (since both OS's share a MAC address, everytime you switch you must re-pair).

I have always tended to use Bluetooth laptop mice as I didn't want to waste a USB port just for a mouse transceiver, therefore the mice that I will present are not exactly what you are after, however they might give you some idea's on what to look for. By the way, I did somehow manage to get dual-boot Ubuntu and Windows 7 to work properly with my Bluetooth mouse without re-pairing each time you switch OS. Can't remember how I did it though.


My first laptop mouse was a Microsoft Notebook Mouse 5000. It was a super simple mouse. Just a basic three button with scroll wheel. It worked great and I really liked it. However it used AAA batteries which turned out to be a huge hindrance. I used rechargeable batteries, however even so it was really annoying having to recharge them so often.

My second laptop mouse I tried was a Logitech. It was a Logitech Mouse M555b. This is also a nice and simple as well (I guess you can see what I was looking for now ). Just a simple three button plus scroll wheel mouse again (however with sideways scrolling as well as standard vertical scrolling). However Logitech decided to put the middle mouse button under the scroll wheel. Pressing the scroll wheel switched it from having discrete indents for slow precise scrolling and continuous roll so one flick of the wheel can bring you down to the bottom of a huge document/webpage/whatever. This is a pretty strange thing, having the middle mouse button separate from the scroll wheel. Some people hate it, however I do not mind it at all. For some reason, all Logitech mice that I have ever used by default do not use the middle button as the standard 'middle button' action by default under Windows. So I had to configure that myself. I also made sure that this used AA batteries rather than AAA. The AA batteries lasted soooooo much longer than the AAA ones, it was a huge plus for me not having to recharge my batteries anywhere near as often.

I am sure both Microsoft and Logitech have almost the same mouse but not in Bluetooth for you to compare with. I guess the main thing I would suggest is to get a mouse that uses AA batteries and not AAA ones. Mice that use AA batteries are heavier, however not having to replace/recharge batteries anywhere near as often far outweighs the drawback of having a heavier mouse. Both laptop mice I have used are pretty solid and stood up to normal use and abuse comfortably.

[ratdude747]

Re: Laptop mouse suggestions

hmm, I may try pairing a bt mouse on both... I have a spare bt mouse...

edit- at lest with my dell bt mouse, no dice. I think making it visible deletes the previous pairing, so it could be brand specific issue.

[ratdude747]

Re: Laptop mouse suggestions

I have always tended to use Bluetooth laptop mice as I didn't want to waste a USB port just for a mouse transceiver, therefore the mice that I will present are not exactly what you are after, however they might give you some idea's on what to look for. By the way, I did somehow manage to get dual-boot Ubuntu and Windows 7 to work properly with my Bluetooth mouse without re-pairing each time you switch OS. Can't remember how I did it though.


My first laptop mouse was a Microsoft Notebook Mouse 5000. It was a super simple mouse. Just a basic three button with scroll wheel. It worked great and I really liked it. However it used AAA batteries which turned out to be a huge hindrance. I used rechargeable batteries, however even so it was really annoying having to recharge them so often.

My second laptop mouse I tried was a Logitech. It was a Logitech Mouse M555b. This is also a nice and simple as well (I guess you can see what I was looking for now ). Just a simple three button plus scroll wheel mouse again (however with sideways scrolling as well as standard vertical scrolling). However Logitech decided to put the middle mouse button under the scroll wheel. Pressing the scroll wheel switched it from having discrete indents for slow precise scrolling and continuous roll so one flick of the wheel can bring you down to the bottom of a huge document/webpage/whatever. This is a pretty strange thing, having the middle mouse button separate from the scroll wheel. Some people hate it, however I do not mind it at all. For some reason, all Logitech mice that I have ever used by default do not use the middle button as the standard 'middle button' action by default under Windows. So I had to configure that myself. I also made sure that this used AA batteries rather than AAA. The AA batteries lasted soooooo much longer than the AAA ones, it was a huge plus for me not having to recharge my batteries anywhere near as often.

I am sure both Microsoft and Logitech have almost the same mouse but not in Bluetooth for you to compare with. I guess the main thing I would suggest is to get a mouse that uses AA batteries and not AAA ones. Mice that use AA batteries are heavier, however not having to replace/recharge batteries anywhere near as often far outweighs the drawback of having a heavier mouse. Both laptop mice I have used are pretty solid and stood up to normal use and abuse comfortably.

This?

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...29#post9363229

noted...

[shadow]

Re: Laptop mouse suggestions

This?

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...29#post9363229

noted...

This was years ago when I used to dual boot. I didn't do anything specific. I used to have to re-pair my Bluetooth mouse every time I changed OS. However I think I exploited some sort of hardware glitch with my mouse and managed to get given the same Bluetooth key twice (as I said I can't remember how I did it). I did not do anything too special. However the link you posted seems to have a far more concrete way of achieving it.

[JimboJet]

Re: Laptop mouse suggestions

Logitech Performance MX.

It has a laser that works on glass, something that is very nice to have when traveling a lot and staying in hotels. A lot of hotels seem to like having fancy glass topped desks, which is great to look at but not much use to me when I need a reliable surface to track on with my mouse! The MX fits my hand very well, plenty of functionality and the battery lasts a good time too.
The USB dongle works very well and can be used with other logitech wireless products meaning you only use up one USB port if you wanted both keyboard and mouse etc.

[ratdude747]

Re: Laptop mouse suggestions

^ Meh. rechargeable. No good for a laptop... laptops need corded (or perhaps corded charging) or cordless with AA's (or AAA's I guess).

[shadow]

Re: Laptop mouse suggestions

^ Meh. rechargeable. No good for a laptop... laptops need corded (or perhaps corded charging) or cordless with AA's (or AAA's I guess).

Had a quick look. Whilst I don't really like the idea of a rechargeable laptop mouse at first. They do hold charge for longer than standard batteries and that particular model can be charged through a micro-USB port (unlike my rechargeable desktop mouse which can't be charged without the cradle).

[ratdude747]

Re: Laptop mouse suggestions

Ah.

I'm not as keen on micro usb... I've had way too many cables break... it's the new standard I guess.

My other concrn is that while it has a tilt wheel, does that actually side-scroll or does it instead act as buttons 4/5(back/forward browsing)... if all logitechs are like that, then count them off the list.

[shadow]

Re: Laptop mouse suggestions

Ah.

I'm not as keen on micro usb... I've had way too many cables break... it's the new standard I guess.

My other concrn is that while it has a tilt wheel, does that actually side-scroll or does it instead act as buttons 4/5(back/forward browsing)... if all logitechs are like that, then count them off the list.

I can only judge based on the four or so Logitech mice that I have used (only two had tilt wheel). By default Logitech seem to assign the left tilt to scroll left and the right tilt to scroll right. However as I said before, the middle mouse button by default does not do the action of a 'middle button'. I found this a bit annoying, however all the mouse buttons are configurable under Windows using Logitech's software (SetPoint). Not sure if you can reassign actions to mouse buttons normally without any software. Under Linux I never had any issues, the default mouse layout on Linux always seemed to have worked correctly to the 'usual' defaults. In addition to that I know you can reassign button actions under Linux anyway.

[shadow]

Re: Laptop mouse suggestions

I have just checked out a review for the mouse that JimboJet suggested. I was surprised that it actually uses a single AA battery! So if you don't want to use the USB connector for charging, you can charge the battery using traditional methods. However I have a suspicion that a single AA battery would not last too long. Perhaps better than two AAA's though.

[domas]

Re: Laptop mouse suggestions

As I have stated before, my m325 lasts for manufacturer-promised 18 months. Single AA. When it lasts for that long, I would never consider rechargeable mouse.

[ben7]

Re: Laptop mouse suggestions

I use a logitech M305, it only has two buttons though, not a fancy one like you want. I have had it for, oh, I think, 4 or 5 years. Still works fine :P

Uses one AA battery, I use sanyo eneloops, and they last like a month or so in the mouse.

[y_not]

Re: Laptop mouse suggestions

RD, here's one of my famously lengthy and detailed, thorough postings.
I hope you enjoy it and that everyone finds use in it.

I have a Logitech LX8 invisible wavelength, cordless laser mouse, so no light other than the green on/off switch on the bottom, which only glows green when you remove the mouse from the mousing surface.

It has a back button on the left side, just above the thumb rest and a forward button on the right side, just above the right finger rest where your pinkie & ring finger rest.
They're very easy to access, but not so much that you accidentally hit them. At least not for me, likely because of my larger than average hands and can nearly palm a basketball, or a salad plate. I would imagine it'd be just fine for all but the smallest, most petite hands.

As for the side button operation.
The one on the right is pressed with your middle finger, which normally rests above the other 2 rightmost fingers; above the right finger rest and just on the right edge of the mouse, just next to the right click button. You simply flick it back toward your wrist, the back edge of the mouse, to hit the forward button, then move it forward again, resting it back on it's resting place when done and you're good to go, nice and easy, no strain!
The left back button has AMPLE room for you thumb to sit, very comfortably, in a slightly rubberized and dimpled for airflow cradle, just underneath it, while easily being able to flick up your thumb to hit the back button, then resting it back down in the mouse' thumb rest.

These 2 buttons by default, with no Logitech SW installed, perform the back/forward function in web browsers, file managers and anywhere this is useful.
I really hate 3rd party mouse/keyboard sw and try to avoid it at all possible costs!! TSRs are EVIIILLL!! LOL

The left & right click buttons are very easy to click, with just a slight resistance and a good resounding, yet satisfying, but rather quiet "click", that's still loud enough to be audible.
After 5 yrs. of use, it's still going strong and works just as well as the day I got it. Good tracking and FAAAST click response time and repeat rate /w no unexplained accidental clicks, or refusal to click when pressed.

The center scroll wheel is a "non-tilt wheel" design, and has a subtle "click feel" to it as you scroll. It's inaudible, well.. under normal use that is, unless you put it to your ear as I did just now to see if it did make a noise, which it does. Even then, it's barely there, but a whisper.
It also has a SOLID "click" when you push the center & 5th button, where it turns into the 4-way scroll cursor, deactivating that mode when you press it again.

It also has a very nice "heft" to it, weighing in at 142g, or 4 & 5/8oz. So it has good traction and glides effortlessly and smoothly. The 4 super slick glide pads are intact, with only the bottom left one (viewed from the underside), drifting down about 1/16" or so from use. The mouse is easily "flicked" from side to side between your thumb and ring finger, retaining good traction, while gliding smoothly and swiftly along my natural rubber, cloth covered "Curtis mouse pad" mousing surface; just like any of the best mice out there.
Although, since she's not a featherweight, IE. "cheap feeling", it takes a little effort to do so, but nothing that hurts, or causes excess strain.
Not that any of us really do this on a regular basis, other than to fiddle, or fidget with it, or to simply test it out for glide speed and traction. But I thought it worth mentioning.

I will say that it took a bit of getting used to, having gone from an MS IntelliMouse Optical 1.1, circa 2001 or so, which I absolutely LOVED, but died after about 7yrs of use, this Logitech has such high tracking precision and resolution, that I felt like I was learning to fly a rocket ship for the 1st month or so of use. But it was worth it, just like learning to use an MS Natural Keyboard, soooo worth it.. I'd NEVER GO BACK to a lesser mouse. My wrist thanks me, due to the decreased amount of movement necessary to achieve the same range of motion.

It was about a $60 mouse when I bought it back in '09, but well worth it IMHO!!
It can currently be had @ Amazon, under WHSE deals as new/open box, for about $35. Well worth it!!
I have considered buying more of them.

It has a nice little USB receiver extension dock on an approx. 5ft long cable, that you can optionally plug the USB receiver into, for optimal placement purposes. Although it's not necessary, unless you have obstacles that interfere with it. Which either I do, or I simply prefer it to avoid any potential signal interruptions, as it works wonderfully sitting up on my desk, behind my ancient CRT monitor /w it's GORGEOUS black levels.
It doesn't use a unifying receiver, as it was right when those were becoming popular and this one simply didn't come with it, where others did. It's no loss though, as it's only missing the multiple pairing support on the receiver end, but I believe the mouse supports it. Don't quote me on that.
If using it on a laptop, depending on where your USB ports are, this may be an annoyance due to it's length protruding from the side of the notebook case. Then again, that's what the extension dock is for.

The receiver it comes with is about an inch long, minus the plug. About the size of your standard office supply store UFD (USB Flash Drive).
It has EXCELLENT signal, never a problem in that area.

As for battery life... STELLAR!!! Although I use my workstation often 7 days/week 12-18hrs/day, but not as much these days, now that I have streamlined my business and I'm not working like a dog anymore.

So with that heavy of a usage pattern, the battery life is as follows, which I have tracked by writing the date on each battery /w a fine tip Sharpie whenever I replace them.
I have not included the factory batteries, as I didn't date them, or think to at the time.

<<Battery replacement dates & run time for Logitech LX8 Mouse>>
***Factory rated @ 8 MOs battery life.

1st set:
Rayovac - 11/18/09

2nd set:
Panasonic Digital* - 08/20/10

3rd set:
Walgreens Alkaline Supercell - 12/11/10

4th set:
Panasonic Carbon Zinc - 09/20/11

5th set:
Rayovac - 04/11/12

How long each set lasted::
#1 Rayovac = 276 days (9mo 3 days)
#2 Panny D Alk = 114 days (3mo 22 days)*
#3 Gen. Alk = 284 days (9mo 10 days)
#4 Panny CZ = 205 days (6mo 23 days)
#5 Rayovac = **

*Didn't last long, I'm sure because this type of battery is intended for high drain, deep discharge devices, like cameras /w flash. Not low drain devices, like mice & remotes.

**Didn't date the current set for 2013, as I had a good idea of runtime by then and didn't see the point at the time. However, I'm recalling it was around 9mo, maybe a bit longer, as they were replaced early this year and right in line with all the other alkalines. As of this writing, it's about time to replace the last and currently installed set of Rayovacs that I failed to date. So it all seems right in step on runtime of the previous "good" alkalines.

<<End battery replacement dates & run time for Logitech LX8 Mouse>>


So with standard alkaline batteries, I get around 9mo out of it. This is of course pushing it until it croaks, totally ignoring the "low battery indicator" that lights green on the top of the mouse. This probably nets me a few extra weeks, to a month, with no noticeable impact on mousing activity.
Is that a computer term, "mousing activity"? Who knows! It is now!!

I will add, in closing, that I used to EXCLUSIVELY use MS KBs/Mice on all of my custom builds and for all of my clients, as well as myself. But round about '07/'08, I stopped and switched to Logitech instead. The reason being, the MS mice started failing, not total DOA, but they performed poorly, even right out of the box; with weird tracking issues, poor sideways off axis movement, related to perpendicular orientation to the workstation and so on.
This became a HUGE issue and made them almost unusable for myself and many users that didn't always sit, stiff as a board, perfectly in front of and perpendicular to their display/monitor on their workstation. This was unacceptable!!

Also, the MS wireless mice and keyboards have always had issues with waking PCs from sleep and the software would constantly whine at you, telling you the mouse/keyboard batteries were low, even though they were far, far, far from it!! Again, I hate the software, but on many of their units, they just didn't work as well without it installed. IE. scrolling would be screwy, or slow, or the tilt wheel wouldn't function right, or tracking would be even more wacky, on and on went the list.

Just a loooonngg string of problems, design flaws and operational failures that resulted in my decision to abandon the "MS Peripheral Ship" and never look back!!

PS. I have other Logitech mice; an M310 DarkField cordless laser mouse /w unifying receiver & on/off switch, a "Couch Mouse" /w uni receiver and on/off switch, a cute little spotted dalmatian print corded small laptop mouse /w cord wrap (for my sweet little niece), as well as various old school, 1st gen corded red led optical mice from the early 2000's. All still going perfectly strong!!!
It's just that this one is my favorite of them all.

[ratdude747]

Re: Laptop mouse suggestions

Sounds like logitech may be the way to go... but I don't like large recievers. If I can't leave it in, then I'll lose it.

[goontron]

Re: Laptop mouse suggestions

Sounds like logitech may be the way to go... but I don't like large recievers. If I can't leave it in, then I'll lose it.

the reciver on my Logitech set is the size of a sandisk cruzer if that gives you any idea ....