using a wireless mouse

Buying a Wireless Mouse on a Budget

Knowledge Base

Oh, cords, how we loathe you. Excessive wiring is the bane of many a computer owner. If the back of your computer looks like a mess of wires, you may want to practice better cable management. You may also want to switch to a wireless mouse to reduce the needed amount of cords and provide yourself with untethered freedom while browsing. Thanks to today’s technology, you don’t need to pay a ton to get a great wireless mouse for gaming or productivity.

What to Know About Buying a Wireless Mouse

A computer mouse is a simple device whose functions cannot be understated. Here’s how a wireless mouse works. If you choose to go wireless, there are a few considerations you need to remember.

Why Go Wireless?

A wireless mouse brings convenience. When you have so many cables around, a wired mouse is likely to get tangled among headphones and other wires, especially during travel. With a wireless mouse, you have no worries about dragging other stuff around your desk or the cord being caught at the corner of the desk as you scroll.

What’s more, you don’t need to use the mouse around your laptop. You can use it on the couch and enjoy browsing or gaming from a comfortable position. This aspect works best if you have a TV that is also a monitor, so you don’t need to be next to it to navigate the functions.

Wireless mice also come with a versatile receiver that can often be paired with other devices like keyboards. It goes a long way in keeping your USB ports free.

The compact design makes them more ideal for travel since you can stuff them in small spaces without damaging any components. Also, the dongle will usually be stored inside the mouse itself.

Are There Any Disadvantages?

The freedom of movement with a wireless mouse comes with dealing with a lost connection from time to time since they mostly connect over Bluetooth or a 2.4GHz wireless frequency, which is the same frequency used by most machines and wireless devices.

Dead batteries are another issue, especially if it occurs at the wrong time. Although most options have at least a few months of battery life, don’t forget to replace them until it’s too late.

Factors to Consider When Buying a Wireless Mouse

  • Comfort: This is the most important consideration as it all comes down to the user experience. You will need to factor in your grip style, shape, weight, and size of the mouse.
  • Grip Style: There are three different grip styles. These include palm, claw, and fingertip grips. The palm style is the most common as it involves a relaxed method of holding the mouse such that you will use your entire arm and hand to move the mouse. For this style, you will need a high arch mouse.

Claw grip mouse users will need a lightweight mouse with a medium arch since you usually use the tips of the index and middle fingers to click the mouse while your palm is near the bottom of the mouse.

Although not common, fingertip style grippers will also need a lightweight mouse but with a high arch since the palm is not near the mouse.

  • Shape: The way the mouse is sculpted speaks a lot about how it feels after using it for a long time. Here we are talking about things like a contoured or ergonomic design that either follows the curves of your hand or encourages the hand to achieve a neutral position. Some ergonomic mice have vertical shapes, while others have a thumb rest. It will depend on your preferences.
  • Optical vs. Laser Sensors: Your mouse should be able to track on different surfaces by moving smoothly and registering every motion. All mice transmit optical data, but not all mice project the data using an optical sensor.

An optical mouse uses infrared or red LEDs that are focused onto a beam to transmit data, while a laser mouse uses an invisible beam. Optical mice track well on rough or non-glossy surfaces like desktops, while laser mice can track on glossy and non-glossy surfaces.

  • Customizable Settings: Being able to control how fast the scroll wheel moves and the speed of the cursor are just as important to any wireless mouse. With support software, you will be able to customize the features of your device to give you personalized results with each use. While many mice on this list are very customizable, the UtechSmart Venus Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse offers top of the line personalization.
  • Handedness: You will find that most of the wireless mice on the market are designed for right-handed use because of the two side buttons. Ambidextrous mice like the Amazon Basics Wireless Mouse rarely have extra buttons, so if you want more buttons on a left-handed mouse, you may stretch your budget to find one that works well.

Final Words

Get more out of your computer by adding a quality wireless mouse. We have researched the specs offered by each of these brands to pick only the products that have unique features. Whether you want an ergonomically designed model for gaming, travel, or general use, you can depend on top choices.