Best Mouse for Windows User?

Last year there was a discussion thread in a blog on what mouse people preferred for designing. Does anyone happen to remember this? Or do you have a recommendation for someone who is interested in clothing design and wants fine control when working in PhotoShop? I run Windows & Linux. Thanks

I think any mouse with at least three buttons, that feels comfortable in your hand is good. And if design is important, than look at the DPI (precision) of the mouse, the higher the better. However, now'adays, pretty much all mice are precise enough to design.

I've used probably around 8 different mice with SL and all worked fine. My only problem was an old one that didn't have the mouse-wheel/button.

That's always gonna be a bonus, since zooming and such is very important to a lot of people.

The mouse you choose is really up to you... if you don't wanna shell out batteries all the time, use wired, if you want trackball, do it (I personally hate track balls)... all depends on you and what you like.

I use a unique, old-school gamers mouse which is fantastic--all there buttons are the same size (it's a little wider) and it's a track ball (very high precision).

It's very comfortable in the hands, feels very sturdy, has some weight to it, and is perfect for three button users because all three buttons are easy to click (mouse wheels annoy me, they are too small and sometimes tricky and awkward to click without rolling it).

The only thing about this mouse is...it's long been discontinued...so you have to get it from Ebay.

Work + home I spend up to 16 hours a day on the computer. What I use is the Kensington Expert Mouse in both places and I make sure that my chair armrest, wrist rest and trackball all line up.

The oversized ball lets me rotate my arm and hand so that I'm not in the same position all the time. The 4 buttons let me program them to double-click and [ctrl]-click on the top two buttons. I used to have the ball bearing version until I saw the new generation USB model.

The ball is now optical and that 360 degree scroll-wheel-ring is the best for zooming in 3d programs and rolling my way through a long thread or Google search. (^_^)

http://us.kensington.com/html/2200.html

I've always liked the Microsoft Intellimous Explorer because they're fairly large with a good ergonomic shape that's comfortable for my hand, but I ordered a new one with my new computer and they've substantially changed the shape to one that's too thin and causes my hand to cramp. There really is no "best" aside from what's the most comfortable fit to the size of your hand.

I love my Logitech G5. Five buttons, tilting scroll wheel for horizontal as well vertical scrolling, five customizable levels of resolution (400-2000dpi each) with on-the-fly switching between them, customizable report rate (125-1000 Hz), even user-configurable weight. Also, it's very comfortable in the hand, and it slides like a dream, almost completely frictionless. It's fantastic for gaming, of course, which is what it's designed for, but it's also excellent for artwork.



If you get one, just be careful to make sure it's the right one. It comes in both 4 and 5 button versions, and there's pretty much no difference in packaging between the two. You need to look at the actual mouse itself, to see whether it's got just one button or two in the thumb area. I highly recommend getting the one with the extra thumb button. It's pretty silly not to, since they're both the same price, and are otherwise completely identical. I was able to find the 5 button version at Best Buy. Most online retailers I've looked at only seem to have the 4 button one.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8248942&st=logitech+g5&lp=1&type=product&cp=1&id=1169252444565



Another mouse I've been thinking of getting for a good long time now is the Evoluent Vertical Mouse. http://www.evoluent.com/ It's turned on its side for more natural ergonomics, to keep your wrist from having to twist the way it does when you put your hand on any normal mouse. When I grab my Logitech mouse, and turn it on its side, to see what it would be like if it worked that way, it just feels so right. All tension in my arm just melts away. I don't know why no one's ever thought of this before. It makes so much sense.





That said, there are three reasons I've never taken the plunge to get an Evoluent. First, since they're only sold online, there's no way to try one before buying. I've heard nothing but positives from people who have them, but still, I'm hesitant to spend the money without trying it myself. That's admittedly a relatively minor point, though, since even if it sucks (which is unlikely), $80 isn't the end of the world. The next two issues are more significant.

Second, the button for switching optical resolution is on the bottom, where you can't get at it during use. I have no idea what the designers were thinking on that one. On the G5, the 2 buttons for cycling up and down between its five user-definable resolution settings (these are in addition to the five regular buttons I mentioned before) are on the top, right where they should be, so you can get at them at any time. This is really handy in gaming. It's one of those things that once you start doing it, you can't imagine how you got by without it before. If anyone who happens to work for Evoluent is reading this, come on, guys; would it really have been that hard to put that button on the top?

Third, and this was the deal-breaker for me, when I called to inquire what the report rate is on this mouse, after having noticed its glaring absence from the listed specs on the website, I was told, "We don't know. It just reports as fast as it can." Uh, what? That was a joke, right? How could you not know? You do make the thing, don't you? You did design it, right? How could there be anything at all about it that you don't know, let alone a key feature of its electronics?

The website makes a big deal about its high resolution sensor (up to 2600 dpi), as well it should, since resolution is important. But resolution alone is only half the story. Without knowing the report rate, you can't know anything about how well or how reliably the mouse actually performs. It's a matter of simple logic. If your report rate is slow, the mouse can't track your movements with much precision. You could have the highest resolution in the world, and it wouldn't matter. If your movements are not sampled at high speed, your mouse is clumsy. Or even worse, if the rate is unsteady, then there's no accuracy at all.

A fast, steady report rate is crucial to accuracy and somooth-feeling operation for any digital mouse. "As fast as it can" is not an acceptable answer. Give me specs or go away. Can you tell it really ticked me off when they said that?

Still, I really do want to try a vertical mouse. Sooner or later, either my curiosity or a dose of wrist pain will get the better of me, and I'll buy one.



Oh, and if I might veer off on a tangent for a second, while we're on the subject of ergonomics, if anyone's interested in a good ergonomic keyboard, the Goldtouch Adjustable Keyboard from Key Ovation quite literally saved me from having to give up typing forever. A few years ago, after a lifetime of using a standard flat keyboard, my left wrist was in pretty sorry shape. It had got so painful to type that my only options were find a keyboard that fits properly, or else never type again. Even now, if I so much as put my hands in standard typing position to demonstrate, the wrist feels like it's got a searing red hot poker stuck in for the rest of the day. Not fun.

While hunting for a solution, I happened across a used Goldtouch on eBay for relatively little money. I figured what the heck, I have to try something here, so I bought it. As soon as the thing arrived and I started typing on it, the pain went away instantly. And for the past 3 or 4 years since, I've been able to work pain-free the whole time. It's been nothing short of a godsend.

When that old used one eventually died, I did not hesitate to go ahead buy a new one at full price. Key Ovation, by the way, actually offered to fix the old one for a very small fee, which was more than generous of them. But that would have taken longer, so I had to say thanks but no thanks. I needed to be back to work right away. The new one was more than worth the money.

For anyone with RSI in the wrists or fingers, or probably even elbows, this thing is an absolute must-have. http://www.keyovation.com/c-2-ergonomic-keyboards.aspx

Wow!!

I went to a computer shop a couple of weeks ago and asked the same question. The sales person just looked at me - and said they had a mouse for $20.

Thank you so much for responding to my question. Now I can look into the good ones and make an informed decision.

I use Razers DeathAdder mouse, yes stupid name but good product.
http://www.razerzone.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_17&products_id=43&zenid=epvqboqhtvilm37nvvravilab2

It's a bit on the expensive side but you can find it locally in most cases.

I use a Logitech MX Revolution, it's cordless. Didnt come cheap either. The only problem I have ever had with it is the USB receiver went wonky on me, maybe from getting bumped around because I use a laptop. I emailed the company and they had me run one test on it to make sure it wasnt my pc. I had it for over a year, but it is warrantied for 3 years and they sent me a new one immediately. I love cordless since I use a laptop and don't like cords running all over the place. Now if I could just figure out how to use a cordless mic and speakers that would be great.