How do you choose an inexpensive computer mouse?

[mouldy]

Just lost another mouse this morning. Its a noname wired mouse, the scroll wheel works perfect, the cursor didnt develop a mind of its own and wander all over the screen. Its comfortable to hold. Nope, I just can no longer click on anything. Less than year old. So using wireless mouse I have been using on laptop. Another noname "Made in China" brand. But it works ok though scroll wheel little odd, works ok, battery lasts, but odd feel to it. No idea how long it will last but not expecting more than a year.

I swear mice used to last upto 5 year. Anymore you get a year or so at best. Least on the under $20 ones. Sorry not giving some crazy money for one without it being a namebrand with lifettime guarantee, meaning free replacement forever at a local brick and mortar store if it fails. Not paying $50 to send a $5 mouse to China for "free" replacement. Out of curiosity looked at Microsoft mice and $50 for a wired mouse???? Should last 20 year at that price but doubt it does.

So looking at mice on ebay and amazon and jeesh, yea some obviously super shoddy or gimmicky with 50 buttons and flashing lights, or some funky shape you know is uncomfortable, but how do you pick one without actually trying it? Just simple cheap mouse either wired or wireless that works and lasts 5 year? It shouldnt be rocket science to design such, but apparently it is. Suppose just no economic incentive to design inexpensive one that lasts 5 year. Not if you can get everybody to buy a new one every year. Capitalism doesnt like longevity, gotta sell ever more crap to ever more people, as frequently as possible.

[Flash]

If you're near a large university, they probably have a surplus property outlet. It will be full of computer stuff, especially hard disk drives. Pallets of them. And it's all priced to move. I saw what must have been an electron microscope, virtually complete.

But think about whether you'd rather have a trackball than a mouse. If your computer desk is crowded, a trackball is the way to go.

[mouldy]

If you're near a large university, they probably have a surplus property outlet. It will be full of computer stuff, especially hard disk drives. Pallets of them. And it's all priced to move. I saw what must have been an electron microscope, virtually complete.

But think about whether you'd rather have a trackball than a mouse. If your computer desk is crowded, a trackball is the way to go.

I had a trackball long ago, long enough think it was serial port interface. May still be around somewhere though think it was in storage and rat got in there and decided the cord looked scrumptious... It was ok, but to scroll you had to manually use the side area of browser. Click and hold and then move it down. Like the old two button mice without scroll wheel. But yea back in the day of mechanical ball type mice, the trackballs didnt need as much cleaning like the mice did.

But seriously are there optical mice with scroll wheel that can last five years with daily use? Or is my experience of around one year just par for the course. Even last time I bought a Logitech, it didnt last any better than the generics. Probably made in same Chinese factory. For while I would watch for usb mice on Ebay that had come with a new computer. Basic mice the computer buyer then didnt use so get an HP or Logitech mouse and they for while would go at least couple year, but then they became rare with popularity of laptops and think quality on those went down as well.

Been looking, may try an Amazon basics mouse. Cant be any worse and has generally positive feedback, though could be people are just trained at this point to have to replace their mouse every year. Just feeling grumpy about having to deal with this yet again. Seriously not any reason mice cant be engineered to last much longer. Less e-waste in the environment. Or at least make them repairable somehow, but in 2024 suppose thats asking too much. Nothing is really repairable anymore, hackable maybe, but not engineered to be really repairable.

[mikewalsh]

Even last time I bought a Logitech, it didnt last any better than the generics. Probably made in same Chinese factory.

Hm. Depends what you actually pay for your Logis. Depends, too, on just HOW "cheap" you are!

Mice are one thing I've never ever "skimped" on. I've always been prepared to pay anywhere from GBP £40-£80+. I take the view that a good mouse is an investment; after all, you're using it for many hours a day, day in, day out.

The cheap ones are no better than comparably-priced mice from anywhere else. I'm currently using an MX Master2, which I bought around 2½ years ago for around £70.....and aside from the logo (on the top of the left key) being rather worn by now, it still works as well as the day I got from Amazon. These things are built like a brick outhouse, are a "decent" size, and are ergonomically designed to be comfortable all day long. The side buttons are perfectly positioned.....and even the side scroll wheel works in Linux if you set things up correctly.

You pays your money, and takes your pick....

(*shrug...*)

Mike.

[mouldy]

Ok the Duck says 70 GBP is around US$90. Ouch. Probably have a time getting me to pay that for a whole computer let alone a mouse. My worry would not be what it was like new out of the box, sure its nice enough new out of box or there would be lot returns, but its longevity. Ruins your day when a $90 gadget becomes useless and unrepairable or least makes me sad when that happens. I am not convinced of longevity of any modern electronics. Until I have seen them last with my own experience.

Actually of all the stuff I been playing with lately that converted Dell chromebook 3120 probably impressed me the most and continues to impress me. Not cause its speedy, it isnt, but cause it runs amazingly cool without a fan. My "spidysense" tells me that thing will likely last a very long time whether I want it to or not. Well since I am not tossing it around like some school kid it was designed for. And it cost me $12 shipped. LOL Actually runs amazingly well with mrchromebox UEFI and bookwormpup64 on the added 256GB nvme. the adapter plus the nvme ssd cost more than the chromebook....

Well I ordered a replacement, another mystery brand mouse, but noticed it had a metal scroll wheel. Course cant tell lot from a picture, but if they went to all the trouble to use an honest to goodness metal scroll wheel, maybe the mouse has some quality too. Or it could just be a bluff to get noticed, it wouldnt add all that much to cost of manufacture, who knows. Oh they were claiming the two AAA batteries that come with it would operate it three years. Ok, does that mean the batteries last three years but the mouse itself may not?? Or that whole thing should last three years.

[pp4mnklinux]

First of all, I wanna say I tried dozens of mice (from expensive, to cheap ones).

In the end, the best results with https://www.trust.com/en/corporate/medi ... uery=20718

It is the first which I can use all the included buttons (5) in a really useful way.

For me is the best, but of course, it depends on your particular necesities.

viewtopic.php?p=105795&hilit=trust+mouse#p105795

Hope it helps you some way. Have a nice day.

[cobaka]

Hello @mouldy

Mostly I dumped mice for reasons other than failure. I didn't have much use for a mouse with a 9-pin serial interface. Earlier mouse technology got overtaken by more elegant designs. I only had one mouse fail. A conductor inside the (wired) mouse cable broke. Reading the symptom of your failure, I'd guess that your mouse is OK, but the cable has one conductor open.

If your wired mice 'dies' after only one year I would pay close attention to whether the mouse cable moves a lot as you roll it across the desk.
If the cable flexes a lot lift the cable cable few inches above desk height; then move your mouse around. Observe how far or how little the cable flexes.
A 'sticky' and a cable tie will hold the cable those few inches to minimize flexing.
The idea is to have minimal cable movement where it enters the body of the mouse. This is the main point of failure.

Regarding wireless mice: Cheap mice have a short battery life. More expensive mice draw less current; some reduce current draw when inactive for some time.
I use a basic Logitech wireless mouse - M235. Mid-range price and reasonable battery life.
If you live in AU - you'll often see a mouse at a Salvation Army Family store.
I never experience the problem you described.

собака.

[mouldy]

I remember some years ago, had inexpensive wireless mouse that ate batteries. Needed new batteries every week or two. I was not impressed. Forget details now, but annoying enough, that it became a wired mouse. Modern wireless mice, yes cheapies, the batteries tend to last fine, lucky if the mouse outlasts the batteries. LOL. Maybe I am just hard on mice....

Interesting on the cord theory on wired mice, its a usb cord, wonder if I cut the cord near the mouse and spliced in another cord. But honestly suspect the switch went wonky. But yea it could indeed be the cord though not like I am whipping it around frantically.

[jp734]

I'm not a fan of cordless. I still use a corded dell mouse keyboard from early 2000. If it gives up. I'll be searching for the same model on ebay.

A good quality used keyboard is how I choose an inexpensive mouse/keyboard

[mouldy]

First of all, I wanna say I tried dozens of mice (from expensive, to cheap ones).

In the end, the best results with https://www.trust.com/en/corporate/medi ... uery=20718

It is the first which I can use all the included buttons (5) in a really useful way.

For me is the best, but of course, it depends on your particular necesities.

viewtopic.php?p=105795&hilit=trust+mouse#p105795

Hope it helps you some way. Have a nice day.

I did find a Trust mouse that looks like one in pic, its around a $55 mouse.

Yea, its a matter of perspective I suppose as to "cheap".... Hey if it lasts then not unreasonable.

[mouldy]

I'm not a fan of cordless. I still use a corded dell mouse keyboard from early 2000. If it gives up. I'll be searching for the same model on ebay.

A good quality used keyboard is how I choose an inexpensive mouse/keyboard

There for a while I would look for inexpensive Dell, Lenovo, etc mice on ebay. People would buy new computer and it came with basic model wired keyboard and mouse. They already had their own fancier versions so those came up for sale new and unused. Those would last two to three years. But then people stopped buying desktop computers and also seemed like quality went down. And for me became just another one year mouse.

Thinking back to the ball mouse era, yea back then used mice were fine, at most you just had to clean the ball and remove the lint inside. That was pre-usb. Had either serial or that round ps2 mouse/keyboard port connection. Gosh thats been lot years since I seen computer with those. Though think last one I bought new came with an adapter to convert that round port end to usb for computers without ps2 ports.

[mouldy]

Huh, quite a time warp on ebay for keyboards and mice if you go used. And yes you can get adapters to go from ps2 to usb and from usb to ps2. Though they have disclaimer that the usb keyboard mouse has to support use of the adapter. Assume any ps2 keyboard/mouse can go usb with that adapter.

Its such a crap shoot to buy new keyboard/mouse, hate to think of the gamble buying used. Though might consider one of the antique Microsoft mice. Back when they were made in USA, they were top of the line. Great mice and keyboards,... operating systems, not so much.

You know I may have a serial to usb adapter cable from back when I had dialup modem. Suppose that would work with a serial mouse.... LOL

[mikewalsh]

For a more 'day-to-day' mouse, I've had 2 of these over a 6½ year period:-

https://electricalreviews.co.uk/sandstr ... se-review/

You can free-wheel the scroll-wheel, choose between 2 DPI settings, and it's generally speaking a very comfortable mouse. These are, however, exclusive to that particular UK retailer, so not available outside the UK.

The button behind the scroll wheel is a simple mechanical lock/unlock button for the scroll mechanism. The DPI button is set into the edge of the thumb rest.

The first one, the left-hand button started 'playing-up' after around 2-2½ years, so I got another one. This second one - I'm using it now - is still going strong after almost 4 years. Another ergonomic design, it's truly comfortable for hour after hour. Battery life is around 9 months, given that it's often in use for around 10-12 hours most days. Which is NOT bad, considering.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The only reason I invested in the MX Master2 is because I'd always wanted one.....though I waited for the price to come down to a reasonable level before purchasing. I also have quite broad hands, so I really wanted a mouse that was physically that bit larger; I tried one in our local Currys, liked what I saw (and felt) but knew I could get it cheaper elsewhere (they were asking GBP £99.00 for it!) And so it proved.....and I'm really very pleased with it.

[Click to enlarge:-]

Logitech MX Master 2s review at TechRadar

Mike.

[mouldy]

For a more 'day-to-day' mouse, I've had 2 of these over a 6½ year period:-

https://electricalreviews.co.uk/sandstr ... se-review/

You can free-wheel the scroll-wheel, choose between 2 DPI settings, and it's generally speaking a very comfortable mouse. These are, however, exclusive to that particular UK retailer, so not available outside the UK.

The button behind the scroll wheel is a simple mechanical lock/unlock button for the scroll mechanism. The DPI button is set into the edge of the thumb rest.

The first one, the left-hand button started 'playing-up' after around 2-2½ years, so I got another one. This second one - I'm using it now - is still going strong after almost 4 years. Another ergonomic design, it's truly comfortable for hour after hour. Battery life is around 9 months, given that it's often in use for around 10-12 hours most days. Which is NOT bad, considering.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The only reason I invested in the MX Master2 is because I'd always wanted one.....though I waited for the price to come down to a reasonable level before purchasing. I also have quite broad hands, so I really wanted a mouse that was physically that bit larger; I tried one in our local Currys, liked what I saw (and felt) but knew I could get it cheaper elsewhere (they were asking GBP £99.00 for it!) And so it proved.....and I'm really very pleased with it.

[Click to enlarge:-]

Mike.

the Sandstrom seem to be UK sold product. Reasonable price, but shipping cost kinda crazy to get it across the pond. least they actually brag about long life. You just dont see anybody doing that for mice and keyboards. Or anything else sold in 2024 and it annoys me to no end. Longevity should be a selling point. Still not sure why the Chinese seem able to almost ship stuff for free, but when it comes from Europe or Japan it costs a fortune. Probably some sweetheart deal from decades ago when US was trying to encourage Chinese capitalism and export all our manufacturing jobs for lower labor cost and less environmental restrictions. Ah the second Gilded Age.

[mouldy]

From responses I am starting to wonder if I just live in an environment unfriendly to mice and keyboards. Too much dust or humidity or ????

[mimine]

I usually buy the cheapest wired laser mouse for 5 euros...lasts for about 2 years .

[Clarity]

@mouldy I think @Flash's recommendation is a good one for wired mice. Also, if you have a computer repair or store nearby, they will probably give you a used wired mouse for free. ... Keyboards too. Maybe, too, you have relatives, friends, neighbors who have wired mice that they will gift to you.

Over the course of my lifetime, I have NEVER has a mouse failure, so I couldn't recommend as the 20+ mice I have all work. My mice are from all over the world over my years. All Chinese goods are not cheaply made.

Hope this is good guidance

[mouldy]

@mouldy I think @Flash's recommendation is a good one for wired mice. Also, if you have a computer repair or store nearby, they will probably give you a used wired mouse for free. ... Keyboards too. Maybe, too, you have relatives, friends, neighbors who have wired mice that they will gift to you.

Over the course of my lifetime, I have NEVER has a mouse failure, so I couldn't recommend as the 20+ mice I have all work. My mice are from all over the world over my years. All Chinese goods are not cheaply made.

Hope this is good guidance

Be interesting to know then why no mouse for years now has lasted me more than a year. Keyboards maybe two years. Wired, wireless, doesnt seem to matter. they fail. Including couple rather pricey mechanical keyboards. I cant speak to $100 mice but hey no reason in the world a $10 mouse shouldnt last 5 year. Maybe I gotta go find an antique ball mouse..... Those you can clean, though you also need to use them with a mouse pad.

Like say just ordered a mouse with a stainless steel scroll wheel and claims that the included two AAA batteries will last over 3 years. LOL Yea believe that when I see it, well maybe the batteries will last 3 year, the mouse is what I have doubts about. Think full price like US$24 but got a deal on it. So give it a try. Hey the stainless steel wheel did get my attention, whether just marketing gimmick yet to be seen. 2024 is a very plastic world. Drowning in plastic waste cause none of its made to last or be repairable, plastic micro particles in food and our bodies and just about everywhere. I am old, still remember as a kid when plastic a rare thing. Kinda wished Dustin Hoffman in that old movie had punched the guy whispering "plastics" to him in the nose. Profitable for manufacturers but like most such shortcuts not good in the long term.

[wiak]

I have trouble with the cheap mouse rubbish I tend to buy too. Usually it is the click switches become dodgy or the scroll wheel no longer smooth scrolling. Somtimes the cable at side of mouse body starts showing the wires prior to conductor break. Sometimes cable break somewhere internally. I'm pretty gentle with the mouse usually... keep cable loose and dont roll it up too much. Just rubbish made mouse it seems. Even blew a laptop usb interface when plugged in mouse that turned out to have power short... thought usb would protect itself, but no...

[bigpup]

1st rule of design and manufacturing.

If you make it so it will never fail.

They will only buy it one time.

I guess my luck has been good with low cost mouse devices.
$10 to $20 ones are what I mostly buy.

I got this just to try it.
Took a little time to get used to it, but it is really a great way to hold a mouse.

Palm grip designed mouse.
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61BST1dClmL.__AC_SX300_SY300_QL70_ML2_.jpg (9.81 KiB) Viewed 1225 times

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Plus I am left handed and they offer them in left or right hand design.

[mouldy]

But guess what, you make a $10 mouse that lasts five year and when it breaks, you got a repeat customer unless somebody makes a $10 mouse that lasts ten years. The yearly mice dont get any repeat business from me. But jeesh so many brands and variations, and no-name rubbish, couldnt try them all in a lifetime, especially since they get discontinued, cheapened, etc.

LOL, I saw those upright mice or whatever you call them. Usually advertised as "gaming mice" whatever that means. Looked like goofiest thing ever but who knows. Shape is more a personal preference. I have had normal looking mice that felt horrible and kludgy to use and some kinda odd ones that were surprisingly comfortable and well behaved. Makes it really difficult to buy such online or sealed in some blister package at store. Gotta really try them to see what they are like and no way to do that unless you enjoy ordering stuff, then returning it. I dont. I sorta compromise, dont like small flat mice, and dont like ones that look like they need a saddle. They pretty much got the size and shape down 30 years ago, so its how smooth it is to use and how long it lasts.

[cobaka]

Clarity wrote:

Over the course of my lifetime, I have NEVER has a mouse failure, so I couldn't recommend as the 20+ mice I have all work. My mice are from all over the world over my years. All Chinese goods are not cheaply made.

I had one mouse failure that I can remember, as I mentioned before.
My present keyboard - HP series kU-0316 - was made in 2009, according to the serial number. Wired, not wireless.
I guess I wrote hundreds of thousands of words on it. Still going strong. I easily touch-type 60+ wpm, but I don't pound the keys.
Have trouble relating to mice and keyboards that fail frequently. Maybe I'm just lucky.

собака

[mouldy]

I would imagine the environmental situation contributes. You have super clean, dry, very climate controlled environment and stuff probably lasts longer. I live pretty rustic, no AC, wood heat, rural so dust, etc. High humidity in summers here so that takes a toll.

Though I have had some electronics last very long time. My daily driver desktop computer is old core2duo with mechanical hard drive. Rumbles to life daily.

[bigpup]

Well, you do understand what is really in one of these things?
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mouse_in_a_mouse.jpg (26.97 KiB) Viewed 1104 times

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[Flash]

I've had a number of cheap keyboards fail for various reasons, probably mostly to do with dirt and spillage, but my Kensington Orbit Trackball with Scroll Ring has lasted so long I can't remember when I got it. Seems like 10 years ago. Sometimes I have to pop the ball out and blow the dirt and dog hair out of the optical sensors.

[pp4mnklinux]

I've had a number of cheap keyboards fail for various reasons, probably mostly to do with dirt and spillage, but my Kensington Orbit Trackball with Scroll Ring has lasted so long I can't remember when I got it. Seems like 10 years ago. Sometimes I have to pop the ball out and blow the dirt and dog hair out of the optical sensors.

£6.8 /year ... It's ok, I think.

My favourite.- With Bluetooth

[mouldy]

Ok, speedy delivery... Got my Citlla L360 with the stainless steel track wheel. Trackwheel also goes side to side which is interesting. Anyway very repsonsive. Top lifts off to get to the live mouse on a resperator and the batteries. And the usb dongle thing. So yea its nice enough probably would bought it even full $25. Well if I had known it was that nice. Now just a question of longevity.

[mouldy]

Well, you do understand what is really in one of these things?
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mouse_in_a_mouse.jpg
.

Maybe thats the problem, havent been feeding it the proper purina rat chow. Poor thing starved to death.

[MochiMoppel]

I got this just to try it.
Took a little time to get used to it, but it is really a great way to hold a mouse.

Palm grip designed mouse.

It may *feel* great, but once you use it for a longer period of time you will discover that it can cause serious health problems.
Reminds me of my "Colani" designer mouse. Seemingly perfect grip. Problem is that you can't move it with your finger tips. In addition to risking carpal tunnel syndrome (I had it. not nice!) you will put also more stress on your shoulder because you will move your arm more than with a conventional mouse.

[pp4mnklinux]

I got this just to try it.
Took a little time to get used to it, but it is really a great way to hold a mouse.

Palm grip designed mouse.

It may *feel* great, but once you use it for a longer period of time you will discover that it can cause serious health problems.
Reminds me of my "Colani" designer mouse. Seemingly perfect grip. Problem is that you can't move it with your finger tips. In addition to risking carpal tunnel syndrome (I had it. not nice!) you will put also more stress on your shoulder because you will move your arm more than with a conventional mouse.

I was during a long time interested in this short of mouse. Thanks for your comment, it helped me not to choose it.

Thanks a lot.