Microsoft Express

Microsoft is selling its mouse as a cute number that nevertheless performs well. It's also on sale at the budget price of just £12, not expensive for a major brand mouse.

Microsoft also explains that you never have to think about the batteries, which is in any case what you would expect from wired mouse! This got us worried. If the marketing schtick is forced to fall back on such arguments, what sort of performance would we actually be getting from the product?

What is a high performance mouse?

- A mouse on which the sensor doesn't jump, even when you're not using a mat. OK, the Express meets this condition. The Blue Track technology works fine even on shiny surfaces like polished desktops, a train table or a magazine cover.

- A mouse with buttons allowing you to make the most of current computers, the Internet, moving between pages. No: the Express doesn't have any buttons on the sides unfortunately.

- A comfortable mouse, which allows the user to place themselves sufficiently high enough to prevent carpal tunnel pains. No, the Express isn't very high (just 3 cm!) and short (9.5 cm long), which is the opposite of what Microsoft's own specialists were recommending on the launch of the Natural Wireless Laser Mouse 6000. The fact that it's low will however please users who want to travel with it, as it doesn't take up too much room. Children will also like it. The band of red rubber on the sides will help to protect the mouse if it's banged around a bit in a bag or satchel.

- A mouse on which you can change the sensor speed on the fly during a game, without having recourse to the driver. No: the Express hasn't been designed for this. It has just one speed and no buttons for such a procedure.

- A mouse which doesn't suck off too much processor power, even when you move it frenetically. Okay, the Express makes do with a rate of 125 Hz, which is very low. Rarely more than 10% of CPU capacity is used here. If your computer is struggling, at least you'll know it's not because of the mouse.

- A precise mouse that can signal its position to the computer not 125 times per second, but 500 or 1000 times. No, as we explained in the previous paragraph, this mouse is restricted to 125 Hz. Whether you're using it for gaming or applications that require a lot of precision, such as retouching photos, this is definitely not a plus.

- Lastly, a high-performance mouse is a mouse that can handle rapid movements without any lapses in games. No, the Express only managed 1.75 m/s, which is lower than average.

To sum up then, the Express looks nice and has the advantages of not taking up too much room in your laptop bag and of not requiring a mat, but it's certainly not high performance.