News
Buyer's Guide: The Best Monitors 
Mice
Vincent Alzieu
Updated: November 13, 2009
Updated: November 13, 2009
Product Surveys, Tests and Guides
If you can't find the right mouse for you here, you can read our full selection of tests in our Product Survey: Mice.
We were waiting for it for years, but it's finally here: the Logitech G500 is the first mouse to combine the most important features for long-term office use (a comfortable grip, a scroll wheel that clicks around or turns freely and programmable macros) with the most advanced technical features to improve precision for gaming and graphics work (adjusting resolution on-the-fly, mutiple reporting speeds and different profiles). The G500 should be perfect for just about everybody--apart from one small detail. Although Logitech has worked on its look and feel, some people are still likely to be put off by the 'gamer' aesthetic that will clash with a traditional-looking desktop computer. The Swiss manufacturer has definitely still got some work to do on this front.
Current offerings: work or play?
The G500 aside, it's easy to divide mice into two broad categories. On the one hand, there are desktop mice, which are comfortable, reasonably-priced and come in two different sizes, either around 9 cm for use in association with a mini wireless USB connector on a laptop, or a larger 13 cm format that provides more comfort and leads to less wrist strain after a day of intensive use.
On the other, there are mice designed with extreme gamers in mind. These users have several aims, including reducing the amount of time it takes for the computer to register their movement (with a frequency of 1000 Hz the most desirable); being able to adjust the mouses's performance for different surfaces (adjusting the resolution on the fly to balance speed with accuracy) and ensuring an accurate result, even when moving quickly.
If you're wondering if there's anything 'technical' about a mouse, then open one up and try and work out which of the four different types of a sensor it includes. Some of them will only work on a mousemat, others can do without but can work on glass, or marble … There are also a dozen small factors that can affect how precisely they can track how quickly you're moving. We've tested plenty of different innovations and technologies, all of which are very promising, but we'd need to see them all in a single mouse to declare it perfect.
The perfect mouse: a hybrid
Here's our wish-list: the scroll-wheel should either click round or turn freely like those on Logitech's mice; the customisable options from the SteelSeries Xai that we're testing at the minute; the stylish good looks of the Logitech MX Air; the extensible recharge cable from the Microsoft SideWinder X8; the pads from the bottom of the Nova; the clear, simple drivers from Steelseries; the Darkfield sensor that helps the G500 keep up, as well as its specs and comfort. And what about a tactile area like on the Apple Magic Mouse? We'll be testing it soon so we'll let you know.
Note: we've given our green icon to any mouse that connects to your ucomputer using a cable, rather than using batteries.
| Our Icons |  |
Best value |  |
We love it |  |
Green |  |
Best of the best |
Our Favourite
The best mouse for every task: office use, graphics work, gaming ...
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Logitech G500
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This is a great mouse. We loved the G5, but the G500 is even better, and it's not going to be leaving our desk any time soon. We can think of ways to improve it, but it's already set a new example to be for anybody who wants a more accurate mouse--and that doesn't just mean gamers. Usefully, the shape also works for left-handers.
| Best value Logitech MX400 |
For a laptop Logitech VX Nano |
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| Two buttons on the side under your thumb, a laser sensor and an ergonomic shape that keeps your palm relaxed: this is a simple, no-fuss mouse that does the job. | This is a very comfortable rechargeable mouse with plenty of options, that's cut out for office use. | We love the scroll wheel on this mouse, which can either turn freely or click round. The quality finish and two extra buttons under your index finger also impressed us. It's far and away the best value for money in this segment. |
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| The ceramic pads on the bottom of this mouse will last forever and slide across your desk like nothing else. Nova is worthy of note for being the first to introduce them. |
For right-handers, there's no more comfortable mouse, and it was our favourite for a long time … until we got our hands on the G500. |
This is an experiment from Logitech: at 11 cm long, it's a strange mix between mice for desktop computers and laptops. |
Mice at a glance:
| Features | Comfort | Office Use |
Gaming | Photo Editing |
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| Logitech G500 |  |
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| Logitech MX400 | |
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| Logitech MX1100 | |
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| Logitech VX Nano | |
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| Logitech M705 |  |
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| Nova Slider X 600 | |
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| SteelSeries Ikari Laser | |
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| Our Icons | |
Best value | |
We love it | |
Green | |
Best of the best |
