Home > Consumer Reviews > Microsoft Wheel Mouse Optical

This mouse doesn't have extras like extra buttons on the side of the mouse, but for what it does have, it is a great mouse. When upgrading from my IntelliMouse with a traditional mouse ball, I saw an immediate difference in the mouse pointer. When moving the pointer across the screen very fastly, the old mouse would show the mouse pointer every 2 inches or so. This mouse shows the pointer go across the screen pixel-by-pixel. This is sort of hard to explain but will be the first thing you will notice when upgrading from a ball mouse.

I play games with this mouse, and the responsiveness is great. Also, the wheel spins with less effort when compared to my old IntelliMouse.

Also, allbeit a small plus, the plastic skeleton isn't smooth and shiny plastic; it has a texture to it. This means the mouse (for some reason) doesn't get dirty as quick from your hand oils. Trust me on this one.

I've been using this mouse for a year now and I haven't cleaned the sensor yet and it still works perfectly. My old ball mouse I had to clean the rods on the inside every 2 weeks (gamers know that these rods can get junked up only after 5 hours of gaming).

By the way... when they say its only for USB or PS/2 connection, they mean it. I thought I could set up a series of adapters to go from USB to PS/2 to serial, but that didn't work. This is only for computers young enough to have a PS/2 port.

So... this is a great mouse. If you want extra buttons on the side for shortcuts like opening programs, goto the IntelliMouse Optical or IntelliMouse Explorer. But if you don't want a mouse loaded with buttons, this mouse is the best on the market. Period.

A mouse is one of the most important pieces of hardware in modern technology, and that's an undeniable fact. It's the most common interface between the user and the computer, so it's important to find a mouse that's reliable, functional, and built to last. Taking these important aspects into consideration, I'd like to say that the Wheel Mouse Optical is among the best mice you're likely to find.

I owned a previous incarnation of the optical mouse, also from Microsoft, and it unfortunately broke when I slammed it on my desk in a fit of rage after losing a particularly intense Quake match... Not one of my better moments, and certainly the same could be said about the mouse. The buttons popped off and wouldn't click right, so I had to retire it... But this mouse feels much more durable than the past mice I've owned. It's feather-light, but at the same time has a very solid feel to it. No matter how hard I squeeze the case, it won't budge.

Installing the mouse was also devilishly easy. Simply shut down the computer (Which is extremely important if you're using the PS/2 port), pop out the old mouse, plug in the new one, fire up the computer and you're on your way. Don't be suckered by the extra software you'll find packaged with the mouse; I guarantee you don't need to install it. Need proof? I'm using Linux, which wouldn't know what to do with the software even if it wanted to.

Among other things, the mouse is extremely ergonomic. I've used my fair share of mice, and I tend to find that most other ones try to make your hand conform to the mouse, instead of the other way around. I found this mouse to be totally comfortable in any position, under any circumstances. The human hand has a natural curve to it, and this mouse complements that curve in a very comfortable fashion.

Microsoft has outdone themselves with this mouse, in my opinion. It slides well on all surfaces, the optical technology is extremely responsive (Even on my face :), and I've had nothing but the best experiences with it. If you're looking to take the next step in technology, but don't want to break the bank, this is the perfect way to do it. You won't find a better mouse or a better deal.

Over the Years I have used a countless number of Mouses (or is it Mice...:)? The problems have been always the same.
1. The Mouse Ball needs cleaning...AGAIN!
2. The pointer tracks poorly when used vigorously (like when playing Games and accuracy keeps you alive longer).
3. The Mouse requires a Pad which either gets to dirty, nappy or just slides around when trying to roll the mouse across it.

Well the good news is, this Mouse will help you with all that stuff and more.

Pros:
* It is USB or PS2 capable (USB is preferred)
* Mouse pointing is very accurate and smooth
* Never needs cleaning...in fact, the more dirt the better it glides
* Can be used on any Surface...without a Mouse Pad....YAY! (Though I have found the optimal to be a wooden surface with a shot of Pledge Furniture Polish...it glides like a puck on an air hockey table...:)
* Has two very cool scrolling/software features
1. Scrolling can be controlled directly through the scroll button or by using the auto scroll software function.
2. I love the "snap to" function where the mouse pointer automatically moves to the defualt button on any windows opened...very nice for Lazy Mousers like me.
* Very comfortable to use for extended periods of time.
* Pretty long cord for extended cable routing...nice if your PC is a long way from your Mouse surface.

Cons
I can't really think of any...besides the fact that it isn't wireless...though you could buy one for 3x more.

As far as value this Mouse is it... don't bother with the corded Intellimouse it has nothing on this mouse but costs twice as much.
I have owned this mouse for over a year now and use it heavily on a daily basis. It works like new and has already outlasted any previous mouse I have owned. If you want wirless go with the optical intellimouse, if you don't care....then save 1/2 your money and go with this one.

I highly recommend this mouse..I know you will love it.

Just got this mouse. I used to have the old tear-drop shaped Microsoft mouse. I just got tired of cleaning it on a regular basis and decided to get an optical one.

This mouse is working great so far, very responsive, you'd never know it's optical. Design is ergonomic, fits the palm of the hand perfectly. And unlike the Intellimouse, which has extra buttons that I consider totally useless, this model is priced very attractively.

I don't know why anyone would want to buy a mechanical mouse!

Easy to install! Easy to customize to your specific needs!! And oh so easy to use!!! The scroll wheel is great! I can't say enough good things about this mouse. Except maybe that the price is the best, ANYWHERE!