Miscellaneous laptop discussions forum: Best mouse for laptops?

Such are a personal preference item and my best could be loathed by you. So far I pack a full size Logitech USB optical when I travel.

Bob

Either a wired optical mouse or a cordless optical mouse (old trackball type is not as desirable as they do not track as accurately and also require cleaning) work well but you have to decide on your circumstances.

The advantage of a wireless mouse is that it is not tethered so you have less interference with other notebook wires, etc -- my notebook for example, the Compaq X1000 series, has the powercord coming out of the right side of the notebook where you have an external mouse if you are right handed. Therefore, an external mouse with no wires is a benefit.

The negatives of a wireless mouse are the cost extra to buy it (not too much more) and the consumables (batteries) which you do not worry about with a corded external mouse.

Also, you can get a Bluetooth wireless mouse instead of a USB wireless mouse if you have that option.

Logitech and Microsoft both make great mice.

The normal mouse has the 2 buttons on the top and a scroll wheel that may be a 3rd programmable button. The Microsoft Explorer mouse places 2 more programmable buttons on the side of the mouse to use for web surfing forward and back or two other functions.

Costco wholesale has a great $19.99 price on the normal 3 button USB 2.0 wireless mouse (and they claim batteries last 3x that of Logitech) if you are a Costco member.

Logitech is coming out with a Laser mouse (instead of LED optical) which will be even more precise but it will be more expensive.

If you want to be able to use the mouse on a surface away from the notebook (like on your leg or on a surface away from the notebook itself) then wireless is clearly the way to go.

But if you will only plug it in (to USB port) and use it to the right of the notebook only then the corded would be ok if you did not have wire interference like my model has on that side.

Note that Bluetooth is internal so it has no module sticking out of the notebook to transmit the wireless signal like a USB 2.0 mouse does so that is why some with built in bluetooth prefer those.

The HPZT3000 series and the Compaq X1000series (I have Compaq X1360US)have the built in bluetooth option for $19 extra when ordering custom online.

I am not sure for Toshiba online custom ( think they may not have it) but if you got the retail M35S456 it will not have it (HP/Compaq retail units don't have it either).

So, you can buy a bluetooth USB 2.0 adaptor -- I have seen them on sale at Fry's Electronics, etc at times for $20-30. They work the same way as the internal -the only disadvantage is you have the adaptor sticking out from the USB port of your notebook.

Note, that yesterday HP added the Briteview LCD (equivalent to Toshiba Trubrite on the M35S456) to its custom ordering for the X1000 and ZT3000 so if you ordered a custom model from them (Briteview XGA is $50 upgrade over standard XGA) you could get the bluetooth internal.

But both are great notebooks and they will give you similar performance (battery life, etc).

For the wireless mouse, if you are satisfied with USB 2.0 Costco has the Microsoft optical wireless mouse for $19.99 every day (3 buttons). The 4 button Microsoft Explorer is more expensive. Check your Sunday sale ads as I have seen them on sale at the office supply stores, etc as well.

I think the normal retail is either $24.99 or $29.99 for the Microsoft 3 button wireless LCD mouse but as I said at Costco it is $19.90 everyday. It claims 3x battery life versus Logitech and it has the new horizonal scrolling function in addition to the standard vertical scrolling. They have various colors.