Optical Mouses

[steve30]

Am I just having bad luck, or are optical mouses not as reliable as they used to be?

The mouses we had in the early 2000s worked perfectly on practically any surface. Nowadays it seems pot luck. I got an MS mouse some years back which seems to work fine on an ordinary mouse mat but won't work on anything else. About 3 years ago I bought an MS "Classic IntelliMouse", as I always liked the form factor of those. It worked really well for a while, but now its very picky about what surfaces it will work on. Its fine on my dirty white desk, but very intermittent on my 30 year old blue mousemat. Stripping it down and cleaning it did make a bit of an improvement but its not really usable any more. Oh, and the scroll wheel went a bit dodgy.

I have a couple of heavily used 'vintage' MS Wheel Mouse Opticals which still work fine, except the the microswitches in them are a bit worn out.

[golden_labels]

Did you consider a $5 mouse: A4 Tech OP-620?

They produce the same successful model since early 2000s. With no changes other than what supply chain changes requite, introducing an OP-620D version with a double-click button, and recently replacing the printed logo with an embossed one.

[RoGeorge]

Didn't get any new mouse in the recent years.  From the ones I've tried, two were very good (not sure if they are still in production):

- A4Tech wireless mouse G9-730FX (sometimes sold as a pack, together with a wireless keyboard).  The wireless range was very good (was still working from a nearby room), decent work on almost anything, but most of all, it was still working when slightly lifted, which made it very good at controlling a PC from bed, using irregular surface of pillows and sheets, or in the field, where you may still need a mouse, yet there might be no flat enough surfaces around you (e.g. in industrial installations).

- Another memorable mouse was the Logitech MX1000 Laser Mouse.  It was using an IR laser diode instead of the typical red LED that illuminates underneath.  That made it able to work on almost any surface, including on glossy glass or mirror surfaces, but it was not working when lifted more than a few mm above the pad (so not very good to work on improvised surfaces that are not flat enough).

[steve30]

Did you consider a $5 mouse: A4 Tech OP-620?

They produce the same successful model since early 2000s. With no changes other than what supply chain changes requite, introducing an OP-620D version with a double-click button, and recently replacing the printed logo with an embossed one.

I bought an OP-620D some years ago but I managed to break it a while back (don't ask). Didn't know you could still get them. I also have the older OK-720 Serial mouse.

I did repair my Logitech trackball the other week, so that is now an option again, but I haven't really been in the mood for trackballs. So I've decided to dig out my spare PS/2 IntelliMouse for the time being.

[mariush]

I bought a Logitech G502 Hero  ... works perfectly fine on lots of surfaces.

It's 36$ on amazon : https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-G502-Performance-Gaming-Mouse/dp/B07GBZ4Q68/

I actually bought it using the credit card points accumulated throughout the year, had to use the points on something or lose them.

Before this one, I used a Logitech MX518 .. it was also working fine.

Nowadays, I also have a wireless mouse I have in bed to control the computer while watching movies at night ...

It's also a Logitech M220 Silent ... also works great : https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Ambidextrous-Compatible-Off-white/dp/B092Q8FGQR/

[Analog Kid]

BTW, the plural of mouse in English is mice.

(Or "meeses", as in "I hate those meeses to pieces!".)

[Xena E]

Pixie and Dixie. Quality 1950s entertainment!

[amyk]

The fact that performance degrades and improves slightly after cleaning suggests the illumination LED might be being driven harder and wearing out quickly. Perhaps fitting a brighter LED intended for higher current could work.

I have a few of the original MS Wheel Mouse Optical too; replacement switches for them are very cheap.

BTW, the plural of mouse in English is mice.

(Or "meeses", as in "I hate those meeses to pieces!".)

When you're referring to the animal; but some like to use "mouses" for the computer peripheral.

[Analog Kid]

BTW, the plural of mouse in English is mice.

(Or "meeses", as in "I hate those meeses to pieces!".)

When you're referring to the animal; but some like to use "mouses" for the computer peripheral.

But they're wrong.

[golden_labels]

I bought an OP-620D some years ago but I managed to break it a while back (don't ask).

Playing Infiniminer-style game for weeks? These mice have a weak spot: switches. They may wear out too fast. But also trivial to replace.

BTW, the plural of mouse in English is mice.

No, people use both “mice” and “mouses” when referring to the compute peripherals.

[DimitriP]

I bought an OP-620D some years ago but I managed to break it a while back (don't ask).

Playing Infiniminer-style game for weeks? These mice have a weak spot: switches. They may wear out too fast. But also trivial to replace.

BTW, the plural of mouse in English is mice.

No, people use both “mice” and “mouses” when referring to the compute peripherals.

"people" say and do do what people say and do. Doesn't change what it is   Not all peripherals compute. Some are just tranducers  or sensors.

And now we are waaay out in the weeds

[golden_labels]

"people" say and do do what people say and do. Doesn't change what it is   Not all peripherals compute. Some are just tranducers  or sensors.

And now we are waaay out in the weeds

I think I don’t understand that reply. Not in the context of messages it quotes.

[Bud]

Any mouse, an old scool ball one or modern laser one work fine using a white sheet of printer paper as a mat.

[gamalot]

I've been on the MX Master series since Gen 1. Great mice, honestly the only downside is that sticky coating they use.

[Doctorandus_P]

I haven't bought a new mouse in over 30 years. I do have some old "G-Max" mouse, but the PCB is from Logitech. Every few years I have to make the power cord a few cm shorter (the wires always break at the place the cord exits the mouse (Next time, also add two layers of heat shring tube (I always forget that).  And every now and then I also have to solder in some new micro switches. Most mice have standard from factor microswitches especially for mice.

BTW, the plural of mouse in English is mice.

(Or "meeses", as in "I hate those meeses to pieces!".)

Mouwsies?