Author Topic: Recommend me a cheap mouse (Read 5022 times)

citoyen · « **on:** 17 February, 2021, 06:21:16 pm »

As per thread title.

Would prefer wireless but the last cheap wireless mouse I bought didn't last very long, so I would be happy to sacrifice the convenience of wireless for something that just works.

Since that one died, I've been using an ancient Apple Mighty Mouse but the clicker is very sketchy, and in taking it apart to see if I could fix it, I have discovered that it is Not User Serviceable... I could glue it back together but I think it's time to get a replacement.

Tempted by the Apple Magic Mouse but really don't want to spend that much right now. Under £20 would be good. Unless anyone can convince me to spend a bit more.

Online searches turn up lots of recommendations for 'gaming' mice, but I don't really know what that means. Do gamers need extra buttons and features? Are they super sensitive and accurate? I just want a basic mouse for work purposes.

ETA: was just looking at a Logitech one that boasts 'customisable RGB lighting'. WTF? Why on earth would I want that? I'm not 12 any more. It is a good price though.

ETA2: if corded, it needs to be USB-A rather than USB-C. Also needs to be Mac compatible, but I'm assuming that isn't a problem for most mice.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #1 on:** 17 February, 2021, 06:28:28 pm »

Having been happy with a trackpad for years, I recently succumbed to the lure of the mouse. I got one for, IIRC, £7.99 from Argos. Not the good Argos, obviously. It's wireless and it doesn't have any lighting whatsoever. It came with a battery and you can switch it on and off to conserver battery life – though doing so does feel as if it might wear out the switch before the battery dies, which is obviously the only comment I can make on its potential durability. I can say that it's quite clicky – some are quieter, even for similar cheapness – but it seems to do everything a mouse should do. It hasn't got caught in any traps and we don't have cats.

Morat · « **Reply #2 on:** 17 February, 2021, 06:32:14 pm »

Cheapo bog standard Dell issue optical mice work for years. I've got tons of them because they arrive with every new desktop and I just leave the old mice in place.
Of course, we're going all laptop now so I guess the mouse stock will dwindle swiftly.

citoyen · « **Reply #3 on:** 17 February, 2021, 06:36:14 pm »

Quote from: Cudzoziemiec on 17 February, 2021, 06:28:28 pm

I got one for, IIRC, £7.99 from Argos.

This one?

What are the buttons like to use? The buttons on the cheap wireless mouse I bought before were very flimsy, and they failed within 6 months*. That's the kind of pitfall I want to avoid this time round if possible.

Functional and durable would be top of the requirements list.

*just checked my records and I bought it in November 2017, so it probably lasted longer than I am giving it credit for. Still not very long though.

fuaran · « **Reply #4 on:** 17 February, 2021, 06:44:28 pm »

Quote from: citoyen on 17 February, 2021, 06:21:16 pm

Online searches turn up lots of recommendations for 'gaming' mice, but I don't really know what that means. Do gamers need extra buttons and features? Are they super sensitive and accurate? I just want a basic mouse for work purposes.

ETA: was just looking at a Logitech one that boasts 'customisable RGB lighting'. WTF? Why on earth would I want that? I'm not 12 any more. It is a good price though.

I had a similar sort of Logitech mouse. But then it died after a year or so, and Amazon refused to replace it under warranty.

So I replaced it with a cheap one from Aliexpress. Cost about £6, and seems like a similar sort of thing. And working fine for the last 6 months anyway.
It is also a gaming mouse, with pointless built in lights. But can set it to a fixed colour, so not quite so annoying. And has a button to adjust the sensitivity, if you want a high speed cursor. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000346324479.html

Ham · « **Reply #5 on:** 17 February, 2021, 07:12:53 pm »

You interested in this one https://www.anker.com/ca/products/variant/ergonomic-optical-mouse/98ANWVM-BA ?

citoyen · « **Reply #6 on:** 17 February, 2021, 07:17:22 pm »

Quote from: Ham on 17 February, 2021, 07:12:53 pm

You interested in this one https://www.anker.com/ca/products/variant/ergonomic-optical-mouse/98ANWVM-BA ?

I have a mental barrier to overcome with that. Entirely irrational, I know.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #7 on:** 17 February, 2021, 07:18:52 pm »

Quote from: citoyen on 17 February, 2021, 06:36:14 pm

Quote from: Cudzoziemiec on 17 February, 2021, 06:28:28 pm
I got one for, IIRC, £7.99 from Argos.

This one?

What are the buttons like to use? The buttons on the cheap wireless mouse I bought before were very flimsy, and they failed within 6 months*. That's the kind of pitfall I want to avoid this time round if possible.

Functional and durable would be top of the requirements list.

*just checked my records and I bought it in November 2017, so it probably lasted longer than I am giving it credit for. Still not very long though.

That very one. TBH it's so long since I routinely used a mouse that I can't well judge the quality of the buttons, but having compared it to one my son got off Amazon or somesuch for a similar price, I'd say his unbranded one feels slightly better made. Really too early to say though.

The main reasons I got this one were: having borrowed his for a while, I decided a mouse of some sort would be a good idea; this one was cheap and easy to get (order online, then a ten minute walk – it was a freezing cold day so I didn't ride $:-\$ – to Argos, versus who-knows-when delivery); and I can kid myself it's "better" to buy from Argos than Amazon (ignoring that it's largely the same products and delivery chains... ).

Ham · « **Reply #8 on:** 17 February, 2021, 07:42:21 pm »

Quote from: citoyen on 17 February, 2021, 07:17:22 pm

Quote from: Ham on 17 February, 2021, 07:12:53 pm
You interested in this one https://www.anker.com/ca/products/variant/ergonomic-optical-mouse/98ANWVM-BA ?

I have a mental barrier to overcome with that. Entirely irrational, I know.

The reason it might have been of interest is that Mrs Ham doesn't get on with it, and I'm not sure I do.

I'd recommend this one https://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-Wireless-Ambidextrous-18-Month-Scrolling/dp/B07W7MY2K8 - it is worth the extra few pence

ian · « **Reply #9 on:** 17 February, 2021, 08:07:29 pm »

The Magic Mouse is a thing of beauty. You are worth it. Don't get a weird mouse, everyone I've met with a weird mouse has been one of those odd people that you suspect spend their evenings sat in a cupboard clutching that mouse and wearing nothing. They will always deny it, of course.

I think I have an old Mightly Mouse somewhere, the nipple was becoming unresponsive, but hey, it happens to us all, but it was clickable and otherwise functional. Yours if you want it (and I can find it).

Kim · « **Reply #10 on:** 17 February, 2021, 08:45:51 pm »

Quote from: citoyen on 17 February, 2021, 06:21:16 pm

Online searches turn up lots of recommendations for 'gaming' mice, but I don't really know what that means. Do gamers need extra buttons and features? Are they super sensitive and accurate?

Pretty much this. More buttons means being able to access different functions (eg. weapons) quickly. Important in games, probably convenient in some graphics software.

Historically, gaming mice have had high DPI (so you can make big moves without large arm movements) and avoided potentially laggy/glitchy wireless, though mainstream mice have mostly caught up.

Beyond that it's about looking as much like something from Darth Vader's sex toy collection as possible.

Valiant · « **Reply #11 on:** 17 February, 2021, 09:26:46 pm »

I last purchased a Tecknet Bluetooth for about £13 and it works a treat.

Auntie Helen · « **Reply #12 on:** 18 February, 2021, 06:01:49 am »

I had one of these:
https://smile.amazon.de/-/en/Bluetooth-Compatible-iOS13-1-2-Rechargeable-Adjustable/dp/B081JY8Z7J/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=maus+silber&qid=1613627973&sr=8-6

And I liked it but periodically it did random mouse movements on my screen, started wandering the cursor off on its own.

I have since bought this and the button click is much more pleasing and it doesn’t wander off on its own:
https://smile.amazon.de/gp/product/B08BFZJ22S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

PaulF · « **Reply #13 on:** 18 February, 2021, 06:26:38 am »

I’ve been using an older version of this https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00552K0GM/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_6N5E298JZP8S1MGYZQND for a few years without issue. Think it’s only £9.99

citoyen · « **Reply #14 on:** 18 February, 2021, 08:52:03 am »

Quote from: Ham on 17 February, 2021, 07:42:21 pm

The reason it might have been of interest is that Mrs Ham doesn't get on with it, and I'm not sure I do.

You're not exactly selling it to me!

citoyen · « **Reply #15 on:** 18 February, 2021, 08:53:02 am »

Quote from: Kim on 17 February, 2021, 08:45:51 pm

Beyond that it's about looking as much like something from Darth Vader's sex toy collection as possible.

TimC · « **Reply #16 on:** 18 February, 2021, 10:24:59 am »

I use a Logitech G703 on my main computer. Not cheap, but very customisable via its app. On my studio computer, I have a Magic Mouse clone which cost about £15 complete with wireless keyboard. Can't remember the make, but it's worked flawlessly for three years.

citoyen · « **Reply #17 on:** 22 February, 2021, 12:27:15 pm »

Just in case anyone is interested, I didn't get a new mouse yet... Tried the crappy cheap wireless mouse again and bizarrely the button that had stopped working seems to be OK again, so I might as well stick with it for the time being.

Please try to contain your excitement at this news.

hellymedic · « **Reply #18 on:** 24 February, 2021, 10:20:59 pm »

D likes the wired HP mice I've been getting for £12 from Sainsbury's.
Wired keeps them attached to computers when working on astronomical stuffs.
Less chance of stepping onto a dropped rodent.

citoyen · « **Reply #19 on:** 06 May, 2021, 09:36:07 am »

My wireless mouse is playing up again, so I'm back to looking...

For anyone looking at Logitech mice, this might be of interest: I was getting frustrated at trying to understand their product naming system - they have, for example, B100 and M100 models, and I couldn't see any obvious difference between them. But after some digging around, I have learned that M simply stands for Mouse, and is the 'consumer' version, while B designates products sold in Bulk, aimed at business buyers. The mice themselves are identical (for the same model number), they just come in different packaging.

Polar Bear · « **Reply #20 on:** 06 May, 2021, 10:11:53 am »

I use a Logitech M185 which I find very reliable and available for under a tenner. It has a switch to turn power off for battery saving and the dongle can be stored inside too maing it a good choice for slinging into bags. It feels natural under the hand and the buttons have a reassuring click. The scroll wheel is nice too.

I bought it with a keyboard but it can be had separately.

Very happy with it.

citoyen · « **Reply #21 on:** 06 May, 2021, 10:37:34 am »

Quote from: Polar Bear on 06 May, 2021, 10:11:53 am

I use a Logitech M185 which I find very reliable and available for under a tenner.

That is one I have been looking at, so it's good to have a recommendation, thanks. What's it like size-wise? It's described as 'compact' which makes me suspect it could be on the small side...

(ETA: just seen the dimensions on the amazon listing - if they're reliable, it's shorter but wider and taller than the mouse I'm currently using, which sounds good to me)

Polar Bear · « **Reply #22 on:** 06 May, 2021, 10:44:38 am »

It is on the small side but unless you have big hands I don't think that it would be an issue. I rest my palm on the "hump" and my fingers extend slightly beyond the end of the buttons but I have no problems using it like that.

Little Jim · « **Reply #23 on:** 06 May, 2021, 10:47:35 am »

Just checked mine and it's a Logitech M545. I've no idea if it is still a current model, must have had it a couple of years. Certainly had it long enough to need to change the battery. I like a mouse with two thumb buttons on the side, which this has. Apart from that it just does what it is supposed to do. The size is reasonable, it certainly is not one of the small ones designed to be carried around in a bag. I would replace it with the same again if that helps!

citoyen · « **Reply #24 on:** 06 May, 2021, 11:03:02 am »

All recommendations are good, thanks, but I've gone with the one PB mentioned, purely on price grounds.

It's cheap enough that I can afford to regret the choice later...