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Last post Author Topic: Do good mice still exist? Looking for recommendations.  (Read 41941 times)

Deozaan

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Do good mice still exist? Looking for recommendations.
« on: February 13, 2020, 05:57 PM »
Hello all,

Sorry that this turned into a bit of a rant, but I felt I needed to explain my many years of frustrations with trying to find a reliable mouse for my computer.

I used to be a big fan of an older, wired, Logitech Trackman mouse. It lasted me somewhere between 5-10 years before it was stolen along with my computer. When I looked for a replacement, they didn't offer it anymore, and the closest I could find was the wireless Logitech M570 ($50-$60). It was basically the same design, but wireless, so I figured it was good enough. And I liked it well enough until a couple years later I started having issues which indicate that the microswitch is failing in the mouse button(s).

1. Sometimes a click doesn't register at all.
2. Sometimes a single click registers as a double click.
3. Sometimes a click & drag registers as a single click & release.

When it started happening, it was so rare that I'd think it was just user error. But as time went on the problem grew worse and worse until every few clicks would result in one of the above symptoms happening.

So I bought a new mouse of the same model. Over the course of the next couple of years, the same issue would arise. So I bought a new mouse of the same model and repeated the process again. The primary reason for buying the same model again and again was because I wanted the trackball controlled with my thumb, and it was the only model I could find that was designed like that. I was annoyed that the microswitch kept failing so quickly, but to me the thumb trackball was a must-have feature. But eventually I started feeling pain in my thumb/wrist from my use of the trackball, so I decided to go for a more traditional style of a mouse to give my thumb a rest.

So then I got another Logitech mouse which I think was similar to the Logitech M705 ($50). And within a couple of years I experienced the same issues as previous mice.

By this time I was tired of "throwing away" $50+ every couple of years on new mice when the mice I'd had in the past had lasted me longer than the computers I was using them on. So I decided I'd just go buy a crappy cheapo mouse and if it crapped out on me within 1-2 years then that wouldn't be any worse than the big brand mice I'd been using, and it would save me money along the way.

Somewhere in the middle of all this I started buying replacement microswitches and dipping my toes into the soldering required to replace them in my own mice, but of course the microswitches I bought off of places like aliexpress or Deal Extreme were cheap ones that began failing within about a year and the time and effort of doing the soldering myself made me look for the cheapest (and least time-consuming) way I could get a functional mouse again.

So I started buying the AmazonBasics 3-button wired mouse for $6-$7 and was not disappointed. They're a little small, but they're functional, don't need batteries, and they usually last about a year or so before the clicking issue becomes unbearable. Really the only complaint (aside from the expected short lifespan) is that the small size can lead to some relatively minor hand cramping.

After going through several of those over the course of several years, I decided I'd try my luck with a more expensive mouse that might be a bit higher quality and last a little longer, so I bought the AmazonBasics Gaming Mouse (~$25) advertised as having "gaming-optimized Omron mouse switches—durable up to 50 million clicks." From my perspective, this mouse was 3-4 times as expensive as the $6-$7 mouse, so it should last 3-4 times as long to be cost effective.

Within 9 months the clicking issues were already annoying me so much I wrote a negative review on Amazon about it. Then, just before the 1-year warranty was up, I got a free replacement in the hopes that the first one was just a fluke. Again, about 7-9 months after receiving the replacement, the clicking issues started becoming obnoxious again. It seems crazy to me that this "gaming quality" mouse has a shorter lifespan than the cheapest piece of junk mouse they sell!

So, desperate to find anything worthwhile, and willing to try just about anything, I decided to try the Nulaxy Vertical mouse ($12-$15). I should have known not to trust an unheard of brand like Nulaxy, but I figured if it lasted a year or so then it might be worth it for the extra comfort that would come from the more ergonomic vertical design.

But nope! In the first week of use I already experienced the clicking issues, as well as other problems that make it unacceptable as my regular, every day mouse. I'm returning it.


Where are all the good mice? How come nothing I've bought in the past decade (or longer) has lasted me at least 2 years?

Right now I'm back to the tried and true, cheapo $7 wired AmazonBasics 3-button mouse and pretty much given up hope of finding any decent mouse that will last a good 5-10 years. Is there anything that lasts even 2-5 years anymore? I can get about 18 months of life out of this simple mouse before I feel it needs a replacement. I'm willing to spend more money on a mouse, but I expect it to last me long enough for the cost to be justified. If I buy a $70 mouse it better last me close to 10 years (or maybe only 5 if it's extremely comfortable and/or has convenient features).

I'm starting to get wild ideas of just buying the $6-$7 AmazonBasics 3-button mouse, taking it apart, and putting the internals into a custom made, 3D-printed shell that is more comfortable to hold. Maybe I'll design my own vertical-style mouse shell and finally have a comfortable mouse that will last me a good 1.5 years or more before needing an inexpensive repair/replacement.



And my experience with short keyboard lifespans has been similar, though not quite as drastic. I really loved the Logitech K800, but didn't like paying $100 every 3 years when the keys started failing just after the warranty expired.
« Last Edit: December 18, 2023, 01:37 AM by Deozaan, Reason: fix typo »

tomos

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Re: Do good mice still exist? Looking for recommendations.
« Reply #1 on: February 13, 2020, 06:28 PM »
I've been using Logitech mx310 mice for years now. They were a basic symmetrical wired gaming mouse -- discontinued years ago, and my last one is looking pretty worn (but still working well). I never kept track of how long they lasted, but I'd say at the very least three years of very intensive use (I made a living drawing with those mice).

https://www.game-deb...use=Logitech%20MX310

So I'm open to suggestions as well  :-[
Tom
« Last Edit: February 13, 2020, 06:35 PM by tomos »

BGM

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Re: Do good mice still exist? Looking for recommendations.
« Reply #2 on: February 13, 2020, 08:52 PM »
Here is the mouse I purchased December of 2017.  I'm still using it.  The clicks are quite silent and it feels great in the hand.  I love it.  There's no nasty rubber that melts over time like the Microsoft Mouse 4000 (which I also liked, but the rubber components wear out very fast and it becomes unusable).

Unfortunately, this one is out of stock.
« Last Edit: February 14, 2020, 05:21 PM by Deozaan, Reason: fixed badly formatted link »

Shades

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Re: Do good mice still exist? Looking for recommendations.
« Reply #3 on: February 13, 2020, 09:56 PM »
At work I use a very basic and cheap Microsoft mouse, yet it lasts and lasts, because I'm using it for over 10 years already.

At home I always used wired Logitech MX... mouses. 4.5 to 5 years ago I bought a Sentey Apocalypse X mouse and after a year the clicking of buttons wasn't too "smooth" anymore. However, it remains working till today. Less nice, but completely workable. Don't think I am in the market for a new mouse any time soon.

The link points to a multi-lingual website from Sentey (Brazil in this case), but when I switched for the English version I noted that they don't produce mouses anymore. At least they don't have links for those in their current product portfolio. The Brazilian version also doesn't show any links anymore.

Great, when the time comes for me to buy a new mouse, I have the same problem as you currently experience. It is a shame, in the beginning I truly enjoyed this Sentey mouse, now I respect it for the workhorse it has proven to be. The same can be said of the Microsoft mouse.

Shades

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Re: Do good mice still exist? Looking for recommendations.
« Reply #4 on: February 13, 2020, 10:16 PM »
You didn't mention what the problem is that these mouses are experiencing.

A friend of mine had the same Microsoft mouse I do and he uses it even more extensively than I do. His mouse gave out some 3.5 years ago. He threw it away and got one the fitted his hand a tad better.

Yet I was able to fix his old Microsoft mouse by opening it up, then cleaning it, which gave me the "room" I needed to repositioning the cable (similar to pushing the cable further into the case of the mouse).
It appeared that the cable looked all right from the outside, but that one of the wires inside made intermittent contact.

The MS mouse doesn't have a piece of rubbery plastic that prevents the cable to bend too far in the section where the cables leaves the mouse casing. But by repositioning the cable and stabilizing it under the electronics inside the mouse I lost about 4 to 5 centimeter of cable length, but the mouse works perfectly again. When the other mouse of my friend broke after about 2 years, he took the Microsoft mouse back and still works with it.

It might be something to try. You can't make the mouse any worse than it already is...

wraith808

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Re: Do good mice still exist? Looking for recommendations.
« Reply #5 on: February 13, 2020, 10:37 PM »
And I liked it well enough until a couple years later I started having issues which indicate that the microswitch is failing in the mouse button(s).

1. Sometimes a click doesn't register at all.
2. Sometimes a single click registers as a double click.
3. Sometimes a click & drag registers as a single click & release.

I think that's the problem statement.

Target

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Re: Do good mice still exist? Looking for recommendations.
« Reply #6 on: February 13, 2020, 11:47 PM »
I can't really offer any sort of a recommendation but man oh man but you must be hard on your gear!   I've never had a mouse (or keyboard) fail and I've been playing FPS games regularly for over 20 years.  FWIW I'm currently using an ($80) gigabyte gaming mouse (M800x) that I've had for nearly 10 years, and a generic logitech keyboard for well over that, and I've yet to have an issue.

Since you've been using generic mice for some time now the MS mouse is probably worth looking at.  Its recently gone back into production and the reviews I've seen have been positive (and I used one for many years at work without an issue). 


tomos

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Re: Do good mice still exist? Looking for recommendations.
« Reply #7 on: February 13, 2020, 11:57 PM »
Here is the mouse I purchased December of 2017.  I'm still using it.  The clicks are quite silent and it feels great in the hand.  I love it.
(I fixed the link there)
Tom

4wd

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Re: Do good mice still exist? Looking for recommendations.
« Reply #8 on: February 14, 2020, 07:42 AM »
Been using a CoolerMaster Sentinel Advance mouse, (the original version), for about 10 years, the mechanics are still working fine but the cosmetics, (rubber-like coating, etc), are a little worse for wear which was a common problem.

I see they're up to the 3rd incarnation of it now.

mouser

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Re: Do good mice still exist? Looking for recommendations.
« Reply #9 on: February 14, 2020, 12:32 PM »
Cranioscopical and others seem to be asleep at the switch.. So I guess it's up to me now

mice.jpg

superboyac

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Re: Do good mice still exist? Looking for recommendations.
« Reply #10 on: February 14, 2020, 02:06 PM »
lol at this.  so many cartoon mice.

tomos

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Re: Do good mice still exist? Looking for recommendations.
« Reply #11 on: February 14, 2020, 02:59 PM »
Cranioscopical and others seem to be asleep at the switch.. So I guess it's up to me now

mouSERRRRRRRRR ;D :-*
Tom

BGM

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Re: Do good mice still exist? Looking for recommendations.
« Reply #12 on: February 14, 2020, 07:15 PM »
How about this?  This was posted today:
https://kinjadeals.t...right-now-1841445243

Deozaan

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Re: Do good mice still exist? Looking for recommendations.
« Reply #13 on: February 14, 2020, 07:30 PM »
How about this?  This was posted today:
https://kinjadeals.t...right-now-1841445243

I just checked into it and the promo code isn't working for me.

cranioscopical

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Re: Do good mice still exist? Looking for recommendations.
« Reply #14 on: February 14, 2020, 09:37 PM »
Cranioscopical and others seem to be asleep at the switch..

I was trying to keep my response to a Minnie mum...

wraith808

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Re: Do good mice still exist? Looking for recommendations.
« Reply #15 on: February 14, 2020, 11:35 PM »
Ouch. :P


My Logitech G900 Chaos is holding up pretty well, though to be honest, I haven't had an problems with any of their mice.

oblivion

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Re: Do good mice still exist? Looking for recommendations.
« Reply #16 on: March 25, 2020, 09:05 AM »
Not sure if this is the response you'd want but -- do you need a mouse?

I have been using graphics tablets instead of mice for ... well, it's definitely over 15 years. My first was a rebadged Wacom Volito 2 that I got in a bundle with a drawing package. (No, it wasn't. I'd forgotten -- my first was a thing called a Hyper-Pen in about 2003. My first GOOD one was the Volito2.)

It's a bit of a culture shock. You're probably used to relative movement with your mouse and graphics tablets rather demand (although most don't insist) on absolute positioning -- so if you're intending to click in the middle of the screen, you tap in the middle of the tablet.

Mouse movement is achieved by moving the tip of the stylus around just above the tablet, with (typically) left clicks done by tapping the tip on the surface, right clicks by hovering in the appropriate place and pressing a button on the stylus with your forefinger. If you can write comfortably, you already know how to hold the stylus -- and you don't need to worry about the RSI associated with heavy use of mice (mouses?) unless you're also prone to similar issues when handwriting.

The missing mousewheel is an issue for some -- but most tablet software has a way to do scrolling if you can't bear to drag scrollbars around.

There are some cheap but perfectly serviceable tablets out there. Wacom are usually the tablets to beat but tend also to be the most expensive. Huion are pretty good (but some of the drivers don't support mousing across extended desktops so check before you dive in) and I'm just about to pick up a new XP-Pen device that's had good reviews and will replace an older Ugee on one of my systems if it's as good as it seems. Prod me in a week or two and I'll post a review.

And if you ever do any graphics work at all, your tablet will change your life. Honestly. (Don't get smaller than 6" x 4" though, and serious art really needs 10". Costs more the bigger you go, naturally, so stick with toe-dipping until you're convinced. In about a week after purchase, I confidently predict.)

Oh: some styluses (styli?) don't need batteries, some do. The ones that don't are lighter, obviously. Wacom used to be about the only choice for batteryless styli but my new XP-Pen has a passive stylus so again, there are options.

I have a couple of cheap wireless mouses (mice?) that I cart around with me if I'm carrying a laptop around but anywhere I'm static for any length of time, I put a tablet.
-- bests, Tim

...this space unintentionally left blank.

BGM

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Re: Do good mice still exist? Looking for recommendations.
« Reply #17 on: March 25, 2020, 10:02 AM »
Here is the one that I have; it's Chinese and the brand name changes, but it's the same mouse completely.
This mouse has a wonderful feel, two extra buttons on the side, and has a nearly silent click (which is a requirement for me).  It also has a dpi button changer on top.
It does NOT have those nasty rubber grips on the sides which melt over time.
It takes two triple-A batteries.

I've used this one for quite some time and love it so much I bought another one.
https://smile.amazon...00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This is the one I am still using right now - you can see it is the same mouse:
https://smile.amazon...a-no-redirect=1&


YannickDa

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Re: Do good mice still exist? Looking for recommendations.
« Reply #18 on: March 25, 2020, 10:23 AM »
I'm using an Asus UT300 at the moment. I like it.

reynolds_john

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Re: Do good mice still exist? Looking for recommendations.
« Reply #19 on: March 25, 2020, 12:42 PM »
After futzing about and trying different ones, I wanted something a bit smaller for my hands, and that didn't have too many buttons, which could function as a daily work mouse and as a gaming mouse.

I tried the G9* and G7* series from Logitech, and a few others, before finally realizing I didn't need to spend a lot. I got the G203 and it's been very solid... enough buttons to do what I need in an office, enough buttons to do what I want for gaming, and solid performance. Plus it's wired, which (oddly) was a requirement for me - I've never been a fan of the wireless mice.

My backup mouse which I had for years and still works brilliantly is an older M510 series. I don't think you can go wrong with those.

Happy hunting.

mouse53

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Re: Do good mice still exist? Looking for recommendations.
« Reply #20 on: March 25, 2020, 01:36 PM »
The mouse pics were a good one mouser. I had a elbow injury years ago and switched to trackball mice.  Started with the Microsoft Explorer trackball,  then got a Logitech Optical Trackman.  As with many Logitech trackball the left click seems to go first.  I have seen where people have fixed them with a piece of tape on the inside right on the switch. Some have tried replacing the switch,  but like was said here,  the switches available are usually cheap and don't last.  The mouse can sometimes be found on line,  but the prices are outrageous at $500.00 or more.  I have managed to get about 8 now by watching Ebay and getting lucky most for about $50. I have seen a trackball, Deft by Elecom,  bought one and it is probably as close to the Logitech Trackman as I have seen and comes corded or wireless,  and is about $50.00.  I game a lot and wear out my mice too,  but can't use a standard mouse for any length of time. The newer gaming mice aren't for me and they cost too much.  Where to find a good mouse,  I am still looking. Logitech has some good stuff but they just don't last.  Now my Logitech G910 keyboard is great and I have been pounding on it for a few years,  but then it was a bit more money.

irkregent

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Re: Do good mice still exist? Looking for recommendations.
« Reply #21 on: March 25, 2020, 02:16 PM »
I have a couple of Logitech G602 mice and love them.  I find the longer size to fit my hand well.  The longer right button makes perfect sense, as human hands have middle fingers that are longer than the index fingers.  The longer right button fits so well, and makes so much sense, one is left wondering why this feature is missing from almost all computer mice. 

I thought I would love all the extra buttons, but in practice I find I use them very little.  But I do like being able to reprogram the buttons, and have found that programming the two index finger side buttons for PgUp and PgDn is extremely useful.  And, the programming stays with the mouse, so if I move it from one machine to another my custom functionality travels with it.

My only wish for the G602 would be for Bluetooth connectivity to eliminate the little USB dongle.  Old-style USB ports are few on most laptops nowadays.  However, after wrestling with the quirks of a Bluetooth mouse, I do like the reliability of the USB wireless dongle.  It works, always, unlike the Bluetooth mouse I have tried.  (In all fairness, the mouse or this particular laptop might be at fault.)

ewemoa

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Re: Do good mice still exist? Looking for recommendations.
« Reply #22 on: March 26, 2020, 03:23 AM »
For keeping up to date on trackball info, I occasionally visit: https://www.trackballmouse.org/

I currently switch among these three:

https://www.trackbal...low-laser-trackball/
https://www.trackbal...ington-expert-mouse/
https://www.trackbal...dpt1mrxbk-trackball/

The first two are nice in that each can be easily used with either hand.  The Kensington's scrolling is probably easier for most folks, but I've found over the years that the buttons don't seem to last (I've gone through multiple devices, so I suspect it's the way it is with this model).  The scrolling for the CST took some getting used to, but is the smoothest I have experienced.

After some practice I was able to use the third device (the DEFT Pro) with my left hand without too much trouble.  (I'm not left-handed, but have found that typically keyboards with keypads make having the trackball on the right kind of awkward, so got used to using a trackball on the left.)

I had avoided the DEFT Pro and similar right-handed-only-ish trackballs but it appears that in some cases the barrier is not one that cannot be overcome.

I prefer to have a wired experience, but the DEFT Pro is flexible in that it can do that as well as Bluetooth as 2.4 GHz wireless via a USB dongle.  I tend to take this one when traveling as it's smaller than the other two, and the non-wired experience can be handy when the micro-USB cable it comes with has been put to use to charge some other device :)

It's true that all of these devices are rather pricy.  Occasionally, I see a good discount though.

I sometimes use: https://www.trackbal...bit-wireless-mobile/ , but find the scrolling "ring" area to be difficult to use.

I used to use: https://www.trackbal...ll-with-scroll-ring/ , but one of its buttons failed and I wasn't keen on repeating that experience so soon.  If the build quality were to improve, I would go for this again over the Orbit Wireless Mobile, because the scrolling is much better.  Neither have 3 buttons though, which I've come to appreciate.

0strodamus

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Re: Do good mice still exist? Looking for recommendations.
« Reply #23 on: March 26, 2020, 03:04 PM »
I searched ebay when my third long discontinued Logitech VX Revolution started exhibiting intermittent clicking. I discovered that the switches themselves can be purchased, along with the bottom pads that need to be removed to expose the screws holding the mouse together. I was able to successfully repair two. I don't know what happened with the third, but I killed it. Maybe you could try repairing your Trackman or M570.

mouser

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Re: Do good mice still exist? Looking for recommendations.
« Reply #24 on: October 27, 2020, 12:42 PM »
I have a Logitech Performance MX mouse that I love the weight and feel for so much that I keep using it despite it acting up sometimes and worst yet it consumes batteries like its being used to power a nuclear reactor.. Seems like I get only a couple days use of the batteries before I have to recharge them.  Yech.  Seems like they have a new replacement for it I guess I will splurge for.. Buying cheap mice is always disappointing, they feel to light.