wheel mice

I needed a mouse to use on my laptop for gaming. The cordless mouse that came with it just didn't cut it (couldn't transmit fast enough to keep up). I looked online but couldn't decide so I went down to my local computer superstore. I spent a considerable amount of time testing the feel of the mice and I ended up with this one. I went into the store thinking I was going to get the 5 button Logitec MX300 but I walked out with this one (after paying, of course).

Why go with the less expensive mouse? Comfort. I was willing to pay up to twice what I paid for this one but once I had this one in my hand I knew it was the right one. The rubber grips on the side and the buttons are very comfortable. The ridged wheel rolls with just the right effort and has nice positive clicks when spun. The shape fits perfectly into my hand - I never have to arch my palm to perform any function (like using the scroll wheel). I just rest my hand on the mouse naturally. The resolution is 800 dpi so it's very sensitive. The included software has many nice feature for mapping button presses (for example, left and right together) or key + button press (alt-left click, e.g.) to different functions.

The mouse feels sturdy, the cord is long, and it comes with a PS/2 adapter if you don't want to use a USB port. I'm very happy with it. Great design + good software + low price = excellent value.

I bought this mouse to use with my PowerBook. Apple makes great
hardware, but who wants to struggle with a one-button mouse?

This is a three button wheel mouse, with two buttons and a wheel which
can be depressed to act as a third button. The pro version adds a couple
of thumb buttons, but I got the $20 basic version.

The optical tracking is smooth and precise, and the mouse is comfortable
for both myself and my fiancee, who has fairly small hands. I think part of
the reason it works for both of us is that the right and left buttons are so
long. It is a fairly big, high mouse, but the rubber pads make it easy to
hold onto for long periods. Sometimes mice that use a wheel as a middle
button make it so easy to depress that you find yourself clicking when you
try to scroll, but that has not been a problem with this mouse.

I have heard very good things about the Mouseworks software that
comes with all Kensington mice, but the mouse worked perfectly as
soon as I plugged it in so I have not even opened the CD envelope.

My original plan was to buy this mouse for temporary use and upgrade
later, but I have been so pleased with it that I have stopped shopping.
The only thing that would be nice is if it supported Bluetooth, but at
the price (or even twice the price) this mouse is great.

These days, it's so hard to find a mouse that's just a mouse! The Kensington Pilotmouse is great at just being a mouse.

The package comes with the mouse, a USB to PS/2 adapter, a little booklet, and an installation CD. The mouse is sealed in a refreshingly easy-to-open plastic case, not the vacuum-sealed need-a-knife-to-open kind.

Installation is exceedingly simple. On both Windows 2000 and XP, the mouse installed without needing any drivers. I'll probably try the installation CD later just to see what's on it, but it doesn't appear to be necessary - so you don't have to clutter your PC with useless applications.

The cord on the mouse is nice and long. It's plenty long to run to the edge of my desk and down to the back of my computer, which sits on the floor, with plenty of room to move the mouse without pulling the cord taut. The mouse itself is a pleasant silver and black that matches my Viewsonic monitor and keyboard very well.

I figured the rubber grips were gimmicky, but they're actually very pleasant to hold. The mouse is symmetrical to fit either hand, and it is comfortable even in my relatively small hands. One nice feature is the buttons - they have a very unique design that makes the buttons very long, so even people with small hands will be able to click this relatively large mouse.

The wheel is functional, but not as pleasant to turn as the Microsoft Optical Wheelmice I've used. It may just take some getting used to, but there seems to be more resistance to the wheel. The sensitivity adjustments on the movement work very nicely, giving a wide range of choices to suit different mousing styles. The pads on the bottom help the mouse glide suitably well.

All in all? Just a good, solid mouse. I bought one for a new PC and I liked it so much that, when my mouse died on my other computer, I bought another.