I need a mouse that won't drive me crazy. Wireless mighty mouse or gaming mouse for Graphic Design?

September 1, 2007 12:26 PM

I need a mouse that won't drive me crazy. Wireless mighty mouse or gaming mouse for Graphic Design?

I'm taking graphic design classes again, and I need to replace my cheap and crappy Microsoft optical mouse that I've been using since I accidentaly broke my Mighty Mouse that came with my Mac a few months ago.

The cursors of both mice skip across the screen unexpectedly, which is maddening when working on a layout or illustration.

I know I need to get a laser mouse (I don't have room for a tablet on my desk), and I've been thinking about getting the new laser wireless Mighty Mouse. I'd really like that it's bluetooth (I'm shy on UBS ports right now), and my wrist likes the angle on that mouse better.

But I really hated the smooth plastic shell, since my palms get sweaty. I've also read some bad reviews in regard to its tracking accuracy. Would a gaming mouse be a decent substitute? What you recommend, especially the design folk?

posted by deinemutti to Computers & Internet (20 answers total)

Whatever you do, do not get a Logitech MX-440, it was the single worst mouse I've ever purchased. Most wireless mice actually constantly turn themselves off, to save power, so there's a small delay between when you move the mouse and when it turns on and starts tracking again. Profoundly annoying. In fact, I recommend avoiding Logitech entirely.

I swear by the tracking of the iogear line of laser mice, but the ergonomics are not the best. Not bad, but not as good as some other brands.
posted by fake at 12:50 PM on September 1, 2007

Frankly, I hate hate hate hate hate wireless mice. Hate them. Not only do they require recharging (at the darndest times I'm sure), they are subject to interference such as lag. I don't know why on earth anybody would use them for a time-sensitive application such as gaming, or working.

If you are low on USB portage, I highly recommend a hub. They can be as little as two-port (like the GE hub currently attaching my Microsoft cheapass keyboard and Intellimouse Explorer -- which I love -- to my notebook computer, freeing the other port for whatever I need to plug in), or as big as 7 ports.

My gaming rig has a Logitetch Mx518 which pleases me well. I can only hope it is still useful 5 years later, like this Intellimouse.
posted by ilsa at 1:00 PM on September 1, 2007

A friend of mine (budding graphic designer and gamer) used a Razer DeathAdder. There's the newer Lachesis or older Copperhead/Diamondback for lefties or hand-switchers. There's laser, infrared, and a bunch of other sensors scattered between their product line.

These are, by the way, wired gaming mice. But they can be ultrasensitive or the opposite ... which I'm guessing would fit in nicely with graphic design.
posted by Xere at 1:01 PM on September 1, 2007

if you are doing design, you dont want wireless. I'd recommend the Logitech MX518 laser gaming mouse. It's my favorite mouse ever, even better than the higher model g5 logitech)
posted by mphuie at 1:02 PM on September 1, 2007

Logitech VX Revolution is awesome. I used to love the MX-310 but this has made me a total convert, it's great for design apps because it has a built in zoom slider that can be programmed for any app, as well as other programmable buttons. No discernable lag for any application and the wireless receiver fits in the bottom of the mouse for taking it on the road.
posted by rollo tomassi at 1:04 PM on September 1, 2007

Response by poster: Some of these mice look nice, but I forgot emphasize that I need one that's compatible with Mac OSX. But the wired variety is starting to sound more attractive.
posted by deinemutti at 1:31 PM on September 1, 2007

You're asking the question for graphic design, but if you're /also/ a gamer, then the Mighty Mouse can suck in some situations, as you cannot press the left AND right mouse buttons at the same time as you can on all other mice. Generally this technique is not used in regular applications, however, but it's something I wish I'd known before I bought one (then abandoned it).
posted by wackybrit at 1:39 PM on September 1, 2007

I just got a Logitech G7, and it kicks a very significant amount of ass. They give you two Li-ion batteries so that you can swap when one runs out, and if you install SetPoint (which, okay, does suck) you can set up to 5 DPI settings (between 400 and 2000) to switch between. Of course you can adjust that in software, but it's more fun and usable to switch on the fly in hardware (there's a little button). You can also turn off all the software gaming junk, and adjust the number of reports per second the mouse sends. At the cost of some battery life there is definitely, absolutely, no lag.

On top of that, whatever the mouse feet are made of, they must have a ridiculously low coefficient of friction. I can flick the back of the mouse with my index finger and it flys about 15cm across my desk before stopping. By very unscientific comparison, my old MX700 only gets about 5 cm, with batteries in.
posted by tracert at 1:43 PM on September 1, 2007

as you cannot press the left AND right mouse buttons at the same time as you can on all other mice.

Actually, this is true of the Logitech mouse I mentioned, too -- many wireless mice support only a single click.
posted by fake at 3:20 PM on September 1, 2007

If you're serious about the design thing, I'd really recommend getting a 6x9 Wacom Intuos tablet. The pressure and angle sensitivity allow things in Photoshop that can't be done with a mouse, and drawing bezier curves in Illustrator really is appreciably faster once you get the hang of it.

Another hint -- I use a polished 12x12" piece of black granite tile as a mouse pad. Very smooth, compared to your average desktop. Any polished granite or marble will do the trick, though granite is much a harder substance, and won't scratch.

I don't have any specific tips on a particular mouse though, as I'm apparently the only person on earth who really likes my Mighty Mouse.
posted by Devils Rancher at 4:37 PM on September 1, 2007

Response by poster: I don't play video/computer games made after 1990, so the gaming aspect is irrelevant.
It's purely going to be used for drawing/designing/general use. Basically I want a mouse that's precise, doesn't skip around on me when doing such things, and won't cramp my sweaty petite hands and wrists.
posted by deinemutti at 6:59 PM on September 1, 2007

Response by poster: Are any of these mice compatible with a Mac?
posted by deinemutti at 7:03 PM on September 1, 2007

I use an A4 Tech Wireless Battery Free Mouse (it is powered by induction, I believe) and it is awesome.

It isn't portable and can only be used on the mousepad it comes with but it is light, tracks beautifully and works perfectly with my Mac.
posted by fenriq at 7:56 PM on September 1, 2007

For mice that lack Mac drivers USB Overdrive is your friend.
posted by doctor_negative at 8:30 PM on September 1, 2007

Oh yeah, USB Overdrive saved my butt many times when I was a Machead.
posted by ilsa at 9:07 PM on September 1, 2007

I've found that optical mice often do the cursor-flies-to-corner thing if I use them on a mouse pad with a photo on it. I think it's something to do with the interaction between the mouse's motion detector and the dot pattern of your typical printed photograph. They tend to work much, much better if used on a surface with a less regular pattern - like a typical desktop, with no mouse pad, or a mouse pad with no picture.

If your crappy Microsoft mouse is OK apart from the random cursor jerks, perhaps you could try this before replacing it.
posted by flabdablet at 10:59 PM on September 1, 2007

Oh yeah - and I recently got to use a mouse pad with a padded wrist rest for the first time, too: heaven.
posted by flabdablet at 11:00 PM on September 1, 2007

Hmm. I used to have the skipping-across-the-screen problem with the Porsche-designed corded optical mouse that came with my PC, and I replaced it with the Microsoft Wireless Optical Mouse 3000. Haven't had the problem since—I now own three of them, one for my PC, one for my home PowerMac G4, and one for my work PowerMac G4. I definitely do design work with them. Is that the cheap mouse you're using?

(I also hate the Mighty Mouse. Every Apple mouse out there right now makes my wrists hurt something terrible, as did all Apple keyboards prior to the latest one. The Microsoft mice have never made my wrist hurt.)
posted by limeonaire at 11:03 PM on September 1, 2007

And to echo flabdablet—I definitely use my Microsoft mice on silky smooth fabric-covered, all-black neoprene mouse pads.
posted by limeonaire at 11:04 PM on September 1, 2007

fellow Mac user (this is day four) and I had a Logitech V270 Bluetooth mouse that worked great; paired quickly, was pretty sensitive, imperceptible lag and didn't take up a USB port.

In fact, I'd still be using it right now if my dad hadn't commandeered it for his laptop - I'm waiting for another sale before I pick up another.
posted by heeeraldo at 2:40 AM on September 3, 2007