Need Opinions - Optical, Cordless Mouse

TBonZTBonZ Ottawa, ON Icrontian
edited July 2003 in Hardware
Well my optical mouse bit the biscuit yesterday, warranty ran out 3 weeks ago (how's that for coincidence?!). I'm going to pick a new one up right after work but need some expert opinions.

As I said, I want an optical cordless mouse, probably MS or Logitech. No trackball crap just the traditional style mice. What would be the best choice for all your experiences guys?
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Comments

  • shwaipshwaip bluffin' with my muffin Icrontian
    edited June 2003
    MX700 rocks.

    I used to use it, but i'm not a big fan of wireless mice. I now use the MX500 which is basically the same, but with a cord.

    The only hitch for logitech is that their drivers suck ass. If you don't install the drivers, you cannot use the buttons on the top of the mouse in games. If you install the drivers, you cannot bind the buttons on the side, unless you assign them to some other function using the logitech drivers.
  • mmonninmmonnin Centreville, VA
    edited June 2003
    If you had a microsoft one you wouldnt have had to worry cause they have a lifetime warranty.
  • TBonZTBonZ Ottawa, ON Icrontian
    edited June 2003
    Thanks John, I was looking at the MX700 but the price was turning me away but the more I look at it, the more I want it. I'm not a big gamer but enjoy playing HalfLife and definitely need it to be responsive but I guess for 129.99 CDN responsive it will be.

    Anymore opinions? I have 2 hours before I buy.

    TIA

    EDIT - Thanks Shwaip, was wondering about that.

    mmonnin - In hindsight, I wish I had of bought the MS.:rolleyes:
  • CycloniteCyclonite Tampa, Florida Icrontian
    edited June 2003
    Add another one for the MX700. Absolutely the best mouse I've ever used.
  • DoM-aLDoM-aL Indiana
    edited June 2003
    TbonZ thank god i found this thread at the moment I have 2 MS Intellimouse Wireless Explorer just sitting in boxes. I am willing to sell it to you for half the retail price. It has everything that it came with when i bought it. It's all closed up in my box. Been trying to sell these for a while. They have a nice ergonomic design but if you are into gaming i would not recommend it. I remember buying the mouse for $70 but whatever retail is now i'll slice it in half and that will be the cost. Please give me a pm so we can talk more.

    aL
  • WuGgaRoOWuGgaRoO Not in the shower Icrontian
    edited June 2003
    why not buy the MX700 and its keyboard counterpart at the same time...only 91 bucks at newegg.com
  • TBonZTBonZ Ottawa, ON Icrontian
    edited June 2003
    Hi Al, I am into gaming to a certain degree so if they're not suitable for it, I'm not so sure I should go with what you have. What is it about those mice that you don't reccomend for gaming?

    I'm also in Canada so shipping charges and such get kind of sticky.

    Trekky - Thx for your opinion.

    1 hour left till possible purchase.
  • TBonZTBonZ Ottawa, ON Icrontian
    edited June 2003
    WuGgaRoO said
    why not buy the MX700 and its keyboard counterpart at the same time...only 91 bucks at newegg.com

    Hi WuGgaRoO, I am planning on checking out the keyb/mice packages while I'm shopping, my keyboards sucks bad. I actually need this today as my backup mouse has a broken button also and have nothing else to use.
  • DoM-aLDoM-aL Indiana
    edited June 2003
    I dont like using wireless components for gaming. I'm a huge gamer. Since it's summer time i spend all my time playing cs and scrimming and matching. Sometimes the mouse wouldn't respond as quickly as a corded mouse. I will probably never use a cordless mouse for gaming until im forced to. It's just basicly the way i like my mice. Also i dont really like to use a heavy mouse for gaming. I usually like to have my sensitivity below 2.0 with my windows sensitivity in the middle. It's a good mouse just wasn't the right one for me. If i didn't game as much as I do i would certainly keep this mouse because it really feels great when you put your hand on it.

    aL
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited June 2003
    Another vote for MX700 here. I forget its a wireless. Only the battery weight gives it away! But Im used to it now..

    My other vote is the MX500. I have found the MX700 heavy (batteries).. so perhaps the MX500 would be the best for you mate.

    If you want to make the MX500 really light, you can remove the weight from inside the MX500 and it's as light as a feather... now thats responsive!

    /me loves his MX700 though.. wireless rules!
  • KhaosKhaos New Hampshire
    edited June 2003
    Microsoft Opticals are a mixed bag, the latest versions are fine (Responsive, don't spazz out or anything), but the first version was downright awful. To top it all off, the first MS opticals had a very short life expectancy - Most outright died within a year or two of purchase.

    I hate to crap a deal, but if aL's mice are v1 I would really recommend against them. If they're v3, then they're fine. v2 is iffy and I don't know much about 'em.

    Overall, I've always been a huge fan of Logitech mice. I personally find their drivers alright. Not great, but not terrible. They work fine if you take the time to configure them. The mice themselves are superb. Well built and they work. I've heard the latest Logitech opticals (MX series) have further improved accuracy. I have an older Optical MouseMan Pro (Logi') and it is great. My only complaint about the Logitech mice is that lately they have been a little too small for my tastes. Ergonomically, they seem to fit smaller to medium sized hands better. If you have long fingers, you'll feel a bit cramped at first. Perhaps my own experience was worsened still by the fact that I was upgrading from a Logitech Wireless Mouseman Pro, which was the biggest darn mouse I'd ever seen. Like I said, they're ergonomically small, but nothing you can't adapt to. I've been using a 'small' Logitech mouse for years now, and I can't really complain about the ergonomics. It's comfortable for extended use... If I had my druthers, they'd be bigger, but that's about it. As it stands, they're fine.

    Can't say enough good things about Logitech mice.
  • DoM-aLDoM-aL Indiana
    edited June 2003
    I bought the mouse in December of last year. Used it for a few weeks then put it back in the box. The software it comes with is IntelliPoint 4.1. So is it possible that its a v4? Dont feel sorry for crapping out a deal man. Honesty is always the best way to trade. I love to fill in all my buyers on all the info so later on they dont get mad about something i never informed them on. My mouse is the same one that they are selling at bestbuy. It was released at about the same time the bluetooth mouse was released. We first bought bluetooth then had some problems with bluetooth and sp1 so we returned it for this mouse.

    At the moment i am using a small little logitech mouse similar to this one http://www.bestbuy.com/detail.asp?e=11059293&m=488&cat=549&scat=550. I love it simply because it fits my needs and wants. I bought it when logitech mice were first released and it was about $40. It's lasted a long time for me. It doesn't sound like this deal is gonna work out so i recommend you go buy the mx700 and if you dont like it and want to try the ms counterpart just give me a pm and i'll be willing to send it to you.
  • hprhpr :o hi o:
    edited June 2003
    I vote for the MX700 also, this mouse absolutely blows away my old cordless mouseman optical. If you want some pics i gottem here.

    Also here is some mouserate screenies comparing my old mouseman to the MX700.

    Cordless Mouseman Optical:
    mouseman_rate.gif

    MX700:
    mx700_rate.gif

    :D
  • mmonninmmonnin Centreville, VA
    edited June 2003
    Microsoft Wireless Optical Mouse BLUE. $34

    The MX700 is $63 at newegg.
  • DoM-aLDoM-aL Indiana
    edited June 2003
    The one i'm selling has 5 buttons... It's an intellimouse explorer not that one.
  • mmonninmmonnin Centreville, VA
    edited June 2003
    So is mine. I like that one better anyway.
  • KhaosKhaos New Hampshire
    edited June 2003
    aL, I must apologize. I completely missed the fact that these are wireless Microsoft Explorer Opticals that you're selling. The wireless incarnations, to the best of my knowledge, were never equipped with the faulty components that plagued the early corded models. I apologize for the misunderstanding. Also, given the purchase date, it's a sure bet that the mice you're selling incorporate up-to-date technology. The '4.1' that you're seeing refers to the driver version, not the hardware revision number. I'm not positive about where you can check the hardware revision number without opening the package, but if you hunt around the box you may find it. In any event, your mice should be fine.

    I have a mouse that's crapping out that needs to be replaced, I'd like to put in dibs on one of the mice you're selling. YGPM!
  • TBonZTBonZ Ottawa, ON Icrontian
    edited June 2003
    Well I went with the MX700 and I just got it plugged in and it is awesome, definitely glad I paid the cash for it. The real test will come when I hook up for a game of HL and a map full of players and as Shorty said, it is a bit heavy with the batteries but I'll get used to that too soon enough.

    Thanks for all the input guys!!! Here it is on my desktop looking all cool like....
  • dNA3DdNA3D Brunei
    edited June 2003
    Logitech's MX700 seems like the mouse of all mouses (or mice however you want it). I've got an old iFeel mouse, a first gen optical pointing device and its pretty good. Works for most of my situations.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited June 2003
    I use Intellimouse Explorer 3.0 and it's the most comfortable mouse I've ever used for gaming in my entire life.

    After all, I'm #1 in the world for Quake2 Rail-only CTF with this mouse...And that mod has 25,000 players.

    But v1 does suck, totally agreed.

    That's another thing that I don't like about cordless mice. With the amount of use I get out of my computer, I'd be charging the batteries every three days.
  • leishi85leishi85 Grand Rapids, MI Icrontian
    edited June 2003
    the MX700 is one sweet mouse i must say, i just placed my order for it, it's gonna be cool, ( birthday present from my MOM, estimated delivery date is my Bday), yeha!!!
  • NixxerNixxer Nottingham, UK
    edited June 2003
    I've had one for a few weeks and can't use anything else too well now. The standard corded ball mice at my college are so unresponsive its disgusting! I use my PC a lot and I've never run out of charge with the MX700. When I shut my pc down at night, I just put the mouse in the charger and then take it out when I use it. And the weight is easy to get used to.
  • fuxorfuxor i live in a giant bucket
    edited June 2003
    best wireless optical mouse is the mx700, hands down. It's not as comfortable as the microsoft mice, but it's got much better tracking than any other wireless mouse I've used. the m$ wireless explorer is unacceptable for games, whereas my mx700 truly rocks.
  • TBonZTBonZ Ottawa, ON Icrontian
    edited June 2003
    I love this mouse for everything but multiplayer Half life, I'm noticing lag and I'm almost sure it's from the MX700. Contemplating buying a corded optical just for HL and using the MX for everything else.

    Also I have it plugged into my Linksys KVM switch via the PS/2 port, aside from not being able to use the extra buttons because of this, would I see a difference plugging it in into usb, performance wise? Yes I could try plugging it in first but it's a pain in the butt with all of my wires.
  • TheSmJTheSmJ
    edited July 2003
    I just wanted to thank you guys for recommending the MX700. It's hands down the BEST mouse I've ever used, worth the money down the last penny (I paid $60 at Best Buy).

    The $10 optical mouse is crap in comparison, ESPECALLY for gaming (I have had MANY problems with it and UT2K3). Even the $25 Logitech original optical mouse, while I would recommend it to any typical desktop user, pails in comparison for the reasons people before me have mentioned!
  • NixxerNixxer Nottingham, UK
    edited July 2003
    TBonZ said
    would I see a difference plugging it in into usb, performance wise?

    Yep, a huge difference. The mouse will respond quicker, and you will gain full function of all the buttons. I was going to plug mine into a PS2 port but was told that it would be a waste.
  • TBonZTBonZ Ottawa, ON Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    I thought so, guess it's time for a usb compatible kvm switch.:rolleyes:

    TheSmJ - I agree, the smoothest damn mouse I have ever used.:cool:
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    I don't fully understand though. I use my MX700 in a USB--->PS/2 adapter (my KVM is PS/2 only).. without a hitch. I have tried the USB, but I feel and see no different. :scratch:
  • TBonZTBonZ Ottawa, ON Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    Shorty said
    I don't fully understand though. I use my MX700 in a USB--->PS/2 adapter (my KVM is PS/2 only).. without a hitch. I have tried the USB, but I feel and see no different. :scratch:

    Hmmm, will have to try plugging it in via usb to see If I see the difference.
  • Defcon_IVDefcon_IV Innsmouth, RI
    edited July 2003
    A little late to add my bid for mouse, but that's fine as I also use the MX700, "teh l337est m0|_|53 ev4r!1!!!!1"

    I would however caution you about the recharger station. It is beyond terrific to not have to buy batteries or switch one backwards when you're not using it, but the station is a little iffy on use. I've been using mine for a little under seven months and I now have to play a little game with the mouse to get it docked and charging. Make sure that you <i>start</i> by sliding the mouse down on one side and rotating it into the upright position on the pins.
    Unless you install the drivers schwaip mentioned you'll have a terrible time during CS or UT2003 when the mouse JUMPS TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SCREEN MAKING YOU LOOK LIKE A COMPLETE JAGOOF...yes, I said jagoof.
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