The very best ergonomic mouse for 2024

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Seems, sitting for hours on finish in a static place, gazing a glowing field is just not nice for our our bodies. However these of us who use computer systems for our livelihoods want to seek out methods to make it work. Instruments like a standing desk, a supportive-but-not-too-comfortable workplace chair, the correct keyboard and an ergonomic mouse could make a desk setup jive higher with our our bodies’ pure orientation. Ergonomic mice take a couple of totally different approaches, with vertical, semi-vertical, trackball and different shapes designed to minimize the pressure in your wrists, fingers, forearms and even shoulders. There’s a ton of different elements to think about as nicely, from programmable buttons to DPI choices. We examined round 20 extremely rated mice to determine which of them are greatest for various conditions and wishes. These are our prime picks for the perfect ergonomic mice you should buy proper now.

Like all the things associated to ergonomics, the mouse design that works greatest for you’ll rely in your physique and what you could do on a typical day. So the shapes, added options and the way the mouse communicates along with your pc will decide which it is best to get.

After we’re speaking about ergonomic mice for productiveness functions, it often refers to mice that look distinctly totally different from the usual, sometimes with shapes that tilt your hand in the direction of a extra “handshake” place as an alternative of going through your palm downward. Vertical mice have probably the most extreme up-and-down angle, semi-vertical mice cut up the distinction and trackball mice keep put in your desk whereas your thumb controls the motion of the cursor. Gaming mice have an ergonomic class as nicely, however that merely refers to a mouse with curves designed to suit both the correct or left hand. It differentiates these mice from ambidextrous fashions, which don’t conform to a selected hand.

Every of three ergonomic mice shapes may also help tackle totally different considerations. In the event you’re attempting to keep away from twisting your forearm, a vertical mouse could possibly be what you want. Clicking a vertical mouse feels extra like pinching your finger and thumb collectively, which may relieve sure different wrist points as nicely.

A semi-vertical mouse feels probably the most like a standard mouse, with an angle nearer to 50 or 60 levels out of your desk. Semi-vertical mouse clicks can really feel simpler too, because you’re pushing down as an alternative of pinching. Some vertical and semi-vertical mice have an optionally available flange that helps the heel of your palm. As a substitute of pivoting on these bones to make the mouse transfer, your palm and wrist keep aligned and your entire arm controls the movement.

A trackball mouse also can hold your wrist from bending, because it retains your forearm planted. My private battle is with neck and shoulder rigidity, so trackballs and really light-weight vertical mice work greatest for me as they let me hold my forearm from transferring.

As this information focuses on productiveness mice, gaming-specific stats like polling charges and IPS values don’t actually come into play. (My colleague Jeff Dunn does job of explaining these metrics in his gaming mouse information.) What issues listed below are numbers like DPI, or dots per inch, which signifies how delicate a mouse is. The upper the setting, the quicker your cursor will transfer throughout the display. Low DPI settings allow you to do precision work like pixel-by-pixel enhancing in Photoshop. All of the mice right here have no less than two and as many as 5 settings, starting from 400 to three,200 DPI. Mice that make it simple to change from excessive to low DPI would possibly make sense should you do numerous detailed work.

Weight makes a distinction in vertical and semi-vertical mice (however not trackballs, since they keep put). A lighter mouse will likely be simpler to maneuver round, which may put much less pressure in your wrist and arm. That stated, a bit weight could make the actions of your mouse really feel extra exact. For reference, a featherweight gaming mouse would possibly weigh 45 grams and a big vertical mouse with a flange hooked up would possibly weigh 140 grams. The latter might really feel a bit heavy, however a mouse with easy toes and used with a good mouse pad will really feel lighter.

It is all the time good to have simply clickable buttons, however that issues much more when physique well being is a priority. Urgent exhausting on a button tenses up my arm and shoulder like no person’s enterprise. Because it’s an motion desk staff carry out a whole bunch or hundreds of instances a day, it is important that it’s easy — nothing dominated out a mouse faster in my assessments than robust buttons.

Picture by Amy Skorheim / Engadget

All mice have the fundamentals: a proper and left button and a scroll wheel. All mice on this information even have a DPI selector button. Some produce other features resembling a scroll wheel that may click on with a press or deal with horizontal scrolling by tilting the wheel to the correct or left. Many even have again and ahead buttons for browser home windows, and generally these two are programmable to carry out totally different features in different apps. Extra complicated mice have further buttons to customise, sometimes utilizing a mouse’s proprietary software program. Relying on that software program, you’ll be able to set buttons to mute calls, copy and paste, undo and redo, change tabs and extra. Performing a number of features with out extraneous motion is an enormous plus in ergonomic design.

All of the mice right here will work with MacOS and Home windows, and a few work with Chrome, Linnux and even iPadOS (although I didn’t take a look at these) as nicely. They join in 3 ways: Wired, by way of Bluetooth or with a 2.4Ghz wi-fi dongle. Extra units have included USB-C interfaces, however most mice nonetheless use USB-A. So in case you have a laptop computer that solely sports activities USB-C ports (taking a look at you, MacBook), you’ll want an adapter to make use of a wired or dongle-enabled mouse. You can use a hub or docking station for this objective, however in testing this information, I bumped into connectivity points utilizing a wi-fi receiver in a docking station, significantly when there wasn’t a direct and fully clear path between the mouse and receiver. Every part labored way more reliably with only a direct USB-C to A adapter.

The distinction between wi-fi and Bluetooth is twofold: a wi-fi dongle connection tends to be faster to arrange. You simply plug within the accent, activate the mouse (doubtlessly granting permission for the system) and also you’re set. For Bluetooth, you could open the settings menu, activate pairing mode on the mouse, seek for the mouse after which click on join. There’s additionally a bit extra latency when utilizing Bluetooth versus a wi-fi dongle. It’s not one thing most individuals will discover doing workaday stuff, however should you plan on enjoying some Overwatch after hours and wish to use the identical mouse, you would possibly wish to go together with the quicker, 2.4Ghz route.

After many hours of analysis and studying critiques, I gathered simply over 20 mice with good claims to ergonomic design to check in my work setup. I principally tried out mice geared in the direction of a work-from-home or workplace setting, versus gaming (we’ve a complete information devoted to that subject). I used every mouse for a couple of hours or a couple of days, noting how nicely they felt in addition to how they carried out. I principally used a MacBook Professional M1 however verified Home windows compatibility with an Asus ROG Strix laptop computer. For reference, my proper hand measures 7.25 inches from the wrist crease to the tip of my center finger, which is slightly below common for a person and huge for a girl.

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Picture by Amy Skorheim / Engadget

Connection: Wired USB-A or 2.4Ghz wi-fi dongle fashions accessible | Energy: Wired mannequin or 2 x AAA batteries wi-fi mannequin | DPI choices: 1,000, 1,500, 2,000 and a pair of,500 | Weight: 110-130g w/o flange, 150-170g with flange | Additional buttons: Ahead, backward

I actually loved utilizing the Goldtouch Semi-Vertical mouse and it’s in all probability the one I had plugged within the longest, simply because I appreciated it. It’s one of many few non-gaming mice I encountered with adjustable weights. I took two of the 4 5g discs out to make it round 120 grams and that, mixed with the simple glide, made transferring it really feel easy. The cursor motion is exact in any respect 4 DPI settings and the light-up Goldtouch emblem on the aspect turns totally different colours relying on which pace you’ve chosen (crimson is low, blue is medium, inexperienced is medium-fast, and purple is quick) which is way simpler to discern than most mice that depend on a sequence of flashes to point pace.

It has a soft-touch, rubberized exterior with easy metallic plastic buttons which are simple to click on. As a semi-vertical mouse, it places your hand in a pure, 60-degree tilt place that, to me, feels extra comfy than the straight-up-and-down of a totally vertical mouse. My medium-sized hand can absolutely palm the outside with a long way left between the ideas of my fingers and the ends of the mouse buttons, so barely bigger palms ought to nonetheless have room.

There aren’t a ton of additional buttons, simply left, proper, scroll, DPI and ahead and again browser buttons (that aren’t programmable). The scroll button precisely adjusts between a sluggish line-by-line crawl and a page-swallowing pace run, relying on how briskly you flip it. Perhaps it’s simply the evaluate unit I acquired, however the wheel sometimes made the faintest squeak, although that’s beginning to fade. The clicks are audible, however not annoying and the lift-off distance is good. When you could reposition the mouse, tilting it barely to glide on its proper edge doesn’t lead to errant cursor motion.

The Goldtouch Semi-Vertical comes with an optionally available flange that attaches firmly with magnets. It provides a bit weight however the mouse nonetheless glides admirably. The addition permits you to relaxation the heel of your palm so it strikes together with you as you mouse. That is nice for stopping any bending of your wrist as you progress your complete arm as an alternative. I didn’t use the flange aside from to check it, as transferring my complete arm simply aggravates my shoulder rigidity. Goldtouch claims that the flange additionally provides a bit further size to assist as much as eight-inch-long palms.

I examined the wired mannequin however Goldtouch additionally provides wi-fi variations and, in a uncommon nod to our sinister-handed kinfolk, wi-fi left-handed mice as nicely. 

All three of these fashions require a USB-A port so should you don’t have one accessible and don’t wish to purchase an adapter, you’ll be able to attempt Perrix’s Perimice 819 for the same semi-vertical design. It’s a bit smaller, so medium and huge palms will use extra of a fingertip grip. However it glides simply, has exact motion, a chargeable battery and connects by way of Bluetooth or wirelessly with both a USB-C or USB-A dongle. Plus, it’s an ergonomic discount at $35.

Professionals

  • Solidly constructed
  • Adjustable weights
  • Clean glide
  • Semi-vertical design is further comfy
  • Detachable flange glides simply
Cons

  • No programmable buttons
  • Faint squeak from the scroll wheel

$75 at Amazon

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J-Tech Digital

Connection: 2.4Ghz wi-fi dongle | Energy: Rechargeable battery | DPI choices: 800, 1,200, 1,600 or 3,200 | Weight: 120g w/o flange, 140g with flange | Additional buttons: Ahead, backward, scroll click on, RGB (programmable)

The J-Tech Digital V638 feels much more premium than its $30 price ticket would recommend. It has a snug vertical design, a chargeable battery, a clickable scroll button and even some (optionally available) RGB lights to maintain issues fascinating.

The outside is a rubberized plastic with a satiny really feel. It has a wider grip than many vertical mice, which ends up in much less of a pinching movement when clicking, which can really feel extra pure for some. Palming the mouse and transferring it round feels easy and exact. There’s a slight protrusion between the place your center and ring finger relaxation that kind of jogs my memory of a flight-sim joystick. If you’re absolutely gripping the mouse, which is probably the most relaxed method, the buttons are simple to click on. But when your hand is backed off a bit and utilizing extra of a fingertip grip, the buttons really feel a bit stiff in the direction of the again. In follow, this simply jogged my memory to reposition my hand for a greater grip.

The RGB lights are enjoyable, glowing and pulsing in numerous patterns and colours, which could be modified by clicking the button just under the thumb relaxation. But when an onerous deadline has you feeling significantly unfestive, urgent and holding the button will shut down the glow completely. Urgent the scroll wheel allows a left click on and the scrolling itself is easy with simply the faintest ratchet because it turns. The opposite buttons are web page ahead and again browser controls, and whereas they’re programmable, it requires a 3rd occasion software program; J-Tech recommends X-Mouse Button Management.

A flange can be included and once more attaches magnetically. The connection doesn’t really feel as agency because the Goldtouch flange, but it surely’s not at risk of flying off. It’s sadly textured with curving strains, which feels uncomfortable, and the added drag with the accent hooked up is noticeable. However should you’re comfy skipping the flange, the V638 is a comparatively low-cost but solidly constructed ergonomic mouse.

Professionals

  • Nice worth
  • Wider vertical rip feels pure
  • RGB lights are enjoyable and optionally available
Cons

  • Buttons could be exhausting to click on
  • Flange is uncomfortable, however removable

$25 at Amazon

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Picture by Amy Skorheim / Engadget

Connection: 2.4Ghz wi-fi dongle | Energy: 1 x AA battery (included)| DPI choices: 1,000, 1,500, 2,000 and a pair of,500 | Weight: 140g | Additional buttons: Clickable wheel, higher and decrease thumb buttons, left, proper and middle mouse buttons

Upon opening the Evoluent VerticalMouse D, I used to be instantly transported to my childhood: It’s like a mannequin of the Flight of the Navigator ship, all modern strains and black metallic (one other blast from the previous). After getting over the nostalgia, I used to be impressed by the smoothest button clicks on any mouse I’ve tried. The thumb relaxation on the aspect is greater than on many different mice, and I discovered the location made the vertical form extra comfy for my hand. There’s even a bit lip for the pinky to relaxation on, one thing I didn’t even know I needed, however now all different mice appear to be they’re letting down my smallest digit.

It’s heavier at 140 grams but it surely strikes easily and rapidly on its toes. The form makes it simple to carry out the smaller, extra minute fingertip changes and rapidly return to the complete assist of a palm grip. Scrolling has a satisfying clickiness and sluggish rotations are further exact. The wheel itself is clickable, however on my unit it was pre-programed as a browser again button. The cursor actions out of the field have been additionally method too accelerated.

Fortunately, all of the buttons and mouse speeds on the VerticalMouse D are customizable. Evoluent provides its personal drivers for Home windows, however the downloads web page says that Mac assist is forthcoming, as the corporate is ready on a driver improvement equipment from Apple that hasn’t been delivered regardless of “repeated emails” from Evoluent. Within the meantime, I used USB Overdrive to alter up the acceleration speeds (which afterwards felt correct) and adjusted a couple of of the button features.

Along with the usual buttons, there is a third close to the correct and left, so your pointer, center and ring finger all have one thing to push. Two above and under the thumb relaxation are additionally customizable, however I programmed the highest one to do nothing as a result of I stored unintentionally hitting it after I moved my hand from keyboard to mouse. I set the underside button to indicate all home windows (Mission Management) and the third mouse button to open the clipboard. Now there are two strikes I now not want to make use of my keyboard for, which is helpful.

As a substitute of a one-size-fits-all method, Evoluent makes three sizes of its mice. I examined the medium, which labored nicely for my 7.25-inch lengthy hand. However there’s additionally a small and massive mannequin. The corporate claims to have give you the thought for a vertical mouse again in 1994. The mice it makes thirty years later appears to dwell as much as that legacy with a snug, programmable peripheral that completely makes you are feeling just like the navigator.

Professionals

  • Increased thumb ledge and pinky relaxation are further comfy
  • A further programmable button close to the left and proper buttons
  • Shiny!
Cons

  • A bit on the heavy aspect
  • Prime programmable button is straightforward to unintentionally bump
  • So, so shiny.

$115 at Amazon

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Picture by Amy Skorheim / Engadget

Connection: Twin Bluetooth, 2.4Ghz wi-fi | Energy: 2 x AA battery (included)| DPI choices: 400 fastened, 400-800 dynamic, 800-1500 dynamic | Weight: 175g | Additional buttons: Clickable wheel with horizontal scroll, ahead and again, two programmable thumb buttons, system change button

I’m on my second Logitech MX Ergo Superior trackball mouse, after the one I had for practically six years lastly began appearing up. So I used to be fairly sure which trackball mouse would win the prize right here. Effectively, I used to be unsuitable. Whereas the MX Ergo is a tremendous mouse that feels good within the hand and has a responsive curler motion, there have been so many further components to love in regards to the Kensington Professional Match Ergo that it edged out my favourite. And it’s $30 much less.

The very first thing that impressed me was the trackball ejector button. As a result of trackball mice keep in a single place and don’t monitor over your desk, they’re truly higher for surfaces that occur to build up cat hair (the dearth of motion additionally helps to not disturb the depositor of stated cat hair). However small bits of mud can nonetheless fall into the hole surrounding the trackball and mess with its roll, so sometimes you could come out the ball and clear the little helps within the socket. Getting the ball out was all the time sort of a ache — till now.

The Professional Match Ergo has a barely steeper tilt than the MX Ergo, which finally feels extra pure, with much less forearm twisting. The dynamic acceleration with the 2 variable DPI settings make cursor actions each fast and exact. Kensington’s software program (or third occasion software program like USB Overdrive) will allow you to program the 2 further buttons in addition to the ahead and again button and multipurpose scroll wheel, which additionally has click on and horizontal scroll talents. There’s A tool-switcher button cycles by the 2 Bluetooth and one wi-fi dongle connection. That’s a function I may see utilizing pretty usually, provided that the mouse is appropriate with iPads, and trackball mice are glorious to be used on the arms of couches.

One of many few gripes I’ve is that the DPI button is on the underside — inconvenient for rapidly swapping to precision mode in Photoshop and the like. I’m additionally not loopy in regards to the hard-touch plastic on the outside. It’s heavy at 175 grams, however since trackball mice have to anchor down, that’s truly factor.

Professionals

  • Handshake place is tremendous comfy
  • Additional programmable buttons
  • Trackball design minimizes arm actions
  • Simple clicks and correct monitoring
Cons

  • DPI button on the underside!
  • One programmable aspect button is straightforward to unintentionally press
  • Laborious plastic is a bit unyielding, but it surely stays clear

$78 at Amazon

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Picture by Amy Skorheim / Engadget

Connection: Wired, Bluetooth, 2.4Ghz wi-fi | Energy: Rechargeable battery | DPI choices: 5 levels, max 26,000 | Weight: 101g | Additional buttons: Clickable wheel with horizontal scroll, three programmable thumb buttons, profile change button

Full disclosure: Nobody would mistake me for a gamer (and after I do get round to enjoying one thing, it’s on a console). However I needed to see what an “ergonomic” gaming mouse would really feel like in comparison with a typical, productivity-style possibility. There aren’t very many vertical gaming mice and nearly none made by an organization I’m aware of. I don’t think about many trackball customers make it very excessive on the leaderboards, both. In order that leaves mice that the gaming world calls “ergonomic.” In that realm, ergonomic means formed to suit a selected hand, with curves and cutouts that conform to palms and fingers. It’s distinct from ambidextrous mice that provide a typical rectangular form with much less consideration for conforming to both hand.

The mouse I attempted from this class that felt probably the most comfy turned out to be Jeff’s prime decide in his greatest gaming mouse information: Razer’s Basilisk V3. It’s mild and tremendous simple to whip round a mouse pad and, even at greater DPI settings, the cursor stops on a dime for precision clicks. It has a properly textured, rubberized exterior and a comfortable ledge on your thumb to relaxation on. There’s no tilt to talk of; your hand is just about twisted palm-down in your desk, however the mild, simple and correct motion retains the pressure down.

Then there’s all of the stuff that makes it mouse for aggressive play, like customizable buttons and a number of profiles so you’ll be able to program distinctive actions for various video games utilizing Razer’s software program. The scroll wheel has a chunky notched motion, however a button toggles to make scrolling tremendous slick. There’s additionally a button close to the thumb that comes programmed as a low DPI button so you are able to do precision issues like purpose in your wand or gatling gun, or clear mud from Photoshop photos.

Professionals

  • Gentle, exact and speedy
  • Affordably priced
  • Thumb ledge is comfy
  • Loads of gaming customization choices
Cons

  • Makes use of a palm-down orientation

$49 at Amazon

Logitech’s Raise Vertical is probably going one of many extra common ergonomic mice on the market. It’s pretty light-weight, has a horny design with a pleasant really feel to the outside. The buttons are simple to click on and practically silent. It additionally connects rapidly utilizing both Bluetooth or a dongle. Sadly, it doesn’t glide throughout the mouse pad all that easily, and the pinch grip the design requires truly aggregated my wrist. The cursor actions are pretty exact, although I sometimes had hassle getting the cursor to land simply the place I needed it. Additionally, it’s small; my palms are too massive for the Raise. Logitech’s Logitech MX Vert is basically a bigger model, however once more, the skinnier form was uncomfortable in my palms and it was robust to get the cursor to go the place I needed it to.

The HP 920 ergonomic vertical additionally has a flange for resting your palm, but it surely makes the mouse overly heavy to maneuver round. With out it, nevertheless, it is a particularly comfy mouse with a premium really feel, rechargeable battery, and two programmable thumb buttons. Sadly, the cursor motion was frustratingly imprecise and didn’t go precisely the place I pointed, forcing a variety of corrections — and extraneous motion is what we’re attempting to keep away from in ergonomic setups.

Aside from the moderately loud clicks, I used to be impressed with the construct and efficiency of the Turtle Seashore Pure Air. It’s light-weight, strikes easily, and has impressively correct cursor actions. However regardless of being labeled an ergonomic mouse, it’s significantly mild on the ergonomics. There’s a divot on your proper thumb, so it could actually’t be referred to as ambidextrous, however past that it’s a reasonably customary (albeit fairly good) gaming mouse.

The PERIMICE-719 from Perixx is a stable mouse with an exterior that feels good to the contact. It has a snug, semi-vertical design, correct cursor strikes and a satisfyingly ratcheted scroll wheel. Plus, it provides dependable connectivity with a wi-fi dongle and solely prices $22. Sadly, it was too small for my hand. Solely of us with smaller glove sizes (or don’t thoughts adopting extra of a fingertip grip) will be capable of get probably the most out of this one.

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