Mac Users, what mouse are you using?

When doing accounts recently, my spreadsheet had tiny columns and I noticed I was having trouble getting my no-name USB mouse to go to exactly the right area of the screen. I looked closer and when I move it slowly diagonally it would sort of go 5-10 pixels across then 5-10 pixels up, so what should be a straight angled trajectory on the screen in practice traveled like stairs/steps viewed in profile.

I went back to 3d modelling and noticed that I'd always put up with this, hand often tensed up, battling the mouse to go exactly where I want it to. I'd never really noticed, had been used to it. Sometime during the frustrating accounts process I gave it the bash and as a result the middle mouse no longer worked and now I need to find a replacement, ideally something that works a lot better.

I fired up my crappy magic mouse and as well as actually not having a middle mouse it disconnects (bluetooth) every 5 minutes for up to one minute where it just doesnt work. Apparently a common issue - Apple has never made a decent mouse in my experience, and their best one is no exception. Also no middle mouse is pretty much ridiculous for 3d modelling/navigation.

So I went to the apple store, and brought their recommendation, a 'Rapoo" model with both bluetooth and a USB connector(still wireless) but my mac thinks the usb thing is for a keyboard not a mouse. As a bluetooth device my mouse teleports across the screen in 3 inch jumps. It was $50 and is going back for refund tomorrow.

So do you have a recommendation for a good 3 button mouse that works on Mac? At this stage I'm not sure what to seek and am using my disconnects-every-5-minutes magic mouse which will never suffice in the long term.

Thanks

AaronC

 

http://gaming.logitech.com/en-hk/product/g500s-laser-gaming-mouse

Lovely. Accurate and has extra buttons I map to keys using included software, which is helpful for apps and games alike. I like that I can set the wheel to free spin for web surfing, and clicky for games.

 

I use something branded Gigabyte.
Used if for 2 years already.
But it's wired.

 

I use a Logitech Wireless mouse, lasts forever and amazing to hold. Also use a Magic mouse.

 

I use a logitech M500, but having the drivers installed means that I can't use the wheel to scroll in Monodevelop. Considering this has been a bug for years now, I don't see that getting fixed any time soon, so buyer beware and all that.

 

Logitech Performance MX with SteerMouse. I got burned bad with a whole-system freezing issue in Mavericks when switching applications with their default drivers. I really like the basically frictionless scroll wheel (with horizontal scrolling), though. I'd be annoyed to have to switch to something more traditional.

 

Well there is your problem, MonoDevelop.

 

I use a logitech M90 for two years, no problem in Monodevelop.

 

*Looks at mouse*

Holy smokes, that's the same mouse I'm using! I'm on PC, but I also think it's excellent.

 

All those great alternatives on OSX with debugging support such as *thousands of tumbleweeds roll by*

The M90 doesn't have extra buttons that don't do anything useful without the drivers installed.

 

...

 

Apples magic mouse, the wireless one w/ the entire top as a touch sensitive pad, is the most amazing mouse in the world. I started using it when it came out, and have never once looked back.

 

I also use Logitech mice, a G5 at work and a G700 at home. Don't currently have the drivers/bloatware installed for either of them (though they were useful for initial setup of the firmware on the G700), use the G5 on both Win and OS X.

To be honest, I'm wondering if the problems in the OP are hardware related at all. To have that kind of problem with two completely different mice... Are you using your operating system's default drivers, and are you sure that you don't have anything else messing with it in software? No USB overdrive or anything? I've not *ever* had such an issue in a long history of using many mice across many operating systems. (And it sounds like the same issue but with different levels of sensitivity.)

Also to consider is that OS X has a crazy and not easily controlled acceleration curve, that could potentially be the cause of your issue. Is the mouse snapping on a grid, or is it just jumpy when transitioning from low to high speed (and thus painful when trying to move short distances quickly)?

 

It sounds like the OP has a dusty work environment, because this is the exact behaviour I see when my sensor gets dirty.

 

Just got a Logictech M310t - price is good, wireless, lightweight and it's fullsized.

 

Pretty sure Sublime has some patch to allow such.

How do you enjoy your middle click?

 

It doesn't support real time debugging, which is something I kinda need.

 

You can use an app like MagicPrefs for that. My Logitech MX518, after quite a few years (7?), has just started acting up where it occasionally stops responding for 5-10 seconds. Although it otherwise still works fine, it's getting somewhat worn after all this time, so rather than fiddle with it to see if it's the connection or whatnot, I just ordered a G400S, which seems like more or less the same as the MX518.

--Eric

 

Hopefully this doesn't signify that I'm a noob... No mouse, touchpad .

 

MagicPrefs is an option yes, but from my experience it doesn't work that great for constant middle clicking, in my case Blender. It requires constant middle clicking for navigation.

 

Logitech T400 is good for me and it's small and handy when travelling.

 

I thought at first you have a $500 dollar mouse was just like....well S***. That's almost as much as my laptop.

Stupid inflation...

 

Never in my life have I had to have a middle click.

 

I've had some expensive Logitechs, but the batteries lasted longer than the mouse itself. Now I just use a cheap Logitech M90. Two years and still going.

 

Can't go wrong with any logitech really. Prefer wired though, personally.

 

Thanks for your thoughts and comments - some good info here!

 

Best mouse on the market.

As a comparison, I brought one of those cyborg rat mice... paid $200 for it (so about 4x the price of the g500). It was great but after a few months, it started freezing for short bursts.. replacement did the same thing...

ended up giving it to a mate that only played RTS's so it didnt matter..

 

also, get a decent mousepad.

makes a world of difference

 

I agree on the mousepad, but have you ever played an RTS?

 

Using the Logitech MXLaser... mouse. It's OK.

 

When I'm not on my laptop I use the Magic Trackpad. Works fine for what I usually want to do, but once I will get back to 3D modelling in Cheetah I'll probably get myself a proper mouse.

I have read several reports of a high pitched noise emitting from somewhere near the mouse wheel - can you confirm/deny this?

 

I use it quite a bit for navigating 3D space. Both in modelling software and Unity.

I use a basic Logitech B110. Very cheap (£5), comfortable, reliable, not right-handed, and quiet. I tried a few expensive mice, but none felt right to me.

 

SteelSeries Sensei. Used Razer mice before but they always had squeaky mouse wheels. Also, it's critical to buy and use SteerMouse. Do not question it

 

I am afraid dear friends that you all are wrong, the following is a combo that cant be beat:

Apple Keyboard (the metal Bluetooth one)
Apple Magic Mouse (the touchscreen top one)
Apple Touchpad (The.. touchpad)

Batteries last at least 2 months per device, and they never disconnect.
Navigating in Modeling software and Unity is smooth as butter.

(No I'm not a fanboy, they just really make good stuff...)

 

The metal keyboard is way better for typing on than you'd think from looking at it, but they mangled the media key and function key layout, and since I use both frequently, I can't really use the keyboard. So I'm sticking with the white pro keyboard.

--Eric

 

Also the wireless model doesn't come in a number pad variant.

Also all three of those things together costs $225.

 

I'm using a cheap high-res gaming mouse:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005CPGHAA

Works great and only cost $11.49.

 

Yep, forgot about that...the number pad is pretty much a requirement for Blender.

--Eric

 

haha all the time.. thing is, it was perfectly accurate, but would get 1-2 seconds freezes... not a big deal in rts, in fact you barely notice the problem, but in shooters... well..

 

?? How are you not moving the mouse pretty much 100% of the time when playing an RTS? Maybe you mean TBS?

--Eric

 

That's kind of what I was getting at. I was only a bronze level SCII scrub and I would have been driven absolutely insane by a tenth of a second freeze in my mouse. 2 seconds at the wrong time could literally lose you the game, even at that low level of competitive play. And there are plenty of potential "wrong times".

 

On the PC side, I use Logitech VX Nano for 6 years (since 2008). It's probably the best mouse I have ever used - and I have used over 12 different mice (I actually bought a dozen of them because I am picky and OCD! the mice includes high end ones such as Razer Orochi, Roccat Pyra, to the med end Logitech G9X, Logitech Performance Mouse M950 and the more pedestrian Logitech G100s, and couple of no-name low end mice) - the VX Nano is very comfortable, fits my hand perfectly and it is feather light (very important factor in choosing a mouse if you use it professionally since you are basically holding that thing for the whole day or more - the lighter the mouse the better so you won't develop RSI (Repetitive strain injury). I have tried this mouse on the Macbook Pro and it works perfectly too. Its got a middle mouse button and a GREAT scroll wheel that can spin forever which is great when you are reading documents that are hundreds of page (or a lousy forum like this one! ).
Its got a aggregated rating of 9.1 on Engadget user's review.
Mind you I think Logitech retired this mouse years ago although I see some shops still sell it so if you want the very best, buy it! Logitech now sell this follow-on version is called Logitech Anywhere Mouse M905 which looks almost identical to the VX Nano, but it is actually a little bit different - it is now a bit heavier (instead of using 2 AAA batteries, it now use 2 AA). It does seem to track better though because of better (dual LED) laser and sensor so it can track on almost any type of surface (hence the name "Anywhere" mouse).






But the mouse I use for my MacBook Pro is actually Logitech M555b; while it is still very good, it is definitely not as good as the VX Nano - both in term of comfort (its just not as snuggly as the VX Nano) and weight (it is just slightly heavier) but I chose it because it is a bluetooth mouse which doesn't require a USB port for the receiver and free up a precious USB port on my Macbook Pro (there are only TWO USB ports on Macbook Pro 2010!). Another advantage this mouse has over all other bluetooth mice I have used is that it doesn't take a minute to wake up - it wakes up almost instantaneously, and it rarely goes to sleep! You just have to remember NOT to use the included Logitech driver on CD - if you do you will have problems like mouse goes into sleep too early or or constantly or taking a minute to wake up. Just pair it normally (without installing the Logitech driver) like a normal bluetooth device and you will be fine.
Its got a aggregated rating of 8.8 on Engadget user's review.

Hope that helps! And good luck!

 

Is there something wrong using the Apple Mighty mouse?

 

Yes, you can't do left/right clicks simultaneously, and the scroll ball is unreliable.

--Eric

 

+1

 

Same here, but I'm actually having a problem with the Logitech Gaming Software. If I set the mouse to be managed by the software instead of by the on-board memory, then the left and right mouse buttons will cancel each other out.

For example - if I click and hold the left mouse button, then click and hold the right mouse button, it will actually register a "click" from rmb and an "unclick" signal from lmb. If I then let go of the right mouse button, it will register an "unclick from rmb and a "click" signal from lmb. Works fine with the software closed or when on-board memory is chosen in the software.

Have you had the same problem hippo? Logitech support has been less than helpful on even acknowledging that this is an issue with their software and not with my mac...

 

My experience with Logitech mice is that, unless you ABSOLUTELY must use those special features that comes with the mouse that can only be activated using Logitech software driver - then do it. If not, don't install them. I have found they are more of a nuisance and they often interferes with the normal operation. I am running all my Logitech mices without the Logitech supplied driver. Just the OS native driver.

 

I've never once installed Logitech software for any reason. Anything fancy you want to do can be achieved with third-party software such as SteerMouse or ControllerMate, which have been around for a long time and are thoroughly battle-tested by now.

--Eric

 

Microsoft Arch Wireless Mouse, best for mobility and smoothness

 

For those interested, I've got a bit of an update on the ongoing support ticket with Logitech regarding my G500s mouse (details above).

Apparently the click-override issue is either specific to my mouse, or they are so desperate to not put any effort into fixing their software that they're providing me with a free upgrade to the G502s. The tech response is quoted below.

So with that in mind, have any of you used the 502? Is it good? And more specifically, does it also have the software issue I described?

From Logitech support:

UPDATE: I received the G502 and it resolves the issue completely! I still think it was a software issue, but that they decided not to fix it with the G500s, as it's now considered outdated.