Only One Golden Rule:
Jul 24 '02
The Bottom Line Never, NEVER, NEVER buy a mouse you have not personally felt.
Try it before you buy it!
That's really the only definitive rule for buying mice. Make sure it feels good in your hand before shelling out your hard-earned dough for a mouse. I almost learned this lesson the hard way, but was saved at the last minute. Let me walk you through my buying process to help you avoid doing the same thing...
My Somewhat Interesting Anecdote
I week ago I ordered a laptop computer from Best Buy. I've never owned a laptop before; I've used desktops my entire life. Consequently, I needed to purchase a mouse for my laptop, as the little touchpads are just too difficult for me to operate well. (Not to mention the fact that they are highly inadequate for gaming.)
So I needed a mouse. The question was, what kind? Trackball, optical, or 'normal'? Cordless or connected? Considering my mouse is for a laptop, an optical mouse made sense--I don't want to carry around a mousepad with me wherever I go. I also wanted a cordless one, but upon further research, realized I just didn't have that kind of money to spend. So an optical corded mouse it is.
Looking through the Sunday ads in the newspaper, I noticed Office Depot was selling Mouse A for only $15. "Hmmm, that could work. The picture in the ad looks a little cheap and plain, but I'll investigate further." So I went online and read some online reviews (this site included). "Sounds great, everyone likes it and says it's incredibly comfortable. Guess the mouse should be great. And only $15, what a steal!"
So I went over the Office Depot and looked for Mouse A. Sure enough, there it was, for $15. And it looked fairly nice too. I grabbed the box and began walking toward the checkstand, mentally patting myself on the back for making such a wise purchase.
"Wait, gotta look at CD-Rs," I remembered. I walked over to the CD-R shelf and looked them over. When I was unable to find any that suited my budget, I turned around to head for the checkstand. And right there in front of me was an entire shelf of mice I hadn't seen before. Not only that, but there were about 15 or 20 mice on display to test out. Sweet.
I searched out my Mouse A and slid my hand over it. "OK, it feels all right, I guess." I wasn't too enthusiastic, but felt that it would still be fine for $15. I tried the other mice too, mainly out of curiosity. To my surprise, Mouse B, priced at $20, felt more comfortable in my hand. It was a bit larger, meaning my hand didn't drag across the desk as much as with Mouse A. I noticed that Mouse B's buttons clicked more quietly than Mouse A, which could be beneficial when a roommate is trying to sleep. Mouse B's scroll wheel also seemed to be placed more naturally than Mouse A's. The more I felt Mouse B, the more Mouse A seemed to be cheapily constructed and of general poorer quality.
My heart sunk. I had grown attached to Mouse A, but realized it just didn't feel as naturally as Mouse B. So I placed Mouse A back on the shelf and walked out of the store. It was time to go home and do some more research.
So here I am now. I researched Mouse B on the 'net and the reviews are positive. The software is fine and the performance is good (as was Mouse A). Some think the mouse is a bit too large, but as I learned, it fits my hand more naturally. Tomorrow, Mouse B will be mine.
Final Words
The moral of my story is, as I said, try it before you buy it! You can read reviews of mice until you're blue in the face, but nothing compares to you actually placing your hand on the mouse.
Reviews are still totally worthwhile, of course--just not when referring to the "feel" of a mouse. Everyone's hands are shaped and sized differently. No one can tell you how a mouse will feel to you.
So before you buy your mouse, make sure you are able to test it out. Testing two comparable mice is favorable: I would have still purchased Mouse A even after feeling it if it wasn't for trying Mouse B. If you're unable to test them at the store, buy them both and return the one you don't like. Even if you're ordering a mouse online, make sure you give it a test at a brick-and-mortar store first. It can help save you a lot of future frustration and aggravation.
Repeat after me: "Try it before you buy it!"
That's all you need to know.
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Epinions.com ID:
da_matty
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