There is not really much more I can say about this mouse that most other people haven't already said. However, reading some of the reviews here makes me scrach my head: am I the only one experiencing something a little different here?

The Logitech Optical Wheel Mouse is designed to be a simple wheel mouse replacemnt for the usual "Microsoft InteliMouse" gang. It adds no other functionality except for being an optical mouse. However, there is only one benifet this mouse provides: a higher resolution. This mouse is 2x as accurate as the first gen optical mice. What does this mean? Greater accuracy in first-person-shooter (FPS) games such as Quake 3, Half-Life, Return to Castle Wolfenstien, and many others.

Last generation of opticals were not perfect, as they skipped, or had slow response time. Newer optical mice now overcame these limitations. Even exceeded them. However, this is what I've read... in many sources such as www.tomshardware.com, anandtech.com, Maximum PC, and other PC gaming, hardware, and/or software publications.

This is my first optical mouse. I purchased it mostly because of the increased resolution. However, I am not too impressed. Frankly, I am not too fussy about cleaning my (then) $50 Microsoft Intelimouse Wheel Mouse when it doesn't track correctly. It's a physical tracking method, even though all mice track optically (internally with infrared).

The drivers are very annoying (not really a "driver" per se... more like "extra software"), as they add yet another icon in the taskbar's tray. No drivers are required, as Windows will pick it up as either a Microsoft mouse with wheel (PS/2), or as Logitech's Optical Wheel Mouse (USB).

First off, for other OSes, I do recomend using the USB to PS/2 converter, since most other OSes do not yet have support for USB mice. For windows users who are for going DOS completely, USB is the way to go, as it is the only way to use the mouse's full potential (the higher res). Another good reason is that you can turn off the PS/2's need for an IRQ, freeing one up for other peripherials in an IRQ-cramped situation.

Tracking is not what I expected, espically from reading all the info I could get my hands on. The mouse frequently drifts at times, thinking there is movement when there is not. Albit very small (perhaps pixels at a time), it is annoying and potentially dangerous for mission critical navigation (or a missed change in snipping your enemy dead-on the forehead). An oddly textured surface is required for optimaal tracking. A blank paper would not track well at all, as do magazines and a perfect-patterned surface. Must be from the glare (magazines) or repetitive patterns. It goes without saying that you cannot use this on a reflective surface or glass. This is one blind mouse! Or should I really say that this mouse is like a bat...it has a sonar: amazing in the right conditions, but helpless in many others.

The construction of the mouse itself is part normal and part NOT. If it wasn't for the color and the translucent case, it would look and shape like an ordinary mouse. It certainly have a nice look with a dark blue translucent lower area so the red LED can shine thru. This may or may not be a plus, as the LED is BRIGHT when in use. Even when it is not, the LED dims a bit, but still enough to annoy in a very dark room. Not to be used on a server in your own bedroom.

The mouse itself feels light and cheap. Clicking the buttons, and even using the wheel has a hollow feel to it. However, it feels just like any other Logitech's cheap mice that they give away in OEM PCs (Gateway does it!), or in the $5 rack of some office supply store.

All in all, the mouse disapointed me if I consider why I was purchasing it in the first place (higher res, perfect tracking). However, as a mouse repacement, don't discount cheap ball mice completely yet!

Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 25

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