Why should I get a wireless mouse and keyboard?

I'll be getting a new laptop soon, and I plan to get at least a mouse for it. But I don't know if the wireless ones are worth the extra cash. I am also considering whether to get a keyboard.

Is there any reason for me to go wireless? Is there any reason for me to get a seperate keyboard?

Thanks for any input in advance. I'm currently looking at the Logitech M505 Wireless Mouse and the Logitech K800 Wireless Illuminated Keyboard, both of them are using the Unifying Receiver.

 

A portable cordless mouse is a useful notebook accessory, of course. A Blue Tooth mouse (MS 5000) would free up a USB port, if you have Blue Tooth... although they are harder to find. Shop for OEM versions to save a few bucks. Notebook mice tend to be smaller, less ergonomic.

I would only add the keyboard if you need it. Illuminated is good. Unified cordless is good, but beware battery life with an illuminated cordless keyboard. The Logitech Illuminated Keyboard is very nice and not cordless... so not as convenient for a notebook.

GK

 

Quick answer: If you cannot answer those questions for yourself, don't buy those accessories. You can always buy them at a later date if you need them.



There are very specific situations where wireless mice / keyboards are useful. There are also drawbacks to using wireless accessories, mostly around managing battery life... so be aware, that wireless isn't an "upgrade" from wired.

As for your mouse - what will you be doing with your mouse, and what is your budget for mice?

 

Well simply put, why would you need one is the question you should be asking. Do you need larger keys or dedicated numpads or you don't like touchpads?

If you do need the mouse then i'd always go wireless unless my needs dictate that i have to get wired (super high DPI/Refresh rate) - cables just get all tangled up and it's a big mess in there.

 

Because I don't want to spend on a wired mouse, and then decide to go wireless.

Yes I could use the numpad, but I guess that's not a good enough reason to get a seperate keyboard, is it?

 

errr you're answering your own question ? hehee..

for me:

- comfort
- portability (sometimes I hook to TV and just take the mouse/kb to couch)
- freedom ! no more tangles yeah
- now it's become a habit -- can never go back to cables
- lifestyle

 

Ok. Fair enough. That is a very valid point.

Follow-up question: So, why do you want a wireless mouse?

Can you specifically point to a reason why you want wireless?

Or is it more of a "Hey, Wireless is just as good as wired, but better, because it's wireless! So I might as well just get one, in case I change my mind and don't like wired mice somewhere down the road!"

 

Why buy a wire you don't need?

o It clutters your desktop.
o It complicates your use of a notebook in a mobile situation.
o It drags on the mouse.
o It makes switching hands to relieve corpal tunnel stress more cumbersome.
o It is vulnerable to being chewed by a stupid cat.

Cordless mice work great and the batteries last a year or more... what's not to like?

GK

 

I agree that wireless mice are great, and work great. But they are not just-like-wired-mice-but-better-because-they-are-wireless. There are some drawbacks to wireless mice.

(1) Battery life management. Not all wireless mice have batteries that last a year or more. Some wireless gaming mice, in particular, have batteries that last only a few days, and require you to deal with that short battery life.

(2) Battery Management. Some mice require you to swap batteries when they die. Other mice have a rechargeable battery mechanism, rather than requiring you to replace the battery. Sometimes that recharging mechanism is as simple as a USB cable. Other times, you need to carry around a bulky recharging station around.

(3) Expense. Wireless mice are more expensive than their wired counterparts that deliver the same performance.

(4) Selection. There are many more wired mice available to choose from than wireless mice. That means more selection of shapes, features, weight, and price.

(5) Interference. Wireless mice, like all wireless devices, are subject to interference. This is especially the case if you operate around 2.4Ghz cordless telephones, or work near microwave ovens.




Wireless mice are fantastic. And wireless mice work great in the right situations. But they do have their drawbacks, so it wouldn't be helping someone to just blindly say "Yes, get a wireless mouse! They are awesome!" or "No, don't buy a wireless mouse! They are terrible!" It's more important to ask the person what their needs / wants are out of a mouse, and help them figure out whether a wired / wireless mouse is right for them.

 

As for the question about a separate keyboard, that depends on your setup. I use it as my laptop is hooked up to an external monitor.

 

I risk sounding like an idiot by saying this, but I'll say it anyway:


Reasons for me to get a wireless mouse:

1. I insist on only Logitech mouses. The only Logitech mouses that are suitable for laptops, look simple and decent, and have a tilt wheel (4-way scrolling) are all wireless mouses (at least on the website). The reason I pick the M505 is because it uses the Unifying Receiver, in case I want to get a wireless keyboard as well. Saves the USB port.

2. It might be really useful in case I want to use my laptop from a distance.

3. It's one less wire.

4. It looks cool and I never used a wireless mouse before, so it might be a good experience. I'm hoping the experience of using a wireless mouse would be so good that it'd make me reject corded mouse forever.


Reasons for me NOT to get a wireless mouse:

1. I'm afraid I might forget to put it back in my laptop bag, and therefore misplace it. I'm a forgetful person.

2. If I use the mouse in public places someone might steal it when they get the chance?

3. It's more expensive, duh.



I'm hoping for someone to say something convincing about how inconvenient a wired mouse is, and that they couldn't live without a wireless mouse. Just so I can ultimately decide on the M505.

 

1. Don't buy a cordless mouse unless the batteries will last upwards to a year, such as the mice mentioned earlier in this thread.

2. See 1. and just use normal batteries.

3. The OEM MS 5000 notebook mouse comes in black for about $28.

4. I find the selection of mice, corded or not, limited to just a few that look nice, not too many buttons in the wrong places, are symetrical for both hands, are big enough (corded), or are battery efficient (cordless).

5. Interference is possible, perhaps less with Blue Tooth. I have not experienced it. And it is not a deal breaker in this thread since a notebook can move on and you can always resort to using the touchpad.

GK

 

(1) If Logitech works for you, then there is no reason not to buy a Logitech mouse. The Logitech M505 is a good mouse, but be aware that there are other mice that also use that Unifying Receiver (it wouldn't be very "unifying" if only one mouse used it ).

The Logitech M705 Marathon Mouse (~$40 USD) is a nice step up from the M505. Contoured shape, 2 extra thumb buttons (for browser forward/back), hyperscrolling mouse wheel, and battery life that lasts forever (3+ years). If you want to go one step higher, you have the Logitech Anywhere MX (or its bigger brother, the Performance MX). Costs ~$50 USD / ~$70 USD. It adds a Darkfield laser sensor, which allows you to use the mouse on less-than-perfect mousing surfaces like glass, polished granite, or laminanted particleboard desks. Battery life of about 3 months with the Anywhere MX, requires you to replace batteries. Battery life of about 2 weeks with the Performance MX, rechargeable via included USB cable. All of these use the Logitech Unifying USB Nano receiver.

If you care about gaming, Logitech G700 is the way to go (~$75 USD). Incredibly high DPI sensor, high USB polling rates, lots of configurable buttons, macros, great software, stores your profiles and settings onto the mouse's onboard memory. Works full performance in either USB wired or wireless mode. Battery life lasts about 3 days, rechargeable via included USB cable.



(2) Yup. Wireless is the way to go for distance-mousing.

(3) Yup. Less wires is a good reason to go wireless.

(4) Depends on the situation. On my main desktop gaming rig, I would never use a wireless mouse, because there is no advantage to using one for the hassle of having to recharge batteries. So I will always use wired mice on my desktop gaming rig.

On my work laptop, I use a wireless mouse (Logitech M705 Marathon Mouse) both in my office and as a spare mouse in my travel bag. Having a clean wire-free cable surface is nice. And the main drawback of dealing with rechargeable batteries is a non-issue, because the M705 Marathon Mouse lasts forever on batteries.

(1) That is a personal issue. But the fact that you're even aware of your forgetfulness, and take that into consideration, makes me believe that you'll likely be careful about forgetting your mouse.

(2) Probably not. If they are in a situation where they could steal your mouse, why wouldn't they just steal your entire laptop instead?

(3) Yes. Whether you are willing to pay that extra expense is up to you.

(4) For your (non-gaming) usage, a wireless mouse isn't that big of a hassle. The mice you're looking at (Logitech M505, and possibly some of the alternatives I mentioned) will all do the job just fine, with very little trade-off compared to wired mice. Unless you're specifically looking for gaming-level wireless mice, there really isn't a reason not to buy a Logitech M505 / M705.

 

A cordless mouse is worth buying for a notebook application because you do have to buy a mouse, and a cordless one is easier to port around and use wherever you happen to setup your notebook. You just pull it out, flip the switch, and use it on the desk surface, the wall, your pant leg, the arm rest, the side of the sofa... wherever you're stretched out surfing the Net.

GK

 

^^That!!

And, OP..Not sure if the deal is still intact but:

Logitech Wireless Desktop MK700 - $39.99 + Ship = $46.51

Use code: woot-30211, at checkout.

Just checked deal is still valid for now.

 

That's certainly something I didn't realise. Thanks for that input.