Partially off-forum topic: I need a new mouse
by HoSpanky · in General Game Discussion · 09/04/2003 (3:11 pm) · 13 replies
Okay, my current mouse (a first edition boomslang 2000) is having some serious right-button issues. it double clicks almost every time. it's NOT set up to nor supposed to do this.
aside from that, the mouse is fantastic. so...it needs replacement (cleaning didn't fix the issue). My three choices are: the Logitech MX700 or 500, and the new Boomslang 2100.
anyone in here have any of these? the MX700 SOUNDS all nice, but the stuff required for it to run wireless means more shit to pack/unpack for a lan. the 500 is corded, and roughly the same shape. the buttons are mounted quite far to the front of the mouse, meaning entire-hand-on-mouse, which I haven't done since I got the boomslang.
but the boomslang is $100. no way around that. and the company that makes it is in some financial uncertainty. the current driver set for it works great, but if they go under again, they may never make another set for whatever OS microsoft pops out next.
any thoughts here? I've KINDA made up my mind, but if anyone owns an MX700 or 500, I'd love to hear what you think of it.
aside from that, the mouse is fantastic. so...it needs replacement (cleaning didn't fix the issue). My three choices are: the Logitech MX700 or 500, and the new Boomslang 2100.
anyone in here have any of these? the MX700 SOUNDS all nice, but the stuff required for it to run wireless means more shit to pack/unpack for a lan. the 500 is corded, and roughly the same shape. the buttons are mounted quite far to the front of the mouse, meaning entire-hand-on-mouse, which I haven't done since I got the boomslang.
but the boomslang is $100. no way around that. and the company that makes it is in some financial uncertainty. the current driver set for it works great, but if they go under again, they may never make another set for whatever OS microsoft pops out next.
any thoughts here? I've KINDA made up my mind, but if anyone owns an MX700 or 500, I'd love to hear what you think of it.
About the author
#2
to be honest, I wouldn't ever load logitech's mouse drivers if I bought one. I know they're crap. but the basics would work without the drivers, and that's all I really care about...all the little cutesy web browsing buttons are worthless to me.
09/04/2003 (6:37 pm)
Hey, every opinion is helpful....altho I don't like the shape of microsoft's mice (come to think of it...Logitech's aren't all that comfy either).to be honest, I wouldn't ever load logitech's mouse drivers if I bought one. I know they're crap. but the basics would work without the drivers, and that's all I really care about...all the little cutesy web browsing buttons are worthless to me.
#3
09/04/2003 (7:51 pm)
I totally agree. I wish someone would make an old fashioned two/three button (possible wheel) mouse with the advanced optics, that worked with the default mouse drivers. I often find myself clicking the wrong button - and it backspaces after typing a long post. Have you checked out any generic two/three button optical mice? They might perform just as well as the more expensive models.
#4
09/04/2003 (8:17 pm)
<- Proud MX500 owner. Best mouse I've ever owned. Works just fine in games. Logitech put in an option to turn off acceleration when games are launched so there's no problems with jumpiness. This one definitely has my vote.
#5
09/05/2003 (3:48 am)
I've tried a MX700 and they're a bit on the heavy side, presumably because of the rechargable battery. The small buttons are a bit difficult to use. It did feel pretty responsive and has a nice clicky action on the main buttons though..
#7
Anyway, so I went to CompUSA, and I looked at the mx500/700 (only difference is the wireless-ness), and I couldn't STAND how far forward your fingers have to be to press the buttons easily.
then I noticed their little brother off to the side. it's $20 cheaper than the 500, and has fewer buttons. but it's got the neccessary ones (and a couple unneccessary ones), and it's shaped differently from the other two. the buttons are also clearly defined, and can be pressed easily even from the far back edge. Its got indentations on either side for you to put your thumb and pinky. It is, far as I can tell, the closest thing to an optical Boomslang I could ever hope to find. I realize that it has less than half the DPI of my boomslang, but I'm not nearly as serious about my games as I was a few years ago when I bought that $100 mouse.
So, I'm gonna give the mx310 a try, when they have any in stock. they had PLENTY of 500 and 700s, but not ONE 310. Guess I'm not the only one who thought it looked like their answer.
09/11/2003 (10:43 am)
Yeah Bong, John's been saying "buy a trackball!", but that's like saying "learn to drive your car with this joystick!".Anyway, so I went to CompUSA, and I looked at the mx500/700 (only difference is the wireless-ness), and I couldn't STAND how far forward your fingers have to be to press the buttons easily.
then I noticed their little brother off to the side. it's $20 cheaper than the 500, and has fewer buttons. but it's got the neccessary ones (and a couple unneccessary ones), and it's shaped differently from the other two. the buttons are also clearly defined, and can be pressed easily even from the far back edge. Its got indentations on either side for you to put your thumb and pinky. It is, far as I can tell, the closest thing to an optical Boomslang I could ever hope to find. I realize that it has less than half the DPI of my boomslang, but I'm not nearly as serious about my games as I was a few years ago when I bought that $100 mouse.
So, I'm gonna give the mx310 a try, when they have any in stock. they had PLENTY of 500 and 700s, but not ONE 310. Guess I'm not the only one who thought it looked like their answer.
#8
Using a mouse was causing me some serious RSI. The trackball is nowhere near as bad. Its still a nightmare working in a paint package with a trackball. Arg.
09/11/2003 (1:00 pm)
I dont use a trackball out of preference to be honest.Using a mouse was causing me some serious RSI. The trackball is nowhere near as bad. Its still a nightmare working in a paint package with a trackball. Arg.
#9
I'm picturing a normal (non-thumb) trackball on the desk, for left hand movement, and then the mouse for aim, for right hand.
Is this possible?
09/11/2003 (8:46 pm)
Is it possible to use two trackballs - one for movement and one for aim? Or a trackball for movement and mouse for aim? Can two of the same kind of such devices work together in MS?I'm picturing a normal (non-thumb) trackball on the desk, for left hand movement, and then the mouse for aim, for right hand.
Is this possible?
#11
the saga of my mouse woes continues. I bought the MX310. I have not removed it from the packaging.
when I got home from the store, I found that I had a message from someone I'd been VERY keen on getting ahold of. so I opened it, kinda forgot about the new mouse...
and then hopped into a game of UT2k3. no mouse wackiness. this was something rather odd, really. I'd gotten used to the mouse refusing to allow me proper double-jumps.
so I exit the game, test it out with some IE menus and the like. so far, it hasn't misbehaved since I bought the new mouse. I think it senses the presence of its replacement, and is doing its best to not be retired. not that I'm COMPLAINING, mind you. aside from the $30 that's sitting packaged in front of my old mouse, I'm quite happy.
my razer's in double secret probation now. one slip, and the mx310 gets to leave its prison.
09/14/2003 (10:10 pm)
*sigh*the saga of my mouse woes continues. I bought the MX310. I have not removed it from the packaging.
when I got home from the store, I found that I had a message from someone I'd been VERY keen on getting ahold of. so I opened it, kinda forgot about the new mouse...
and then hopped into a game of UT2k3. no mouse wackiness. this was something rather odd, really. I'd gotten used to the mouse refusing to allow me proper double-jumps.
so I exit the game, test it out with some IE menus and the like. so far, it hasn't misbehaved since I bought the new mouse. I think it senses the presence of its replacement, and is doing its best to not be retired. not that I'm COMPLAINING, mind you. aside from the $30 that's sitting packaged in front of my old mouse, I'm quite happy.
my razer's in double secret probation now. one slip, and the mx310 gets to leave its prison.
#12
I'm going to buy the Razer 2100. the MX310 is a fine mouse if you've never had a 2000 dpi mouse before. but 800 DPI hurts. badly. I didn't think it'd be that big of a deal, but it's less than half the response I'm used to. if I pump up windows mouse acceleration, I can't get a bead on single pixels. if it's at normal, then the mouse feels horribly sluggish.
Razer might not have most of the public's attention, but their mice really are far, far better than "normal" mice. no, they're not optical. yes, they're ridiculously expensive (comparatively). but I'm hooked, and it'll be a very sad day indeed when I'm stuck with a broken razer and no means of replacement. thankfully, mine *mostly* works, and the new one oughta work for several years as well.
09/25/2003 (2:23 pm)
Well, here's the end of the I Need A New Mouse post...I'm going to buy the Razer 2100. the MX310 is a fine mouse if you've never had a 2000 dpi mouse before. but 800 DPI hurts. badly. I didn't think it'd be that big of a deal, but it's less than half the response I'm used to. if I pump up windows mouse acceleration, I can't get a bead on single pixels. if it's at normal, then the mouse feels horribly sluggish.
Razer might not have most of the public's attention, but their mice really are far, far better than "normal" mice. no, they're not optical. yes, they're ridiculously expensive (comparatively). but I'm hooked, and it'll be a very sad day indeed when I'm stuck with a broken razer and no means of replacement. thankfully, mine *mostly* works, and the new one oughta work for several years as well.
#13
the new 2100 has more problems than the old 2000. the mouse wheel's clicking doesn't coincide with the datasend of the mousewheel movement, and the teflon feet are so flat that the mouse slides on the plastic body, NOT the feet.
lame.
so I found that someone else had the same double-clicking issue I have with my 2000, and he took his apart and replaced the microswitch. I'm thinking I might try this out, maybe use a switch from one of the very cheap ($15) boomslang 1000's.
10/11/2003 (12:57 pm)
Well, I THOUGHT that was the end of my mouse problems.the new 2100 has more problems than the old 2000. the mouse wheel's clicking doesn't coincide with the datasend of the mousewheel movement, and the teflon feet are so flat that the mouse slides on the plastic body, NOT the feet.
lame.
so I found that someone else had the same double-clicking issue I have with my 2000, and he took his apart and replaced the microswitch. I'm thinking I might try this out, maybe use a switch from one of the very cheap ($15) boomslang 1000's.
escapedturkey
If you have the oppurtunity to change OS's, and you are using Windows XP, I highly recommend switching to Windows 2K Pro. There is something wrong with XP's mouse sensitivity for games. Even with the registry fixes out there, it still has awkward sensitivity issues.
I switched from XP to 2K Pro and not only did my mouse become more accurate (using standard drivers), but gameplay performance became a lot better (more steady). My system is a P4 2.4 ghz, 1 gig RAM (Mushkin CAS 2-2-2), Geforce 4 4600, etc.
As for mice, I would recommend the Microsoft Intellimouse Optical - very accurate, and the drivers work well. Logitech has issues with drivers for mice at times.
My response isn't exactly what you asked for, but figured I'd share a mouse related opinion. =)