Old computer mice. Types of computer mice. Advantages of a computer mouse

When buying a computer, many users pay attention only to the choice of the main and most expensive components - processor, motherboard, video card, etc.

When it comes to choosing peripheral devices (, mouse), many characteristics are overlooked. Often, the user takes what is included with the system unit, and then wonders why the mouse quickly breaks down (or it is simply uncomfortable to hold in the hand).

In this article, we will look at the main characteristics of a computer mouse that you should consider when purchasing.

1 Size and shape

Most of all computer operations are performed using the mouse. Consequently, the user almost constantly holds the mouse in his hand and moves it across the table or rug. This explains the need to choose exactly the device that, in its shape and size, will ideally fit the shape and size of the palm. Otherwise, holding the mouse will not be very comfortable, you will get tired faster and get less pleasure from work.

I even know people whose hand hurt so much after working with an uncomfortable mouse for a long time that they involuntarily became left-handed for a while. When the hand began to, as they say, ache, the mouse moved to the left, into the left hand, the mouse buttons were rearranged for the left hand, and thus it was possible to calm the right hand. This is very inconvenient if you are not a true left-hander, and the work on the computer is greatly slowed down.

Therefore, before buying, be sure to hold the mouse in your hand and figure out how convenient it is to work with it, how comfortable it is to hold it in your hand (in the right hand for right-handers and in the left hand for left-handers).

2 Type (type) of computer mouse

Based on their type, mice are divided into

• mechanical,
• optical and
• remote.

Depending on the type, let's see what a computer mouse looks like.

Mechanical manipulators use a special ball that rotates as the device moves along a flat surface.

Rice. 1 Mechanical mouse

Optical mouse manipulators use an optical pointer that reads changes in the position of the mouse relative to the plane along which the mouse is moving.

Rice. 2 Optical computer mouse USB connection

Remote mice work on the same principle as optical mice, but they do not have a wired connection to the computer.

Rice. 3 Remote mouse

With remote mice, the signal from the manipulator is transmitted wirelessly remotely, and the mice themselves operate on a battery or battery.

Mechanical mice are currently obsolete. Almost no one uses them due to relatively low sensitivity and frequent failures. They quickly accumulate dust and dirt, which interfere with the normal operation of the rotating ball and reading sensors. There is no point in buying such manipulators, even if they are attractive in price.

Optical mice are the most common (due to ease of use, reliability and durability).

Remote mice are also used quite often, but have a number of disadvantages. Eg,

• possible problems with sensitivity (including due to the lack of wires),
• the need to periodically replace batteries,
• Battery charge monitoring, if used.

However, such remote mice can be useful for those who work at a distance from the computer. For example, in the case of using a computer as a TV, it is more convenient to switch TV channels remotely, while at a distance, sitting, as they say, on the sofa, for which a remote mouse can be oh, how useful!

Remote mice are also convenient for those who make presentations using a computer, but do not have the opportunity to work with professional equipment. Then a computer (usually not even a computer, but a laptop) is used as a screen for demonstration, and a remote mouse allows you to switch presentation slides from a distance (for example, while standing during a speech).

3 Connector

Any mice, even remote ones, must be connected to the computer via ports. Wired mice have a corresponding connector at the end of the wire. Wireless mice have a special device like a small flash drive, which also connects to a PC port and serves as a receiver for signals from a remote mouse.

Rice. 4 PC/2 ports

The mouse can connect to the computer

• to the PC/2 port (Fig. 4 – round port),
• as well as to the USB port (Fig. 2).

At the same time, USB mice are rapidly replacing mice with a PC/2 cable from the market. There are several reasons for this:

• firstly, a better connection;
• secondly, the prevalence of USB connectors on almost all modern PCs.

It also happens that there are not many USB ports on the computer, and they may not be enough to connect a mouse. It's rare, but something like this can happen. Then they come to the rescue - these are devices that allow you to make 2, 4 or more USB ports from one USB port. This makes buying a mouse more expensive, since you have to buy a splitter in addition to it, but it solves the problem of a lack of ports. Fortunately, a lack of USB is an extremely rare situation; in ordinary PCs (if it is not “exotic”) there are always enough USB ports to connect a mouse.

For those who do not want to part with the familiar and now “native” mouse with a PS-2 connector when switching to a PC that no longer has PS-2 ports, the industry (unfortunately, not quite native, but rather Chinese!) offers PS adapters -2 – USB. Again, this is a rare occurrence; it’s easier to change a mouse to USB than to look for, buy, and pay for an adapter. However, for those interested, we can offer this somewhat exotic option of connecting a mouse to a computer.

4 Sensitivity

This indicator is measured in dpi (dots per inch). The higher the sensitivity of a computer mouse, the more accurately you can move the mouse cursor around the workspace (on the screen) of the monitor.

Let me explain. We are talking about the accuracy with which you can place the mouse cursor with your hand at one point or another on the screen. The higher the sensitivity, that is, the more dots per inch, the more accurately you can position the mouse cursor at the desired point on the screen.

Let me remind you that an inch is 2.54 cm. And we use this length measurement system because we are not the ancestors of computer technology, and therefore we use someone else’s system of measures and weights.

High sensitivity, in fact, is not only a blessing. High sensitivity, on the contrary, can cause problems and difficulties working with the mouse. High sensitivity is important for those who work with high-resolution computer graphics, for computer designers, for designers and similar professions that require drawing or drawing using a PC. High sensitivity can be useful for “gamers”, fans of computer games, where the accuracy of hitting certain fields on the monitor screen is important.

Otherwise, ordinary PC users can make do with mouse controls with relatively low precision. Why high accuracy if you only do, for example, text editing? You can easily use your mouse to hit the desired line, the desired text symbol, as they say, “without aiming” and you won’t miss!

The sensitivity of many mechanical mice ranges from 400-500 dpi. However, as noted earlier, this type of manipulator is a thing of the past. In optical models, the dpi value can reach 800-1000.

The cost of a specific mouse model directly depends on the sensitivity. When purchasing a mouse with high sensitivity, a PC user pays additionally for this feature. This is another argument in favor of choosing mice that are not too sensitive. Why overpay if high sensitivity is not needed in normal PC work?!

5 Number of buttons

A standard mouse has only three controls - the right and left buttons, as well as a wheel. The mouse wheel is not only a familiar scrolling tool, but also serves as the third mouse button. You can press the wheel like a button, click it. This allows, for example, to open browser windows in new tabs (see).

Working with buttons and the mouse wheel should be pleasant and comfortable, otherwise such a mouse can cause irritation for a PC user. For example, the buttons (both right and left) may be too tight and require quite a lot of force to press. This is not convenient for everyone, and when working for a long time, you can simply get tired of pressing buttons, which sometimes leads to painful and unpleasant sensations.

Mouse buttons can be pressed quietly, almost silently, or they can “click” loudly. This is also, as they say, an acquired taste, some people like it louder, with a clicking sound, while others prefer silence.

The buttons can be pressed without play, without free play, and in some cases the play can be so large that it feels like the button itself is moving a little, swaying. Buttons with play can be annoying, but on the other hand, some people may like them. As they say, not for everybody. You have to try it with your own hands and choose.

Also the mouse wheel. It can spin easily, or it can “slow down” and require additional effort. Here too - as you like.

Pressing the wheel may be light or may require some training of the index finger. It is especially annoying if the wheel is pressed without a click, when it is not very possible to feel whether a press has occurred or not. In this case, pressing and scrolling the wheel becomes akin to roulette, either hit or miss! Not very convenient, this mouse is more for thrill-seekers.

It is better for the average inexperienced PC user to have a mouse where everything is simple and clear:

• here they are, left and right mouse clicks,
• here it is, scrolling the wheel up and down (attention, sometimes the wheel spins well only in one direction up or down, but gets stuck in the other, and this also needs to be checked when purchasing!).
• And here they are, clear and understandable clicks with the wheel, that is, clicks with the third mouse button.

Everything is simple, reliable, practical.

For ordinary three-button mice, as a rule, no additional drivers are needed; they are already included in PC operating systems.

Rice. 5 Mouse with a lot of buttons

More expensive and advanced models may have 4, 5, 6 or more buttons. When installing drivers for such mice, you can assign a specific action (or a sequence of actions) to each button. This can be very convenient when working in some special applications or computer games. Otherwise, these extra buttons are not needed, it is better not to overpay manufacturers for them, and limit yourself to standard manipulators, two-button mice with a wheel (aka the third button).

6 Other characteristics

This could be, for example, case material, button material, manufacturer, etc. Here you should choose based only on your own preferences. Some people work well with ordinary plastic mice. Some people prefer metal mice. Some people like regular buttons, while others want buttons with finger-shaped notches for a comfortable hand position.

Some people like mice of any color, while others prefer only white, only black, yellow, pink, green, and you never know what other colors there are!

Personally, for example, I like mice that work on any surface: on a table, on a mouse pad, on a tablecloth, on oilcloth, on fabric.

And there are mice that, for the life of me, will not work on a light table, for example, or on oilcloth, or on glass, until you put a mouse pad or at least a regular sheet of paper under them. And this is also an important characteristic of the mouse, which we will classify as “other characteristics”.

Another “other characteristic” is how quickly the mouse collects dust and dirt from the table, and how easily it is cleaned of this dust and dirt. Unfortunately, there are no ideal workplaces. Whatever you do, dust and dirt tend to appear again and again, and they settle on the lower surface of any mouse, even the cheapest or most expensive. And here it is important how quickly the mouse becomes inoperable due to this, and how easily it can be cleaned of all this. A dirty mouse may, for example, lose its sensitivity, or begin to work “jerkily,” which makes it difficult for the mouse cursor to hit certain points on the screen.

Rice. 6 Apple mouse with touch controls

For some PC users, an important “other characteristic” may be the name of the manufacturer. For example, if you have an “advanced” laptop from Apple, you might want a mouse from the same manufacturer with touch controls, when you just move your finger, there are no mechanics, nothing rotates, but the movement of your finger is detected. You will have to pay extra money to own this manipulator.

Or you can just hope that a more or less well-known other company will not sell “bad” mice that can quickly fail. And then you may want to buy a mouse from manufacturers such as, for example, Logitech, Microsoft, A4 Tech.

Here, to be honest, it depends. An unsightly mouse a la “made in China”, as they say, “noname” (that is, without a name, without an obvious manufacturer, without a known manufacturer) can serve faithfully so long that you forget when, where and at what price you bought it . Or maybe a branded mouse will fail quite quickly. Although, on average, mice from well-known manufacturers last longer and work better than their Chinese (and not only) competitors.

So, as we see, mice are not such simple devices. They have many parameters in which they can differ from each other. Choosing a mouse is an important point when choosing a PC. Because we will have to work with the mouse, since we have become users (and to some extent even hostages) of modern “window technology” for presenting information on the monitor screen and processing it with modern tools that personal computers provide us.

Receive the latest computer literacy articles directly to your inbox.
Already more 3,000 subscribers

Annotation: A mouse is one of the required components of the basic configuration of any desktop computer. A touchpad (touchpad) can act as a kind of mouse substitute in laptops. With its help, you control the cursor by moving your finger along the surface of this device. But a laptop touchpad cannot compete with a computer mouse in ease of use. Using a mouse, you can control a special pointer (cursor) displayed on the screen of a personal computer (PC). There are several types of modern mice, differing both in the method of connection to the computer (wired and wireless) and in the principle of operation (optical and laser).

Optical computer mice have a light emitter and a light receiver, thanks to which the movement of the manipulator along the surface is recorded. In other words, optical mice use a tiny camera and a light source (LED). A beam of light is reflected from the surface on which the mouse is moving and analyzed. Optical mice are the most popular among casual PC users today, but they have problems when working with highly reflective (white, glass or metal) surfaces (Figure 4.1).

Rice. 4.1.

Mice can be wired or wireless. A wired mouse, like a keyboard, is connected to a PS/2 or USB connector. USB connection provides higher transmission speed data compared to using PS/2, which should be considered when purchasing a gaming computer mouse. The wireless mouse transmitter also plugs into one of these connectors, after which you can work with the mouse without experiencing the discomfort of a wire that takes up space on the table and can constantly cling to something. This wireless mouse is powered by a built-in battery or by AA batteries.

Laser mouse

This mouse will be more expensive than an optical mouse (about $100) because it uses a laser beam instead of an LED. This mouse works significantly more accurately and smoothly than optical ones, and on any surface. The laser allows you to increase the accuracy of the mouse to 2000 dpi. The mouse is good for computer game fans and designers. As an illustration of what has been said in Fig. Figure 4.2 shows the Logitech V450 Nano wireless mouse. The red arrow in the figure shows its receiver, which is plugged into the USB port of the PC. The mouse operates at a frequency of 2.4 GHz, its battery ensures operation of the mouse for a year.

How to choose the right computer mouse?

So, mice are different. But which mouse should you buy? Buy a mouse in accordance with its intended use, i.e. the work you will do on your PC. The size and shape of the mouse should fit the size of the palm of your hand, as these characteristics are responsible for comfort and rational distribution of the load on the hand. Among the well-known and popular manufacturers of computer mice are Logitech and Genius. Next, we will look at the main parameters that you should consider when buying a mouse.

Permission

Optical mice are considered standard today and are suitable for most of your everyday tasks. Buying a laser mouse will interest you if you are looking for a manipulator with special characteristics. Sensitivity The (resolution) of a mouse is determined by its sensor characteristics, which are measured in dots per square inch (dpi). A standard mouse has a resolution of 400–600 dpi and a polling rate of 100 Hz - these parameters of the manipulator meet the needs of most PC users. You will need a computer mouse with a resolution of over 1000 dpi to work with graphics and engineering applications (for example, Adobe Photoshop or AutoCAD). High resolution provides greater accuracy of cursor positioning.

New term

Under resolution mice understand the number of measurements the mouse makes over the distance traveled. It is expressed as the number of measurements per unit length of 1 inch (2.54 cm).

Response time

Response time a computer mouse characterizes the polling frequency and processing time of the light signal, which is of great importance for computer games. The response time for gaming mice should be more than 1000 Hz. However, keep in mind that the higher this setting, the faster the mouse responds and the more difficult it becomes to control.

Advice

Since it is necessary to maintain a balance between mouse speed and cursor positioning accuracy for a given monitor screen resolution, today a mouse resolution of 800 dpi when working on a monitor with a resolution of 1280x1024 can be called a reasonable compromise. Raising the resolution above 800–1000 dpi does not make sense, since the mouse will be inconvenient to use.

Additional functionality

Computer mouse options can be expanded with additional keys and modifications to the scroll wheel. The wheel can simply scroll the document up or down, or it can also be push-button, that is, it can also serve as an additional button. An additional button in graphics programs can, for example, change the image viewing scale, which is convenient when working with graphics. Mice for computer games are equipped with a special computer program that allows you to change their capabilities. For example, you can change their sensitivity, and replacing the scroll wheel with a trackball allows you to position the cursor more accurately. This computer mouse is perfect for working with computer graphics. As you already understand, computer game lovers place the highest demands on mice. In addition to the requirements already noted above, they are even selected by weight. Although there are piece products that are more sophisticated. For example, if you do not want anyone other than you to use the computer, then you can purchase a mouse with a built-in sensor that reads your fingerprint.

Techniques for controlling the cursor with a mouse

Below we will look at the basic techniques for using the mouse in the Windows 7 operating system.

Exercise 4.1. Mouse hangs

Hover your mouse over the button Start located on Taskbars, and hold the mouse for a while. The Start text pop-up appears (

A mouse is one of the tools that can be connected to a computer to operate the cursor. The cursor, a flickering rectangle of light on the screen, shows where the operator's next action will be located. When a letter is typed, it appears on the screen at the location marked by the cursor. Cursor control keys allow the operator to move the cursor along the screen, up and down.

But the rotating mouse on the operator's desk (below) can move the cursor across the screen in any direction at hand speed. Buttons on the mouse allow the operator to select options from the on-screen menu or draw lines on the screen.

There are two types of mice - mechanical and optical; any one can easily fit in the human palm. When a mechanical mouse (right) moves across a surface, its internal mechanism measures distance, direction of movement, and tells the computer to repeat the movement on the monitor. The optical mouse (bottom left) performs this task using light rays to determine the direction of the mouse on the grid. The joystick (bottom right) serves as a control mechanism in many video games.

Mouse movement and cursor

Connected to the keyboard by electrical wires, the mouse forces the cursor to imitate its movements on the screen at any distance and direction. Therefore, while moving the mouse, the operator must look at the screen. Because the mouse can move in any direction, creating curved and diagonal lines, it is an excellent drawing tool.

How an optical mouse “sees”

The optical mouse is built on a special grid. As the mouse moves across the grid, light from an LED - light-emitting diode - enters the grid. The lenses and mirror send rays to a sensor, or photodetector, which marks the coordinates of the lines passed.

How does a mechanical mouse work?

On the inside of a mechanical mouse there is a braking ball connected to slotted discs (brown), which rotates as the mouse moves. An LED on each disk emits light, and a photodiode opposite counts the pulses of light passing through slits in the spinning disk. These impulses are converted into cursor movement on the screen.

Inside the joystick

Like a mouse, a joystick detects movements in two directions and coordinates signals. The handle passes through the moving axle (center) and fits into the right corner of the lever (bottom). Two electronic devices called variable resistors send signals that change the positions of the axle and arm and cause the cursor to move.

In this lesson I will talk about the types of computer mice. We will look at ball, optical and laser mice.

Types of computer mice

Computer mouse is a device with which you can select and manipulate objects on the computer screen.

Depending on the connection method, there are wired and wireless. They differ from each other primarily in their operating principle. The most common types are:

• Ball;
• Optical;
• Laser.

Let's look at each type in more detail.

Ball

The outdated and cheapest option is quite large, with a rubberized ball protruding slightly from the base.

With its rotation, it sets a certain direction to the two rollers inside, and they transmit them to special sensors, which “transform” the movement of the mouse into the movement of the cursor on the monitor.

But there is one drawback: if the ball gets dirty, the mouse starts to jam. Periodic cleaning is essential for proper operation. In addition, such a mouse requires a certain surface, because the accuracy of the work depends on the adhesion of the device to it.

Optical

An optical computer mouse does not have rotating elements - the principle of its operation is qualitatively different from the previous version.

Its design is a small camera that takes up to a thousand pictures per second. As you move, the camera photographs the work surface, illuminating it. The processor processes these “snapshots” and sends a signal to the computer - the cursor moves.

Such a device can work on almost any surface, except mirror, and does not require cleaning. In addition, such a mouse is smaller and lighter than a ball mouse.

The disadvantage of optical mice is that they glow when the computer is turned off. But this problem can be solved: the computer just needs to be disconnected from the voltage line.

By the way, in many modern models this issue is easily resolved: on the mouse itself there is a special button that turns off the device.

Laser

A laser mouse is an improved version of an optical mouse. The principle of operation is the same, only a laser is used for illumination rather than an LED.

This modification made the device almost ideal: the mouse works on any surface (including glass and mirror), it is more reliable, economical and accurate - cursor movements closely correspond to real movement.

In addition, even when the computer is turned on, it is unlikely to interfere with sleep at night - the laser backlight is very weak.

Wired and wireless

Wired mice are connected to the computer using a special cable (wire).

Wireless ones do not have a “tail” - they transmit a signal to the computer via radio waves or via Bluetooth. They are connected using a special small receiver (very similar in appearance to a flash drive), which is inserted into the USB connector.

Among the disadvantages, it should be noted that all wireless ones, due to the lack of cable, are deprived of stationary power. Therefore, they need to be recharged separately - from batteries and accumulators.

In addition, “tailless” devices may have operational failures due to a connection that is not always stable. Well, it should be noted that in price they can significantly exceed the “tailed” ones.

Computer mouse buttons

Buttons are the main control elements. It is with their help that the user performs basic actions: opens objects, selects, moves, and so on. Their number in modern models may vary, but only two buttons and a scroll wheel are enough to operate.

It is this version of a computer mouse - two buttons and a wheel - that is most common today.

On a note . There are often mice that have a small button near the wheel. Its function is to double-click the left button.

Some modern mice have an additional button on the side, under the thumb. It can be programmed to perform any actions: say, to open a certain program.

Fans of computer games treat it with respect: it allows you to program the choice of weapons, which provides significant time savings in the game.

Manufacturers are constantly inventing something new, adding different buttons, but this does not bring any tangible benefit - most users ignore them anyway.

True, there are some “non-standard” models that are used with pleasure by specialists and gamers. For example, a trackball mouse (with a two-dimensional scroll wheel) or a mini-joystick (analogous to a gaming joystick).

Modern mice

Regular two-button mouse has all the necessary qualities: it allows you to perform many manipulations (clicking, dragging and other gestures), easily hits the desired pixel on the monitor, is suitable for long-term work and is relatively inexpensive.

Manufacturers are constantly updating the design, trying to make it more ergonomic, that is, as comfortable as possible for grip. So today a user with any level of needs can choose the optimal model - both in terms of technical characteristics and degree of comfort.

A few years ago, Apple introduced the touch mouse. There are no buttons - control is carried out using gestures.

Another new development is the so-called gyroscopic mouse. It recognizes movement not only on the surface, but also in the air - you can control it by waving your hand.

True, such an innovation is far from perfect: the hand quickly gets tired when operating it.

Whether you use it for work or play, our hands grip a computer mouse almost every day. What is the difference between an optical and laser mouse?

There are a wide variety of them on store shelves, most designed for right-handed people, while a few have ergonomic designs suitable for left-handed people. Of all the features and form factors, you will find two basic versions of computer mice: with an optical sensor or laser-based. What's better? Let's figure it out.

Guess what? All modern computer mice are optical

Modern computer mice are the same cameras that, instead of capturing faces, capture images of the surface from below (table, stand, etc.). The captured images are converted into data to track the current location of the peripheral on the surface. Ultimately, this is a low-resolution camera in the palm of your hand, designed only to track X and Y coordinates thousands of times per second.

Essentially, all computer mice consist of a tiny, low-resolution camera (CMOS sensor), two lenses, and a light source. All mice are optical, technically speaking, because they collect data optically. However, those sold as optical models rely on an infrared or red LED to project light onto a surface. This LED is usually mounted at an angle and focuses the light onto a beam. The beam bounces off the surface, through a lens that magnifies the reflected light, and is transmitted to the CMOS sensor.

The CMOS sensor collects light and converts light particles into electrical current. This analog data is then converted into 1s and 0s, resulting in over 10,000 digital images being captured every second. These images are compared to create the exact location of the mouse, and then the final data is sent to the PC to place the cursor every one to eighth of a millisecond.

On older LED mice, you may have noticed that the LED was pointing straight down and shining a red beam onto the surface that the sensor could see. Now the LED light is projected at an angle and is generally invisible (infrared). This helps your computer mouse track movements on most surfaces.

Meanwhile, Logitech was the first to introduce the concept of using a laser for a computer mouse back in 2004. Specifically, it's called a vertical cavity laser diode, or VCSEL, which is used in laser pointers, optical drives, barcode readers and other devices.

This infrared laser simply replaces the infrared/red LED on optical models. But don't worry: it won't harm your eyes because it only emits light in the infrared range, which the human eye cannot perceive. This major advantage allows the laser mouse to use a higher beam intensity, resulting in better visualization and increased sensitivity.

At one time, laser models were considered far superior to optical versions. Over time, however, optical mice have improved and they now work in a wide variety of situations, with a very high degree of accuracy. The advantage of the laser model is due to its greater sensitivity than that of an LED mouse. However, if you are not a hardcore gamer, this is not such an important feature.

So, what is the difference between using an optical and laser computer mouse, other than the difference in lighting?

First, it should be mentioned that both methods use surface irregularities to track the position of the periphery. But, the laser can penetrate deeper into the surface texture. This gives more information to the CMOS sensor and processor inside the mouse to manipulate and transmit data to the parent PC.

For example, even though regular glass is transparent, it still has very small irregularities that can only be tracked with a laser. This allows you to use the surface of the glass table when working, although it is not ideal. Meanwhile, if we place a modern optical mouse on the same glass surface, it will not be able to track our movements. Place a glass surface on a black desktop and an optical mouse will still not be able to track movement. Remove the glass and the optical mouse will start working perfectly.

Of course, the chances of constantly using a computer mouse on a glass surface are extremely rare, but this demonstrates how the two lighting processes differ in performance. The LED will monitor anomalies detected on the top layer of the surface, while the laser can penetrate deeper to find additional positional details. Optical computer mice work best on non-glossy surfaces and mats, while laser mice can function on almost any glossy or non-glossy surface.

Accuracy and sensitivity

The problem with laser computer mice is that they can be too precise, collecting useless information like invisible particles on the surface. This causes problems when driving at slower speeds, causing "judder" on the screen. This incorrect 1:1 tracking is due to useless data being transferred to the general tracking used by the PC. The result is that the cursor will not appear in the exact place at the time when your hand directed it there. While this issue has improved a lot over the years, laser mice are still not ideal when you're drawing details in Adobe Illustrator, for example.

However, jitter has nothing to do with the number of dots per inch a mouse can track in a second. Instead, the jitter is tied to whatever is scanned by the laser, collected by the sensor, and sent to the parent PC's processor to display the on-screen cursor. To smooth out some of the jitter, you can place a fabric-based material, with a hard, dark surface underneath it, on your table to prevent the laser from collecting unnecessary or unwanted data.

Another option would be to reduce sensitivity. The CMOS sensor resolution on a computer mouse is different from a camera because it is based on motion. The sensor consists of a specified number of physical pixels aligned on a square grid. Resolution refers to the number of individual images captured by each pixel as it moves across a surface.

Since physical pixels cannot be changed, the sensor can use image processing to divide each pixel into a smaller area. However, all computer mice have a specified physical resolution, and the increased sensitivity is due to algorithms inside the sensor, so you can speed up the movement of the cursor on the screen, with the same physical movements. So, the closer you get to the base resolution, the less unwanted positional data the sensor in a laser-based computer mouse collects.

Simply put, lower sensitivity results in more precise movement.

What's better?

It depends on the application and environment. If you look at the Logitech G brand, you will notice that there Logitech mainly focuses on LED mice when it comes to PC gaming. This is because users typically sit at a desk and may even be using a mouse pad designed for better tracking and grip. However, the company also has laser mice, and Logitech also offers a small number of devices with lasers that are not aimed at gamers.

Another manufacturer, Razer, prefers laser technology because it offers higher sensitivity in games. In general, we do not believe that optical or laser technology is completely self-sufficient on its own. Our recommendation is more specific for office use.

A laser mouse can be ideal whether you're in a hotel room, in the living room, lying on the couch, or scrolling through Facebook while sitting in a meeting. Performance can be inconsistent given the surface underneath, but with a laser mouse you definitely have more options on all surfaces. A laser-based computer mouse comes in handy when you have to use your foot as a tracking surface, or when your office has nothing but shiny furniture that your LED device absolutely hates.

Most modern high-performance mice use laser. However, as a rule, they are more expensive. While laser is a more versatile technology, a decent optical mouse can do the job for less as long as you use it on a flat, non-glossy surface.

We hope this article helped you understand at least a little better the differences between technologies in the main peripheral devices, and it’s up to you to decide which computer mouse you need.

Mouse sensors: Laser or Optics?

If you find an error, the video does not work, please select a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.