A.: Apple trackpads are the perfect, probably world's best, touchpad devices. And the MacOS native driver is good: it unleashes almost all of the amazing trackpad capabilities. And the MacOS native driver is good: it unleashes almost all of the amazing trackpad capabilities.
If you're using a touch-screen device like a 2-in-1 laptop, a stylus can make it easier to take notes or create detailed sketches on your device. Mac Computer Mouse If you're using a Mac computer, consider a Mac mouse that can allow you to easily navigate through applications with features like force-sensing side buttons and a scroll ball.
Logitech Touch Mouse Server. Choose Platform and OS. Software Version: Post Date: OS: File Size.
The Best Computer Mice of 2018 Don't settle for your PC's basic mouse or your laptop's uncomfortable touchpad. Our buying advice and product recommendations will point you in the right direction.
Feature
By William Gallagher Tuesday, November 20, 2018, 07:57 am PT (10:57 am ET)
This is surely the easiest part of buying a Mac: picking the mouse to go with it. Except there are also trackpads —and you won't believe the number of choices you've got. AppleInsider talks about what we've used and like, and how to narrow down your options to find the right mouse or trackpad for you.
Apple's Magic mouse, trackpad and keyboard
Apple is missing a trick here. When you order a new Mac mini from Apple's online store, the firm offers you upgrades to storage and processor plus it tries to tempt you with software like Final Cut Pro X. Yet it doesn't offer you a mouse or trackpad even though Apple sells them —and even though it will offer these when you're buying a Mac Pro. If it did include Apple's own devices in the list of possible Build to Order options it would be fine. If you separately choose to add them to your Shopping Basket, you won't regret it. You still have to choose between the mouse and the trackpad but both are good choices that you will be happy with. It's just that they are not the only options. Not by a very, very long way. And there has been at least since Apple's original iMac mouse came out and drove people to look for alternatives that were less uncomfortable.
Apple's infamous original mouse for the iMac
That old hockey puck mouse doesn't look great but you had to use it to realize just how dreadful a mouse can be. Comfort and functionality are the keys to a good experience. You might not imagine that there's a lot of functionality you can have in a mouse, but some are so feature-packed as to be ludicrous. And yet whatever you end up choosing to buy, the steps you take and the issues you need to work through are the same. Here's what you need to think about plus recommendations in every type of Mac pointing device.
Mouse or trackpad
You could always buy both and we're not saying to dodge the decision. Plenty of people have plenty of reasons to have both a mouse and a trackpad on their Mac mini.
Broadly speaking, a trackpad is great for most uses. It's just the same as on a laptop, it's quick and easy, it's comfortable. Plus as well as moving your cursor around the screen, trackpads can have gestures. Swipe four fingers upwards to get macOS's Expose feature, for instance. A mouse, on the other hand, is far more precise. So a photographer, for example, might have a trackpad for moving quickly through hundreds of images but then a mouse for making precise Photoshop adjustments.
Trackpads are easy
Maybe we used to be split between those of us who preferred a mouse to a trackpad and vice versa, but then we found BetterTouchTool and became a little obsessed with it. It's software that gives your trackpad a just about infinite number of possible gestures. So as well as Apple's Expose trick, we can launch apps, change the Mac's brightness, switch between Desktops or put the computer to sleep with the right tap. That's tipped the balance for us. So much so that unless you have a specific need for a mouse, we're going to say that you'll find a trackpad to be better use and better value.
Apple Magic Trackpad 2
What's more, we're going to say buy Apple's Magic Trackpad 2. It's not cheap, it's around $125 on Amazon, but it is the best there is. You could look at the VicTsing Ultra-Slim Touchpad Keyboard which is a combination keyboard and built-in trackpad. It's perhaps convenient to have a single unit that does but you'd have to really want that convenience because this just is not our favorite keyboard. Curiously, Logitech has sold at least a couple of keyboards that have trackpads but many are discontinued. The only remaining ones on Logitech's own website are positioned as being solely for PC-connected TV sets. If you like the idea of a trackpad coupled to your keyboard and you buy the Apple Magic Trackpad 2, take a look at TwelveSouth's MagicBridge which costs around $35. This is a kind of low tray that holds that trackpad together with Apple's Magic Keyboard.
TwelveSouth MagicBridge
Mice are harder
Crack your knuckles and prepare for a far more involved search for the right mouse for you and your new Mac mini. There must be a hundred different Mac-specific mice available and since they connect to your machine via USB, you've also got the choice of most PC mice too. It's true that you can plug a PC mouse into a Mac and it's also true that the sheer volume of options this gives you is a cacophony. Yet as far as the manufacturers are concerned, we're a happy coincidence, a lucky extra market that they get through no effort. That means many or even most therefore don't put any effort in to the Mac at all so you end up with a mouse that comes with features and buttons that do absolutely nothing unless you're on a PC. So before you buy a mouse, check that it is called Mac compatible and exactly what that means: Amazon and manufacturer listings should say if there are limitations. Make that your last check, though, your last consideration. Before then you need to look at what you're actually going to use the mouse for.
Types of work
Some mice are better made than others but they're all the same when it comes to how precisely you can move your cursor around on the screen. So that's not the issue: the issue is what you're pointing that cursor at and how long you intend to do it. If you're really more of a keyboard user —you're a writer in Word, you're an accountant in Excel —then any mouse will do. If you're going to be spending your entire day making selections and adjustments to images or video, though, you need to think slightly less about the mouse and quite a bit more about your hand. You need to find a mouse you can use comfortably and perhaps intensely for very many hours at a time. You will go through few different possibilities before you find the right one for you.
Apple
Apple's Magic Mouse 2 is low-slung, sleek and has no tiny buttons to reach for. It has no buttons at all and is really as much of a trackpad in mice form as it is a mouse.
Apple Magic Mouse 2
Unless you find it too low on your hand, unless you find that you're scrunching up your grip to swipe trackpad-like gestures on it, Apple's mouse is a good choice. The sole criticism you'll hear about it is that, being wireless, you have to recharge it and the Lightning port is on the bottom of the mouse. Apple has been ridiculed for putting it there and yet in real-life use, it's a shrug. Sure, you can't use your mouse while it's charging so in theory you could be on an important deadline when you run out of battery power. Either pay more attention to the Low Battery warnings your Mac mini gives you or just take a two-minute comfort break. By the time you've done your hand exercises, the mouse will have had enough power to let you get on with the job. Then when you've hit your deadline, leave it charging overnight and forget about it for another few weeks. We like the precision and the low-slung feel of Apple's mouse. We like the idea of the trackpad-style features more than we actually use them. And, we admit it, we think this is the best-looking mouse there is. It just might not be the most ergonomic.
Ergonomics
If you already have issues with your hands or you know you will be using a mouse so much that you're at risk of RSI, look to the Logitech MX Ergo Wireless.
Logitech MX Ergo Wireless
It looks like a baseball mitt but it's small enough to sit comfortably under your hand. It's also one where you won't have to move that hand very much: it has a trackball so that you can control your cursor with a flick of your thumb. This is still really a traditional mouse in how it rests under your hands and maybe that's not the right position for you. Take a look at Anker's vertical mouse instead. It's a startlingly different look for a mouse but we do know users who find a vertical one to be much better on their hands. Note that Anker's vertical mouse has media control buttons that do not work on Mac.
Anker vertical mouse
Demanding use
Just as with keyboards, easily the most demanding users are gamers. They need speed, precision and caffeine. The Razer Naga Trinity mouse is so replete with functions that we wouldn't be surprised if it handled coffee too.
Razer Naga Trinity mouse with optional 12-button side panel inserted
You can use this as a regular mouse but the more you get into games, the more you may want to take advantage of its extra options. You can swap out the normal two-button mouse control and instead slot in a 12-button version.
Touch Mouse For Mac
So while you move and point the cursor just as you would with any mouse, right under your thumb there can be up to a dozen more controls. If they just added a few more, you wouldn't need a keyboard.
Making your choice
This is going to be a bit like a bad murder mystery story where the killer is a character who isn't introduced until the end. For while we've talked about ergonomics and gamers as well as regular mouse users, there is one mouse that sneaks in under the radar because it's good for just about everyone. We still think that Apple Magic Mouse 2 is a fine choice but if you don't like it or you need a slightly cheaper option, there is the $99 Logitech MX Master 2S.
Logitech MX Master 2S mouse
It's just a solid mouse. It isn't flashy, not over-loaded with features, yet well made and a good option for anyone. For all that we can tell you what's possible in mice and trackpads, for all that we can caution you what to look out for, it's still a deeply personal choice. So alongside thinking about your ergonomics, thinking about what you'll use the mouse for and seeing if it's Mac-compatible, we have one last thing for you to check —the returns policy. Keep up with AppleInsider by downloading the AppleInsider app for iOS, and follow us on YouTube, Twitter @appleinsider and Facebook for live, late-breaking coverage. You can also check out our official Instagram account for exclusive photos.
Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products; you can learn more about our review process here. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links.
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The Rundown
Best Budget:Sabrent Mini Travel USB Optical Mouse at Amazon, “One of the best-rated travel mice at less than $10.”
Best Design: Verbatim Mini Travel Optical Mouse Metro Series at Amazon, “Buyers love its petite versatile design.”
Best for Comfort:Microsoft RVF-00052 Arc Touch Mouse at Amazon, “With novel bendable design, it's among the most interesting travel mice out there.”
Best Compact:Logitech Ultrathin Touch Mouse T630 at Amazon, “Roughly the size of a credit card, and featuring intuitive Windows-8-like gestures.”
Best Wired:Targus Cord-Storing Optical Mouse AMU76US at Amazon, “Users are amazed by how well it's made.”
Best Wireless:VicTsing at Amazon, “Packed with so many features, it’s almost unfathomable that this device costs less than $10.”
Best for Gaming:Logitech G403 at Amazon, “One of Logitech’s top gaming steeds, impressive specs without looking needlessly flashy.”
Our Top Picks
Best Mouse For Macbook
Best Budget: Sabrent Mini Travel USB Optical Mouse
Sabrent’s Mini Travel USB Optical Mouse is the best on the list for affordability. This is the mouse that meets the middle ground in both price point and worth; you will be paying less than $10 for one of the highest rated travel mice on Amazon to date.
Sabrent’s wired mini travel mouse features a “plug-and-play” feature where it requires no software for installation: it’s compatible with both your PC and Mac. It’s ultra portable design means it weighs only 1.5 ounces and measures 2.44 x 6.46 x 1.57 inches. It includes a robust and lightweight ABS for silent clicking, a multifunction wheel, as well as a 1200 DPI for optical tracking precision.
Best Design: Verbatim Mini Travel Optical Mouse Metro Series
The small Verbatim Mini Travel Optical Mouse measures 8.5 x 1.5 x 4.9 inches and weighs only three ounces. It features a retractable USB cable and offers a USB 2.0 interface that’s compatible with USB 1.1. ports. It works with all modern operating systems across the board, including Mac OSX, Windows 7 and Linux kernel 2.6 and higher. Unlike some other mice on the list, the Verbatim offers a one-year limited warranty in case anything goes wrong with your mouse. Buyers love the product for its small versatile design. Colors come in black, blue, pink, purple, red, and green.
Best for Comfort: Microsoft RVF-00052 Arc Touch Mouse
By far one of the most interesting and ground-breaking travel mice out there is Microsoft’s RVF-00052 Arc Touch Mouse. It’s built with a flexible curved design that can be manipulated and bent to contort to your comfort, as well as flattened for easy storage.
Best Wireless Mouse For Mac
Microsoft’s Arc Touch Mouse does not include a physical scroll wheel, but instead, responds with precision to the movement speed of your finger on its sensor. It uses a light vibration feedback to scan through your documents and Web pages. The RVF-00052 includes BlueTrack technology, designed with the combination of optical and precision lasers, making it adaptable to any surface.
Moreover, this mouse includes two AAA batteries with a battery life of up to six months and is compatible with the most current operating systems on the market.
Best Compact: Logitech Ultrathin Touch Mouse T630
Best Wireless Mouse For Mac
Logitech’s Ultrathin Touch Mouse T630 is wireless, weighs 6.88 ounces and measures 1.73 x 5.43 x 4.09 inches. The portable T630 is roughly the size of a credit card and is built with a brushed metallic body and smooth silky surface. Unlike other portable mice on the list, it includes wireless Bluetooth technology for connectivity and charges via USB to a full charge in only minutes. The device features intuitive gestures with Windows 8 like enlarging images and scrolling.
Note that, since there is no universal compatible unit, the T630 comes in two versions for Mac and Windows.
Best Wired: Targus Cord-Storing Optical Mouse AMU76US
Targus' Cord-Storing Optical Moue AMU76US has an ergonomic shape and design, a retractable USB cable and 1,000 DPI optical sensors. The Targus Cord-Storing Optical Mouse AMU76US weighs just 3.2 ounces and measures 2.25 x 1.5 x 4.25 inches. It comes in a black and grey design and is compatible with both Windows and Mac operating systems. Comes with a one-year warranty.
Best Touch Mouse For Windows 10
Best Wireless: VicTsing
Bluetooth Mouse For Mac
The VicTsing has so many features packed in that it’s almost unfathomable that this little mouse is almost $10. Let’s run them down: the mouse comes with five adjustable optimized CPI settings (indicating the tracking speed of the mouse) -- 800, 1200, 1600, 2000, and 2400. Once you have the sensitivity set right, you can bet that the thing will last a long time since the company tested it for 5,000,000 keystrokes. The 2.4 GHz wireless and the optimized chip allows for wireless connectivity up to 33 feet away. The ergonomics are also thought through with slots and indents for each finger, while the battery life ensures the most possible play on a single AAA. Finally, the mouse supports pretty much any OS under the sun with compatibility for Windows, Mac and even Linux.
Best for Gaming: Logitech G403
Razer has earned its place on these lists as kind of the industry standard for mainstream gaming gear. But after scouring the range, we ended up going with one of Logitech’s top gaming steeds. The G403 comes with its own set of impressive specs: a 1 ms response rate of 1000 Hz (both wirelessly and on USB), a glide coefficient that rivals even wired at-home mice, a 20-million click durability rating, a 32-bit ARM processor, as well as the ability to customize its LED color up to 16.8 million different ways. Plus, if you’re running low on battery, it allows for simultaneous charging and wired operation. But our favorite part about this is that the thing doesn’t look needlessly flashy like most gaming mice, so it’ll be just as at home answering e-mails on the train as it is owning FPS opponents in your hotel room.