Wired vs Wireless Mice

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic by 8 people | Log in to rate

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So, which ones are better?

The wireless vs wired mouse debate is an old one and is especially popular among gamers. Nowadays wireless mice are getting better and better, so you don't have to worry about issues like slower response time or bad signal. However, there's no getting around the fact that you still need to recharge the batteries every now and then - just as there's no getting around the fact that wired mice are limited by the cable. Now it's your turn to tell us whether wired or wireless computer mice are better, and why!

Wired or Wireless? You decide! 

What kind of computer mouse is better?

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Wired mice are best!

John says:

I like wired better. Wireless mice are heavier,more expensive and not just the initial purchase but batteries too. Also wired tend to cause less tracking problems.

perpersky says:

Wired. Wireless mice run out of batteries way too soon. I wish there was some kind of hybrid mouse where I can use it wirelessly when on the go, and wired when at home. It'll be great if its batteries be recharged via usb.

HeyWired(Not) says:

Wired. The cord matters not cause I'm neat and arrange my cables, something which the majority don't do :) Anyways, cords are getting thinner nowadays and hardly pose a problem anymore (to me).

DividingLine says:

Definitely wired. No messing with betteries, quicker response, and really ... is a cable so bad?

Dellin says:

Wired mouse is better. Never had a problem with it. Wireless is heavier with the batteries. Its too much hassle, like what happen if you are playing a game and the battery is low and there is not extra battery at home.

adrian says:

Wireless never feel quite right. The wired mice just seem to have a faster response compared to the wireless.

make says:

For gaming, go with wired. More accurate and slightly faster response time. Every fraction of a second counts in shooting games. You also won't want your mouse to suddenly run out of power like in wireless mouses.

Jack2205 says:

Wired mice are the best. The wireless mouse was very jerky and the batteries always needed to be replaced.

Harold says:

More reliability

musa says:

wala nman aqng wireless eh.

Shoopster says:

The 5 (+/-) ms increase in response time from a wireless mouse is too much for my twitchy tastes.

Johnny says:

wired for gaming wireless for reg use

Mobiiart says:

I have to stick with a wired mouse. The few wireless mice I have used have burned out, one way or the other, much much quicker.

EelKat says:

I've never used a wireless mouse, so for now I'm going to have to say with a wire; but I may change my mind after trying a wireless one.

Ignoti says:

Until the newest generation of mice came out, I would have been in the wired mouse camp. The new high resolution mice work well enough for me to do design work now -- which was the only problem before.

fefe says:

For now, I'm using a wired mouse. I hated when the wireless mouse ran out of batteries!

ols says:

I`ve always used a wired mouse. Must admit that sometimes it`s a bind having to work around the wire which can get caught up, but no big deal really.

Chadrew says:

Wired is the way to go! I can't even imagine changing the batteries all the time (even if it's once a month or so).

Plus, just think about the pollution and cost to recycle if you use single-use batteries ;)

Wireless is the way to go!

Roddy says:

I'm using a wire-less mouse just bought and its running on a nano chip with 12 months bat life and i can still play FPS games(first person shooter) and still win so ya its better.

misabharis says:

wireless

ionman says:

If your not a gamer. Wireless is the way to go!

Treasures-By-Brenda says:

I would NEVER go back to a wired mouse after experiencing the joys of the wireless one. No more cord! What freedom! In terms of the batteries, we have a recharger that sits at the top of the stairs and two buckets -- one for recharged batteries; one for dead batteries. Our system works pretty nicely and we haven't spent any money on batteries for a few years.

Brenda

JaguarJulie says:

Do you know that there are WAY too many wires and cords with the usual computer hookup with all the peripherals. Wouldn't it be cool if everything was wireless -- even the power cords?

poddys says:

I love my bluetooth mouse, and it's got a charger base so it can be left to charge overnight. Wired is ok, as long as you are going to use it right next to the computer. I haven't experienced any delays, but lately I only play Infantry (www.station.com) and use the keyboard for that.

Tom says:

Wireless for sure, I am tired of the wire getting hooked on things on my desk.

Novellus says:

Wireless

bconnor11 says:

I'm using a wired mouse now, but I like wireless better. I'm a lefty, so its easy to switch around when a righty uses the computer.

RJ says:

No cable, no wire fraying, no chance of the wire getting caught on something.
and chadrew, just throw them into a battery recycle bin man :)
gamers choose wireless because they are, simply put, the best!!!
and the issue with lag is totally absurd. i get more lag on my wired from wire fray and wire wearing out issues.

coachbriany says:

Wireless mouse is a must with a laptop. Last christmas I found some wireless mice on clearance at Staples for $8 each. I bought them all up. I give them to friends who have laptops as a fun gift. I say once you go wireless you won't go back.

Shane says:

Wireless, wire is history!

locotime says:

wireless is obviosly best if u want to have absolute freedom when gaming!

 

 

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Advantages of wired mice 

  • A wired mouse is more reliable. Unlike a wireless one it will always work even without any special drivers and you won't need to worry about wireless signal interference either.
  • Wired mice tend to have faster response times than wireless ones (although the issue is practically non-existent with newest wireless models).
  • There's no need to replace batteries all the time, or worry about them running out in the middle of an intense gaming session.

Great wired gaming mouse from Logitech 

Logitech MX 518 High Performance Optical Gaming Mouse (Metal)

Amazon Price: $46.97 (as of 12/18/2009)Buy Now

I have been using a mouse of this model for a little over 2 years now, and love it. I can appreciate the precision it gives me in Counter Strike: Source, and the extra buttons come in handy for easier back/forward web page navigation. The only thing I haven't found use for is the sensitivity changing on-the-fly (I always use the same one), but I'm sure some people will like the feature. This mouse is asymmetrical (for right hand use only), and as a result, fits into your palm nicely. After 2 years of usage, the Logitech logo on the top of mine is a bit frayed, but otherwise the mouse works and looks perfectly.

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Pros of wireless mice 

  • Wireless mice are, well, wireless. There's no cable, meaning you don't have to worry about it getting twisted or stuck.
  • You don't need to "drag" the cable all the time when you are using a wireless mouse (although it's not really an issue with a wired mouse if the cable is positioned correctly).
  • You are not limited to the cable length - depending on the model, it's usually possible to use a wireless mouse several meters away from the computer.

Top notch wireless gaming mouse 

Logitech G7 Laser Cordless Mouse

Amazon Price: (as of 12/18/2009)Buy Now

This is really great, if not best wireless gaming mouse you can get, and the top model Logitech can offer for gamers in the wireless area. It uses a 2.4 GHz wireless connection to avoid interference, and has a LED battery indicator, so you know when to recharge them. Again, gotta love the fact that it's not ambidextrous, but designed to be used with right hand only - classic Logitech design.

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Best computer mice for gaming 

Vote for your favorite, or add a new one to the list!

Check out some of the best mice used by pro gamers. Vote for your favorite, or, if it isn't there, add it to the list yourself.

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by Chadrew

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