Updated February, 2017: We've surveyed recent releases and these remain our top picks for people searching out alternatives to the Magic Mouse. Apple's isn't for everyone.
It's got multi-touch gesture support, and is newly rechargeable, but many people would still trade fancy features for traditional mouse power and style. So, if you don't like the Magic Mouse that came with your Mac, you can and should get something else. Here are are top choices! The best at any cost. Low-cost option. The best at any cost Logitech Performance Mouse MX. Using a small USB receiver, the Logitech Performance Mouse MX is a wireless mouse with a rechargeable battery that lasts about one month.
The Best Wireless Mouse Options for 2019 Logitech G903 LIGHTSPEED Long Lasting Wireless Mouse. This wireless mouse features a 1ms report rate for competition level gameplay. It is the worlds first and only wireless gaming mouse with a charging system that allows you to keep the mouse charged during gameplay and while resting.
Unlike the Magic Mouse, Logitech allows you to charge the Performance Mouse's battery while you're using it, meaning you don't have to worry about being stuck with no mouse when the power runs out. Even though it is a laser mouse, Logitech Darkfield Laser technology has advanced tracking capabilities, allowing you to use it on virtually any surface; glass tables are no longer your worst enemies. The scroll wheel on top of the mouse is smooth but precise, which means you'll be able to scroll to exactly what you want when you want to. The four thumb buttons on the Performance Mouse MX make your life much easier by being programmable to actions you need. Zooming in and out of images, flipping back-and-forth between apps, or navigating through web pages, can all be accessible with just your thumb, keeping you moving as fast as possible.
The Logitech Performance Mouse MX starts around $63 and is perfect for any right-handed user who wants a more conventional mouse with a few features that provide a more streamlined user experience. Logitech MX Master. The Logitech MX Master is a step up the ladder in terms of quality. The rechargeable battery lasts for a total of 40 days on average, which means you'll never feel like a slave to the charging cable.
If the battery does die while you're using it, no worries because you can charge the mouse while using it. You can use the small USB receiver included with the MX Master, but you also have the option of using Bluetooth instead, meaning you don't have to waste one of your precious USB ports.
It comes with the Darkfield Laser technology that allows you to use the mouse without a mouse pad on all different types of surfaces. Glass or other high-gloss material won't confuse the sensors inside the MX Master, so no matter where you're using it, you should have consistently smooth performance. Along with having two customizable buttons, the MX Master has a side-scrolling wheel in the thumb slot, which makes side-to-side scrolling easier than ever before. The dots per inch (DPI) can be set in intervals of 200, starting at 400 and up to 1600 DPI, meaning you can always find the perfect speed and sensitivity that feels the most comfortable to you.
You should consider picking up the Logitech MX Master is you want a high-performance mouse that allows you to keep all your USB ports completely free. The MX Master typically costs around $100. Low-cost option AmazonBasics wireless mouse with nano receiver. Much like the name suggests, the AmazonBasics wireless mouse is a pretty basic device. It connects to your Mac via a USB receiver, meaning it will take up one of your USB ports. It runs on one AAA battery — included with purchase — which can last up to 3 months on average.
The scroll wheel on the top of the mouse glides smoothly and doesn't make any annoying noises, so you always have an easy time browsing through your favorite content online. It has both left-click and right-click buttons that are clearly defined and separate from each other, meaning you don't have to worry about clicking the wrong one. If you aren't looking to spend a lot of money — about $12 — and just want an ordinary mouse that will comfortably handle day-to-day use, the AmazonBasics wireless mouse could be a perfect choice. Which mouse do you use? If you put aside your Magic Mouse in favor of something different, we want to know. Tell us all about it in the comments below! This post may contain affiliate links.
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By. 7:00 am, March 24, 2015. The new Logitech MX Master takes pains to be a great Mac mouse. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac SAN FRANCISCO — To make its mouse of the future, Logitech looked to the past.
The MX Master, a reboot of a classic Logitech mouse that brings back a long-lost feature while adding significant modern upgrades, is perfect for the port-deficient new MacBook. Advertisement The MX Master resurrects the nifty scroll wheel that was a killer feature of the MX Revolution, which Logitech released in 2006. The Revolution’s clever scroll wheel seemed to shift gears on the fly, going from slow to speedy and letting you zip through long webpages and documents. The feature helped turned the Revolution into a hit, but the scroll wheel went away in subsequent Logitech mice, causing fans to weep for their loss when their beloved mouse finally crapped out. The MX Master brings back the innovative scroll wheel with a vengeance.
When Logitech’s Anatoly Polyanker stopped by Cult of Mac’s offices to show off the (then-secret) MX Master, I was shocked to see that the new mouse was based on the beloved. And Polyanker was shocked when I pulled a well-used MX Revolution out of my desk drawer, where it had been stashed ever since I lost the oversize USB dongle the mouse used to connect wirelessly to computers. “We finally upgraded you,” he said as he handed me an MX Master to review. “And we apologize it took so long!” After Logitech removed the SmartShift scroll wheel from the MX Revolution’s successor, the 2009, some users (including me). Bringing it back — and meaningfully improving upon it — became the goal, said Polyanker, who is Logitech’s director of brand and product portfolio for pointing devices. The MX Master’s speed-adaptive scroll wheel lets the device automatically switch between ratchet mode (for precise scrolling) and freespin mode (for blazing-fast movement through interminably long documents or webpages).
However, it doesn’t tilt side-to-side like the MX Revolution’s did. “We knew this feature would be loved,” said Polyanker, describing the MX Master’s redesigned scroll wheel, although he said removing the tilt capability raised the danger of rejection by people who pined for the original.
The unique thumbwheel delivers the same functionality in an even better package. Logitech MX Master’s other key upgrades In addition to bringing back the smart scroll wheel, the new mouse also boasts a clever thumbwheel for horizontal scrolling, a variety of programmable buttons that let you set up Mac-specific functions, and painless pairing with up to three devices using either Bluetooth or the enclosed USB dongle.
The addition of Bluetooth makes great sense in an era when USB ports are becoming a thing of the past. Three buttons on the bottom of the mouse let you instantly switch from one computer to another once everything is set up. If you’re using a PC without Bluetooth support, or simply feel the need to waste a USB port, the included can connect up to six compatible Logitech devices. It works like a charm. Wood, clay and resin models show the evolution of the Logitech MX Master mouse. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac An Apple-inspired shine The MX Master is Logitech’s attempt to give a classic piece of hardware a high-end upgrade in a package “super users” will love. “Over the last two years, things are being transformed,” Polyanker said.
“I think Apple had a lot to do with this.” Apple’s enduring emphasis on elegance and functionality has elevated design in the eyes of both businesses and consumers. The trend among PC and peripherals manufacturers is to use thinner, lighter materials and wrap powerfully functional products in high-end finishes. Logitech hasn’t copped Apple’s subtle brushed stainless steel for the MX Master, but the new mouse does utilize nicer materials. Lightly textured black rubber on the mouse’s body gives it a warmer feel, while the island keys are rated at 10 million clicks rather than the 5 million of the previous device’s. An iridescent bronze finish on the plastic base gives the mouse a distinctive look.
A crazy polygonal pattern covers the rubber surface on the area underneath the thumb, covering a programmable Gesture button that lets Mac users switch between functions like App Expose and Mission Control as well as other desirable functions. Logitech’s Options software lets users pick and choose between functions to make the mouse do what they need. With mice, just as with shoes, comfort is a highly personal matter. But Logitech spent long hours crafting a device that would feel good to users who put in long hours with mouse in hand. “Comfort is No. 1 criteria for consumers,” Polyanker said, and when you’re designing for comfort, “every millimeter matters.” Logitech’s next-generation saves power while enabling the mouse to track beautifully, even on glass.
The MX Master’s rechargeable battery lasts up to 40 days, Polyanker said, with a handy fast-charging feature that lets you suck up an hour’s worth of juice in just a minute. It doesn’t use an outdated charging stand like the MX Revolution did, but there is one potential bummer for Mac users: The MX Master charges with a micro-USB port rather than a Lightning cable. The will be available in stores in early April for $99.99 retail. The brown undercarriage of the Logitech MX Master houses three simple buttons for switching between computers. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac.