Microsoft Laser Mouse 5000

Since they've been around, computer mice have evolved from mechanical wheels and balls, to optical, and now laser technology. A laser mouse is a computer pointing device which works by using a beam of laser light as opposed to moving mechanical parts. A great history of mice and how they were invented can be found here: Who Invented The Computer Mouse?

Laser mice work by reflecting a high-intensity beam of light off of a surface and tracking its movement.

Unlike optical mice which emit a bright-red light-ray, the light emitted from lasers is invisible. That's because laser mice use a laser diode as opposed to an optical diode. Laser mice supposedly offer a higher degree of accuracy than optical mice, but that assumption is not shared by all.

For years I put up with a low-quality wireless optical mouse made by Microsoft, The Microsoft Optical Desktop 1000. The Microsoft Optical Desktop 1000 is a combo wireless mouse/keyboard and cost about $40.00 a few years ago. The keyboard has been okay, but for some reason, I never felt real comfortable with the feel and handling of the mouse, particularly the middle-wheel which seemed mushy and hard to control. After a year or two, the wheel became nearly unusable and the buttons seemed to stop responding like they should. The problem has nothing to do with the optical technology. I've had plenty of good luck with wireless optical mouse in the past. Microsoft's $19.95 Wireless Optical Notebook mouse has served me well for four years with my laptop, but the desktop, cordless optical mouse has been a dismal failure. So, why might you ask would I take a chance on another Microsoft product? Simple answer: $29.95 at Walmart was the cheapest price I've seen on a brand name wireless desktop laser mouse. For $29.95, why not try a laser mouse for a change?

Okay, I'll be honest: I've never even sat in a BMW 330xi, but when I first used the Laser Mouse 5000, it reminded me of what I would expect such a car to feel like and perform; Solid, comfortable, sure-footed and confident manners. While, there was no noticable improvement over the tracking precision of the optical mice I've used, the laser 5000 is definitely a quality upgrade as far as construction.

There are some improvements over my old Microsoft Optical Mouse. The wheel not only scrolls the page vertically, but horizontally by simply applying side-to-side pressure. This works quite well and is useful on today's common, wide-screen monitors. Also, the two subtle buttons on the side make it easy to move through pages forwards and backwards while your browsing. The buttons are positioned in such a way that you are not inadvertently hitting them while you don't intend to. Features and operation of the product are a huge step forward over my last optical mouse.

• Performance: 88
• Operation: 88
• Ergonomics: 88
• Features: 92
• Overall: 89

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Why waste time shopping when the Laser Mouse you need is right here at your finger tips on eBay?