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Best Mouse for a Graphic Designer?

Retro Mouse Best for Me

From what I've seen here, no one will agree with this...but that doesn't matter. I prefer the plain, vanilla Kensington Mouse-In-A-Box. Inexpensive, one button, no scroll wheel, very retro...and it does exactly what I want it to do. Oh...and did I mention that it even looks good? Long live the old-style mouse.
 
Good mouse for a Graphics Designer?

I am looking for a good mouse, very precise, wired, comfortable...

I just recently purchased the Logitech G5 and I am extremely disappointed with it. The best feature seems to be the weight system, which allows you to change the weight of the mouse with little weights you pop into a tray. The tracking is horrible. Jumps all over the place. If I try to follow a curved line, it can't do it without jumping around. Three dpi settings make no difference. Even the finish on this is crap. I can't believe I paid $60 for this piece of garbage.

I know a lot of people seem to like the MX or VX cordless mice, but I am not willing to use cordless because of delay, lag, etc. I don't care how good the tech is, I'd rather have wired because there's no question. The battery life on the Logitech cordless is also a joke. I would prefer wired and not have to deal with those two issues.

If anyone can help me out, I'd be grateful. Also, a surface recommendation would be appreciated too. I have a glass desk, so obviously I need something. I was looking at the Steel Series surfaces, but they are expensive and I am not sure which one to go with.

Thanks in advance!
 
i would go with either a wired mighty mouse or a logitech optical mouse, which we just got from local office supply store for $15
 
I know you're asking about a wired mouse, but in response to an earlier post above as a bluetooth option I have to say the Apple one button mouse is the best I've used. I've had the Mighty Mouse, various Logitechs and a couple of other bluetooth mice. But for tracking and accuracy the Apple one button mouse was by far the best in my opinion. Using it in conjunction with the keyboard actually does speed things up over using a multiple button mouse.
 
rainmanbk said:
I am looking for a good mouse, very precise, wired, comfortable...
Click to expand...

Have you tried a Wacom graphic tablet? You use it just like a pen on paper. It's also presur sensitive so you can make a darker or fatter line if you push harder.

They also make a mouse that you can use in place of the pen on the same graphic tablet. The mouse is very smooth and zero "skip". The small sized Gaphire 4x5 is only about $80. The high end tablets get expensive. Get the small one and see if you like it

OK, You said "wired" and the wacom mouse is not but it does not require power or recharging. The tablet is wired with USB. The possition sensor is inside the tablet. The tablet is not touch sensitive but only reacts to a Wacom mouse or pen.
 
i have a wireless logitech mx laser mouse that works really well. no lag and it has a base that you set it in to recharge - no crappy battery life issues. it tracks extremely precisely as well. the extra button programmability is nice although you may not care (i like having expose at my thumb)

i too require precision, etc. from my mouse
 
Razer makes the BEST mouses, they kill anything Logitech has released.

I bought a Razer Diamondback for playing WoW but it very shortly became my main mouse, the Razer Diamondback is a great mouse for Photoshop. It looks awesome all lit up, has a fantastic response time, great features, feels very natural and comfortable. It is the BEST mouse I have ever used.

The Razer Diamondback the best computer mouse I have ever purchased, you must get one.
 
A mouse is one of the most personal devices on a computer, everyone is different. I personally use a ms natural wireless laser mouse 6000 but would not recommend a mouse for graphic design, a tablet is far more fluid and natural. I haven't seen a mouse that can do as clean lines as a pen and tablet.
 
Those Razer mice look nice, any recommendation? I've been using a logitech $20 ball-mouse since 2000 and I feel it's time to upgrade now. I'm in the same situation where I definitely need the 3 buttons (left/right/scroll) and do graphic design work. Wish there was a way to demo them before you buy. A mouse is such a personal thing :)
 
I think I may look into the Wacoms (once again). I used to have a 6x8, but I sold it. I'm not sure, maybe I will actually like them better this time.

My friend is also getting one of those snazzy Logitech wireless mice, so I may look at it and see if it meets my standards.

It definitely is a personal preference, and I am realizing that finding the perfect fit is not easy.

Thanks for all your help guys.
 
I use a Marble Mouse

I use a Kensington Marble Mouse. http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Optical-Marble-Mouse-USB/dp/B00005T406

When I do a lot of Photoshop work, I need precision. This mouse is solid, therefore I'm not wagging my forearm and elbow around the desk all day, but I can move very smoothly using the precision of my index and middle finger on it.

The tablets seem interesting, but they seem like a complicated solution, and a bit "gimmicky." Using pens and brushes for "analog" illustration is a different animal from what I do on the computer, and frankly for drawing lines the marble mouse works great with bezier lines. If I really want to get the organic feeling of drawing something, well, I'll draw it on paper.

The download of the mouse in general, I think, is that the lack of a scroll wheel for reading web pages can be murderously frustrating. I've programmed a couple of the buttons to do a middling job.

I'm hoping that Apple and Adobe will provide drivers for haptic controllers like the Novint Falcon.
 
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I use a Marble mouse

I use a Kensington Marble Mouse. http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Optic.../dp/B00005T406

When I do a lot of Photoshop work, I need precision. This mouse is solid, therefore I'm not wagging my forearm and elbow around the desk all day, but I can move very smoothly using the precision of my index and middle finger on it.

The tablets seem interesting, but they seem like a complicated solution, and a bit "gimmicky." Using pens and brushes for "analog" illustration is a different animal from what I do on the computer, and frankly for drawing lines the marble mouse works great with bezier lines. If I really want to get the organic feeling of drawing something, well, I'll draw it on paper.

The download of the mouse in general, I think, is that the lack of a scroll wheel for reading web pages can be murderously frustrating. I've programmed a couple of the buttons to do a middling job.

I'm hoping that Apple and Adobe will provide drivers for haptic controllers like the Novint Falcon.
 
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don't just buy a razer mouse because some gamer tells you it's the greatest mouse ever. sure he will say it because gamers tend dot choose very precise mice. as razer was the obvious choice for any gamer in 2000-2003, with the razer boomslang, today's razers are simply not that good compared to other mice.

it's because we were using ball mice back then ... the razer copperhead is surely an outstanding mouse. i even got one but i sold it after two months gaming with it. the mouse buttons are quite big, so okay if you've got really big hands. the body of the mouse is rather small compared to the big mouse buttons. you should go try one ... perhaps you love it, perhaps you do not.

graphic designers need good mice, surely but if a mouse has 1000 dpi or 2000, you won't really notice. just get some standard mouse from microsoft, logitech or even the apple mighty mouse.

it's not the number of dpi that makes a designer outstanding, it's what he can do with his resources. so don't give your money to a company that were hot in 2000, when today, your requirements are much lower than they want to tell you .... nobody except hardcore gamers need 2000 dpi ... and not even them, it's their sense for perfection on their hardware that makes them buy this stuff ... they'll blame the mouse, the computer and whatever anyway if they lose.
 
I just got basic mouse that was laser and comfortable. I try my best when I buy equipment for my graphic design, not to get a product thinking it would make me better of a designer but instead alleviate a problem.
 
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