Earlier in the week, I gave my thoughts on Microsoft’s Surface Keyboard and said that it is the right accessory for a high price. Since Microsoft is also selling a new line of Surface branded accessories such as Surface Mouse and Surface Dial, I also recently purchased the Surface Mouse from the Microsoft Store. Just like with the Surface Keyboard, I have been using this mouse daily for the past two months, and this time I find that Surface Mouse is a hunk of plastic that doesn’t live up to standards.
Comparison, and Design:
To begin, I’d like to mention that I’ve more recently used the Arc Touch Mouse Surface Edition with my Windows 10 devices. Keeping things short, I believe that the Surface Mouse lacks in comparison to the Arc Touch Mouse, but still makes for a great visual pairing with other Surface Products.
Although the Surface Mouse has the name “Surface” in it, after opening the box, I felt as though there is nothing Surface about the mouse. When I think Surface I think of a premium product and design, and something that feels heavy and nice in the hand. Unfortunately, for the hefty price of $49.99, this is something that the Surface Mouse is not.
When it comes to design, the Surface Mouse is just one giant slab of plastic with the mechanics of a mouse. The one bright spot is that the mouse is very minimal, and sits very flat on a mouse pad or desk. Unfortunately, this minimal design also means that the mouse feels extremely strange in the hands when used for a prolonged period of time. But, looking on the bright side of things, there is a nice premium feeling metal scroll wheel which lives in the middle of the mouse.
Since the Arc Touch mouse also has Surface branding, it makes sense to compare the two together. This leads me to say that when compared to the Arc Touch Mouse, the Surface Mouse feels like a child’s toy. The Arc Touch mouse features a rubberized grip and a “snap to turn on” mechanism which proves to be helpful when wanting to grip the mouse. Surface Mouse, meanwhile, is all plastic, so at times my hands easily slipped off the mouse when I was trying to find a grip.
Everyday Use and Other Tidbits:
While not made of premium materials, the gray toned color of Surface Mouse does pop out on my desk. Just like with the Surface Keyboard, this meant that the Surface Mouse looks like a matched set when paired alongside a Surface Pro 4, or any other Surface Product.
Unfortunately, since I have abnormally large hands, and a firm mouse grip, the minimal design of the Surface Mouse meant that my fingers were dragging on the sides of my desk during everyday use of the mouse. Conventional mouses have a taller bolder design which corrects this, and the Arc Touch Mouse has a wide open area underneath where you can wrap your fingers for comfort. Surface Mouse lacks both of these design elements and is a pain to use for more than three hours.
On the bright side of things, the Surface Mouse pairs to a Surface or Windows 10 device just as any standard $5 Bluetooth mouse. Set up is simple and easy, and all you need to get going is to press and hold small power button underneath the mouse to pair it with your computer. And, just like with the magnetic mechanism on the Surface Keyboard, the battery compartment on Surface Mouse opens and closes shut via a magnetic cover.
The Surface Mouse also uses Microsoft-proprietary BlueTrack Technology, which means it can work on virtually any surface (no pun intended)without the need for a mouse pad. This is a massive plus for the mouse (and something that I’ve grown quite fond of) especially since the Arc Touch Mouse supports the same technology.
Unfortunately, as simple as set up is, I do wish there were more customizable features and settings on Surface Mouse. With my Arc Touch Mouse, I could customize the way I scroll, customize my touch button, and even assign a middle double tap to take me to the Start Menu. The Surface Mouse has none of these settings or no additional features that can justify such a high selling price. I think Microsoft should have put more thought into this mouse, and included a touch surface, or something else which would make it pair perfectly with the touch-friendly Surface lineup of devices.
Final thoughts:
While I have many gripes with this mouse, I still think it’s a great purchase for those who like to look fancy around their friends. I do not think this mouse is worth it for those who are power users, as a hunky minimalistic plastic design is very uncomfortable in the long run. At the end of the day, if you’re just planning on using a mouse for short burst activities, or looking for something that can easily be thrown in a bag, and make you look fancy, then click and buy, this mouse is for you!
