The 3M ergonomic optical mouse has been commended as “easy to use” from the arthritis foundation. It has a fantastic vertical grip which makes it easy to keep the hands in a neutral position.
It is more like a blown-out version of a Joystick and thumb is used to click on the button. The rest of the fingers hold the mouse. Being large in size makes it very comfortable to work with.
By keeping wrists in a neutral position it reduces the risk of muscle strain and discomfort. It leaves us free from the worry of carpal tunnel syndrome and repetitive stress injury.
If you’re looking for a new mouse (or want to replace your existing ergonomic mouse), this is one of the best ergonomic mice that you can get.
In this review of the 3M ergonomic wired optical mouse, I will cover all that I like about this mouse and whether it’s worth getting.
Key features of 3M Ergonomic Optical Mouse
The 3M ergonomic optical mouse comes with a USB PS2 ‘plug and play’ compatibility. There are two types of 3M ergonomic optical mouse available in the market- wired and wireless.
The wired mouse boasts of 6.5 feet cord for flexible use.
The mouse comes in small and large sizes and is compatible for right-handed people only.
It comes with an inbuilt LED optical sensor.
Product description
The mouse comes in a comfortable large black color. Its dimensions are 13.2*13.7*13.7. The main button is on the top for the right and left-click.
The handle is straight vertically to keep the hand in a neutral position.
There is a small button on the vertical handle that enables scrolling in some applications.
The 3M ergonomic optical mouse is available in two sizes- small and large.
To understand which size fits you, measure the palm of your right hand from the base of your pointer finger to the base of your little finger.
- A palm size of 2.75 inches to 3.5 inches fits a small ergonomic mouse
- A palm size of 3.5 inches to 4 inches needs a large ergonomic mouse.
In the wireless mouse, the underside of the mouse base has a connect button, a power switch, and a battery cover. The mouse requires two AAA batteries ( comes included) and a USB receiver (comes included).
Both wired and wireless 3M optical mouse has an LED optical sensor that illuminates in red color when power is on.
What we like about the 3M Ergonomic Optical Mouse
The entire mouse can be moved around on the mousing surface.
The 3M ergonomic mouse comes in a unique design that keeps hands, arms, and wrist in an ergonomic mouse position.
It helps to prevent and alleviate the pain and discomfort associated with repetitive stress injuries and carpal tunnel syndrome.
- Vertical grip keeps your hand and wrist at a neutral angle, while...
- USB/PS2 plug and play compatibility and a 6.5 ft. cord for...
- Soft-touch painted surface for added comfort
It weighs a mere 200gms and is easy on the hand. Only the thumb is in use while the other fingers can help in gripping. It comes as a soft-touch painted surface for added comfort. This is a respite for those suffering from RSI as their fingers and wrists get respite.
As with all other ergonomic mice, DPI (Dots per inch) is a valuable consideration. It has a typical 800 DPI resolution. How far the cursor moves depends on how fast the mouse moves. In this case, the 3M mouse wins hands down due to its default sensitivity.
It comes with a two years warranty. The wireless 3M ergonomic optical mouse in addition to the two years warranty also comes with a 30 days refund if the buyer is not satisfied. That is within 30 days from the date of purchase. Click here for more details.
What Could be Better
The mouse can be used by right-handed people only.
It does not come with a scroll wheel.
The third button on the handle is touch-sensitive and can be touched accidentally even if you don’t want it. The scroll button only supports applications that support the method of scrolling. So basically it won’t work as a scroll wheel.
A bit of learning is required. It takes time to get used to this mouse.
How to use the 3M Ergonomic Optical Mouse
The 3M optical mouse positions the hand in a vertical position. This vertical position is also known as a ‘handshake’ position. It enables the user to operate the mouse with minimum wrist movement and no finger movement. It is only the arms that move a bit.
Press the right and left side of the button with the thumb. As your hand wraps around the throttle, it catches the third mouse button. A gentle squeeze on the mouse handle activates the button which can be used for scrolling in some applications.
Slide the mouse comfortable all around the mousing pad with ease. You may need to increase your cursor speed so that you are not moving your shoulder around too much.
To connect the wireless 3M optical mouse, turn the mouse over and remove the battery cover. Slide the batteries into the battery compartment.
Turn the power switch to on. The optical lens will illuminate in red. This shows that the battery is installed properly. Turn the switch off. Plug the USB receiver into an open USB port on the computer.
Turn on the mouse. The optical lens will illuminate in red. Press the connect button on the USB receiver. Greenlight will slowly blink. Now press the connect button present on the underside of the mouse. Greenlight will start blinking on the USB receiver for a short time and then stop.
Move your mouse. Basic mouse functionality will activate. When the mouse is idle there will be no light on the USB receiver. When the mouse moves, it will quickly display a green-colored light. The mouse is now ready for use.
You can customize your mouse setting through your mouse setting utility included with your operating system ( Windows, Mac, Linux, etc). Operate by using the entire mouse around on the mousing surface.
What makes this Mouse Ergonomic
There is no need to use generic peripherals any longer. The 3M vertical mouse is clinically proven to alleviate pain and discomfort of repetitive stress injuries in the hand, wrist or arm associated with the use of traditional mice.
Using a traditional mouse means twisting your forearm to put the palm of the hand in a horizontal position over the mouse.
A typical press of wrist against the desk and carpal tunnel area and repetitive use of index finger for clicking can lead to repetitive stress injury and carpal tunnel syndrome.
The 3M mouse offers a good optical tracking for smoother, more accurate mousing. The user rests the side of the hand at the base of the mouse. The thumb rests on the switch on top of the stick for easy clicking on the right and left side.
Cursor controls are executed by moving the entire unit. It lowers the muscle strain on the forearm. Only slight flexing of the wrist and slight twisting of the arm is required amounting to less pressure in the carpal tunnel area for greater comfort.
Things to keep in mind
An important point to be noted here is that it is available in two sizes- medium and big. So select the appropriate one according to your palm size.
A 2.75 inch to 3.5 inches from the base of the pointer finger to the base of the index finger requires the small mouse. From 3.5 inches to 4 inches requires a large mouse.
This way you won’t end up with a too small or too big 3M ergonomic mouse. In case your hand is larger than 4 inches from pointer finger to the index finger, then this ergonomic mouse may be too small for you.
Since the optical mouse does not have a scroll wheel, it is hard to zoom in and out. Hence it is not recommended for CAD work.
Absence of scroll wheel also makes it lose out on the functionality pinpoint precision like selecting, copying and pasting. It also won’t work very well for writing documents that are more than a page long.
It is designed for right-hand users only so if you are left-handed, I wouldn’t recommend it.
As it keeps the hands in a neutral position, it encourages large muscle movements to track the mouse rather than small hand/wrist movement. It does not bend or flex. It just slides on that wide base. This means the wrist does not move once you grab hold of it.
Very few products are mac compatible. But this mouse here fits with almost all software usually used.
As the thumb is the finger that is mostly in use, the thumb joint closest to palm can start aching a bit. Keep taking breaks to give your thumb some rest. If you are not using the mouse, take off the hand to let it rest.
Conclusion
The 3M ergonomic optical mouse is invariably one of the best ergonomic mouse with joystick available in the market. The vertical designed joystick mouse makes the hands neutral by letting them stay in a neutral position.
It not only frees you from the risk of pains and aches associated with mouse usage, but it also relieves the arms, wrists, fingers, tendons, and muscles from pain and discomfort.
This way it offers both preventions and cures. Two in one giving respite to the human body and improving performance. A lethal combination to say goodbye to sores and aches.
Some other reviews of the ergonomic mouse:
- Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Mouse Review
- Logitech M570 Wireless Trackball Ergonomic Mouse Review
- Anker 2.4G Wireless Vertical Ergonomic Optical Mouse Review
- Jelly Comb Ergonomic Vertical Mouse Review
- Adesso Vertical Ergonomic Wireless Mouse Review
- Best Ergonomic Mouse for Small Hands
- ZLOT Ergonomic Vertical Gaming Mouse Review
