Choosing a Mouse

The mouse is one of the main ways that people interact with a computer.  So, they should probably pick a mouse that they will be happy with, especially if they are heavy computer users, such as gamers.

First of all, ever wondered why it is called a mouse?  Look here, but you probably could already guess that the two buttons look like ears and the wire looks like a tail.

There are 4 main considerations in choosing the right mouse:

1. Laser vs. Optical
• The laser has better DPI than an optical mouse, meaning that it is much more sensitive to small motions.  Even though this sounds like a great thing, I think that both of these types are more sensitive than they actually need to be, resulting in me always turning down the sensitivity.
• The laser can be used on any surface.  This is kind of important.  Optical mice cannot work on certain surfaces, like glossy ones, but laser mice can basically work on any surface, meaning you don't actually need a mousepad to use your mouse.
• The optical mouse has a red light.  I don't really know if this is a plus or minus for the optical mouse.  Some people think the red light is cool, but the invisible laser can look "cleaner."
• Laser mice cost more, but not by much anymore.  Even though laser mice are a tad more expensive than your standard optical mouse, I would say that it's worth the extra few dollars.
2. Wired vs. Wireless
• Wired mice do not require batteries!  It's really annoying to have to change out your batteries in your mouse as it's dying.  When your cursor begins to stop following your mouse, you have to stick in another battery.  If you have cheap batteries and an inefficient mouse, you could be switching out batteries a lot.
• Wired mouse have wires, duh!  The wires can look sort of messy on your desk or get tangled up with other wires, but I recommend that you tie up your long wires with twisty-ties so that they are just long enough let your mouse be where you want it.  Also, put the wires behind your monitor/tower/laptop so that it doesn't get in the way and it looks a bit neater.
• Wireless mice are more expensive, but not by much.  I think that wired mice are better, mostly because they don't have to get their batteries changed.  Also, some wireless receivers are so crappy that a long-wired mouse can actually reach farther!
3. Extra buttons
• Some people need those extra buttons on their mouse that they can configure, especially for gaming, such as a "reload" or "next weapon" key for first-person shooters.  I personally think that these keys aren't necessary, but if you're a hardcore gamer, maybe you should invest in a hardcore mouse so that you are on top of the competition.
4. Durability
• Some mice are really cheap, but break so frequently.  The good thing is that these cheap ones are easily replaced.  If you want to keep on buying cheap mice, then durability is not a problem, but if you have an expensive one, you'd want to make sure it lasts.

The verdict (my choice): Laser, wired, no extra buttons, cheap/not-very-durable.

Price range: $10-15.