Optical vs. Laser mice: Which is better?

Hi everyone, I have a question for you. I recently retired an old mechanical ball mouse. It served me well for nearly eight and a half years, but since it started acting up lately, I replaced it with a new optical model featuring a scroll wheel and an infrared sensor. It cost me exactly twelve dollars. Even though it’s a budget model, it is wonderful, fast, and precise. I am genuinely impressed. However, at the computer shop, I noticed other models that are four times more expensive—so-called high-end laser mice. I would like someone to explain the specific difference between optical and laser technology, if a meaningful difference even exists. Also, what does it mean when a mouse has a resolution of 800, 1800, or 3500 DPI? Does that refer to speed and precision, or something else entirely? I would appreciate it if a professional IT expert could answer this, but I also welcome any "regular folks" to share their thoughts and experiences. Thanks in advance. Best regards

800 or 3200 DPI... that's just dots per inch. Basically, how many dots it covers over an inch, right? So 1 inch on the pad equals 800 dots on the screen, or 1 inch equals 3200 dots...

If it's at 800, that's fine. A normal speed mouse for working on monitors up to 20"...
I keep mine at 1200 DPI, but I'm running a 23-inch monitor...

Bottom line? Higher DPI means a super fast mouse—one tiny nudge and it flies across the screen. Lower DPI makes it slower, which is actually better if you need precision. High speeds are for quick tasks where you don't care about being exact...

Lasers are more accurate. This will be very useful for anyone who does precise work, such as with art or photographs, etc. It is easier to move your mouse to the exact pixel with a laser vs an optical mouse. The average home user may not notice or need the difference.

p.s.
You mentioned seeing mice with four times the speed...

Check this one out :P
http://www.bestbuy.com/product_info.php?c...oducts_id=8033

My monitor is a Dell Monitor, nineteen inches—it's plenty when paired with the mouse I mentioned, and the picture quality is great. Thanks for the reply. Could you please translate this from English into American? Some of the terminology is unclear to me; I only understand about half of it. Some of us were taught German instead of English back in school... 😉 😁

Yeah, some go as high as fifty bucks. I paid twelve for mine, plus a Harry Potter mousepad 3.1 miles. Since I'm really happy with it, I don't plan on switching it out—especially since I just picked it up last week 😁. Just asking to stay informed. I've always been pretty interested in computer tech 😍 😍.

Melissa Hernandez64 said:I've got a Dell Monitor—nineteen inches. Honestly? Between that and the mouse we talked about, I’m set. The picture quality is actually great. Thanks for getting back to me, though. Could you do me a huge favor and translate this from English into plain American English? Some of these terms are flying right over my head. Half of it makes sense, the other half doesn't. Not everyone grew up taking English in school; some of us were stuck with German... 😉 😁

So, why aren't you saying anything?

It's just not working for me...

But the translation is:

Lasers are just more precise. If you're doing anything detailed—like digital art or photo editing—it’s a game changer. It's way easier to nail every single pixel with a laser versus an optical mouse. But honestly? Your average user probably won't even notice the difference. 🙂

Optical mice rely on an LED to track movement, whereas laser mice use a laser beam. The main difference? Laser mice are generally more precise, meaning they offer higher DPI. Another crucial point: optical mice often struggle on glossy or glass surfaces, while laser mice handle them just fine.

What exactly is DPI? It stands for "dots per inch." Essentially, if a mouse has 800 DPI, moving it one inch causes the computer to register 800 dots of movement. Conversely, with a 1600 DPI mouse, moving it one inch results in 1600 dots being registered. In short, to get the same cursor movement on your screen, you have to move the second mouse half as much. Basically, it's more sensitive (or faster).

If you're looking for a solid mouse recommendation at a decent price, I suggest this one (but only if you're right-handed!):
http://www.logitech.com/en-gb/mice_p...e/devices/5843
http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Marathon-Wireless-Mouse/dp/B003V2B6BK

Jacob Foster11 said:Optical mice use an LED to track movement, while laser ones use a laser. The difference? Laser mice are usually more precise—meaning they have higher DPI. Another big thing: optical mice might struggle on shiny or glass surfaces, whereas laser mice can handle them just fine.

So what's DPI? It stands for "dots per inch." Basically, if a mouse has 800 DPI, moving it one inch means the computer registers 800 dots. But if you've got a 1600 DPI mouse, moving it one inch registers 1600 dots. Bottom line: to get the cursor to move the same distance on screen, you have to move the second mouse half as much. Or, in plain English, it's more sensitive (or faster).

If you're looking for a solid mouse recommendation at a decent price, try this one (only if you're right-handed!):
http://www.logitech.com/en-gb/mice_p...e/devices/5843
http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Marathon-Mouse/dp/B003V2Z6U6

Girl bought it for $17 and lost her mind when she saw it for $67, and now you're trying to upsell her for $45 at Amazon? Plus, she's Melissa Hernandez64 :P

Bryan Evans77 said:She bought a mouse for $17 and lost her mind when she saw the price was $67, yet you’re out here trying to sell her one for 450 from Best Buy? And on top of that, she's a total Melissa Hernandez64 :P

Anyway... Since we're on the subject, I should recommend a decent mouse. I use it and I'm genuinely satisfied. 🙂

I'm not saying I'm recommending some high-end junk. There are mice twice this price. But this one is great for what it costs and it's worth it.

Bryan Evans77 said:A girl bought a mouse for $17 and lost her mind when she saw the price was $67. And you’d try to sell her one for 450 from a local shop, plus she's Melissa Hernandez64 :P

Like I said before, I don't need a new mouse. I just bought one recently and I am very satisfied with it. I am simply looking to stay informed about new tech and devices currently on the market. As for that $150 😲 model, it is absolutely out of the question, even if it were made of solid gold or was the fastest, most precise device ever created. Regardless, thanks for all the previous replies. Moving on 😉 🙂... Anyone else have anything to add?

Jacob Foster11 said:Oh, and while we're on the subject... I should probably recommend a solid mouse too. I've been using mine and honestly? Loving it. 🙂

Look, it's not like I'm suggesting some high-end overkill. There are mice twice this price out there. But for what you pay? This one is a total steal.

My Genius 555 works great for $40 me too... laser up to 3200dpi...
tons of buttons for custom settings 🙂

Melissa Hernandez64 said:Like I said, I don't actually need a new mouse—I just picked one up recently and I'm loving it. I'm just checking in to see what kind of tech is out there now. And that $150 😲 one? Forget it. Even if it were solid gold, it’s still a no from me, no matter how fast or precise it claims to be. Anyway, thanks for all the input so far, moving on 😉 🙂... Anyone else got thoughts?

not really... hopefully you learned your lesson about cheap mice once and for all..

that $900 one though... that's probably the next move :P

if it actually lasts a lifetime 😂

No problem, just keep the posts coming. I assume this interests more than just me, so we should aim to cater to the diverse needs and tastes of all our tech enthusiasts 😳... And my sincere thanks to zeko for the translation 👍!

Oops, I thought your handle was Rabbit, but looking closer, it says Rebitt 😉...
I know what mice are used for (who do you think I am, for heaven's sake 😁). I've had a computer for over eight years and use one every single day. I just wanted to know the actual difference between optical and laser technology. I'm glad I got my answer. Please, carry on with your posts; I'm genuinely interested in reading your thoughts and experiences on the subject.

Melissa Hernandez64 said:And that one for $150 😲 is out of the question just because it's gold, even if it were the fastest and most precise thing on Earth.

Bryan Evans77 said:and my Genius 555 works great for $40 me too... laser up to 3200dpi...
great buttons for custom settings 🙂

It isn't just about the speed or precision. It's nothing special in those departments. It has 1000dpi.

But other features make it excellent. First, it's wireless. Second, the battery life is incredible. One charge lasts almost 3 years (for comparison, a friend has a wireless one and has to swap batteries every week). Third, the nano-receiver is awesome. The connection is solid, too. It works from several feet away—2 or 3 definitely, haven't tested further. And fourth, most importantly, there's what they call "hyper-fast scrolling." Since I experienced that, I can't go back. I could never use an "ordinary" mouse again. It's truly brilliant. Oh, and it has 8 buttons total.

Jacob Foster11 said:It's not just about speed or precision. It isn't anything special in those departments. It has 1000dpi.

But other features make it great. First, it's wireless. Second, the battery life is incredible. One charge lasts three years. For comparison, a friend uses a wireless mouse and changes batteries every week. Third, the nano-receiver is excellent. The connection is solid. It works from several meters away. Two or three meters is certain; I haven't tested further. Fourth, and most important, is what they call "hyper-fast scrolling." Once you experience it, there is no going back to a standard mouse. It is brilliant. Also, it has eight buttons total.

That's great. I am happy for you. However, it is too expensive for me. I am satisfied with my recent purchase. I don't need extra buttons—the basic three (left, right, and scroll wheel ☕) are enough. I don't need it to work from several meters away either. If someone needs those features, they should go for it 👍. But I have a few questions and observations:
1) Recently, Verizon was advertising a laser gaming mouse in the American news (Roccat Kon, if I recall correctly) with 3500 dpi and 128 kilobytes of internal memory. I truly do not understand why a computer mouse needs internal memory 😕?! Perhaps to store applications and programs opened by clicking the mouse so they load faster next time (I read that L2 cache memory works on a similar principle)?
2) The battery situation is also unclear. Are these batteries reserved only for wireless mice, or for "standard" ones too 🤷? My manual doesn't mention anything regarding this 🤷.
3) They also showcased an exclusive Titanium Black mouse from some Dutch firm made of pure titanium. It looks beautiful in photos, but the price is, believe it or not, a full EIGHT HUNDRED DOLLARS 😲 😲 😲!!!! oh Bog, who would actually buy that? Maybe only multi-millionaires like Bill Gates and his peers...

Melissa Hernandez64 said:Great, glad you're happy with it, but honestly? Way too pricey for me. Plus, I just picked up my own recently and I'm good. I don't really need all those extra buttons—the basics like left, right, and the scroll wheel ☕ are plenty—nor do I need wireless range. If someone actually needs that stuff, more power to them 👍. But, I do have a few thoughts:
1) I saw an ad in an American newspaper for some laser gaming mouse from Verizon (was it Roccat Kon, I think?) boasting 3500 dpi and 128 KB of internal memory. Seriously, what is the point of having internal memory in a computer mouse 😕?! Is it meant to store apps or programs that launch faster when you click them? (I read something about L2 cache working similarly)
2) Those batteries aren't making sense either. Are they just for wireless mice, or do "standard" ones use them too 🤷? My manual didn't mention anything about it 🤷.
3) They also featured this exclusive Titanium Black mouse from some European brand made of pure titanium. It looks gorgeous in photos, but get this: the price tag is a whopping EIGHT HUNDRED DOLLARS 😲 !!!! oh Bog, who is actually buying this? Maybe just billionaires like Bill Gates and his crowd...

1. Internal memory is just for saving user settings..
For example, I have one button where I swap profiles (since I have 10 buttons, I set profile 2 for browsing and profile 1 for gaming). Since I have 10 buttons, they aren't always doing the same thing 😉

And the internal memory stores that data..
Like, my macro 1 is 1200 dpi x 1200 dpi, while macro 2 is 800 x 800. On macro 1, I have a side button for throwing grenades in-game, but on macro 2, that same button opens Chrome 🙂

You're off base comparing it to cache 🙂

2. Why would you need a battery for a wired mouse? Wireless needs juice to power the laser—you know, enough voltage to actually function (like 3v or whatever)—but a wired mouse gets its power straight from the USB port (0.5 volts, specifically)..

3. Don't sweat it, there are plenty of fools out there who will buy it... there's a whole crowd of wannabe gamers who think they'll play better just because they have a Razer or something..
Spending 800 bucks is just pure vanity to show off status... 🙂

Thanks for all the feedback 👍! Honestly, spending $800 on a mouse is pure insanity 😲—especially when it’s completely out of reach. No matter how sleek the design or how fast the sensor is, it just doesn't make sense. At that price point, you could grab a solid mid-range laptop or even two budget desktops. My own setup, including the processor and the Dell Monitor, cost me about 435 miles (roughly $933), and I couldn't be happier with it. It handles every single app and program I need for work without issue. But hey, people will spend money on anything... 🤷.

It’s overpriced just because of the "Intelligent design" label and that fancy branding... for the $67 you can grab a solid mouse that lasts years and call it a day, right? Honestly, we’d all be chasing luxury if we actually had the cash 🙂
And who cares if we can just pick up a mid-range laptop instead? 😉

Like my neighbor who drives an Audi A8, then drops like $4,000 on a set of OEM rims and tires just to keep it looking factory spec 🙂

Exactly. It’s all about Intelligent design 👍. You hit the nail on the head. Do you follow Verizon 🙂? I pick up their tech news every month. It's solid stuff 😉. My old Genius lasted nearly eight and a half years. I hope this one holds up similarly. I have better things to spend my money on than constantly replacing mice. As for those enthusiasts obsessed with overpriced gear—if they want to blow their budget, fine. It’s just not something I can wrap my head around.
It is strange seeing so few visitors here. I honestly expected this topic to spark more interest among other users 🤷.

Bryan Evans77 said:It’s expensive because of the engineering, the brand name, and the signature... you can find great mice at Maximus $67 that'll last you years and call it a day. Of course, everyone would shop elite if we actually had the cash 🙂
and wouldn't be worrying about whether we can afford a mid-range laptop or whatever. 😉

Just look at my neighbor. He buys an Audi A8, then spends like $4,500 on just new tires with alloy rims (OEM Audi parts) and new bulbs, if I recall correctly. 🙂

I second this.

Sure, there's junk out there, but look,

I've had a Trustworthy "Predator" for four years now, and honestly, it’s the best mouse I’ve ever used.

I've tried Logitech gaming mice for over $60 and I have to admit, they didn't impress me.
Too heavy, and they slip right out of your hand when you're trying to aim at the enemy. 😛

Mine cost me $83 along with my headset, and I'm totally satisfied.
It has 800 and 1200 DPI modes, and I always stick to 800.
The only reason you'd need high-resolution mice is for graphic design or something, but even then, you'd just set them to really slow in Windows.