Optical vs. Laser mice: Which is better?

wiredotter14 said:I agree,

I know some mice are junk, but honestly,

I’ve been using my Goldman Sachs "Predator" for four years now. It’s easily the best mouse I’ve ever touched.

I’ve tried Logitech gaming mice costing over $80, and frankly, they didn't impress me.
Way too heavy. They slip right out of your hand during intense firefights. 😛

Mine cost me $83 along with my headset, and I'm completely satisfied.
It has 800 and 1200 DPI modes; I always stick to 800.
You only need high resolution for things like graphic design, and even then, you just set them to slow in Windows.

And what defines "junk"😁? Posts like this one.👍 Keep it up.

Melissa Hernandez64 said:And what exactly is "junk"😁? Seriously, this is the kind of content worth 👍! Keep it up.

"Junk" usually means ground corn—basically pig feed or chicken mash...

but it’s also just a word for cheap, low-quality crap.

Garbage, junk, trash, total shit, you name it.🙂

Anyway, here I am making my 1,000th post... explaining basic vocabulary to people. Charlie Chaplin.

looking for a mod to delete him🤣

wiredotter14 said:he's begging a moderator to just delete him🤣

not happening. pure principle. 🙏

Melissa Hernandez64 said:And what exactly is "junk"😁? This is the kind of content worth 👍! Keep it up.

Mary, you clearly don't have a clue what's going on here.

wiredotter14 said:Mary, you clearly don't get it.

Charlie Chaplin. I've never even heard that term before. We don't use expressions like that here in the USA, at least not as far as I know. 😂 😂 😂.

🤷🤷

I knew this one girl from the USA (BL), and she always used to say, "I don't get it."

Melissa Hernandez64 said:Charlie Chaplin, I've never even heard that expression before. We don't really say things like that here in the States, at least not that I know of 😂 😂 😂.

Seems a bit suspicious that you're actually from the US... maybe you're just some fancy city girl? :P

Will a laser mouse actually outperform an optical one when dealing with a scratched desk?

So, my old Google optical mouse—it was a cheap little thing, and honestly, everything I’m mentioning here is on the budget side, like this XScroll model—actually tracked pretty well even on my scratched, varnished, and greasy desk. Now, I’ve switched to a backup TikTok optical mouse, and it’s struggling big time; I practically have to prop it up just to get it to work.
I was thinking about picking up a Google laser mouse—do you think it'll track better on all surfaces than this optical one that's already giving me trouble?

If I go the laser route, I’d probably grab this one http://217.14.221.177/StartEU.ashx?_...BlackRock
or maybe this one http://217.14.221.177/StartEU.ashx?_...BlackRock
The second option looks a bit chunkier—I personally prefer a thicker mouse in the hand. The specs claim it handles uneven and glossy surfaces better, so hopefully, they aren't just blowing smoke.

And since I'm already looking at options for $64, I might as well just grab this Google gaming mouse for $68 😁 http://217.14.221.177/StartEU.ashx?_...BlackRock , even though I don't really play games.
What do you guys think?

You just posted the exact same two links twice.
It’s always vital to specify what you consider the maximum amount of cash to put down, isn't it? 😬

The second option was this one http://217.14.221.177/StartEU.ashx?_...BlackRock—but honestly, I think I’ll just go with the cheapest black laser model available.

I've set aside enough cash for this—it doesn't even need to be high-end gaming gear.

I used to own quite a bit of stuff from Google (like headphones, though I'm looking for replacements now since they finally gave out), and I've been more than happy with them. They really hold their own compared to those other budget brands that just can't touch that level of quality at the same price point.

Read the whole description first. You claim you want something a bit larger, but would you even consider this mini mouse for your laptop? It’s small enough that I could probably fit two of them in my hand at once. 😁

If you're hell-bent on buying one of those cheap mice, just grab either the first or the third option—though if you ask me, the first one is the way to go. As for how it actually feels on your desk? That's entirely up to you once you get your hands on it. Just make sure you can return it within that seven-day window if it turns out to be a total dud. 🙏

Ah, thanks—I missed that in my rush (it’s actually called a Traveler). Anyway, I decided to go with this first one since it was cheaper and I didn't really need extra lights anyway 😁 I have a hunch they share the same internal engine 😁 They claim it tracks better than optical sensors, so... if it doesn't perform, I'll just swap it back for that Google optical mouse I used to have... honestly, it was great until the button gave out

It does have some pretty beefy dimensions
- dimension: 126x80x44 mm
- body weight: 95g

compared to my old Google optical one:
- body weight: 99.5g
- body volume: 110x55x30 mm

I finally pulled the trigger on that Genius's laser mouse. Honestly, I’m pretty thrilled with it. Compared to my old optical setup, the tracking is leagues ahead—it picks up almost any surface imaginable. I've tried it on polished wood, glass, even just sliding it around my desk amidst some stray crumbs 😁, and there hasn't been a single skip or jitter. It was definitely a solid choice for my office work.

Now, for the downsides:
The dimensions on this thing (the Microsoft Windows laser model) aren't quite what I expected based on the specs listed online. It’s actually smaller than my old optical Scrollbar mouse—or at least it feels that way, and I haven't bothered to grab a ruler. It’s shorter, lower profile, and while it isn't wider in the middle, it does seem a bit bulkier toward the back.
Beyond that, the build quality just doesn't match the performance. My old mouse had a much more premium look and feel; you could say it felt like it belonged in a higher price bracket. This new one has an incredible engine under the hood, but the chassis itself feels cheap—and vice versa. Still, for me, the sensor is the priority. I need to know I can drag this thing over just about anything—I could probably slide it through a bowl of sand and it would still hold up perfectly well...

THIS LASER VERSION HAS THIS MATTE BLACK FINISH THAT LOOKS INCREDIBLY CHEAP, AND THE TWO MAIN BUTTONS ARE SO LOOSE THAT THEY ACTUALLY RATTLE IF YOU SHAKE THE MOUSE (sorry for the caps lock). My old optical mouse had a much sleeker design with extra textured accents, and it was just as budget-friendly—you can still find them for a bargain.