The Wireless Mouse 2000 from Microsoft is about as bare-bones a wireless mouse you can get -- with one big exception. The 2000 features the company’s BlueTrack Technology, which lets you mouse on nearly any surface (not clear glass or mirrors). So if you’re looking for a no-frills wireless mouse to use on your granite countertops with your kitchen laptop, at $29.99, this could be your best buy.
At a Glance
The Good: BlueTrack, receiver placeholder
The Bad: One programmable button would have been nice, no color choices
Overview
The black and gray 2000 is as full-sized as they come. It’s meant to be used with either the left or right hand, so this means it has no ergonomic curves to it. But an extended test period resulted in no discomfort during use, even after mousing for long periods of time.
The mouse operates off 2.4GHz wireless technology, and the USB receiver is of the mid-size variety. The 2000 does come with receiver placeholder on the bottom of the mouse, so you can snap the receiver in there should you need to travel with it.
You get three clickable buttons with the 2000 -- left, right and scroll wheel. I would have liked to see even a single programmable side button, but you’ll have to trade wireless connectivity for a wired connection with the Comfort Mouse 4500. The scroll wheel rolls smoothly with no click-to-click scrolling -- this could be a personal preference for you. I tend to favor mice with click-to-click scrolling over smooth scrolling.
Battery Life
The mouse runs off two AA batteries, and Microsoft says you’ll get at least six months of life out of them. It also has an on/off switch, which is a nice feature if you remember to use it. There’s no battery indicator, so be sure to keep an extra pack around.
Bottom Line
Yes, you can find a cheaper wireless mouse, but if you’re looking for one with BlueTrack Technology, take a look at this one. If you’d rather a BlueTrack mouse with a
nano receiver , check out the Wireless Mobile Mouse 3500. It’s a travel-sized mouse, but you’ll get a battery indicator to boot.
Disclosure: Review samples were provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our
Ethics Policy.
