Microsoft Arc Mouse Review

by Allison Johnson

The wireless Microsoft Arc Mouse features a sporty arc design and folds for portability. But is it a good on-the-go notebook mouse, or is it just dead weight? Read on for our full review.

Microsoft Arc Mouse Specifications:

• Dimensions: 2.32 x 4.44 inches (extended), 2.32 x 2.90 inches (folded)
• 2.4GHz - 30 ft. Wireless Range
• 6-month battery life
• LED battery status indicator
• Two AA batteries, travel pouch, wireless transceiver included
• Compatible with Windows Vista , Windows XP, and Mac OS X v10.2-10.5
• 3-year warranty
• MSRP: $49.95

Build and Design
The wireless Arc mouse folds to about half the size of my fist and unfolds into - you guessed it - an arc. Though not especially ergonomic, it's comfortable enough for daily use. This one is a deep metallic blue, but Microsoft is offering a nice variety of colors to choose from. Four buttons make up the Arc mouse- left, right, scroll/click wheel, and a dedicated back button. The wireless transceiver fits into an indentation on the underside, and it's held in place by a magnet. The whole package fits snuggly into a pocket-shaped travel pouch supplied with the mouse.

In Use
Once the mouse is unfolded, the wireless micro-transceiver snaps into a USB port and away it goes. Straight out of the box, it's very sensitive and a bit fast for my taste. On the flipside, users with cramped work spaces, like a small table in a coffee shop, will be able to make good use of a little bit of space. Once I'd adjusted it to a more comfortable speed, it handled nicely. It cruises across a desk surface smoothly on three glide pads, and the laser is relatively precise.

The transceiver is relatively small, but it sticks out far enough from the side of my notebook that I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving it plugged in all the time. It stores easily on the underside of the mouse. Still, that's one extra step added to the powering up and shutting down process, and nobody likes that. A wireless Bluetooth connection would resolve this issue. As it is, the wireless connection was very reliable, and I never experienced any kind of disruption.

The back button on the left side of the mouse is potentially useful, but positioned on the left side of the mouse, it's difficult to reach. I found that the arc shape pushed my hand further back on the mouse, and I had a relatively comfortable reach to the left and right buttons along with the scroll wheel but not the back button. In a couple of weeks of use, I couldn't find a good way to hold the mouse and use the back button, so I gave up.

Conclusion
I like the Microsoft Arc as a take-it-anywhere mouse. It's relatively compact, reliable and attractively designed. Though not as streamlined as a Bluetooth mouse, the transceiver is easy to store and quick to pop into a USB slot. However, if empty USB ports are scarce on your notebook, then you'll be better off with a Bluetooth connected mouse.

Pros:

• Steady wireless connection
• Folds for portability
• Comfortable use

Cons:

• Wireless transceiver eats a precious USB port
• Transceiver is still too large to be kept in notebook
• Back button is awkward to use

Pricing and availability
The Microsoft Arc Mouse is available through several online retailers. Price comparison and more information can be found at Microsoft's website.

 

It looks like a tricorder.

 

You know, I didn't notice that until just now. You are completely right ... it belongs in an episode of TNG.

Maybe Microsoft will release a new version of the Arc mouse with tricorder sound effects.

 

Um...you mean the Arc Mouse looks like this?
www.megomuseum.com/startrek/tricorder.html

 

No. I'm pretty sure we're talking about this (from The Next Generation) ...

http://www.tk560.com/studioprops/studioprops-Images/2.jpg

 

I tried using this mouse in the store before. It was kind of awkward to use because the weight did not feel balanced.

 

No way is that arc good for your wrist. Carpal tunnel, anyone?

 

I've been using this mouse on my T400 and it's a pretty good mouse. It's pretty comfortable to use.

 

That is probably one of the craziest mouses i've ever seen! Gee willikers Batman!!

Also does it come in red?

 

Of course!

http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-ZJA-00002-Arc-Mouse-Red/dp/B001C4ETUU/

 

I really like the Arc. It's tiny yet successfully feels like a full-sized mouse in use, and works well. It's as handy and as usable as the older VX (Don't really like the Nano) which was one of my favourite notebook mice, but in a notably smaller package.

 

I heard that the scroll wheel fails within a few months on every unit of this. A few minutes of googling took me to lots of complaints about the scroll wheel problem.

I still like the design though.

 

WOW!!! That thing is SWEET! This would look good with my touch of color TV(right next to my notebook) I really like this shade of red, its like a wine red really really classy. Thanks jerry

 

Simply beautiful, a completely new deisgn for a mouse!

 

i really love the sleek design of this mouse but in term of durability, it's a turn-off since the scroll wheel did die after a few months of use. how sad!

 

I like the design but the USB Transceiver storage is a really bad idea. That magnet is very very weak.

It feels really weird coming from Logitech VX Rev and VX Nano user. Your thumb and pinky finger is always left hanging.

This mouse is clearly made my designer because the ergonomic is terrible.

 

10 points on the fashion design aspect of this mouse, I can only imagine that the test of time would be less friendly to this than the average mouse though. Anything with moving parts, such as a hinge, has one more point of failure than your average mouse and it just looks like it's begging to break after a couple of years. But what the heck, it's $37 so by then there will be something more eye catching and cool to buy anyway.

 

Isn't there some like new type of laser powering this mouse as well? How come you guys didn't mention that?

 

Because it isn't really new. Microsoft's press materials say the Arc mouse uses "new Microsoft Laser Technology" that "aims to improve performance at much higher levels than the previous optical technology."

Well, that's nice ... but it's essentially the same as ALL laser mice compared to optical mice.

"Optical" mice use a LED-based optical engine while laser mice use a laser for more precise tracking. The "new Microsoft Laser Technology" supposedly provides up to 6000 frames per second (FPS) while most optical mice top out at around 2000 to 2500 FPS.

The problem is that this is just comparing laser mice to optical mice. Most laser mice run between 3200 and 6000 FPS ... so the specific "laser technology" used in the Arc mice might be "new" to Microsoft but it's largely the same as the laser technology used in all laser mice from all manufacturers.

Bottom line, the Arc mouse is better than an optical mouse or lower quality laser mouse in terms of FPS tracking ... but it's not really using a fundamentally new laser technology compared to other laser mice.

 

To summarise the above ramble, it's not Bluetrack. It's regular ol' optical.

I was slightly concerned at the hinge as well. While it's not like me to keep anything for long - the VX's have been an exception with a very long Vogelbung-life from release to now, and still on backup duty with no failures to date - but it looks pretty sturdy and well engineered in the overall scheme of things. It's also a good 'form over function' companion to my Crapbooks, only the Microsoft mouse offers a better balance of those two attributes than Apple can usually manage.

 

whats next Mice shaped like Frogs? that can hop to recharge themselves?

thanks for the review

 

OT, but...

The well written simplicity of this review got me thinking. I know a long time ago John Ratsey suggested I did a review of the Sony G11 when it was early days for it, but the complexity of the existing notebook reviews put me off.


EDIT:
I figured I should do a review, and casting around what I have I figure the Swaine Adeney Brigg Paternoster is a fairly unique item in general - so a review has been posted, modelled on the Arc review

 

Crazy looking mouse, I am not sure I will like the its feel after judging from the pictures.