Kensington Ci75m Wireless Notebook Mouse (black)

CNET Editors' Review
CNET Editors' Rating
- Reviewed by: Dan Ackerman
- Released on:
- Reviewed on:
The good: Built-in USB cable; less than 1 inch thick; USB receiver stores into the bottom of the mouse.
The bad: Not comfortable for long-term use; top cover pops off easily.
The bottom line: The Kensington Ci75m Wireless Notebook Mouse is a fine choice for when a laptop touch pad just won't do, with a USB receiver and USB cable stuffed into its slim body.
Accessory-maker Kensington is known for pumping out an endless array of tech add-ons, from iPod docks to laptop cases. Most are perfectly functional, but not exactly stylish, which makes this new line of travel mice (including the larger Ci70 LE and the ExpressCard-based Ci85m) especially interesting. With a slim profile and eye-catching design (two variations are available: all black, and orange and silver), the $35 Ci75m Wireless Notebook Mouse is a fine choice for when a laptop touch pad just won't do--as long as you don't expect it to stand up to too much physical abuse.
For a ... Expand full review
Accessory-maker Kensington is known for pumping out an endless array of tech add-ons, from iPod docks to laptop cases. Most are perfectly functional, but not exactly stylish, which makes this new line of travel mice (including the larger Ci70 LE and the ExpressCard-based Ci85m) especially interesting. With a slim profile and eye-catching design (two variations are available: all black, and orange and silver), the $35 Ci75m Wireless Notebook Mouse is a fine choice for when a laptop touch pad just won't do--as long as you don't expect it to stand up to too much physical abuse.
For a travel mouse, being easy to carry and use is a key feature. We liked the Ci75m's all-in-one construction, which includes a USB receiver that snaps into the bottom of the mouse when it's not in use. When you're ready to plug it in, pop the receiver out and stick in your laptop's USB port. Snapping the receiver back into the base of the mouse also covers the optical sensor and turns it off. While modern desktop mice typically include at least an extra thumb button or two, the Ci75m has just the basics: left and right buttons and a scroll wheel.
The Ci75m's length and width are similar to a smaller desktop mouse--4.25-inches by 2.5 inches, but it measures just 0.7 inch thick, and could easily slip into a shirt pocket (although we certainly wouldn't recommend that, if just for style reasons). The mouse is not an ergonomic disaster, but the shallow body and buttons can take some getting used to.
Hide ReviewCompare to other mices
Compare selected
New York native Dan Ackerman, a former radio DJ turned journalist, has written about technology and music for publications including Spin, Blender, The Hollywood Reporter, and Men's Journal. He hosts the weekly CNET Labscast show (Mondays at 2pm ET) and his most recent album, Tales Out of Night School, is available now.
User Reviews
See all user reviewsRating Breakdown
Most recent user reviews
Showing 3 of 7 reviews
"Great mouse, until it breaks" By ztrg
Pros: It's extremely portable, and the design actually feels reasonably comfortable once you get used to it. Battery life is decent (3-4 months with light-medium usage), and the wired option is a great back up.
Cons: The magnets that hold the mouse together fell off after about a year (usage of a few times a week for about an hour at a time).
Summary: It's an awesome mouse until the magnets fall off. I'm not sure if that's just bad luck or common, but I'm looking for a replacement now. Without the magnets the top half of the mouse falls off almost whenever you move it, although the mouse still ... Expand full review
"Poorly engineered hardware" By sipher27
Pros: Small, slim, easy to fit, very comfortable
ability to use wired power if batteries are dead
Cons: melty rubber
bad click button
a usb casing that breaks after so many uses (the usb casing head comes off the actual circuit part)
magnets on the actual mouse falls out of their holes easily
bad range
Summary: I bought three of these mices at different times, my first one had this issue of having the rubber on the mousewheel and the grip melt on me, as in the rubber on the mousewheel start to tear apart while the rubber where my thumb is deformed and smeared out, ... Expand full review
Specifications
See full specsQuick Specs
- Compatibility: Mac PC
- Battery size: AAA type
- Interface required: USB