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Microsoft Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse 3000

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CNET editors' rating: 3.0 stars Good
Detailed editors' rating

Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 26 reviews
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Product summary

The good: Comfortable; ambidextrous; inexpensive; lag-free performance.

The bad: Software not included; no extra buttons; short, three-foot range; lacks horizontal scroll.

The bottom line: The Microsoft Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse 3000 is a decent choice for mobile users, but the Logitech V400 is a far better one.

Specifications: OS Required / Type: Microsoft Windows 2000 ; Form factor: External ; Compatibility: PC , Mac ; See full specs

Price range: $17.85 - $30.63 check prices

CNET editors' review

Reviewed by:
Troy Dreier
Edited by:
Lara Luepke
Reviewed on: 06/02/2006
Released on: 04/01/2006

The Microsoft Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse 3000 offers basic mousing functionality at a cheap $29.95 price. Unfortunately, it's a little too basic for our tastes: it doesn't come with software, there are no extra buttons, and the receiver has a very short, 3-foot range. For users who won't stray far from their notebooks, this mouse could be a good fit, but we prefer the slightly more expensive, but much more functional Logitech V400, which boasts included software, five programmable buttons, and a 30-foot range.

To start using the Optical Mouse 3000, you need only to insert a single AA battery and plug in the wireless receiver. Microsoft's IntelliPoint software isn't included in the package, but you can download it from Microsoft's Web site. This software adds a tab to your regular mouse control panel. From there, you can select the left and right buttons on the scrollwheel and customize them from a list of functions and tasks.

The body of the mouse is an attractive blue-gray, and it features a contoured design that makes it fairly comfortable to hold. The left and right buttons are nearly full-size and are easy to click. The scrollwheel is a little small--about the size of two stacked nickels--and only allows vertical scroll, unlike the Logitech V400 which features a four-way scrollwheel. The Optical Mouse 3000's ambidextrous shape fits left-and right-handed users.

The Microsoft Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse 3000 comes with a USB receiver that snaps into the bottom of the mouse--a feature we consider essential on notebook mice. Unfortunately, this dongle is fairly weak, and it provided a pitiful 3-foot range in our tests--the Kensington PilotMouse Laser Wireless, for example, worked at distances up to 30-feet. Despite the Optical Mouse 3000's range, we were pleased with its tracking performance: we didn't notice any lag or errors from the 1,000 dots per inch (dpi) optical sensor.

The mouse comes with a three-year limited warranty, according to the included Getting Started guide. It also lists free phone support numbers and directs you to Microsoft's online support site, where you'll find FAQs and articles if you're having difficulties.

See more CNET content tagged:: optical mouse,; Logitech,; mouse,; Microsoft Corp.,; notebook computer

User reviews

Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 26 reviews
My rating: 0 stars Write review

Showing 3 of 26 user reviewsSee all 26 user reviews
0.5 stars

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

"Terrible. All three I had broke within 3 weeks to 3 months. Waste of money and patience."

by Pantalaimion on March 31, 2007

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4.5 stars

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful

"Great for the average Home User"

by ipod59874 on April 23, 2007

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4.5 stars

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful

"Excellent choice for minimalist mousework"

by buddy1065 on December 4, 2006

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See all 26 user reviews Write review

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Microsoft Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse 3000

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Where to buy

Microsoft Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse 3000: $17.85 - $30.63

store	price	in stock?
	$19.96	Yes
	$17.85	Yes
Amazon.com Marketplace	$20.04	Yes
	$24.99	Yes
	$19.96	No

see prices from 9 stores

Reviews from around the WebPowered by alaTest

alaTest.com

Editors' rating: 89

Summary: alaTest has collected and analyzed 4129 reviews of Microsoft Notebook Optical Mouse from international magazines and websites. Experts rate this product 78/100 and users 82/100. Comparing these reviews to 66744 other Mouse & Pointing Devices reviews gives this product an overall alaScore™ 89/100 = Very Good.
techgage.com

Editors' rating: 80

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laptoplogic.com

Editors' rating: 80

Summary: , the Microsoft Wireless Notebook Optical mouse is a functional mouse and a great portable companion for your laptop

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techtree.com

Editors' rating: 80

Summary: As far as the power consumption is concerned, the mouse is pretty impressive thanks to its low power processor which provides an excellent battery life of more than 6 months. Microsoft has also redesigned the battery sleeve, which was awkward on its ...

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macworld.com

Editors' rating: 80

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personal computer world

Editors' rating: 100

Summary: Pros: Wireless operation; clever design

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