MS Optical Mouse 4000 Review - Operation

Now, this mouse operates in the 27MHz frequency band, which left me worry-free as that's nowhere near the frequency range that my wireless modem and cordless telephones operate at.

Since my USB ports are on the back of the notebook, I probably don't get quite the reception that someone with ports on the side would, but this is not noticeable at all, even if the mouse is fairly close to the computer and my leg is between the mouse and computer.

The mouse works well within the two foot range listed in the specs, and still works at three feet, but not much more than that, unlike the more than 15 foot range of the other wireless mouse.  At 12 inches and less, however, it responds much better than its predecessor did. 

Some may think it's weird to judge performance on fabrics such as a couch, but we are talking about a mobile setup-you never know where you are going to be computing, so I test my mouses on a wide variety of surfaces.

The MS 4000 has no issues with rough fabrics like my couch (its texture is similar to burlap), blue jeans, the corduroy-type fabric on my recliner, or a medium-nap carpet.  The mouse will not work well on non-patterned, semi-glossed or glossy surfaces.  This problem extends to the blotter-style calendar on my desk-this is one mouse you will want to have some form of patterned flat surface for, whether it's a traditional mouse pad, a sheet of graph paper, or the simulated wood grain of your desk.

I can't evaluate the mouse in a gaming environment, unfortunately, because it doesn't fit my hand well enough for me to run it through the paces like I did with the V200... trying to play Minesweeper at any pace above "pedestrian" is literally too painful for me, and the last thing this reviewer needs is a carpal-tunnel attack.

Conclusion

This mouse works well in close proximity to the laptop and its high resolution and slightly smaller footprint make it an ideal companion when working in tight quarters, such as on an airplane (after takeoff, of course).  I also like the feel of the controls, with crisp clicks and good tactile feedback except for the scroll wheel, which moves, also to my liking, smoothly.  If only it weren't so small in my hand.

If you have large hands or long fingers like me and need a cordless mouse for long bouts of computing, then this mouse is not for you.  For those with smaller hands, however, it may be exactly what the doctor ordered.  For those who can't stand using an eraser-style force stick or touch pad, then it's at least a compact alternative.