Very comfortable to use; striking good looks
Takes time to get used to; not as functional as other models; right-handers only
It’s no secret that as our working lives increasingly skew toward desk-based activities, tendonitis (pain and swelling at the joints), RSI (pain caused by repetitive actions or actions done in an awkward position) and epicondylitis (pain when twisting the arm, such as when turning a door handle) are common office complaints. Outside of the workplace, high-profile eSports athletes such as League of Legends champ Hai Lam have been forced to take early retirement due to injuries including RSI and carpal tunnel syndrome – losing them considerable sums in game prize-pots and sponsorship. Back on the office floor, however, such strains are less to do with executing special moves than they are navigating a spreadsheet – but the pain remains the same.
In response, several manufacturers now offer what are claimed to be less-damaging peripherals, many of which employ the “handshake” position. The thinking is that adopting this limb posture places the muscles, tendons and bones in your lower arm in an aligned, neutral position that is lower impact in terms of the stress placed on these biological components. Using a traditional flat mouse is considered the opposite of this, with the bones of the arm crossed, the wrist engaged and the tendons tensed. Over time, this takes its toll, leading to inflammation, stiffness and pain – which this reviewer can personally attest to.
Such injuries are also unrelated to physical fitness and strength: your humble reviewer can deadlift 150 kilos, but five minutes with a Magic Mouse, and I’d struggle to open a jar of Marmite without wincing, so set aside any notion that using a vertical mouse is the desktop equivalent of being fitted with an orthopaedic shoe – the struggle, as they say, is real.
On the advice of a physiotherapist, I switched to a vertical mouse earlier this year – the Evoluent VerticalMouse – and found it surprisingly beneficial. It does, however look like I am ironing my desk: the device is bulky, the cable tends to knock my coffee over, and while it feels rock solid, it’s also heavier than a typical mouse. But Evoluent now has a rival in the form of Logitech’s MX Vertical, a sculptural, slate-grey wave with a swooping 57° angled grip. It’s probably the most futuristic-looking thing on my desk – but is it any good?
Out of the box, the mouse works well, but functionality can be fine-tuned using the accompanying software, designating specific actions such as pausing media with the top button (in default, this affects cursor speed). It also comes with a Bluetooth receiver, so you can connect multiple devices to your machine, just in case you’re a really big fan of Logitech hardware.
The MX feels quite different in the hand to other upright devices – the ridged rubber surface makes it look like a cross between a nautilus shell and a clove of garlic, and unlike the smooth, hard-plastic models I’ve used, it didn’t get unpleasantly warm or tacky to the touch.
Having already reprogramed my brain to operate mouse buttons in a sideways orientation, I found the positioning of the left- and right-click buttons comfortable and easy to use. But one thing I did miss is a dedicated middle button – three-button mice like the Evoluent are geared toward spreadsheet power-users, and clicking the central button gives you a rapid scroll, controlled by pushing the mouse forward or backward. It’s a great alternative to winding the clickwheel – which itself can trigger forearm spasms when running through a particularly lengthy tract.
On the MX, you click the thumbwheel to activate this function, but I found it only triggered once every 10-15 clicks – if there’s a knack to this, I just didn’t have it. There are also vertical up-and-down buttons just above the groove where the thumb sits – this gives a more stately coast up and down a long blogroll. It’s an interesting configuration I haven’t encountered before, but I found these tricky to reach and uncomfortable to use.
Surprisingly, the MX feels lighter in the hand than my old Evoluent, even though it contains a rechargeable 240mAh Li-Po battery, rather than being tethered by a wire. Charging is done via a USB-C to USB cable – a four-month life is purported, but I can only attest that after three weeks left running, it’s still going strong. Its mass is concentrated in the front end of the mouse (where the charging port is), so although you won’t feel it when sliding the mouse around, it means it’s too easy to knock the MX on its side thanks to a combo of uneven weight distribution and the small desk-contact-footprint relative the rest of the device’s size.
A 4,000dpi sensor (compared to the Magic Mouse’s 1,300dpi) means that the wrist and arm don’t need to move so far, and the pointer accuracy is much more impressive. That said, I’m not convinced this is the mouse for hardcore gamers – the button layout is perhaps a little too quirky for rapid-response firing – but for navigating typical office fare, it’s more than capable (once you’ve wrapped your brain around the button positions, that is).
Verdict
It’s a visually striking device that won’t spoil your desktop by looking like it was prescribed by the NHS – but compromises in function and practicality have been made in order to keep that stylish Hadid-style curve. If you can spare the time to relearn how you mouse, you will benefit from a less tired/angry forearm, but it’s only worth the investment if used for more work-oriented activities – your PUBG clan will not thank you for putting your RSI before your ranking. Also: sorry, left-handers!
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
