Style meets function with this amazing optical mouse. Microsoft has combined optical and wireless technologies with their revolutionary Tilt Wheel Technology to achieve a new standard for performance in freedom, comfort, and style. With their new longer battery life many users average more than six months without changing batteries! Experience unrivaled accuracy, speed, and controlnew wheel functionality and intuitive software enables enhanced, accelerated scrolling through documents and Web pa
1 Tilt rocks, buttons okay, smooth scrolling...
The just of this review is in the title itself...I bought this mouse to replace my Logitech MX310, which was a nice mouse but just too small and not ergonomic enough. I mainly wanted to get the Microsoft mouse because of it's smooth scrolling wheel with side tilt. That is the most wonderful part of this mouse!
The middle scroll button however, is very difficult to press down, you really have to exude effort to press it. I am hoping over time, the button will become looser and easier to press.
The shape of the mouse, the ergonomics of it, are superb; it really does fit your hand and fingers well. The mouse also has 2 rubberized sides which help you grip and slide the mouse easily across the table or mousepad.
The wireless function was incredibly easy to install following the instructions given and the CDrom. The software that comes with this mouse is also very customizable and even lets you adjust the speed of both scrolling, up/down and side2side.
Another main reason I bought the Intellimouse Explorer with Tilt is because it does have 5 buttons - 2 for the thumb area. The default setting is forward/backward for browsing the internet but you can customize that. The buttons are easy to press, but the placement of the buttons would have been better if it was under the thumb instead of up and over the thumb area, making it a bit of a stretch/effort to reach and press. The front button should also be larger and moved back, then the mouse would be almost perfect!
I'm quite a picky person when using the mouse because it's the most used computer hardware besides the keyboard and CPU! You have to really invest time into a mouse because your hands will need comfort for hours on end...this mouse doesn't disappoint. It's a great choice overall.
If you are lucky enough to find the other colors available besides the popular grey/black mouse, go for it! I have the red and it's beautiful.
2 Also having problem with Left-Click premature wear
NO LESS THAN 7 REVIEWERS HERE ALL HAVING THE SAME LEFT-CLICK PROBLEM IN LESS THAN 6 MONTHS!!
I am having the same exact problem as Reviewer Peter M. Yocum "some dude"
QUOTING PETER: "The switch under the normal button (left button) is unreliable, and apparently this is a known problem with late models of the Intellimouse."
This is true in my case - my mouse worked wonderfully for about 6 months, and now the annoyance has begun - same as many others have experienced.
Like Peter said - the scroll wheel is great, the tracking is smooth, the extra buttons are fine, it's comfortable and looks great.
And like Peter said - since the primary function is that left click button, having it malfunctioning ruins it.
I also recommend you search online for "intellimouse click problems" before you buy, and decide for yourself.
3 I bought Microsoft assuming it would be reliable
The switch under the normal button (left button) is unreliable, and apparently this is a known problem with late models of the Intellimouse.. serves me for buying a mouse without doing a thorough online check to see if it was a lemon first. The scroll wheel is great, the tracking is smooth, the extra buttons are fine, it's comfortable and looks pretty--but since the primary function is that left click button, having one as shoddy and nonfunctioning as this, ruins it.
Why this model has not been recalled, I cannot fathom; it is maddening to use. Imagine having a keyboard that randomly ignores keystrokes, and how much that would slow you down. I'm just taking the time to write this review before I get a mouse from another manufacturer, hopefully saving someone from repeating my mistake. Apparently at least a couple of reviewers here are happy with their mice, but search online for "intellimouse click problems" before you buy, and decide for yourself.
4 L-button stopped working
Like another reviewer, the mouse worked fine for about a month, then the L-click button stopped working. Now I have to click on items about seven times before they are recognized. I would have given this five stars if my expectation was to have the mouse work for 30 days, but seeing that my expectation was for it to work for years, it gets only one star.
5 Worst Gaming Mouse Ever.
I got this mouse because my old IntelliMouse died (wheel just stopped working). Anyway, thinking `Microsoft mice' are good (nearly all my other mice are by Microsoft), I got this new one---and wow, am I disappointed!
It's not very comfortable (it's better than other gray-box mice, but not better than previous IntelliMouse---a but subjective), and on top of it all, the tilt-wheel is really horrible for gaming. It's like when you press the tilt-wheel, the mouse starts to think whether to scroll, click, or tilt. There is a very noticeable delay on the tilt-wheel. I'd imagine it's `ok' for browsing the web, but it's certainly not `ok' for gaming.
Also, this mouse seems to have an issue with several buttons clicked at once. I tend to use combination clicks for various things, and this mouse just seems to not respond to that (forget about zooming and shooting at the same time in a game).
6 Not perfect but very nice.
This is not a bad mouse compared to what other options you have in the current market.
I purchased a Logitech mouse before I bought this one, the logitech one was for around $55 and it was garbage, it would make my hand sweat and wasn't even comformate.
This is not a perfect mouse however it is better than any other mouse i have tried so far.
I would easily paid $100 for this mouse, it is definetly worth the current price ($29.98)
7 Choose Another Mouse
This mouse was absolutely wonderful until the left button stopped working. I now have to smash it before it will 'click' on anything. I thought it was a driver problem. Then I reconfigured it so the right button actually performed the left-click. Sure enough, the right button worked just fine. It seems that Microsoft did not test this mouse for sufficient durability. After 10 months I now have to get another mouse.
8 Intellimouse with OSX Panther
I wanted this mouse because I wanted more buttons and a tilt wheel. The mouse is really solid (if a little larger than I expected), but the software is a little convoluted. I was hoping that the tilt wheel would be good for scrolling sideways, and it does work fine on most applications. Finder yes, Firefox no, Illustrator yes. Itunes yes.
The software assigning the keys is quirky. If I want to set the wheel button to activate Expose, I have to set the button in the ms software to secondary click and in the osx prefs set expose to active on the right mouse button. Very odd.
But at 16 dollars including shipping it is a real deal, and once you have figured out the software quirks it is great.
Hopefully the Tiger mouse control panel will be smarter and then I won't need the ms software.
9 Don't buy this mouse if you use AutoCAD!!
The "Tilt-Wheel" technology does not function with AutoCAD
programs. It will give you nothing but problems. Also like one
of the previous reviews stated. The Left pick wears out in a
matter of 4-6 months! You'll start to notice that you have to
pick things 2, 3 or 4 times to activate. Some good points are:
The shape is nice. Moves well, very fluid. The wheel rolls
smooth, better than most mice devices. If you don't use
AutoCAD it will be fine until the "Left Pick" starts to go.
10 Not Reliable!!!
I upgraded to this mouse from an older wheelmouse optical. I enjoyed the mouse when it worked, but after about 6 months the left button required multiple clicks to register. I thought it might be a software issue and spent time making sure everything was correct. I changed to two different mice and both worked correctly. It seems that the buttons for this mouse wear out after only a few months. I have seen multiple other reviews on other sites that say the same thing. BEWARE!!!!
If you only need a mouse that lasts for a few months this is the perfect one, but if you want one that will last stay away! I am back to using my old wheelmous optical which still works. Microsoft struck out on this one!
11 Be careful if you order this.
I don't really know whether this mouse is as good as many of the others have reported, because of an omission in the product description.
This mouse will only work with Windows 2000, or Windows XP.
This is clearly indicated on the packaging, but lacking in Amazon's product description.
Had I purchased this from a local merchant, I would have seen this, and looked at another mouse. I guess the moral of the story is support your local merchants! The Actual price of this product is the same at many of the local computer stores.
After reading some of the other reviews, I noticed one which stated that rather than using the included CD-ROM to update driver information, the user just plugged the mouse in, and it worked. I tried this, and while the special features are not available, my Windows 98Se accepted the new mouse as a wheel mouse, and it works like any other wheel mouse.
12 problems with USB mouseport adapter
Have had the mouse for a week:
Pros: Looks cool. Nice feel to it when using it. Matches my black/chrome keyboard.
Cons: The responsiveness of the scroll wheel stinks using the adapter and horizontal scroll refuses to work at all when using the USB to mouseport adapter. It does work better when using the USB alone.
Bottom line: Decent mouse. Classic Microsoft, put out a product before all bugs are out of it!!
13 Mouse snob finds love
I won't settle for just any mouse...and I have a box of them to back that statement up. This one will not end up in that box...well, at least not for awhile. :-)
I decided that the occasion of a new computer system warranted a new color-coordinated mouse and began my search. Unlike many of my peers, I have had EXCELLENT experiences with various Microsoft mice so I decided to limit my search to this product line. I also decided to forgo wireless mice as I may decide to use my system for gaming periodically.
This mouse fit all the requirements so I gave it a shot. My first reaction upon gripping it is that the tactile sensation is fantastic. The ergonomics are great (for this right-hander), however, your mileage may vary as this judgment is unavoidably subjective. The sides of the mouse almost feel like rubber and have a very pleasant feel. The mouse is light and quite easy to use.
So what about that new tilt wheel? Well, I can't say that I have used the side tilt, but it is unobtrusive...and can be disabled. I suppose that the real controversy is the fact that the standard wheel direction no longer features tactile clicks. The mouse now free wheels. Upon hearing this fact, I was not sure how I would like this "feature". I use the wheel extensively while surfing and working in applications. So what is my assessment? One word - WOW. I LOVE the new wheel. It is SO much easier to use. While I can't comment on the associated challenges for use in gaming, the wheel shines in standard applications.
If you are more likely to be using a web browser, Microsoft Word, or an IDE, then this is your new mouse. Well, this one or one of the many other color scheme variants. If you are a gamer, then you may want to save the box...just in case.
14 Gamers, avoid this mouse!
I miss my 3.0
Where the side buttons used to be easily clickable without moving your hand, the newer 4.0 makes it difficult to click and control the mouse at the same time. This is not a mouse for gamers.
Another major problem is the wheel button. This is a major function button for me in many games. Now it responds 1 out of 3 times (if that!). I click and click... and nothing happens.
15 Great 5 button mouse; better than my first Intellimouse Expl
I loved my 1st Intellimouse Explorer since it first came out, about 5-6 years ago? But the left click started "double clicking" last week, and I had to buy a new one. I was worried by the reviews I read here, but the 4.0 is a great mouse.
I do analytical work (MS office, quicken, browser research hours a day). I use the mouse constantly and want smooth, effortless, selecting & clicking. The shape is fine-nice high arch. The buttons are fantastic. These are the BEST clicking buttons I've experienced to date (compared with Dell, IBM & several MS optical mice). Nice and easy to push- very little effort, but very positive action- accurate clicks every time. I have never had an accidental click.
The Intellipoint 5.2 software at Microsoft website seems to have dealt with most or all complaints listed in reviews here. (as of 9/22/04) You can assign custom keystrokes or file locations to all 5 buttons and make button assignments program specific. (But wheel assignments are not program specific- one setting for all programs for wheel. And the tilt-wheel doesn't work in all software, like my Olympus Cammedia software)
Cons:
*I think the wheel button's click is too firm. I guess they did that so tilting side to side vs. clicking wouldn't be confused? But I suspect they'll reduce wheel click pressure the next version.
* I liked the lower side location for the 2 side buttons on Intellimouse Explorer 1.0, but this takes about 1 day to get used to.
* Vertical & Side scrolling set up. I had to experiment with a few combinations to start liking the new wheel. There is no "lines per click" setting for the wheel sensitivity as it has no clicks. There are 3 Slow-to-Fast scales to set: vertical, vertical accelleration, horizontal (tilt). I had to try a few combinations until it finally seemed smooth & intuitive to me. But now I like it better than my old ratchety wheel which I set at 6 lines per click, and I've only had the tilt wheel 24 hours to get used to it!
My wife recently got the funny shaped IBM mouse as she liked the odd thumb slot on the left, but when my old mouse broke, I tried the IBM and on several audible left clicks it failed to register a click! It flunked basic mouse functionality for me! She doesn't notice.
16 The Mouse that could
This is a great mouse for things like excel spreadsheets where you have to move horizontally but for things like games where you use the scroll wheel to change weapons and such this mouse fails. The scroll wheel has no clicking motion to it. The wheel glides smoothly. This causes problems for pc gaming. I still give this mouse four stars b/c it feels and looks great and the tilt wheel is great. Also the customizable buttons on the mouse are cool. Thanks and peace out and vote Communism in 2004. Just kidding on the last part. I would never say peace out.
17 Ergonomic experts don't know ergonomics!
This is an expensive mouse for so little benefit. The product descripton says it was "designed by ergonomic experts for your comfort." Well, it is not for my comfort . . . nor for anyone. I was attracted by the extras - the extra buttons, the horizontal scroll, etc. But, within only a short period of time, the extras proved to be unworth the discomfort. The top buttons are so soft that I cannot rest my hand without clicking one or both by accident. There is a noticable strain from holding my hand awkwardly just to grasp the mouse. The scroll button is also too soft. There is no tactile feel at all. I will be purchasing a new optical mouse somewhere . . . but not from Microsoft. This is not what I paid for. A cheaper mouse may well have been much better.
18 Microsoft struck out with this one.
I've been a happy user of every version of the Intellimouse Explorer since it's introduction. In my opinion Microsoft had a track record of improving design with each iteration and I was eager to see how they would follow up the nearly perfect v3. Unfortunately, they've made several bad decisions in the design of this latest version.
1) The Wheel: They removed the notched click-feel of the wheel. This renders the wheel as less than accurate. What's more, it feels sluggish. A significant scroll of the wheel does not render an appropriate response on-screen. I haven't found a good use for the tilt functionality, and depressing the wheel to inspire auto-scroll requires much more pressure than version 3 of this same mouse. I prefer the feel and responsiveness of the wheel button in v3. The new style is bad.
2) Thumb Buttons: The designers moved the thumb buttons to a poor position. They are too far from either the thumb or the forefinger to be useful. The designers undermined themselves by relocating the buttons.
3) The Intellipoint 5.0 software insists that I remove my laptop's native trackpad driver. I'm not willing to risk disabling my machine and am therefore unable to install the drivers for my new mouse. A smarter driver would and could live side-by-side with drivers for other input devices. I suspect that I'm losing tilt-wheel functionality and configuration by not having the Intellipoint driver. This is extremely annoying.
In all fairness, I think they've done some things right.
Raising the physical profile of the mouse was a wise idea. It's a usable midpoint that's larger than the prior wired version but smaller than the older wireless version that I regarded as too bulky. This new version fits my hand quite well.
The primary buttons have a nice feel to them and require very little effort. They are well placed and possess the proper sensitivity for my common business usage.
I recommend that most people avoid this mouse. The design flaws outweigh the few improvements. I'm going to stick with my older version and put this one on the shelf. Literally.
19 Very good product!!!
This is probably the best mouse out there. With no need for batteries this mouse is not just comfortable and beautiful, he's 5 buttons are really great. The position of the thumb buttons are in the right spot and the new Tilt-Wheel is very useful. I had the old version of this mouse and I just can't keep my hands of this one!!!
This mouse is a must have and the logitech guys should learn something from this mouse.
20 Destroys laptop pointer
I had the older version of this mouse and it worked fine for years. I would have purchased an identical mouse, but could only find this "new and improved" model. It requires version 5.0 of the Intellipoint software. Installing that softwares removed the TrackPoint software on my IBM ThinkPad X30 laptop and disabled some of the TrackPoint functions.
After consulting with an IBM service technician, I found that the only solution was to return the mouse and try to find the older model. Thank goodness for the system restore feature of Windows XP.
21 Great Mouse
I love this mouse, it feels great and the response is amazing. Its a great mouse for gamers, the only problem is the mouse scroll doesn't click and I switch weapons to quickly, but that just takes a little getting used to.
22 What a POS! to bad 0 stars are not an option.
Let's see, where to begin.
The scrolling is terrible, frustrating, does not work! I'm trying to use it right now!! I'm resorting to my keyboard and clicking the scroll bar to scroll!!! AAAHHHHHHHHH!!!
The middle button can't be set as... A MIDDLE BUTTON!!!
Forget about using this thing for ProE, UNIX emulator, or any other app that requires a middle button to actually perform as a middle button.
I haven't been able to get the tilt to work.
Worse of all, it's impossible to uninstall. You'd better have XP because you need to restore from a prior system state to get this little gem's drivers off your system.
You can't uninstall, you can't install another Mouse's drivers.
A mouse installation and configuration should not take hours.
23 Great for the desktop, so-so for gaming
The first thing I noticed when making the switch from the Intellimouse Explorer 3.0 to the 4.0 (yes, this mouse is the 4.0, not the 3.0 like Amazon suggests) was the scroll wheel. It is incredibly smooth, and feels great to move up and down. It is the best feeling wheel I've ever used, and it's extremely nice on long documents, as there are acceleration options for the wheel itself. However, in a lot of games, gamers will set the scroll wheel to change weapons. The fact that this wheel is so smooth to scroll, makes it very difficult to just change to the next weapon. You always end up skipping 4 or 5 weapons, so you just have to scroll back. Takes a lot of getting used to, if your previous mouse had tactile clicks to let you know when you've scrolled one unit.
In all honesty, the only thing that even made me switch was the new tilt-wheel feature. I later learned that this new feature isn't really so great... it feels real clunky, and is hard to press in either direction. And the scrolling that happens onscreen is real jerky, and slow (even when set to the highest speed). It's also not performing a universal application side-scroll, as it only works in a few programs that could potentially utilize it.
I am primarily a gamer, so the mouse I use has to be very precise, responsive, and comfortable. To me it seems like my hand gets cramped much faster than it did with the 3.0 under extensive use and long gaming sessions. However, it is extremely accurate, and very precise in first-person shooters and Photoshop, the two areas where extreme precision are important in my computer usage. It has a nice weight, and feels very solid. The thumb buttons are were huge design mistake though. They were moved from a neutral thumb-rest position, to the top of this ridge that is above where your thumb rests. The result is a very awkward reach, and it's much more difficult to execute in high-pressure situations like online gaming. Also, the middle button (the scroll-wheel) is very hard to press down properly. If the wheel rolls at all, then it cancels the button-press, and you have to redo it. Also, it seems to lag a bit after you press it down, leaving you waiting for results. Very annoying if you are used to pressing the middle button in an FPS, where your timing is more crucial than on the desktop.
Overall, the Intellimouse 4.0 is a very nice mouse for casual/everyday users. However, if you are a gamer, or graphic artist, or anyone that will be doing any extensive mousing around, will probably want to test the mouse out before you buy it. The hand cramps are my number one complaint after 3 or 4 weeks of usage.
24 Have both wired and wireless. The BEST scroll wheel.
Always liked MS mice for their effortless clicking switches. I do not think I ever had one fail... The scroll wheel on this mouse is what brings it to a 5. The scroll is silky smooth and without annoying clicks.The side buttons work fine with practice. I never bother with the tilt function as it is too hard to switch and rarely a time saver.The mouse wheel switch is about the same as the old versions.
The wireless is the exact same shape as the wired. It is heavier of course with the batteries. What I do not like is that in order for me to scroll occasionally, I need to wiggle the mouse to "wake it up". This wake up process is quick but necessary even after the most brief of pauses.
To recap, fine mouse with superior click switches on the buttons and a fantastic scroll wheel.
25 Best Scroll wheel in market
I have Logitech mx500 & used other mx series mouse (310, click plus etc) what make this mouse apart is scroll wheel. First of all feel is smooth & totally mute while scrolling. It has 2 additional buttons for back & forward. Tilt wheel is good feature too. You have to configure properly while installing Intellimouse 5 software. (Install without problem on windows 2000). Yeah make sure you select "Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer with Tilt-Wheel" name during installation. I bought it for $26 sale price at near by store.
26 Wolf in sheep's clothing...
I purchased this mouse at another online store back in February to replace an old intellimouse that was acting up. Upon initial use, i was really loving it...cool design, smooth feel...but now (less than 2 months later) I am having problems left-clicking. I find that I have to left-click mulitple times in order for it to work. Since I work in graphic design...this is very counter-productive and annoying. I tried getting it replaced with Microsoft's mouse replacement plan and was denied because it was an OEM mouse, which I was unaware of until I checked the product ID number on the bottom.
I would suggest that if you are going to take a chance with this mouse, that you purchase the RETAIL version in case you need to take advantage of the replacement warranty. It appears that Microsoft refuses coverage of OEM parts and products.
27 Pretty bad
I've had this mouse about 2 months now. It was my first experience with a tilt wheel, and the first thing I noticed is that to get the wheel to register as a tilt, you basically have to grab the wheel with 2 fingers and move it to the side. The scroll wheel is very difficult to click, and as a gamer, that's pretty annoying. The scroll wheel also refuses to register as clicking if the scroll wheel is scrolling at the same time.
My main problem with this mouse is that now, after only 2 months of use, the left click button occasionally doesn't register a click whenever I press it. There is a small space between the actual click of the button and where the electrical circuit inside makes contact. It may sound bizarre, but again, as a gamer, often times I find myself clicking the button into exactly that "dead zone" and no click is registered.
I'll be buying a Logitech next time.
28 A decent mouse choice and the price was right.
This mouse is Microsoft's Intellimouse 4.0. As an optical mouse, its movement and weight are excellent. I replaced a broken Intellimouse 3.0 with this and even though this mouse seems favor a right-handed user (I am lefty) even more than version 3.0, it fits more comfortably into my hand than the V3.0.
The two things I do not like about the mouse are that the two side button are rather small and set too far up on the left side and the "tilt wheel" only seems to work in Internet Explorer and Netscape...does not work in Opera, Office XP or Photoshop.
All in all, I like the mouse and I liked the price with the free shipping. I compared prices with stores like CompUSA and BestBuys and Amazon was substantially cheaper.
29 Very good overall mouse
I had the wireless version of this mouse. I changed it with this one.It's the exact same mouse but wired. The reasons I prefer this one over the wireless version are:
-Wireless had reception and interference problems, this one is robust.I had to keep the receiver really close, so whats the point...
-This one does not use batteries, no battery cost and it's lighter.(2AA less weight)
-I use it with my laptop, it's lighter for the above reason and because it doesn't have the extra unit.(receiver)
-This one is %30 cheaper.
I like the overall design and performance.It has a good optical sensor. 5 buttons which are useful. The side buttons may take time to get used to, but it's doable.
One last thing, these reviews are meant to tell other people about our opinions as unbiased as possible. I personally benefit them very much. I think people like "A software user" who has dropped hate words in the previous review is not aware of this fact. You simply cannot say that this mouse has a "very poor" design.
30 Piece of Junk. Hate tilt wheel!
What a piece of XXXX...
All I can say is get Logi. The tilt wheel is VERY FLIMSY. It takes much force to make it go left and right with uncertain click. Scroll wheel does not have click and it takes a LOT of force to move it. Very poor design.
I just can't believe how low Microsoft mouse are. Logi has improved and no wonder Dell does not sell/offer Microsoft junks!
31 Warning - For Windows: XP or 2000 Only
My Intellimouse Explorer 3.0 (non-tilt scroll wheel) mouse failed after less than one year's use. Don't bother to look for any warranty info on these products. I figured I'd look for the newest and best so I bought this one. As another user said, this is the 4.0 Intellimouse -- says so on the bottom of the mouse. Warning - the software will not install on Windows 98SE! This mouse works with my old Intellimouse software but NOT the tilt wheel and the scroll wheel is now sloppy and irritating to use. (Well, what do you expect -- it's not made for this OS.) This mouse looks more compact but both Intellimice are too large for my thumb to comfortably reach the small thumb button. What can I say? I'm looking for a different brand of mouse.
32 Really Intellimouse Explorer 4.0
Received it today. Works flawlessly. Not sure why it is identified as 3.0 (I also have the 3.0 version - non-tilt wheel). Scrolling vertically is very smooth, horizontally it might depend on the speed you set, but not bad. Comes with Intellipoint 5.0, but installation didn't remember all my 4.0 settings - not a big deal. Side buttons sit about 1/2 inch higher than 3.0 version (may help prevent accidental pressing, but I am used to lower position), mouse slightly higher overall.
I use the side buttons for copy, cut and paste with a boost from Clipomatic (freeware) clipboard utility - works great.
33 hmmmm
IS this the intellimouse 4.0 that got a kick ass award in maximum pc? it looks like it.
