Buying a mouse: laser or optical sensor?

Laser mouse or optical mouse? In this practical tip, we will tell you where the differences lie and which considerations can make the difference when buying.

Optical mouse or laser mouse?

• Optical mice use a light emitting diode. The optical transmitter records the information on the respective base, the direction of movement and the speed of movement.
• Since the optical mouse has some problems with various documents, such as on too smooth or transparent surfaces, the laser mouse was developed.
• As the name suggests, the laser mouse works with a laser diode and, thanks to the speckle effect, can also be used on surfaces where the optical mouse has to fit. These include, for example, metal or stone surfaces.
• In addition, the laser mouse is much more precise than the optical mouse due to the finer scanning, which is particularly important for graphic work and of course for gamers.
• The power consumption of the optical mouse is slightly higher than that of the laser mouse. Since the power consumption of the mice is rather marginal overall, this should hardly be significant.
• In return, the optical mouse can score with being much less sensitive to impurities or unevenness.

Conclusion: buy laser mouse or optical mouse?

• If you often work in the graphic field, a laser mouse is certainly the first choice for you. The same applies to games where every millisecond counts and where extreme accuracy is important depending on the game.
• For the "usual" mouse work, it is basically irrelevant whether you choose an optical mouse or a laser mouse. You will hardly notice a difference during normal handling.
• Regardless of the type of mouse, however, you should pay attention to an ergonomic shape so that the device lies comfortably in the hand.

In the next practical tip, we will show you what to look for when buying a keyboard.