What is the best mouse to use for AutoCAD

[wrdk]

I'm in the process of looking for a new mouse. I have never purchased a mouse the autocad in mind. So I'm wondering if anyone has any opinions on some good mouse's to use for CAD. I've heard that Logitech MX Revolution is pretty good.

Thanks.

[AcadAdamLT]

In my oppinion, the best mouse is the one that feels good in your hand, your probably gonna use this mouse around 8~ hours a day so it must have a comfortable grip.

What is comfy for someone might not be comfy for someone else, it's impossible to say which mouse is the best since everybody will think different.

But some key things that is needed in a mouse for a CAD-drafter in my oppinion is this:

Macro's: For example, I use mousebutton 5 to do macro ^C^CLine;

Another thing that is a must for me is the possibility to change mouse sensitivty directly on the mouse.

Scrollwheel that is easy to click in (for using zoom extent)

And last but most importantly the grip, a nice comfortable grip.

I'am currently using a Mionix Naos 5000 and is pleased with it and it does it's job for drafting.

/Adam

[pendean]

>>>...Scrollwheel that is easy to click in (for using zoom extent)...<<<

Just in case someone missed the excellent mouse tip you buried in your post 🙂

[jrawlinson]

i have recently fell in love with the razer mamba. its a little on the high side as far as price but the programable buttons and the amount of customizing u can do with it to fit you best is just plain incredible. it is well worth every cent.

[bcheeseman]

I have a new favorite mouse, the Logitech G500 with SetPoint software. I bought a $39 incl shipping refurbished that came with weights for the right heft and feel. Its various buttons and tilting wheel are programmed with macros and keystrokes for Line, COpy, ESCape, PER (I prefer the override that lets me avoid using the problematic preset osnap), R (handy in various functions instead of typing R+Enter for Radius in fillets, Remove in selection groups, Rotation in drawing rectangles, and Redraw). I still have a button and one wheel-tilt left for other functions.

I know it's each to his own when it comes to cad drafting -- this is the way I've been accustomed ever since the puck and tablet. The 'Esc' is not going to wear off that key on my keyboard. 

[heinsite]

Every so often I will visit someone elses workstation in response to a question and find that it's near impossible to explain a solution because their mouse isn't set up with even the most basic functions.   And when I say "basic" I'm referring to two that I use constantly: (1) Scroll wheel panning; and (2) Scroll wheel dbl click zoom extents (mentioned above).  How people can get anything done with a mouse that doesn't even have this level of functionality is honestly baffling to me in the extreme.

I don't do anything fancy with AutoCAD at all so a simple, and extremely cheap, Logitec laptop-quality mouse has always been more than enough to let me do everything I need.  To think that this is so much more than others have is quite something.  And yet I see it all the time.  Go figure.

Moral (if there is one):  If you want to get something useful done with AutoCAD, get a pointing device that WORKS! 

Dave.

[AcadAdamLT]

---

@heinsite wrote:

Every so often I will visit someone elses workstation in response to a question and find that it's near impossible to explain a solution because their mouse isn't set up with even the most basic functions.   And when I say "basic" I'm referring to two that I use constantly: (1) Scroll wheel panning; and (2) Scroll wheel dbl click zoom extents (mentioned above).  How people can get anything done with a mouse that doesn't even have this level of functionality is honestly baffling to me in the extreme.

Dave.

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amen to that.

[hikerman]

I have tried a few rodents, and found that the one I like best is the Logitech Anywhere MX.

Here are the reasons.

1.I use one for desktop and one for laptop, and don't have to change habits when I am on the laptop.

2.On the MX Revolution you click down on the scroll wheel to pan. This can result in turning the scroll wheel at the same time without meaning to. On the Anywhere MX you click a little button just behind the scroll wheel to pan, and there is no inadvertent zooming while you pan. The response is also easier on the Anywhere pan button than on the Revolution scroll wheel depressing.

3.The batteries last a long time. I use Eneloop AA rechargeables in it, and just trade them out as needed.

4.The scroll wheel side to side scroll (which is a nuisance) can be completely disabled in the Setpoint software.

5.There are two thumb buttons (Revolution and Anywhere) that can be programmed. I do one for [Enter] and one for [Escape]. I find this very handy, really helps me go faster. Per my recollection, the MS mice could not be programmed for [Escape]. That was many years ago, don't know how the MS mice are now.

6.  The little USB receiver that plugs into a USB port has really good range (I think over 10'), and is really small. It will simultaneously operate several Logitech devices, so you can use a Logitech wireless keyboard at the same time with just one receiver plugged into the computer. this brings up another MS issue, I have had problems in the past with MS wireless keyboards, poor reception and missed keystrokes.

So this Logitech setup is pretty convenient and I have no keyboard problems. I just leave the receiver always plugged in, both the laptop and desktop. Never any problems with the two getting confused with each other, even when used close by.

There is one thing that I would like to see improved. In Acad, it is very mouse intensive, and I find that sometimes the response time seems just a little too slow. I will click on a command on a toolbar, go to do it, and find that I had not hovered long enough on the toolbar for the click to register.

Revolution and Anywhere are not really gaming mice, and I think the gaming mice might have faster response times.

Years ago some people (like me) had a wierd screen flicker in Autocad that was very irritating. I know I personally went through a couple video cards, drivers, etc. trying to fix it.

Finally came across a couple posts, I think in this forum, about how the MS mouse software was causing the flicker. I did some communication with MS about it and was told by MS that their mouse software was not compatible with Autocad.

I deleted all traces of the MS mouse and keyboard software and switched to Logitech, no more screen flicker.

This may not still be an issue now that we are in later versions of Autocad and I'm sure later versions of the MS mouse software.

No, I don't own stock in Logitech, but I have found their setup to work well for me.

[bowman24985]

I have a ms wireless 5000 it has a crazy tilt wheel as well I hate it because it does not want to scroll as well. it has the abilty to set the mouse keys but none for scroll. You guys has a mouse that the scroll works well on.

Thanks Neal

[sixsix]

Some people seem to have no problems with MS mice.  I have used older ones and wireless optical and laser ones.  They're OK, but...

Logitech are the best - even the 'dinosaur' simple 3 button wired mice.  Nice big ol' buttons!

'Beauty Contests' for mice...  LOL - someone mentioned the mouse "Looked Good".  Really, who cares what it 'looks like'.

Well, now I use an LX7 Cordless Laser Mouse.  Very highly rated, Great precision, plenty of programmable buttons ( more than I need in Acad ), very reasonable cost @ Walmart and came with a nice keyboard.  I went back and bought 2 more for spares.

And batteries running out - well I just pop 2 AAs or rechargeable ones in it.  No waiting for the Li-on battery to charge.

I've seen and tried the MX1000, Revolution series.  Work well, but man they are big AND heavy.  And you pay for all those scroll wheels, button sets and software.  More than most people need.

Heck, you should try working with the old Tablet - Geez...

Glad I got all that off my chest,

Mike

[User_2011]

I have a 7 button Logitech M510 mouse since about 5 years, but it started giving me trouble with panning...

[Charles_Shade]

As my Nana used to say "It's just tired" perhaps?

[heinsite]

5 yrs at about $6/yr is a pretty good deal.  I'd say you got your money's worth!

Dave.

[al02699192]

Razer Taipa works excellent, before i used a MS Arc (wireless) and MS Notebook Laser 6000...

The Razer (wired) is the best..

[pike14130]

 I have large hands/paws (size 13 ring finger) and found that there are very few mice would work for me. I tried Logitech Anywhere mouse and found it too small (finger cramps after 20 Minutes) for my fingers to rest on the left/right click buttons. Gave that one to my sister (really small fingers) and got a MX performance mouse. Perfect fit with no fatigue after 4 hr Autocad sessions.  Button settings worked right out of the box for about a year. There was an update on their software and along about that same time have had problems with double clicking , won't drag and drop. Searching the Net, brought up the same issues across many Logitech product lines, with varying degrees of fixes and success of those fixes. The Youtube fix disassembles the whole mouse and does microsurgery to rebend the fatigued mechanical components of the contact switches operated by the mouse buttons. Seems the copper contacts get fatigued and need to be rebent.  I figured the $100 mouse would last more than 14 months before failure. Asked the guys at Staples (where I bought the Logitech mice) what they might recommend ( I didn't buy their extended warranty) , they recommended Razer (Walmart carries them) . They are larger but I am not to keen on the plethora of programmable buttons. I got to try something , the 3 button mouse is a definite setback.

[ParishSouthBdx]

Spot on Pendean.  I agree.  the only issue I ever run into beyond the personal comfort is the smoothness and accuracy of the pointer or cross-hair.  I've used a number of different ones all felt fine but I find sooner or later something causes my mouse to stutter step.

If I slowly move the cursor across the screen at an even pace, the cursor will stop about twice along the way.  Seems to get hit by something and then seems to suddenly wake up and catch up.  Only to hesitate again.  let me qualify these statements by saying none of the mice were over $20

[gotphish001]

utechsmart venus mouse. It cost half as much as other gaming mice with the same amount of buttons.  The buttons are smooth and the wheel is fat and grippy. It has weights in it. I have all the weights in mine and it slides like butter. It's funny how heavy it is when you pick it up but the weights make it slide like it's on greased tracks. It has 12 buttons on the side. I have all 12 set up as commands but only use 6-8 constantly. I made a little cheat sheet of the commands and where they were. After a short time I learned were they were without thinking.  If I'm not typing text, I can lean way back in my chair (I have a milk crate under my desk I put my feet on) and relax as I draw. The commands I use most as mouse buttons are : trim, offset, Pline, move, copy, shift, break, join, delete, esc. The mouse has a little button next to the left click. I believe it is a supposed to be a scope button for games but I have it set up to ESC. Probably the most awesome button ever. When I use another computer not having that easy ESC feels like using punch cards to input commands.

Macros are super easy to set up with the software. Once of the reason I choose this mouse was macros are stored on the mouse. So if I plug my mouse into another computer I still can use all my macros and buttons even if software isn't on that computer for my mouse. This is key if you work for a company that doesn't let you install any third party drivers on work stations. Set up your mouse at home and take it to work and all your macros will work. It has a thumb rest spot which I thought was useless fluff when I was reading about the mouse, but now that I have it seems odd they don't put it on all mice. Up and down buttons to change dpi which I use occasionally. Easy to set up different dpi and let you test it as you change it so you can adjust it how you like. 

If you never set up macros before it is easy. You want to make one for move command. You hit record macro then type, "M, enter" then end record macro. So the when button is hit it types M and enter to start the command. You then pick a button and add that macro to it. Sometimes I'll add ESC to the beginning of the macro so it makes sure nothing else it selected. Some times I don't add ESC as I might want to preselect like with move or copy.  I have ESC added to my delete macro so I make sure I don't delete anything extra by mistake.

I've been so happy with it that I bought another one for if it breaks. The second one is still in the box just waiting. It was odd but when I bought them the silver and white mice where twice as much as a black one so I got the black for half price. Just a thing to check if you are looking. Mice are same just different color so I got cheapest color. It lights up but that is easily shut off.