I’d been jonesing for a new computer mouse for a long time. I loved my old one, the Dynex Wireless Laptop Mouse. It had served me well for over a decade until its left-click button started sticking—either from normal wear and tear or from the many times I’d dropped it. But the mouse still worked well enough that replacing it wasn’t a top priority.
The other day, things changed for the better. Best Buy sent my dad a Rewards Member deal to get a ten-dollar discount on any item over ten dollars. Nobody else in the house wanted it, so he said I could get something. Yay! I immediately reviewed my wishlist. My first choice was a high-capacity flash drive, but none of them were in the right price range or had my preferred shipping options. That would have to wait for another day.
My next choice was a mouse. I went with the Logitech M196. It was $11.99, which came to $2.12 after the discount. It took about a week to arrive at the nearby Walgreens that I had it shipped to. It’s been a few weeks, and I’m still very satisfied with my purchase.
Unboxing
The M196 came in a cute little teal-colored box. It’s roughly the same size as the mouse itself. That fits into the mouse’s environmentally friendly theme, as it is advertised as being made of “67% recycled plastic.” Yes, save the paper!
The box was stupidly simple to get into. I cut across the two pieces of tape holding down the flaps on the top of the lid and opened it up. The mouse was wrapped in a white, cloth-like, unsealed protective pouch.
There were no instructions included in the box. Again, environmentally friendly! The box itself features enough helpful clues to get started, but if you want more tips, you have to visit the M196’s website. There is a small sheet of safety information, though.
First Impressions
I liked the look of the M196 right away. I chose the dark gray model because it was the closest match to my black-and-red laptop, but it was also available in white, pink, and a sandy brown.
It’s very understated and professional. The top has the Logitech “logi” logo on the front and a light gray accent around the clickwheel. The bottom of the mouse is just as minimal. There’s a door for the battery compartment, the power/pairing button, and the (red) indicator light. Of course, there are four little rubber feet on the bottom too.
The mouse is nice to the touch. It feels kind of velvety, smooth but with a little bit of resistance so it doesn’t slip away. The ridges on the clickwheel give good feedback while I’m scrolling webpages and documents. The sides also have some texturized swirls for grip’s sake.
It’s also comfortable to hold. It’s slightly larger than my previous mouse, both width- and length-wise. I never had problems with the size of the old one, but the extra space is welcome. My hand can relax more. It isn’t as tightly curled around the mouse like I’m clutching it.
Set-Up and Usage
Getting up and running was painless as well. The required AA battery was not only provided but already installed. It automatically turned on after I pulled out the protective tab.
Having Bluetooth capabilities was the biggest reason why I chose the M196. I was happy to be able to free up one of my three oft-used USB ports. At the same time, I was worried about how well it would work. Bluetooth and I have always had an uneasy relationship when it comes to computers. But pairing the mouse with my Windows 10 laptop was as easy as the box boasts. I went into Settings, and it was done within a few clicks.
So far, the M196 works seamlessly with my laptop. I don’t use a mousepad, so I’m impressed with how smoothly it glides on the surface of my desk or the kitchen table. The right- and left-click buttons are about normal—not too subtle, not too shallow, and not too loud.
Lastly, the battery life is given as 12 months. We’ll see. I have a bad habit of forgetting to turn off my mouse when I’m done with it. My old mouse usually lasted about three or four months on a AA battery under those circumstances. So, I’m guessing this one might make it to at least eight or nine months. I’ll update this post when I learn the answer.
Verdict
I think I made the right decision with the M196. There’s a level of stress that I had been carrying around because of my former mouse that is now gone. It’s a joy to use the computer again. I’m thankful that I got such a cheap deal.