Best Ergonomic Mice for Creatives: The Big Picture

I’ve felt like there was a bit of a gap between standard mice and their ergonomic kin with regards to creatives, like designers, illustrators, and photographers. I didn’t think they had the functionality required to handle the software we use for our professions and hobbies. So today, I am going to throw a little light on the subject, and tell you about a few ergonomic mice that will be great for graphic artists and the like.

There were two main reasons I chose the mice I did. The first is on-the-fly DPI adjustment. DPI (dots per inch) - with regards to mouse movement - is the number of dots, or pixels, the cursor travels with every inch of mouse movement. Not only that, at higher DPI settings, the mouse “reads” the movement more frequently, translating to smoother movement. This varies from the sensitivity settings in your operating system because DPI is hardware based, and sensitivity is software-based. For example, a high-DPI paired with low sensitivity will produce the same cursor speed as a low-DPI paired with high sensitivity, but the high-DPI cursor will be much more accurate - a necessity when it comes to graphic design.

“Why on-the-fly DPI adjustment and not just a high-DPI mouse?” I hear you ask. Well, when it comes to something like the photo-editing I do, I like to have the ability to go from coarse to fine movements, without having to adjust sensitivity settings in my operating system. This is accomplished by having a DPI button on the mouse to change the DPI from low to high with just a few taps.

The second reason I chose these mice is the ability to have fingertip control when necessary. It is nice to be able to move the mouse with just a couple of fingers, for those aforementioned detailed movements, instead of having to grasp the mouse, or move your whole hand or arm.

The Shortlist:

Penclic D2- This mouse is shaped like a pen, which will be quite familiar to those who use a Wacom tablet for their work. The pen is attached to a small base by a ball joint, allowing you to change the position of your hands and fingers with ease, while still maintaining contact with the mouse. This mouse has three DPI settings, 800, 1200, and 2400, with the adjustment button on bottom of the base. RF Wireless and Bluetooth options are available.

Kinesis DXT- This is an ambidextrous mouse with a small base and great DPI settings. Because of its size, you only have to grasp the mouse with three fingers, allowing for great freedom of movement. There are four DPI settings, 500, 1000, 1500, and 2000, with the adjustment button on the bottom of the base. A great bonus regarding the DPI button, is an indicator light that tells you what DPI setting you are on based on the number of flashes. Wireless version also available.

Evoluent Vertical Mouse - The gold standard for ergonomic mice turns out to be a great option for graphic design as well. It has a larger footprint, but still retains the ability to use your fingertips when necessary. And the best part is the placement of the DPI button: on the side of the mouse. With it positioned here, you can move between the four settings of 800, 1300, 1800, and 2600, by pressing up or down on the button, never having to take your hand off the mouse! Not only that, the indicator light is on the top of the mouse, showing you exactly which setting you are currently on. Also available in small, left-handed RF wireless, and Bluetooth versions.

To learn more about ergonomic mice, visit TheHumanSolution.com.

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