Microsoft Surface Mouse review

Another addition to the Surface Pro

TechRadar Verdict

A smart, stylish and comfortable mouse that's a good accompaniment to your Windows 10 tablet.

Pros

  • +

    Great design

  • +

    Comfortable to use

  • +

    Tracking performance is good

  • +

    Easy to install

Cons

  • -

    Pricey

  • -

    Some may feel the design is dull

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

The Microsoft Surface Mouse is a peripheral that's designed to make working on Windows 10 tablets – especially Microsoft’s own Surface Pro 4 – more comfortable. 

Paired with the Microsoft Surface Keyboard, the idea is that these two devices can turn your tablet into a laptop-like device.

The Microsoft Surface Mouse is priced at $49.99 (£44.99, AU$79.95), which isn’t cheap for a wireless mouse. However, Microsoft’s expertise in creating comfortable computing peripherals, along with a sturdy build quality and guaranteed Windows 10 compatibility (not that that’s much of an issue these days) goes some way to justifying the high price.

Design

The Microsoft Surface Mouse has been designed to accompany the stylish Surface Pro 4, with a silver and gray design that compliments the tablet, as well as the Surface Keyboard and Surface Dial.

It’s an attractive-looking device with a simple, yet somewhat elegant, design that means it won’t look out of place no matter what device you connect it to.

The scroll wheel that sits between the two mouse buttons is metal, giving it a sturdy and premium feel, with tiny grooves in the surface for better responsiveness. It looks great, and feels a million miles away from the occasionally cheap-feeling rubber or plastic scroll wheels of other mice.

The minimalist design of the mouse makes it very comfortable to use, with Microsoft’s designers – who know a thing or two about ergonomics – putting their experience to good use.

Performance

This minimalism extends to how the mouse is installed and used. No USB dongle is provided; instead, the mouse connects wirelessly via Bluetooth 4.0, and as every modern tablet has Bluetooth built in it means there’s no need for a fiddly or ugly-looking dongle. 

Most laptops should also have Bluetooth, and even some desktop PCs, though if the device you want to use the mouse with doesn’t have Bluetooth then you won’t be able to use the Microsoft Surface Mouse straight out of the box.

Assuming you do have a device with Bluetooth and Windows 10, then the set-up procedure is straightforward – just press the Bluetooth button by the batteries on the bottom of the mouse to enter pairing mode, then use the Windows 10 Settings app to add the Bluetooth device; Windows 10 took very little time to find our Microsoft Surface Mouse and install the correct drivers.

Once connected the mouse was fast and responsive, with its laser accurately tracking the movement of the mouse over a variety of surfaces, including wood, glass and glossy desktop. At 90.9 grams the mouse is light enough to comfortably use for long periods of time without feeling cheap and flimsy.

The aforementioned ergonomic design allows the mouse to fit comfortably in your hand, making it a decent choice if you’re looking to use it for long periods. The metal scroll wheel also feels satisfying to use, and the metal design feels great under fingertip, with the grooves giving you enough purchase to quickly scroll through websites and documents.

The size of the mouse means that when you're using it with the full-size Microsoft Surface Keyboard to work on a tablet, you can enjoy an experience very similar to using a desktop PC. While the Microsoft Surface Mouse can be carried around easily, it does feel like it’s designed more for keeping on a desk.

Although the Microsoft Surface Mouse has been made with Microsoft’s Surface tablets in mind, it is compatible with other Windows 10 tablets, as well as Android devices running 4.4.2 or higher and Mac OS 10 machines; oh, and Microsoft Windows 10 phones are also supported, which is good news for the three people who use them.

We liked

The design and build quality are top notch, as we’ve come to expect from Microsoft’s peripherals division, and setting the mouse up is incredibly easy.

We didn’t like

There’s not much to dislike here. The price is quite high, but you are getting a very well made mouse for your money.

Final verdict

The Microsoft Surface Mouse is very good accompaniment to your Windows 10 tablet. If you use your tablet for working on, then having a mouse of this calibre can make you more productive, especially when teamed with the Microsoft Surface Keyboard.

It is pricey, but it's a worthy investment if you want to use your tablet as a laptop-like device. As well as the great design and very good build quality, the Microsoft Surface Mouse is smooth and responsive when used on a variety of surfaces, making it a versatile peripheral.

TOPICS
Matt Hanson
Managing Editor, Core Tech

Matt is TechRadar's Managing Editor for Core Tech, looking after computing and mobile technology. Having written for a number of publications such as PC Plus, PC Format, T3 and Linux Format, there's no aspect of technology that Matt isn't passionate about, especially computing and PC gaming. He’s personally reviewed and used most of the laptops in our best laptops guide - and since joining TechRadar in 2014, he's reviewed over 250 laptops and computing accessories personally.

Latest in Pro
Abstract image of cyber security in action.
Four key questions to strengthen your cyber threat detection strategy
Avast cybersecurity
UK cybersecurity sector could be worth £13bn, research shows
Employees sat around together discussing business issues.
Building a strong digital culture relies on investing in your people and your tech
An option to add Ambient Music buttons to the iOS 18.4 Control Center.
Apple fixes dangerous zero-day used in attacks against iPhones and iPads
Group of businesspeople negotiating gathered in modern conference room, blurred silhouettes view, meeting behind closed glass doors. Business communication, workflow, decision-making, strategy sharing
Many workers aren't sure how much their companies are set up to help them be productive
Person holding phone showing O2 logo in front of Virgin Media logo
Virgin Media O2 reveals £700m network transformation plan to boost reliability across the board
Latest in Reviews
Samsung Music Frame on a table beside some books and a vase
I spent six weeks listening to the Samsung Music Frame and it kept missing the beat
GlocalMe KeyTracker
When I tested this global tracker, it trounced the Apple AirTag in so many ways
An AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D on its retail packaging
I've reviewed three generations of 3D V-cache processors, and the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D is the best there is
Mac Studio on a desk
Apple Mac Studio (M3 Ultra): the ultimate creative workstation
Apple iPad Air 11-inch M3 (2025) Review
I tested the 11-inch iPad Air with M3 for five days, and it stretches the value even further with more power for the same price
Moiraine using her magic in The Wheel of Time season 3
The Wheel of Time season 3 proves that Amazon's Lord of the Rings TV show isn't the only high fantasy heavyweight worth watching on Prime Video