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
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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.
