Laser mice on wooden surfaces

[haydox]

Since getting my computer working again (looong story!) I have been playing games online a lot (making up for time spent on the 360!) and when sniping I am noticing that it jumps several pixels when I move my mouse as it's quite old and not that precise!

So I am looking at getting a Logitech G500 or G9 or Razer DeathAdder or Lachesis. Whilst the DeathAdder is optical so I'm quite sure that will work on my wooden desk (now worn nice and smooth after many years of use!) I'm not so certain about the laser mice.

The reason I can't buy a surface (like the apparently excellent Razer mats) is because the slide out keyboard 'tray' it too narrow to accommodate a mat and my mouse (I have the sensitivity high enough to work fine in the 20-25-ish cm available - that is from memory, I'll measure when I can).

 

[megabyteme6662002]

Since getting my computer working again (looong story!) I have been playing games online a lot (making up for time spent on the 360!) and when sniping I am noticing that it jumps several pixels when I move my mouse as it's quite old and not that precise!

So I am looking at getting a Logitech G500 or G9 or Razer DeathAdder or Lachesis. Whilst the DeathAdder is optical so I'm quite sure that will work on my wooden desk (now worn nice and smooth after many years of use!) I'm not so certain about the laser mice.

The reason I can't buy a surface (like the apparently excellent Razer mats) is because the slide out keyboard 'tray' it too narrow to accommodate a mat and my mouse (I have the sensitivity high enough to work fine in the 20-25-ish cm available - that is from memory, I'll measure when I can).

The lasers need to have a nice surface to reflect off of.. Ive had hit or miss things work honestly.. my work desk is covered in 1/4 inch GLASS with a wooden bottom... it works just as good as a mouse pad, crazy right..? SOmething that might happen to you if you have a lazer mouse is.. if a thin hair or dirt piece gets in there, it can randomly reflect a laser wrong and make your mouse jump... every time I get some weird mouse issues I turn it over and sure enough there is debris in there..

and you said 25 centimeters..? Do you move the mouse that much..? I use like 1/4 of my mouse pad to move

 

[haydox]

The lasers need to have a nice surface to reflect off of.. Ive had hit or miss things work honestly.. my work desk is covered in 1/4 inch GLASS with a wooden bottom... it works just as good as a mouse pad, crazy right..? SOmething that might happen to you if you have a lazer mouse is.. if a thin hair or dirt piece gets in there, it can randomly reflect a laser wrong and make your mouse jump... every time I get some weird mouse issues I turn it over and sure enough there is debris in there..

and you said 25 centimeters..? Do you move the mouse that much..? I use like 1/4 of my mouse pad to move

Well, l don't use all the space but the mouse surfaces all seem to be 30+ cm, so can't fit one! Sounds like it should work well on wood then, especially as it's worn so smooth!

 

[dtq]

Lots of different woods out there, some work better than others. I use a modelling cutting board as a mouse mat on my gaming rig, it fits the space I have and works fine. Ive used allsorts on other computers.

One of the best "surfaces" I find for a laser mouse to pick up on is a plain white sheet of paper! Plain smooth matt white seems absolutely ideal. That said the mouse Im using at the moment is on a "fake" pine grained surface and fine for office work.

 

[haydox]

Lots of different woods out there, some work better than others. I use a modelling cutting board as a mouse mat on my gaming rig, it fits the space I have and works fine. Ive used allsorts on other computers.

One of the best "surfaces" I find for a laser mouse to pick up on is a plain white sheet of paper! Plain smooth matt white seems absolutely ideal. That said the mouse Im using at the moment is on a "fake" pine grained surface and fine for office work.

My desk is Pine veneered MDF however on the mouse area the pine grain has been worn so much you can see the pale sheet it was glued on top of! It's been worn smoother than any sanding could ever get so it should be fine!

Just ordered a Logitech G9, decided against it over a Razer as it has more buttons (big fan of mouse buttons in fast paced fps) and I've used a lot of Logitech products over the years!

 

[fazers_on_stun]

Well, l don't use all the space but the mouse surfaces all seem to be 30+ cm, so can't fit one! Sounds like it should work well on wood then, especially as it's worn so smooth!

You might just buy a really cheap rubber mousepad and then trim it to fit. I've done that before, using a paper cutter rather than scissors for a neater edge.

 

[haydox]

Not a bad idea, thanks! I'll see how it goes when it arrives, maybe tomorrow.