I recently got to try the Logitech V450 Cordless Laser Notebook mouse due to my work letting me order a few in for my PC workbench. I was trying to cut down on cable clutter, as I can have several laptops on the bench at one time and I have enough cords (power, ethernet) that are already in the way.
I decided on this mouse over several other notebook mice for a few reasons.
First of all, this mouse is the only wireless notebook mouse Logitech makes at the time of this writing that is Laser.
Secondly, it is a standard RF mouse and has infinite compatibility with any kind of computer (Mac, Linux, Windows) without the need for special drivers or Bluetooth.
The benefits also don’t stop there. Since this is an RF mouse, the battery life (on the included 2xAA batteries) is claimed to be “up to one year”. I haven’t had this model long enough to test that claim, but it hasn’t ran out of batteries yet. Laser mice tend to draw less power than optical in general, though. The unit automatically shuts itself off if you store the receiver in the mouse, it also has a power button on the underside.
The mouse is small, almost too small for comfortable use for prolonged periods of time, but it works great for what I use it for. If you ever need to travel with a mouse, you want it to be as small as possible, and this one succeeds at that. It comes with an extremely small receiver (pictured) that slides into the underside of the mouse for easy storage. The USB receiver does stick out the side of your laptop, though, albeit a very small amount. It is very easy to lose it.
Additionally, the benefit of laser mice in this form factor is versatility in handling the variety of weird surfaces (glass, glossy wood, etc) you might encounter while traveling that throw off the sensor on even the best optical mice. Laser mice don’t have nearly the amount of tracking issues on these surfaces.
Overall, I’m quite pleased with the unit, other than a few small complaints. I am eager to see if Logitech releases a Bluetooth version of this mouse at some point.
Pros:
Great battery life
Works on many surfaces optical mice can’t
Great compatibility
Small
Cons:
No Bluetooth – Receiver takes up a USB port and sticks out
People with adult-sized hands may find it to be too small
No carrying case
