Vertical Mouse Review (not sponsored)

The term “Vertical Mouse” invokes thoughts of a device from the movie Tron, a contraption from an edgy design company, or even Mickey standing straight up (vertical mouse...get it). In all reality, the vertical mouse has been around for over 20 years. Although it has evolved a little in regards to the relative shape/design, for the most part, it has stayed fairly true throughout the years. I stumbled on the Anker VM and was shocked by the 20 dollar price tag, so I decided to give it a whirl. I had also been experiencing some wrist and forearm pain from extended periods of time from mouse use.

Why Would I Switch to a Vertical Mouse?

I actually asked myself that same question a couple months ago while I was looking for some quality ergonomic products. So, today I wanted to share my thoughts on my Anker Vertical Mouse that I have been using for over 4 months now.  The mouse is positioned at a 45-degree angle to allow for a more comfortable position of your wrist and forearm. If we look at the traditional mouse hand positioning you will notice that your radius crosses or twists over your ulna.    Holding this twisted position over extended periods of time can cause a strain in the musculature of the forearm. Like most people, I assumed this pain came with the territory of using a mouse. After switching over to the Vertical Mouse, I noticed that I wasn’t experiencing that same fatigue at the end of the day.  In my office, I run a duo laptop system for listening to music, looking up codes, etc. Therefore, I have two mice on my desk in order to run both laptops. I tend to use my vertical mouse on my work/patient notes computer since I log continuous periods of time on it.  

Pro’s of the Vertical Mouse

1. Lightweight and easy to move
2. The exterior of the mouse feels awesome
   1. The mouse feels almost velvet like and smooth
3. Solid Right and Left Click buttons
   1. Both of the click buttons have held up during this test period
   2. They also have a satisfying return feeling after depression
4. Excellent Battery Conservation
   1. Initially, I was turned off by the battery powered component but the mouse shuts off after not being used for a couple of minutes.
   2. I still haven’t replaced the battery after four months of steady use
5. DPI (dots per inch or basically how far the cursor moves compared to your movement)
   1. 800/1200/1600 switching
   2. Ideal for tailoring the mouse to your specific needs and more importantly allowing you to minimize your movements
6. Price point
   1. The mouse will  set you back less than 25 dollars, which is a steal for this high quality of a mouse

Cons of the Vertical Mouse

1. Poor scroll wheel quality
   1. The scroll wheel felt clunky/laggy to me with fast scrolling speeds
   2. If you plan on doing a lot of scrolling (extensive reading) I would recommend a different mouse
2. Getting used to the vertical mouse
   1. Since it only takes a few days to get used to the grip of the mouse, I wouldn’t call this a true con.
   2. The first couple of hours feel a bit awkward, but it is well worth this initial struggle.

Wrap-up of the Review

 After weighing out all the pros and cons of the vertical mouse it is clearly a winner. For under 25 bucks you are getting a quality made product that does exactly what it is supposed to. It will take you some time to get used to it but it is well worth struggling through the growing pains. I wouldn’t recommend this for gamers or anyone that uses a scroll wheel extensively throughout the day. I believe this is tailored for office workers, editors or anyone else that uses more “clicking” based actions throughout their workday.  Finally, when I write reviews on ergonomic products, I like to format them in a way that I would want to read them. Bullet points and quick concise summaries are what I feel works best in these situations. I hope you all feel the same way and if not let me know below. Thanks for reading! Dr. Drew FTW!