Why you should care. For architects the computer mouse is one of the most important pieces of hardware. It is something that we use for hours on a daily basis and is one of the easiest and most affordable things to change about your work environment. Getting a good mouse can prevent excessive strain and fatigue of your wrist and hands.
In this review I will go over the three main reasons why the Logitech MX Vertical can be a good upgrade for architects.
1. Improved ergonomics - less strain on wrist and hands.
2. Simple and easy to use.
3. Affordable way to improve your work space.
When searching the web for the best computer mouse for architects one unique mouse is commonly mentioned by several architecture and design blogs. Taller and larger than your average mouse, the Logitech MX Vertical is a visually intriguing mouse, but functionally is rather simple.
1. Ergonomics / Health and Longevity
Architects design environments for people and it's time we take a look at our own work stations. Whether you spend your days rotating around a Revit model or find yourself responding to e-mails, the industry has become highly digitized. It is not uncommon to find architects working in stationary environments with poor ergonomics. A simple and quick way to improve the quality of the environment is with the simple change of the mouse that we use.
As an architect or designer, do you think that you will ever completely retire or leave the profession for good? From my experience many architects continue to practice in some regard past the age of retirement. Considering the number of hours, we spend behind a computer a switch to a more ergonomic mouse can reduce the strain we place on our hands and wrists on daily basis. The Logitech MX Vertical claims to reduce hand movement by 4 times and reduce muscular strain by 10% when compared to a traditional mouse. It’s time to be kinder to our hands as they are one of an architects' most important tools!
Why not a mouse with more programmable buttons? A gaming mouse with several macro buttons may seem like a great way to get work done more quickly. In architecture school, my primary mouse was the Logitech G600, a mouse equipped with more buttons than I knew what to do with. Although I found some quick ways to hotkey software commands there was no way to effectively get all the required macros on the mouse and I found myself reverting to the keyboard, which seemed to be just as quick and less strenuous on the hands.
2. Simple and easy to use
The Logitech MX Vertical will take some time to get used because of the adjusted hand positioning and the height of the mouse. However, this adjustment was surprisingly quick and navigating using this mouse was completely natural after a week. It is infinitely more comfortable than previous mice I have used, and as someone who has experienced wrist pain in the past, I can say that I have not experienced any issues with my wrist that I would periodically feel when using other computer mice.
The Logitech MX Vertical is a wireless mouse with the precision of the traditional cabled mice that I have used in the past. Using a wireless mouse gives you the freedom to adjust your workstation and locate your mouse in the most comfortable position for you. It also lasts a tremendously long 4 months on a single charge and will charge up 3 hours of usage for every minute it is plugged in. The Logitech MX Vertical can also be used while charging and the resistance from the cable is minimal when compared to a standard cabled mouse.
In addition to the comfort and usability the Logitech MX Vertical also comes with a handy Switch and FLOW feature that allows you to easily switch the mouse between three devices simply by clicking the button at the bottom of the mouse. This is handy if you are switching between work stations or if you are bringing your own personal mouse to the office.
3. Affordable
At $129 the Logitech MX Vertical is not the cheapest mouse on the market; however it is not an outrageous price to pay for a lasting improvement to your work environment. Upgrading your mouse is a small change that can reap tremendous benefit to the longevity of your career as an architect.
Things that you may not like.
After six months of usage, I did encounter a few issues when using this mouse however many of them I was able to resolve.
1. The new hand position and height of the mouse takes some time to get used to. I found that I would knock over the mouse when moving between my mouse and keyboard because I wasn't used to the how tall the mouse was. However, this was something that I quickly got past after using the mouse for a couple weeks.
The second issue I had with this mouse was with the Smooth Scrolling feature and how it worked with Revu Bluebeam and a couple other software programs. With a single minute click forward on the scroll wheel the document would go flying up to the beginning of the document, which was incredibly annoying when navigating large files. I eventually had to disable the Smooth Scrolling option in the Logitech Options and have not had any issues since.
Lastly, the wear on the mouse after 6 months of daily usage is evident with the matte finish of the mouse being worn from continual clicking. Although this is fairly typical on all the computer mice I have used in the past, it would be nice if it could be finished in something more durable.
Conclusion
Overall, the Logitech MX Vertical is a fantastic mouse for architects and anyone else looking for a more ergonomically friendly mouse. There will be a slight adjustment period as you get used to the new hand position. However, this momentary adjustment period is nothing in the scope of an architect’s entire career. After getting accustomed to this new setup the MX Vertical has become one of the most comfortable mice I have ever used. The Logitech MX Vertical is a $129 adjustment that can help reduce muscular and wrist strain, so why not give it a try? Besides what is an architect without their hands?
Vertical mouse not for you?
I will be reviewing the Logitech MX Master 3, which has a gentle hand tilt and more programmable buttons, and more closely resembles a traditional mouse.
Where to buy:
If you enjoyed this review and are thinking about getting the Logitech MX Vertical, please consider using my affiliate link below.
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