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Using a vertical or ergonomic mouse may be more comfortable and cause less strain on your joints and muscles than using a standard wired or wireless mouse with an ambidextrous design. There are right-handed and left-handed vertical or ergonomic mice, which may be more comfortable than a standard mouse. Vertical and ergonomic mice allow your arms, wrists, and elbows to take a more natural position, thereby reducing muscle strain and reducing the risk or symptoms of Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI), such as carpal tunnel syndrome.
What is a Vertical Mouse?
A vertical mouse allows your hand to be in a vertical position, as if you are shaking someone’s hand, instead of your hand laying flat on the mouse. In addition, your hand and wrist are lifted off the desk when you use a vertical mouse, which is more ergonomic. A vertical mouse will still contain left and right-click buttons and a scroll wheel. Many models also contain DPI buttons to change the mouse speed, an additional thumb button, a thumb scroll, or forward and back buttons on the thumb side.
A vertical mouse can also be used for keyboard and mouse gaming. While they are not nearly as popular as gaming mice, a vertical mouse will encourage more movement from your elbow and shoulder instead of a standard mouse that uses virtually all wrist and fingers. A vertical mouse will track very smoothly, and while they may take a while to get used to, they have been designed to reduce strain on your joints and muscles and have also been used to reduce pain associated with carpal tunnel syndrome. If you are experiencing any discomfort, strain, or pain in your wrist, fingers, or forearm, a vertical mouse might be an ideal solution.
What is an Ergonomic Mouse?
While a vertical mouse is still considered an ergonomic mouse, many other designs of ergonomic mice are not vertical, such as a semi-vertical mouse, an angled ergonomic mouse, a trackball mouse, a pen mouse, or a sculpted mouse. These non-vertical ergonomic mice are also designed for a more natural position and improved posture. Ergonomic mice can also be used for keyboard and mouse gaming, and while some have additional programmable buttons, ergonomic mice have not seen large adoption within the gaming community.
Whether you are interested in a vertical mouse or a non-vertical ergonomic mouse, there are several options and features to consider, such as whether the mouse is wired or wireless, mechanical or optical. Because nearly all newer mice are optical and wireless, they will be included in our suggestions below. The optical, wireless mice below will be easier to use since there is no wire to get in the way or mechanical trackball in the bottom of the mouse that can become slow or unresponsive when it becomes filled with lint and dust.
If you want to try a vertical mouse or ergonomic mouse, look at the curated list of mice that customers have highly rated.
OS Compatible Vertical Mouse
Logitech MX Vertical Wireless Mouse (Buy Now)
The Logitech MX Vertical mouse combines style, comfort, and performance. It is one of the best overall vertical mice and contains an outstanding optical sensor. The top-notch sensor provides accuracy, and the thumb rest offers superb support. It has a curvy and sleek design for comfortable support, a DPI range between 400 and 4,000, and is compatible with Windows 10 or later, macOS 10.15 or later, iPadOS 13.4 or later 8, Chrome OS 9, and Linux 10.
Budget-Friendly Vertical Mouse
Jelly Comb Rechargeable 2.4G Bluetooth Vertical Mouse (Buy Now)
The wireless vertical mouse by Jelly Comb is budget-friendly, and the quality and comfort you receive are comparatively higher than you can receive at this price. With this mouse, you can connect up to three devices, and while it is compatible with Mac & PC, the forward and buttons will not work on a Mac. The mouse is highly responsive, which means that it offers a seamless and smooth experience without glitches. This vertical mouse comes with a comfortable, soft handgrip, so you don’t feel any pressure on your hand. The buttons of this mouse are responsive and clicky, offering high-quality performance.
The battery life is excellent, lasting over three weeks on a single charge. It also contains programmable buttons to reprogram the DPI button, forward and backward buttons, and a mouse wheel. The software to reprogram the buttons is free to download.
Vertical Mouse for Larger Hands
AUTLEY Ergonomic Mouse (Buy Now)
If you have larger hands, you should look at AUTLEY’s wireless vertical mouse. This mouse has a thicker and bulkier design, which offers a comfortable grip for those with larger hands. While its battery does not last as long as some others and can only last a week on a single charge, this budget-friendly has a DPI range of 800-1,600 and is preferred for people with bigger hands. This vertical mouse is compatible with Windows 8/7/10/Vista/XP/2000, Mac, and Linux, although, like the Jelly Comb Rechargeable Vertical Mouse, the forward and backward buttons will not work on a Mac.
Reliable Vertical Mouse
Wireless Vertical Ergonomic Optical Mouse by Anker (Buy Now)
Anker’s wireless vertical mouse may be a perfect choice if you are looking for reliability while working at home or in the office. This ergonomic mouse reduces the strain on your wrists and offers a comfortable grip so you can use it for hours without pain or discomfort. While this is known as one of the most durable options, it does have higher click latency, which may not be ideal for gaming as it could disrupt your gaming experience.
For Lefties and Small Hands
Vertical Mouse 4 by Evoluent (Buy Now)
Contrary to the AUTLEY vertical mouse, the Evoluent VM4L VerticalMouse 4 is excellent for people with smaller hands. Even though there are limited options for vertical mice for people with smaller hands, this mouse is an excellent option as it has been designed to be ergonomically correct to promote comfort, especially if you already have wrist pain. In addition, there is also an Evoluent VM4L VerticalMouse 4 left-handed option, which is the highest-rated left-handed vertical mouse out there.
Professional Design
MX Master 3 Ergonomic Mouse by Logitech (Buy Now)
The Logitech MX Master 3 has a professional design and clean look. It doesn’t have a flashy look and is more professional. It has a durable build, and the latex grip is comfortable and provides excellent control with accurate movement controls.
Ergonomic Thumb Trackball Mouse
Logitech MX ERGO Wireless Trackball (Buy Now)
The Logitech MX ERGO Wireless Trackball is an ergonomic mouse with a natural grip and excellent movement control. While it is not a vertical mouse, it does have an adjustable trackball angle that tilts from 0 to 20 degrees due to a hinge on the mouse. This ergonomic mouse is a favorite choice because of its compatibility with Windows 7 or later and Mac OS X 10.12 or later, in addition to its excellent performance, providing 512-2048 dpi, which is adjusted by pressing the thumb button. Overall, the Logitech MX ERGO Wireless Trackball ergonomic mouse is an excellent choice with a premium feel.
If you want to change your work or gaming setup and try something new, these ergonomic mice options might be your next favorite purchase. If you suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome or want to relieve some of the strain on your pointer finger, middle finger, and wrist, a vertical mouse may help significantly. Knowing that after you purchase a vertical mouse, it may take some time to get used to, you may find that an ordinary mouse is far less comfortable once it becomes natural. If you have more thoughts or opinions on vertical and ergonomic mice, please tweet them to the team on X!