Tech
Switch to an Ergonomic Mouse and Give Your Wrists a Break
Other Ergonomic Mice to Consider
There are several more options on the market to consider. These didn’t cut it as our top picks for one reason or another, but we still like them enough to recommend.
Razer Pro Click V2 for $120: The biggest draw of the Pro Click V2 (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is the shape: It’s sleek, refined, and comfortable. Instead of the sharp edges and angles of the Razer Basilisk, the Pro Click V2 has the curves of a normal mouse and is just as comfortable in an office setting as it would be in a gaming setup. And that’s what makes the Click stand out—you can use it everywhere, for everything. The shape is comfortable for regular use, the design is innocuous yet still satisfying, and the mouse has most of the usual trappings of a productivity mouse: An ergonomic shape, dual-mode mouse wheel, multidevice Bluetooth connectivity, and a slot on the underside to store the dongle. At the same time, it has the specs of a gaming mouse: 1,000-Hz polling, 2.4-GHz connectivity, full programmability, rubberized grips on either side, and bright RGB lighting on the underside. The Pro Click V2 also has horizontal scrolling through the mouse wheel, where it can be tilted to either side to scroll left and right. This isn’t quite as quick or intuitive as the MX Master’s thumb wheel, but it’s still nice to have. While it doesn’t match the Basilisk in performance, the Pro Click V2 is more affordable and a professional option that still has the sturdy build quality and responsive sensors Razer is known for.
Logitech MX Master 3S for $110: The previous-generation MX Master 3S is still worth considering if you can find it on sale for well below the MSRP or the price of the MX Master 4. You’re not missing a ton from the latest model, though the soft-touch plastic won’t look great after a few years of use (something the MX Master 4 addresses), and it doesn’t have the haptic-enabled Actions Ring. It’s still an excellent mouse and was previously the top pick in this guide.
Photograph: Henri Robbins
Elecom Deft Pro for $65: Likely the best of Elecom’s offerings, the Deft Pro is a simple and robust trackball operated with your index finger (as opposed to your thumb). This allows for more precise movements, but isn’t quite as intuitive. I found it comfortable to use for extended periods, but I had a few hiccups—the scroll wheel is awkward to use with a thumb, and the right-click button (located on the far side of the ball) is thin. Still, the overall shape is comfortable once you’ve adapted to it.
Contour Design Rollermouse Red Wireless for $394: This is a very niche and expensive product, but I was impressed by the build quality and usability. It is a wrist rest with an integrated mouse pad, operated using the cylinder at the top. You move the mouse left and right by sliding it along its rail, and up and down by rolling the cylinder forward and backward. It’s incredibly well made and shockingly smooth. A set of buttons sits underneath the spacebar, with dedicated copy/paste buttons, a double-click button, and adjustable sensitivity that beeps at you when you press the button. While the ergonomics feel unnatural at first, I quickly adapted to them and was able to navigate Windows easily within an hour or two of testing. However, as you would likely expect, any form of high-intensity gaming is out of the question: Halo CE felt less like a typical gaming experience and more like a challenge run with a drumset. The largest benefit of this device is that you can fully navigate your desktop without ever needing to remove your hands from the home row. It functions wonderfully and is a far more elegant solution than the trackpoint featured on keyboards like the HHKB Studio. With a high price and unconventional user experience, this is not for everyone. I struggle to say it’s worth the price. However, it’s specialized equipment, and these often tend to be expensive due to limited demand, high development costs, and low production numbers. If you’ve wanted something like this, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Photograph: Henri Robbins
Elecom Huge Trackball for $55: This trackball is … huge. It takes up a large amount of space on my desk and is intended to be used as a full-hand experience. You would expect a trackball branded as “Huge” to be intended for large hands, but the opposite seems to be true. There is a clear way this is meant to be used, and it is not compatible with larger hands. In my testing, when my hand was placed in the “correct” position (with my palm in the center and my wrist resting fully on the device), my thumb and fingers all extended past the buttons on the mouse, to the point that I could not reach the scroll wheel or back button. Moving my hand back, the functionality of the ergonomic shape was limited—it felt no more effective than using a smaller trackball. However, multiple people I asked with smaller hands report that it’s quite comfortable for them. I recommend purchasing from a site with a reasonable return policy. Build quality is solid, with the buttons feeling clicky and responsive; the ball has the slightest bit of stickiness before it gets moving. The ratcheting of the mouse wheel is subtle, but still present, and all the buttons are made from textured matte plastic that allows for some grip without being abrasive.
Photograph: Henri Robbins
Elecom Rollermaster IST for $40: This is not a perfect trackball by any means, but for the price, it’s perfectly serviceable. The bearings are a bit loud, the materials don’t feel the most solid, but the functionality is all there, and the ergonomics are comfortable for a range of hand sizes. The trackball itself is easy to navigate, without any of the initial stickiness (sometimes called “stiction”) that some more premium models have—a trade-off for the louder operation of the ball. The roller bearings can also be easily removed and replaced with an included tool; however, a set of three replacement rollers is around half the price of the mouse at $18, and a set of the “upgraded” ball bearings is $25.
Keychron M6 for $70: If you like the design of the MX Master line, but would prefer a more gaming-oriented mouse, the Keychron M6 is a nice alternative. While the M6 doesn’t have Logitech’s advanced gesture controls or soft-touch exterior, it maintains the dual-mode scroll wheel, horizontal wheel, and general ergonomics while adding a 4,000-Hz refresh rate and shaving off almost half the weight of the 3S at only 78 grams. However, some small issues of build quality and a loss of functionality make this a less-than-ideal choice for most users—the dual-mode scroll wheel rattles during use, and the mouse feels lightweight to a fault. The higher-performance model’s wireless receiver requires a USB-C cable to connect to a device, which is a lot less convenient for laptop users compared to the low-profile dongle included with the 1,000-Hz model (and most other mice today).
Keychron M4 for $70: While you can realistically transport any of the mice on this list in a backpack or computer bag, I was impressed by just how compact the Keychron M4 is. I could easily slip it into a laptop bag or jacket pocket without any issue, and I even used it as a travel mouse for quite a while. While the shape isn’t great, or even good, ergonomically, I found the claw grip quite comfortable even during prolonged gaming sessions. However, it isn’t good enough that I would recommend it to anyone for daily use on a desktop setup unless they want the lightest mouse possible. The only real complaint I had with this mouse was the dongle: The 4,000-Hz model comes with a receiver shaped like a tiny keyboard with a USB-C port on the back, which meant I needed a cable to connect the receiver and a flat surface to place it on. Meanwhile, the 1,000-Hz model came with a simple USB dongle that could plug into the side of a laptop.
Logitech Pro X Superlight 2 Dex for $180: While this mouse is intended for high-intensity competitive gaming, I found its sculpted shape to be practical and comfortable for any long-term use, and its lightweight (60 grams!), no-frills design was quick and snappy for both spreadsheets and shooters. The mouse felt incredibly sturdy despite its weight, and the 8-kHz polling combined with a 44k-dpi sensor makes it the best-performing mouse on this list. While pricey, the Superlight DEX is a great single-mouse solution for someone who works from home and immediately starts queueing up after clocking out. It has a far more gaming-focused lean than the Razer Basilisk V3, which, while not bad, means you’re making a few more sacrifices to productivity in exchange for gaming performance.
Logitech MX Vertical for $120: While this mouse’s size and general shape both feel good for regular use, I found the shape to be a bit uncomfortable to fully grip and lift: A prominent ridge on the back dug into the space between my thumb and index finger, and the shape was just a bit too narrow to get a good hold on. However, the MX Vertical is still comfortable to hold with a looser grip, and it is perfectly serviceable for general office work and browsing, while putting less strain on the wrist than a standard horizontal mouse.
Logitech Lift for $80: As one of the smaller vertical mice on this list, the Lift is just a bit too small. I found it difficult to comfortably grip this mouse for prolonged use, and friends with smaller hands found the same. That said, WIRED reviews editor Julian Chokkattu says his 5’2″ wife uses the Life and finds it perfect for her small hands, so your mileage will vary. Regardless of hand size, a larger vertical mouse is typically more comfortable for most people. It’s worth noting that the Lift is one of the only vertical mice I’ve tested with a left-handed configuration.
Mice to Avoid
Photograph: Henri Robbins
ProtoArc EM11 NL for $25: ProtoArc’s EM11 NL looks straight out of a sci-fi movie but falls short of real-world expectations. The sensor is a low-quality laser sensor that’s prone to jittering, and the underside of the mouse isn’t entirely flat—the sample I received wobbled like a chair with uneven legs. The shape of the mouse, while usable for smaller hands, is practically impossible to use comfortably with medium to large hands. The overall shape is too small to hold comfortably (the bottom of my hand dragged on the desk the entire time), and the flared section at the back, presumably meant to be a wrist rest, is far too angled to properly rest a hand on. There are some positive aspects to this mouse, like multi-device connectivity, a USB-A dongle, and adjustable sensitivity, but these struggle to make up for significant issues with build quality and ergonomics; issues I would argue are deal-breakers at any price.
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But you already know about this, because Fg is what normies call an object’s “weight,” and for a given volume, weight depends only on the density. Now, if you dropped these blocks in a lake, obviously the styrofoam would float and the steel would sink. So clearly it has something to do with density.
What if you had a block of water with the same volume? If you could somehow hold this cube of water, it would feel pretty heavy, about 62.4 pounds. Now, if you place it carefully in a lake, will it sink or bob on the surface like styrofoam? Neither, right? It’s just going to sit there.
Since it doesn’t move up or down, the total force on the block of water must be zero. That means there has to be a force counteracting gravity by pushing up with equal strength. We call this buoyancy, and for any object, the buoyancy force is equal to the weight of the water it displaces.
So let’s think about this. The steel block displaces the same amount of water, so it has the same upward-pushing buoyancy force as the block of water. But because it’s denser and has more mass, down it goes.
In general, an object will sink if the gravitational force exceeds the buoyancy force, and it will float if the buoyancy force exceeds the gravitational force. Another way of saying that is, an object will sink if it’s denser than water and it will float if it’s less dense.
And right in the middle an object will neither sink nor rise to the surface—we call that neutral buoyancy. Humans are pretty close to neutral because our bodies are 60 percent water. That’s why you feel weightless underwater—the buoyancy force pretty much offsets the gravitational force.
Avast! Hold on there, matey. Aircraft carriers are made of steel and weigh 100,000 tons, so why do they float? Can you guess? It’s because of their shape. Unlike a block of steel, a ship’s hull is hollow and filled with air, so it has a large volume relative to its weight.
But what if you start filling it with cargo? The ship gets heavier, which means it must displace more water to reach that equilibrium point. In general, when you launch a boat or ship into the water, it’ll sink down until the weight of the water it pushes aside equals the boat’s total weight.
Screenshots: Julia Forbes
I spoke with Raj Mills, Sleep Number’s senior vice President of partnerships and research. She tells me, “Our AI models take into account foam depth and still maintain the same level of accuracy regardless of how far below the surface of the bed the sensors are.” She shares that they are cohesively performing a ballistocardiograph, which monitors the blood flow generated by the heart and ultimately determines your heart rate score. How effectively they can do so is debatable.
Ultimately, I found there was quite a bit of variance in terms of the nightly score calculated on both ends. On good nights, both pointed to higher scores, but the final number could differ by up to 10 points. On the Sleep Number app, I found it concerning that most of the time, my Sleep Score numbers were not as high as I thought they would be—my average for the three-week test period was a 74.
Matrix Mattress
If you prefer a remote, that’s either a separate cost ($50) or potentially a different bed altogether. The only way to operate this mattress is by creating an account and downloading the app in advance. Security of one’s personal data is top of mind for many, and I wanted to know how the vast quantities of data accumulated by Sleep Number’s customer base were managed. When you first sign up for your account, you can either share your data with Sleep Number or opt out altogether. For those who share their data willingly—about 550,000 individuals, according to Mills—Sleep Number’s data science team performs research and presents findings from its consumer base at major sleep conferences, including SLEEP and World Sleep Congress.
It’s a comprehensive data set to work with, and it continues to evolve through the adaptive AI at play, which includes SleepIQ technology. According to Mills, the company’s AI models are structured to analyze sleepers at an individual level, because every sleeper has a different build, age, pain issues, and various needs. According to Sleep Number’s privacy policy, the company doesn’t sell your information to third parties, and you can withdraw your consent to share information at any time. At the end of the day, Sleep Number is a business that can potentially use your data to develop new products, and it’s up to you whether that’s worth it or not.
Power Couple
An adjustable base is what enables each side of the mattress to independently adjust head and foot angles. I tested the FlexFit 3 adjustable base alongside the P6 mattress, which is Sleep Number’s top-of-the-line offering. It offers timed foot warming (which takes about two minutes to heat up and has a two-hour default setting) to help blood flow away from your core and aid faster sleep. There is also a zero-gravity setting, partner snore (elevates the head and neck slightly to help open up airways), and motion-detect underbed lighting. I loved the gentle light source for late-night bathroom breaks, and the split king adjustability allowed me to partake in late-night reading without disturbing my partner. However, the only feature that separates the FlexFit 2 base from the FlexFit 3 is the inclusion of foot warming, and it’s a $400 upcharge for a queen size.
Photograph: Julia Forbes
The concept behind the portable workstation isn’t a new or particularly challenging one. Load up a laptop with top-tier specs to make it as powerful and future-proof as possible, and never mind if it adds a few ounces and inches to the load. Ostensibly, these machines are designed with heavy grind tasks in mind, such as video editing or CAD work. Money has historically been no object with the mobile workstation. If you needed this kind of juice, it was expected that you (or, more likely, your employer) would have to pay for it.
HP’s new ZBook 8 G1i checks off all those boxes, though it arrived with a curious twist: A deep discount of more than $2,500 off an over-$4,000 asking price, dramatically bringing the price of the machine down to something in line with a traditional laptop. I’m listening.
Photograph: Chris Null
Thick as a Brick
If it weren’t for the extra girth (27 mm) and weight (3.8 pounds), this laptop would easily pass for any old 14-inch system. (It’s also available in a 16-inch version.) It’s anonymous otherwise, and little thought has been given to industrial design here. Standard HP branding is affixed to a metallic gray chassis composed of partially recycled aluminum and plastic. Gently rounded corners do little to conceal the surprisingly wide bezels around the display, and the keyboard and trackpad are perfectly functional if utilitarian in appearance. If you’d been handed this machine on your first day of work in 2014, you’d probably be pretty jazzed.
Mobile workstations are all about the specs, and to that end, the ZBook 8 is rather surprising. While the inclusion of 64 GB of RAM is on point, the choice of CPU—an Intel Core Ultra 7 265H—is odd, landing just about in the middle of the Core Ultra Series 2 power spectrum. At the very least, it seems like an Ultra 9 would be in order. A 1-terabyte SSD was included in my test configuration. The screen size of 2560 x 1600 pixels is fine for a 14-inch (non-touchscreen) device, but shy of anything I’d consider dazzling.
Discrete graphics—common for a workstation—are present, but the system includes an Nvidia GeForce RTX 500 Ada Generation GPU, a niche processor I’ve never actually encountered in the wild. Nearly two years old, the 500 Ada is a stripped-down version of the GeForce RTX 4060. Benchmarks peg its performance as roughly on par with the mobile GeForce GTX 1000 series. Again, it’s a curious choice for the machine.
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