12 of the best... mice

Kensington SlimBlade Trackball

The first thing that will strike you about the SlimBlade is the enormous size of its ball - with a 55mm diameter it’s about the same size as a snooker ball and not far off the same weight. Being so big and heavy it 'rests on' rather the 'clips into' the base which, in itself, is on the large size – 150x135mm at its widest. The left and right click buttons are actually the two large areas behind the ball. With the Windows or Mac software installed, the forward left button activates Media mode while the forward right button puts it into Document View mode. A handy on-screen icon flashes up to let you know which mode the Slimblade is in. As the keen-eyed of you will have noticed, the SlimBlade lacks a scroll wheel. To scroll up and down pages you have to twist the trackball to the left or right, an operation made rather satisfying by a pleasant 'click' action. Not cheap at almost £100 but you do get a lot of mouse for your money.

Reg Rating 80%
Price £100 Click for the best online price
More Info Kensington

3M Ergonomic Mouse

Though 3M's mouse may look like a joystick it isn't. You hold it like a good old fashioned gaming control but, to make it work, you have to push it around as you would a conventional mouse. This feels a little strange at first because you have to you use your arm rather than wrist, but that's the whole point. 3M has a specific aim in with this model; to prevent RSI and carpal tunnel syndrome in very heavy duty users. Left and right click buttons are replaced by controls on the top of the stick and next to the finger rest, which both fall naturally to hand after a short while. Available in both small/medium and large sizes, the 3M may not be a beauty but it’s a solid recommendation for anyone whose mouse usage goes beyond the usual domestic levels.

Reg Rating 85%
Price £60 Click for the best online price
More Info 3M