Vertical mouse: its history, its characteristics and our recommendations

If you have been reading on the net for a while, perhaps you have come across the word "vertical mouse". But what are these peripherals and why are they so peculiar? Here we will explain a little of their history, what they are for and some recommendations.

Index of contents

History of the vertical mouse

The first vertical mice for sale appeared around the 2000s from the hand of a tiny company called Evoluent . However, the first designs were created back in 1995 .

First vertical mice: Evoluent VM2L

Lead creator Jack Lo saw the health problems of traditional mice, so he embarked on an arduous task to research a solution. He founded Evoluent and, after several differences with companies, he released these first mice for sale with his own savings

The early designs were very bulky and made of this sturdy whitish plastic typical of the 90s . In general, the devices already had all the important ideas implemented and when it went on sale, it got deserved attention.

Little by little, vertical mice began to become more famous until today, where there is a niche of users who only use these models.

When they became relevant, companies joined the trend and, dodging patent legalities, created their own designs. Stranger and ergonomic shapes, differentiating technologies, and other tricks made the competition fight hard for the market.

In fact, if we now look for ergonomic mice we will come across many other styles. For example, we have the ergonomic horizontal mice , the mice with trackball or the joystick type, but that is sand of another thing.

Although we have mentioned health problems, but what problems does a traditional mouse generate? Is it something that companies hide from us?

Rather not, since it is not a direct relationship. It is simply a disease that some people who spend a lot of time in front of the computer can suffer. We have discussed it in other articles, but we will explain it to you in a jiffy.

Health benefits

Common mice are made in such a way that we can use them as if they were a surgeon's knife. Precise, agile and smooth, but with a fatal weakness: we have to place the ligaments of the forearm in an unnatural way.

Simple scheme of using ergonomic mice

With this grip, the muscles and tendons are kept tight and so we can be as precise as eagles. It is an evil that we face (aware of it or not) and that some people degenerate into muscle and / or joint problems and others.

That is why there are ergonomic mice and, more specifically, vertical ones. These devices provide us with a grip that greatly relaxes the forearm tendons. We sacrifice precision, but we run less risk of suffering from these diseases and syndromes associated with poor arm placement.

Of course, we must emphasize that some experts point out that the benefits are minimal or negligible, while others claim that they are light, but remarkable.

Logitech tests on the MX Vertical

Unfortunately, the scientific community currently lacks a clear consensus on the nature of these pathologies in relation to vertical mice. However, a large number of users claim to work much better and more comfortable with these devices.

According to studies, it is still an uncertainty whether they really help or not, but the immediate feeling of comfort when gripping a vertical mouse is remarkable. For our part, we recommend that you give them a try and try them out.

Current vertical mouse models

Today's vertical mice have been greatly optimized in materials, weight, and design. They are slimmer, stronger and more precise, if possible, although they follow the same nuclear lines as the original model.

Various versions of Evoluent mice

They hold as if we were shaking hands with the main buttons on one side, which are still assigned to the middle finger and index finger.

Most have page forward and backward buttons and some even have a small trackball, that is, a small specialized ball. We can rotate this piece with the thumb, in order to move the pointer without having to move the mouse. In addition, how could it be otherwise, the update to modern times has detached them from cables.

Most vertical mice operate using Bluetooth technology and / or dedicated 2.4GHz radio frequency signals . That yes, the companies do not agree and some work by batteries and others by batteries.

Microsoft Sculpt Upright Mouse

The most remarkable thing about vertical mice is that there is no standard, but each brand designs the products as they want. In this way, we have a very heterogeneous market with models focused on different problems.

We also have expensive, affordable and other very cheap mice , so we can affirm that the vertical mouse market is quite fruitful and healthy.

Why choose a vertical mouse?

While there are other mouse paradigms designed to be ergonomic, the most balanced of them all are verticals.

• On the one hand, the horizontal ergonomic mice can be unconsciously poorly grasped in such a way that they do not help against health problems.On the other hand, joystick mice are very different from standard mice, so learning to use them can be a imbroglio.

Upright mice offer a good balance between health for our body and an acceptable learning curve without being excessively difficult. In addition, for this work they are the most famous and it is not surprising that some designers, office workers, bloggers and others have made the leap.

It is true that they continue to attract attention wherever you go, since at first glance nobody understands why it has that shape. However, it is nothing that cannot be explained in two sentences. Every time they have more attractive designs and the most important thing: they offer better benefits in smaller bodies.

Some models that we are going to recommend now cost less than € 35 , so we recommend trying them if you want a new experience. Who knows, maybe you find a new way of understanding computing and, by the way, you help your body to be in better shape.

CSL TM137U

The CSL TM137U is a model that we have already met on the web from time to time. It is the vivid image of how most users imagine vertical mice. It is a slim, simple and fairly cheap mouse , so it is understandable that it is one of the best known in the community.

CSL TM137U Upright Mouse

It has the five classic buttons, plus an extra one to change the different DPI levels:

• left click right click wheel DPI control previous page next page

We have two versions, one with a cable and the other with a USB antenna , the latter working with a pair of AAA batteries. The antenna version lacks a microUSB port, so we cannot use it with a cable or rechargeable batteries. We also miss a Bluetooth mode, for compatibility with more devices, but for this price it is fine.

Wireless autonomy is quite respectable, with an approximate life expectancy of several months. In addition, the same device will warn you when it begins to run out of energy with an LED indicator.

It should be noted that there is an identical model, but for left-handers, a community that few companies reach out to.

CSL - Optical Mouse Vertical Shape - Ergonomic Design Tennis Elbow Prevention - Mouse Disease - Especially Protects the Wireless Arm - 5 Buttons CSL TM137U | USB optical mouse | Vertical shape | Especially protects the arm; Provides better handling than traditional mice | Color: black 19, 99 EUR CSL - Optical Mouse TM137U Vertical Shape for Left-Handed - Ergonomic design - Prevention of Tennis Elbow RSI syndrome mouse disease - Especially Protects the Arm - 5 Buttons Provides better handling than traditional mice | Color: black 17.99 EUR

JTD Scroll Endurance

The JTD Wireless Vertical 2 is an ergonomic vertical mouse with a futuristic design, if possible. It has a body made of different plastics and the small LED strip on the top is striking.

JTD Scroll Endurance Upright Mouse

Like the CSL mouse, it has a set of six main buttons, the three extra being page forward and page back and the DPI control that we can configure in 800, 1100, 1600 and 2400.

We can connect the device via cable, USB antenna or Bluetooth 4.0 and for this we will have several switches at the bottom . With one of them we select the antenna mode or the Bluetooth mode and with an extra button we initialize the pairing of devices.

As you may have already guessed, being able to connect it by cable means that it works with an internal battery (1000mAh) and we must emphasize that the connection is USB Type-C. Few devices, even today, mount this technology, so it is a merit.

As for construction materials, it follows quite common standards. We can get this product in several different colors such as black, gray or pink

J-Tech Digital Wireless Mouse Vertical Ergonomic Mouse, Rechargeable 2.4G RF and Bluetooth 4.0 Wireless Connection Optical Mice with Adjustable LED Light 800/1200/1600/2400 dpi (Pink)

Logitech MX Vertical

The Logitech mouse offers us a solution to the same problem with a unique design and a very good quality. It is created on rough plastic and metal and stands out, according to the company, for having been tested and approved by ergonomic experts.

Logitech MX Vertical Mouse

This mouse aims to provide a comforting experience for users while providing the quality of use of the Logitech MX line of mice.

This mouse runs on battery power and is estimated to last for several months on a full charge. Also, according to the brand, we can enjoy several hours of use with just a couple of minutes of charging. The connection for this is USB-Type C with fast charge.

It will have the already repeated 6 control buttons , with the DPI control having a special position since it is located on the metallic upper side.

The problem that arises with this model is that it has a much higher price than previously seen. We can certainly expect very good construction materials and an excellent finish, but is it worth the price? Each user will determine it.

Logitech MX Ergonomic Wireless Mouse, Multi-Computer, 2.4 GHz / Bluetooth with Unifying USB Receiver, Optical Tracking 4000 DPI, 4 Buttons, Quick Charge, Laptop / PC / Mac / iPad OS, Black 79.99 EUR

Evoluent VM4R and VM4L

If we start talking about Evoluent and its contribution to the medium, we will finalize the recommendations with them as well.

The VM4R / L model (Vertical Mouse 4 Right / Left) are two models with a sober and vintage design, but that do not abandon the technology section. They have a simple design with just the right sections to be useful without being cumbersome or annoying.

Evoluent VM4R Upright Mouse

On the one hand, we will have a DPI control located under the right click. The button is double with which we can adjust the DPI to more or less and an indicator at the top. DPI levels are not specified, but they are divided into Extra Low (XL), Low (Low), Medium (Md) and High (Hi).

As for grip, on the right side it has a protruding tab to avoid rubbing with the table. It also has another specialized left thumb grip, where the page forward and page back buttons are up and down, respectively.

Finally, mention that we can make some small edits in the use of the buttons through the software of the brand itself.

As you can guess, we can get the model for both right-handed and left-handed users. Furthermore, this is just one of the company's models. If you like other designs or other technologies, you can embark on trying many other mice.

The price is certainly high, but the company flaunts its experience in the sector. If you are interested in trying a product of this nature, it is a good option.

Evoluent VM4R Right Vertical Mouse Evoluent4 6 grooves / Scrolling Wheel / Cable Vertical mouse with ergonomic shape; Reduces the discomfort of the mouse arm and supports ergonomically correct work 86, 82 EUR

Final words

As we have already announced, the subject of ergonomic and vertical mice is currently an uncertainty. The empirical response and the one that many users report is positive, but we lack the scientific evidence that strongly supports it.

This is why we recommend you try the vertical mouse experience from the perspective of trying new things. It's a new way of looking at mice, and it can certainly change how you interact with them.

The most important point is that you have a learning curve and in almost all cases you will lose some precision.

For users like businessmen, receptionists, writers and others it is a great recommendation to try. In the specific case that you are a recurring or even professional gamer, the recommendation is not so clear. However, at the end of the line, choosing a vertical mouse is your choice.

We recommend the best mice on the market

However, what we can assure is that we have models for very low prices, so it is available to practically everyone. If you want to iterate to more advanced versions you can try how they are, but for a fortnight of euros you can already get a good quality vertical mouse.

And you, what do you think about vertical mice? Will you buy one? Leave your comment in the box below.

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