Kensington Ci95m Wireless Mouse with Nano Receiver Review

Users who don't need anything out of their mouse beyond the ability to control the cursor on their display will appreciate the utter simplicity of the $39.99 Kensington Ci95m. This peripheral offers good performance at a price that won't burn a hole in your pocket, but it's not as comfortable as higher-end mobile mice during long periods of use.

Design

The Ci95m has an underwhelming gray and black color scheme and flat pancake design with a rubberized exterior to prevent slippage. It has a small optical eye on the bottom controlled by a small toggle switch; when the eye is covered by the switch, the mouse shuts off. It also has a small nano receiver that can be stored underneath the mouse's magnetic removable lid. The lid removes easily with a gentle upward pull, but it's strong enough to remain on the mouse during use.

Performance

Installation was simple: we plugged the small USB dongle into an available port on our notebook and installed two AA batteries under the Ci95m's removable lid. For the most part, the mouse felt comfortable, although it was a bit too flat for our tastes: we would have liked a more rounded surface under our palm to make it more ergonomically pleasing. The Ci95m was sensitive enough moving around on our desktop, but those who prefer greater accuracy should look toward theLogitech V550 Nanoor theMicrosoft Explorer Mini Mouseinstead. The plastic upper lid and spin wheel felt a little chintzy, and the wheel wasn't as responsive as the smoother one found on Logitech's V550 Nano.

Verdict

At $39.99, the Ci95m is a decent mouse for the price, but for $20 more the Logitech V550 offers a better ergonomic design, a silky-smooth scroll wheel, and the ability to clip the mouse to your notebook for easy transport.