Logitech V450 Laser Cordless Notebook Mouse review: Logitech V450 Laser Cordless Notebook Mouse

The Logitech V450 Laser cordless mouse for notebooks is a simple, reasonably priced (it goes for about $35 to $40 online) portable mouse that can free road warriors from touch pads and trackpoints. Though it's a little too small for comfortable everyday use, the Logitech V450 has all the other features of a standard desktop rodent.

The Logitech V450 weighs 4.2 ounces and is almost exactly the same size as the Logitech VX Revolution and the Microsoft Wireless Notebook Laser Mouse 6000, making it easy to throw in your notebook bag. The V450 is designed symmetrically, which means it's completely usable for those who prefer to mouse left-handed. However, that ambidextrousness comes at the price of real comfort--like most notebook mice, the V450 is not large enough or sculpted enough to fill your hand when in use. For a truly comfortable portable mouse, try Logitech's premium VX Revolution.

The mouse's 1.5-inch long by 0.5-inch wide, wireless USB receiver slides into the V450's base and stores flush with the bottom and back side. When the receiver is stowed, the mouse won't turn on at all, which saves power and ensures that it won't accidentally turn on in your bag. There's also a power switch and a power indicator light on the mouse's base. According to Logitech, the V450's power-saving technology gives it up to one year of life from of two AA batteries.

Otherwise, there's nothing remarkable about the Logitech V450 Laser cordless mouse for notebooks' feature list, which is a distinct advantage; Logitech didn't sacrifice any standard features to get the mouse down to a smaller form factor. It has three buttons, and its wheel can tilt for horizontal scrolling. Using Logitech's included SetPoint 2.6 software makes all of these buttons programmable.

You can also use the mouse without installing anything--just plug the USB receiver into an available port and go--which is a definite plus for travelers who use public computers regularly. In our informal tests, the mouse worked about 13 feet away from our computer; a nice feature for those who like to walk around while giving a presentation or a software demo. The V450's laser tracking allows it to be used on a wide variety of surfaces, from a glass tabletop to your linen pant leg.