Microsoft Notebook Optical Mouse 3000 (Black) review: Microsoft Notebook Optical Mouse 3000 (Black)

The Microsoft Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse 3000 offers basic mousing functionality at a cheap $29.95 price. Unfortunately, it's a little too basic for our tastes: it doesn't come with software, there are no extra buttons, and the receiver has a very short, 3-foot range. For users who won't stray far from their notebooks, this mouse could be a good fit, but we prefer the slightly more expensive, but much more functional Logitech V400, which boasts included software, five programmable buttons, and a 30-foot range.

To start using the Optical Mouse 3000, you need only to insert a single AA battery and plug in the wireless receiver. Microsoft's IntelliPoint software isn't included in the package, but you can download it from Microsoft's Web site. This software adds a tab to your regular mouse control panel. From there, you can select the left and right buttons on the scrollwheel and customize them from a list of functions and tasks.

The body of the mouse is an attractive blue-gray, and it features a contoured design that makes it fairly comfortable to hold. The left and right buttons are nearly full-size and are easy to click. The scrollwheel is a little small--about the size of two stacked nickels--and only allows vertical scroll, unlike the Logitech V400 which features a four-way scrollwheel. The Optical Mouse 3000's ambidextrous shape fits left-and right-handed users.

The Microsoft Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse 3000 comes with a USB receiver that snaps into the bottom of the mouse--a feature we consider essential on notebook mice. Unfortunately, this dongle is fairly weak, and it provided a pitiful 3-foot range in our tests--the Kensington PilotMouse Laser Wireless, for example, worked at distances up to 30-feet. Despite the Optical Mouse 3000's range, we were pleased with its tracking performance: we didn't notice any lag or errors from the 1,000 dots per inch (dpi) optical sensor.

The mouse comes with a three-year limited warranty, according to the included Getting Started guide. It also lists free phone support numbers and directs you to Microsoft's online support site, where you'll find FAQs and articles if you're having difficulties.