Need recommendation for "wired" mouse for brand new MacMini...

Question

Need recommendation for "wired" mouse for brand new MacMini...

Hey all,

I've owned many Macs since 1987, so I know my way around a Mac very well. My last MacMini died last spring and I bought a brand new MacMini this past May. Of all my Macs, this one has been the most problematic...then again, maybe it's just the OS (I'm running Mojave and not ready to jump into "buggy" Catalina), but right now, that's neither here nor there.

What I need is a good recommendation for a "wired" mouse.

From the get-go, upon hooking the new Mac up, it has been plagued with the wireless mouse and keyboard disconnecting. Oddly enough, nothing has changed AT ALL in my setup. All I did was unplug the old computer and plug the new one in. I should also mention I bought a brand new wireless Apple keyboard and mouse too. I HATE THEM! My old MacMini and wireless devices worked fine. Not so now with the new equipment. I use this computer to work from home, as I am a Technical Illustrator, so I have no time to fart around with trouble shooting wireless issues. I want them gone and replaced. The keyboard solution was easy. Just plug it into my Mac with a lightning wire and leave it there for good. No disconnecting keyboard now. Yay!

But now I need to buy a "wired" mouse, and I see Apple doesn't have them anymore. You'd think they'd give us an option.

Anyway, I DO NOT want a "wired" mouse with all the bells and whistles...split into 3 parts...right click, left click, etc. I just want a very simple "one click" mouse. I can do everything else with my keyboard. That's the way I've done it for the last 32 years.

Any suggestions?

Mac mini, macOS 10.14

Posted on Dec 4, 2019 2:30 PM

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Answer 1

dwb

Level 7

33,326 points

Dec 5, 2019 8:14 AM in response to CharlieBrown63

Your problems are due to interference which can probably be solved without too much trouble. You may have to invest in a couple shielded USB cables because USB 3 can be very noisy in the same radio spectrum as BlueTooth. Due to the small size of the mini there's no great place to put the BlueTooth antenna. It is on the right side near the back. My setup required two changes from how I originally organized my desk. First, I placed the mini to the immediate left of my monitor stand. Second, I put my external drives to the left of the mini. I have no interference issues at all. The key is to keep noisy USB 3 devices as far away from the mouse and keyboard as possible.

Previously, I had an iMac on the desk with a USB hub on the right side of and the external drives to the left. That was fine until I purchased a USB 3 hub which turned out to be completely unshielded. A tech I work with recommended another hub and my connections were immediately improved but went south as soon as I tried to use my optical drive. That's when I went looking for shielded cables which I found at Office Depot amazingly enough. Problem solved.

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Answer 2

den.thed

Level 10

94,392 points

Dec 4, 2019 3:04 PM in response to CharlieBrown63

I use the $20 Logitech MK120 combo's with several of our Mac Mini's.

https://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/desktop-mk120

FWIW I never have had a single problem with any of them connecting and working or entering startup commands. Plus they all have out lasted those expensive fancy brand name ones 5 to 1.

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Answer 3

den.thed

Level 10

94,392 points

Dec 4, 2019 9:04 PM in response to CharlieBrown63

It is starting to sound like you have/had, or are looking for either an old Apple USB Pro Mouse or Mighty Mouse. The problem is, that nothing like that has been made in years and new ones are hard to find.

I did see a couple of Apple Pro and Mighty Mice for sale at powerbookmedics, dvwarehouse and E-Bay.

https://www.powerbookmedic.com/Apple-Pro-Mouse-Mouse-Refurb-p-17404.html

https://www.dvwarehouse.com/MA086LL/A-Apple-Mighty-Mouse-Wired-A1152-p-33287.html

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Answer 4

den.thed

Level 10

94,392 points

Dec 4, 2019 6:13 PM in response to CharlieBrown63

$20 is for both the keyboard and mouse.

The mouse has let and right click, plus a scroll wheel with a middle click. If you are used to using a single button mouse, you can always disable the center and right click in the system preferences.

Both the keyboard and mouse are fully functional with OS X and macOS.

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Answer 5

Dec 4, 2019 5:35 PM in response to den.thed

Hmmm...it's kinda hard to see (little photo). I assume the $19.99 is just that mouse? What's the button for? I've never used a perfectly-smooth, non-Apple mouse before. Is this single click? No left/right (what I'm looking for)?

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Answer 6

Dec 4, 2019 7:01 PM in response to Jdelrizzle

Arrrgh...so again, are there ANY 3rd party wired mice that are perfectly smooth with one click....NO left/right, NO buttons or wheels? Just a simple smooth mouse? I do appreciate the recommendations above, but I don't think that's what I want. Although I do think I'm gonna buy that keyboard for my Dad's PC (for Christmas). So thanks for that.

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Answer 7

Dec 4, 2019 6:13 PM in response to CharlieBrown63

$20 for both mouse and keyboard the button is for scrolling through pages.

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Answer 8

Dec 4, 2019 9:09 PM in response to den.thed

It's mind-boggling that Apple doesn't still make a "wired" mouse available. So many folks on this forum have had major issues with the new wireless/mouse keyboard disconnecting. Mine has been working fine all night, but other nights it drives me crazy.

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Answer 9

Rudegar

Level 10

182,810 points

Dec 5, 2019 1:03 PM in response to CharlieBrown63

Use both razer and Logitech and both work very well

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Need recommendation for "wired" mouse for brand new MacMini...

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