Wireless Keyboard and Mouse

Dyre Straits

I'm wondering how many of you are using a wireless keyboard/mouse combo? If so, which brand are you using? Is your mouse optical or rollerball?

Most importantly, how often do you need to change batteries?

I'm asking because I've been using a brand new, Micro Innovations combo for about 2 weeks now and I've already had to change the batteries TWICE in the mouse after using the included batteries. That's THREE sets of AAA batteries in just two weeks. Although mine is optical, that still seems like a lot of batteries in such a short time span.

So, I'd like to hear from others and how your mileage rates on battery use.

Thanks!

MIG-31

For myself i was using the Logitech Cordless Desktop® MX 3000 combo.... right upto a couple of months ago the mx1000 mouse packed up.And i now use the MX Revolution.

I'm still using the keyboard and using Non-Rechargeable AA batteries seem to last 4-6 weeks,depending on how much gaming i do..Rechargale 2500 mAh will only last 1-2 weeks....

The mouse needs a charge every 3 days,again it depends on how much gaming i do

Dyre Straits

Whenever the batteries give out, or need recharging, does the cursor just stop responding?

In my case, the optical light still glows. But, for some reason there's no response on the screen. I've tried resetting the signal when this happens and, occasionally, it works. But, when it doesn't popping in new batteries does the trick.

I just decided to do a check on the batteries I just took out, and they're definitely weak. Instead of 1.5V, they are 1.05 and 1.07 respectively. So, apparently, this setup needs the full juice in order to work properly.

MIG-31

Seeing as logitech setpoint detects the battery levels,i get a small notice in the taskbar that informs me they (and which) is low...even though the mouse has visable indicaters on board and the last bar shows red when it becomes critical,at this point i still get around 2-4 hours use.

There has been quite a few times i have forgotten to charge the mouse,My cursor still works fine.Unless they become extremely critical...

Those batteries are a little under par as you mentioned,i always use 1.5v in my keyboard.

Dyre Straits

Just to be clear: The batteries new are 1.5 V AAA batteries. But, testing them on a DMM showed they had weakened to the charges I posted. So, overall, that's nearly one full volt too low. BUT, I would have thought the mouse would still work although maybe sluggishly, with 2+ volts available to it.

Also, the signal hub is less than a foot and a half away from both the mouse and kb.

Now, the KB uses AA size batteries and they seem to be holding up better. Maybe it's the optical light really pulling the juice on the mouse?

craig5320

I use a wired keyboard, as it has the fingerprint reader, and i have enough trouble with USB keyboards in Windows setup that I don't want to find out how much a wireless one causes trouble lol.

For mice i always use Microsoft, my previous wireless ones were optical with the red light and I prolly changed batteries every six months or so, my PC's on 24.7 and I use it a hell of a lot, my current mouse is invisible laser from MS, so it has no light, that our eyes can see, I've had it a couple of months and not changed the batteries yet, control panel shows it as a good battery level, which is the max for the CP.

PangingJr

i find many Microsoft wireless pointing devices that they are just don't eat batteries quite so rapidly, some of them will have the "Wireless <device> battery level : Good" for many months of using. this is really unlike other brands that i have been experiencing with them, for whatever reason, some of the wireless mices of the other brands only last a few days.

craig5320

yea, i love the MS wireless mice, my friend has a samsung wireless mouse, and i after a minute of inactivity you have to click a button to turn it back on, and then it takes a second to respond, get's pretty annoying, it has crap batteries too, always seems to be on the low response side of battery life, I never notice degrading performance with my MS one either, just after a long time it'll suddenly go jittery then i change the batteries.

Dyre Straits

Just an update: After a little over a full month of use I'm really disappointed at how this set performs. If I can find the receipt, it's going back to MicroCenter. The only onscreen indicator is for the keyboard and there's no warning at all for when the mouse stops responding...it just quits. If I were to put another set of batteries into the mouse it would be the 5th set since I got the setup.

What gets me, really, is that the batteries still have over 1 V of charge in them both yet the mouse simply won't work at all.

If I do have to hang onto it, at least I didn't pay but $20 US for the whole kit.