Microsoft Classic Intellimouse
THE CULT CLASSIC MOUSE IS BACK — AND IT’S EVEN BETTER THAN EVER.
ONE OF THE most well-loved devices made by Microsoft during the late 1990s and early 2000s was the IntelliMouse, and now the company has revisited the iconic brand with the Classic IntelliMouse, which — according to Microsoft — is inspired by the IntelliMouse 3.0.
As our devices become ever more complex and convoluted (as well as delicate), there is a lot to be said about older hardware that’s solidly built and does the job without fuss. Chunky and ‘retro’ designs can also help. It’s this nostalgia and goodwill that Microsoft appears to be targeting with the Classic IntelliMouse.
You can clearly see the inspiration, with a similar ergonomic shape and black-and-grey design. For many people, this will be a case of ‘if it’s not broke, don’t fix it’, but if you were immune to the charms of the IntelliMouse the first time round, you may feel equally unimpressed here.
Fans of weird-looking ergonomic mice, or gaming-orientated pointers that pack in loads of buttons and glorious RGB lighting, will also wonder what all the fuss is about. Sure, there is some lighting, with the iconic red light of the original IntelliMouse now replaced with a modern white light.
It also has a decent number of buttons, five in total, with three that are customisable.
It’s also wired, meaning you don’t get the freedom of a wireless mouse, but you also don’t have to worry about running out of battery at inopportune moments. It also means the mouse is lighter than wireless mice, weighing in at 100g.
Its compact body fits neatly in the hand, showing that Microsoft still knows a thing or two about designing ergonomic peripherals. The Classic IntelliMouse uses a USB 2.0 connection, and as you’d expect from a Microsoft peripheral, setting it up in Windows 10 is simple.
Configuring the extra buttons is straightforward, and can be done when using Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8 and Windows 7. Frustratingly, the option to configure those buttons isn’t available in Windows 10 S.
Also, despite this being a Microsoft mouse, you need to download additional software to configure it — the Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Center.
Despite its retro looks, the mouse includes some pretty modern features, giving it a level of performance that the original IntelliMouse lineup could only dream of. It has a 1,000 reports-per-second report rate, which makes it feel fast and responsive.
It also includes Microsoft’s BlueTrack technology, which has been designed to allow the Classic IntelliMouse to work on almost any surface, no matter how reflective it might be. In use, the Classic IntelliMouse had no issues working on a range of surfaces, including a desk and carpet.
Overall, we were very impressed with the performance of the Classic IntelliMouse. If you’re after a dependably performing wired mouse, with some decent customisation options, then you’ll be very pleased with this.
With the Classic IntelliMouse, Microsoft has a mouse that is both familiar and modern, offering the ergonomic comfort and dependability that IntelliMouse devices are known for. The design retains the iconic look, while also modernising it. Best of all, Microsoft is asking a reasonable price for it. It isn’t just a retro collectible for people who wish we still had beige PCs and CRT monitors, but an excellent mouse that does the job very well.