- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Our Verdict
- Test Results
- Compared To Others
- Deals
- Discussions
The Microsoft Arc Mouse is a good ambidextrous travel mouse, but it isn't well-suited for other uses. It offers excellent portability, with a lightweight, compact design, and it supports Bluetooth connectivity, so you don't have to worry about losing a receiver. It's decently comfortable, but might be a bit too small if you have extra large hands, and it isn't a good choice for fans of the fingertip grip. Unfortunately, this isn't a very good mouse for gaming, as it has high click latency and only one programmable button.
Our Verdict
The Microsoft Arc Mouse is a decent office/multimedia mouse. It has decent ergonomics and fits most hands, but it might be a bit too small if you have extra large hands. It has decent build quality, with no significant issues, and it has excellent portability, great for taking with you in a laptop bag.
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Excellent portability.
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Lightweight design.
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Good overall performance.
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Limited number of buttons.
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High latency.
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Limited companion software.
Unfortunately, this isn't a very good mouse for high-speed gaming. It has very high click latency, and it can't be used wired for lower latency. Although it has decent ergonomics, it might not be comfortable for longer play sessions or if you have extra large hands.
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Excellent portability.
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Lightweight design.
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Good overall performance.
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Limited number of buttons.
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High latency.
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Limited companion software.
Unfortunately, this mouse isn't a great choice for MMO gaming. It only has one programmable button, and the available software has very limited options. It has decent ergonomics, but might not be a good choice for longer gaming sessions.
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Excellent portability.
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Lightweight design.
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Good overall performance.
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Limited number of buttons.
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High latency.
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Limited companion software.
The Microsoft Arc Mouse has excellent portability and a compact, light-weight design, but it isn't a good choice for gaming. It has bad click latency, and there's only one programmable button.
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Excellent portability.
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Lightweight design.
-
Good overall performance.
-
Limited number of buttons.
-
High latency.
-
Limited companion software.
The Microsoft Arc Mouse is a good travel mouse. It has excellent portability, thanks to its compact design, and it supports Bluetooth connectivity, so you don't have to worry about losing a proprietary wireless receiver. It's decently comfortable, regardless of hand size, but it might not be ideal for long-term use.
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Excellent portability.
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Lightweight design.
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Good overall performance.
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Limited number of buttons.
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High latency.
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Limited companion software.
- 6.5 Office/Multimedia
- 5.4 Video Games (FPS)
- 4.3 Video Games (MMO)
- 6.0 Ultra-Light Gaming
- 7.5 Travel
- Updated Oct 05, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.0.
- Updated Sep 16, 2020: We've added the mouse's dimensions when it's in its curved shape.
- Updated Dec 20, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 0.8.1.
- Updated Dec 11, 2019: Review published.
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Test Results
The Microsoft Arc Mouse has a very simple, compact design. When traveling, it collapses to a flat shape for better portability. It's available in a variety of different colors depending on the retailer.
Update 09/16/2020: Some of our readers have requested the mouse's dimensions when it's in its curved form. The length is 11.2cm and the height is 3.21cm when it's in the 'On' position.
The Microsoft Surface Arc Mouse has outstanding portability. When collapsed to the "off" position, it easily fits in your pocket or a bag. If you want a more typical-designed mouse that is travel-friendly, take a look at the Logitech Pebble M350.
There's no weight optimization possible on this mouse, but it's already pretty light, making it a great choice for traveling.
Decent build quality. The clipping mechanism used to lock the mouse into a flat or arched shape feels well-built, but the latex material that covers the back portion of the mouse could be more susceptible to wear-and-tear.
The Microsoft Arc Mouse has an ambidextrous design and decent overall ergonomics. It can't really be used with a fingertip grip, but is otherwise comfortable for most hand sizes.
This mouse is a good choice for the palm grip unless you have extra large hands, in which case the mouse might be a bit too small to use comfortably.
This mouse is a good choice for the claw grip, regardless of hand size.
This mouse isn't designed to be used with a fingertip grip. Most of the weight is in the front of the mouse, so it's difficult if it isn't in contact with your palm.
The Microsoft Arc Mouse can only be used over Bluetooth. There's no traditional on/off switch; instead, the mouse can only be turned off by snapping it to the flat position.
This mouse doesn't come with a cable, as it can't be recharged, and it can't be used wired.
This mouse has a limited number of buttons, which is okay for traveling. It recognizes certain gestures, including a three-finger click, which can be programmed to do almost anything. The left and right mouse buttons can also be swapped, depending on which hand you use.
Although there's no physical mouse wheel, the Microsoft Arc Mouse recognizes gestures for vertical and horizontal scrolling. For a travel mouse with a more conventional design and a scroll wheel with L/R tilt buttons, check out the Logitech M525.
Unfortunately, this mouse has bad click latency and isn't a good choice for gaming. There's no option to use it wired either.
The available Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Center software works well, but is only compatible with recent Windows PCs, and has limited options.
Compared To Other Mice
The Microsoft Arc Mouse has a very unique design. It's good for travel and its snap-to-power-on feature hasn't been tested on any other mice we've reviewed so far. It connects via Bluetooth to your source and needs AA batteries to work. The click latency is quite higher than most mice and its max CPI setting is very low compared to others. See our recommendations for the best wireless gaming mouse, the best wireless mouse, and the best gaming mouse.
The Logitech MX Master 3 is much better than the Microsoft Arc Mouse. The Logitech is better-built, it offers better comfort, it has a scroll wheel, and it has many more programmable buttons. However, the Microsoft mouse has an ambidextrous design, and it's lighter to carry around.
The Microsoft Arc Mouse is better than the Apple Magic Mouse 2. The Microsoft is meant for use with a claw grip, and you can also use it with a palm grip. It also has dedicated software where you can adjust its CPI and program one button. On the other hand, the Apple mouse is designed for people using the fingertip grip, and it's a better-built mouse.
The Logitech MX Master 2S is better than the Microsoft Arc Mouse. You can use the Logitech with its proprietary receiver or through Bluetooth, has more customization options, and has a scroll wheel. However, the Microsoft is lighter, making it easier to carry around.
The Microsoft Arc Mouse has a better overall performance than the Logitech Pebble M350 since you can customize its settings a bit, but its unique design might not be suitable for some. On the other hand, the Logitech can be used with a receiver and via Bluetooth and has a lower click latency.