Surface Arc Mouse – Burgundy

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Heads up: I just received the mouse, and these are my initial thoughts. More to come. I have purchased several Microsoft Arc mice (2 - Touch / 1 - Surface Touch) over the years. My original Touch mouse I wore through the bottom of the mouse to the PCB. So, its fair to say I use the mouse as my daily driver. The new Arc mouse is spectacular! With Windows 10, I had the mouse paired within a few seconds. The biggest challenge really is getting used to the buttons, which isnt difficult for me. I dont rest my fingers on the mouse, and typically my hand isnt on the mouse most of the time. So, differentiating between a right and left click is simple. What I love about the this mouse is the removal of the scroll button. The loss of haptic feed back is unfortunate, but the problem with the scroll button was material could easily get between the buttons, essentially disabling the scroll button. With my old Surface Touch Arc mouse, my daily routine was when pulling it out to slide my finger nail allow the edge of the button, so the scroll button worked properly. With the new Microsoft Arc mouse, theres no scroll button. The entire surface can be used for up/down scrolling, as well (apparently) side scrolling. The other really amazing feature is the mouse has lost weight. I dont know how they did it, but not only is the mouse thinner, but its lighter than the previous Arc mouse designs. For those uninitiated, what is so compelling about the Arc mice is the fact that the mouse folds flat for storage and to turn off. So for travel, the mouse can fit in a pocket, or easily slide into a case without taking up much room. You dont have to wonder if youve turned it on or off, because if its flat, its off and when its arced its on. Where this version of the Arc mouse improves upon the former iterations is the removal of the scroll button. Instead, the top front surface of the mouse is your left and right mouse button, and up/down as well as side-to-side scroll wheels. Based on my initial usage, I strongly recommend this mouse. Its a simple looking mouse, that works extraordinarily well. The biggest challenge most users will face is getting used to the button(s), but it isnt as much of a challenge as some reviews had made it out to be. Ill update this review later with more long-term usage. Overall, Im extremely impressed with the mouse. First day: Ive done a lot of different tasks with the device today. From gaming to productivity work (lots of copying/pasting), and overall I didnt have many real issues. However, I did run into one thing. Scroll sensitivity - The button didnt immediately sense when I was scrolling up or now. It did sense it, but there was a delay. 3-Days later: Just downloaded the Microsoft Keyboard and Mouse Center software for Windows 10. I adjusted the DPI and the scroll sensitivity and my concerns are resolved. Scroll sensitivity is instant now. With the DPI adjusted to 1200 from 1000, screen travel feels 1:1 and instantaneous without lost or erratic movements. This will probably impact my battery life, but at this point, this is an amazing mouse! One Month: Overall I am happy with the purchase. I have an issue with one program where I need to disable scrolling, and thats done in the MS software.

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I have been using an older Microsoft mouse with my new Surface Laptop. It has worked ok, but not great. I then ordered the Surface Arc Mouse and find a 100% improvement. The Arc is very responsive without being overly sensitive. It paired up instantly and stays connected without any issues. It is a bit different and has taken a few days to get used to... but the feel is fine without any fatigue in my right hand. Clicking on either the right or left side presents no issues either. You turn the mouse on by snapping it in to the arc shape and turning it off by flattening it out. Again, no issues and the material is very responsive. Not sure what the battery life is like as Ive been using it for only a few days... the jury is still out on that one. The build, fit and finish are top notch. Although it doesnt have a glass finish like the Apple Magic Mouse, it does have the quality feel I was hoping for. Overall, I have absolutely no complaints with the Arc and would recommend it without hesitation.

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This is my third MS Arc mouse. These seem to last about 18-24 months, then they die (even with new batteries). This one is by far the worst of the three Ive owned. Theyve changed the design a bit from the last one I had, which is fine. However, if I let the mouse sit for more than about 5 minutes without moving it, it apparently goes to sleep and loses the bluetooth connection to my computer. Then it takes 1-2 minutes to reconnect. The same thing happens when I activate the mouse by bending it (turning it on). It takes about 1-2 minutes to connect. If I use the mouse continuously, it works fine as long as I dont stop using it for more than a couple minutes. Ive never had this problem with previous versions of this mouse, and Im using the same Surface Pro 3 laptop that I had been using with the previous two.

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I very much wanted to like this mouse thanks to the flat design, but it is not comfortable to use at all. The folding design that creates the gap in the middle turns out to be critical for quick movements of the mouse. I’ve been trying to force myself to get used to it after a few months and still find myself getting frustrated and going back to the trackpad or touchscreen. The build and material is great, however. The fold flat is incredibly handy for grabbing the mouse as you bounce from conference room to conference room. The durability is also unexpectedly great as I have sat on it in my back pocket many times forgetting it was there until after the meeting. The right click is also troublesome and difficult to get used to. Not only do you need to click on the right side, but you can’t have your index finger testing of the left side or it will register as a left click. This seems very unnecessary from a design standpoint and another difficult piece to get used to. Lastly, I had to mess with settings several times and even install additional Microsoft software to get the scrolling smooth in all applications. For being a Microsoft mouse and me using it on a Microsoft Surface Pro, you’d think it would “just work.” All in all, I’m going to keep try using it to get more used to the gap. After all the other complaints, it’s the gap that I still struggle with. For $60, it’s a fashionable mouse, a usable mouse, but not a user friendly mouse. If you absolutely must have the folding, try it, otherwise keep looking.

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This is a great upgrade from the previous generation Arc Mouse! I have noticed it glides more smoothly, has a easier clicker on it, better build quality, and has cool color too! The only down-side, as others have said, is that you can only have one finger on the mouse when you right click, otherwise it registers it as a left-click. I have also noticed that the clicking noise is also noticeably higher than the previous Arc Mouse. But it doesnt take long to get used to. It comes with Duracell batteries and connected very easily to my Surface Laptop. Great job Microsoft!

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I was very excited to receive this new mouse from microsoft and it looked very nice after taking it out of the box. However, after using it I can say that it is not worth your time. The delay on the mouse is attrocious because of the bluetooth connection - I would just get a wiresless mouse with a USB port connection instead. Sometimes the mouse wont even connect to my laptop or will just disconnect out of nowhere. I tried it out on my roommates laptop and am running into the same issues with it as well. It also does not function well on some surfaces as well (even if they are flat). For instance, sometimes I will use the mouse on the plastic pad directly under my laptop and the mouse will not pick up that I am moving it. l I would return this and get my money back if I could. Not ideal for gaming or any other laptop use as I have used it for my Electrical Engineering programs. The only positive things that this mouse has going for it is that it is portable and it look and feels nice. Otherwise, the mouse functionality sucks. DO NOT BUY THIS MOUSE.

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The design of this is fantastic. I have used the older model with the usb connection for years and when I got a new laptop with only one USB port I decided to move to this Bluetooth model. This one is a little bit wider than the older model, but still comfortable to use even though I have small hands. The portability of this design cannot be beat. I travel for business and it’s very important to me for my bag to be as small and lightweight as possible so I love that this goes flat and pops up to a full size mouse. One issue I have had with this mouse is that in two weeks it has unpaired twice. Despite showing in my paired Bluetooth devices it doesn’t control the mouse on the screen. However, the pairing instructions are very easy to remember because they are so simple and it is really fast to just remove and repair the device. I’d say for the luxury of having a free USB port that it is worth the occasional glitch. As far as function while paired, the connection is very good and the mouse moves smoothly on the screen.

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I wanted to like this product so much, I really did I had the older version of the Arc Mouse for several years and LOVED it. When my older one finally wore out, I logged on to buy another. When I saw that there was a newer model, I figured I would try it out. I am constantly having to pick the mouse up and put it back down for it to move again. It will move well for a bit, then stop moving and I have to pick up/put down for it to work again. It may be the BT on my machine, I dont know, but this mouse wont work for me. Unfortunately, I waited too late to return it so now it will be mine in all its sub-optimal performance forever, in a drawer, while I go back to the older model that works like a champ and is perfect for travel.

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This is my go-to mouse for work, travel, and home. This newest version that uses Bluetooth (instead of USB) is by far the best I have owned - It freed up a USB port for me :-) The single button looks slick. But you still have full functionality right/left/scroll just like a regular mouse. Battery life seems to be about what I would expect from a couple of AAA batteries. I think I replace the batteries about 3 times a year. With 8-10 hours a day use on them. I have owned at least 5 of the MS Arc Touch mice since the earliest versions from 2011 that had the USB transceiver. I bought one for work, two for home, and have replaced a couple that have succumb to use and abuse. Had to buy another one for a lost transceiver. The Good: The ergonomics on these mice are great for something so simple. I find it far superior to any other mouse on the market and I have tried them all. I work in IT, so I spend all day and most nights on a computer of some sorts. The Bad: I think my friends have mouse envy.

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I’ve used Microsoft mice for a long time, since the 1980s, actually. (Time flies!) This mouse has some great design ideas but is ultimately so flawed that I returned it. First off, there’s no driver or software for macOS (which is odd because previous Microsoft mice supported it just fine). Using the default Bluetooth pointing device drivers the mouse works, however scrolling with the touch surface is stuttering, imprecise and extremely frustrating. The more serious issue is a mechanical design flaw: because of the way the mouse button are bent over, pressing the mouse button will invariably move the mouse a little bit and thusly also move the mouse pointer. The only way to prevent this is sort of clamping down on the mouse which will fatigue your hand really quickly. Unfortunately, unlike many other Microsoft mice I’ve used before, this one is so flawed in this basic design feature that it is inherently broken. Perhaps a future iteration can fix this (shallower bend angle?), and provide Mac drivers as well.

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