The Best Mouse for Trading Stocks

UPDATE: Amazon is running awesome an amazing sale on a great little mouse.

I’m a busy writer, blogger, and trader. I’m attached to a laptop for hours at a time, so I’m pretty darn picky about the mouse I use. Over the past 7 or 8 years, I’ve owned at least 20 different models from Logitech (LOGI), Microsoft (MSFT), and other brands, picking them up as they go on sale, or when I break/lose them.

I can’t stand trackpads on a notebook – they just slow me down too much. In fact, if you do ANYTHING remotely complex on a notebook and you don’t use a real mouse, you are out of your mind. My Thinkorswim screen is loaded with charts, ticker lists, account data, and trade notifications – I need a mouse that helps me 1) avoid erroneous clicks and 2) doesn’t slow me down.

I also don’t like the mice that are bundled with most desktops – they’re just not sturdy enough to handle my abuse, and they’re not smooth like a quality third-party mouse. In fact, behind expanding memory, buying a solid mouse is the #1 productivity booster I recommend for computer users.

And that goes double for Apple (AAPL) Mac users. Apple makes a lot of great products but their mice have historically been pretty junky – though I will say that the brand new Apple Magic Mouse is VERY intriguing.

So what is the best mouse for trading stocks?

The absolute best mouse ever made is the Logitech VX Revolution. It is a larger-than-average wireless notebook mouse, and it simply rocks. Why is it so awesome? Simple – it is smooth, tough, and it runs forever on a single double-A battery. Its fancy MicroGear scroll wheel helps you quickly navigate large spreadsheets and other documents, and the web navigation buttons will boost your web browsing speed dramatically. Seriously, busy investment bankers should drop the drugs and pick up this mouse.

And did I mention that this little baby is tough? I’ve pounded it on my desk in anger dozens of times, and it still works 100% perfectly.

UPDATE 2 - My VX Revolution is now dead, but I give the little bugger credit – I really beat the crap out of it. And it’s actually fine mechanically – still scrolls smoothly, but it’s just not consistently connecting with the receiver.

It’s also slick enough to handle FPS/MMORPG/RTS gaming, and its battery lasts ages longer than any of the rechargeable models on the market. The VX is also highly programmable if you want to customize its functionality.

If you have a few more dollars to spend, the VX Nano is just a little more awesome because of its tiny wireless receiver. But the regular one provides better bang for your buck.

Other Recommendations

If you prefer something a little bigger, go for the Logitech MX Revolution. It’s the VX’ big brother and a perfect choice for desktop PC users.

If you need a mouse with a cord, grab the Logitech MX 518 over anything in the market. It is smooth, tough as all get out, and it simply looks really cool. Gaming mice tend to be extremely high-quality, and the MX 518 is no exception – it’s a true beast. The G9 also rocks. I love the edgy industrial design – it looks like something out of the greatest movie of all time.

Why Logitech?

Microsoft also makes great mice, but I prefer Logitech products for three reasons:

1) Their software has never given me any problems.

2) I spilled coffee, tea, and fruit punch in a Logitech Media Keyboard and it still worked fine. (not recommended!)

3) They always respond to my support requests.

Seriously, what more can you ask for?