Hardware

Why Isn’t There A Mechanical Mouse Equivalent To Mech Keyboards?

  • I’m wondering why there isn’t a mouse equivalent to mecs, since it’s the only other peripheral that you get to use with your hands all day long.
  • I might not have a definitive answer, but surely I can try and find a few reasons why this hasn’t happened yet.
  • I recently bought into the mechanical keyboards trend and I have no regrets.

You may have seen a few videos about mechanical keyboards, which discuss weird things like lubing switches, tuning stabilizers, holee, and tape mods. There are literally tons of Youtube channels focused on this subject. There’s also a Reddit channel dedicated to mechs. It’s a geeky and vibrant world.

To me, this is really cool since the keyboard is one of the most underrated PC components. Usually, people add it at the last minute, before checkout, after spending most of their budget on the main components of a PC, without realizing how important this piece really is.

Why is the keyboard so important? Because you always use it to control your computer. You’re touching the keyboard all the time, so how it feels, how it types, and how it looks are pretty important aspects of how you feel about your computing experience.

My First Encounter with a Mechanical Keyboard

My first PC had a junky keyboard, to be clear, so I was pretty confused about why that IBM keyboard from the computer lab at school, which was already 10-15 years old, felt so good when typing. It produced a nice clicky sound, each keystroke was precise and it felt indestructible. It probably was.

It was a venerable IBM Model M, the holy grail of mechanical keyboards. It still is, since some folks bought the original equipment and started producing these keyboards again.

If you feel nostalgic I guess you can rejoice.

Now back to my question: why isn’t there a mouse trend toward mechanical mice? I don’t know how else to describe them, to be honest.

Yes, I know that before optical and laser sensors there were those thracherous rubber ball mice that we now call mechanical mice, but I’m talking about something different entirely. So don’t jump on that dislike button. Wait, we’re not on YouTube…

I’ve had good mice since early 2000, but they were all plastic and felt cheap, even the expensive ones that cost over $100. All current mice are plastic and feel cheap. What’s even worse is that in time the plastic becomes shiny, full of stains, losing its initial looks.

In contrast, custom mechanical keyboards look great, feel great, and are incredible to type. I love my 75% mech, it’s a joy to use. Also, keep in mind that mechs can help some people even type faster and more accurately. A good gaming mouse still sounds like s*** when you click. It gives you no satisfaction and makes a horrible noise most of the time. OK, maybe not horrible, but surely it’s not something to brag about.

I’ve paused, thought hard, and made a shortlist of possible reasons why mechanical mice are not a thing.

Read our mechanical keyboards FAQ and why I use an MMO mouse for productivity

Heft: Heavy Means Quality, but a Heavy Mouse is Not for Everyone

To me, one of the most important reasons to get a mechanical keyboard, especially a custom mech, is the quality. If you want quality in a computer mouse you would need to use metal or glass (just like in smartphones).

There’s enough manufacturing prowess to try premium materials, but for them to qualify as “quality”, they will need to be heavy. Current gaming mice are getting lighter and lighter since that’s what games demand, so a heavy mechanical mouse would actually be a huge deterrent.

I don’t know how light and quality can be squeezed together into the same product

I don’t know how light and quality can be squeezed together into the same product. I think a metal mouse would be nice to touch and would sound cool with a mechanical type switch, but weight is an important issue that needs to be addressed.

Note: I’m aware that most nice these days use switches that can be considered mechanical, but they’re not the same as a true keyboard mechanical switch. There’s no way to customize, lube them, or mod them in a friendly fashion.

That’s why any manufacturer that will try something like this would have to get it right in the first place, which means having a comparable weight to a normal plastic mouse. Failing to do so would mean a dead end and tons of lost cash.

Not so Easy to Personalize and Customize

I remember I had a Logitech mouse that came with a few small weights you could place in strategic spots inside its casing so you can tweak its general weight and weight distribution. It also came with two side covers you could change in seconds. One was textured to touch, the other was smooth.

That was innovation in the mid-2000′, but now it’s long forgotten. The only real way to make a mouse different is by using stickers or setting its RGB lights to something flashy. Neither of these options goes well with the idea of a mechanical device if you ask me.

One of the major advantages of mechanical keyboards is that you can drastically alter the appearance, sound, and tactile feel by changing the mechanical switches and the keycaps, making your keyboard truly unique. And there are tons of other mods you can do if you have the time and patience involved.

custom mechanical keyboard
You can make a mechanical keyboard truly unique

Neither of these things can be applied to computer mice since a mouse doesn’t have a standard size, so it’s hard to convince people that look for something special, and unique, to spend hundreds of dollars on a product that’s not different in any way and can’t easily be personalized.

To me, this is probably the biggest reason we haven’t seen a mechanical mouse trend by now. But I’m willing to accept other arguments, of course.

Not Enough Interest Maybe?

You can’t be interested in something that doesn’t exist, right? Well, companies are getting better and better at testing the market with small-batch products, spotting trends, and replicating them in other areas as well.

Foldable phones were not a thing until they were. So it’s possible that some companies tried different mice innovations, but the public didn’t respond as expected, so these products might have failed to get noticed.

It’s possible, but it’s just speculation. I haven’t found any weird mouse attempts, but maybe you know something I don’t.

Price is Not a Problem

Do you know what is not a problem? Price. Most custom metal mechanical keyboards cost at least a few hundred dollars and they sell like hotcakes. The more expensive it is, the faster it sells.

Mech enthusiasts are literally standing in line to get a custom model, joining others in group buys, and waiting for at least a few months until a small batch is produced.

So don’t believe that mechanical mice are not happening because of pricing. I’m sure that’s not an issue. People are willing to spend an arm and a leg to get a quality unique product. It’s happening with every kind of product, not just computer parts.

So, why are we not seeing a mechanical mouse trend? I’ve told you why I think that is, but I want to hear your thoughts on this matter, so leave a comment below with your ideas.

Care to read more of my editorials? Head to this page.

Avatar for Ionuț-Alexandru Popa
I'm a writer and Editor-in-Chief at BinaryFork. I am passionate about technology, science, space exploration, and movies. I started writing about tech more than 20 years ago, after graduating in Computer Science.
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