Optical and laser mice differ in how they track movement on a computer screen. Optical mice use digital image processing technology and LED light, while laser mice use a small laser. Laser mice are more expensive and can track more DPI than optical mice.
Computer mouse technology has evolved beyond the ball and rollers first used on analog mice, but the choice between an optical mouse and a laser mouse is very often a matter of personal preference and an individual’s technology budget. The main difference between the two is how the position of the mouse is tracked: via a tiny camera and an LED light or a small laser.
An optical mouse uses digital image processing technology to track the position of the mouse and translate it to place the cursor on the screen. Indeed, it includes a tiny camera capable of shooting an astonishing 1,500 images per second. Optical mice are also easy to maintain and have no moving parts that are prone to failure.
In most cases, an optical mouse is a plug and play device that requires no special software to install. One of the main advantages of these mice is that they don’t require a mouse pad and will work even when run on a surface that isn’t completely flat. However, some models may have problems on black or glossy surfaces.
The goal of laser mice and optical mice is to provide a way for the user’s hand movement to be transformed into digital signals that the computer can use. The main difference between laser and optical mice is the type of light that is used to track movement on the computer screen. While a standard optical mouse uses an LED light, a laser mouse contains a small laser that is used to track mouse movements and represent them on the screen. Because of this, a laser mouse is typically more expensive.
When shopping for a mouse, it’s helpful for consumers to look at the model’s dots per inch (DPI). Generally, an optical mouse can track between 400 and 800 DPI. By comparison, a laser mouse can often track more than 2,000 DPI. This causes a laser mouse cursor to move much further on the screen.
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