What to Buy > Computer Components The Best Vertical Mice of 2024 The Logitech Lift outperformed the competition in our testing By Harry Rabinowitz Harry Rabinowitz Writer New York University Harry Rabinowitz is a writer and editor embedded in consumer tech, gaming, and outdoor products and reviews computers and peripherals for Lifewire. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on March 6, 2024 We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. In This Article View All In This Article Our Top Picks Reviews Or Maybe These? How We Tested What to Look For Frequently Asked Questions After weeks of testing the top vertical mice available, the Logitech Lift Vertical fared the best, and the Anker AK-UBA Wireless Vertical Mouse is a great budget alternative. A mouse is essential for quick, accurate browsing, typing, and editing. For folks with wrist or carpal tunnel issues, prolonged mouse use can lead to discomfort. Vertical mice encourage a more neutral wrist position, improving comfort and ergonomics compared to traditional mice. Why Trust Us I’ve tested, reviewed, and recommended hundreds of tech products. My expertise lies in computing and computer gadgets, and I love tinkering to find the best setup for productivity. I spent a week testing the vertical mice below, comparing them to other ergonomic mice I have used—Harry Rabinowitz. Our Top Picks Just Buy This: Logitech Lift Vertical at Amazon $70 Jump to Review Budget Buy: Anker AK-UBA at Amazon $28 Jump to Review Just Buy This Logitech Lift Vertical PHOTO: Amazon $65 at Amazon $65 at Walmart $66 at Best Buy TL;DR: The Logitech Lift is comfortable, intuitive, and highly customizable, and it's the best vertical mouse I have used. Pros Bluetooth and wireless connectivity Great software Built-in dongle storage Cons Not a great fit for large hands AA battery powered The Lift features a two-tone design. A rubberized material covers the side of the mouse where your palm rests, adding grip. The upper portion of the mouse is made of traditional plastic. It can pair with up to three devices over Bluetooth or be connected wirelessly to one with the included USB-A 2.4 GHz dongle. I quickly got used to it, and it offers all the features you would expect from any premium mouse. After a week of testing, I found the Lift extremely comfortable. The all-plastic build still manages to feel high quality. The primary buttons are light to press and quiet, a boon for working with close office neighbors. The notched scroll wheel is also lightweight and precise. Overall, the Lift was comfortable and predictable — exactly what I want from any mouse. Lifewire/Harry Rabinowitz One of the best parts of the Lift is its software. The downloadable Logi Options+ software is excellent and remains one of my favorites for mice. It allows you to customize every part of the Lift, from pointer sensitivity to app-specific settings in programs like Google Chrome and Adobe Premiere. One standout tool was horizontal scrolling, which allowed the forward and back buttons to mimic the behavior of an additional scroll wheel. Lifewire/Harry Rabinowitz The Logitech Lift performed best during our tests and is one of the best vertical mice on the market. Who else recommends it? Rtings, PC Mag, and Digital Trends recommend the Logitech Lift as a fantastic all-around vertical mouse with a fair price tag. What do buyers think? Out of 1,875 global ratings on Amazon, the Logitech Lift mouse averaged 4.6 out of 5 stars. Budget Buy Anker AK-UBA PHOTO: Courtesy of Amazon $26 at Amazon $26 at Walmart View on Anker TL;DR: The Anker Wireless Vertical mouse is one of the most comfortable and reliable budget vertical mice. Pros Great value Comfortable ergonomics Can adjust sensitivity on the fly Cons Not a good fit for smaller hands No Bluetooth connectivity The Anker Wireless Vertical mouse is a $30 wireless mouse perfect for users looking to try a vertical mouse without spending a premium. It is simple, reliable, and comfortable to use. After a week of testing, the Anker Wireless Vertical remained comfortable to use, if simplistic. The mouse is large and lightweight. All its buttons are responsive, with a loud “click” every time they are pressed. The scroll wheel, while stiff, never erred, and the forward and back buttons proved vital for everyday browsing. The Anker Wireless Vertical mouse connects via an included USB-A 2.4GHz wireless dongle. Wireless connectivity is often more reliable than Bluetooth, but laptop users with USB-C ports must use an adapter with this mouse. Thankfully, the wireless dongle slots into a dedicated storage space at the bottom of the mouse when traveling. Lifewire/Harry Rabinowitz The Anker Wireless Vertical does not have customization software. Users can customize it through third-party apps, but by default, it is capable of primary clicks, vertical scrolling, and forward and back navigation. You can also adjust the mouse’s sensitivity (DPI) with the button on the top, which cycles between 800, 1200, and 1600 DPI. Battery life is indicated by an LED strip near the thumb, which blinks red when battery life is low. During our tests, the Anker Wireless Vertical mouse performed far above its price tag. It was also far more reliable than many lesser-known budget vertical mice available through marketplaces like Amazon and Walmart. Anyone looking to try a vertical mouse should consider the Anker Wireless Vertical. It is a reliable, comfortable entry point into the category. Who else recommends it? Digital Trends and PC Guide recommend the Anker Wireless Vertical Mouse for its ergonomic design and affordable price. What do buyers say? Out of 42,412 global ratings on Amazon, the Anker 2.4G Vertical Mouse averaged 4.3 out of 5 stars. Harry Rabinowitz Or Maybe These? Money is no object: Logitech's MX Vertical mouse is one of the finest on the market, with metal components, a rechargeable battery, and Logitech's excellent Options+ software. I want to use a trackball: The Logitech MX Ergo Wireless Trackball mouse combines a slightly tilted angle with a thumb trackball for a hybrid mix of ergonomics. I want a comfortable mouse: Logitech's MX Master 3s is our favorite wireless mouse and is one of the most comfortable traditional mice. The Best Mice for Macs of 2024 How We Test and Rate Vertical Mice I reviewed vertical mice based on the following tests: Setup processComfortSoftwareDaily useBattery life There are dozens of vertical mice available online, but most are unknown brands selling cheap products. When selecting products for testing, I did not consider these unknown brands, which narrowed the field to only a handful of mice. In the under $50 range, Anker’s Vertical Mouse towered above the competition. Anker is a reputable brand known for charging cables and power banks. Above $50, there were very few vertical mice to choose from. Logitech makes two of the most popular: the Logitech Lift and the Logitech MX Vertical. We decided to test the Lift, as it is newer, comes in left and right-handed models, is available in multiple colors, and is more widely available. I noted how simple or complicated it was to set up the mouse during testing. Then, I used each mouse out of the box for a full day. This helped me focus on comfort and ergonomics, the most critical elements when evaluating a vertical mouse. I downloaded any applicable mouse software for the rest of the testing week and tweaked settings incessantly. Then, I used each mouse in my average workflow, which included browsing, writing, spreadsheets, and Adobe programs. I noted each mouse’s battery (when possible) after the entire week of testing. For this review, we reached out and received a free test sample of the Logitech Lift. We purchased the Anker 2.4 GHz Wireless Vertical Mouse. How We Rate Computer Mice 4.8 to 5 stars: These are the best mice we tested. We recommend them without reservation.4.5 to 4.7 stars: These mice are excellent—they might have minor flaws, but we still recommend them.4.0 to 4.4 stars: We think these are great mice, but others are better.3.5 to 3.9 stars: These mice are just average.3.4 and below: We don't recommend mice with these ratings because they didn't meet basic expectations; you won't find any on our list. Lifewire/Harry Rabinowitz What to Look For Compared to traditional mice, vertical mice occupy a much smaller share of the market. Even so, it’s essential to keep the following elements in mind when looking for a new vertical mouse: Ergonomics The main reason anyone buys a vertical mouse is ergonomic comfort. Be sure to pay attention to the size of your hand, the size of the mouse, the angle of the mouse grip, and other elements like thumb rest shape, button placement, and more. If you have especially large or small hands, check the dimensions of the mouse you are considering and cross-reference with a couple of critical reviews. Connectivity We recommend going wireless to eliminate any discomfort caused by a cable dragging across your desk. For casual browsing and everyday tasks, a Bluetooth mouse is comfortable and convenient, often allowing you to connect to multiple devices simultaneously. For users working in precise, creative programs, we recommend a mouse with 2.4 GHz wireless, which has less latency (lag time) than Bluetooth. Battery life Most vertical mice on the market use non-rechargeable AA or AAA batteries. This leads to extremely long battery life. Users who prefer rechargeable, lithium-ion-based mice have minimal options. The Best Wireless Mice of 2024 FAQ What are the benefits of a vertical mouse? The most significant benefits of using a vertical mouse are keeping pressure off your wrist and avoiding the compression of the nerves in your forearm. Using a vertical mouse can help alleviate the symptoms of Carpal tunnel syndrome and tendonitis. Are vertical mice good for gaming? Yes, you can game with a vertical mouse, just like you can game with a trackball. It could even improve your play if you have wrist pain from using a traditional mouse. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit