Microsoft Surface Precision Mouse review: a flagship mouse from Microsoft

Designed to bring maximum comfort to those who work long hours on their computers, the Microsoft Surface Precision Mouse (Check on Amazon.com) is positioned in a rather high-end niche and goes against some of the most established mice in the market, like the excellent Logitech MX Master 2S (Check on Amazon.com). Will it break through?

Microsoft Surface Precision Mouse – Design

Once you hold the Microsoft Surface Precision Mouse in your hand, the first thing you notice is the color. That beige color of all office computers. On closer inspection, however, the shades of gray are somewhat different and the few chrome highlights on the mouse wheel and the thumb buttons made of silver-colored plastic add some much-needed character.

With a mouse in this price range, you can definitely expect solid workmanship and the Microsoft Surface Precision Mouse does not disappoint here. The mouse is made entirely of high-quality plastic that makes it very grippy. The lower half of the mouse, i.e. the dark gray area, is also covered with a pleasant rubber coating so that the fingers do not slip.

With its large thumb rest, the design is somewhat reminiscent of Logitech’s MX Master 3, but this mouse looks more natural due to the smoother curves. Overall, the Microsoft Surface Precision Mouse’s design can be described as unspectacular. I like it simple and placed next to my Surface Book, it looks the part.

The spec sheet is also rather poor at first glance. In addition to the two main buttons, the mouse features three programmable thumb buttons. The clickable mouse wheel sports two modes that can be selected via a button that sits right behind it. Pressing it you can switch between free and incremental scrolling. The integrated battery cannot be replaced, but according to Microsoft, it should last up to three months on a single charge.

The standout feature, however, is the switch underneath that lets you switch between 3 different devices. In fact, this mouse can connect via Bluetooth with up to 3 PCs simultaneously. There is also a small LED indicator that shows you which connection is currently selected. For people who use more than one PC (a desktop and a laptop) at the same time, this is quite practical.

Microsoft Surface Precision Mouse – Features

The Microsoft Surface Precision Mouse’ Bluetrack optical sensor has the advantage of working on a wide variety of surfaces, even glossy ones. We also managed to make it work on glass, as long as it was thick enough. However, although this mouse is called the Precision, its sensor is not the most precise in the world. Nothing too annoying in purely office use, but somewhat problematic on photo editing and other minute tasks that require great precision.

In addition, we also encountered some lag. Again, it wasn’t particularly disturbing when working in an office environment, but it excludes its use in gaming. At least the sensor’s sensitivity is adjustable in steps of 200 between 400 and 3,200 DPI which is sufficient for use on Ultra HD monitors (and even for some light gaming in wired mode).

The wireless connectivity is Bluetooth (4.0 or later) only. Microsoft does not offer a USB dongle (2.4GHz radio). The Microsoft Surface Precision Mouse can nevertheless be paired with three computers and then switch from one to another with a simple press of a button. Even better, using the Smart Switch function, you can automatically “pass” for one Windows PC to another by bringing the cursor to the edge of the screen and into the other.

In order to do so, you have to download, install and configure the function in the “Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Center”. Since this software is not macOS compatible, this function doesn’t work with Apple computers. You can still use the mouse with them but you will have to change systems via the switch underneath the mouse.

Microsoft Surface Precision Mouse – Verdict

For purely office use, the Microsoft Surface Precision Mouse is quite satisfactory. It is highly functional, easy to use and very comfortable. The design won’t appeal to everyone; I like it, but it seems a bit unimaginative.

The real problem, however, is the price. At (Check on Amazon.com) it goes against the excellent Logitech MX Master 2S (Check on Amazon.com) which is frankly better.

Read more: Logitech MX Anywhere 2S review: an excellent portable mouse