A wireless mouse is a nice peripheral on a desktop or laptop computer (unless you’re a gamer). It helps to save some space in your work area by getting rid of a long cord (mouse cords are always ridiculously long). But how long will the battery last?
Depending on the batteries you have in the mouse, and how you use the mouse, the batteries can last anywhere between 3 months and five years. That’s a huge window of time in between, and it’s the result of several factors that you have to consider.
The wireless mouse has become one of the mainstays in home computer technology, insofar in that it is a peripheral with a lot of consumer value. They are extremely popular and, with the right batteries, are highly durable and long-lasting.
Which Battery is the Right Battery for a Wireless Mouse?
There is no wrong, and there is no right. It all depends on what you prefer. If you don’t mind keeping a drawer full of generic batteries and changing your mouse batteries out every two or three months, that’s perfectly fine. There are a lot of choices out there and anything is up for grabs.
- Standard, name-brand batteries: 3-6 months.
- Standard, generic batteries: 2-3 months.
- Standard, name-brand Lithium batteries: 8-9 months.
- Standard, generic Lithium batteries: 6-7 months.
- Rechargeable, generic batteries: Up to 2 years.
- Rechargeable, name-brand batteries: Up to five years.
Suppose you want truly, long-lasting batteries, where you will get upwards of nine months of usage between battery changes. In that case, you will want to go with lithium batteries, specifically Energizer or Duracell Lithium batteries.
This is certainly one of those cases of getting exactly what you pay for, and if you go out with a generic lithium battery in mind, you will get a generic result. The Energizer and Duracell batteries are some of the highest-rated and longest-lasting batteries on the market today.
Suppose you play it safe, always turning your mouse off when it’s not in use, keeping it and the surrounding area clean, and practicing a decent level of preventative maintenance. In that case, you can push lithium, name-brand batteries to nearly a year of usage before its time to replace them.
Generic lithium batteries aren’t bad, at least not usually, but you certainly won’t get the long-lasting usage that you get with name-brand variations. However, you will still get a lot more time out of them than from the standard, generic batteries.
Lastly, rechargeable batteries can give you a lot of extra time before buying new ones. Even with name-brand rechargeables, a single charge won’t last as long as a standard battery will before you have to recharge the batteries again.
For instance, with a generic pair of rechargeable AA batteries, you may get a month’s worth of use before recharging them. Even name-brand rechargeables will not provide you with the month-to-month results of standard, name-brand batteries.
Quality Mouse Batteries
Several factors make mouse batteries a quality investment, especially if you buy them in bulk because you don’t want them decaying over time as they sit in some bookshelf or cabinet, awaiting their turn in the back of your mouse.
- Solid, long shelf-life.
- Long-lasting for the price.
- They never leak.
You’ll often notice some flaky, corroded-looking materials inside a pack of batteries that have been on the shelf for a long time. This results from the battery or batteries leaking, and the dried-up residue is what is leftover in the pack.
That’s not the sign of quality batteries and is typically something you will find in a pack of generic batteries. For example, Energizer’s L91s are supposed to have a shelf life of 20 years before they even start to lose some of the efficacy of the power inside.
That’s pretty extensive. Hopefully, you will have used them up by then, but if you ever forget for about ten years, you can pull them out of the pack and use them as if you bought them off the shelf yesterday.
You want some longevity out of the batteries as well. We listed the timeframes above that you should get out of these batteries. A mouse doesn’t exactly require a boatload of power to operate, so you should expect to get a decent amount of time out of your mouse batteries before you have to change them.
Extending the Batteries on Your Wireless Mouse
Regardless of which wireless mouse you purchase, they all have a power button. If you can keep up with it, be sure to turn that button off every day you are done with the mouse. It will save you a lot of battery in the long run.
Get a light-colored mouse pad. Since the tracking sensor is infrared, it takes far less power to work over a white mouse pad than it will on a black mousepad. If light-colored mousepads violate your desk aesthetics, get a light one with LED lights to accentuate your work or gaming space.
Never mix your batteries and never mix your brands. Always stick to the same brand of battery and pull them both out of the pack simultaneously before putting them in your mouse together.
After all, not every battery is created equally, and the different voltages can impact the longevity of the batteries inside your mouse. You always want to keep everything on an even and balanced keel.
Conclusion
With the weakest, generic batteries on the market, you should get about two months out of a pair of mouse batteries. You can get upwards of two to five years out of rechargeable technology, assuming you rotate them out with good timing.
However, your best bet is to go with the best batteries you can afford without settling for savings. Brand-name mouse batteries will cost you less money in the long run.
