I see it often. Hardworking professionals in cafés, airports, or parks hunched over a laptop while carefully dragging their fingers over their PC’s trackpad to navigate some email, project, or alert that can’t be ignored. They would prefer a mouse to a trackpad, but are reluctant to travel with one.
When you’re on the go, carrying a mouse can seem burdensome or unnecessary. But I’d argue that it’s worth the boost in efficiency and comfort when navigating your computer, tablet, or phone. For the people who refuse to carry a bulky mouse with them, even when they plan to use their computer away from their desk, I’m glad Logitech launched the Mobi Fold, a foldable, wireless mouse. But I’d still push reluctant mobile mouse users toward something even more comfortable.
Logitech’s Mobi Fold
The Logitech Mobi Fold released today for $80 folds in half so that it’s easy to carry around. Logitech’s announcement claimed that it found that “while 72 percent of professionals own a mouse, only 26 percent actually use one when working in public places.” The announcement didn’t explain Logitech’s methodology, but it seems that someone at the Swiss company has also grimaced at the awkwardly bent wrist of people using laptop trackpads in public.
Logitech’s foldable mouse can get extremely compact, thanks to its distinct hinge, which is encased in accordion-shaped silicone. The hinge pivots at approximately 130 degrees, The Verge reported today.
Logitech says the Mobi Fold senses when it’s lifted, at which point its buttons will stop working to avoid accidental inputs while you’re folding it. The mouse’s scroll function, which is provided by a touch panel, and tracking will still work during this time.
The Mobi Fold embraces its bendy nature and, sensibly, automatically turns on when opened up and turns off when it’s folded shut. Long battery life is critical to how travel-friendly a mouse is, and this auto-power feature should help users conserve battery, especially compared to traditional wireless mice. It’s easy to forget to flip a wireless mouse’s power switch before putting it in a bag.
A datasheet (PDF) for the device claims the Mobi Fold “is made to withstand 50,000 folds and unfolds.” Logitech said that it tested this “under controlled conditions until wear or functional issues appeared.”
Comfort concerns
The Mobi Fold seems to have a good grip on portability, including around ease-of-use and battery life. But the tented shape of the mouse doesn’t look particularly comfortable, especially for long-term use.
When folded, the mouse makes a nearly 90-degree angle that your palm will have to rest on. I find the most comfortable mice to be the ones that fill out the spherical opening of my palm, and the Mobi Fold doesn’t fit. Similarly shaped mice, like the Dell MS700 and Microsoft Surface Arc Mouse, are a bit more forgiving here, offering more of a rounded, arched shape when in use.
The Mobi Fold’s buttons aren’t as tactile as other mice. The left- and right-click buttons are flat, and Logitech replaced the scroll wheel with a touch panel. Under the touch panel are two buttons with discernible travel that can be programmed with Logi Options+ software. But because the mouse doesn’t have onboard memory, the device won’t remember programmed inputs unless you program the mouse with Options+ on the paired computer. Logitech devices have become more software-dependent in this way, which is a shame considering how easy it is to use many of the company’s wireless devices with multiple systems.
My preferred travel mouse
When it comes to travel mice, my yearslong go-to has been Logitech’s MX Anywhere 3 (or the newer, quieter Anywhere 3S). It weighs more than the Mobi Fold (3.49 ounces versus 2.79 ounces) and takes up more space (13.69-cubic-inches compared to the Mobi Fold’s 4.83-cubic-inches when folded). But the rounded hump and more advanced and tactile scroll wheel are worth the extra girth.
Logitech’s announcement today claimed that the Mobi Fold reduces “muscle strain by 22 percent compared to a laptop trackpad,” but I suspect the MX Anywhere 3 could reduce strain further. And its button layout brings familiarity and tactility.
The MX Anywhere 3’s battery should last longer too. Logitech claims the Bluetooth mouse can last for up to 70 days without a charge compared to 30 days for the Mobi Fold. Although, the Mobi Fold has an exemplary advantage in its replaceable, rechargeable battery.
The Mobi Fold is the more portable, but the MX Anywhere 3 is still plenty tiny. When it comes to mouse comfort and usability, sometimes more really is more.
