Evoluent – Inventor of The Vertical Mouse – VM4L Ergonomic Vertical Mouse Left Hand Wired USB, Sculpted for Comfort, Reduces Wrist Strain, 4 Speeds, 6 Customizable Buttons in Windows

I like this mouse better than the Logitech MX 610 Left-Hand Laser Cordless Mouse , which it replaced. The unusual sideways orientation of the Evoluent looks strange, but it took no time getting used to. It promotes a very relaxed and natural hand and wrist posture. It looks like your fingers are lined up vertically, but in reality, your fingers are positioned in a gentle arc and your hand is turned inwards by a few degrees. Your thumb rests in a chrome-looking divot. The Evoluent 4 design has a bottom "lip" that prevents your pinky finger from rubbing against the desk. I can confirm that it works beautifully and adds to the overall comfort. It helps you to position your hand correctly. I also find that proper chair height (in relation to your desk) and wrist support is essential to keeping the arm and wrist straight. It also has a very long cord, approximately 6 ft. Your index, middle, and ring fingers align with buttons 1, 2 and 3. Between buttons 1 and 2 are a scroll wheel (with notched movement). The scroll wheel can be clicked as another button. Above and below the thumb are two additional buttons that could be used for back/forward functions in your favorite browser, bringing the total button count to 6, and they are all programmable under Windows (a non-WQHL-certified 32-bit and 64-bit Windows driver are included in the box on a small (mini) CD. The purpose of the drivers is to assign custom actions for the buttons. You can even assign actions to a combination of the thumb and finger buttons when pressed simultaneously. Mouse sensitivity is controlled by its own dedicated rocker buttons located where it cannot be accidentally pressed. Note: Even though the Evoluent Windows drivers warns you to uninstall any previous mouse drivers to "prevent conflicts," I ignored that and kept my Logitech drivers (SetPoint). Both mice work fine. I can actually still access the SetPoint drivers through a tab in the Evoluent drivers setting page. Nice. The Evoluent's sensitivity is indicated by 4 LEDs located at the top of the thumb divot and correspond to four hard-wired sensitivity settings. The lowest sensitivity is around 400cpi, while the highest feels like around 2000cpi (these are my estimates obtained by comparing it with other mice; it is not specified by Evoluent). I operate it on the 2nd-lowest setting, which is about 800cpi. The nice thing is that the sensitivity function does not require special OS drivers, so it works right out of the box on any computer and any OS. The mouse even remembers the last sensitivity setting used when you unplug it. The sensor is an eye-safe infrared laser. Even though it is not sold as a "gaming mouse", the Evoluent 4's sensor performs as well as gaming mice in both speed and tracking under high-acceleration. That is more than I can say for the MX 610. There are no Mac OS drivers supplied by the company, although third-party drivers exist for reprogramming the buttons (links are provided on the Evoluent product page). On Mac OS X, I did not install the third-party drivers, so I could not assign any special functions for the buttons. Out of the box, the button under your index finger is mapped to the "left button" (primary on a right-handed mouse). Button 3 under your ring finger is mapped to the "right button" (secondary). Button 2 (middle finger) brings up the Mac OS X dashboard, and the top thumb button triggers Exposé. The bottom thumb button and the mouse wheel button do nothing. The mouse is light enough and sensitive enough to push around with just your wrist; you don't have to move your whole arm. You can even steer it with just your thumb and finger tips. This is the secret to its comfort. It encourages you not to grip the mouse with any tension. You don't need to. With conventional mice, even ergonomic ones like the Logitech, I eventually find myself gripping the mouse with just the ring finger and thumb, and that creates tension and fatigue within an hour of use. The downsides are minor. The buttons don't require much force to click. While I like the light touch, it's sensitive enough that just reaching out and wrapping my hand around the mouse will sometimes result in unwanted button clicks. This is not a big problem, but I have noticed a minor increase in accidental clicking since I began using the Evoluent. Maybe I am still getting used to it. I can pick up and reposition the mouse while resting my fingers on the buttons without clicking those buttons, so it is not hair-trigger sensitive. Also, the dark gray part of the mouse where your palm touches is covered in a "soft touch" coating. While it feels nice, this type of coating is not very durable in the long run and will start to breakdown after several years, becoming tacky to the touch, or it can rub off at the points of frequent contact. This is probably why the pamphlet in the box warns not to use solvents or cleaners on the mouse, only a damp cloth. I wish companies would stop using this coating. Its unusual appearance also makes it a great conversation piece. Bottom line: if you're thinking about buying this mouse, buy it!

Well worth every penny! I work from home and have rheumatoid arthritis. I also mouse with my left hand. Ongoing wrist pain and repetitive ganglion cysts had me looking for solutions other than a regular mouse. I looked for weeks, read reviews and thought I could get by with a cheaper version. Big mistake. This mouse is worth it, don't waste time on cheeper versions. There is zero drag, movement is very, very smooth. It is very sensitive, you don't have to move it around very much. Once I got the driver installed, all the features really popped out, in a good way. I love that the middle button for the fingers can be the "double click." And the thumb isn't just sitting there, either. The grip angle is perfect for comfort and stabilization. Using multiple fingers significantly reduced strain on my joints, reducing my pain. Adding a padded wrist rest has increased the benefits. Two weeks of use and my pain is better, my cysts are going down and my hand fatigue at the end of the day is almost mik. I'm getting another one for my home computer, and getting one for my son as well. Please don't change the design too much in the future, it's pretty perfect right now!

Was looking for a vertical, left handed ergo mouse and read good things about these. I have been buying cheap wireless ones and they work great, until they don't. First on this mouse: it's big, but since I have the hands of Andre the Giant, that's great for me. It's corded which is also good since I don't have to charge it. The negatives: the gripping surfaces are very slippery so it feels like it's going to squirt out of my hand. I probably just need to get used to it but it feels weird. Also, the effort to click the buttons, as in main left and right, is way too easy. That in combination with the slipperiness and the fact it has some weight to it makes me accidentally click the left and right mouse buttons all the time. In terms of overall feel, it's a quality device and the hand position is good. I am mostly happy with it and will see how it goes in terms of me getting used to it, and relearning the muscle memory I had for my old mouse.

*UPDATE - Nov 20, 2014:* After using this mouse (actually, I purchased two - one for my desktop and one for my laptop), I am happy to say that they are still working perfectly and I am extremely happy with them. The glossy finish has worn off a bit, but I actually like it even more because it is easier to grip. However, for those interested in esthetics, when the glossy finish wore off in various places where my hand touches the most, it is still a very similar color to the original, so at a distance, or at a glance, it is hardly noticeable. When I first received the Evoluent VM4 Vertical Left-Handed Mouse, it took some time to get used to it. Specifically, my forearm was quite sore and I didn't think that I would be able to use it. However, I stayed with it and the soreness went away in about two days of using it. I assumed that I just had to get used to it. From that point on, I was extremely happy with it. In fact, I purchased a second one to keep with my laptop so that I didn't have to keep swapping between my desktop and laptop. Upon receiving the second one, I was totally used to the first one and infinitely happy with it. However, it surprised me that my forearm was again a little bit sore and I had the same trouble as when I had the first one. The only thing that I could think of is that I must have worn some of the "slipperyness" off of the mouse after a day or two because I was able to grip it better when picking it up when relocating it on the mouse pad. Don't get me wrong, when I say "wear off," I don't mean that I saw any noticeable wearing of the finish. It must be a very subtle wear. So my advice would be to stick with this for a day or two and not give up on it. I primarily got the mouse for its ergonomic and comfort reasons. However, I was pleasantly surprised with the ability to program the buttons for various tasks. The directions also show you how to download the latest software from the website so that you can program the buttons and it was very easy to install and find on their website. Note that if you don't download the software, you can still use the mouse, but you can't reprogram the buttons. It will basically act like a typical two-button mouse with wheel. Just to give you an idea of how I programmed the buttons, (if you refer to the documentation to see the "button numbers") buttons 1 and 2 are just like standard left and right clicks. Button 6 I use as Copy and button 5 as Paste. I programmed the "wheel button" to minimize the desktop because I open multiple programs at once very often and it's an easy way to get to the desktop. I disabled button 3,which is the lowest one, where your pinky finger will rest. I disabled this button because when I tilt the mouse to reposition it (so the pointer doesn't move on the screen), I kept clicking this button. I was using this as "Cut," but I couldn't stop clicking this button when tilting the mouse, even after getting use to the mouse. So I simply disabled it. One thing that I was worried about was how the wheel would scroll. Quite frankly, I hate using a wheel that does not click when scrolling it. This wheel "clicks" when you scroll it. It does so in a perfect way; not too hard to click, not too easy. So I was extremely happy with the feel of how the wheel scrolls. In summary, don't get worried about the fact that I said that it took a day or two to get used to. This is obviously an expensive mouse, but I love it enough where I had to get one for my laptop (and to have an extra if needed). I fully recommend this mouse.

Updated review: (2-star) Pros: - Excellent button layout, loving the third mouse button - Beautiful design, feel and finish - Overall feels great in the hand; ergonomic Cons: - Terrible sensor - actually quite terrible for gaming, productivity - Horrible lip at the base of the mouse, inhibits comfortable movement, lifting of the mouse - No on-board memory for button remapping is inconvenient - Size and shape of the mouse makes mouse-lifting movements clunky, bad for gaming, productivity - Mouse wheel could be a bit more robust The cons outweigh the pros, particularly at this price point. No longer recommended. Previous review: ( 5-star ) Takes some getting used to, but after hours of time and patience, now I refuse to use another style/brand of mouse. I keep it at the highest DPI setting. Using it for work and gaming. Software customization options are good. Buttons are very responsive and feel great. Loving it so far. My hands and wrists feel so much better since using it. After using it for several weeks, highly recommend. Will update review after longer use.

The left-handed Evolulent vertical mouse is one of the best investments I've made for pain management. I have advanced arthritis in hands and a connective tissue disorder that also causes chronic pain. My hand therapist recommended it. The more I moused, the worse the pain. I've tried several "ergonomic mice" including a flat pad. This mouse has noticeably improved pain after 1-2 days' use, and continues to give same level of relief several weeks later w/ heavy daily use for word processing, surfing, etc. Works like product description promises. Smooth handling, easier to grip scroll wheel than most, fits well on my hand. Only 1 size in left-handed, but fits my medium-sized womens hand fine. Does take a short learning curve to adjust to reorienting the plane of your hand and arm movements, but that was small road bump. Truly plug n play, but also programmable--more options than other vertical mice--I did my homework2! Had to go back to traditional mouse for 1 day recently due to my logistical problem--not the mouse's--and hand pain at previous level returned after a few minutes of use. This is worth the expense, and reasonable at Amazon price!

Though I still sometimes click when I only am meaning to move the mouse, over all it is a great mouse. I bought the left-handed version as I was starting to have pain in my right hand - I am prone to carpal tunnel in both hands, and have to be careful, but my right hand is more sensitive. With my work from home set up, my 13 year-old ergonomic mouse was too tall work with the sit/stand desktop I bought, and it requires too much space to maneuver it even with my smaller-sized ortho-linear keyboard. This mouse has five buttons and a scroll wheel. The software allows for customization, though I haven't really needed it, and it works fine with my Windows 10 work-issued computer and my personal Mac computers an 2012 and a 2021 M1. it is corded and I merely plug it in to which ever computer I need to use at the time. Quality and build seem great and I have no complaints after two months of heavy use. I like the horizontal scroll feature and the pointer speed option. It is very comfortable to use, fits my hand well, and I haven't have any pain. I looked at cheaper and less vertical ergonomic mice. I decided to stay with a true vertical mouse as whenever I have had to even temporarily use a less vertical or a more traditional mouse, especially right-handed, it aggravates my carpal tunnel issue. Depending on budget I may get a right-handed one so I can switch up or have one at the Center, when I am no longer in a WFH situation.

I purchased this expensive mouse to help with RSI. Other than having to uninstall prior mouse drivers, setting up the mouse was fairly simple. The physical design was nice and was much more comfortable than using a horizontal mouse. Also, as a lefty, I appreciated having a convenient, programmable five-button layout. Mouse performance was good and pointing was precise, although I am not a gamer. After using it less than a month, however, "button one" stopped working. This is the "pointer/index finger" button that is the default button for primary clicks ("left clicks"). In the middle of working one day, after having made no changes to the system, I could no longer perform primary clicks. I rebooted the computer and when I first move the mouse after windows loaded, it drew a blue selection rectangle, even though no buttons had been clicked. Using keyboard shortcuts, I brought up the Evoluent Mouse Manager software and remapped the primary clicks to button two (the middle-finger botton). This made it usable again, but much less useful and not as comfortable to use. I visited Evoluent's sparse support site and based on the information there, I un-installed the driver, reinstalled (trying both the CD and downloading from the website) it had the same issue. I had not moved the mouse from the first port I plugged it in, but based on the support site, I uninstalled the driver again, plugged it into another USB port and reinstalled the driver. Same problem. When I first used the mouse after rebooting or unplugging and replugging in the mouse, it draws a blue selection rectangle until I hit the middle button (now remapped to function as the left click). Button one does nothing, no matter what I map it to. I tried plugging it into a Mac and it was recognized and I could move the cursor and right click and button two worked as a double click (its default behavior), but the button one does nothing. Also, like in windows, when I first plug the mouse into the computer, and move it, it draws a blue selection rectangle. The reseller I purchased it from (BugsEyeDigital through Amazon) only allows returns within 14 days. But Evoluent's support did respond to my e-mailed support request and offered to check it for defects. If a defect is confirmed they will send me a new one, if not, they will send it back to me. The problem is that I am overseas and for the cost of shipping, I'd be better off buying a new mouse. Strangely enough, the primary button eventually began working again. I was just using the mouse when I accidentally pressed the upper button close by the scroll wheel and it worked. Pressing in the center or top of the botton did nothing, but when I pressed right at the corner near the scroll wheel, it was working. I thought I must be pressing the middle button at the same time, but I tested and ensured that I wasn't. After using the primary button a number of times by clicking in that sweet spot, it eventually began to work, no matter where I pressed down on the mouse. Now it is working normally and I've remapped the buttons to my preferences. I'm still not sure what happened. Could a piece of something have lodged itself under the primary click? I could see how that would be more likely to happen with a vertical mouse than a horizontal mouse. In any event it has been working fine now for months, so I've changed my rating from two to four stars. I love the form factor and like how programmable this mouse is. Switching to a handshake-grip mouse has helped reduce RSI discomfort. It would get five stars if the company had better support and if it were wireless. UPDATE: after about 1 and a half years of using this mouse, I'm ready to buy a new one. A little after a year's worth of use, the matte coating started to wear and peel off. Ugly, but didn't really affect its use. Starting about a weak ago, however, after having used the mouse for just under 1.5 years, the primary click button is acting up again. A single click often is registered as a double click. As much as I like to form factor, this mouse really isn't built to last. I'm a heavy user, but mostly for general office use. I use the mouse many hours a day most days of the year, but not for gaming or any particularly punishing to the mouse buttons. Considering the cost, I was expecting something more durable. I'm am now looking for a replacement, I'll consider the same mouse or a similar one from the same manufacturer, but I am certainly looking for more durable alternatives. I've knocked my rating down to three stars.

Die vertikale Maus für links habe ich mir nach langjährigen, immer mal wieder aufflackernden Problemen mit der rechten Hand (+ Arm) als Ergänzung zu meiner ergonomischen Tastatur und als Abwechslung zur Maus auf der rechten Seite (im Büro) für zuhause gekauft. Ich nutze sie jetzt seit wenigen Tagen und ich finde sie einfach super! Bislang nutze ich nur die rechte/linke Taste und das Rad zum Scrollen, und das funktioniert bereits sehr gut. Es ist am Anfang sicher eine Umgewöhnung, aber das ist es auf jeden Fall wert, gerade wenn man sonst Probleme hat. Ich möchte diese Maus schon jetzt nicht mehr missen und kann sie auf jeden Fall empfehlen. Sollte ich dann irgendwann noch die weiteren Funktionen nutzen, wäre das noch das Sahnehäubchen. Es ist aber so schon eine große Erleichterung. Eine Maus auf der linken Seite ist i.ü. auch ganz gut, wenn man mit der Maus am Computer viel macht und gleichzeitig rechts mit der Hand handschriftlich etwas notieren will, ohne dauernd die "Geräte" wechseln zu wollen. --- Und am Rande noch ein Tip an alle Interessierten, die ihre Handgelenke schnell und einfach entlasten wollen oder sich fragen, ob noch eine Handballenauflage sinnvoll sein könnte (wie ich): Ich habe versuchsweise mal ein Pack Taschentücher (10 Stück) parallel zur Schreibtischkante zwischen mich und die vertikale Maus gelegt, mit einem Abstand zur Maus von etwa 7 cm. So ruht mein Handgelenk/Unterarm (leicht weich gebettet) auf der Seite, und es fällt mir leichter, die vertikale Maus entspannt zu bewegen (besonders gut in Kombination mit einem eher klein eingestellten Radius der Maus). Mit so einem einfachen Taschentuchpack kann man auf gleiche Weise auch im Büro oder unterwegs, wenn man mit einer normalen Maus oder einem Touchpad arbeitet, u.U. seinem Handgelenk/Arm kurzzeitig mal Entlastung verschaffen, weil man so den Knick im Handgelenk beim Bewegen der Maus deutlich verkleinern kann. Und ein Pack Taschentücher ist überall zu bekommen, leicht und verursacht keine Zusatzkosten. Auf diese Art kann man auch mal ausprobieren, ob eine Handballenauflage zur Maus etwas wäre (das Prinzip ist ja ähnlich, auch wenn es professioneller aussieht ;-) ). - Ist der Taschentuchpack zu hoch, kann man die Tücher rausnehmen, bis es paßt. - Ist der Taschentuchpack im Sommer zu schwitzig, kann man ihn in einem Taschentuch wie ein Geschenk einpacken und es auf der Unterseite mit Tesa fixieren. Mir hat das sehr geholfen. Wenn es auch anderen hilft, umso besser. :-)

Wunderbar. Expensive but very nice for my hand

Helps reduce my RSI - but the only thing I don't like is the 3 buttons. Wish they had just stuck with 2.

Bello e comodo, pieno di tasti programmabili, ottimo per l'utilizzo di programmi di grafica e progettazione, lo consiglio!

Es comodo y util, el unico detalle es el tamaño un poco grande sobre todo para guardarlo, pero la comodidad lo compensa