7 Best Mouse for CAD Software Users | 2023 CAD Mouse Reviews

Every Computer Aided Designer feels the need of a dedicated mouse for the job at some point or another.

Irrespective of the choice of software – AutoCAD, Solidworks, etc. – a good mouse, that is specifically designed for working with CAD, can significantly improve the experience and the speed of workflow.

If you are in the market looking for a CAD mouse, it can turn out to be a difficult ordeal. Especially because CAD mouses differ significantly in terms of design and functionality from one another.

But you don’t have to worry about that because we have done the hard work for you. We have scoured through the internet and tested many CAD mouse to help get the right one for you, if you are an architect but CAD is not your program of choice, here are the best overall mouses for architects, the best keyboard for designers, and the best mouse for Photoshop on Architecture Lab you can also find the best monitor for architects and the best tablet for architects.

Best Mouse For CAD

So, without further ado, here are the 7 best mouses for CAD of 2023.

1. Logitech MX Master 3S – Best for CAD

Logitech needs no introduction and this mouse is just one of the many mouses that thousands of people vouch for. With a great ergonomic design, amazing tactile feedback, and weight, MS Master 3S is perfect for any kind of use, but the added functionality of Flow Control and Auto-Shift scrolling makes it exceptionally good for CAD.

Experience

Before we jump into the functionality part which makes this mouse an amazing bargain for CAD, we have to deal with the design.

In short, the design is amazing, some would call it legendary. Logitech knows how ergonomics work and MS Master 3S meets the Logitech standard of quality and comfort through and through.

It looks gorgeous as well, from the polygonal pattern on the thumb rest to the curvy body, this mouse is truly beautiful.

Finally, about the features, we can’t stress enough how much we loved Flow Control. It lets you use the mouse on multiple separate devices at once – including file transfer using copy-paste. It helps no matter the kind of work but for CAD, it’s exceptionally helpful because many of our testers use multiple devices in their workflow.

The Auto-Shift Scrolling is refined to perfection as well, it shifts seamlessly between click-to-click and hyper-fast scrolling.

Couple these features with triple connectivity and great battery life, and you have got yourself the perfect wireless mouse for CAD.

2. 3D Connexion Cad Mouse [3DX-700052] – Best For Precision

3Dconnexion is a well-known brand in this industry because they make some of the best CAD-oriented peripherals – many of which are also on this list. 3DX-700052 may look like a conventional mouse but it’s specifically manufactured for CAD work. It has an ergonomic design and 3 extra buttons which makes working with CAD a breeze.

Experience

The ergonomics of the Connexion Cad mouse and the manufacturing material feel great. We could use this mouse for several hours without any signs of fatigue.

It’s a large mouse, so we recommend it for medium-large hands. And with 8200 dpi, this device is extremely precise and refined in control.

It also has a middle mouse button. It’s a great alternative for scroll clicks and as any mouse user would know scroll clicks are flimsy and result in accidental scrolls. So, having this dedicated button helps a lot in CAD.

As for scrolling and zoom, there are two programmable thumb buttons that are fast and reliable. Because of the groove between them, it was hassle-free to maneuver with the mouse without any visual cue.

But it uses Omron switches which are pretty basic. Although It doesn’t hamper the workflow – because response time doesn’t matter in CAD, we feel that we should get better switches for the money.

3. 3Dconnexion Space Mouse Enterprise [3DX-700056] – Best For Custom Views

This peripheral is heaven-sent for any CAD worker. 3DX-700056 gets a heads-up on any other CAD-oriented device with this space mouse that has 31 programmable keys and a colored LCD screen. And it also allows you to quickly view 3D models with 6 Degrees-of-Freedom (6DoF) with its amazing Space Navigator hardware.

Experience

It has a sleek and ergonomic design. The only gripe we have with the design is the fact that the space navigator sits in the middle, rather than on one side which parts the button set into two halves.

It makes reaching buttons on the left a little more cumbersome. But overall, we think that the design is great.

Out of the 31 programmable keys in total, there are 12 intelligent keys that change functionality on the fly depending upon which software is being used. This huge arsenal of buttons gives it a significant edge over others.

You can set the functionality of the buttons, catering to your needs, by using 3DxWare 10 software for the best performance. The LCD screen can be set to display any information you want, for example, shortcuts of the software in use.

Managing views with this thing is a breeze. You can set custom views using the aforementioned software and map them to specific buttons. It’s a feature we could only find in Space Mouse enterprise. That’s why it’s our favorite.

4. 3DConnexion SpaceNavigator

3DX-700056 has a space navigator along with a lot more but if you already have all your shortcuts sorted and just are looking for a space navigator, then 3DConnexion’s SpaceNavigor is the device you should get. It’s almost as if they took out the space navigator for 3DX-700056 and made it a separate product.

Experience

The design has no complaints from us. It just has one job and it does it well. We love that it has a certain weight to it that doesn’t let it glide around when you are using it.

Also, there are two buttons on the side for added functionality. It’s a bonus for sure but in our regular use case, we didn’t use it much.

As for space navigation, it has the same 6 degrees-of-Freedom optical sensor from our last entry. Hence, it can simultaneously pan, zoom and rotate 3D models.

Couple SpaceNavigator with a good mouse and you’ve already got a pretty great CAD setup. Many users won’t even bother to use half of the features of the space mouse from our last entry.

So, we think that this SpaceNavigator partnered with any mouse and a good layout of shortcuts is a very robust setup for most CAD users.

5. Razer Naga Trinity Gaming Mouse

Razer is a very famous PC hardware brand because of its amazing gaming-oriented peripherals and laptops. But Razer Naga Trinity is an awesome bargain for CAD users as well because it has 3 interchangeable side plates for thumb buttons and an ergonomic design. If you don’t mind the gaming aesthetics, this might just be right up your alley.

Experience

Yes, it does have the signature Razer design with the black and green theme with RGB lighting and no it’s not a cad mouse Razer but it has impeccable ergonomics that PC users all over the world, love, the Trinity gaming mouse is simply a good mouse that can work brilliantly in CAD thanks to the 12 fully programmable buttons. You can map these for any shortcut or button process and even save your preferences in profiles using the Razer software.

The scroll wheel has great tactile feedback and is very robust. There are also 2 middle buttons for added functionality.

Let’s get to why we think that this mouse is perfect for CAD users. The side plate for the thumb is interchangeable and you get 3 options to choose from.

The way it is designed, you can get the feel of each button accurately without any visual cue. And in our testing, we got to our full working speed, if not beyond, only after a few hours of usage.

It also has a very high dpi of 16,000 and a 5G optical sensor. Therefore, it’s insanely accurate and responsive.

6. Logitech M570 Wireless Trackball Mouse

Logitech M570 is a wireless mouse that comes attached to a trackball – which can be immensely helpful for CAD. Apart from that, you get the same quality and ergonomics from Logitech that many PC users vouch for. The sensor and buttons are of impeccable quality as well.

Experience

The design is no less than what is expected from Logitech. It is masterfully sculpted to fit right into your hand and it’s a breeze to work with it for long work sessions.

There is two back and forward buttons on the top, by the left click button, which makes navigation and surfing super easy.

It is a wireless device that comes with a dedicated receiver called a Unifying receiver. Hence, the connection is reliable and the control is accurate. The battery life is also pretty remarkable.

The scroll feels good as well. It has a good traction and isn’t wobbly or flimsy. But nevertheless, it’s not the selling point of this mouse.

M570 has a trackball that can easily be controlled by the right thumb which makes navigation, especially in 3D space, completely effortless.

This trackball makes it such a unique and useful device for CAD users that we had to put it on our list.

7. Logitech G700s Rechargeable Gaming Mouse

Logitech G700s is an amazing gaming mouse but as we have already seen with Razer’s entry that good gaming mouses can be good for CAD too. With several programmable buttons and refined control, this mouse proves to be a good option for CAD without deviating a lot from the conventions of a regular mouse.

Experience

Since it is designed for gaming use primarily, it is designed to be comfortable for long sessions of use.

And for the same reason, it also has impeccable accuracy and response time. Even in wireless mode, it is fantastically accurate.

The battery life is pretty remarkable too and you don’t have to worry about downtime because it can be used while it’s charging from your personal computer.

The most attractive feature is its 13 programmable buttons that can be assigned various shortcuts.

You can even save these shortcuts in a profile in the mouse’s onboard memory and switch between them on the fly depending upon your use. You get a maximum of 5 profiles at a given moment.

Apart from that, the buttons are incredibly tactile and are placed nicely and distinctively, so you can operate them without any visual cue. Also, the scroll has nice grooves on it for good feedback.

Add all of these factors together and you have a mouse that keeps it simple and works great for CAD.

Best Mouses For CAD Comparison Table

Buying Guide For The Best Mouse For CAD

We are including a small guide that can help you decide whether or not to buy a mouse for CAD on your own. The following parameters are the key aspects you should keep in mind while making a mouse purchase for CAD.

1. Ergonomics

Computer Aided Designers mostly have long work sessions, so, it’s crucial to pick up a mouse that is comfortable to use for hours and hours.

When deciding upon ergonomics, it is important to remember that ultimately every individual will prefer something different. So, we encourage you to try or test out a mouse before you buy it.

But if you don’t have that liberty then you’ll have to primarily consider these factors: size, the thumb and finger rest, and the weight of the mouse.

2. Better space navigation?

A mouse is only better than other conventional mouses for CAD if it has the hardware for better space navigation or it has extra programmable buttons for shortcuts.

Each and every mouse is different in implementing better navigation through 3D space. It can be through a proprietary navigator, a trackball, etc.

So, you’ll have to try and test out what works for you.

Although these navigators can be baked into a regular mouse just fine, we believe that a dedicated space navigator is the best way to go.

3. Better shortcuts?

We think that the best offer that a mouse can have for CAD is extra programmable buttons.

If the mouse has extra programmable buttons, then you can set more shortcuts for your most used features in any CAD software.

With a little bit of getting-used-to, it can significantly increase the speed of your workflow.

Does a mouse with more buttons help with CAD?

Yes, a mouse with more buttons can help with CAD work by providing easier access to shortcuts and commands.

How do I set up my mouse for CAD?

To set up your mouse for CAD, you should adjust the DPI settings to a higher number, adjust the sensitivity settings, and customize the buttons to your preferences. Also, make sure to use a mouse pad to ensure accuracy and precision.

Are gaming mice good for CAD?

Gaming mice can be good for CAD, as they often have features such as adjustable DPI, programmable buttons, and ergonomic design.

Does the size of a mouse matter for CAD?

The size of a mouse can be important for CAD, as a larger mouse may provide more comfort and accuracy, while a smaller mouse may be more comfortable in smaller spaces.

What type of mouse is best for CAD?

A mouse with a high level of precision and adjustable sensitivity is ideal for CAD applications. Look for a mouse with a reliable optical or laser sensor and adjustable DPI settings.

Conclusion

So, that’s all for this list.

We have listed, what we think are the best mice/peripherals for CAD use. Keep in mind that these entries were picked up to cater to different needs rather than competing with each other, a good cad mouse is the one that fits your need and palm the best.

If you simply want the best mouse for cad from a brand dedicated to AutoCAD software, designed to a T for AutoCAD, that mouse is the Connextion CadMouse Pro, it will serve you epically.

If we had to choose a single mouse for the architecture office, an office that includes other software programs that range from Photoshop and InDesign to Sketchup, Rhino, Maya, and many others, it would be the Logitech Master 3, an exceptional design by no means in its third iteration now that simply works perfectly wherever you go. In our architecture office, we’ve used the Master series for 11 years now and we still have Master 2 and Master 1 iterations functioning in the office brilliantly.

With that, we hope this article was helpful to you in some meaningful way.

And as always, thank you for reading!

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