Over the past week, I’ve been taking Cherry’s MW 8 Advanced Wireless Mouse for a test drive. The MW 8 Advanced is a top-grade mouse for people that need function, quality and flexibility on the go. Cherry boasts that it’s an “ingenious wireless mouse with innovative features for users with sophisticated demands.” This small mouse comes packed with more features than I’d have expected to find on a 6 button office mouse. However, the question that remains is whether the MW 8 offers enough sophistication to warrant its 80 dollar price point. Let find out.
Specifications
- Metal surface and mouse wheel
- Weight: 92g.
- Connects via Bluetooth® or 2.4 GHz wireless with AES-128 encryption
- High precision sensor with four-level adjustable resolution up to 3,200 dpi
- Works on nearly all surfaces, including glass
- Status LED shows low residual battery charge, charging status and resolution
- A lithium battery can be charged per micro USB
- Extra-small nano receiver for wireless operation
- 6 buttons and scroll wheel with optical tracking
- Battery operating time: Up to 70 days with a full battery
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The Cherry MW 8 advanced has a noticeably sharp visual appeal. A lot of detail has been given to the aesthetic, including metal surface plating for the buttons, chrome trim and textured side panels. All of these, along with a textured scroll wheel, communicate one thing: quality. It’s a great looking mouse and feels solid in your hand.
Both side panels slope in slightly allowing for a firm thumb and finger grip. This coupled with the aforementioned surface plates all feels great to handle and use. The mouse fits nicely in my large hands, using a claw or hybrid grip, and feels like it can easily handle periods of extended use. In my own testing, I used it for consecutive work days without much wear or tear showing on any surface. As someone who is known for tough-testing electronics, I was impressed at how little wear the mouse showed. The MW 8 is a solid input device and a testament to Cherry’s commitment to quality.
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Speaking of quality, the MW 8 comes with more than just the mouse. Also included in the box is a micro USB for charging even during use as well as a nice travel pouch. With the brushed metal surface, the pouch does come in handy when thrown in my laptop bag along with my keys, USB drives, coffee mug and other random assortments of stuff and things that live in my bag. It’s a nice touch and again adds to the overall premium feel.
The mouse itself if feature rich. The most useful one is that it supports both 2.4 GHz wireless via a USB receiver as well as Bluetooth 4.0. A small switch on the bottom allows you to easily connect to one of these two options on the fly, essentially allowing you to use the mouse on two different systems at one time if needed. In my testing of this feature, I found the signal strength of both to be pretty solid even at greater distances and response time to be seamless and without the lag of any kind. The mouse responds well both in movement and clicks I have to say that overall it was a smooth experience.
I had two quick points I wanted to touch on before moving on; the first is the USB receiver and the second is the Bluetooth. In regards to the receiver, I wanted to note that it is actually stored in a small slot in the bottom of the mouse. This in and of itself isn’t necessarily new or cutting edge but the fact that it is held in place magnetically was impressive. Each time I was done using the mouse for the day there was a satisfying pull and click the assured me that the USB was stored firmly and securely stored. It may be a small feature but it really was reassuring when I packed up for the day.
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The second point has to do with the Bluetooth and the Mac OSX interface. At least in my testing, I could not get the two to sync together. I tried on several MacBook Pros, one MacBook Air and an iMac but in every case, It simply wouldn’t connect. I suspect this has more to do with Mac’s exclusive design but it was a bit frustrating nonetheless. I did, however, manage to connect to my Android phone and two Windows PC’s without issue.
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Another feature of note is the preset DPI speeds that come loaded on the Cherry MW 8. Interestingly, this is the first time I’ve seen this on a office-grade mouse. Initially, I didn’t see the purpose of a function like this which is typically reserved for a gaming experience. After all how often do I need to switch DPI speeds in the run of an average workday?
However, after intentionally switching speed when transition screen resolutions, computers I was using and even tasks such as drafting and word processing, I now wonder why I don’t see this more frequently on office mice. With the quick click of the DPI button, located on the top of the mouse, I could easily adjust from general tasks on my laptop screen to focus on drafting and Photoshop editing on the fly. It created a much smoother workflow and is one of those features I didn’t know I wanted.
This also means that it will be a good fit for casual gaming. It’s clear from its 3200 maximum DPI that Cherry isn’t targeting gamers as the main audience on this mouse (gaming mice tend to offer ludicrously high DPI measures) but it’s solid responsiveness, tracking, and portable design mean that it will hold up through those breaks between classes midway through your day on campus.
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Final Thoughts
The Cherry MW 8 Advanced is a beautiful piece of crafted technology. The company has done an incredible job of bringing quality and functionality to something that is historically a basic piece of office equipment. Instead of accepting the status quo, Cherry has asked what can be done to create a more elegant and functional experience for the business professional. It is true that you’ll be investing more upfront for this experience but that’s the point: you’re making an investment in a piece of hardware that will outlast much of the competition and one that is clearly designed with sophistication in mind. So if you’re looking for a mouse that offers both function and quality the Cherry MW 8 Advanced is worth considering.
Pros
- Sleek, stylish design
- Robust functionality
- Quality build
- Responsive and precise
- Offers multiple connection options
Cons
- Bluetooth doesn’t seem to be compatible with Mac
- The price point might be a turn off to some
The product discussed in this article was provided by the manufacturer for evaluation purposes.
