Kensington SlimBlade Mouse with Nano Receiver

February 13th, 2009 at 1:22 PM - In-Depth Review by Nancy Gravley

Kensington has recently released a new version of their popular SlimBlade mouse series. I have never used this style mouse before and I must say that I like what it has to offer.

The nano (laser) receiver is very tiny -- .75 inches long and .5 inches wide. It slips into a USB port and only .25 inches stick out. When used with a notebook computer, it can easily stay plugged in, even in a bag or backpack. It could present a problem in some of the new form fitting hard cases I have seen offered for the new MacBooks and MacBook Pros.

The mouse itself is sleek and attractive. I particularly like the grooved rubber around the sides that allow for a solid grip. The laser sensor tracking worked smoothly on the normal mouse pad surfaces. I also tried it on plastic, the surface of my computer, my jeans, cardboard, thin paper, and my glass-topped desk. The only surface it did not work with was the glass, but I have never found any mouse that would work with glass.

I also tested it with a game to see how easy it was to control in that environment, since mouse control can significantly effect the score in most games. It performed splendidly as long as I kept it on an appropriate surface and I was able to meet or exceed my previous scores in the six sessions I played.

SlimBlade Mouse with Nano Receiver

The mouse is powered by two AAA batteries (which are included) and according to the literature, the battery life is up to six months. There is an on/off switch and a low-battery indicator on the bottom of the mouse.

Another feature of the mouse is a four-way tilt scroll wheel. It allows you to scroll vertically and horizontally. Mac users should ignore the instructions on the bottom of the mouse to download the SlimBlade software. It is not necessary and doing so actually interferes with the function of the four-way tilt function. 

The Bottom Line

This is a good product, easy to set up and use, well made, and offering plenty of the quality features you should expect from Kensington. The price is reasonable, there is a two year warranty, and it eliminates the need for a second mouse for your computer bag or backpack, since you can simply pick it up and take it along when you take your notebook with you.