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Comment by tastysandwich | Hacker News Reader

I'm surprised how few people seem to use the wheel as a middle-click button (eg, to open new tabs).

When I switched to a Logitech MX Anywhere it had no middle wheel click. I thought this was an absolute scandal - wasn't everyone using this!? Apparently not.

Amazing how some things we think are the status quo turn out not to be.

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Mine wore out on my Logitech G300s after using it for camera movement in Dota. I'm hesitant to buy another one now because I realize that the mouse wheel switches are probably not built with as long an intended lifespan as the main buttons.

I haven't found any other mouse that has this shape/size and button options, so I might just have to buy a few (in case they stop making them), assuming the middle mouse button will die again. But Roccat mouse in the OP looks close. I also should look into if the microswitches can be replaced or even upgraded.

One more middle mouse button user here.

It's usually the first thing that stops working on my mice.

Also I love it that ThinkPads still have 3 physical mouse buttons over the touchpad, so I don't have to mess with the gestures or hold down Ctrl to open links in new tabs.

Does it really not have the middle wheel click? This screenshot [0] seems to show it does, perhaps it’s not the default and needs to be configured in the software? (My MX Master 3 certainly has a clickable mouse wheel, and I use it quite often.)

[0]: https://cx-assets.logi.com/CC%20Graphics/OptionsPlusUI/4_Opt...

The Mx Master has a middle click

I think the MX Anywhere 3 might have a middle click, but the 2S (which I had) didn't.

https://www.reddit.com/r/MouseReview/comments/ew9hik/still_n...

Yep the MXA3 has a middle click. Great mouse.

I have an MX Anywhere 2S, and it has a middle click (but not middle wheel click), but it is weird.

Depressing the wheel switches between smooth and ratcheting.

Beneath the wheel is a small button that is middle click. But it feels unnatural compared to the MX Master 2S I use with my desktop.

I use middle mouse button (MMB) all the time! To open links in new tabs, close tabs and windows (i.e. MMB-click an app shown in the Alt-Tab menu), or hold to scroll.

It really does have middle click - but yes, not on the wheel.

See this image: https://www.gottabemobile.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/log...

On the left image, the lower, centered circle above the green light highlights the middle click.

I'm using one right now, and I can click it to open links in a new tab (by default with no changes in software.) Works in Firefox under Linux Mint and Windows 10.

I hate being without a middle mouse button, but pushing down on a scroll wheel is not the solution—it often triggers a scroll or tilt which sucks. Middle-mouse buttons are super useful in CAD / GIS or 3d modelling domains for panning.

I even use BetterTouchTool to create a tap zone on my track pad to emulate a 3rd button (and a few other gestures, like top right to middle to right edge to send a CMD-W and rotating [two fingers in opposite directions] to switch tabs left or right/back or forwards).

> pushing down on a scroll wheel is not the solution—it often triggers a scroll or tilt which sucks.

This is my complaint about the wide adoption of the IntelliMouse design, which replaced the previously-common middle button with the clickable wheel. It always imposes at least one of these problems:

- accidental clicks

- accidental wheel movement

- accidental mouse movement

- hard on the wrists

- wears out too early

It's such an awful substitute that, when forced to use most wheel mice, I resentfully give up on middle click actions (which I normally use a lot).

Fortunately, there are a few mice with both a wheel and a middle button:

- 3Dconnexion CadMouse Pro

- Logitech G600 (requires remapping w/ ratbagctl)

- EVGA X15 (I think)

I didn't add a description to the mousewheel because I thought it was obvious it's super useful. I use it to close stuff, open links in a new tab, and of course gaming. Also with the Kova I get no problem about the wheel moving while actuating the button, it doesn't scroll.

On my old MX Revolution, middle click was the switch between it indexing and free-wheeling...and also sometimes registered as a click/key, e.g. - I played games when I had it - 'stab with knife' in the Battlefield of the day; more obviously it was also the zoom in scopes that supported it, so I'd find myself stabbing the air to get it in the right mode when trying to use it as a sniper...

too difficult to click on many mice without also moving the wheel, imho.

I believe this should be higher. I’ve yet to find a mouse where you can consistently click the wheel without moving it a notch.

It’s so bad on my current mouse that when I have a game or something that requires a click, the wheel will register 4 out of 5 times, with only 1/5 I can actually register a wheel-free click.

I use my middle mouse so much that I have it bound to a side button for easier use.

I thought everybody does this?

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