PCSTATS     
[X]   Directory of
Guides & Reviews

Beginners Guides
Motherboards by Brand
Weekly Newsletter
Archived Newsletters

+70 MORE Beginner GUIDES....
Gigabyte GM-W9C Wireless Optical Mouse Review
Gigabyte GM-W9C Wireless Optical Mouse Review - PCSTATS
Gigabyte's GM-W9C is an RF device that includes a rechargeable battery that can be charged within the mouse itself for convenience.
 77% Rating:   
Filed under: Mouse Pads Published:  Author: 
External Mfg. Website: Gigabyte Dec 22 2004   M. Dowler  
Home > Reviews > Mouse Pads > Gigabyte GM-W9C

Gigabyte GM-W9C Wireless Optical Mouse Review


Gigabyte's new wireless rechargeable optical mouse, the GM-W9C, is an RF device that is scaled for portability, and includes a rechargeable battery that can be charged within the mouse itself for convenience.

Anyone who has tried to use a conventional wired mouse with a laptop in a cramped environment such as an airplane will appreciate the benefits a wireless optical mouse can bring. They offer an excellent alternative to the built-in touchpads and trackpoints that many find difficult to use.

At home, wireless mice can also offer benefits, freeing users from trouble with cord binding, ergonomic injuries and other problems associated with traditional 'tethered' mice. Optical mouse technology, where the mouse uses a small CMOS camera to record its movement and interprets this information into pointer movement, is tailor made for wireless mice. This technology allows mousing on almost any surface (the only exception being some reflective surfaces) allowing the wireless user to take advantage of the freedom on offer.

Gigabyte GM-W9C Mouse
Includes:

RF USB receiver, power cord, USB extension cord, drawstring bag, two rechargable AAA batteries, manual.

RF (Radio Frequency) transmission is probably the best current method for transmitting data to and from wireless control devices like mice and keyboards. Bluetooth wireless mice have recently come onto the market, but are considerably more expensive and offer no real benefit over RF. Infrared (IR) devices can also be found, but these are massively handicapped by their requirement for line-of-sight.

Features of the GM-W9C

In one word - 800DPi Optical technology. The Gigabyte GM-W9C is an optical mouse and should scan on almost any surface. In our tests, we found it to be reliable on a number of 'difficult' surfaces like metal and shiny plastic, though it did occasionally refuse to work on the metal surface. Lifting it slightly then replacing it on the surface generally solved this issue.

Gigabyte built the GM-W9C mouse to use 27MHz RF technology to provide its wireless connection, and thus does not require an unobstructed line of sight to the receiver which plugs into any free USB port. We operated the mouse successfully out to about five feet from the receiver. Not super long range, but average for RF and more than adequate for most wireless applications.

The GM-W9C comes with a pair of AAA NiMh 600maH 1.2V rechargeable batteries. These can be easily accessed by opening the palm rest, and are charged inside the mouse with a small cord that draws power from the USB RF adaptor.

The GM-W9C wireless optical rechargeable mouse can be charged straight from your computer through the USB port. A charging cable is included which actually plugs straight into the USB RF adaptor provided with the mouse. As a nice touch, the mouse will continue to function as a 'wired' mouse while the cable is attached and charging the batteries.

Interestingly, the Gigabyte GM-W9C mouse can also be charged from a range of Nokia DC adaptors. The manual specifies "ACP-7, ACP-8, ACP-9, LCH-9, DCH-9, etc." and states that the DC adaptor voltage should be 5V and the output 500mA.

© 2023 PCSTATS.com Next Page >

 

Contents of Article: Gigabyte GM-W9C
 Pg 1.  — Gigabyte GM-W9C Wireless Optical Mouse Review
 Pg 2.  Testing and conclusions

 
Hardware Sections 


 
PCSTATS Network Features Information About Us Contact
FrostyTech
PCSTATS Newsletter
Tech Glossary
Technology WebSite Listings
News Archives
(Review RSS Feed)
Site Map
PCstats Wallpaper
About Us
Privacy Policy
Advertise on PCSTATS

How's Our Driving?
© Copyright 1999-2023 www.pcstats.com All rights reserved. Privacy policy and Terms of Use.