What is the difference between an optical mouse and a laser mouse?

Computer mouse technology has evolved around the ball and cylinders for the first time used on analog mice, but the choice between the optical mouse and the laser mouse is most often the matter of the personal preference and technological budget of the individual. The main difference between them is the way the mouse position is monitored: either through a small camera and LED light or a small laser. In fact, it includes a small camera that is able to take an amazing 1,500 images per second. Optical mice are also easy to maintain and have no moving parts that are susceptible to failure. One of the main advantages of these mice is that they do not require any mice and will work, even if they run on a surface that is not entirely flat. Some models may have problems on black or shiny surfaces.

The aim of both laser mice and optical mice is to provide a way to transform the movement of the user's hand into digital signals that canto use the computer. The main difference between laser and optical mice is the type of light that is used to track movement on the computer screen. While the standard optical mouse uses LED light, the laser mouse contains a small laser that is used to monitor mouse movements and represent them on the screen. For this reason, the laser mouse is usually more expensive.

When buying a mouse, it is useful for consumers to consider dots on the thumb (DPI) of the considered model. In general, the optical mouse can be monitored between 400 and 800 dpi. By comparison, a laser mouse can often monitor more than 2,000 dpi. As a result, the laser mouse cursor moves much further on the screen.