We can now work from practically anywhere. Home, our favorite coffee shop, or on the go—we no longer have to stick to our desk in the office. But while work becomes much more mobile and flexible, it also presents new challenges. Using a laptop touchpad for hours can affect our productivity and comfort. The solve? Based on a recent study by The Logi Ergo Lab, switching to an external mouse can significantly improve our performance and well-being.

50% more productive with a mouse compared to a touchpad.

30% faster with a mouse compared to a touchpad.

Mice are more ergonomic than touchpads.

The team wanted to see how quickly and accurately participants complete their tasks using an external mouse VS touchpad. They measured “throughput”—the amount of data moved from one place to another in a given time. The result? While working with the mouse, people were a whopping 50% more productive than with the touchpad.*

*Based on throughput computation in bits/second combining speed and accuracy averaged for all devices participating in the Logitech Ergonomic Lab study on 23 participants in (Oct / 2019) with two Logitech standard mice and two standard, embedded trackpads. 

Using a touchpad on a daily basis can also be plain exhausting. When the participants worked with the touchpad, the studies recorded a 45% increase in muscle activity in the neck and shoulder, compared to when they switched to the mouse. Moreover, we detected 25% more muscle activity in the forearm of the touchpad users, which also leads to increased fatigue and discomfort.*

*Based on bits/second for averaged movement time for all devices participating in the study. Logitech Ergonomic Lab study on 23 participants in (Oct / 2019) with two Logitech standard mice and two standard, embedded trackpads. 

In short, switching from a touchpad to an external mouse delivers a number of benefits. In addition to a much higher productivity level, it’s also better for your well-being—a more relaxed shoulder, neck, and forearm ensure all-day comfort. Adding an external mouse to your laptop becomes a no-brainer, both in terms of efficiency and ergonomics.