Rapoo T120P Wireless Touch Mouse: Colorful, compact
There's rarely news in the world of Mac pointing devices, primarily because the computers all come with either Apple's Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad, or a built-in trackpad of some type. That's why I found it interesting when I was pitched the Rapoo T120P Wireless Touch Mouse, a compact mouse that has some features that could make it worth a look for those in need of a replacement Mac mouse.
Specifications
Price: $US59.99 MSRP, widely available for less than $40
Colors: Yellow, Green, Red, White, Black
Power: Two AA batteries
Transmission frequency range: 5 GHz
Includes: USB receiver dongle
Design Highlights
Perhaps you're bored with the standard old white mouse or aluminum trackpad. The Rapoo T120P is going to wake you up -- at least one of these in yellow, green or red. The yellow unit I tested was actually quite attractive in a playful kind of way...
I'm not sure I like the idea of having to use one of my USB ports to plug in a receiver dongle. Why manufacturers choose to do this instead of just using standard old Bluetooth connectivity is beyond me.
The bottom of the Rapoo T120P is easily removed, revealing the battery holders and a small nook for the dongle. That's quite useful, actually, as it ensures that you're not going to lose the dongle when transporting the mouse.
The top surface of the mouse includes clickable left and right mouse buttons as well as a center "Smart Touch Zone." This zone includes vibration feedback when you're scrolling, which is quite different. It feels like some of the older "touch wheel" mice that provided similar feedback when using the wheel to scroll. The difference? You also feel the vibration when scrolling from side to side with the Smart Touch Zone.
Functionality Highlights
I'm always a bit wary of accessories that come in a box with a "Design for Windows 8" sticker on them. It was only when I turned the box over and found that the Rapoo T120P was indeed Mac compatible that I relaxed a little bit.
I easily opened the bottom of the mouse, filled the battery slots with my Apple rechargeable batteries, and then flipped the power switch on. Of course, it did nothing until I plugged in the receiver dongle. Immediately my iMac (running OS X Mavericks 10.9.2) decided that I had just plugged in some sort of USB keyboard and tried running me through a wizard to recognize the type of keyboard. I just canceled the wizard and the mouse ran perfectly. Rapoo might, however, want to warn Mac users of this in their scant instructions or on their website.
The T120P has a really good feel to it for an optical mouse, fitting comfortably into my admittedly small hands. There are two Teflon bands on the bottom that allows the mouse to slide effortlessly over most surfaces, and the left and right mouse buttons worked as they should without any setup required.
I found the "touch" feature of the T120P -- the vibration feedback -- to be very useful. With some other mice you're never really sure if your finger is truly causing scrolling to occur -- here, it's obvious when you're scrolling up, down or side to side as you feel that gentle vibration in your finger. The Smart Touch Zone also acts as a second "left mouse button".
Conclusion
Since Apple's devices usually come with good, long-lasting pointing devices, there's not much call for third-party mice. However, if you aren't happy with Apple's Magic Mouse or want to replace a trackpad with a mouse, Rapoo has created a colorful, functional and affordable mouse that provides good feedback. Just watch out for that faux keyboard setup alert when you plug in the dongle, OK?
Rating: 3 stars out of 4 stars possible
Giveaway
Someone out there wants and needs a new mouse, which is why we're giving away our review device (batteries not included). Here are the rules for the giveaway:
Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.
To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button.
The entry must be made before March 10, 2014 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time.
You may enter only once.
One winner will be selected and will receive a Rapoo T120P Wireless Touch Mouse valued at $59.99
