Logitech Couch Mouse M515

It’s a problem for many a lazy internet surfer – myself included – that even though you have a laptop, you can’t effectively sit around on the couch and point-and-click to your heart’s content. The average laptop’s touchpad is just too small and too difficult for you to endure hours of use without getting achey wrists, and your average mouse just won’t work properly on the fabric of a couch.

Enter Logitech’s M515 ‘couch mouse’. The idea is pretty simple – it’s a wireless, laser mouse that works on a wider variety of surfaces than the average pointing device. The laser underneath the mouse is covered by a thin sheet of plastic so that the laser doesn’t get all gunked up from being used on lint-ladensurfaces, which is a nice touch.

The mouse works as advertised on many different cloth surfaces including my couch, bed, and office chair – not that you’ll ever need to use it on your office chair. It’s slightly too sensitive for my liking, and doesn’t come with software to adjust the sensitivity (you’re stuck with Windows for that). The M515 also only works well on smooth cloth surfaces, but not so well on carpet or a sheet with wrinkles in it.

All of these issues are relatively minor, but the M515 does have one big problem – it doesn’t work very well on desks and tables. The sensitivity goes right down and since the mouse has no padding on the bottom, it drags noisily on hard surfaces. While the couch mouse is going to be handy for those who only use their laptop in front of the TV, it’s not a great all-rounder – remember to pick up a decent mouse pad, too.