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There are a bevy of options to pick from in the world of mouses and mice. But with many working from home since the start of the pandemic — myself included — there is a good chance you’ve taken a closer look at your setup.
And Logitech’s latest computer mouse is all about ergonomics. The Lift Vertical isn’t the first vertical mouse to hit the market, but it’s a more refined and affordable option at $69.99. It has a more petite build, which Logitech says makes it better for those with smaller hands, and it’s made from recycled plastics. And that’s especially good with Earth Day coming in hot.
So I’ve spent a few days with the Lift Vertical, and while it undoubtedly takes some time to get used to, it’s a solid option for those looking for a change. Let’s scroll through why.
What Exactly is a Vertical Mouse?It’s pretty easy to spot a vertical mouse from, say, a standard one. The buttons and scroll wheel are raised and flipped to either the right or left side. And the main appeal here is better ergonomics since it’s a 57-degree design — Logitech first introduced this measurement with the larger $99.99 MX Vertical in 2018.
Flash forward four years, and it’s a more sculpted shape that is designed for those with smaller hands. When your hand is on the Lift Vertical, your fingers rest on the right or left side with easy access to clickers and a scroll wheel. Your thumb rests on the opposite side with a ledge for comfort and two actions buttons.
With this, there is less pressure on your wrist and broader arm. Handy and great on paper, right? The seemingly main trade-off here is getting used to the design of a vertical mouse. This smaller build of the Lift Vertical does fit my hands a bit better — my fingers more naturally rest on the buttons, and my thumb isn’t left only hitting the mouse versus the controls on the opposite side.
Logitech also finished this mouse in a soft rubber and a standard plastic. The former, which resides on the back half of the Lift Vertical, feels cozy even after eight hours of use. Both parts are easy enough to clean with a quick wipe. The Lift Vertical comes in either a right or left-handed model in your choice of three colors — off-white rose or graphite. 70% of the latter color option is made from post-consumer recycled plastic, while the white and pink colors only use 54% of the recycled materials.
The most significant adjustment is getting used to the new placement of your hand and using that in work. If you’ve never used a vertical mouse before, expect to spend a few days with it.
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Lastly, I’d like to call the awesome battery door on the bottom of the Lift Vertical. Secure magnets hold it in place, so you’ll press down to reveal the included AA battery and the USB-A dongle to open it. It’s brilliant design and serves as onboard storage for the dongle. You can connect the Lift Vertical via Bluetooth or with the dongle — both performed just fine in my testing with no connection dropouts.
Logitech also promises two years of battery life from that single battery — I’ve only had it for a few days, so I haven’t put that to the test. Still, it’s only dropped by a few battery percentage points in that time being used between devices.
Plenty of SmartsWhen you first pair the Lift Vertical, the Logitech Options app will walk you through the setup.
Jacob Krol/TheStreet
The other appeal of the Lift Vertical is its deep integration with Logitech Options. This app for Mac and Windows lets you customize the mouse and keep it synced with all your Logitech gear — other mice, keyboards, and webcams included. It’s a friendly application and lets you get more out of the Lift Vertical.
For starters, you can customize the pointer’s speed, which is handy and honestly a needed feature. What’s different is the ability to customize the two buttons on the opposite side. You can make it effortless to go forward or backward, copy or paste, volume up or down — the possibilities are truly endless. Logitech has recommended customizations and button commands for popular applications like the Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office, and web browsers like Google Chrome or Safari. These presets will likely get you off on the right path, but you can customize these further.
The Lift Vertical can also work with a trio of devices over Bluetooth — meaning you can have the mouse connected to a laptop, a desktop, and even a tablet. You can swap between them with the tap of a button on the bottom, and the result is seamless. You can even take this further with Logitech Flow, seamlessly working between devices and enabling copy and paste between them. This is especially useful if you use both a Mac and a PC with the Lift Vertical.
These smarts level up the experience with the Lift Vertical, and while you’re physically getting adjusted to a vertical mouse, you can feel more at home with these customizations. These are exclusive software-sided features, though — many of these are available on other Logitech mice that integrate with the companion app.
Bottom lineThe Lift Vertical serves as a more affordable option and one suited for folks with smaller hands who want a vertical mouse. Furthermore, Logitech made some critical improvements with comfort in this mouse that keeps the 57-degree angle.
If you’re in the market for a vertical mouse, want to alleviate wrist pain, or even upgrade your work-from-home setup, the Lift Vertical mouse deserves a look. Remember, it will likely take a few days to get used to the new form factor, and it might not be for all. If you like the smarts and customization features, I’d recommend looking at the $79.99 MX Anywhere 3 or the $99.99 MX Master 3.
The Lift Vertical is available for $69.99 from Logitech, Amazon, and BestBuy.
Prices are accurate and items in stock at time of publishing.