Microsoft Revives Surface Mouse With Haptic Feedback and $80 Price

Microsoft included the mouse in a blog post announcing new Surface devices, ZDNet reported. Microsoft discontinued its lineup of keyboards and mice in 2023. Since then, phone case and accessory maker Incase has been selling a new round of peripherals designed by Microsoft, according to ZDNet.

The new mouse's haptic feedback is intended to create a sensation when a user clicks on the screen, snaps a window into place, or aligns an object. Microsoft promises the sensation will be subtle but noticeable, ZDNet reported. The mouse also includes a customizable action button. Although it is designed for use with Copilot, users can change it to perform other actions through Microsoft's Surface app. The app comes preinstalled on Surface laptops but is available for non-Surface computers via the Microsoft Store, ZDNet reported.

ZDNet writer Adam Doud, who went hands-on with new Surface devices, offered a mixed assessment of the action button. The mouse can be reprogrammed to do different things, he found, but it cannot be customized for each app individually in the way some other mice allow, according to ZDNet.

Microsoft also said the mouse would offer everyday shortcuts. The new model has a redesigned ambidextrous shape so it can be used in either hand, a feature that ZDNet noted is useful for left-handed users who often cannot use certain mice. It is equipped with Bluetooth 6.0, allowing users to pair it with different computers and devices and switch among them, and it is made with 30% recycled plastic.

The original Surface Mouse and Microsoft's IntelliMouse have been unavailable from Microsoft for years, ZDNet reported. The publication's writer said they currently use a Microsoft IntelliMouse purchased on eBay because it has not been sold in retail stores for some time. The writer added that the new Surface Mouse is expected to earn a spot on their desk when it becomes available in October.