Mice with side buttons

Side buttons

— the presence of side buttons in the design of a mouse or trackball.

In accordance with the name, such buttons are located on the side of the case. Their presence significantly expands the capabilities of the device: the user has the opportunity to perform additional actions with the mouse without changing the grip and without removing the hand from the manipulator. But the specific number, location and use of the side buttons may be different. So, one of the most popular options is two keys on the left side, under the right hand; in most operating systems and everyday programs (such as browsers), such keys are by default responsible for the “Forward” and “Back” commands, and in games they are convenient to use for some specific actions (reloading, using, etc.). Advanced models can be equipped with more side buttons. For example, among gaming mice, the option “2 buttons on each side of the body” is quite popular: with a symmetrical shape, this makes the mouse equally comfortable for both the right and left hands, and with a certain skill, it is quite possible to use all 4 buttons (by pressing the second pair with the ring finger and/or little finger). In some gaming devices, a whole mini-keyboard for more than a dozen keys is provided on the side. But a more modest option — just one side button — is extremely rare nowadays.

Also note that models with interchangeable side panels (see "Functions and Capabilities") can be equipped with accessories with a different number of side keys — for different application formats.