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Mouse movements in OS X feels sluggish

Reimer

Reimer

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 15, 2006
154
1
I just got a mini the other day. Great little machine so far, I'm pretty happy with it. Going back and forth between my PC and the mini shows quite a difference with the mouse acceleration and tracking though.
In OS X, my mouse feels very sluggish and inaccurate as opposed to in XP. Yes, I did read up on and tried USB Overdrive and it made it a bit better but still not quite as good. Maybe it's because I'm using a wireless mouse, I don't know.

How do you guys have your mice set up?
 
Reimer said:
I just got a mini the other day. Great little machine so far, I'm pretty happy with it. Going back and forth between my PC and the mini shows quite a difference with the mouse acceleration and tracking though.
In OS X, my mouse feels very sluggish and inaccurate as opposed to in XP. Yes, I did read up on and tried USB Overdrive and it made it a bit better but still not quite as good. Maybe it's because I'm using a wireless mouse, I don't know.

How do you guys have your mice set up?
Click to expand...

Have you changed the mouse speed in system prefs?
 
stuartluff said:
Have you changed the mouse speed in system prefs?
Click to expand...

Yes I've messed around with the mouse settings in system prefs as well. I'm currently using USB Overdrive and its not perfect but its better than at the default setting.
 
It does all feel a bit sluggish at first, but you'll get used to it. Whenever I use Windows now it feels extra jumpy and REALLY jerky...
 
It does take some getting used to. That was the one thing I didn't like about OS X when I bought my iMac, but now I constantly switch between XP, Linux and OS X and don't notice any difference. There is a difference if I look for it, but I've adapted and so will you within a couple of weeks.
 
Killyp said:
It does all feel a bit sluggish at first, but you'll get used to it. Whenever I use Windows now it feels extra jumpy and REALLY jerky...
Click to expand...

Yea I agree, when I use windows in my office for an hour then jump back onto my mac, my mouse feels so much more sturdy and efficient. But I can see how it could feel "sluggish" to a new mac convert.

You'll get used to it mate, and end up prefering it Im sure.
 
Yep, its very slugish, very annoying, and there is no way to fix it. It has to do with the way the acceleration curve is handled under OSX, and there really isn't any good way to change it. Believe me, i've been looking for years. As others have recommended, all you can do is get used to it, although the Windows acceleration curve does feel far superior to me.
 
CubeHacker said:
although the Windows acceleration curve does feel far superior to me.
Click to expand...
You mean the lack of an acceleration curve.

I guess I can see how, relative to Windows, the mouse in OS X could feel "slow", but it's only slow if you make small movements with the mouse. Turn up the tracking speed in the System Preferences and it should be more than fast enough.

Thread about the same thing just the other day: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/236744/
 
apfhex said:
You mean the lack of an acceleration curve.
Click to expand...

Exactly. If I remember my history correctly, the mouse acceleration feature has been a part of the MacOS from the very start and Windows mouse movement has always been linear. Once you get used the Mac method, pointing a Windows mouse feels about as comfortable as tap-dancing on an oil slick.
 
As far as I can tell, the Mac 'curve' is far more tuned for accuracy than the PC way. Yes, they are different, but give it a good chance before making up your mind.
 
I know some third party mouses have software that gives you many more options in adjusting the way the mouse moves. I think the software i used from kensington let you completely customize the acceleration curve.
 
IJ Reilly said:
....pointing a Windows mouse feels about as comfortable as tap-dancing on an oil slick.
Click to expand...

What a lovely analogy :)

Very true too. I found the mouse pointer to be very annoying at first because of it's relative slowness compared to windows but like most people here have alluded to, once you get used to it the Windows way feels really clumsy and hurried.
 
Yeah, I spent hours trying to get my Logitech mouse... up to speed. (The Logitech Control Center software is notoriously buggy).

Anyway, after giving on a fast/linear feel I've really come to appreciate the built-in mouse drivers. In fact, gaming was my concern, and many of the fps games I've played on the mac feel as though their "tuned" to the built-in drivers, offering better control (at least on the mac) than some of the PC-like driver substitutes.
 
IJ Reilly said:
Exactly. If I remember my history correctly, the mouse acceleration feature has been a part of the MacOS from the very start and Windows mouse movement has always been linear. Once you get used the Mac method, pointing a Windows mouse feels about as comfortable as tap-dancing on an oil slick.
Click to expand...


Unfortunatly, I don't feel the same way. The mouse movements under OSX feel slow, slugish, and I am constantly hitting the edge of my mousepad before I hit the edge of the screen, especially when trying to make slower movements. Under windows I can fly around the desktop with no problem. Gaming under OSX is even worse - VERY difficult to aim in a FPS type game and keep competative.
 
CubeHacker said:
Unfortunatly, I don't feel the same way. The mouse movements under OSX feel slow, slugish, and I am constantly hitting the edge of my mousepad before I hit the edge of the screen, especially when trying to make slower movements. Under windows I can fly around the desktop with no problem. Gaming under OSX is even worse - VERY difficult to aim in a FPS type game and keep competative.
Click to expand...

Quick mouse movements translate into fast cursor movements. You should not run out of desk real estate unless you are mousing very slowly. I do keep my tracking speed at maximum, though. It's better than it was in the early versions of OSX, when third-party mouse accelerators were a virtual necessity, but I think Apple still needs to make the ceiling higher. Regardless, I do find mousing in Windows to be annoyingly skittish.
 
CubeHacker said:
The mouse movements under OSX feel slow, slugish, and I am constantly hitting the edge of my mousepad before I hit the edge of the screen, especially when trying to make slower movements.
Click to expand...

I get from one corner to it's diagonal opposite on my 17" PowerBook using less than half of the equivalent distance on my trackpad, so either you're settings are set really really low, or your moving your finger far too slowly.
 
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