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Power hungry Magic Mouse

L

Lankyman

macrumors 68020
Original poster
May 14, 2011
2,083
832
U.K.
Does anyone else find the Magic Mouse somewhat power hungry? We have had the latest iMac since July and we are already well into the second set of batteries. The first lot supplied by Apple were rubbish but even the Duracell super duper ones I have in now are already down to half power. I know I could easily use rechargeable's but they would last even less time.

Our previous C2D iMac didn't eat them as bad as this new one?
 
Lankyman said:
Does anyone else find the Magic Mouse somewhat power hungry? We have had the latest iMac since July and we are already well into the second set of batteries. The first lot supplied by Apple were rubbish but even the Duracell super duper ones I have in now are already down to half power. I know I could easily use rechargeable's but they would last even less time.

Our previous C2D iMac didn't eat them as bad as this new one?
Click to expand...

How? rechargeable batteries hold more power ... the mah come in various sizes so just by a large capacity rechargeable set.
 
I use 2800mA rechargeable batteries and do well to get two weeks out of them. I have used lithium cells and they last much longer, but are just to expensive.
 
I have to replace my rechargeables on both my Magic Mouse AND Magic TrackPad every two days.
 
The rechargeable batteries in my MM last 3-4 weeks. I bought them from Ikea and they're only 2000 mAh. They were 10 bucks with the charger.
Even if you get less time, save the environment and use less batteries.
 
I purchased my iMac at the end of July. I am still on my original set of batteries that came with the magic mouse. They are getting low now though, just checked 8% left.
 
I went through a number of expensive Lithium batteries but have since switched to a bulk pack of inexpensive batteries from Ikea. The battery swaps are less noticeable now.
 
I gave up on my magic mice (I have 2) I use logitech m310's all over the house. yeah they take up a usb port but they are pretty much bullet proof come in a dozen colors use one battery. these are pretty much a killer compared to the magic mouse.



http://www.logitech.com/en-us/mice-pointers/mice/devices/6686



http://www.ebay.com/itm/LOGITECH-M3...ING-/230673748988?pt=Mice&hash=item35b53a13fc

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Logitech-M3...675-/110735976826?pt=Mice&hash=item19c860e97a

http://www.target.com/s?searchTerm=logitech+m310&category=0|All|matchallany|all+categories

the magic mouse gestures are not that big of a deal for me and the magic mice cost more break more etc.
 
I can get about 2 weeks of use out of my magic mouse before swapping out the batteries. It's more of an inconvenience, really, since all I have to do is swap out the batteries on my wall charger with the dead ones in the mouse.

Wish the MM could use batteries like my apple KB, though; it came with my refurbed mac last month with the stock batteries, and still reports 100% charge remaining :)
 
Wow! I get like over a month, closer to two, off one set of rechargeable Apple batteries. The original batteries lasted for months.

Is it possible that it's not sleeping properly or something is moving the mouse keeping it awake? I wonder if there's a bad bunch of mice out there that don't sleep when they should... I'm using the three that I have with a Mac Pro, an older 1st gen aluminum iMac and a MacBook Pro, late 2010 I think. I leave them turned on, but get honestly a lot of time on a charge it seems. Not days or weeks at least.

I did have one of the earlier Logitech mice and the battery life was bad and switched to a Microsoft wireless mouse and the battery life was worse. I had given up totally on wireless mice until the Magic Mouse. I think I actually have four of them, one in my traveling case. I'm sold on the Magic Mouse. Love it!

Could the low battery life be a system problem? I have the mice set to be favorite's. Could that make a difference?
 
Inductive Charger for Magic Mouse

I purchased the Mobee Magic Charger (Apple Store: $49.95). It's an inductive charger with 2 rechargeable batteries that remain in the Magic Mouse and are charged by placing the mouse on a charging pad. After having to replace the original Magic Charger due to a broken cable, the charger has worked as advertised for the past 5 months. The batteries last 1 1/2 to 2 weeks before needing a recharge which usually takes 6 hours. The recharging is no hassle since I switch to using my wired mouse which is kept connected to the keyboard. The problem I have with the Magic Charger is that to get a complete charge without the red charge failed light is to place the mouse slightly off center and askew to the pad. I purchased the Magic Charger because it would be cheaper than replacing batteries, and it would be more convenient than removing/installing batteries between the Magic Mouse and a charger.

No, I'm not getting a commission for selling Magic Chargers! I'm still smarting from having to pay 8 bucks to return the original charger to Mobee and with the state sales tax charged by the Apple Store, I ended up paying over $60 for the charger. It will be a bit longer before I get a return on my investment.
 
I bought my iMac in late May and am still on the original set of batteries in my Magic Mouse. I do use my MacBook Pro most of the time (since I am in grad school) so my usage is likely to be considerably less than others, but the mouse has been on continuously since then and is only now reaching the end of their life (about 6% remaining).
 
To draw a comparison, I have a Logitech Laser wireless mouse, when in use the batteries for that last on average 3 months whether I use it for the PC or the iMac? I don't consider the MM to be very green and consider Apple need to look at this item again. If others can produce a mouse that doesn't eat batteries then why can't Apple? :confused:
 
Lankyman said:
To draw a comparison, I have a Logitech Laser wireless mouse, when in use the batteries for that last on average 3 months whether I use it for the PC or the iMac? I don't consider the MM to be very green and consider Apple need to look at this item again. If others can produce a mouse that doesn't eat batteries then why can't Apple? :confused:
Click to expand...

this is my exact conclusion. 2 batts vs 1

the 1 batt mouse last 2x to 3x longer!

Apple what is up with that?
 
I use 1900mAh Eneloop rechargeables on my Magic Mouse and get at least a month of use before I need to swap them out. That's with 5-6 hours a day of heavy use. I have four batteries and just keep two in the charger to switch out.

Maybe you've got a defective Magic Mouse. :(
 
Power Hungry Mouse

pinky_and_the_brain_article.jpg


This mouse is power hungry...and wants to conquer the world...


Sorry...I can't help it!
 
After I got a track-pad i havent got any use for that mouse(yes it sucks power), and rechargeable battery is the way forward to save the enviroment for all the waste, in fact I think apple should supply them with the iMac's together with a recharger and/or a direct charge line into the keyboard and trackpads... :)
 
I Thought

WeetaBiXie said:
Are you on 24 mouse with both hands?! :D

I get 2 or 2 and a half weeks maximum with Apple Rechargeable or Eneloop Batteries with normal daily use, maybe 6-7 hours a day.
Click to expand...

I was bad, but 2 day's? could be a record there. What I have noticed is that store bought mid-range batteries were lasting me about a week or so. A friend told me NOT to use rechargeable batteries, but of course he was wrong...:mad:

After spending £££ I doubled checked on the Apple support site, and now use high capacity rechargeable cells. Problem solved. Friend shot :D:D
 
Actually, I've used all sorts of rechargeables, from the run-of-the-mill to
Apple's NI-MHs with their charger; I'm on my 2nd Magic Trackpad (the first one simply died); the average life span of both the trackpad & mouse batteries is a few days, and yes, I DO keep both trackpad and mouse running because when the Bluetooth connection quits on one, I use the other one to go to the upper track-bar where the Bluetooth connection thingy is and reconnect whichever one has lost its connection.
 
i get a week, 2 if very lucky and i use the 2,800 ones, yes im on it most days but if i had normal batteries not re charge-ables i would spend a mint.
or get a usb one :)
 
RThom said:
I have to replace my rechargeables on both my Magic Mouse AND Magic TrackPad every two days.
Click to expand...

I wonder if there's some kind of interference going on between the two devices, and that's what causes the high power drain. I'd have no idea how to check that hypothesis sadly!
 
I have to say that I'm tempted to go back to my Logitech Laser. It can't do the whizz scrolling that the MM can do but at least I only use one battery every three months and it is certainly far more ergonomic than the MM.
 
PinkyMacGodess said:
...I wonder if there's a bad bunch of mice out there that don't sleep when they should...
Click to expand...

I wondered the same thing. I used to get between 3-4 months of life out of a set of Energizer lithium batteries in my Magic Mouse (I use a trackpad now). My brother insists that he only gets about 2-3 weeks, and he is a very light computer user. I wonder if there are bad mice out there.
 
pbrooks said:
I wondered the same thing. I used to get between 3-4 months of life out of a set of Energizer lithium batteries in my Magic Mouse (I use a trackpad now). My brother insists that he only gets about 2-3 weeks, and he is a very light computer user. I wonder if there are bad mice out there.
Click to expand...

I remember when the MM first came out, they ate batteries then and Apple issued a software update that appeared to cure the issue. My C2D iMac MM didn't eat power the way this new one does. I'm wondering if Lion may be partly to blame, just a thought.
 
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