Sensitivity:
Adjusting your mouse sensitivity is the most important aspect of making
sure you get the most out of your new sUrface1030. There are multiple factors
to take into consideration and we highly advise that you take 10-15 minutes to
play with the various settings and fine tune them to your preference.
A change in mouse surface can dramatically change your mouse movement
sensitivity and therefore the interaction with your computer. The first
settings to adjust are your Windows/Mac mouse sensitivity settings, and
depending on the brand of mouse you use you will most often have 2 primary
settings for adjusting sensitivity; a general sensitivity/speed setting, and
an acceleration setting. The sensitivity setting adjusts how quickly the mouse
cursor will respond to mouse movements in general. The acceleration setting
increases the response from the mouse when making fast mouse movements.
In general we find that the most effective sensitivity for gaming is achieved
when no acceleration is used and we suggest starting out with acceleration
turned off. This allows for a more direct hand-eye movement correlation when
mousing, and should produce more natural and consistent movements.
While acceleration is not necessary, and in some cases can make the mouse
difficult to control, some people find it useful for maintaining a lower
general sensitivity setting allowing for more precise movements in a small
area, while not sacrificing the ability to move quickly over a large area when
needed. One example of this would be in a First Person Shooter title when
needing to maintain a high level of accuracy with a low sensitivity, yet
allowing for quicker 180 degree turns with the acceleration setting. A second
example would be professionals wanting precise control in graphic/design
applications, while maintaining the ability to move across a large screen
quickly between toolbars and menus. Again, depending on your hardware this
type of balance can also be achieved without enabling acceleration and you
should test the different settings to find what functions best for you.
Additional sensitivity settings are often included within games and you should
check these settings when first running the game with your new sUrface1030. In
general a lower sensitivity will increase your accuracy and precision, while a
high sensitivity can allow for faster movement and mobility. If you have
trouble aiming/targeting try lowering your sensitivity and acceleration
settings. Similarly if you find you are having to pick up the mouse a lot to
turn and/or move try increasing your sensitivity slightly until you find a
good balance.
We highly recommend you repeat these steps after installing a new mouse as all
mice can react differently.
Mouse ‘Feet’:
A mouse has what is often referred to as ‘feet’ that are pieces of plastic
or Teflon on the bottom of the mouse to help it move properly. Residue can
sometimes build up onto these feet and create ‘drag’ affecting the performance
of your mouse. Wipe off the mouse feet with your finger or a cloth to ensure
they remain smooth and provide consistent movement. Use a lightly dampened
cloth for cleaning heavy build up, taking care not to get any other portion of
the mouse wet. This step is often overlooked in maintaining your mouse and can
provide a quick improvement. If you experience excessive drag or friction from
your mouse the Teflon feet may have worn away causing the hard plastic to come
in contact with the mousing surface. If this occurs you may want to replace
the mouse or look into replacement mouse feet. Products such as LIQUID
anti-friction treatment by Func Industries can also be used to reduce friction
between your mouse feet and mousing surface.
Ball mouse users:
NOTE - We highly suggest upgrading to a current model optical or laser mouse. These technologies have been refined significantly and have solved outstanding issues that had caused many of us to continue using mechanical/ball technology.
If you are using a ball mouse and notice inconsistencies in your mouse movements it could be due to your mouse being dirty. For most mechanical/ball mice there will be two or three ‘rollers’ inside the ball-cage that your mouse ball comes in contact with and have a tendency to collect particles of debris. These rollers are what communicate information to the computer reacting to your mouse movements, and therefore play an important role in getting the most performance out of your mouse. When you have dust and particle build up on the wheels and ball of the mouse, it can cause inconsistencies in mouse movement and therefore degrade performance. To clean your mouse follow the proper instructions provided to you by your mouse manufacturer.