Bluetooth technology, while super convenient, does come with its fair share of limitations. It’s well-known for issues like latency and instability thanks to interference. Plus, a Bluetooth device can only pair with a maximum of three devices at once. But hey, on the bright side, Bluetooth lets you ditch the dongles, and at least for audio, it’s steadily getting better.
Bluetooth mice, though, feel kinda stuck in the past, leading to a constant back-and-forth between Bluetooth and wireless radio tech. The latter offers better consistency and flexibility, but it means you’ve gotta sacrifice a USB port, which is getting harder to find on laptops these days. Luckily, a clever redesign of the classic wireless mouse receiver might just be the answer we’ve been waiting for.
Designer: Sanwa Supply
A wireless receiver acts like a device that’s connected to a wireless mouse permanently, allowing it to be used across multiple devices that have USB connectivity and mouse support. These dongles are typically minimalistic, but they still take up a whole USB slot, meaning you’ll have one less port for all those other important peripherals. With the advancements in USB tech today, this should be totally fixable.
Though it might not have the most exciting name, the Sanwa Direct 400-MAWBT209BK wireless mouse brings a fresh take on this age-old issue. Instead of just being a plain stick or tiny block, the receiver is designed as a multi-port USB-C hub that includes both HDMI and USB-C ports. This design basically gets back that lost connection, while also adding features that nowadays laptops may lack, since some have totally removed larger ports like HDMI and USB-A.
It’s not exactly a cure-all, though. The USB-C port needs to have features like high-speed data transfer and video output. Most laptops today do come with at least one of these features, so that’s usually a safe bet. There are also other things to consider, like the fact that maxing out the USB-C port on the receiver can mess with the wireless signal to the mouse. On the upside, this receiver can still work as a regular multi-port hub even when the mouse isn’t in use.
Interestingly, the Sanwa Direct 400-MAWBT209BK wireless mouse also supports Bluetooth mode which is great for those occasions when a receiver just doesn’t cut it. This could come in handy for tablets where connecting a USB hub might be a bit awkward or unappealing. It gives users flexibility to pick the best option for thier needs.
