With all the mousing and typing people do, you’d think products designed for ergonomic comfort — and to help avoid repetitive-strain injuy — would crop up in more computer setups. Well, today’s MacBook Pro and Mac Pro rig answers the call. The user, a smarty-pants undergrad at Harvard, relies on a Logitech MX Vertical wireless mouse setup plus a Logitech Pop Keys Mechanical Keyboard for data input.
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Logitech MX Vertical Wireless mouse setup serves undergrad in M3 MacBook Pro rig
MX Vertical's ergonomic design can reduce muscle strain because you hold it in a natural, "handshake" position. Works with macOS, iPadOS, Windows, Chrome OS and Linux.
- 4,000 DPI tracking decreases hand movement
- Rechargeable
- Takes a bit of getting used to
- Not as easy to click as traditional mice
Redditor and Harvard data science student HuBidenNavalny (“HBN”) showcased the Mac-heavy setup in a post entitled, “Broke Harvard undergrad setup for data science.” Last week we covered their M3 Pro MacBook Pro, trash can Mac Pro and other Apple gear used in data science studies. (Plus the field day commenters had with a Harvard student claiming poverty, which said student addressed pretty well.) Today we’ll look at the unusual mouse — a Logitech MX Vertical Wireless Mouse designed for ergonomic comfort.
“Most of this stuff is secondhand from eBay, oriented around processing a lot of data,” they said. They also defined the Mac Pro modifications: “Upgraded RAM and disk (with an adapter), and added a donated eGPU from the CS department to fix the common GPU failure issue.”
And here’s how they listed the impressive gear:
- Desktop machine: 2013 Mac Pro (modded trash can Xeon E5)
- Laptops: 2023 MBP 16-inch (M3 Pro/18GB/512GB), 2018 MBP 15-inch (i7/16/256), 2021 iPad Pro 12.9 inch
- Gaming machine: PS5 with plates changed to pink (also highly recommend getting the DualSense Edge controller).
- Main monitor: Older Alienware 25 inch
- Vertical monitor: Some free Dell one that came free with my used PS5.
- Headphones: B&O Beoplay Portal
Add to that the interesting input devices and you have a complete setup. In addition to the vertical mouse, the Logi keyboard is kind of cool.
“Logitech Pop Keys. Super childish keyboard ngl [not gonna lie] (it’s got a devoted emoji row), but it was $30 used at a local thrift shop!!” HBN explained.
Logitech MX Vertical Wireless Mouse
Photo: [email protected]
“How is the MX vertical (if I’m correct)? Planning to buy it or apple touch pad,” asked a commenter, misnaming Apple’s Magic Trackpad.
“For a real desk setup, the Apple Trackpad is strictly but an excellent alternate input method,” replied HBN. “It works wonders on macOS when paired with an actual mouse. I wouldn’t recommend it as an alternative to a real mouse though, for its ergonomics and many-a-times when you need to perform functions that require a clicking mouse, not a touch input that sometimes clicks.”
And HBN touched on wrist issues, but recommended “normal mice” for most people.
“Coming to the MX Vertical, it is great if you’ve got *stuff* going on in your wrist, like carpal tunnel or arthritis,” they said. “I wouldn’t steer you from trying it, but normal mice are my personal recommendation to many.”
Logitech said it designed the mouse to reduce muscle strain, decrease wrist pressure and improve posture.
“MX Vertical’s natural handshake position reduces muscular strain by 10 percent, as compared with a traditional non-vertical mouse, and promotes a more ergonomic posture,” the company noted.
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MX Vertical's ergonomic design can reduce muscle strain because you hold it in a natural, "handshake" position. Works with macOS, iPadOS, Windows, Chrome OS and Linux.
- 4,000 DPI tracking decreases hand movement
- Rechargeable
- Takes a bit of getting used to
- Not as easy to click as traditional mice
Logi mouse and keyboard:
Computers:
- 16-inch M3 Pro MacBook Pro
- 2013 Mac Pro
- 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro (Intel i7)
- 12.9-inch iPad Pro
- PlayStation 5
Display and light bar:
Audio:
If you would like to see your setup featured on Cult of Mac, send some high-res pictures to [email protected] (iPhone pics usually suffice). Please provide a detailed list of your equipment. Tell us what you like or dislike about your setup, and fill us in on any special touches, challenges and plans for new additions.
