SpaceMouse Pro

If you're looking at this product you're a serious CAD user, so I'll be blunt; get this 3D mouse and you'll be extremely happy. There is a learning curve and you need to train your left hand, but once you configure the mouse to maneuver the product the way you visualize it in your mind, this becomes an extension of yourself into the computer. The software from 3D Connexion is simple and powerful. You can change direction and speed of every axis, including which axis on the nub zooms (pulling the nub in the +/-Z or the +/- Y). The 5 buttons on top are fully customizable for every screen in your CAD software. I've used this with Solid Works and Inventor (both run flawlessly) and the software recognizes each program, recognizes the mode I'm in (sketch, part, assembly, drawing, etc) and runs that specific button layout. (For example, when making a drawing Button1 is my Smart Dimension shortcut, but when I'm in assembly mode, Button1 automatically switches to my constraint shortcut. You'll have to specify in the 3D Connexion program what button you wish to do what, but the software has made that incredibly easy.) Once you get the mouse set up and get used to it, it's amazing how much more efficient you become at your workstation. All of the most used keys are on this unit (Esc, Enter, Tab, Alt) and are activated by your pinky. There are view modifiers on the thumb spot. This product has been designed by people who use it every day, and it shows. This product is fairly expensive, but I view it as a tool. I would have no problem buying a quality set of power tools if it made my life easier, so I don't see a problem purchasing this to make my desk life more efficient and enjoyable. Its an investment, it's made extremely well, and if you don't abuse it it will work for many years to come. Bottom line: If you are serious about your CAD performance invest in one of these products and become the envy of your coworkers.

I bought this device here from Amazon a few months ago and wanted to give it a real workout before I wrote a review. I can't even describe how painful it would be to try and model something without this on my desk going forward. It's literally like reaching into your monitor and grabbing a mesh with your hand while you work on it with your regular mouse. That's not to say its a completely natural thing to pick up right away - I imagine it has about the same learning curve as a Segway, where at first you'd swear a sneeze would cause you to run over the nearest 6 yr old, but soon with a little practice you're chasing down geese around the park while that tour guide is yelling at you. It comes with a little training program that helps, and the software lets you setup sensitivites in various axes to tune it to your liking. Took me about a week to really settle in to using it 100%, and most of that was breaking old habits. The main benefit is really time savings. Even with extra mice buttons and keyboard shortcuts, you really cant Pan and Orbit and Zoom simultaneously with a standard planar 2D mouse. This guy has 6 degrees of freedom and can handle all that no problem. Often you have to stop whatever operation you're doing to manuever your work object and then go back to that operation. With this thing, it's like the program doesn't even know you're handling the object. Also, its got like 15 some buttons you can program (incl one that pops up an on-screen numpad) so you almost never need to touch the keyboard. I can honestly say after months of use, I'm completing projects 2-3 times faster than I was previously... and if that's worth $300 to you then definitely buy this bad boy right now. To be fair and balanced, here's some of the downsides. Make sure you go to their website and do a product search for which software applications you can use this for before you get it. For example, it would be genius if this thing worked in either Mudbox or ZBrush for digital sculpting and painting. I stink at both those programs and it works great in 3DS Max - so no problems for me personally - though I do tend to grab it when working in UDK and wonder why nothing's happening. I also wish it had a simple power switch on it somewhere... One so it doesnt draw power off the USB port when I'm not using it, and two cuz when I hop into a game of BF3 I often wonder why my guy has Parkinsons until I remember to crawl under my desk and unplug this device. Other than that - LED is nice and strong, it's never lost calibration, never crashed a driver, hasn't given me carpaltunnel and it doesnt bug me about software updates every 7 days. Best thing I have connected to my computer.

I've been using this "mouse" for about a month. I previoously purchased and have used the "basic" SpaceMouse for several years, and have enjoyed using this supermouse since purchasing. The majority of the time I use this mouse with Bluebeam Revu, and it works flawlessly with the program. The main thing I like about this Pro version over the basic is the handrest and added weight- the basic version can come off the desk when you pull up on the large dial to zoom out. A bit annoying, but definitely a First World problem. This Pro version is heavier, and with your wrist resting on the mouse, it never leaves the surface of the desk. The various keys customize for each program, so that's a huge help- all the most used functions are a click away. I also use the mouse with SketchUp and Navisworks, and it's a productivity enhancer on those as well. Sure, $280 is a bit tough to get over, but once you have it you'll love it. I'd buy it again. I now use the basic mouse at home, and the Pro at work- I'm a happy camper. The mouse is solid and has a high-quality feel and function to it.

Difficult to start with

Mi esposo lo compró para realizar renders en AutoCAD y otros programas, dice que se ahorra tiempo en realizar planos. Lo recomienda ampliamente.

以前コンパクトタイプを購入したのですが、動かすと微妙に向きが変わってしまい、モデルの回転に支障をきたし結構ストレスで手放しました。それでもCADマウスでは難しい視点移動やモデルチェックも楽に行えたのがよかったので購入しました。パームレストで押さえるので機器も安定してますし上方向が身体で認識できるのが良いです。ボタンは沢山付いていますしカスタマイズも自由ですがプロパティメニュー呼び出しボタンは変更せずに使うとソフトと微調整して行くとき便利です。硬くなくフニャフニャでもなく押しやすいです。 使ってるプリンタより高いですが買ってよかったです。

Una vez que te acostumbras es un dispositivo indispensable para el CAD, la integración con los software que uso (powershape) no es del todo optima (se pierde la configuración de la velocidad) pero nada que no se puede remediar

I am happy with this mouse product.its really helpful to design my 3d PCB Design Best regards Attarde vikas