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We see a lot of gear at Ars Technica. Plenty of keyboards and mice have come across the desks of our reviewers and editors, from mechanical models to the slew of low-profile keys that are attached to the decks of laptops and notebooks. A few notable picks even get our stamp of approval. But do our editors put their money where their fingers are?

In the spirit of Chairs Technica , we asked our staff members what they rely on to stay productive, game, and create content. Through the clickety-clacks of their typing, this is the gear our editors told us they swear by.

Eric Bangeman: Apple Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad

It's subtle, but this Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad combo matches the green iMac. (credit: Samuel Axon)

Believe it or not, I love the Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad. And it’s not just because they match my Apple gear perfectly (they do) or because I care about aesthetics (I do).

Enlarge / Microsoft's "green-eye" mouse, the first Microsoft-branded mouse the company sold. (credit: Microsoft )

If I asked you to name Microsoft's best-known and longest-lived product, you'd almost certainly say "Windows." But another one of the company's products has been on the market for even longer: its mice.

Microsoft started selling its first computer mice in 1983 , a year or two before the Macintosh and other computers made pointing devices standard-issue and two years before the first version of Windows was released. The Microsoft Natural Keyboard followed in 1994 . Since then, the company has offered a range of Microsoft-branded PC accessories, from successful ones like the Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard to short-lived experiments like Microsoft SideWinder gamepads and joysticks .

Microsoft-made mice and keyboards aren't going away, but the Microsoft brand name is. The company told The Verge that it will stop selling Microsoft-branded keyboards, mice, and other accessories following a series of layoffs that affected its hardware division. The company will refocus its efforts on higher-end Surface-branded keyboards and mice, which represent just a tiny fraction of all the accessories Microsoft currently sells .

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Your gut has an obvious job: It processes the food you eat. But it has another important function: It protects you from the bacteria, viruses, or allergens you ingest along with that food. “The largest part of the immune system in humans is the GI tract, and our biggest exposure to the world is what we put in our mouth,” says Michael Helmrath, a pediatric surgeon at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center who treats patients with intestinal diseases.

Sometimes this system malfunctions or doesn’t develop properly, which can lead to gastrointestinal conditions like ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and celiac—all of which are on the rise worldwide. Studying these conditions in animals can only tell us so much, since their diets and immune systems are very different from ours.

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There are a lot of cookie-cutter mice that, though made by different manufacturers, have the same shapes and features but rely on mild changes in color or sensor specs to differentiate themselves. So when Razer announced the Viper Mini Signature Edition (SE) today, a wireless mouse that looks like it forgot to get dressed, we took notice.

The Viper Mini SE uses a magnesium alloy chassis "exoskeleton," as Razer describes it. Lines of dark gray stretch across the mouse's palm area, creating a web-like design and bold, gaping holes. Razer's using an extreme take on the honeycomb design, which has holes drilled into a mouse's chassis to reduce weight. However, the typical honeycomb mouse, like the Glorious Model I , has many more holes that are smaller, while the Viper Mini SE has holes that are so big, it looks like you could poke your finger through them.

It'll be easy for dust to fall into those openings. (credit: Razer)

At first look, I was immediately concerned about the mouse's durability. Despite what Razer claims, I still think I'm more likely to break a mouse with 18 holes in it than one with none. Large openings can also attract dust and debris, but bigger holes should make the mouse easier to clean with an air blower than a honeycomb mouse topped with more, smaller openings.

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What goes up must come down, the tech industry is feeling that law right now. From historically low PC sales to depressing waves of layoffs hitting big names like Google , Microsoft , Amazon , and HP , companies are having to readjust after getting used to business-fueling pandemic conditions like lockdowns and working from home. The latest is Logitech, one of the kings of the tech pandemic boom, which is painting us another picture of the downsides that come with those short-lived highs.

On Monday, Logitech announced its Q3 fiscal year 2023 results, which covers the three-month period ending December 31, 2022. Sales fell 22 percent compared to Q3 of the prior fiscal year. This includes drops in PC webcams (49 percent decline), audio and wearables (34 percent), mobile speakers (32 percent), keyboard and keyboard combos (22 percent), and pointing devices (14 percent). In the nine-month period ending on December 31, Logitech saw a 16 percent decline in year-over-year net sales. (This includes streaming services revenue from its Streamlabs division.)

That's quite the contrast from May, when Logitech announced record sales from April 2021 to March 31, 2022 (fiscal year 2022), and from April 2021, when the company announced a 76 percent increase in sales year-over-year from April 2020 to March 2021.

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Trackballs aren't exactly a trendy PC accessory. Their heavy, clunky builds bring dated vibes to office setups . And despite 73 years of existence , trackballs have been usurped by modern mice and trackpads as the preferred forms of computing input. But despite their low mainstream popularity, trackball mice still hold a place in many people's hearts.

If you have a physical issue such as carpal tunnel syndrome or a repetitive strain injury that makes repeated movements difficult and/or painful, you may be one of those people holding onto a trackball mouse. While generally larger and heavier than traditional mice, trackball mice make it easier to keep your hand and arm in a neutral position and avoid pronation.

Kensington released the wireless SlimBlade Pro Trackball mouse this week. (credit: Kensington)

And because you don't push trackball mice around the top of your desk, they can be more accommodating of tight workspaces. Some trackball fanatics also praise the precision they can achieve with the gentle twisting of the right trackball. But there's definitely a learning curve to using them, and they aren't for everyone. And a good trackball mouse may not be as fast or precise as your best PC mouse with a traditional design.

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Mice for MMO games have a special appeal. These button-laden peripherals are intended to make laying down combos in games a breeze. But their high programmability gives them great potential for much more, including heavy-duty productivity. One of the most popular MMO mice, the Razer Naga series, received an update on Thursday. Offering up to 20 customizable buttons is still the Naga's main prize, but Razer has also made the scroll wheel much more interesting.

The Razer Naga V2 Pro is similar to the wired Razer Naga X since it comes with three side plates, granting the bank of inputs by the thumb with two, six, or 12 programmable buttons.

Like Naga mice before it, the new Naga V2 Pro X has interchangeable side plates. (credit: Razer)

Combined with other buttons on the mouse, like the scroll wheel and button south of that, there are 22 programmable inputs total—you just have to download Razer's Synapse app to make the most of them.

Enlarge / Dell's MS700 Bluetooth Travel Mouse. (credit: Scharon Harding)

There's something to be said about a portable PC peripheral. With many people working in various locations and pairing PC accessories with various devices, portability has become a necessity for many. The Dell MS700 Bluetooth Travel Mouse released today prioritizes portability with Bluetooth connectivity and, more interestingly, the ability to twist into a flatter shape.

The twisted mouse is similar to mice like Microsoft's bendable Surface Arc but stands out with its ability to easily toggle across multiple paired devices, plus a cozy texture. But these are about the only enjoyable things about using the MS700.

Dell's MS700 felt scratchy when I moved it around or made extended swipes, and the touch-scroll strip is an inadequate replacement for a scroll wheel. And there are very few customization options with this $65 (MSRP) mouse.

Enlarge / Logitech G705 wireless mouse. (credit: Scharon Harding)

I'll admit it; I have a lot of PC mice. And it's not just because I review them. Between traveling, multiple computers, gaming, and my living room, I have interest in multiple mice that cater to different needs.

One of those needs is portability. Sure, it's easy enough to find a mouse that's wireless and lightweight, but often that comes with limited comfort and/or pared-down features.

At first glance, Logitech's G705 wireless mouse, announced in late July, seemed too minute to pack real power or accommodate anything but smaller hands. But a few hours into using the peripheral have shown me there's more than meets the eye in this tiny mouse.