The Anker Vertical Mouse remains one of the most recognizable entry points into the world of ergonomic peripherals. Designed to alleviate the "twisting" motion of the forearm associated with traditional flat mice, it offers a 60-degree "handshake" grip. While it lacks the high-end software suites and rechargeable batteries of premium rivals, its combination of simplicity, effective ergonomics, and reliable optical tracking makes it a staple for office workers and students seeking relief from RSI and carpal tunnel symptoms.

The Anker Vertical Mouse is instantly recognizable by its "shark-fin" silhouette. Unlike traditional mice that force your palm to face the desk—a position known as pronation that can compress the median nerve—the Anker shifts your hand into a neutral "handshake" posture. The build is dominated by a soft-touch matte plastic that feels surprisingly premium for its category. It resists fingerprints well and provides enough friction that you don't feel the need to "squeeze" the mouse to maintain control. However, at approximately 100 grams, the mouse feels remarkably light. While some users appreciate the lack of inertia, others may find the "hollow" feel a bit disconcerting if they are migrating from heavy-duty productivity tools. The button clicks are tactile and distinct, though the scroll wheel is plastic-heavy and lacks the weighted, infinite-scroll feel of more expensive competitors.

In day-to-day office tasks, the Anker Vertical Mouse excels. The optical sensor tracks reliably on most opaque surfaces, including wood and laminate, though a mousepad is highly recommended for glass or highly reflective desks. The DPI switch, located conveniently on the top of the unit, allows for three-stage adjustment. For spreadsheets and document editing, the 1200 DPI setting provides a sweet spot between speed and precision. The thumb buttons (Next/Previous) are positioned logically, though users with shorter thumbs might find the "Next" button requires a slight grip adjustment. The primary limitation in performance is the sensor's polling rate. If you attempt to flick the mouse quickly, as one might in an FPS game, the sensor may fail to track the movement accurately. This is strictly a productivity tool, not a performance gaming peripheral.

Anker has leaned heavily into the "Plug-and-Play" philosophy. There is no software to install, no accounts to create, and no firmware updates to manage. You simply plug in the 2.4G dongle (housed in the bottom of the mouse for travel) or the USB cable, and it works instantly. This makes it an ideal choice for corporate employees who do not have administrative rights to install software on their workstations. The transition period from a horizontal mouse to this vertical orientation typically takes about three to five days. Initially, you may find your "mousing" accuracy is slightly lower, but once the muscle memory shifts from the wrist to the forearm, the comfort benefits become apparent.

Reliability Anker is generally known for solid electronics, but the vertical mouse has a well-documented Achilles' heel: the scroll wheel. Aggregate user data suggests that after 12 to 18 months of heavy use, the encoder can become jittery, causing the screen to jump up when scrolling down. Aside from this specific component, the rest of the mouse is remarkably resilient. The matte coating does not peel as easily as some "rubberized" coatings from the early 2010s, and the primary switches are rated for millions of clicks. For the wireless version, battery life is excellent; thanks to an aggressive auto-sleep mode that kicks in after 8 minutes of inactivity, a single set of AAA batteries can last several months.

This mouse is specifically tailored for the "cubicle warrior," the coder, and the student. It is the perfect solution for anyone spending 8+ hours a day behind a screen who has started to feel a dull ache in their outer wrist or a tingling sensation in their fingers. It is also an excellent secondary mouse for travel; because it is inexpensive, the stakes of losing it or damaging it in a laptop bag are low. However, it is not recommended for video editors or graphic designers who require pixel-perfect precision, as the vertical grip can make micro-movements slightly more difficult to execute compared to a traditional "claw" or "fingertip" grip.

Long-term owners often report that they "can never go back" to a standard mouse. The reduction in forearm tension is not just marketing—it is a physical reality of the skeletal alignment the mouse provides. Many users on communities like Reddit’s r/Ergonomics mention that while they eventually upgrade to a Logitech MX Vertical or a Lift for the extra features, the Anker was the "gateway drug" that proved vertical mice work. The most common advice from long-term owners is to keep a compressed air can handy to clean the scroll wheel sensor and to be prepared for the mouse to feel "floaty" due to its low weight. Overall, it is viewed as a functional, no-frills tool that performs its primary mission—saving your wrist—exceptionally well.