New Microsoft mice showcase design and feature refinements

The new Wireless Laser Mouse 6000 comes with a snap-in wireless transceiver.

(Credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft announced two new mice this morning, both of which hit stores next month. We got to do a bit of hands-on this morning, after Microsoft came through for an in-person preview.

The Wireless Laser Mouse 6000 will go for $50 and comes with a snap-in USB 2.4GHz wireless transceiver that snaps in to the bottom of the mouse. Snap-in transceivers are more commonly associated with laptop mice, but Microsoft says it sees a significant number of laptop users who want a full-sized mouse.

The Wireless Laser Mouse 7000 will be the least expensive rechargeable mouse.

(Credit: Microsoft )

The Wireless Laser Mouse 7000 is a little more swank. For one, it's rechargeable, with a flat-lying base station whose shape conforms to the bottom surface of the mouse. The compact, efficient design of the charging station is a dramatic improvement over the is an improvement over the clunky hunk of plastic that came with Microsoft's older Wireless Laser Mouse 8000. The Wireless Laser 7000 and its $70 price tag also takes a swing at Logitech, whose least expensive recharging mouse, the G7, goes for $80.