When it comes to choosing the best vertical mouse, you want to make sure you've weighed up every possible consideration – you're going to be spending a large part of each day operating your input device, so it has to be one that you're comfortable with.
Sometimes you'll get your gadget shortlist down to two, and then it's a direct head-to-head comparison that's needed. That's what we've tried to do here, with our in-depth Posturite Penguin Ambidextrous vs Speedlink Sovos Vertical comparison article.
Both these vertical mouse models are designed to protect against issues such as repetitive strain injury (RSI) and carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), but which one comes out on top? Read on and you'll find that we've compared these devices in all the areas that matter.
Posturite Penguin Ambidextrous vs Speedlink Sovos Vertical: design
The Posturite Penguin Ambidextrous has a design that's certainly on the quirky side: it looks a bit like a penguin, hence the name. If you like a bit of whimsy on your desktop and you want something that's going to create a talking point whenever guests are around, then this is probably the best vertical mouse to go for.
As the name of the Posturite Penguin Ambidextrous gives away, you can use it with either hand. We should also mention that you've got three different sizes to pick from, and you can opt for either a wired or wireless model to best suit your setup. If you decide to go cable-free, then you can expect to get up to 30 days between charges (depending on how much you use it, of course).
As for the Speedlink Sovos Vertical, it catches the eye too, but in a different sort of way. This vertical mouse looks like it belongs in a series of gaming accessories, with its sleek black finish and the RGB lighting around the edges of the device – this is all customisable, and you've got a total of 16.7 million different colours and 10 different lighting effects to choose from.
There's no wireless option here, only wired – though you do get a nice braided USB-A cable included in the package. While the aesthetics of the Speedlink Sovos Vertical won't necessarily be to everyone's tastes, we think it just about edges out the Posturite Penguin Ambidextrous in terms of style and appearance. Your opinion may differ, and you can see these vertical mouse devices from every angle in the pictures alongside this article.
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Posturite Penguin Ambidextrous vs Speedlink Sovos Vertical: features
In terms of features, these vertical mice do exactly as you would expect: they allow you to interact with your computer. The Posturite Penguin Ambidextrous vertical mouse comes with an adjustable 400, 600, 800 or 1200 DPI sensitivity that you can set yourself, and it'll work with both Windows and macOS computers.
If you do go for the wireless Posturite Penguin Ambidextrous option, you can see the charging status via a light on the mouse itself, and there's a special battery saver mode that kicks in whenever you haven't used the device for a few minutes. It's actually coated with a special BioCote antimicrobial material too, reducing bacteria coverage by 99.99 percent according to its manufacturer.
We've already referred to the lighting customisation options available on the Speedlink Sovos Vertical higher up in this article, and you've got other ways of getting it perfectly tailored for your requirements too: there are seven different buttons that you can reprogram, though all this tweaking can only be done on Windows, limiting its appeal to those who are using Macs.
In terms of sensitivity, the DPI options are 500, 1200, 2000, 4000, 4800 or an interpolated 10000 – a bigger range than the Posturite model. With a 1000Hz polling rate too, it's a definite winner in terms of its specifications, though it's worth bearing in mind that it's designed for right-handed people.
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Posturite Penguin Ambidextrous vs Speedlink Sovos Vertical: verdict
These are two very good vertical mice, and really there is no winner and loser distinction here: just two excellent devices that we're happy to recommend. That said, different users will prioritise different features and different designs, so you may well come out of reading this guide preferring one model over another.
The Posturite Penguin Ambidextrous is the more expensive choice, and the one that's focused more on good hand and wrist health: it's been specifically designed to encourage the use of the bigger muscles in the fore and upper arm, and you've also got features such as that antimicrobial coating. If health and wellbeing are what's most important to you, maybe the Posturite is the one to go for.
Meanwhile, the Speedlink Sovos Vertical will cost you significantly less, and yet has a greater range of sensitivity options and more in the way of customisation features (if you're on Windows, at least). You can really make this vertical mouse your own when it comes to the lighting and the reprogrammable buttons. If all this appeals to you, perhaps the Speedlink model is right for you.
There's no doubt the Speedlink Sovos Vertical has a gaming feel to it, and if you're looking for something to use alongside a gaming rig, then it makes more sense to go for that model. On the other hand – quite literally, perhaps – the Posturite Penguin has that ambidextrous appeal that's right there in the name. Both these vertical mice are distinct enough to make a decision relatively easy.
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Dave has over 20 years' experience in the tech journalism industry, covering hardware and software across mobile, computing, smart home, home entertainment, wearables, gaming and the web – you can find his writing online, in print, and even in the occasional scientific paper, across major tech titles like T3, TechRadar, Gizmodo and Wired. Outside of work, he enjoys long walks in the countryside, skiing down mountains, watching football matches (as long as his team is winning) and keeping up with the latest movies.
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