If your mouse wheel only scrolls in two directions, you’re missing out

No doubt you use your mouse’s scroll wheel to scroll up and down in browser windows and in programs like Microsoft Word – perhaps without even realizing it. If you’re a gamer, you may even find it to be the quickest way to swap items or weapons.

But if you’re just scrolling on your y-axis, you’re really missing out! Both gaming and general-use mice also come with four-directional scroll wheels now and getting one can really revolutionize your work or play. Here’s why…

Speed up workflow

When it comes to productivity, setting up the tools you need for an efficient workflow is a no-brainer. Most people will do that with a mouse that has two-directional scrolling, but a mouse with four-directional scrolling, like this $20 one, gives you more options to personalize that workflow.

To illustrate that point, with a normal two-directional mouse you’re likely to see disruptions to your workflow if you’re, say, scrolling up/down but need to use your keyboard for commands like Ctrl + Shift to move horizontally through app windows or spreadsheets, since you will have to pause and switch between peripherals.

But with four scrolling directions in your mouse wheel, you won’t be burdened by that problem. In fact, the two additional scroll directions may well be enough for you to avoid having to use a hybrid setup altogether. Another advantage is you get finer pointer control. That’s especially beneficial for creative professionals like graphic designers that need pinpoint accuracy.

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The other way a mouse with a four-directional scroll wheel can improve productivity is by giving you quicker access to your shortcuts. If you don’t want or need horizonal scrolling, you can simply assign shortcuts there that will speed up your workflow.

Common commands like cut and paste, or redo and undo are top choices and can save you the hassle of laboriously clicking and selecting commands from menus, reaching for keyboard shortcuts, or searching through cluttered taskbars.

Better ergonomics

“Give your wrist a break,” could be the official motto of mice with four-directional scroll wheels. That’s because by being able to scroll horizontally with just your finger you don’t have to move your mouse from side to side as much, thereby saving your wrist from excess tension and strain.

If you’re prone to wrist issues that can affect your ability to work, like carpal tunnel syndrome, this functionality could be just the break you need to put some comfort back into your workday. Logitech’s MX Ergo is notable for its ergonomic design, which includes a four-directional scroll wheel. It also comes with a trackball for even easier cursor control.

More flexibility in gaming

Four-directional scroll wheels are useful for gaming too, which is why so many gaming mice have them. Some of my favorite models include the Turtle Beach Kone II, Logitech G502X, and the Razer Basilisk V3. These are all top-performing gaming mice with accurate and quick sensors, and their four-directional scroll wheels add to their versatility.

The Logitech G502X

Dominic Bayley

How gamers choose to put the extra scroll functionality to use really comes down to the type of games they’re playing and their individual preferences. Again, some gamers will find value in applying the horizontal scrolling functionality, whereas others will see the big advantage in assigning extra commands there.

Further reading: Best gaming mice

I’ve already mentioned how a scroll wheel can be used to switch weapons, but some other ways players use four-directional scroll wheels to enhance their gaming include:

• Easier inventory management: You won’t need to use right and left arrow keys for scrolling through inventories in games like MMOs or RPGs when you can effortlessly scroll left or right with your mouse wheel.
• Quick access to macros: Launching macros via your mouse wheel is a lot faster than via your keyboard. With a four-directional mouse wheel you can launch macros with one or more functions and save the other functions for changing weapons or executing other useful commands.
• Lean-left or lean-right functionality: The extra functionality in four-directional scroll wheels comes in handy in some first-person shooters where you need to lean left or right or peer around corners.
• Adjust in-game settings: The extra functionality can also give you quick access to game settings like your volume or brightness without having to exit your game and enter the game menu.

One more thing…

You will have to configure your four-directional scroll wheel to get the most out of it. That’s easily done in your gaming mouse’s companion software app.

And, just like a regular mouse, the commands you assign can be stored and saved in profiles, so you can tailor your commands to suit the different games you play.