I had been thinking about buying a vertical ergonomic mouse for quite some time.
But, there were two problems.
First, I had never used a vertical mouse before.
Second, most vertical ergonomic mice are considerably more expensive than a regular mouse, so I wasn’t sure whether it was worth spending the money.
So I decided to try a budget option instead.
I bought the Portronics Toad Ergo 4, a vertical ergonomic mouse designed to keep your hand in a more natural handshake position while you work.
After using it for regular office work, browsing, video editing, designing and even some gaming, I have a pretty good idea of where this mouse works and where it doesn’t.
In this review, I’ll cover two things:
- Whether a vertical ergonomic mouse is actually better for long hours of computer use.
- Whether the Portronics Toad Ergo 4 is worth buying.
If you’re new here, I’m Vaishak. I review tech gear for content creators and professionals working from home. If that’s useful to you, consider subscribing to my YT channel.
What Is a Vertical Ergonomic Mouse?
Before talking about the Toad Ergo 4, let’s understand why you might want a vertical ergonomic mouse in the first place.
Look at your hand when you simply let it rest on your desk.
Your forearm and wrist are relatively relaxed, while your thumb and index finger sit in a position that’s similar to a handshake.
Now place your hand on a traditional mouse.
Your palm rotates towards the desk and your forearm rotates with it. This is known as forearm pronation.
For someone who uses a mouse for several hours every day, maintaining this position and repeatedly moving the mouse can become uncomfortable.
That’s where a vertical ergonomic mouse is different.
Instead of placing your hand flat on the mouse, a vertical mouse positions your hand more upright. The idea is to keep your wrist and forearm in a more neutral position and reduce the amount of rotation required. The Portronics Toad Ergo 4 follows this approach with a 57-degree vertical design.
When you hold it, your hand feels much closer to that natural handshake position.
For me, this was the biggest difference between using the Toad Ergo 4 and a traditional mouse.
Related Post: I Tested This Budget Bluetooth Mouse – Portronics Toad One Mouse Review
Portronics Toad Ergo 4 Vertical Ergonomic Mouse Review
So, how does this budget vertical ergonomic mouse actually perform?
Let’s find out.
What’s in the Box?
Inside the box, you get:
- Portronics Toad Ergo 4 mouse
- USB receiver
- Type-C charging cable
- User manual
That’s pretty much everything you need to get started.
| Product Specifications: POR-3211 (Toad Ergo 4) | |
| Brand | Portronics |
| Model / Product Code | POR-3211 (Toad Ergo 4) |
| Product Type | Vertical Wireless Ergonomic Mouse |
| Hand Type | Right Handed Mouse |
| Color | White |
| Connectivity | Dual: Bluetooth 5.3 + 2.4GHz USB Nano Dongle) |
| Multi Device Connectivity | Connect with laptop, tablet & smartphones using BT |
| Device Switching | Yes. Press BT pairing button to switch devices |
| DPI Levels | Adjustable up to 4000 DPI (800 / 1600 / 2400 / 4000) |
| Polling Rate | 125Hz |
| Weight | 100gm |
| Button Controls | 6 buttons (Left/Right click, Scroll wheel, DPI switch, Forward/Back buttons) |
| Battery | Built-in rechargeable 500 mAH battery with Type-C charging port |
| Battery Life | Casual Use: 10-12 days per full charge |
| Wireless Range | Up to 10 meters |
| Compatibility | Windows, macOS, and Android |
| Warranty | 1-year manufacturer warranty |
Toad Ergo 4 Vertical Ergonomic Mouse – Build Quality and Design
The Toad Ergo 4 has a 57-degree angled design that’s intended to mimic a natural handshake position.
The mouse measures approximately 12 cm in length and 10.8 cm in width, and I found the overall shape better suited to small-to-medium hands.
The inclined shape allows your palm to rest naturally on the mouse.
There are also grooves around the body that give your hand something to grip while moving the mouse.
The body is made from ABS plastic and feels smooth to hold.
The first thing you’ll notice is that using it feels different from a traditional mouse.
Your hand isn’t lying flat on the desk. Instead, your palm sits on the side of the mouse and your thumb and index finger are positioned more naturally.
After getting used to it, I found this position comfortable for long periods of regular work.
Six Buttons
The Toad Ergo 4 has six buttons.
You get:
- Left click
- Right click
- Scroll wheel
- DPI adjustment button
- Forward button
- Backward button
The forward and backward buttons are useful when browsing through web pages.
However, there is an important limitation.
The buttons aren’t customizable.
There isn’t software that lets you assign your own shortcuts to the side buttons, so you’re limited to their default functions.
Weight and Movement
The Toad Ergo 4 weighs around 100 grams.
That doesn’t sound particularly heavy, but the vertical shape makes the mouse feel slightly bulky.
For regular office work, browsing and moving between documents, I didn’t find this to be a major problem.
However, if you’re someone who constantly makes large mouse movements, you may find it less agile than a conventional mouse.
That’s one of the trade-offs you make with this type of ergonomic design.
RGB Lights
Yes, the mouse has a small strip of RGB lighting on the bottom.
The RGB lighting comes on by default when you’re using the mouse, and there’s no option to turn it off.
Personally, I would have preferred either no RGB or an option to disable it.
It doesn’t add much practical value to an ergonomic mouse, and having the option to turn it off would have been useful if you’re trying to maximize battery life.
DPI and Polling Rate
The Toad Ergo 4 supports up to 4000 DPI.
You get four DPI levels:
- 800 DPI
- 1600 DPI
- 2400 DPI
- 4000 DPI
You can change the DPI directly using the DPI button on the mouse.
I also tested the actual DPI using a mouse DPI analyzer.
At the highest setting, I measured approximately 3700 DPI rather than the advertised 4000 DPI.
The mouse has a 125 Hz polling rate.
For regular browsing, office work and casual use, that’s perfectly usable.
But this is also one of the reasons I wouldn’t recommend the Toad Ergo 4 as a serious gaming or precision-design mouse.
Toad Ergo 4 Vertical Ergonomic Mouse Tests
Click Test
One of my favourite things about this mouse is the clicks.
They’re very quiet.
If you’re working from home and don’t want the constant clicking noise from a traditional mouse, the Toad Ergo 4 does a good job here.
The scroll wheel also has a nice feel to it.
It’s smooth and tactile, although personally I think a rubberized scroll wheel would have provided slightly better grip.
For everyday office work, I don’t have any major complaints about the buttons or scroll wheel.
Device Connectivity
The Toad Ergo 4 supports both Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz USB connectivity.
Using the USB Receiver
To use the USB connection, switch the mouse to 2.4 GHz mode by switching the toggle to the USB mode.
The indicator starts blinking.
Take the USB receiver out of the storage slot on the bottom of the mouse and connect it to your computer.
The mouse worked without any issues for me in this mode.
Using Bluetooth
To connect the Toad Ergo 4 through Bluetooth:
- Switch the mouse to Bluetooth mode.
- Press and hold the Bluetooth pairing button for around 3–4 seconds.
- Wait for the mouse to start blinking rapidly.
- Open Bluetooth settings on your laptop or device.
- Find and connect to the Toad Ergo 4.
The mouse can also be connected to laptops, tablets and smartphones through Bluetooth.
However, there is one annoying limitation.
Switching between devices isn’t particularly convenient.
I had to disconnect or unpair the mouse from the previous device before connecting it to another one.
So if seamless multi-device switching is important to you, this isn’t one of the strongest features of the Toad Ergo 4.
Mouse Accuracy Test
I ran a few basic tests on the mouse to see how it performed.
Individual clicks registered correctly.
However, during simultaneous click testing, the mouse wasn’t able to detect every combination of buttons correctly.
The same was true for some combinations involving the forward/backward buttons and scroll-wheel clicks.
For normal office work, this isn’t something most people are likely to notice.
But it does tell you that it isn’t designed to compete with high-end productivity or gaming mice in terms of precision and advanced controls.
Usecase Test
Designing Images
This is where I noticed a bigger limitation.
When you’re designing, you often need to position your cursor very precisely.
I tested the mouse on a design layout with small objects.
At a lower zoom level, the cursor sometimes struggled to land exactly where I wanted it to.
It would eventually get there, but I had to make small adjustments to position the cursor correctly.
At a larger zoom level, the problem wasn’t as noticeable.
But if your work involves precise cursor movements all day, I wouldn’t choose the Toad Ergo 4 specifically for that purpose.
For designers, there are better options.
Video Editing
My experience with video editing was much better.
I edited the review video itself using this mouse.
I was able to select clips, drag them around the timeline and move objects without any major problems.
The vertical shape also felt comfortable while editing for longer periods.
So my verdict is fairly simple:
If you’re using the Toad Ergo 4 for basic video editing, it’s perfectly usable.
If you’re doing highly precise design work, CAD work or other tasks where cursor accuracy is critical, I’d look elsewhere.
Gaming Test
I also tried playing Counter-Strike with the mouse.
And I couldn’t get a single kill.
Now, I’m not going to blame the mouse entirely for my terrible gaming skills.
But the Toad Ergo 4 doesn’t feel like a gaming mouse.
The 4000 DPI maximum, 125 Hz polling rate, 100-gram weight and vertical shape don’t make it particularly well suited for fast-paced competitive gaming.
For casual gaming, you can obviously use it.
But if you’re buying a mouse primarily for gaming, this isn’t the one I’d recommend.
Battery Life and Charging
The Toad Ergo 4 has a built-in 500 mAh rechargeable battery and charges through USB Type-C.
When you connect the mouse to power, a green indicator near the scroll wheel tells you that it’s charging.
Once the mouse is fully charged, the indicator turns off.
Charging takes approximately two hours.
In my usage, the battery lasted around seven days.
There is also a way to check the battery percentage through Bluetooth.
However, I noticed a strange issue with the battery percentage.
For example, when the mouse showed 14% battery remaining, I plugged it into the charger. The reported percentage immediately jumped to around 60% and then to around 76% within a second or two.
So I wouldn’t rely too heavily on the exact percentage displayed.
The charging itself, however, is straightforward.
Who Should Buy the Portronics Toad Ergo 4?
I think the Toad Ergo 4 makes sense for a specific type of user.
I’d consider buying it if you:
- Work on a computer for several hours a day
- Want to try a vertical ergonomic mouse without spending a lot
- Primarily do office work or browsing
- Work from home
- Do regular video editing
- Want quiet mouse clicks
- Want both Bluetooth and USB connectivity
- Want a rechargeable mouse
- Want adjustable DPI
- Have small-to-medium sized hands
For these use cases, the Toad Ergo 4 does a lot right.
Who Should NOT Buy the Toad Ergo 4?
I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re:
- A professional designer who needs very precise cursor control
- A serious gamer
- Someone who needs customizable buttons
- Someone who frequently switches between multiple devices
- Someone who wants advanced scrolling features
- Someone who prefers a lightweight, highly agile mouse
In those cases, spending more on a better productivity or gaming mouse would probably be justified.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a vertical mouse better for ergonomics?
A vertical mouse can be more ergonomic for some people because it keeps the hand in a more upright, handshake-like position and reduces forearm rotation compared with a traditional mouse.
However, “more ergonomic” doesn’t automatically mean better for everyone. Hand size, grip, desk setup and personal comfort all matter.
The best mouse is ultimately the one that allows you to work comfortably without unnecessary strain.
Do ergonomic mice really work?
Ergonomic mice can help improve hand and wrist positioning, particularly if you spend several hours a day using a mouse.
A vertical ergonomic mouse changes the way your hand rests on the mouse and can reduce the amount of forearm rotation required.
However, an ergonomic mouse isn’t a cure for wrist or hand problems. If you’re experiencing persistent pain, numbness or tingling, it’s better to address the underlying issue rather than simply changing your mouse.
Are vertical mice good for carpal tunnel?
A vertical mouse may be more comfortable for some people with wrist discomfort because of its more upright hand position.
However, you shouldn’t assume that a vertical mouse will treat or prevent carpal tunnel syndrome.
If you have symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, such as persistent numbness, tingling, weakness or pain, speak to a qualified healthcare professional. Your workstation setup and mouse are only one part of the equation.
Which mouse is better: Logitech or Portronics?
Logitech is the better choice if you want a more polished premium experience, better software and advanced productivity features.
Portronics is the better choice if your priority is affordability and you simply want to try a vertical ergonomic mouse without spending several thousand rupees.
For someone buying their first vertical mouse, the Toad Ergo 4 offers a relatively inexpensive way to find out whether the vertical design works for them.
Is the Portronics Toad Ergo 4 good for small hands?
The Toad Ergo 4 has a relatively large and slightly bulky design.
Based on my experience, I would consider it more suitable for small-to-medium hands rather than very small hands.
If you have particularly small hands and want a lightweight mouse, the Toad Ergo 3 may be worth considering instead.
Is the Portronics Toad Ergo 4 good for MacBook?
Yes. The Toad Ergo 4 can be used with a MacBook through Bluetooth or its USB receiver, depending on your setup.
Bluetooth is particularly useful if you don’t want to connect a USB receiver.
Are all the buttons on the Toad Ergo 4 customizable?
No.
The Toad Ergo 4 has six buttons, but the forward and backward side buttons aren’t customizable.
You don’t get dedicated software for remapping the buttons or creating custom productivity shortcuts.
Does the Toad Ergo 4 have silent clicks?
Yes.
The mouse has relatively quiet clicks, which makes it suitable for office work and working from home.
How do I charge the Toad Ergo 4?
Connect the mouse to power using the USB Type-C charging cable.
A green indicator near the scroll wheel shows that the mouse is charging. The indicator turns off once the mouse is fully charged.
A full charge takes approximately two hours based on my testing.
How do I know how much battery is left on the Toad Ergo 4?
You can check the battery percentage when the mouse is connected through Bluetooth.
However, I noticed that the displayed battery percentage wasn’t always accurate. So I would treat the percentage as an approximate indicator rather than an exact measurement.
Does the Toad Ergo 4 have free-spin scrolling?
No.
It uses a standard tactile scroll wheel and doesn’t offer the free-spin scrolling found on some premium productivity mice.
How do I use the forward and backward buttons?
The two side buttons are designed for forward and backward navigation, particularly when browsing websites.
The buttons aren’t customizable, so they don’t function as general-purpose shortcut buttons.
If they aren’t working, make sure you’re pressing the two buttons located on the left side of the mouse near your thumb. If they’re still not registering, reconnect the mouse and test it in another application.
Does the Toad Ergo 4 Have Silent Clicks?
Yes.
The clicks are relatively quiet, which makes the mouse suitable for office environments and working from home.
If you share a workspace or record audio near your desk, quieter clicks are a nice bonus.
Toad Ergo 4 vs Toad Ergo 3 which is better?
If you’re deciding between the Portronics Toad Ergo 3 and Toad Ergo 4, the choice comes down to what you value.
The Toad Ergo 3 is lighter and more compact, so it may be a better choice if you have smaller hands or simply want a lighter mouse.
The Toad Ergo 4 has a larger, more substantial vertical design and adds features such as rechargeable battery, Bluetooth connectivity and adjustable DPI.
If you have very small hands and lightweight design is your priority, I’d lean towards the Toad Ergo 3.
If you want the more feature-rich option and don’t mind the additional bulk, the Toad Ergo 4 makes more sense.
Final Verdict
The Portronics Toad Ergo 4 isn’t the perfect vertical ergonomic mouse.
It has some obvious compromises.
The build quality could be better. Bluetooth switching isn’t particularly convenient. The cursor isn’t accurate enough for demanding design work, and there aren’t many customization options.
But I don’t think those compromises make it a bad mouse.
For the price, it gives you the most important thing you’re looking for in a vertical ergonomic mouse: a more upright hand position that feels comfortable during long hours of regular computer work.
If you’re a designer, serious gamer or power user, I’d spend more money on something more precise and feature-rich.
But if you’re a work-from-home professional, office worker, content creator or someone who simply wants to try a vertical ergonomic mouse without spending a lot, the Portronics Toad Ergo 4 is a solid budget option.
For me, it’s a mouse worth considering.
And if you’ve been wondering whether a vertical mouse is right for you, this is probably one of the easier ways to find out without spending a fortune.
