What is a Mouse made of?

Introduction

• A mouse = lots of small parts working together.
• Some parts you can see (shell, skates, wheel), some are hidden inside (chip, sensor, battery).
• Knowing the parts means you can compare mice properly before you buy, not just go on marketing.

The 22 Parts (ranked, #1 matters most)

(colours below: outside, brain, buttons, power, small parts)

outside brain buttons power small parts

1. Shell: Outer body. Decides shape, size, grip feel. TOP 6

   ~ like: a shoe - best sole is useless if it doesn't fit

2. Sensor: Tiny camera under the mouse, tracks movement. TOP 6

   ~ like: the eye

3. Lens: Clear piece that focuses light onto the pad. TOP 6

   ~ like: glasses for the eye

4. MCU (chip): The brain. Reads sensor + buttons, talks to the PC. TOP 6

   ~ like: the brain giving orders

5. Main click switches: Under left & right click. Mechanical or optical. TOP 6

   ~ like: a light switch pressed 1000s of times

6. Skates (feet): Glide pads on the bottom. PTFE or glass. TOP 6

   ~ like: ice skates

7. Wireless radio + antenna: Sends the 2.4GHz signal to the PC.

   ~ like: a walkie-talkie

8. Receiver (dongle): USB piece in the PC that catches the signal.

   ~ like: the other walkie-talkie

9. Main PCB: Circuit board holding + connecting everything.

   ~ like: roads of a city

10. Battery: Lithium battery for wireless mice.

    ~ like: fuel tank

11. Charging circuit: Small chips that charge the battery safely.

    ~ like: a guard for the fuel tank

12. Scroll encoder: Detects wheel turns, makes the 'steps'.

    ~ like: ticks of a dial

13. Scroll wheel: The wheel you roll. Rubber or plastic.

    ~ like: a bicycle wheel

14. Middle click switch: The switch under the scroll wheel.

    ~ like: a doorbell under the wheel

15. Side buttons + small PCB: Side switches, often on their own little board.

    ~ like: shortcut keys for the thumb

16. Flex cables: Thin ribbon wires linking boards.

    ~ like: nerves

17. Onboard memory: Saves DPI + settings inside the mouse.

    ~ like: a memory card

18. USB-C port: For charging or wired use.

    ~ like: phone charging port

19. Cable: Wired mice only. Paracord = soft, rubber = drags.

    ~ like: earphone wire

20. DPI button: Changes cursor speed.

    ~ like: gear shifter

21. LEDs / RGB: Status light or decoration.

    ~ like: car lights

22. Frame + screws: Hold it all together (hidden under the skates).

    ~ like: the skeleton

Parts vs What you Feel

Shape & size	→	Shell
Weight	→	ALL parts added (shell + battery biggest)
Grip style	→	your hand, NOT the mouse
Click feel	→	switches + shell button design
Glide	→	skates
Tracking	→	sensor + lens + MCU
Polling / latency	→	MCU + wireless radio
Battery life	→	battery + MCU efficiency