I have been spending a lot of time working remotely with my laptop in random locations. And usually just plug my mouse in via the USB dongle. But just curious if there is a noticeable battery difference doing this? Seems like Bluetooth would be better because it’s already powering other things anyway.
Edit: seems like it’s Bluetooth. Going to have to change my habits. Thanks all.
Less power on the side of the host computer or the mouse?
Bluetooth (BLE) is impressive, I have seen a BLE device being stuck to a window in an office, and with just the vibration of the glass, it created enough energy to send small data packets to a PC 10ft away.
I’m not sure of the answer, but I feel like other commenters are just guessing.
My reason for doubting the dongle is that Bluetooth is designed to be ultra-low-power. We’re talking in the low milliwatts range.
I don’t know how much power a 2.4gHz dongle uses, but I would be surprised if it was less than Bluetooth. However, in terms of laptop battery life, it’s probably not significant enough to really matter. It’s not like either one will cut your batteey life down a noticeable amount.
The batteries in my Logitech wireless trackball and keyboard last several months to more than a year. The keyboard in particular lasts really long. I have these on my work computer, so they are getting heavy use.
Not sure but im pretry sure both a so negligible its completely irrelevant
Assuming you mean for the battery life of the mouse: In my experience, USB dongle.
The communication protocol is simpler, and it’s often unidirectional rather than BT which has bidirectional handshaking, etc.
I’ve always assumed the dongle uses bluetooth as well. Why invent a new protocol when there’s one that does exactly what you want?
Dongles are usually 2.4ghz radios, supposed to be lower latency and more stable than Bluetooth.
Edit- in reality though, bluetooth has come a long way and generally more convenient, users likely wouldn’t notice a difference in day to day work. Personally I still wouldn’t recommend gaming on a bluetooth connection when latency and micro stutters matter.
That’s the same frequency as one of the main Wi-Fi bands, I would imagine they’re probably just reusing that technology for this communication
KB/mouse dongles use their own, often proprietary, protocols but on the same 2.4 GHz band. It’s like how WiFi and Bluetooth both operate on 2.4 GHz but use different framing and protocols.
Interesting, I did not know how widely used the 2.4GHz band is, thanks for correcting me!
It’s also the frequency of Bluetooth and your microwave because it’s unregulated. Dongles aren’t Wi-Fi or anything like it.
It’s basically negligible tho.
Like I recently busted out Logitech mouse/keyboard combo with a dongle. They say for maybe five years and I’ve been using them for months now and the batteries are still what was in them.
Dongle is better usually
Now that we have BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) I’m pretty sure it is better than USB dongle. I have a BLE keyboard and a BLE trackball and never used the dongle so not sure how to compare.
Plus it saves 2 USB outlets on my PC :)
chatGPT says:
Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) typically offers better power efficiency than USB dongles for keyboards and mice, especially when both are battery-powered. Here’s how BLE compares to USB dongles in terms of power consumption for these devices: Power Efficiency: BLE is designed specifically to use minimal power, especially in low-data-transfer devices like keyboards and mice. It uses an efficient sleep-wake cycle and keeps the radio off most of the time, which conserves energy. USB wireless dongles, while not as power-hungry as other wireless technologies, are usually less efficient than BLE because they often keep a more consistent connection with the device. Battery Life: BLE devices typically offer longer battery life. A BLE-enabled keyboard or mouse can last from months to even a year or more on a single charge or set of batteries, depending on usage and the device’s power management. USB wireless peripherals, in contrast, may require more frequent charging or battery changes, although they are still relatively efficient. Sleep and Wake Latency: BLE is optimized to quickly reconnect after sleep, so devices wake up quickly with minimal delay. Some USB wireless devices can also wake fast, but the energy consumption during idle periods is generally higher. Compatibility and Usage: BLE is widely supported on modern devices (laptops, tablets, smartphones) without needing a USB port. USB dongles, however, need a USB-A or USB-C port (with an adapter) and are mostly used with PCs. In general, BLE is better for devices where power consumption is critical, like battery-operated keyboards and mice. However, for some gaming or high-precision tasks, USB dongles may offer lower latency, which some users prioritize over battery life.
