I tweeted last month that I replaced the Cougar Minos X5 mouse with the Cougar Minos X2 mouse. The scroll wheel on the X5 became “twitchy” when cycling through inventory in FortNite. The last thing I want to pull out during a firefight is an unloaded weapon. The X2 was half the cost of the X5, similar in size, and didn’t have RGB. That created a controversy for some viewers of my YouTube channel. Why do I buy a $20 US mouse when I have a $300 keyboard on my desk?

Blackmagic Speed Editor Keyboard

The Blackmagic Speed Editor keyboard works only the Davinci Resolve video editor. On the cut page, I can set the in-and-out markers and append clips to the timeline with the press of a few buttons and the scroll wheel. A 15-minute long talking head video becomes five minutes of clips ready for editing. This specialized keyboard is heavy, built like a tank, and will last for years.

The Blackmagic Speed Editor keyboard retails for $300 US. But I didn’t pay $300 US for this keyboard. I got the keyboard for FREE as part of a Davinci Resolve Studio bundle. I paid $300 US for a USB stick that I can plug into any PC to run the paid version of Davinci Resolve.

What’s the differences between the free and paid versions of Davinci Resolve?

• The free version of Davinci Resolve works only with the CPU for processing. That makes working with a 4K timeline and special effects difficult.
• The paid version of Davinci Resolve works on the CPU and the GPU for processing. That makes working with a 4K timeline and special effects easier.

Paying $300 US for software was well worth it.

$20 US for A Mouse

Why did I buy the Cougar Minos X2 mouse for $20 US?

Or the Cougar Minos X5 mouse for $20 US when it was on sale in July 2020?

Or any basic Logitech or Microsoft mouse for $20 US in last ten years?

I even buy regular keyboards like the Logitech K120 for $20 US.

The reason why I buy regular keyboards and mice for $20 US is that I replaced them every year or two.

Price Tag VS Good Enough

Would paying more for a keyboard or mouse make it last longer?

I’ve used the Microsoft ergonomic split keyboard for 20 years. Every six to seven years, I would pay $70 US for a new ergonomic keyboard. Microsoft couldn’t leave a good design alone and I didn’t like the newer redesigns. When it came time to replace the keyboard a few years ago, I didn’t get another ergonomic keyboard.

I got the Logitech K120 keyboard for $20 US. The same keyboard I took to my day job to replace the generic Dell keyboard. I got that keyboard since coworkers were less likely to walk off with a $20 US keyboard. After using the K120 for five years at my day job, it was good enough for my home office.

Being good enough is a better indicator than the price tag.