As opposed to having a proprietary bus mouse (only found in very old computer systems), a serial mouse allows you to use a standardized interface and protocol, meaning you can easily replace the mouse if it breaks. The disadvantages of a serial mouse are:
- It occupies the serial port, barring it from use for other devices, such as a modem. If you only have one serial port and no internal modem, you cannot use a dial-up modem and the mouse at the same time.
- They are not always detected automatically or correctly by the operating system.
- They can't be used with many newer computers without purchasing an adapter, as newer computers often lack a serial port.
- They were introduced at a time when few optical (laser) mice were available. As such, you are usually limited to only ball mice, which some people do not like.
- They often have lower / fixed acceleration speeds, meaning it takes them longer to move across the screen or they require a larger movement of the mouse.