Best 3D Mouse for 3ds Max

What is the best mouse for 3ds Max?

A 3D mouse lets you move through 3ds Max scenes the way a camera would. The SpaceMouse in your left hand orbits, pans and zooms while your right hand models, selects and animates. Architects, game artists and visualization teams use it to frame shots and check details without breaking flow.

3ds Max supports 3Dconnexion devices natively, so any SpaceMouse works as a 3ds Max mouse once the free driver is installed.

Which 3D mouse for 3ds Max should you pick?

New to 3D MiceSpaceMouse Compact

Small, simple and the easiest place to start.

Shop Compact

WirelessSpaceMouse Wireless Bluetooth

Same feel, no cable, up to a month per charge.

Shop Wireless

All-Day 3ds MaxSpaceMouse Pro Wireless Bluetooth

15 programmable keys for commands like Extrude, Edit Poly or Render.

Shop Pro Wireless

Studio WorkSpaceMouse Enterprise

31 programmable keys and a colour display that shows what each key does.

Shop Enterprise

Prefer a cable? Get the SpaceMouse Pro Wired.

Pair it with a CAD mouse

3ds Max pans with the middle button, and Alt plus the middle button orbits. Pressing down on a scroll wheel for that all day is hard on your hand, and a mouse with a dedicated middle button fixes it.

CadMouse Pro Wireless

A dedicated middle button for panning and orbiting in 3ds Max, plus Smart Scroll.

Shop CadMouse

Want both? The SpaceMouse Wireless Kit 2 bundles a SpaceMouse with a CadMouse Compact Wireless.

Setting up your 3ds Max 3D mouse

1. Download the free 3DxWare driver from 3Dconnexion.
2. Plug in your SpaceMouse, or pair it over Bluetooth.
3. Open 3ds Max. It detects the device automatically, and you can assign your favourite commands to the buttons.

Common questions

Does it help with animation and camera work?
Yes. Smooth, continuous camera moves with your left hand make it easier to frame scenes and review animation.

Do I still need a regular mouse?
Yes. The 3D mouse moves the view, and your regular mouse or CadMouse models and selects. That two-handed setup is where the speed comes from.

Why buy from 3DMouse.ca

We've been an authorized 3Dconnexion dealer since 2013, run by OptimumARC, a Toronto engineering firm. Every order ships from Canada, so no duties or border surprises. Not sure which mouse fits your 3ds Max work? Call us at 416-848-0308. We're 3D users too.