A computer mouse can come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. Some are designed for business, while others are built with gaming in mind. There is even one that is just a small red circle and it's now available through Ploopy. Called the Bean, it's a mouse, or rather a pointing stick, that acts like one. It's a compact device that features a small red nub at its core that acts as the mouse.
The Ploopy Bean is inspired by ThinkPad computers originally made by IBM, though the company no longer makes PCs. Instead of using a traditional mouse that sits beside the keyboard on a mousepad, ThinkPad featured a little red button at the center of the attached keyboard called the TrackPoint II. The Bean uses that same technology but puts it in the form of a full mouse rather than on the keyboard. However, it isn't wireless as it does need a USB-A to USB-C cable to connect to a computer.
The Ploopy Bean looks like a standard mouse except for the red button at the center and its four buttons. The main difference between it and a normal mouse is that it does not need to be physically moved to control the cursor. At the time of writing, the Bean is available to preorder on Ploopy's website.
How does the Ploopy Bean work?
The Ploopy Bean Pointing Stick works by putting pressure on the red pad. This controls the on-screen cursor icon, allowing users to move around the display. There are four included buttons surrounding the nub that are used to click and drag tabs and windows. The Bean is 3D-printed giving users the opportunity to customize it as they see fit. Ploopy even listed its own mods for users to download.
For those who were able to use a TrackPoint on an IBM machine, the Bean should no doubt be recognizable. It functions in a similar way, and is able to detect the finest touches, even ones as small as 3 microns. It's equipped with high-resolution drag scrolling, four Omron D2LS-21 switches, and a polling rate of 1,000Hz, making for fast and responsive movements. If this makes your standard one feel slow, there are a few ways to make your mouse quicker. The nub even features a larger movement area of 11 mm in any direction and is made out of a silicone material.
For anyone looking to upgrade or enhance a Bean, Ploopy's firmware includes electrical and mechanical updates. This allows users to design, configure, and reprogram the Bean to meet their specific needs. It's all available online through Ploopy completely free of charge, however, the Bean itself is a bit pricey at around $51.06. That is before adding on the USB cable.
What people are saying about the Ploopy Bean
The Ploopy Bean launched on May 6, 2026 and is available online through Ploopy. The public doesn't even have it in their hands yet, but that hasn't stopped people from starting Reddit threads and talking about it. One user says that while they like the nub, they feel it's more useful than one on a keyboard as you don't need to move one hand away to use the mouse. People also pointed out that the official photos of the Bean show it without a wire, which isn't true as it does need a USB cable. But seeing as how the Bean is able to be upgraded, someone may design a Bluetooth option in the near future.
Days ahead of the announcement, the official Ploopy subreddit was also full of commenters talking about the Bean. Users are excited for the mouse with comments ranging from calling it a cool idea to how exciting it is to be able to use a nub mouse again.
With the Bean being brand new, orders will take some time to ship. There are two tiers available for the mouse with one taking up to eight weeks to ship and the second taking up to 20 weeks. That's a long time to wait, but the wait may be worth it. While you wait to replace your favorite mouse with the Bean, check out 5 superior mouse alternatives.