These days, Microsoft is all about enhancing your workflow with helpful productivity-focused software program and equipment, and its new Presenter+ distant embodies that philosophy very a lot so. I like devices are that designed for particular use circumstances, and whereas it’s actually not the primary of its form, the Presenter+ is elegant, smooth, and simple to arrange and use.
I’ve been utilizing the Presenter+ for a little bit over two weeks to conduct shows and improve Teams conferences. Here’s my overview!
Microsoft Presenter+: Price & Availability
The Microsoft Presenter+ is out there immediately from the Microsoft Store (opens in new tab) or Amazon (opens in new tab) and has a retail value of $80. Here are the specs of the product:
| Header Cell – Column 0 | Microsoft Presenter+ |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 3.7 x 1.16 x .37 in (93.86 x 29.5 x 9.4 mm) |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.1 2.4GHz frequency vary |
| Weight | .90 oz. 25.6g |
| Battery | 195mAh (6 days) |
| Buttons | Microsoft Teams button Mute button Left/Right buttons Pointer button Pairing button |
| Colors | Matte Black |
| In the field | Microsoft Presenter+ Charging Dock |
Microsoft Presenter+: Design
The Presenter+ incorporates a clear, elegant design that appears good in your desk and discreet in your hand. It’s small, light-weight, and feels nice to carry because of its premium easy plastic enclosure. The buttons are tactile and simple to press and have a satisfying click on to them.
The buttons themselves consist of a big round mute button on the prime, adopted by two smaller left and proper navigation buttons under it, a pill-shaped “presenting laser” button under these, and a big round Teams button on the backside. On the again are an influence toggle and Bluetooth pair button.
The again of the distant is roofed in a barely grippy texture, which makes it barely simpler to carry and reduces its capacity to slip round in your desk when not within the charging dock. There’s additionally a small Microsoft emblem on the again, slightly below an indented space to relaxation your finger in as you maintain the gadget.
On the underside is a USB-C port flanked by two silver prongs, used for charging with the included charging dock. The charging dock itself is a pleasant inclusion, related to a USB-A cable that plugs into your pc to provide energy. The USB-C port on the distant can be used for charging.
Microsoft Presenter+: Features
The Presenter+ contains a number of completely different options and modes, all designed to reinforce your expertise when presenting PowerPoint shows or partaking in Teams conferences. We’ll begin with the presentation options, which unsurprisingly are a spotlight for this distant.
This distant features a built-in digital laser operate, which can be utilized to level at and spotlight areas of a display getting used to current content material. The digital laser can be utilized wherever, in any app by merely holding the laser button and pointing at your display.
It makes use of a built-in gyroscope to trace the placement of the distant, and comparatively precisely show the laser the place you’d count on it to be. It works very equally to how LG’s Magic Remote works on its TVs, with the power to level the distant on the display and use it as a mouse.
The laser button, when paired with the navigation buttons above it, makes for an all-in-one resolution for presenting PowerPoint slides on a stage, and even just about in Microsoft Teams. The solely irritating factor in regards to the laser pointer is which you can’t really click on on issues with it. Within Windows, you need to use it to spotlight issues, however if you wish to click on OK on a immediate, you’ll be able to’t.
The distant can be used as a microphone toggle with the devoted mute button alongside the highest. This is nice for eventualities the place you may end up strolling round a small workplace whereas in a gathering, with different colleagues interrupting you in particular person once in a while.
Now, there isn’t any microphone built-in to the distant, so you’ll be able to’t use it as an on-the-go toggle mic, however the mute button will act as a toggle for no matter mic is built-in to the gadget you have got it related to.
Lastly, the Presenter+ incorporates a vibration motor for tactile alerts, which buzz when a Teams assembly begins, you mute or unmute your mic, when the battery is low, and even if you elevate and decrease your hand. Yes, the distant additionally features as a manner of elevating your hand just about in Teams conferences. Pretty cool.
Microsoft Presenter+: Customization
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Many of the features and options of the Presenter+ distant may be configured, which suggests you’ll be able to dial in the way you need to use the distant to your private style. For instance, you’ll be able to select to make use of the microphone button as a toggle, switching between muted and unmuted states with a click on, or use it as a push-to-talk button, solely unmuting the mic when the button is held down.
The laser function can be personalized, together with the power to alter the dimensions and coloration of the laser pointer itself. You also can configure the sensitivity of the gyro, which is nice in case you discover the distant is not doing a very good job of monitoring the laser pointer on the display out of the field.
You may even customise the power of the tactility motor, rising or lowering its power to fit your desire. You also can activate and off which options current tactile alerts, so in case you did not need it to vibrate if you mute or unmute your mic, you’ll be able to flip that off.
All of those options may be personalized utilizing Microsoft’s well-put-together Accessory Center app, which is routinely put in if you pair the distant to a Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC for the primary time. The app additionally contains the power to “discover my distant” by buzzing the vibration motor inside it in case you ever lose it.
Microsoft Presenter+: Competition
There are numerous clicker units on the market available on the market that let you management a PowerPoint presentation, and a few of them even have precise laser level pointers inbuilt. Peripherals such because the Logitech Presenter R400 (opens in new tab), which makes use of its personal wi-fi receiver for performance, may be had for simply $32. But it would not include any customization software program or integration with Microsoft Teams.
There’s additionally the DinoFire Wireless Presenter (opens in new tab), which similar to the Logitech, makes use of its personal RF receiver for performance, and a built-in degree 2 laser. But once more, no Microsoft Teams integration. And that is going to be the massive differentiator between different clickers and the Microsoft Presenter+.
The Microsoft Presenter+ presents a digital laser, in-depth Microsoft Teams integration, a wide selection of customizable settings, and even a haptic motor. You’re not going to search out these issues on different clickers available on the market.
Microsoft Presenter+ Should you purchase
The Microsoft Presenter+ is a superb peripheral, however provided that you end up presenting PowerPoint shows frequently. For everybody else, I do not assume it is a obligatory funding, because it’s fairly straightforward to navigate a PowerPoint slide with no devoted accent.
With that stated, the Presenter+ is absolutely just for the individuals who need or have to look skilled on a stage or just about. They will not need to be seen strolling again to a laptop computer on the nook of the stage to advance to the subsequent slide. They need to keep of their movement and current the subsequent slide as they speak to their viewers.
If that is you, then you definitely merely cannot go incorrect with the Presenter+. The different integrations with Teams are a pleasant addition, akin to elevating the distant to lift your hand within the assembly and utilizing the mic button as a toggle.
The Microsoft Presenter+ is a superb peripheral for public audio system or crew members who discover themselves on stage (in particular person or just about) in entrance of a PowerPoint presentation frequently.
