A gaming mouse can mean the difference between life and death (metaphorically speaking), especially for a die-hard FPS player, since in fast-paced games, a general-purpose mouse will simply not make the cut. But choosing the right mouse for your playing style is not that simple as you will need to pay close attention to a specific set of features.
If it is very expensive, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is right for you. Here is what you should be looking for.
Design
When choosing a mouse for gaming, don’t be fooled by a device’s sleek design. Look for a mouse that matches your gaming style and feels comfortable in your hand for hours on end. If you want comfort in a gaming mouse, pay attention to your mouse grip style.
There are three mouse grip styles” the palm grip, the claw grip, and the fingertip grip, between which the same user might seamlessly switch based on their gaming needs. The palm grip is best used for accurate glide control, the claw grip is best used for rapid clicking and gliding, while the fingertip grip is best used for ultra-fast and precise gliding.
For the first two mouse grip styles, look for a larger and heavier mouse. For the fingertip grip style, a smaller but lightweight mouse with perfect weight distribution is all you need. Your grip style is important because you should choose the mouse’s size, weight, and shape based on it.
The fingertip grip is perfect for first person shooters and other games where you need good aim, high speeds, and outstanding precision. So, an FPS enthusiast should look for a gaming mouse that is lightweight, versatile, and very responsive.
However, make sure that a cheap and poorly built unit does not cause the low weight. Logitech has managed to strike the perfect balance between weight and performance with its best-seller, the G402 Hyperion Fury. (Check out this link for an in-depth Logitech G402 review.)
In terms of design, besides weight, size, and ergonomics, you should also be looking for a device that is compact, ambidextrous (if you need it so), and comes with features that can prevent RSI or make your life more bearable as an RSI sufferer. Also, look for a unit that can connect to multiple devices (a USB-C port would be a big plus in this department.)
Performance
When choosing a gaming mouse, look for a unit with neat features like low Lift Off Distance (LOD) and high DPI. The LOD determines at which distance from the mousepad the gaming mouse stops tracking. The best gaming mice have LODs of up to 3 millimeters. The mouse DPI (dots per inch) measures its sensitivity. The higher the DPI, the faster your mouse will calculate distances.
In your computer operating system’s mouse sensitivity settings, set DPI levels. One common mistake many video game players make is to set their mouse DPI too high (at 1,000+) in hopes that they can achieve higher speeds.
But when trying to make precision shots at insanely high DPIs, you will have to refrain from making ample moves and use only your wrist and hand to move the mouse. However, there is a good reason pro players use oversized mousepads in competitions: They need all that real estate to move the mouse around lightning fast with their entire arm. Their mouse DPI usually sits between 400 and 800. So, set your DPI levels wisely.
Extra Features
A good gaming mouse should also come with some neat (extra) features that can offer you the best bang for your hard-earned buck:
- Decent battery life: Although wireless mice are not recommended for gaming due to their poor reliability and lag issues, if you do insist on buying one, get a wireless mouse with decent battery life (3 to 4 months is decent).
- Additional buttons: Depending on the games you like, some extra buttons could come in handy. Look for a mouse with well-positioned buttons and make sure that the button works across all platforms (Some players had the ugly surprise to find out some mouse buttons were not working when plugging their high-end gaming mouse into their Macs).
- Button responsivity: Depending on your gaming style, you might prefer either a soft or a rigid button feel.
- Lights: These are only for your viewing pleasure, but if you are into impressing people when gliding that beauty around in your gaming room, don’t skip this ultra-cool feature.
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