If you are an E-Sports fan or a hardcore gamer, you will know your gaming mouse is the most important piece of equipment lying on the table.
A gaming mouse can boost critical actions like attack, defend, aim, target, or anything else. But picking the best gaming mice out of overwhelming products is not that easy.
But don’t worry, we have highlighted the key features you need to consider before buying such a device.
Maybe you don’t want to overcomplicate things, but buying a mouse according to your gaming style will allow you to get the most out of your gaming sessions.
This guide will highlight some important features you need to know before going for the best mouse out there. And you will notice the difference between the performance when you buy something randomly or after proper research.
Which genre do you play more?
The first question you need to address is which genre do you play the most? There are different types of games. There are RTS, MMO, MOBAs, and FPS. If you are an FPS fan, you need to go for a mouse that comes with a huge DPI. The switches need to be high quality as well. Plus, the tracking options and high accuracy are extraordinary.
For MOBA or MMO games, you will have to process many options and use several buttons. And then you will need a higher DPI as well. With more spells on your tips, you will perform better. Going for a mouse that doesn’t have more than 10 buttons would not repeat the rewards.
Based on what you are playing, you also need to consider the weight of your mouse. A heavy mouse will significantly drop your FPS performance. But you will do better in other genres.
Just make sure to go for a flexible, lightweight mouse. Some bigger brands have introduced weight adjustment options for these mice. Some models also allow you to make changes to the overall height and its center of gravity.
Optical vs. laser – which is better?
The sensor inside the gaming mouse has an integral role to play. And there are two sensors primarily: optical and laser. This debate has been going on for a long time now. Both these options have their pros and cons.
A laser mouse is highly adaptive in a variety of circumstances. On the other hand, the optical ones need to have the right kind of surface underneath. You can always use a mouse mat underneath and resolve the issue.
Laser mice are also considered more accurate, but they are a lot more sensitive to dust. Moreover, they are prone to slipping when you’re doing high acceleration with them. The manufacturer of gaming equipment prefers to go for laser mice. These mice can work on any surface. However, you will also notice that they have a bigger lift-off distance as well.
You might ask, is that a thing? Well, when you reach the end of the pad, it will come to a deal at that point. When you lift your mouse, your sensor will continue to read the surface unless you raise it at least a centimeter up.
So, you will be making a little unnecessary and unwanted but unintentional in-game movements. And this is why the gamers who choose to go for an optical mouse also use a high-quality gaming pad as well.
This lift-off distance problem was solved in part with the 3G IR sensor. In contrast, some manufacturers prefer to go for a customized lift of distance to adjust using the software. Some of them also come with dual sensor types for ensuring higher DPI.
Consider the surface on which you are going to place the mouse?
Both optical and laser mouse work pretty well for gaming, but there are conditions. They both need to have the right kind of surface. Laser mice prefer hard surfaces, but they wear out the mouse feel, and you will have to go for a replacement.
These laser mice are not going to work well on any piece of clothes either. The mat that you will consider must accommodate your playing style. If you make large movements, you need to go for an oversized mat. But you won’t have to lift the mouse that frequently.
What about the Polling rate and the DPI?
Polling rate is how many times your mice are reporting their present state to your computer. This rate is measured in hertz. And it has a significant influence on the overall performance of your mouse. For the Windows operating system, the default rate is 125 Hz. This means the mouse sends data to your computer every 8ms.
With a faster polling rate, your mouse’s cursor is going to move accurately. For proper gaming, you will need at least a 500 Hz polling rate. The best gaming mice come with a polling rate of over 1000 Hz.
Apart from that, there is DPI as well. It stands for dots per inch. With a higher DPI, the mouse will be faster on your computer screen. With a higher DPI, you will have to move your mouse physically less. So, if you’re looking to make small hand motions, go for a higher DPI.
Do shape and gripping styles matter?
Primarily there are three different gripping styles: fingertip, claw, and palm. Some mice come with a design that can accommodate all grip styles. Most of them only work with 1 or 2 styles.
The palm grippers prefer larger mice, and they adjust them at low DPI.
On the other hand, claw grippers go with smaller mice, but they need to work with high sensitivity. Fingertip style is very much like the claw style. But you will begin to heal wrist strain after long gaming sessions. But the good thing is that you will get rapid movement in your game with fingertip style.
Conclusion
Gaming mice are critically important for better performance in your game, but they need to accommodate the gaming style. You also need to consider what type of surface you have and then how you grip your mouse. All these factors should be considered, and then a mouse with a higher DPI and polling rate would be bought for an excellent gaming experience.