How to Choose a Gaming Mouse?
A good gaming mouse can be crucial for your success in games. If you pick something with a very high DPI, it will improve the twitchiness of your hand and also make you more accurate. However, if you aren’t going to take advantage of that then look for something with just a normal sensitivity (low DPI). It won’t have the same benefit as having higher ones but it will cost less.
When you are picking out a mouse, there are many different things to consider such as weight/size/shape, polling rates, DPI settings, etc. That being said, oftentimes purchasing one which is geared towards lefties is cheaper than most others so if you are considering one that is specifically for a left-handed player it may be easier on your wallet.
Important Mouse Specs
Size:
Mouse Size is not as important for your gaming needs, but you will want to make sure the mouse’s length is proportional to your hand size. Note that some mice come with a weight option in their packaging which is adjustable and can be used to balance out the mouse’s weight/center of gravity. You may choose a heavier or lighter version depending on if you prefer feeling like you control the speed of the mouse movements or if you want it to move slightly slower than the default but more consistently.
Be mindful of the mouse handedness (Mixed vs. Ambidextrous) when choosing one because most aren’t made specifically for left-handers due to how close buttons are placed together. However, there are options available if you look hard enough for these lefty-friendly mice.
Mice do have a weight limit, which is generally around 150g depending on your preference/needs.
Buttons:
Gaming mice come with different numbers of buttons/features that are very useful during gameplay. Note how the buttons feel when clicking and if they’re positioned well to fit your hand size/angle. Check out Amazon’s mouse reviews section for more details on each product!
Mouse sensitivity is something to keep in mind because it determines how much distance the mouse needs to travel before it has reached the end of its movement range and will be able to move again after releasing pressure on the movement button (usually called “Sensor” or “Eye”). The higher the sensitivity, the quicker you will be able to move around.
Sensor (or The Guide Sensitivity):
The sensor refers to the mouse’s ability to keep up with quick movements. This is measured in DPI or dots per inch and generally ranges from ~400-6200DPI on common products available today. Several other sensors have appeared recently as well such as optical, laser & optomechanical which are quite a bit different, so check out the specific differences before deciding what you want!
Note how responsive your mouse feels when playing games to get an idea of which sensor will work best for you.
A higher sensitivity means more distance covered by the cursor at a given time, but also makes it harder to aim during fast movements since it can take longer for the sensor to catch up to the cursor if it’s moving too fast. Keep this in mind when deciding what sensitivity you want, because it may make a difference between winning or losing during competitive play.
Additional Features:
There are buttons and switches for additional functionality such as sensitivity (DPI) adjustments, back/forward buttons for web browser applications, one-click macros, etc. Pay attention to these if you’re doing anything that requires a lot of repetitive tasks while gaming or just everyday use.
One thing to note is button spacing because some mice have a larger surface area between their main left/right-click buttons compared to others. This can be quite helpful when playing games with more in-game commands or when using the mouse for multimedia purposes (YouTube videos, Image Editing programs, etc).
Check out the reviews and look at what other customers say about it too because they may not fit your needs as well so don’t just assume they’re entirely accurate.
DPI:
Dot Per Inch refers to the resolution the mouse sensor can detect and how sensitive it will be to movements. This is an important factor for your gaming needs because you want as much precision as possible without running into issues such as inconsistent cursor movement, small movements causing large jumps in distance, etc. You may also want to check to see if there’s software available for customization of DPI sensitivity or just programmable features in general.
If you like knowing how many DPI are on your mouse currently, note that some mice have software that shows this information discreetly so you can change settings depending on what application you’re using at those given times with no hassle!
Lighting:
No one likes a dark battlefield. If you like to play at night, then having good lighting on your mouse is a must so you can see the buttons easily. There’s nothing more annoying than trying to find that forward button in the dark only to realize it’s not there and just an optical illusion!
This also goes for ambient lighting because sometimes playing with dimmed lights or a red-tinted atmosphere can be quite relaxing and even help your concentration level while gaming depending on how easy it is for you to focus/concentrate normally.
There are RGB light strips built into some mice too which change colors based upon what game or application you’re using, but these will usually come with additional costs over the basic LED.
Driver Software:
If you need to tweak any additional settings like DPI or lighting, then look for products that have their software. These generally allow you more freedom in altering the functionality of your mouse without having to go through third-party applications which may not be as effective.
Also, note that some mice come with additional customization options such as adjusting lift-off distance or setting a sensitivity curve so you can make adjustments easily by utilizing this feature rather than going into the control panel every time.
So now we’ve got our general understanding down of what’s important and how it will affect us within the gaming and everyday computer use.
Ready to buy? Shop Gaming Mice.
