Most professional gamers will shriek at the thought of using normal mice instead of gaming mice when playing video games. This is because gaming mice pack tons of unique features designed to make gaming easier and a lot more enjoyable. But does a gaming mouse make you a better player?
A gaming mouse won’t make you a better player as your game performance largely depends on skill and experience. However, a mouse with additional features like button customizations can improve how responsive you are during a game.
In this article, we’ll talk more about gaming mice and their role in improving in-game performance. Ready? Then let’s get straight to business.
Advantages of a Gaming Mouse
Although having a gaming mouse is not a necessity, owning one has its pros. Let’s look at them now.
Precision Optics
This refers to the accuracy at which the cursor responds to user movements, and it is determined by DPI (dots per inch) and CPI (counts per inch). You can customize these values when using a gaming mouse.
For games that require you to move fast, a higher CPI and DPI will make your cursor move faster. So, for optimum gaming performance, DPI and CPI should match the game being played and your user style.
Extra Mouse Buttons
Compared to an ordinary mouse, a gaming mouse can have up to 12 extra buttons. These can be set to perform specific tasks depending on the type of game being played. Those who haven’t yet used these functionalities may dismiss them at first, but experienced users attest to how much they make gaming easier.
Comfort
Using a mouse for a long time may result in repetitive strain injury, more so if your mouse is uncomfortable. This is where a gaming mouse comes in handy, pun intended. Gaming mice are either in the Palm, Claw, or Fingertip designs, each of which fits different types of games.
Therefore, if you’re going to play video games for long, using a gaming mouse can help increase your overall comfort, thereby reducing the chances of injury.
Weight and Feel
How your mouse feels on your hand is also determined by its weight. More weight on the mouse reduces acceleration and responsiveness, which can be advantageous depending on the game being played.
Some high-end gaming mouse brands have removable weights on the bottom side. These can be added or removed to reach a weight that feels right to you.
What To Consider Before Getting a Gaming Mouse
As seen, gaming mice have the edge over typical mice. However, before rushing to get one, here are some things to consider first.
Find Out Your Style of Grip
The style in which you grip your mouse will dictate which shape of weight you will find to be comfortable. Grip styles are determined by the Palm, Claw, and Fingertip designs. Users with palm and claw grips generally choose a larger, heavier mouse, while fingertip grip users like a smaller, lighter mouse.
Find Out Your Play Style
Your playstyle is determined by the kind of games you usually play and how you move your current mouse. The kind of games you play will dictate the features you find to be important, such as extra buttons and glide quality.
Materials Used
The material from which the mouse is made will determine its feel in your hand. Plastic and metal materials each have their unique feel on the palm as they affect the mouse’s weight differently.
Therefore, knowing which material the mouse is made from will help you know if it matches your gaming style.
Is It Wired or Wireless?
Gone are the days when wireless mice were considered slower than wired ones. However, a wireless mouse offers more flexibility as you don’t have to deal with wires hanging around. This makes wireless mice more expensive and is something you should consider before buying one.
Customizations
The beauty of gaming mice is that they give you more customization options as compared to normal mice. If you have more customization options, you’re more likely to get settings that best suit your gaming preferences. Most gaming mice have custom software that helps you with this.
Sensor Type
Gaming mice either have a laser sensor or an optical sensor. Laser sensors are highly accurate in tracking compared to optical sensors but need to be used on rough surfaces. Gamers still do not prefer any specific sensor, and their use is subject to personal preferences.
Important Terms in Gaming Mice
Now that you know what to look for in gaming mice, let’s now look at some important terms used when discussing gaming mice.
DPI (Dots Per Inch)
DPI refers to Dots Per Inch and is the speed per pixel that a cursor moves with each corresponding inch of your mouse’s movement. If you are gaming on a large screen, you will need a mouse with a higher DPI so that the cursor moves more on the screen with less physical mouse movement.
CPI (Counts Per Inch)
CPI refers to Counts Per Inch, which is the number of pixels captured by the camera in the mouse’s sensor per inch of movement. It is regarded as a more accurate description of the capabilities of the mouse as compared to DPI.
Palm Design
The palm design is a gaming mouse design style, which is used in games that require accurate glide control, such as sniping games. Though your palm may feel more comfortable and relaxed while using such a mouse, gaming won’t feel agile.
Claw Design
The claw design is also a gaming mouse design style. This design is used in games that require quick kicking and gliding, such as in Real-Time Strategy (RTS) games. Such a mouse will be quite stable when clicking rapidly, but using the mouse will not feel very comfortable on the hand.
Fingertip Design
The fingertip design is the third gaming mouse design. It is used for games that require quick gliding, such as both RTS and First Person Shooter (FPS) games. While such a mouse has agile gliding, it will not be suitable for games that require both accurate and slow gliding.
Gaming mice target the needs of gamers, who play games for hours on end. They are not only designed with ergonomics in mind but also have additional customization features for faster use.
Granted, a gaming mouse won’t make you a better player. However, the extra features such as adjustable precision optics and button customizations improve your overall gaming experience, thereby increasing your chances of performing well despite playing for hours on end.
