What is the Best Mouse for Gaming?

If you are becoming serious about PC gaming, you might be considering a new gaming mouse. However, you might think that your normal optical mouse is good enough. Before you splash out on a Razer or SteelSeries, check out my reviews of the best gaming mice in 2021.  

What is a Gaming Mouse?

As the name suggests, a gaming mouse is a special computer accessory that has been designed with PC gaming in mind. These mice will vary depending on the manufacturer and what they are looking to offer. They are more sensitive than normal optical mice and will provide better reaction times. When you are playing a game with reaction-based actions, this is very important. Gaming mice will often have additional buttons and features such as weight control. All of these features will enhance the gamers ability to react to their games and make it easier for them to navigate the game world.  

Responsiveness of a Gaming Mouse

One of the reasons why PC gamers need to have a gaming mouse is the responsiveness. This is related to the CPI (or counts per inch) which is sometimes interchanged with the terms DPI or dots per inch. This is how often the mouse will read its relative position. If a mouse has a higher DPI, it will read more per second and this results in more frequent updates to position. As most PC games will rely on the movement of the mouse, it is important that the mouse location is as accurate as possible. A lot of gaming mice will have the feature of switching between DPI settings to ensure that the correct setting is used for the game being played.  

Extra Buttons

A lot of people do not realize how important the extra buttons are for PC gamers. In addition to the normal left button, right button, and wheel, gaming mice will have 3 to 12 additional buttons on the side. These buttons can be mapped to particular functions which is vital for success in certain games. When these buttons are mapped, certain actions will be easy to complete in the game. It also slows down reaction time as the non-mouse hand does not have to move from the WASD controls. Players are able to FPS weapons and cast MMORPG spells while still moving around.  

Ergonomics

Anyone who has used a traditional optical mouse for prolonged periods of time will know that your hand starts to hurt. When playing games for hours it is important that your hand fits the mouse correctly. Gaming mice have 3 common designs to improve the comfort and ergonomics. The material used to build these mice are also different. They are generally made from a plastic that does not collect grease or cause the hand to perspire. This is important because grease and perspiration can cause the hand to slip at a crucial moment in the game. The weight settings are another part of the ergonomics of these mice. Many will have adjustable weight to get the right feel and movement. In some games, a mouse that is too light can cause problems.