MOUSE TRAPS
These days, gaming mice are more common than their real-life namesakes in a dilapidated house made of cheese. From what I’ve experienced from dozens of mice over the years, there aren’t significant differences between the major brands. There are some key things to bear in mind, though. For instance, there are mice that are better fits for the core three grips: palm, claw, and fingertip. While these grips can be used across different gaming mice, the average mouse is built for palm; shorter ones are a better fit for claw; while flatter, lighter mice suit fingertip grips.
Certain gaming mice are also targeted at specific genres. A mouse with a lot of buttons, for instance, is a better fit for the StarCrafts, Dota 2s, and World of Warcrafts of the gaming world. A mouse with a handful of buttons is likely targeted at shooter fans, particularly if it has a scroll wheel that can be toggled between tactile and loose, as well as buttons for dynamically adjusting the sensitivity. Shootercentric mice may also include adjustable weight systems to help personalise the feel.
Remember that high DPI isn’t everything – and can really mess with lower sensitivities – but the option to scale up is good for highersensitivity players. Polling rate, which is the mouse equivalent of a monitor’s refresh rate, is important, though: look for a bigger number.
For those who’ve already read my Of Mice and Frags article, you’ll know I rock a Logitech G900 mouse in wireless mode. Purist shooter fans in particular swear by wired mice, and it’s understandable why, given the shady, movement-skipping history of wireless mice. The G900 delivers on the promise of wirelessly playing like a wired mouse, though, and I haven’t gone back. This also means I don’t have to worry about things like using USB extension cables to ensure my wired mouse cable isn’t snagging or catching at the bottom of my mouse pad.