What do you look for in a gaming mouse?

yoshi675

n00b
Joined
Oct 2, 2018
Messages
7
Mice are a crucial part of any gaming set-up, but I've never really known what makes a mouse good. When I bought my first actual gaming mouse it was the Razer Mamba and I mainly bought it because I liked the lights. It was cool, but after a while I realized the sensor wasn't very good and a lot of people were having the same issue.

Now that I'm looking for a new mouse, I'm curious to know how everyone picks what mouse is right for them and what is important when making that decision.

I know there's a variety of factors that can affect someones' decision to buy a specific mouse, (i.e. shape/weight/RGB/sensor) but what do you guys feel is the most important and why?
 
one of my main requirements is i have to have the right and left click on the mouse scroll wheel. Makes switching weapons in games much faster for me.

i actually just picked up the new razer mamba elite.since they finally went to an optical sensor over a laser.

its been my first razer product in years. so far i like it.
 
For me, The mouse must be wireless. I usually pick my mice based on function.
Because I game in a recliner and use a coffee table for my mouse, wireless is a must.
Function and Quality are second. I use a Razer Naga Epic Chroma for WoW.
This is the only wireless 12 button mouse out there.
If another company made one of a better quality I would jump ship in a heartbeat because Razer stuff quality control is a joke.
My 2nd mouse is the Logitech G900 imo there is not a better wireless mouse out there.
It's absolutely lag free and has a very good battery life. Great for first person shooters and a daily driver.
My work mouse is a Logitech MX Master. Not only does it have exceptional battery life, it's a joy to use.
 
one of my main requirements is i have to have the right and left click on the mouse scroll wheel. Makes switching weapons in games much faster for me.

i actually just picked up the new razer mamba elite.since they finally went to an optical sensor over a laser.

its been my first razer product in years. so far i like it.
Yeah, I definitely think a big issue I had with the Mamba was that it's laser. Mine is an older version from about 2 years ago, maybe it's worth checking out the new one if they've got the sensor changed up!
 
For me, The mouse must be wireless. I usually pick my mice based on function.
Because I game in a recliner and use a coffee table for my mouse, wireless is a must.
Function and Quality are second. I use a Razer Naga Epic Chroma for WoW.
This is the only wireless 12 button mouse out there.
If another company made one of a better quality I would jump ship in a heartbeat because Razer stuff quality control is a joke.
My 2nd mouse is the Logitech G900 imo there is not a better wireless mouse out there.
It's absolutely lag free and has a very good battery life. Great for first person shooters and a daily driver.
My work mouse is a Logitech MX Master. Not only does it have exceptional battery life, it's a joy to use.
Interesting to know people are still very much interested in wireless mice. For a while they seemed so innovative until people started realizing the lag was an issue. It seems like the tech has caught up though. Do the mice you use now come with chargeable batteries or are they batteries that must be replaced? Would that have an effect on how much lag is felt?
 
Interesting to know people are still very much interested in wireless mice. For a while they seemed so innovative until people started realizing the lag was an issue. It seems like the tech has caught up though. Do the mice you use now come with chargeable batteries or are they batteries that must be replaced? Would that have an effect on how much lag is felt?
All of the Mice I use have rechargeable batteries. Not typically considered user replaceable. It doesn't affect lag at all. Either the mouse is on and functioning correctly or out of battery. All 3 mice can be used while charging.
 
My #1 must-have is a hard plastic body. I can't stand the rubber-ish coating on so many mice. Sadly, more and more mice are produced with that loathsome coating. I've been using an original Razer Diamondback Blue Plasma mouse for years. I baby it as much as I can because I've never found a mouse I like better.
 
Ergonomics. This is a PITA when mouse shopping as you can't tell what's right for you in just a minute of touch.
 
I would recommend forcing yourself to get used to an ambi shape in the size you like. I'd right off anything over 90 grams, and try for under 80 grams. Replace the feet with hyper glides and the cable with a paracord.
 
As everything human interface (and not only), there is multitude of factors and everyone is different on their prioritization of them. It's strongly personal.
I'd order my list of priorities something like that.
1. shape/ergonomics. Every ambi mouse I've had was a pain for me. I like pure ergonomic right-hand mice. Not too small, not bulky as most Logitechs.
2. Decent optical sensor. Not a hard gamer, and 2000dpi max is enough for me (for now). Right now I'm 1400dpi on 1920x1200.
3. Weight max 100-110 grams. This almost excludes wireless with rechargeables. I've had enough of these and no-more!
4. Wired is Ok for me but recent Logitechs with their new sensor/wireless seems attractive and may be my next mouse like G603 or something (really prefer AA(A)s over rechargeables!).
5. Immune against double-clicking phenomenon! Strange enough, cheaper mice were always much better than all expensive mice I've had! All Logitechs etc., expensive or less expensive, were suffering double clicking after a year or so of use.
6. Rubberized plastics is a bonus for me, it's always a good feeling and helps for the firm grip. Rubberized plastic is very durable for my kind of hand/sweat, not erazed even after 3-4 years of use, expensive or cheaper mice, no matter.
7. Anything here is a bonus and if anything here is way too bad, can rearrange the list and creep up to top positions. I mean feet/smooth_gliding, plastics quality and creaking, wobbling cursors for some reason, stiff cable... P.S. Ok, smooth gliding is among the top priorities but this can be achieved one way or another with appropriate mouse pad. Currently with metal feet on Sphex v2.
 
Last edited:
smooth shiny fur, good teeth and no sign of disease ;)

374481-19;1516078000i.jpg


ok actually; a smooth glide, big enough for my hand, not too many buttons and I have to be able to turn the rgb off if it has it.
 
I want a tank of a mouse with military grade R+L button switches. Running around in FPS games clicking the fuck out of the gun trigger brings cheesy low quality mice to their knees in short order.
 
Haha, that said, they should design all (gaming) mice with user (easily) replaceable L/R switches :) . Just like the (AA) batteries.
Or you can look for a mouse with the new optical switches (I believe this should have been designed and adopted much earlier, if even nowadays it's found in only one brand I believe).
 
Haha, that said, they should design all (gaming) mice with user (easily) replaceable L/R switches :) . Just like the (AA) batteries.
Or you can look for a mouse with the new optical switches (I believe this should have been designed and adopted much earlier, if even nowadays it's found in only one brand I believe).
And the middle button.
That died first on my Corsair Scimitar. It lasted just long enough for the warranty to run out.

OP for me:
Good customer service and warranty because they all break, its a matter of when.
Solid build, not too heavy
good ergonomics
easy to use software
good quality wire. Wires develop faults. 50/50 which goes first, the wire or a button.
good quality switches, although around 2 years old they seem to flake anyway if the cable hasnt broken first
at least 10 switches
very good tracking on poor surfaces (my sofa)
very low or no lag
ability to recover almost instantly when tracking is lost, some take a second or 2 which is v annoying
enough lighting to find it in a darkened room, quality colour rgb patterns are nice. This is why I need wired because 'power use' and less chance of losing it on a sofa.
I really like a spinny mouse wheel (Logitech) but its not essential

I dont ask much lol, only near perfection.
This comes at a price usually though.
I only replace a mouse when it breaks (or is unsuitable) which seems to be around the 2 to 3 year mark so far.

My latest is the G502 Hero.
The best tracking mouse I have used, very smooth and accurate even on crap surfaces.
It almost never stops tracking, and if it does, it has no wait time to start tracking again. It "immediately" works.
It has a very tiny lag compared to my old Corsair but I got used to it in 30 mins.
Not the best looking mouse which is why I didnt buy the original Hero, but I'm running low on high end options.
Razer button died, Corsair button died, Shogun terrible lag, Steelseries wire and multiple button quality issues and poor customer service ...
 
Has to have a side button that can be remapped to middle click. I don't use the scroll wheel button anymore since I used to have issues using scoped weapons and then accidentally switching weapons if the scroll wheel moved when I clicked and held down.
 
Has to have a side button that can be remapped to middle click. I don't use the scroll wheel button anymore since I used to have issues using scoped weapons and then accidentally switching weapons if the scroll wheel moved when I clicked and held down.
Yeah I did this on my Corsair Scimitar for a while when the middle button died, it was a good temporary solution.
 
#1 is has to be wired. I fought and fought and fought with a jittery mouse for the longest time only to discover it was interfering with my WiFi signal.

Programmable side buttons by the thumb. And that's about it. Not picky.
 
#1 is has to be wired. I fought and fought and fought with a jittery mouse for the longest time only to discover it was interfering with my WiFi signal.

Programmable side buttons by the thumb. And that's about it. Not picky.

I haven't gamed with a wired mouse after I bought my first wireless mouse, an MX1000 waaaaaay back in the day.
The only time I had a wired mouse since was with my G700 wireless, and that was only wired when I was not gaming. Battery didn't last that long so I had to keep it plugged in in wired mode.
 
I have to say, I've had my fair share of wired and wireless gaming mice. My 2 favorites are my current mouse, the Corsair Scimitar Pro RGB and the Razer Naga Epic Chroma. Both feel really comfortable and the buttons are easily accessible and not cumbersome during long gaming sessions. The mouse has to have a comfortable amount of weight while not feeling like you're holding a brick.
 
For me it has to be wireless (I'm a couch/TV gamer) and it needs to have as many buttons as possible without getting stupid, a la those MMO mice with a dozen thumb buttons.

The Logitech G700 and G700S mice are the closest thing to ideal for me at the moment. I'd be fine with 3 thumb buttons and I find the buttons under your middle finger to be useless, but it's otherwise exactly what I want.
The caveat is that they aren't making them anymore (they're $200+ on Amazon) and the wireless sensors aren't the best.

I really, really hope we get a wireless version of the G502.
 
Current mouse:
41NWfrMr-8L._SX466_.jpg


Old mouse:
26-254-058-08.jpg


Clearly, I have a "type":

Wired
Medium size
2 side buttons
Clicky scroll wheel
Minimalist look (I always turn off the led garbage)
 
The newest gen Logitech Wireless Lightning sensor on G603 and G703, and higher Logitech mice offers imperceivable lag of just 1ms. The batteries last a very long time too. With that in mind and after using a G603 the last few months, I have no need for wired mice in the future. This is the first wireless mouse I’ve used that the lag is functionally identical to a wired gaming mouse.
 
What do I look for in a gaming mouse?
Proper size and comfort.
Wireless.
Plus two buttons and a wheel.
That's all.
 
I find a lot of the new mice that people say are amazing just don't feel right to me. I had the mx518 for ages, and I've been using the g700's for about 4 years now. They are my favorite Mouse. I've tried a few of the current new ones and they just haven't felt right imho.
 
I want a mouse that is symmetrical, wireless, and you can adjust the sensitivity on the fly. Has a wheel that doesn't feel flimsy, and you can properly use the wheel as a middle button. I've never seen anything that comes close. Either gaming mice are overdesigned garbage, or they are wired, possibly both.
 
I want a mouse that is symmetrical, wireless, and you can adjust the sensitivity on the fly. Has a wheel that doesn't feel flimsy, and you can properly use the wheel as a middle button. I've never seen anything that comes close. Either gaming mice are overdesigned garbage, or they are wired, possibly both.

Sounds like the G Pro Wireless is your dream mouse as long as the size is right.
 
  • Like
Reactions: M76
like this
Sounds like the G Pro Wireless is your dream mouse as long as the size is right.
Looks great, but geez I thought my current mouse was expensive. But this beats it by about 100 percent.
 
Comfort, has to be wireless.

I've been using the Mamba for a few years now, I'm used to it and the wireless performance is great.
 
Looks great, but geez I thought my current mouse was expensive. But this beats it by about 100 percent.

The G603 and G305 might work. They're pretty plain, but the sensor is great and they have amazing battery life (my 305 got ~3 months out of one AA battery).
They use AA batteries, which i like because I can use my pile of rechargeables, but you can use lithium batteries for lighter weight.
 
Must be wired
Must have several programmable buttons
Logitech G502 is what I use, mainly for Fortnite and I love it.
 
Really depends. When most companies label something a "gaming mouse" it normally has higher DPI then standard mice and more buttons for macros etc...

However, this isn't always the case. It is different based on manufactures.

So no, there is no specific reason to get a "gaming mouse" over a standard mouse if you can find one cheaper with same or better specs.

Just look for a mouse that has the features you want.
 
Size is crucial for me. I have small hands (13cm from tip of my middle finger to edge of palm and 9cm across the palm) and gravitate toward smaller mice as part of that. Prior to my current Model O (which, yeah, I'm really eyeballing the O-) I used a Corsair M65 Pro RGB and a Logitech G mx518 which was because I had loved the original mx518's shape as well as the similar G5. Ergonomics is the key factor for me and all of those mice have fit my hand well.

Aside from ergonomics, the key feature for me is two side buttons for forwards and back are requirements for me. I have a Corsair Dark Core RGB for my laptop as a wireless mouse and it's on the larger side but what's particularly annoying is the way I hold it, the front-most side button requires me to reposition my hand further forward to use it and my index finger tends to bump the DPI buttons. And, compared to the Model O that I'm so accustomed to by now, it feels like a brick as it's nearly twice as heavy.

So, now that I have tasted of the fruit of ultralight mice, I can't go back. It's just so much more comfortable to have that light touch and the holes I thought would bother me go completely unnoticed. So, for now my list of requirements is fitting well in hand, two side buttons, and under 80 grams, if not under 70. I don't pretend to be a competitive gamer, however, I use my mouse a lot and those all factor into making it great not only for games but for everything else I use my computer for as well.
 
Back
Top