Home > How To Buy A Gaming Mouse

Gaming Mice Guide



Author: Curt Riedy

We encourage readers who find this information beneficial to share it with friends or other interested parties. Readers are encouraged to link to this article from their own websites.


The world of online gaming is moving ahead at a lightening fast speed. The emergence of MMO’s has left a huge impact on PC owners with an interest in gaming, especially those who rely on the tried and true mouse and keyboard interface. A true gamer seeks out each and every imaginable way they can overpower their opponents. Using a high-quality gaming mouse from top brands such as Saitek, Cyber Snipa and Razer can be incredibly beneficial in helping a gamer rise to the top of the online heap, and punish everyone in their path.

Introduction to Gaming Mice | What to Look For
Illumination | Adjustable DPI & Programmable Buttons
Laser Vs Optical | Mousepads & More


A Brief Introduction:



First off, we’d like to offer a bit of warning. Sure, choosing the right mouse for your gaming needs will certainly enhance the ability of almost any online player. Will it make the shabby tactics of a lowly noob rise to the top and annihilate the top scores of high-ranking board leaders? Nope, not a chance. However, put one in the hands of a skilled gamer, and you’ll have the ultimate weapon of destruction.

When it comes time for online battle, the gaming mouse is the axe you must wield, and simply using your out-of-the-box PC mouse is like wildly swinging a cardboard cut-out sword against Excalibur. A mix of both comfort and precision is absolutely essential to finding the right game mouse. For the more experienced gamer, the ability to configure your playing options is an even greater bonus.

What To Look For:



There are several components that any PC gamer looks for in a superior gaming mouse. These components include: A comfortable, ergonomic design, good traction, excellent response time, high-speed motion detection, and - for the truly hardcore - programmable buttons. Some mice even include fans incorporated into their core design, cooling off your sweaty gaming hand as you play. If you were under the impression that the most intuition a mouse had to offer was a scroll bar…read on, you have a lot to learn.

A designer, marketer, and manufacturer of some of the most cutting edge gaming peripherals in the industry, Razer is a chief example of just how intuitive a computer mouse can be. Razer currently offers the Copperhead High Precision Gaming Mouse, the only mouse available that features onboard memory, allowing the player to save up to five different personal gaming configurations. Featuring a 2000 DPI Laser Optical Engine, 7 programmable buttons and 32k of onboard memory, the award-winning Copperhead is the stuff of gaming legend.

Illumination:





For gamers that find themselves pulling a lot of all-night frag fests, illuminated mice are perfect for lighting up your gaming at night. There’s plenty of gamers who prefer to play in the dark as a way to enhance the sense of realism and urgency as you hunt down your opponents, and the one-two punch of an illuminated keyboard and mouse is the ideal way to achieve this while keeping your skills (and sense of direction) intact.

Adjustable DPI / Programmable Buttons:



Any mouse that features the option of adjustable DPI is a perfect tool for zeroing in on your kills. As long as the mouse is truly adjustable, the sensitivity of the DPI can be turned up or down, depending on your personal preference or skill level. This also allows the mouse to be perfectly capable for general use once the gaming session is over. When dealing with a mouse of this sort, it’s always a wise decision to make sure you have a larger playing surface or over-sized mouse pad.

Programmable buttons, which allows the player to map specific gaming keys to a button on their mouse, are also an excellent feature to look for. The more the better, in fact. The Zalman FPS Gun Mouse (pictured below) is an excellent example of the proper inclusion of these buttons.



Laser Vs Optical:



Many gamers will argue over the dependability of a mouse with an optical sensor versus one with that uses a laser detection. For some, it really depends on whether you prefer a low-profile mouse that is better suited for finger control (such as the Razer) or a higher-profile mouse tailored towards palm/wrist guidance (more along the lines of a Logitech). In addition, there’s also a heated debate amongst gamers on whether to go wired or wireless. Keeping the wire may sound old hat in this day and age, but some committed gamers insist that they feel a fluid connection when using a wired mouse.

Just remember, if you're gonna go wired, make sure it's a USB mouse you're working with. With the jump from 1.0 to 2.0, USB cables are faster than ever, and kick the pants off of anyone still using the old school PS/2 mice.

Outside of the many laser vs optical arguments, it all comes down to how the mouse feels in the palm of your hand.

Mousepads & More:





Another important thing to keep in mind when buying a gaming mouse is that it's essential you have a decent playing surface to rest it on. Typical cloth pads simply don't have a function properly with an optical or laser gaming mouse, and tend to severely hamper their response time. Professional gaming mouse pads are tightly woven, with a surface typically made of steel or aluminum to ensure the best tracking for your mouse. If you plan on some serious gaming, make sure to include one when ordering your mouse.

Other mouse-related add-ons that will both enhance and add comfort to your gaming experience are Gaming Gloves, Air-Cooled Wrist Pads, and friction-reducing liquids. Remember, when it comes down to game time, the enjoyment of it all is the only thing that truly matters.

Copyright Xoxide Inc. 2008 - Copying information from this page without proper credit, in the form of a link, is strictly prohibited