How to choose a gaming mouse
Shape and weight decide comfort. Sensor specification does not decide anything any more, because every current flagship sensor tracks faster than a human hand can move.
Grip style comes first
Palm grip suits a longer, higher mouse that fills the hand. Claw grip suits a shorter body with a pronounced hump. Fingertip suits small, flat, light shapes. Buying a shape that fights your grip causes strain no specification fixes.
Measure your hand
Length from wrist crease to middle fingertip, and palm width. Compare those against the mouse's length, width and height. This is a better predictor of comfort than any review.
Weight
Under 60g is very light and suits fast, low sensitivity play. 80 to 100g is normal. Above 110g is noticeable during long sessions. Holed shells save weight, collect dust, and change how the shell flexes.
Wireless is solved
Current 2.4GHz wireless is indistinguishable from wired in latency. Bluetooth is not, and is for travel rather than play. Check battery life at the polling rate you intend to use, because 8,000Hz polling drains a battery several times faster than 1,000Hz.
Switches and feel
Optical switches avoid the double click failure that plagues mechanical ones as they age. Click weight and travel are preference. Scroll wheel feel is rarely described and is the part people complain about later.
Common mistakes
- Choosing on DPI. Almost everyone plays between 400 and 1600.
- Buying a very light mouse for palm grip, where the lack of mass makes control worse.
- Ignoring the cable on a wired mouse. A stiff cable undoes a good sensor.