What to Look for in a Gaming Mouse: The Top 5 Indispensable Features

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• Low-Latency 2.4 GHz Wireless
• Higher Polling Rates
• Light Weight
• Optical Switches
• The Number of Side Buttons
• Virgin-Grade PTFE Mouse Feet

Gaming mice aren’t cheap, but if you’re willing to shell out to have an edge over your opponents in competitive titles, they need to meet certain standards. Here are some standout features you should expect from a gaming mouse today.

1 Low-Latency 2.4 GHz Wireless

You could buy a Bluetooth mouse for cheap, but it’s far from ideal for gaming, as a Bluetooth connection introduces a ton of input lag. Of course, you could buy a wired mouse if you’re worried about the latency, but then you need to deal with cable drag that may hinder your mouse movement.

If you want to stay competitive in online multiplayer games, you need a 2.4GHz wireless gaming mouse that brings wireless convenience with little to no compromise on latency. Top brands like Logitech and Razer offer plenty of great wireless mice at different price points.

For example, you can go forLogitech G Pro X Superlight 2 if you primarily play FPS games. But if you’re someone who enjoysMMO games , consider givingRazer Naga V2 Pro a shot.

2 Higher Polling Rates

A 1000Hz polling rate used to be the standard for so long, but thanks to the increasing popularity ofhigh refresh rate 240Hz monitors , peripheral makers have been pushing for higher polling rates.

Today, you’ll find gaming mice with 2000Hz, 4000Hz, and even 8000Hz polling rates. If you currently own a 240Hz or a 360Hz monitor, you may benefit from a gaming mouse that supports 4000Hz or 8000Hz polling rate.

A traditional mouse with a 1000Hz polling rate reports the cursor position once every millisecond. This translates to 1000 reports in a second. However, a mouse that supports an 8000Hz polling rate will update its information every 0.125 milliseconds, which translates to 8000 reports in a second.

As a result, when you play games ona high refresh rate monitor at higher mouse polling rates, tracking your enemies will feel smoother, and you’ll be able to register your clicks faster due to the reduced click latency.

Most high-end Razer mice available today support up to 8000Hz polling rate, but you may need to buy Razer’sHyperPolling wireless dongle separately to take advantage of it. However, theRazer Viper V3 Pro comes with this dongle as standard, so you don’t need to spend extra money.

3 Light Weight

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Gone are the days when gaming mice weighed over 100 grams. Nowadays, most competitive gamers prefer a lighter mouse. The lighter the mouse, the less fatiguing it is on your hands during long gaming sessions. It’s also easier to make precise movements with a lightweight gaming mouse.

Most modern gaming mice weigh around 50 to 70 grams, but you can find options below 40 grams, like theFinalmouse Ultralight X . Unfortunately, almost all gaming mice that weigh under 40 grams have holes in them to achieve this weight, with theNinjutso Sora V2 being the sole exception.

4 Optical Switches

Mechanical switches are fairly common on gaming mice, but if you want an edge in competitive games, you need a mouse with optical switches. According toGlorious Gaming , they’re up to 80 percent faster than standard switches, as they use infrared light to register input instead of physical contact within the switch.

Besides offering extremely fast response times, they’re also very durable due to the lack of physical contact. So, if you plan to use your gaming mouse for a few years, these switches are more reliable in the long run. You don’t have to worry about double-click issues that affect some gaming mice with mechanical switches.

Most modern Razer mice feature optical switches; theRazer DeathAdder V3 Pro and Viper V3 Pro are great examples. Logitech, on the other hand, uses hybrid optical-mechanical switches for its newer mice, like theG502X and G Pro X Superlight 2.

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5 The Number of Side Buttons

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Not all gaming mice cater to all kinds of gamers. You need a gaming mouse that’s suitable for the games you primarily plan. If you mostly play MMO games, you need a gaming mouse with several programmable side buttons, like the Razer Naga V2 Pro we mentioned earlier. This mouse comes with three swappable side plates that you can use when you switch to a shooter or any other genre.

On the other hand, if you mostly play FPS games, a gaming mouse with two side buttons should be adequate. However, if you want to perform more in-game actions easily, go for one with programmable buttons on either side of the mouse. Don’t buy an MMO mouse if you mostly play shooters, though, because it won’t be as comfortable to aim as a mouse with far fewer side buttons.

The more side buttons you have, the easier it is to perform certain in-game actions, whether that’s building in Fortnite or using your ultimate ability in Valorant. That’s one less key you need to press on your keyboard so that you can focus on your movement.

6 Virgin-Grade PTFE Mouse Feet

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If you want your mouse to glide smoothly with the least friction possible—which is crucial for a competitive advantage in FPS games—you need a mouse that comes with 100 percent pure PTFE mouse feet. Pure PTFE mouse skates are translucent or white in color, and with some ofthe best mousepads on the market , they can make a huge difference in your aim.

However, if the mouse you plan to buy doesn’t come with virgin-grade PTFE feet, you can replace it with third-party mouse feet. They’re not hard to find if you go for a popular mouse from Razer or Logitech; you can buy high-quality mouse feet for various mice fromEspTiger orCorepad .

By now, you know exactly what features to look for in a gaming mouse. But remember that a better mouse doesn’t necessarily make you a better gamer. For instance, toimprove your aim in FPS games , you need to practice, take the proper measures, and learn from your mistakes.

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