Every serious gamer needs a gaming mouse that can help you dominate the opponent in a battle of twitch reflexes. Gaming mice offer ergonomic grips, customization and unique button layouts that give you more commands at your literal fingertips. This article is going to cover the major things to consider when choosing a gaming mouse on a budget.

Your Grip Type

Understanding how you commonly hold the mouse is key to choosing one that works with your grip rather than against it. Here are the main categories different grip types fall into.

Palm Grip

In this grip, the hand holds the mouse in a natural and relaxed manner. You can use the entire middle and index fingers to click the mouse. Mice for this grip have a high arch and thumb indent. They also tend to be heavier.

Claw Grip

If you have a claw grip, your palm is usually rested on the bottom part of the mouse while your fingers are in an arched manner. You usually use the tips of your middle and index fingers to click the mouse. It is common with RTS gamers. For this grip, you will need a medium arch mouse with light or medium weight.

Fingertip Grip

This grip style involves using the mouse with the thumb and two fingers while the rest of the palm is away from the mouse. It allows speed while sacrificing a little control – unless you become very proficient or it’s very natural for you. It is one of the rarest grip types. Gaming mouse for this grip comes with a flat arch, are short, and extremely light.

Button Layout According to the Game

You will find different layouts designed to cater for some games more than they do for others.

For example, MMO mice for games like Star Wars and World of Warcraft come with large extra buttons on one or both sides of the mouse to help bind essential skills. They also allow allocating of keyboard functions.

FPS mice, on the other hand, usually have less buttons and adjustable weights and the ability to macro-switch your settings mid game.

MOBA mice on the other hand come with all the buttons you need to be able to fully control your character with the mouse alone.

Programmability and Customization

Being able to turn keys into hot and soft keys makes the game more fun. This is like the sniping function for FPS games, which quickly adjusts your DPI and sensitivity so you can snipe more accurately. Not to mention being able to create macros and save game profiles for using the mouse on other PCs.

When it comes to customization, you will want to have the options for adjusting the DPI fast, and easy, as well as choosing a color for your profiles if your mouse has LED backlighting.

Onboard memory is as essential as customization since you can have your settings readily available as soon as you connect it to a different computer instead of downloading the software.

Wired vs. Wireless Gaming Mouse

While going clutter-free, a wireless gaming mouse is always in the picture. When they were first introduced, they suffered from lag and short battery lives. As such, they were a no-go zone for gamers. But with advancements, manufacturers have managed to improve the response times and provision of long battery lives without adding any extra weight. As such, they are now regarded as equals to the corded mouse, so it all comes down to your preference.

Durability

The materials your mouse is made of determine its capability of handling abuse. Gaming mice go through a lot, like being banged when you lose a game to being stuffed in a crowded backpack and being dropped again and again.

Metal frames are the most durable, but they can add unnecessary weight to the mouse. Plastic gaming mice can be fragile. This means you will need to watch for a mouse that has manageable weight while incorporating durable housing like rubber and metal or rubber and plastic.

The good news is that most gaming mice are good at withstanding the abuse a typical gamer will throw at it.

Ambidextrous vs. Handed Gaming Mouse

Ambidextrous gaming mice are designed to be used with either hand. The ones that come with extra buttons are more expensive than regular ambidextrous mice. For two-handed mice, they can be used specifically with the left or right hand. They usually have an ergonomic design and buttons that will accommodate the thumb or ring fingers. 

Final Words

Gaming mice act as a core input for your PC. If you game even semi-competitively, you’ll find a mouse does wonders for your game with their accuracy, customization and ergonomics. Mice for FPS, MMO, MOBA, and RTS games are comfortable and all come with programmable buttons for a fun gaming experience.