pc gaming mouseThe next time you sit down to unwind and play your favourite PC game, count your clicks. Your mouse is doing a lot more work during your gaming session than you realize. I was the same way, overlooking the one piece of hardware that is constantly in use. I would howl and curse at missed shots and slow responses to enemy fire. Okay, I also blamed my old default mouse for my own skill shortcomings, but we don’t need to dwell on that. Instead, I’m going to tell you how a dedicated gaming mouse will improve your PC gaming experience.

Buttons, buttons everywhere

Did you know that there used to be a mouse with only one button? For years, Apple shipped with a one button mouse. I can sense you shuddering at the idea of using only one button. That’s the same reaction gaming mice users now have about regular two button mice. Sure, left and right click are fine for word processing and making dumb memes about ducks. But you could be unleashing your gaming combinations by binding your actions to customizable buttons. The ASUS ROG Spatha Wireless Gaming Mouse has 12 customizable buttons. 12! So many options! Why press control+shift+3 to fire your big blaster when a hot key on your mouse can do the same thing in one click?

Accuracy and speed

Logitech gaming mouseThe big feature of a gaming mouse is the incredible precision and speed they offer. The number of Dots Per Inch (DPI) gaming mice like the Logitech G903 Wireless Optical Gaming Mouse offer is astounding high. And most of them can track in 1 DPI increments, compared to the standard 50 DPI increments. In fact, you’ll want to adjust the DPI to match your monitor’s DPI or your cursor will fly much too quickly across the screen. The Logitech offers programmable DPI shifting, to switch between lower DPI for precision, and higher DPI for speed.

Pretty colours and flashing lights

ASUS gaming mouseOkay, this isn’t necessarily a practical consideration, but think about the way your gaming setup looks. The gaming mice like the ASUS ROG Spatha and the Razer Mamba have programmable LED lights that you can set to show your colours in a dramatic lightshow. You’re going to spend hundreds of hours looking at your gaming rig, so why not make it look interesting?

The great debate: wired or wireless gaming mouse?

I know, we live in an age of technological wonder, where the wires that held us back in the past have been made unnecessary. I wish I had faith in dependable wireless mouse connections. But I have had too many flickers of inconsistent response rates. The world is full of noisy signals colliding into each other and fighting for dominance. Even if your wireless mouse connection is stable 98% of the time, the 2% will haunt you. That’s my take, anyway, but remember that I am a grumpy old gamer. My preference is for a wired mouse like the Razer Mamba Tournament Edition Wired 5G Laser Mouse. It’s just as fast and accurate as its wireless competitors, but it will never be disconnected from your PC by a malfunctioning wireless baby monitor.

When it comes to all things related to PC gaming—including accessories and upgrades—be sure to check out the massive selection at Best Buy.

image from razer.com

Chris Loblaw
Chris is a novelist, avid gamer, tech enthusiast, and proud dad of a 13-year-old video game master.

1 COMMENT

  1. Hi!

    Nice article

    Looks like that’s Dr. Disrespect’s mouse but a newer one. I know the article is about mouses but if you recommend Razer mouse it’s better to buy it together with the keyboard. Because they rock! 🙂

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