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A gaming mouse is essentially a standard PC mouse with extra bells and whistles. They're covered with more buttons, have more accurate positional tracking, more flashing neon lights and are designed for comfort over longer play sessions. They're made with precision in mind rather than to fade into the background in an office environment.
If your performance has plateaued of late, a good gaming mouse suited to your specific playstyle can give you the edge you're looking for. If you spend an inordinate amount of time wandering Azeroth, storming the Summoner's Rift or sniping on Dust2, it might be time to consider upgrading to a gaming mouse.
Check out our favourite gaming mice
Gaming mice, like games themselves, can be divided into broad genres. Depending on your gaming tastes, you'll want to consider these options.
Wired mice are generally considered more responsive and reliable than their wireless cousins, though this is becoming less true every year as wireless tech is improved. We're talking about fractions of seconds here, but if you're looking for a competitive edge it all adds up.
Wireless connections can be notoriously flaky in certain environments, too, so if you need something guaranteed to work every single time, wired is the lower risk option – especially if public tournament play is on the cards for you. Wired mice are also cheaper.
However, if you're not playing at the highest level competitively and don't like unnecessary clutter, wireless is a solid option. They look better and take up less desk real estate, but it's worth keeping in mind that wireless mice will need charging or fresh batteries, depending on the model.
Now that you've chosen what genre of mouse suits you, and weighed up between wired and wireless options, there are still a number of important factors to consider.
You're going to be holding your gaming mouse for potentially thousands of hours of play, so comfort is crucial. While shape and materials play a part, it's the size of the mouse relative to the size of your hand that matters most so if you have large hands, you'll want a larger mouse.
As a general rule, if your hand is smaller than 17cm in length (measured from the base of your palm to the top of your middle finger), consider opting for a small mouse. If your hand is between 17cm and 20cm, opt for a medium one, and if it's longer than 20cm, then opt for a large one. You want your mouse to be around 75% the size of your hand, if not larger. You'll be able to find the exact dimension of any gaming mouse on its manufacturer's website.
Mouse sensitivity is measured in dots per inch (DPI). The higher the DPI, the more sensitive the mouse is to being moved. However, a higher number doesn't automatically equate to "better". In games that emphasise precision over speed of movement, a lower DPI can be advantageous. First-person shooters are generally better using lower DPI so you can dial in headshots without sliding past your target with an accidental hand twitch. For example, most Call of Duty pro players use DPI settings of between 400 and 800. MOBAs or RTS games, on the other hand, in which you need to make large sweeping motions, can benefit from higher DPI settings.
Ultimately, if you're going to be playing different types of games, what you want is the versatility to experiment with settings. All gaming mice will let you switch DPI using software but some even let you switch on the fly with a dedicated button.
This refers to the type of light the mouse shines onto a surface to track movement. Optical mice use LEDs while laser mice use, well, lasers. You can use a laser mouse on more types of surfaces, like glass desks, whereas optical mice really need a decent mousepad to function properly on anything other than a solid, non-glossy desk. However, laser mice can pick up divots in a desk or uneven fibres in a mousepad, resulting in judder and poorer performance. Most pro players prefer optical mice.
Polling rate is a measure of how often a mouse reports its location back to the computer. Higher polling rates reduce input lag and increase accuracy. We'd recommend aiming for a gaming mouse with at least a 500Hz polling rate.
The Logitech G Pro X Superlight abandons frills and fancy features to deliver top-tier performance in an impressively light package.
The Roccat Burst Pro delivers a unique spin on ultralight honeycomb gaming mice that couples rock-solid performance with accessible design at a reasonable price.
With its comfortable design, great performance and exceptional customisability, the Razer Naga is the best left-handed gaming mouse in Australia.
The Razer DeathAdder V2 Pro combines the top-tier performance and functionality of the original DeathAdder V2 with excellent wireless connectivity and strong battery life.
The Roccat Kone Pure Ultra successfully combines the speed of an ultra-light gaming mouse with the comfort of an ergonomic design.
The Razer Viper Ultimate combines the best features of Razer's gaming mice into one compelling, albeit pricey, package.
The Razer Viper Mini is a more accessible and affordable alternative to the popular Razer Viper that doesn't compromise on performance.
New features and upgraded hardware make the DeathAdder V2 one of the best mice Razer has produced.
The Razer Basilisk V2 is far more than a simple refresh of the original Basilisk – it is a thorough re-tooling that has plenty to offer PC gamers of all experience levels.
Pro gamers looking for a light and simple wireless mouse with excellent tracking will do well with the simple but powerful Logitech G Pro Wireless Mouse.