If you are into PC gaming, you know how important the mouse is. In most games, it plays an important role. This is the reason, you need to have a good mouse for better gaming. In the beginning, most people start with a regular mouse. I also began my PC gaming with the regular mouse. Performance in gaming depends on your skill but the right gaming gear affects the in-game performance. If you want to know how a gaming mouse is better than a regular mouse, you should read this article. This article covers Gaming Mouse vs Regular Mouse.
There are many Gaming mice and gamers pick one depending on their preferences. If you search on Amazon, you will find several gaming mice starting from a very low price. But you will be surprised to know that there are several fancy low-cost mice that look like a gaming mouse but don’t offer gaming advantages. This is the reason, I have also made lists of the best gaming mice to help you buy a good one.
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Gaming Mouse vs Regular Mouse
Here are the key differences in a gaming mouse and a regular mouse. Read carefully to understand why you need a good gaming mouse.
Differences Between Gaming and Regular Mice
| Feature | Regular Mouse | Gaming Mouse |
|---|---|---|
| DPI | Fixed, typically low (400-800) | Adjustable, ranging from 800 to 20,000 or more |
| Buttons | 2-3 buttons | Multiple programmable buttons |
| Build Quality | Basic plastic, average durability | High-grade materials for extended longevity |
| Customization | Minimal | Extensive (macros, RGB lighting, sensitivity) |
| Ergonomics | Basic shape | Ergonomic designs tailored for gaming comfort |
| Polling Rate | 125 Hz (standard) | Up to 1000 Hz for faster response times |
Now lets discuss it in detail.
Build quality and design
Regular mice come in different sizes. Gaming mice are known for their design and build. Most regular mice are not designed to fit inside the user’s palm. Gaming mice usually have a large profile to fit palms nicely for a comfortable experience and they also support different grip. People who game for a long period of time will surely appreciate this. The mouse with good ergonomics improves your in-game performance. Gaming mice are designed to be used a lot. So, Buttons are also made to survive up to 50 million mouse clicks. Clicks are also softer and more responsive than the clicks of regular mice. When you use both, you will surely notice the difference.
Some gaming mice even come with a modular design. Modular gaming mice come with changeable side platers optimized for different games and personalized ergonomics. That brings the ability to fit different sizes, have the number of keys you want, or adjust the weight as per your comfort.
The weight of the mouse also plays an important role. When it comes to competitive games, the heavier mouse is better. But this choice also depends from person to person. That’s why some of the good gaming mice come with customizable weights.
Sensor
There are basically two types of sensors: Optical and Laser. Cheaper gaming mice still offer optical sensors but high-end gaming mice come with laser sensors. The quality of the sensor affects precision and accuracy. Regular mice come with usually LED or optical sensors that offer fairly good tracking sensitivity. The laser sensor comes with better tracking. A laser mouse can function on almost any flat surface but optical mice are ideally used with a mouse pad.
Extra buttons
The gaming mice come with extra programmable buttons. Most gaming mice offer 3 extra buttons but there are a few where you can have more or up to 14. In several games, having these extra buttons help a lot. Gaming mice also come with a dedicated DPI button to adjust the DPI of the mouse as per your need. DPI stands for Dots Per Inch. It shows. how sensitive the mouse is. A higher DPI value means your customer will move farther when you move the mouse.
Some people think that higher DPI sensitivity means better mice. Not all games require high DPI. Some games are played on low DPI, mainly FPS games for the most accurate aim.
Polling rate
Gaming mice also have a high polling rate measured in Hz. It is the rate at which the mouse is reporting its position to the computer. For example, a 100Hz polling rate means the mouse is reporting position to the computer every 10 milliseconds while 500 Hz means the mouse is reporting position to the computer every 2 milliseconds. When you are playing first-person-shooing games, milliseconds matter a lot.
Mouse software
Professional gaming mice come with software that you can download from the official website to fine-tune your mouse settings. Not all gaming mice come with software, but many do. You can use the software to bind the extra buttons on the mouse, control RGB light, and adjust DPI to an exact number to find the perfect sensitivity for you. There’s also an option to set up different profiles with different seeings for different games. You can change between different profiles depending on the game you are going to play.
Benefits of using a gaming mouse
You get Ergonomic advantages, superb comfort, better durability, better accuracy, and customizable buttons. So, a gaming mouse offers a better gaming experience than a regular mouse. Gaming mouse undoubtedly better for gaming and gamers prefer gaming mice for comfort and customizable buttons. You can start with the regular mouse but you will have to switch to a gaming mouse when you are ready to be into competitive gaming. You can still perform well in gaming with a regular mouse but having a gaming mouse will surely improve your performance.
The only drawback of the gaming mouse is the high cost. You will have to spend a big sum for a good gaming mouse. Gaming mouse can also be used for everyday activities. So, you don’t need to buy a regular mouse separately for regular usage.
How a Gaming Mouse Enhances Gaming
Gaming requires precise movements. Whether you are aiming in a first-person shooter or executing complex actions in a real-time strategy game, gaming mouse helps you a lot. It enables Gaming smoother, faster, and more accurate cursor movements. YOu can also switch DPI settings on the fly to adapt different in-game scenarios. Gaming mice come with extra buttons that can be programmed to perform specific actions. For example: In MMORPGs, you can assign spells or items to side buttons, and In FPS games, you can map reload or melee attacks to avoid keyboard fumbling.
Ergonomics and Comfort are a few other benefits. Prolonged gaming sessions can lead to wrist strain with regular mice. Gaming mice are designed with ergonomics in mind. Gaming mice are built to withstand heavy usage. With better materials and switches rated for millions of clicks, they last longer than regular mice. Some models come with adjustable weights for a customized feel.
RGB lighting might not improve performance, but it adds a unique flair to your gaming setup. Many gaming mice let you customize lighting patterns and colors to match your style. Gaming mice often have a higher polling rate (measured in Hz), which means they communicate with your computer more frequently, ensuring quicker response times in fast-paced games.
List of best gaming mice available online
Here is the list of the 5 best gaming mice you can buy. If you have a budget restriction, you can explore the gaming mice section to get gaming mice buying advice for the different price segment
