Why a Gaming Mouse Is Worth It: 7 Features and Benefits

You will often hear avid gamers claiming that a gaming mouse is an absolute necessity, and while they can be a little bit over-enthusiastic, they have good reason to. I personally am a big fan of using one, both while playing and for general use, but is getting a gaming mouse really worth it?

Short answer, for all but the most casual gamers, a gaming mouse is worth it. This is the case if you want to: improve your gameplay, have a smoother and more comfortable user experience, or just complete an amazing-looking setup. If any of these sounds like you, a gaming mouse is almost certainly worth it.

If none of those did sound like you, it probably isn’t worth it, and this article probably isn’t either. On the other hand, if any of them do sound at all familiar, keep reading. In this article, I will explain exactly how a gaming mouse can help you get the edge over your opponents, level up the look and feel of your gameplay, and actually be better for your hand.

Added Buttons With A Gaming Mouse

First up we have something that’s usefulness would be very difficult to overstate for many gamers, and that is the added buttons that come with almost any gaming mouse. These extra buttons tend to appear on the side of your mouse by your thumb for quick access and can be mapped to different keys on your keyboard. 

This allows your mouse to perform complex moves or combinations either by itself or in sync with your other hand on your keyboard. Where otherwise you would have had to rely on one hand or actually take your mouse hand away from the device, you can now simply use your mouse and freehand. 

With these added buttons you can massively cut down on response time once you have become accustomed to using the gaming mouse. You will be able to hit those buttons faster and play better. 

This is an absolute necessity for many players, and especially those who play high-intensity multiplayer game genres such as MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games) and FPSs (First Person Shooters). In these games instant response is essential, and without it, you will quickly finding yourself losing again and again. 

You know other people are benefitting from this, don’t let yourself be left behind.

Don’t let yourself be put off by the idea of mapping buttons either. It is super easy! Check out this simple tutorial video below for assigning side buttons on a gaming mouse in Windows 10 to put any concerns at ease. 

Ergonomics- The Comfort Of Gaming Mouse

Next up we have something that may not spring to mind when thinking about your computer mouse, ergonomics. After all, I don’t know about you, but when I hear the word ergonomics I think of swivelly office chairs and that is about it. In fact, though, ergonomics is simply the science of designing things so that people and things interact most efficiently and safely. 

Okay so safely isn’t really an issue with your gaming mouse, but efficiently? Now that I can get behind. 

An ergonomic gaming mouse then is just a mouse that, rather than sticking the old dome shape we are used to, is designed to actually fit your hand, not fight it. When you put it like that, it is surprising non-ergonomic mice even exist at all!

Unfortunately, they do exist, and the vast majority of people use them. People may get away with this if they are just using their mouse for work clicking occasionally, but even that has been shown to increase chances of developing overuse injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome.

If you are gaming regularly, there is no doubt that a mouse could cause you issues long term. After all, we tend to grip them far harder for far longer, and so the likelihood of injury is far increased. 

Do your hand a favor, get an ergonomic gaming mouse today. 

Customizable Dots Per Inch With a Gaming Mouse

Going back to improving the quality of your gaming, a gaming mouse will tend to have far increased, and often customizable, dots per inch rating.

Dots per inch (DPI) is a measure of mouse resolution, or how sensitive it is. It refers to the dots (pixels) on the screen your cursor moves per inch of mouse movement on its resting surface. 

This means that if you double your DPI, you will double the distance your cursor will move for the same mouse movement. If you half the DPI, you will half the cursor movement. 

With a variable DPI then you can balance your mouse sensitivity to perfectly match your gaming needs. Need a super sensitive mouse to quickly aim and blast away enemies? A gaming mouse can do it. Want to drop that sensitivity right back down for a delicate game to avoid miss clicks? Or a high stakes sniper mission? A gaming mouse has your back. 

A standard mouse will tend to have around 800DPI, while a gaming mouse can normally have a range of around 100DPI-16,000DPI. That is huge, and your gameplay improvement will be too. 

Gaming Mice Have Higher Polling Rates 

A mouse’s polling rate is the frequency at which it fires off signals to your computer to let the computer know exactly where it is. It is measured in Hertz and has obvious consequences for gaming. 

If your mouse has a low polling rate your play will feel clunky and jolted. Your cursor or your field of vision, moving across the screen will lag slightly behind your movements and have a jagged transition. This can seriously affect your enjoyment of a game as it makes full immersion next to impossible. 

Obviously, this is extremely damaging for the enjoyment of role-playing games, but it can also affect your play quality. In scenarios where you need to aim quickly, precisely, and without hesitation, your mouse lagging behind can cost you.

A high polling rate like those in gaming mice however has the opposite result. You are fully immersed, feel as though the game is reacting to your thoughts rather than your movements, and are less likely to miss at that vital moment. 

If you are still a little unsure or want to know more about DPIs and polling rates, this video explains them both in a little more detail and is a great place to start!

Wireless Gaming Mice For Your Convenience 

Okay, so I am not claiming that being wireless is unique to gaming mice. It isn’t. I did think it worth mentioning though, to let you know that you can get a high-quality gaming mouse that doesn’t have a wire attached. 

The reasons you may want this are the same as why you would want anything else wireless and so it is up to you whether it is something you prioritize. 

They are far more portable and can be convenient if you have a setup far away from where you play. Or, if you are a clutter freak like me, they simply remove unnecessary wires and tidy things up. 

Either way though being wireless is by no means the defining feature of a gaming mouse, just something to be aware of when deciding what is right for you. 

Gaming Mice Last Longer

Like anything you pay a bit more money for, a gaming mouse will tend to be far more durable and long-lasting than your bog-standard PC mouse. This means that you will find yourself needing to replace a gaming mouse far less often, saving yourself time, effort, and money.

A Gaming Mouse Just Looks Better

Look, this isn’t a make-or-break point. At the end of the day gameplay, usability, and your comfort are all probably more important than how a gaming mouse looks. But it is undeniable that a sleek LED backlit gaming mouse looks good. Really good. 

Although yes, you spend more of your time looking at the screen than down at your mouse, I personally love having a setup than I enjoy looking at even when I am not playing. A gaming mouse is an essential part of that. 

Style may not be the primary reason you should get a gaming mouse, it does certainly help though. 

To Sum Up

So there you have it, the main reasons I personally think that a gaming mouse is a worthwhile purchase for well, pretty much anyone, and especially any gamer. 

All that is left for you to do, is to decide which one you want.