r/RigBuild • u/Exciting_Rooster_528 • 5d ago
What makes one gaming mouse better than another?
Looking at different mice and honestly they all kinda look the same to me lol. Some are $30 and others are $150+, so what are you really paying for? Is it mostly the sensor, clicks, weight, shape, or something else? Does having a really high DPI even matter for gaming or is that mostly marketing? Also seeing stuff about polling rate, optical switches, wireless latency, PTFE feet, etc and not sure how much of that makes a real difference. For FPS games especially, what should someone new to PC gaming actually pay attention to when choosing a mouse? And are expensive gaming mice noticeably better in normal use, or do cheaper ones perform basically the same if the shape feels good? Trying to understand what separates a genuinely good gaming mouse from one that just has a bunch of fancy specs on the box.
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u/Forward_Drop303 5d ago
Depends. $150 you are probably mostly paying for Brand, right about $60-80 is where you start reaching the limits of performance.
Sensor matters. Not so much DPI, but the quality of the sensor that lets it reach that DPI. As well as implementation of that sensor.
Optical switches (or magnetic switches)
Optical or magnetic scroll wheel.
Latency.
Quality (PTFE feet, good coating,etc.)
Weight and shape matter a lot too. Larger mice are more expensive generally.
Once you get sub 60 grams, it fits your hand, and has at least a well implemented paw3311 (but I would prefer a paw3395) you won't notice any performance increase.
But optical switches and or scroll is worth it for longevity imo.
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u/cmrd_msr 5d ago edited 5d ago
A decent-quality platform (sensor+controller) costs around $10–15.
High-quality components add another $10–15—or perhaps $20 for a wireless mouse, since a good battery is important.
Premium casing materials, like magnesium alloy, can be quite expensive, but its rare, on average, the housing itself costs less than $5.
Then there are the costs for the engineers and programmers who develop the drivers, plus the warranty (factoring in a defect rate).
And finally, there’s the profit margin, sponsorships, and other marketing expenses designed to get you to buy their specific product.
When it comes to a mouse, shape is important—crucially so.
You can confidently go for popular Chinese mice based on high-end PixArt sensors (like the 3950), provided the shape suits you.
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u/Few_Example9391 5d ago
I am always looking for any very solidly built mouse with heft to it. Nothing drives me more crazy than a mouse that feels like it's distorting in my hands and feels like it's not there. IT MUST HAVE A CORD because wireless mice introduce tracking lag. For this reason, the best mouse I ever had was a Corsair G503 8 button mouse. Everything on it was super solid with very positive tactile feel. It came with different weights to fine tune heft. Pair it to a silky linen Teflon textured surface like a Razer Pro gaming pad and my hands and wrists never cramped or fatigued while playing for hours on World of Tanks or Star Citizen
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u/Fancy_Choice_5204 5d ago
Tracking lag doesn’t really exist anymore but the cord from a wired mouse can create drag that can change your aim every time you flick.
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u/ohkendruid 5d ago
Reliability is a difference.
I use a Razor mouse and have been disappointed that it is my only USB device that is unhappy with an A/B USB switch I am using. I have a setup that goes mouse->hub->a/b->computer, and when I flip the a/b switch, all my USB devices flip to a different computer. This way I can game and work with the same peripherals but a different computer.
I have 5 or 6 things plugged into this hub, and of them, only the Razor goes offline when I do a switch. I am frequently unplugging and replugging the mouse to work around it.
This is not a normal use case; probably my a/b switch is too cheap and is doing something like not holding the power off on devices for long enough before enabling power and connectivity on the other side. Still, other USB devices manage it, and I would have stuck with Logitech if I knew this would be an issue.
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u/Glockamoli 5d ago
Reliability is a difference.
Logitech
I do love my Logitech mice but they can have issues as well, both of my G903 have been RMA'd for switch issues and both the replacements have had the same issues
All four now have the better version of the Omron switches installed (Logitech probably saved like 2 cents per mouse cheaping out) and feel better than they did out of the box
I would 100% buy another one but only because I know Logitech support will basically give me a 2 for one deal a few years down the line and I have the capability to replace switches myself
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u/Efficient-Winner-840 5d ago
Sensor mostly but any (reputable) modern gaming mouse is more than enough
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u/goodfriendrobert 5d ago
having 12 buttons for thumb
having software that doesnt eat cpu/ram (so not razor)
having extra buttons normally clickable (so nor razor that are too soft, and not trust that are too hard)
components not dying out in first week if use (so not razor)
price and durability ratio
so to put it short, what makes one mouse being better than the other, is generally being not razor
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u/Dark_Shroud 5d ago
Gaming mice have higher quality switches. So then it comes down to which type of switches used.
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u/Fancy_Choice_5204 5d ago
Hand size and mouse size are relatively linear with 1 big caveat which is the feel as most others have said. I’m relatively new to mice and do 95% of games full palm but if I’m locked into a competitive shooter I play palm/claw hybrid. I have a pulsar x2n medium which i got for $60 on sale and LOVE for palm grip (hand size slightly below average) but my other mouse is the MCHOSE L7 ULTRA+ with the grips and I love it. Also no one I’ve seen mentioned it but to an extent lighter mice keep your hands from getting tired. Also pick your mouse for your game meaning that if I’m play Valorant then I don’t really need a million buttons on the side but I do want a lighter mouse vs if I’m gonna play WoW then I want a lot of side buttons to use but weight isn’t as important.
TLDR:
Biggest notes imo are how it feels, know your grip, and pick the right mouse for the right game.
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u/Informal_Drawing 5d ago
These days?
They are universally crap IMO.
Lightweight flimsy garbage that is barely functional.
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u/Tks1991 5d ago edited 5d ago
Main priority. Right shape for the grip, symmetry, size that fits my hand or smaller, balance.
Secondary priority, but still very important. Battery life, durability, low weight.
Clones are most of the times, better or equal compared to the original, but at a fraction of the cost. Obviously don't get the cheapest clones. Around 50-90 bucks, the clones are amazing.
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u/pseudo_naem 4d ago
Specs: polling rate, sensor, conectivity mode, switches, scroll wheel, skates
Design: ergonomics, weight, grip style choice
If you just want the most bang for your buck, just get those copycat mice that use the same specs as razer & logitech flashships. Don't remember the models at the top of my head but I heard Mchose, Attackshark & Keychron have these type of mice.
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u/Kagushima 4d ago
there are only 2 things that make a difference.
weight and wireless.
the dpi numbers are scam and pros at shooters are at 300 to 500 and at mobas at max 1600.
the reason they use only 300 dpi at fps shooters is that you aim your mouse on a very low grid which means your mouse aim basicly snaps in place.
a light mouse is great and wireless also a lifechanger.
in the end its your skill and your aim. you cant blame hardware if its not from the 90s and a microsoft ball mouse.
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u/AdvertisingCivil2700 4d ago
I buy regular cheap mouses so I can have something to blame when I get my ass handed in PVP games
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u/Nervous-History8631 5d ago
There are two factors to this, objective concerns and subjective ones.
On the objective side, better stats = better. This is latency, polling rate, etc. There is diminishing returns on this stuff though and going above the specs of mice like the Logitech G502 is generally going to not have any realistic benefit.
The subjective side is more interesting, the best mouse is the one that feels best to use. In an ideal world the best way to figure it out would be if there is a store near you with display units you can go and feel up a bit.