PC Guide: Mice

pc gaming mouse

What makes a gaming mouse good? Should you get a higher DPI mouse? What are polling rates? These are some of the questions we will answer in this guide. Read on to find out what to look for when getting the right mouse for you!


Mouse DPI (CPI)


CPI (Counts per inch) is the hardware measurement for mouse sensitivity; it stands for the amount of virtual pixels a mouse sensor can display and register on a surface. The higher CPI (often labeled as DPI) a mouse has the faster it can move across your screen.
Many mice will have adjustable CPI’s so that you can switch sensitivity on the fly. You can also change your mouse sensitivity in Windows to match your preference.

Polling Rate


USB Polling rate is the measurement for how many times the mouse reports its position to the computer. Higher Polling rate is useful to some extent but the difference will usually be very hard to notice over 500Hz (or 2ms). Most gaming mice will support up to 1000Hz, which you can use if you want a hyper accurate mouse but keep in mind that the higher you go, the more strain you put on your CPU.

What is the difference between Optical and Laser?


The technical difference between Optical and Laser mice is that Optical mice use LED light as its illumination source and Laser uses… well laser.
Optical mice are usually better for gaming as they are more accurate. Providing that you have a mousepad or another good surface for your mouse.
Laser has the advantage of working on almost any surface, which would make it a better option to some.

So, what mouse should you get?


It´s almost completely comes down to preference when choosing a mouse. Put less focus on the specifications and aim for one that feels good holding and has the right amount of buttons for you.

Mousepad


Choosing a mousepad comes down to preference as well.
If you tend to move your mouse around over wide areas, consider getting a huge mousepad. Just make sure it fits on your table, there are some extremely wide mousepads out there! If you want a more slippery mousepad, consider looking for one with a hard surface.