The gaming mouse market has two primary design styles: ergonomic and ambidextrous. Ergonomic mice are typically designed for right-handed users, with dedicated thumb rests, while ambidextrous models are symmetrical and can be used with either hand (although they may not have extra buttons on both sides). The choice between these designs largely depends on personal preference.
When it comes to a gaming mouse’s feet, look for ones made of PTFE (Teflon) for the best performance, providing a consistent glide and reducing friction between the mouse and the surface underneath. Although the feet will eventually wear down, most mice come with spares, and replacements are available from most manufacturers.
While RGB lighting is a nice feature to have, it’s not a necessity. Adjustable lighting effects can add to the gaming experience if you already have RGB in your setup, but some mice also allow you to assign custom lighting settings to different profiles, making it easier to keep track of which one you’re currently using.
Number 4. The overall weight of the mouse
Gaming mouse have become increasingly light in recent years, with some versions weighing as low as 45 grammes. Your mouse doesn’t have to be so light – anything under 80g is still rather light, and a 100g mouse doesn’t feel like an anchor. In any case, a little weight makes it easier to do repeated quick motions with less inertia. Having said that, some players still like a touch of weight in their gaming mouse (relatively speaking), especially in games that don’t rely on quick reflexes.
Several manufacturers have created gaming mice with “honeycomb”-style designs, which have many cutouts in the exterior shell, to achieve such lower weights. These mice can still operate admirably, but having a slew of holes that expose the internal circuit board to perspiration, dust, and other debris isn’t ideal for long-term reliability. As a result, we normally avoid recommending models with this design.
