Mice
Gaming mice
Shopping for a new mouse, or trying to get more out of the one you have? Start with the best gaming mouse picks, dial in your DPI and polling rate, and if you aim with your left hand like me, check the left-handed mice. I play on a Logitech PRO 2 LIGHTSPEED and keep a Razer Naga Left-Handed for WoW.
16 articles
Fit beats specs every time. A mouse that suits your hand and grip will help your aim more than a bigger DPI number, so sort out the shape first and tweak the settings after.
How to pick a gaming mouse
1
Shape and grip before the spec sheet
Palm, claw, and fingertip want different humps. A mouse that disappears in a big hand feels like a brick in a small one, so measure your hand first. Fit the length and the side buttons before you compare DPI ceilings.
2
Handedness is a shape problem
I mouse on the left. The PRO 2 is symmetrical and the side buttons move under a left thumb. The Naga Left-Handed is a mirrored 12-button grid for WoW. If you are right-handed, pick a shape for your own hand instead of copying mine.
3
DPI is a speed setting
I leave the PRO 2 at 1200 and change in-game sensitivity. Ignore huge DPI numbers on the box. Use the DPI page and the sensitivity converter if you want cm/360 instead of a slider.
4
Polling and wireless after the shell fits
Start at 1000 Hz. That is what the PRO 2 includes. 4000 Hz and 8000 Hz exist on some mice, often with a separate receiver, and they cost battery. I play on LIGHTSPEED wireless. Bluetooth is the slower mode. Use the dongle in a match.
5
Pad, skates, and lift-off last
A pad changes how far a flick travels. Skates and lift-off distance matter after the mouse already fits. Do not buy a new sensor to fix a pad that is too small or too slow.
Mouse guides by topic
Best place to start
Settings: DPI, polling, acceleration, wireless
Sensor, pad, skates, grip tape
Tools and related pages
- Mouse polling-rate tester — Browser read of pointer events. Not a USB analyzer.
- Mouse raw input test — Dot trail of each report. Spots sensor skips.
- Input-lag budget — Adds poll, display, and net delay into one estimate.
- Sensitivity converter — cm/360, eDPI, and game-to-game pairs.
- Click-speed test
- My setup
- Keyboards
- How to find your sensitivity
Common questions
What is the best gaming mouse?
The best gaming mouse is the one that fits your hand and grip. I use the Logitech PRO 2 LIGHTSPEED because it's symmetrical, which suits my left hand. Check the buyer's guide for picks by hand size and grip.
What mouse does Yuval use?
I use the Logitech PRO 2 LIGHTSPEED at 1200 DPI for Overwatch and other aim-heavy games. For WoW, I use a Razer Naga Left-Handed Edition with its 12-button thumb grid.
Does a higher polling rate make a mouse better?
Not by itself. 1000 Hz is plenty for most players. Only try higher rates after you've found a shape you love, and only if you can feel a difference in your games.
Is a wireless mouse worse than wired for aiming?
No. A modern wireless mouse on a 2.4 GHz dongle is just as responsive. Avoid Bluetooth for gaming, and pick wired only if you don't want to charge.
All mice articles
Gear
Best gaming mouse (2026): the buyer's guide I actually use
A 2026 gaming-mouse guide with quick picks, a spec table, and a left-handed section. I main the Logitech PRO 2 LIGHTSPEED at 1200 DPI.
October 20, 2026 · 8 min read
Gear
What to look for in a gaming mouse for FPS
What actually matters in an FPS mouse, from someone who plays Zarya at Master on a PRO 2 LIGHTSPEED.
October 20, 2026 · 10 min read
Gear
What gaming mouse skates are
Mouse feeling scratchy? When to replace your skates, PTFE vs glass, and how to fit them.
October 20, 2026 · 9 min read
Gear
Best left-handed gaming mouse: the two I actually use
A left-handed player's picks, tested in my own hand. Logitech PRO 2 LIGHTSPEED for aiming, Razer Naga Left-Handed for MMOs, plus honest alternatives.
October 20, 2026 · 7 min read
Gear
What a mouse for large hands has to be
A mouse for large hands has room for the palm, or it is shorter on purpose if only the fingers hold it. Official millimetres decide the shell.
October 20, 2026 · 10 min read
Gear
What to look for in a mouse for small hands
Small hands? What size, weight and shape to look for in a gaming mouse, and how to measure your hand before you buy.
October 20, 2026 · 11 min read
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What mouse grip tape is for
Does mouse grip tape help? When to add it, which surfaces suit which grip, and how to apply it cleanly so it stays put.
October 20, 2026 · 11 min read
Gear
What wireless mouse latency actually is
Wireless mouse latency is the wait on the link you play on. LIGHTSPEED at 1000 Hz is a 1 ms report gap.
October 20, 2026 · 11 min read
Gear
How to choose a gaming mouse pad
Pick a gaming mouse pad by swipe size and surface. Cloth stops the mouse. Hard and glass glide. A pad that is too small makes every sensitivity feel slow.
October 19, 2026 · 11 min read
Gear
What lift-off distance is on a gaming mouse
Lift-off distance is how high you can lift a mouse before the sensor stops counting. Too high moves the crosshair while you reset.
October 19, 2026 · 11 min read
Gear
Which Logitech gaming mouse shape to buy
Logitech gaming mice are a few shapes with many names. I aim with the PRO 2 LIGHTSPEED. Match that Pro shell, the G502, or the G305 to your hand.
October 19, 2026 · 5 min read
Gear
What mouse acceleration is
Mouse acceleration makes a fast swipe travel farther than a slow swipe of the same length. On Windows that checkbox is Enhance pointer precision.
October 19, 2026 · 7 min read
Gear
What DPI means on a mouse
Mouse DPI is how many counts the sensor reports per inch. Calculate eDPI, see why a higher number is not better, and check the setting you are actually using.
October 19, 2026 · 10 min read
Gear
What polling rate means on a mouse
Polling rate is how often a mouse reports its position. 1000 Hz is once a millisecond. A higher number is not a better sensor, and it is not DPI.
October 19, 2026 · 5 min read
Gear
What a mouse sensor is
A mouse sensor is a camera that watches the pad and counts how far you moved. The DPI on the box is a setting for that camera, not a grade.
October 19, 2026 · 10 min read
Gear
Wired or wireless for a gaming mouse
A wireless gaming mouse on its USB dongle is the choice when the cable is what you notice. Wired is the choice when charging is the problem.
October 19, 2026 · 5 min read