Getting new gaming mouse, advice???

[Ynifr]

I'm going to buy a new gaming mouse, but I have no idea where to start. So I have some questions:
-What brand would you recommend?
-Is there really a big difference between wired/wireless?
-What is DPI, is that important?
-Should I get a mousepad? (I am currently just using my wooden desk, no mouse pad. No problems so far with my current wireless laser mouse)
Thanks,

[nelamvr6]

I should preface this by saying I don't game at all...

I really like my Corsair M65 Pro RGB. But I think you'll find that if 10 people respond, they'll have 10 different opinions.

I would at least recommend a mouse with removable weights so you can customize the way the mouse feels to you. And I also have a personal preference for a wired mouse. I don't like having to worry about batteries or charging, and I feel like the mouse responds faster.

[Menuhin]

I don't have it, but the Swiftpoint Z seems to be a really appealing choice if I have the money.

https://www.amazon.com/Swiftpoint-Innov ... ag=0043-20

[Findecanor]

The Swiftpoint Z looks a little gimmicky IMHO.
I don't game much but I have heard good things about Ducky Secret, and the brand Zowie. Zowie is special in that they have a range of mice with different shapes to cater to different people.

Wireless often means a heavier mouse. Many gamers instead try to get as light a mouse as possible (hence why the Final Mouse and clones with perforated shell are hyped right now).
There are some wireless gaming mice with extra small/light battery though. There are also wireless input protocols: Logitech Lightspeed and Corsair Slipstream (new) especially for fast response times in games, whereas Bluetoooth is considered to be slower than USB.

DPI = resolution, the scale between movement on desk and movement on screen. Some mice allow you to change it with a press of a button.
Mousepad: Often better glide. Myself I like to have a large desk mat also for resting my palms and for slight sound damping of keyboard noise.

[davkol]

I like Roccat. Good coatings, some of the best wheels, decent firmware, on-board memory for settings and some interesting features like EasyShift.

My second choice would be Logitech: they push R&D quite a bit more and maintain decent build quality for consumer products, but I usually don't like the shapes, button layouts and software as much.

I kind of liked Mionix Avior and Castor for the most part too, but the company has gone in a different, weird direction since then.

After trying a bunch of mice from other brands as well, I feel comfortable saying that it's generally safe to skip them, because they typically only customize some design details but otherwise just have some generic parts from various other suppliers put together and stick a fat price tag to it. Zowie in particular is guilty of this with BS "keep it simple" advertising, although a big portion of the gamer crowd is eating it up.

Don't worry about DPI, as in sensor resolution. More isn't always better, and the advertised numbers are often inflated anyway. The more important part is what resolution is "native" and the mouse tracks the best around it. These days, though, sensor implementations from companies like Logitech or Roccat and to a certain extent some others tend to work just fine. If you have some normal screen(s), you'll most likely end up using 800 to, say, 3200 dpi depending on your grip style and the way you move the mouse around.

I also like mousepads. Unless your desk has perfect coating, a cheap cloth mousepad can be a major improvement in a lot of ways; I've learned that I prefer hard pads, though, like (still quite cheap) SteelSeries 4HD: that's probably the best choice for longevity too, as it doesn't seem to wear mouse skates too much, doesn't fray, bend or otherwise deteriorate.

[Darkshado]

One-post-wonder OP's profile says he's got a G502... How long before there's an edit with spam links?

[joedon]

What's your budget? I like my G403 wired because it is light in weight and has a good sensor.

[MaxP01]

I like Roccat. Good coatings, some of the best wheels, decent firmware, on-board memory for settings and some interesting features like EasyShift.

My second choice would be Logitech: they push R&D quite a bit more and maintain decent build quality for consumer products, but I usually don't like the shapes, button layouts and software as much.

I kind of liked Mionix Avior and Castor for the most part too, but the company has gone in a different, weird direction since then.

After trying a bunch of mice from other brands as well, I feel comfortable saying that it's generally safe to skip them, because they typically only customize some design details but otherwise just have some generic parts from various other suppliers like spam put together and stick a fat price tag to it. Zowie in particular is guilty of this with BS "keep it simple" advertising, although a big portion of the gamer crowd is eating it up.

Don't worry about DPI, as in sensor resolution. More isn't always better, and the advertised numbers are often inflated anyway. The more important part is what resolution is "native" and the mouse tracks the best around it. These days, though, sensor implementations from companies like Logitech or Roccat and to a certain extent some others tend to work just fine with spam . If you have some normal screen(s), you'll most likely end up using 800 to, say, 3200 dpi depending on your grip style and the way you move the mouse around.

I also like mousepads. Unless your desk has perfect coating, a cheap cloth mousepad can be a major improvement in a lot of ways; I've learned that I prefer hard pads, though, like (still quite cheap) SteelSeries 4HD: that's probably the best choice for longevity too, as it doesn't seem to wear mouse skates too much, doesn't fray, bend or otherwise deteriorate.

Yea Logitech is very good. They do push R&D quite a bit more and maintain decent build quality for consumer products.

[Wazrach]

Since this dead thread has been revived, I will give my opinion on what the best gaming mouse is for the money. I'm currently using the Logitech G203, which is almost identical to the much more expensive G Pro. The G203's HERO sensor is supposedly "worse" than the G Pro's 3360, even though it still performs amazingly well (better than older Zowie mice). The buttons are great, the RGB is just as bright and vibrant and the cable is even better than the G Pro's (smooth rubber vs thick braided). The shape is small enough for competitive gaming, although the shape is definitely not the best compared to the shapes of the lightweight honeycomb mice that have swept the market. If you're on a budget, I can't think of a better mouse to buy. I cannot fault it.

[Wazrach]

I've also tried a lot of gaming mice, as I went through a bit of a mouse-buying phase at the start of last year. Logitech's shapes aren't always the best, but the build quality is always solid in my experience. The RGB looks fantastic as well, especially when compared to the Steelseries Rival 600 and Razer Deathadder.

[Ilostmytoeinvietnam]

In my profile it straight up says that I am not that into mice. But I do know this one thing. Mice by corsair, any razer that isn’t the viper (especially the deathadder holly crap) all suck in too many ways to list. I own a deathadder, and it is worse then a separate 20 dollar mouse, even though they have very similar ergonomics. I have tried multiple corsair mice and can confidently say that it is far too average to really be worth anything. I can’t speek for steelseries, as I have never tried any. Mice pads are not essential whatsoever, but they can improve the glide of the mouse by so much, and overall give more accuracy. I have also tried many Logitech mice, and can confidently say that out of the ones that I have tried, the g502 is my favorite. The weight doesn’t get to me, and the clicks are more crisp than anything but one that I have tried before. I can imagine if what I tried was good, that the wireless version would be amazing as well, however I have not tried it. The best mouse I have tried is the glossy model o. It was so light, and I loved the clicks so much. DPI does not matter, and I just use a cheep wireless Logitech mouse. If you wan’t keyboard advice, please don’t be shy to talk to me in private messages.