Over the past couple of decades, PC gaming has taken extraordinary leaps forward in terms of technology and performance. While in days past you used to see nearly everything on equal playing fields, the gaming industry has now revolutionized the way computers are made and used. In the case of PC gaming, nothing is simply standard anymore. Now, you can browse online retailers and see products labeled as designed specifically for gaming. You will find ‘gaming laptops, and even a ‘gaming mouse’. Here, you may find yourself wondering; ‘What in the world is a gaming mouse?’ This is especially if you are not a gamer and are not familiar with gaming products.
To answer that, one aspect of a gaming mouse is that it is an over-performing mouse. For the average user, some might simply just expect it to perform as expected. For most individuals, a mouse is a mouse. If it works, there is no issue here. However, in the case for gamers, a mouse most certainly isn’t simply a mouse. It needs to deliver high levels of performance and be precise and accurate. Let us take a moment to highlight in this article what separates a ‘gaming mouse’ from a traditional or ‘normal mouse’.
Side By Side Comparison
A traditional mouse finds its beauty in simplicity. With a traditional mouse, the function of the tool has changed very little over the course of its life. It is a tool that allows you to interact with your computer easily. A traditional mouse points and clicks. That’s about all that it does, and that is about all that it needs to do.
A gaming mouse, however, will often come with special features and additions that are specifically designed with a gamer in mind. Some of these features are purely cosmetic, while others are useful features that a gamer will value in the performance of the mouse. Let’s do a basic comparison between the two:
DPI
DPI stands for ‘Dots per Inch’. This translates into how sensitive, and responsive the mouse is when you control it. Essentially, how large of a hand movement is needed to send the cursor across the page. A normal mouse will operate at a standard 300DPI, which is most likely the sensitivity that most are used to without even knowing it. While the DPI setting can often be adjusted in the computer, it is more than likely left alone for a standard user.
A gaming mouse, however, is slightly more nuanced in its DPI settings. You will find gaming mice on the market that have a range from 300DPI to 8,000DPI. In the case of most gaming mice, this DPI setting can be changed with the simple click of a button. This is a huge advantage for gamers who want to switch sensitivity modes between gaming, and regular computer use.
Buttons And Features
Everyone who has ever used a computer is familiar with the standard mouse format. Two buttons; Left and Right. This is an extremely intuitive design that allows users to easily control their mouse with very little effort or learning curve. They’re so simple, even a child can use them.
A gaming mouse, however, is a little more advanced. Gamers will have the choice of a wide range of additional buttons to suit their gaming needs. Some gaming mice come equipped with 5 buttons, some as many as 20. The desired button count will largely depend on the user, and the game they wish to play. However, these buttons are for more than just looking cool. They perform valuable functions that can be used for more than just gaming. You will be able to hot key these buttons to perform specific tasks, such as; launching certain software programs like PowerPoint, or email. You can also hot key them to perform certain tasks within your game such as change weapons, access menus, and cast different spells. The uses for these extra buttons are only limited by your imagination.
Conclusion
They say that you should never try to re-invent the wheel. When a design works, why try to improve upon it? Well, in the case of a gaming mouse versus a normal mouse, the wheel has been re-invented. There is something to be said about the simple functional beauty of a normal mouse. With a gaming mouse, you will get that simple function with the options to do so much more. You would be amazed at how well you can increase your efficiency simply by using a gaming mouse. In the end, a gaming mouse and a normal mouse perform the same tasks. Although, a gaming mouse performs those tasks, with plenty more on top.
