Gaming mice aren’t just for getting more head shots in Overwatch or adding macros for League of Legends: they can also increase your productivity at work. A high-quality gaming mouse will improve the working life of almost any computer user, but it’s especially relevant for creative professionals. Here are a few reasons that gaming mice can help increase your productivity and quality of life when working on your computer.
1. Greater Comfort
Gaming mice – and professional Logitech mice – are designed to be used for extended periods without break while still maintaining dexterity and functionality. And the same optimizations that help gamers aim in the heat of battle will help you better manage your workload. As such, they’re typically sculpted to the hand of the user, providing a more comfortable grip. This is especially useful for people with large hands who might not be suited to the one-size-fits-all mice that are typically available.
2. Higher Build Quality
You’ll also find that the built quality of a decent gaming mouse is significantly better than a $10 dollar Dell mouse that came with a keyboard. The higher cost means that better materials can be used, with higher grades of plastic that are more comfortable to the touch and wear less over time. And with the greater cost, higher-quality internal components can be used. This means mice last longer and operate more reliably with more time passing between replacements. It also means a better experience using the mouse, with more accurate sensors and better scroll wheels included in the bargain.
3. Adjustability
Adjustable features, like adjustable DPI, are a huge benefit. Adjustable DPI lets you dial in a level of responsiveness that’s natural and comfortable for you, making your mouse easier to use. The easier your mouse is to use, the more you can get done and the less you’ll need to fight your input device. Some gaming mice also allow users to add and remove weight. If you prefer a little heft to your mouse or need highly-accurate pointer control, you can add more weight. If the higher weight tires you out or you need to move your mouse more quickly, you can remove weights.
4. Assignable Buttons
Mice designed for gaming almost always have at least two extra thumb buttons that can be assigned to any keystroke. Mice made for MMO games typically have even more, with a grid or circle of nine or more buttons on the thumb side of the mouse.
Mapping commands are especially convenient for creative apps like Photoshop, and these apps can have many advanced functions tied to complex key commands and buried in menus. If you have a hard time remembering (or pressing) an arcane but frequently-used keyboard combo, you can bind that keyboard shortcut to a mouse key instead.
You can also map general purpose keys, like modifiers or modifier combos, to mice buttons. For example, you might map “Alt” and “Control” to thumb buttons, allowing you to trigger keyboard shortcuts without pretzeling your fingers. And this can all be accomplished with included manufacturer software; there is no need for third-party tools or registry hacks.
5. Greater Productivity
Once you have everything set up the way you want it, a gaming mouse can dramatically speed up your workflow. It’s like the difference between using the “Edit” menu to copy and paste and using keyboard shortcuts for the same operation. Binding frequently-used functions to your mouse means you don’t need to switch back to the keyboard or dive into menus as frequently. With the proper setup, you’ll be able to speed through common tasks and hopefully get more done.
Conclusion
There are some downsides to using gaming mice. They’re often quite garish, with brightly-colored lights and edgy designs. And good mice aren’t cheap. You can expect to spend between $50 and $100 USD for a decent gaming mouse. But once you try working with one, you won’t want to go back.
Image credit: G502 PROTEUS CORE Tunable Gaming Mouse, Razer Naga 2014 MMO Gaming Mouse
Alexander Fox is a tech and science writer based in Philadelphia, PA with one cat, three Macs and more USB cables than he could ever use.
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