How to read a mouse spec sheet

DPI — mostly a marketing number

DPI is sensitivity: how far the cursor moves per inch of mouse travel. Most people play and work between 800–3,200 DPI. A "30,000 DPI" sensor is not better for you than an "18,000" one — past a few thousand, the number is spec-sheet bragging. What actually matters is the sensor generation (flawless tracking, no smoothing), and every current PixArt/HERO sensor qualifies.

Weight — the spec you will feel most

• Under 50g: ultralight, competitive FPS territory.
• 50–70g: modern lightweight — most new gaming mice land here.
• 70–100g: standard; fine for everything.
• 100g+: heavy — deliberate feel, common in ergo/productivity mice.

Shape and grip

Symmetrical shapes suit fingertip and claw grips; sculpted right-handed ("ergo") shapes suit palm grip. Vertical mice rotate your wrist ~60–90° to a handshake position — the go-to for RSI sufferers. Shape fit matters more than any sensor spec.

Polling rate — how often it reports

1,000Hz (a report every millisecond) is the standard and plenty. 4K/8K polling reduces latency marginally for competitive play and costs battery life; it often requires a special dongle.

Wireless and battery

2.4GHz dongle wireless is now as fast as wired — "wireless is slower" hasn't been true for years. Bluetooth adds latency; fine for productivity, wrong for gaming. Battery claims assume RGB off.