From DPI and PPI to the right settings – Everything you need to know about computer mice | Basics

The Polling Rate

Also called polling or sampling rate/frequency. This is measured in Hertz and indicates how often the mouse sends information (cursor position or mouse clicks) to the PC. This then looks like this, for example:

At 125 Hz, information is sent to the PC every 8 ms. So, in general, you can say: Set your mouse to 1,000 Hz or buy one that supports up to 1,000 Hz. Here is also a short overview of the top 350 CS:GO Pro players regarding the used polling rate: (as of September 2019: prosettings.net)

• 295 Pros = 1,000 Hz
• 50 Pros = 500 Hz
• 5 Pros = 125 Hz

What does that tell us? Hardware alone does not replace the skill you need! In the meantime there are mice with 4,000 or probably already 8,000 Hz polling rate. You look! Yes, but please only look and not necessarily buy for expensive Euronen. Why? Let’s do the math:

• 4.000 Hz = 0.25 ms
• 8.000 Hz = 0.125 ms

This can be measured with a probability bordering on certainty, if it actually travels without loss through the data highways of the PC, but no one can perceive it anymore. An ultra-fast TN panel alone only has an input lag (input signal to output signal) of about 4 ms on average. The pixel response time alone (part of the input lag), which manufacturers like to quote as 1 ms, refers to GtG (gray to gray change).

If you take an average of everything, very good TN panels probably have a pixel response time of 2-3 ms. Furthermore, the best response time is of no use if a 60 Hz panel (refresh rate) only delivers a new image every 16 ms or a 144 Hz panel only every 7 ms. To what extent the 4,000 Hz or even 8,000 Hz should be of any use here is beyond me? Well, the manufacturers can advertise again with something that no one can ever really notice. What do you say to the topic of 4,000 or 8,000 Hz? Looking forward to lively discussions in the forum!

Ultra Light Gaming Mice

A new trend is moving in and all manufacturers are now offering mice that are already well below 70 g in terms of weight. As an example, the Sharkoon Light² 200 I use weighs only 62 g without the USB cable. In return, such a mouse looks like a perforated cheese and you can look at the built-in sensor from above. Is such a light mouse useful for gaming?

Yes and no! If you’re super comfortable with a 125g mouse, it’s going to take you a while to get to grips with such a lightweight. Cue muscle memory! I personally don’t want to miss it anymore and can’t handle a much heavier mouse. For my daily work, I use a 78g Sharkoon Light² 100, which doesn’t make the switch to the gaming setup too hard for me. Cool play on words, hehe!

The gliding properties of a mouse

How well a mouse slides depends on the coefficient of friction! So – that’s cleared up, who still has questions please report in the forum! Okay, I’m moving on. Basically, I recommend using a decent mouse pad. These are usually covered with a neoprene fabric, on which any mouse will slide well. In particular, the use of PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) is recommended for the mouse feet.

Picture 9 – The mouse feet made of PTFE (The friction surface was additionally kept as small as possible) The mouse goes off – like a shot deer on laughing gas!

PTFE is absolutely temperature resistant, even if you have a short fit (once again lost a round in CS:GO) in front of the computer and the mouse rubs like crazy over the mouse pad, then the PTFE will not mind! Thrown against the wall, the mouse as such is highly unlikely to survive. The PTFE feet, maybe? The coefficient of friction of PTFE is lower than that of any other solid material. Since static and dynamic sliding friction values are almost the same, no so-called stick-slip effect occurs.

Everyone knows this effect, but hardly anyone has heard of the term. The effect describes a possible frictional vibration when solids are moved against each other. Squeaking brake discs, creaking doors or the famous high-pitched noise you like to make at the blackboard to annoy your classmates! Does the glide of the mouse make a difference when gaming? My subjective opinion on this, honestly? Definitely – muscle memory! At this point, however, it remains a purely subjective consideration, so everyone has to find that out for themselves.

The mouse buttons

How he called them buttons and didn’t say switches? Yeah, he did. The difference between a pushbutton and a switch is that the pushbutton resumes its initial position after being pressed. The switch remains in the actuated position. If we had installed switches on the mouse or the keyboard (the word button is in there somehow), oh dear, that would be a constant fire in every baller game. I’ve always wanted to make that clear. So back to the mouse buttons. Does the use of the so famous Omron styli play a role? Yes!

Picture 10 – And this is roughly what the Omron pushbuttons look like

The buttons from Omron don’t give you an advantage in gaming, but rather in terms of longevity. For example, the left and right mouse buttons of the Sharkoon Light² series are equipped with such Omron keys. These are supposed to withstand at least 20 million clicks. Has anyone documented this? Please for info in the forum! So that brings us to the end of the basics article.

Picture 11 – Oh damn, I forgot the most important thing. RGB!

Without RGB you can have as many skills as you want, but you will never be as good as with a real RGB mouse. With RGB, even a $5 mouse is super-awesome and you’ll be a dazzling winner at any E-Spots game! Ok, seriously, I definitely like it and those who don’t will just not buy an RGB mouse. There is nothing more to say about this. Fiat Lux, or something.