Support for the move to a wireless gaming mouse has increased. After spending thousands of hours playing with a wired mouse, I thought I’d try switching from the Steelseries Rival 700 to the Logitech G305 too. Here are the results of my experience.
Why should you listen to my opinion? For as long as I can remember, I have been playing computer games, primarily first person shooters (FPS). I played Counter-Strike: Global Offensive in semi-competitive mode and am currently creating content for the high-level gameplay of Apex Legends.
So, in conclusion, here’s what I think about switching to a wireless gaming mouse.
Technical improvements from the transition to wireless
Let’s first take a look at the technical improvements and possible drawbacks of switching to a wireless mouse. If you are a competitive player or want to get the most out of your games, this section will be the most important for you.
Using a wire rope increases resistance. When you move the mouse, you have to move this cable too. By removing the cable, you eliminate this friction and, amazingly, can work wonders for your goal. This is, first of all, the main advantage of using wireless communication.
Now let’s talk about latency. In my experience, at least with the Logitech G305, I didn’t notice any noticeable lag. Logitech says the reporting rate is 1ms. It’s hard to say how fast it is in real life. This is an interesting number, however, because it is the estimated response speed for a mechanical keyboard as opposed to a standard membrane keyboard.
Obviously you are adding 1ms to the actual press of the button itself, but even 1ms is almost nothing. Unless you are a top-level professional gamer, I highly doubt you can get any benefit from using a wired mouse.
Wireless sensors have clearly gotten a lot more powerful in recent years. Wireless mice haven’t always been this way and have earned themselves a bad reputation.
Just make sure that when you buy a wireless mouse you are choosing a reputable brand like Logitech or Razer. Read the product description and check all the details about the response time to avoid getting a mouse with a really bad sensor. At the end of the day, this is just my own experience, but I feel like I’ve played enough to understand what the average player might feel.
Wireless Mouse Convenience Features
There is also a downside to this story. If you’re more concerned with comfort and convenience, a wireless gaming mouse can really come in handy. For some, it may be most important that you have one less cable left on your desk. But it also opens up more room for a more portable installation.
What if you don’t want to always sit at the table and play your games? With a wireless mouse, you can sit on the couch from a distance while maintaining a lot of latency on your computer. The G305 I have can get a flawless connection up to 10 feet away. The audience of computer gamers sitting on the couch is growing, and there is a growing interest in peripherals known as laptops.
Laptops come with a built-in mouse pad and keyboard slot, so you can play comfortably from a distance. The only negative aspect of the convenience of owning a wireless mouse is its limited battery life. If your mouse is powered by removable batteries, you will need to recharge them from time to time or buy new batteries.
Wireless and Wired Mouse Price Comparison
If you are concerned about price, you might be curious to see how the price ranges differ between wired and wireless gaming mice. To do this, we have combined several options from the largest manufacturers of gaming mice and compared their prices. Please note that these prices are based on the suggested price on Amazon.com.
Razer Wireless vs Wired Mouse
So far, Razer’s best offering in terms of performance is the Razer Viper. The wired version costs $ 79.99 and the wireless Viper Ultimate is $ 149.99. There is no standard wireless version, so you pay for some extras like more dpi and a fancy RGB charging dock.
Steelseries Wireless vs Wired Mouse
The Steelseries Rival 600 is a great mouse and Steelseries sells it for $ 79.99. The wireless version, dubbed the Rival 650 Wireless, jumped in price to $ 119.99. This time, Steelseries keeps very similar hardware in both versions, so the cost of the cable has gone up significantly.
Corsair Harpoon Wired Pro vs. Wireless Mouse
While the sensor on the Corsair Harpoon Wireless is slightly different, the hardware is basically the same. Regardless, the Corsair Harpoon Wireless is priced at $ 49.98 while the Corsair Harpoon Wired Pro is only $ 19.99.
Verdict
In all cases, wireless mice of the same generation or range are more expensive.
Summary
It should now be pretty clear who will benefit the most from a wireless mouse. A wireless mouse will be most appreciated by those who care about comfort and convenience. A wireless mouse will be the least valuable for those who care about the highest possible latency and maximum performance.
If you are a casual gamer, you are most likely leaning towards comfort and convenience. If you’re a little more competitive at heart, you might want to test a wireless mouse before moving on to it.
If you’re considering purchasing a wireless mouse, be sure to check out any model you’re interested in and check reviews for latency and response times. Also check out our other article on the best upright mice to reduce stress on your wrist.
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