How to choose the best mouse for you

In the world of computing, a mouse says a lot about you, your habits, and of course your tastes: there are the basic ones, practical ones, designer ones and those that come with extras… A whole range to choose from. However, when it comes to choosing a mouse, very few of us think about what we really need, meaning, what we are like and what our mouse should be like. If that sounds like you, don’t worry, it’s just a matter of following some basic principles.

Ergonomics is essential

Apart from the free time that we spend on the computer, there are more and more jobs we do looking at a screen, which means long days using a mouse, or least resting our hand on it.

This habit can lead to tiredness and some problems like carpel tunnel syndrome, so you don’t just need to give careful thought to choosing your mouse, in actual fact, you need to review your whole workspace. And, although this isn’t the main point of this article, it would also be a good idea to pay close attention to your posture in relation to the mouse: distance, curvature, movements etc. The forearm should be resting on the table and in general you need to take a break from time to time to do some small exercises.

A posture, a mouse

Even if you follow all the advice on ergonomics, that still leaves the personal aspect to look at: each person uses their mouse in a different way, in line with the shape of their hand. Here we’ll show you the three most common hand positions, marking the support zones in red.

⦁ Palm grip. This position allows your hand to relax, although pressure ends up falling back to the forearm and wrist. On the other hand, movements are less precise and faster. If you’re a gamer, this posture is not recommended. When it comes to the type of mouse, this grip needs one with more padding in the palm area for better rest.
⦁ Claw grip. This posture keeps the base of the palm supported, but only the fingers rest on the tip. This grip gives precision, but takes more effort. When it comes to choosing a mouse, the best one would be long and feature contours that make it easier to lift and move quickly.
⦁ Fingertip grip. In this case, the hand is completely separate from the mouse and only the fingers rest on it. It’s the perfect position for gamers, but the hand is in constant tension, so it isn’t recommended for long periods of time in the office. To compensate for this effort, it’s best to choose a mouse that is flatter and smaller to reduce the weight.

A mouse for every situation

If you’re going to use the mouse in an office or workplace, it’s best to use a large and ergonomic one so that the whole hand can rest in a good position.

On the other hand, if you need a mouse for a short, quick job with your laptop, then it would be best to find one that is smaller and more portable, but never use it for long periods of time!

Gamers deserve a special mention, since this is field with hundreds of options and preferences, both for amateurs and professionals. In spite of all the different characteristics, all gamers agree that the mouse has to have a cable, many extra buttons, a laser sensor and of course, to be the most ergonomic shape possible.

Apart from these requirements, there are many more, like choosing between laser and LED, or precision in dots per inch, but now you know the most important considerations for the day-to-day, so no more excuses in finding yourself the perfect mouse.