While this question may sound basic, there might be gnawing feeling that you’re not fully delivering your best all because of how you grip your mouse. And in gaming, quick thinking and speed are two things to help you win the competition.
You handle your mouse differently for each type of game. Casual gamers are not particular with mouse handling. But a hardcore gamer can tell a gamer’s mouse from a mediocre one.
Games involving first-person shooting usually require a mouse primarily functioning to assist in custom triggers. The key function of this mouse is to shoot with precision and not lag.
More commonly than not, gamers always feel tired after playing a few sets. Most gaming mice feel the same way you’d hold a regular mouse: it’s not ergonomic.
Sitting and holding a mouse for prolonged periods causes strains in your hands, fingers, neck, and the top portion of your spinal area. Your position also causes downward pressure on your back and palms hence aggravating pain in those areas.
But compared with a traditional mouse, a gamer mouse might be a tad bit expensive.
So, how will you know that the mouse you purchased is just the appropriate one for you? Easy -- focus on the grip feature. A well-designed gaming mouse should be easy to control, comfortable to hold, and shouldn’t develop any strain on your fingers, wrist, and palm.
However, a gaming mouse is usually more expensive than the regular one. You can use a traditional mouse and still get the same results. It’s just a matter of how you control it. If you haven't already, you can check our detailed article on best available gaming mouse here
The Palm Grip
This type of grip method makes use of your whole palm covering the entire mouse. However, your fingers should be positioned in a way that it can automatically control buttons at will.
This position keeps your palms relaxed and won’t add any strain to your fingers. This also gives your fingers the flexibility to freely click buttons during nail-biting situations where agility is required.
The palm grip is the most typical gaming mouse grip you see most players use. It’s convenient and doesn’t require much attention as to positioning. With this method, you likely get to play longer hours and you fully concentrate on the game at hand.
Advanced gamers typically use this with other grip methods to maximize agility. While it has its good sides, this method also has its downsides. Using this method alone is not sufficient to boost accuracy and swiftness, two results present using the claw grip. Your fingers won’t also be able to react as fast compared to using a fingertip grip.
Furthermore, this may not work well for gamers with short fingers. Using the buttons may need more effort than the game at hand. It is also not ideal for games requiring small motions.
Top performers often do various control and grip methods to maximize precision and control with as little distraction as possible. Nonetheless, this is a good method to practice for newbie gamers.
Fingertip Grip
This method uses only your fingertips to control the buttons without having your palm completely covering the mouse.
Compared with the palm grip, this method facilitates quicker responses. When it comes to games requiring quick motions, this type of method delivers faster and efficient results.
Pro-gamers use this type of method throughout their gaming session. It’s a rare method that gamers use and works best for games requiring offensive elements such as shooting.
A typical gaming mouse for fingertip grip is flat and weighs lighter than your regular mouse. It’s designed this way to facilitate ease of motion as gamers control several buttons according to their avatar’s movements.
A rookie gamer might find switching controls with rapid-fire motions to be troublesome at first. Gamers who used this method had done so effectively through muscle memory. Meaning, a pro-gamer does this like breathing—unconsciously done at whim. But then again, gamers gain mastery through lots of practice.
For gamers who’d already polished the palm grip method, this may take some time to get used to. Considering the flat surface of the mouse compared to a palm grip type, it could get uncomfortable and awkward on your first few rounds.
But don’t worry - it gets easier as you go along. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll see improvements in your precision and motion movements (particularly small motions).
Building both skills in handling fingertip grip and palm grip can be beneficial as the latter will help you control bigger motions.
Claw Grip
As the name suggests, the claw grip is similar to positioning your hand like a claw in holding the mouse. The placement of your fingers is arched as you take control of the buttons. The middle and index fingers are mainly used for clicking the mouse’s buttons. However, some ‘deviant’ gamers use index-ring finger combinations. All in all, both combinations deliver similar results.
For gamers with longer fingers or bigger palms, using the claw grip should help smoothen any inconsistencies of their gaming performance. Users may feel more flexibility with fewer constrains in the other 3 fingers. If your mouse has other buttons, the claw grip may give you more flexibility and freedom to click other buttons. Your wrist is more relaxed as well with this method.
Final Thoughts
Each grip has its unique take of agility, convenience, and functionality. While it might be easier to go for ‘whatever works for you’, it may not be the case if you aim to become a pro gamer. Rookies are getting confused over what kind of gripping method to work on. It’s good to start with your hands first. As mentioned, several factors come to play in choosing the appropriate gripping method to use.
Any deviation may result in fingertip strain, numbness of your wrists, or even physical injuries from constant pressure due to inappropriate hand or finger placement. If you frequently get wrist pain after playing for long hours, switching to palm grip could help lighten off the load off your wrist. If you’re playing FPS types, go for claw grip. And for those with longer fingers, fingertip grip will work best.