Disclaimer: All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are the author’s own and not influenced by Razer, Logitech, and/or their affiliates, in any way.
One of the worst possible news a console gamer could have is when their gaming TV/monitor breaks down in the midst of the MCO (Malaysia's movement control order), which happened to me sometime last month. Fortunately, I could still flock to my gaming laptop for my regular Apex Legends gaming session, but here's the thing - I sucked more than usual!
Aside from being fully aware of my inexperience with mouse and keyboard (I grew up with Playstations and one Gameboy), I also wondered: what if my trusty three-year-old Logitech M330 Silent mouse - which clicks with zero noise and minimal finger movement - was hindering me from a truly authentic gaming experience? Thus, I set out (digitally) to explore an MCO-themed online sale and acquired a Razer Deathadder Essential as my first ever gaming mouse, to see if it makes any difference.
Now, the most important question is, was it worth it to fork up a little extra cash to buy a proper gaming mouse? Here are my thoughts as a casual gamer:
Beyond its matte black surface and acid green lighting (a Razer product signature), the first thing I noticed in my standard-sized gaming mouse is that it's considerably bigger than my small-sized office mouse, although that's to be expected.
To compare:
| Length (cm) | Grip Width (cm) | Height (cm) | |
| Gaming mouse | 12.7 | 6.2 | 4.3 |
| Office mouse | 10.5 | 6.8 | 3.8 |
My gaming mouse may be merely 2.2cm longer, but it's long enough to coerce me to adapt my God-knows-how-many-years-old grip style, which is a little off-putting. I use a claw grip for my office mouse, but I feel that wielding my gaming mouse palm style is more stable, and it makes clicking faster. Even so, I can't help but curl my hand up into claw mode, causing my clicks to have a little more resistance, albeit with faster movement.
In any case, it's noticeably more snuggly resting my hand on a gaming mouse, which is a plus.
Even with a budget gaming mouse, I can feel its movement is a big improvement over an office mouse, making it a major upside to having a proper gaming mouse. Moving my Razer felt solid yet effortless - like I'm gliding it over the smoothest surface on Earth. No matter how much I love my office mouse, noticing the roughness of its movement makes it feel like a downgrade as if scraping a nail on a wooden surface.
Plus, having two more mouse buttons give me easier access to certain gaming controls, and I can surf the Net faster by going back and forth pages just by clicking them.
The Razer Synapse 3 configuration software that came with my gaming mouse gave plenty of options to personalise its technical capabilities, though I feel that most of it aren't necessary for casual gamers like me.
I've only used it once to adjust my lighting (sadly, no RGB features for my Deathadder Essential) and mouse sensitivity. But, I found it neat that you can set different mouse settings for multiple games - which gaming fanatics would appreciate - and rebind all five mouse buttons to suit your preference. It's not a huge selling point for me, but it's nice to know I have the option to explore these if I'm eager in the future.
Three words: it was great! After getting zero kills and bad placements in Apex Legends for the past five pre-gaming mouse matches, I got two kills and second place in my first post-gaming mouse match. I could aim steadily, feel my shots with each solid mouse click, and flick smoother during gunfights.
However, I can't stress how much a gaming mouse won't automatically make you a good player. At the end of the day, it's all about the swordsman, not the sword entirely. No matter what gaming mouse you get, it is your skills that matter the most.
As a first-time gaming mouse user, I would say ... if you're going to be mouse and keyboard gamer in the long run, then yes. It's worth investing in a proper mouse that will improve your movement and have more options to personalise your settings, as well as reduce wrist strain. But, if you're only using it casually for everyday use, I would say that a gaming mouse is a luxury you can forego.
It's important to do your research before buying one, which I made the mistake of not doing. No gaming mouse is exactly the same; it depends on your hand size, whether you prefer asymmetrical or symmetrical designs, if you're left- or right-handed, and other preferences. Don't be tempted by popular brands either (also another mistake I made), there are plenty of trusty brands that don't shout themselves as loudly, you'd just need to specifically look for them, and they'll eventually pop up.
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