Best gaming mice for Counterstrike 2
An in-depth roundup of the best gaming mice for CS:GO and Valve's upcoming Counterstrike 2.
Counterstrike 2 is just around the corner, so if you’re in the market for a new gaming mouse, it’s best to make the switch now.
But with so many gaming mice available, how does one decide?
In this article, we’ll discuss the best gaming mice for Counterstrike 2 based on shape and grip style (i.e., fingertip, claw, and palm).
What makes for a great Counterstrike 2 mouse?
To get the most out of your aim, there are a few characteristics you should look for in a gaming mouse.
First and foremost, you want a mouse that gives you a feeling of stability and predictability.
As such, grip width and shape should be something you pay extra special attention to.
Why?
Well, let’s look at the top 5 most used gaming mice for the current iteration of Counterstrike, CS:GO:
All these mice have a grip width of at least 60mm, and the reason for this preference likely comes down to the fact that a mouse with a wide grip width is more stable compared to something that’s narrower and smaller overall.
Additionally, the shape or curve of a mouse’s side also plays a significant role. Of the 5 gaming mice for CS:GO listed above, 3 of them feature an ergonomic shape, while the other two are ambidextrous or symmetrical.
What’s more, the two mice that are ambidextrous (i.e., the G Pro Superlight and G Pro Wireless) feature sides that are flat, which means that the grip width doesn’t change much when measured from the thumb buttons to the base.
Although a minor detail, I do believe that mice with flat sides provide more lateral stability, which is important for a game like Counterstrike where the ability to comfortable hold corners for an extended period is paramount.
As such, the mice I’ve chosen for this guide follow these basic principles and should provide an excellent aiming experience for Counterstrike 2.
What about weight?
Thanks to Finalmouse, weight has become a hot-button topic.
Indeed, ever since the release of the first Ultralight, it seems like every mouse maker in the industry has been trying to make mice as light and as fast as possible.
But does weight really matter?
Well, let’s look at that top 5 list again for CS:GO, this time with the weights listed:
· Logitech G Pro Superlight: 63g
· Zowie EC2: 90g
· Razer Deathadder V3 Pro: 63g
· Logitech G Pro Wireless: 80g
· Zowie EC1: 97g
Of the top 5 gaming mice for CS:GO, only two of them can be considered “lightweight”, which should pretty much tell you everything you need to know.
That said, some people do perform better with a lighter mouse, and as such, I’ve made sure to include several lightweight recommendations in this guide.
Top Ergonomic mice for Counterstrike 2
Ergonomic mice feature a contoured shape designed to fit the user’s hand when it’s in a relaxed state, making them most suitable for palm grip users.
However, you can still use a claw or fingertip grip with an ergonomic mouse, but you might get better results with an ambidextrous mouse.
Below are my top ergonomic gaming mice for Counterstrike 2:
Top Ambidextrous mice for Counterstrike 2
Ambidextrous mice are symmetrical, meaning that, if you were to cut them down the middle length-wise, you would have two identical pieces.
Ambidextrous mice are a popular choice for those who use a fingertip or claw grip; however, depending on your hand size, they can also be palmed.
Compared to ergonomic mice, ambidextrous mice offer more grip flexibility as they’re not designed to fit the shape of your hand. As result, many players, myself included, prefer ambidextrous mice because they’re easier to track and snap to targets on the y-axis (up and down).
That said, ambidextrous mice are not as comfortable as ergonomic mice, so if you try an ambi-style mouse and it causes you discomfort, an ergonomic mouse might be a better fit.
Below are my top ambidextrous mice recommendations for Counterstrike 2:
· Logitech G303 Shroud Edition
· ASUS ROG Harpe Ace Aim Lab Edition
Mouse recommendations for palm, fingertip & claw grip users
Most users use either a palm-, fingertip-, or claw-style grip. That said, some do use a grip that falls somewhere in between. With that said, if you do use a hybrid-style grip, you should consider mice from multiple categories.
For example, if you’re a user like me who uses a relaxed claw or fingertip grip, mice listed under “fingertip grip” and “claw grip” should be on your radar, as it’s likely that mice from either category will work for you.
So, let’s get into the grip-specific recommendations for Counterstrike 2!
Best palm grip mice for Counterstrike 2
Palm grip users tend to rest their palms on the mouse and lay their fingers flat over Mouse 1 and Mouse 2, and as such, mice most suitable for this grip style typically feature an ergonomic shape and a prominent hump towards the middle or the back of the mouse.
The size and placement of this hump can vary between mice, but as a rule, if your hand size is small to medium, you’ll probably be fine with a hump height of at least 37mm. If your hand size is medium to large, 38mm should be the bare minimum.
Below are my palm grip recommendations for Counterstrike 2:
Best fingertip grip mice for Counterstrike 2
The fingertip grip is arguably the most versatile grip style, as all that’s required is a comfortable position for the user’s fingertips to grip the mouse.
As such, the position and height of the mouse’s hump are mostly irrelevant; however, I do believe weight plays a bigger factor with fingertip grip compared to other grip styles.
Why?
Without the support of the palm, fingertip users must do everything with—you guessed it—their fingertips, which means a heavier mouse will require the fingertips to work harder to maintain a solid grip on the mouse.
As mentioned earlier, I don’t believe weight is much of a factor when it comes to choosing a mouse for Counterstrike 2, but if weight is something that matters to you and you’re a fingertip user, I would try to stay within the 60-70g weight range for your next mouse.
Below are my fingertip grip recommendations for Counterstrike 2:
Best claw grip mice for Counterstrike 2
Claw grip users, like palm grip users, use their palms for added stability when controlling the mouse.
The difference between claw and palm is the point of contact and how users lay their fingers on the mouse.
With a claw grip, only the base of the palm contacts the mouse versus the entire palm, which means that mice with a prominent rear hump are more suitable for claw versus palm.
Additionally, instead of laying the fingers flat on Mouse 1 and Mouse 2, claw-grip users tend to arch their fingers so that only the tips of their fingers touch the buttons—hence the moniker “claw” grip.
Like the fingertip grip, the claw grip offers a great deal of versatility, as the “claw” position allows one to quickly switch to a fingertip style grip when aiming “up” along the y-axis and then back to claw when aiming “down” the y-axis or along the x-axis.
Below are my top claw-grip picks for Counterstrike 2:
· Logitech G303 Shroud Edition
A note about hand size
Hand size is an important factor to consider when choosing a mouse for Counterstrike 2, but in my experience, hand size isn’t as important as the mouse’s shape and your style of grip.
That said, if your hand is on one end of the bell curve or the other, you should pay extra close attention to the overall size of the mouse you wish to purchase.
I’m not going to define what a “small” or “large” hand size is, but I will say the following:
· If your hand is on the smaller side, I would aim for a mouse that has a grip width no greater than 57mm
· If your hand is on the larger side, I would aim for a mouse that has a grip width that’s at least 60mm
· If you’re unsure about the size of your hands, focus more on the shapes you like and how they complement your grip style
In Sum
To recap, the perfect mouse for Counterstrike 2 is the one that promotes stability and accuracy when aiming along the x-axis (i.e., aiming left or right).
That said, it’s important to remember that this guide is my subjective opinion, and the recommendations above shouldn’t be taken as gospel.
In the end, you’ll want to try a variety of mice and see how they work for you. If you’re really dedicated, you should take things a step further and measure/track your accuracy with an aim trainer like Aim Lab or KovaaK’s.
Using an aim trainer can help you determine your accuracy “baseline” and how your aim improves or deteriorates when using different shapes and grip styles.
If that sounds like too much work, then it’s best to just pick the mouse that fits your grip style the best and stick with it (so long as it doesn’t cause you any pain).
Alright, that’s enough rambling for today—thanks for reading!