Have you ever thought about how heavy your mouse is? Further, have you ever considered how much more quickly you could work if your mouse was just lighter? If you buy a new mouse that weighs half as much as your old mouse, will you notice the collateral benefits of decreased fatigue and increased productivity? Through this article we aim to bring you up to speed on a stat that you may have overlooked: the weight of your mouse. Why does it matter? Who does it help? Let us answer these questions.
When someone releases a product and labels it “the world’s lightest gaming mouse” as PC Gaming Race did with their Glorious Model O mouse, even if you never thought about mouse weight before, you might now. PC Gaming Race is certainly not the first to tout their mouse’s svelte stature. Logitech and Razer are not new to this. Finalmouse has the honeycomb look on lock with weight-saving cutouts patterning the mouse case. Dozens of mice have names like ‘Ultra-Light,’ ‘Superlight,’ and ‘Starlight.’ As it turns out, companies know the weight of your mouse is a parameter to consider. PCGR has gone on to release an even smaller, lighter version, the Model O- (specifically the matte colors), and the race for the lightest mouse seems official.
The Pros:
Mouse-centric endeavors like gaming and design are sure to see returns from ultra-light mice. Whether you’re in the crosshairs in an FPS or you’re scrolling through endless pages of Excel grids, you will notice if your mouse loses some weight. If you keep your DPI consistent, it’s just going to take less work to move your cursor the same amount of screen space with a lighter mouse. This will translate to less fatigue over the course of any given session, whether that is an overtime work day or a marathon night of gaming.
The Cons:
Is there anything negative about a lightweight mouse? Unfortunately, yes. First off, as with everything, is personal preference. Some users just aren’t going to like the feel of a mouse that is too light. There is also some research that suggests that the concept of importance is affected by an object’s weight. Heavier objects generate higher feelings of importance. Sometimes an ultra-light version of an object can just feel cheap even if you know it’s made of carbon fiber.
Then there is the matter of how the mouse got so light. It seems like the easiest way to drop weight is to take it out of the frame one hole at a time. You’ll see this look from the aforementioned Finalmouse and PC Gaming Race, as well as some from Xtrfy, Cooler Master, and CTBTBESE, just to name a few. These mice like Swiss cheese. This opening of the case allows for access, well, anything small enough. From dust and bugs to water and crumbs, users of these mice should keep canned air nearby.
One final drawback, again depending on your preference, is that most of the absolute lightest weight mice are wired. This saves the weight of the internals required by wireless mice and gives you the dependability of a wired connection. The sacrifice is, of course, the freedom from having to deal with a cord. Makers of lightweight mice look for a happy medium in some truly innovative, flexible, and low-friction cords.
The Verdict:
If you are a serious gamer, designer, or other mouse-heavy operator, you owe it to yourself to check out the new crop of lightweight mice. If you’ve ever experienced pain from a mouse, a lighter weight version might also offer the relief you’re looking for. Whether you want to move up the ranks at your office or in your eSports league, the speed and ease of use of these mice could be the answer.