Did you know that just by changing the way you hold your mouse, you can become a better gamer? Yes, you read that correctly; there is an entire concept of mouse grips that revolves around just the way you hold your mouse, and figuring out which one’s the best for you can help you aim at your opponents more accurately.
Fundamentally, there are three types of mouse grips that you can switch between, the palm grip, the claw grip, and the fingertip grip. In this guide, we will take you on a tour of all these mouse grips; we will walk you through their advantages and disadvantages and recommend you a few gaming mice that work the best with them.
By the end, you will have a clear view of the type of mouse grip that works best for you, and after using that, you will have a better shot at becoming a better gamer.
Let’s get started!
Key Takeaways
- There are three types of mouse grips: palm grip, claw grip, and fingertip grip.
- The palm grip is the most comfortable and suitable for long gaming sessions but is not recommended for high-sensitivity games or precise aiming.
- The claw grip is suitable for high-sensitivity gaming and provides stable control over the mouse, but it can strain your fingers and is not as comfortable as the palm grip.
- The fingertip grip is the best grip for competitive gaming, but it’s uncomfortable and can cause strain to your fingers and wrist.
Mouse Grips Table
| Mouse Grip | Description |
|---|---|
| Palm Grip | With the palm grip, your entire hand lays on your mouse. The palm rests on the back of the mouse, and all five fingers are in contact with the mouse. This is the most comfortable grip and is perfect for low-sensitivity gaming. |
| Claw Grip | With the claw grip, your fingers will be arched in a way that your hand will look similar to that of a claw. The palm will still touch the back of the mouse, but not as much as it does with the palm grip. This grip works best with high-sensitivity gaming where you need to make precise micro-adjustments. |
| Fingertip Grip | With the fingertip grip, your palm does not touch the mouse at all. You will be using just your fingers to control the entire movement of your mouse. This makes it super easy to glide the mouse across the mousepad and make quick flick shots. However, it is difficult to get used to this grip, and it is nowhere near as comfortable as the palm grip. |
Palm Grip
The palm grip involves, as you can guess by its name, your entire palm resting on the mouse. Consequently, all five of your fingers will also be in touch with the mouse. For this reason, the palm grip is considered the most comfortable grip. Therefore, if you plan on having long gaming sessions and want your hand to stay relaxed, then the palm grip is for you.
Even most non-gamers find themselves holding the mouse with the palm grip due to its comfort. Palm grip puts the least strain on your wrist and elbow, and you can enjoy games that involve low-sensitivity mouse play. All you need is a large mouse to cater to your hand, and you can swiftly glide across your mousepad while maintaining comfort.
Advantages
- The most comfortable and relaxing grip.
- Fingers and wrist are not strained.
- Perfect for long gaming sessions
Disadvantages
- Since you hold the mouse with your entire hand, precise aiming can be difficult.
- Not suitable for high-sensitivity gaming.
- Not recommended if your mouse is small.
Palm Grip Mouse Recommendations
Looking for a palm grip mouse? Here are a couple of Tech4Gamers’ recommendations:
Best Mainstream Mouse: BenQ Zowie EC2-B
The Zowie EC2-B is a solid, no-nonsense contender for good wireless mice that works best with a palm grip. It features a moderately curved and elevated back that fits the shape of a palm perfectly. Furthermore, the button positioning is also perfect to go along with the palm grip. Overall, it is a great mainstream mouse aimed especially at palm grip users.
Best High-End Mouse: Razer Viper V2 Pro
If you are looking for a high-performance gaming mouse to use with a palm grip, then the Razer Viper V2 Pro is your best option. It has a large rounded back so your palm can rest on it comfortably. From onboard memory to on-mouse DPI control, the Viper V2 Pro comes with features like the super precise 30K optical sensor, asymmetric cut-off, smart tracking, and much more to support high-end gaming. All of this, combined with the 80 hours long battery life, makes the Razer Viper V2 Pro the perfect gaming mouse.
For more of our thoughts, be sure to read our Razer Viper V2 Pro review.
Claw Grip
With a claw grip, your palm will also rest on the back of the mouse, but not as much as with the palm grip. Furthermore, your fingertips will be on the clicks at an angle, making your hand look similar to an animal claw. If you are into competitive FPS games, then you should give claw grip a short.
It is perfect for high-sensitivity gaming; hence, all of those quick flick shots and fast-movement shots work best with the claw grip. You also feel more stability and control as your fingers exert more pressure rather than being relaxed. As a downside, the claw grip is not suitable for long gaming sessions, as the angle of your fingers will strain them.
Advantages
- You can make quick, precise adjustments and hit fast-movement flick shorts.
- Works best with high-sensitivity gaming.
- You have more stable control over the mouse.
Disadvantages
- Not suitable for low-sensitivity gaming.
- Fingers will feel strained as they are at an angle.
- Not as comfortable and relaxing as the palm grip.
Claw Grip Mouse Recommendations
These are our recommendations for a claw grip mouse:
Best Mainstream Mouse: Logitech G305 Lightspeed
Featuring a lightweight body, the Logitech G305 Lightspeed is a great gaming mouse that has a DPI range of 200 to 12000 DPI. Furthermore, it features the HERO sensor, so the mouse is pretty accurate in quick movements. Overall, given its price, solid build quality, and wireless connectivity, the G305 Lightspeed is a good option for a claw grip mouse.
You can read our review of the Logitech G305 Lightspeed for more information.
Best High-End Mouse: Pulsar X2 Wireless
The Pulsar X2 Wireless is a great high-end gaming mouse that works best with the claw grip as it features a lightweight body with a symmetrical shape. Furthermore, it packs features like 2.4Hz wireless technology, a max DPI of 26000, and a 1000Hz polling rate, all of which make it a perfect mainstream choice for gaming.
Fingertip Grip
Now comes the most uncomfortable but the best grip for competitive gaming, the fingertip grip. Unlike the above two grips, where a part of your palm, or the entire palm, rests on the back of the mouse, the fingertip grip involves no palm contact whatsoever. The entire mouse movement is controlled by, as the name suggests, the fingertips.
This makes the fingertip grip extremely efficient for rapid flick shots, as you don’t need to move your wrist. Furthermore, vertical movement also becomes easy because you can pull your fingers up or down to move the mouse. Yes, the fingertip grip is not as stable as the other two, but it is definitely the best when it comes to quickly gliding your mouse across the mousepad effortlessly.
Advantages
- Perfect for fast-movement rapid quick shorts.
- Your hand exerts low tension, making the mouse easier to glide across.
- You can make fast micro-adjustments without moving your wrist.
Disadvantages
- It requires practice to learn and master.
- Since your wrist is making most of the movements, it will be strained faster than the other two grips.
Fingertip Grip Mouse Recommendations
Let’s go over a couple of mice that work the best with the fingertip grip.
Best Mainstream Mouse: Glorious Model O
Featuring a honeycomb shell, the Glorious Model O is a very lightweight mouse, which makes it perfect to go along with the fingertip grip as you need the mouse to be lightweight to glide it with your fingers. The mouse features a Pixart PMW-3360 Sensor, a max DPI of 12,000, and a 1000Hz polling rate. Overall, it is a great gaming mouse that works best with the fingertip grip.
Best High-End Mouse: Pulsar X2 Mini
At just 52gm, the Pulsar X2 Mini is an extremely lightweight mouse. Furthermore, it features a symmetrical design which makes it easier to handle with the fingertip grip. The mouse comes with a Pixart PAW3395 sensor which can go all the way up to 26,000 DPI. With figures like these, you can expect the Pulsar X2 Mini to perform phenomenally well in competitive gaming. Of course, it comes with a slightly increased price tag, which is worth it, given its performance.
Which One Should You Go For?
In the end, it all comes down to your personal preference; you should go with the grip which feels the most comfortable and works the best according to your needs. You can give all three a shot and figure out which makes you hit your opponents more accurately.
In addition, you can also take a hybrid approach, like having your fingers arched like in a claw grip but not resting your palm like in a fingertip grip. Similarly, you can also switch between the grips depending on what you are doing. For instance, if you are casually using your PC or playing a slow-paced game, then you can use the palm grip. Similarly, if you open a fast-paced FPS gaming that requires lots of quick movements with micro-adjustments, then you can shift to a claw or fingertip grip.
Basically, there is no one perfect grip for all; you need to explore all three to determine which one you should go for.
FAQs
Yes, determining which mouse grip works the best for you can help you become a better gamer. Furthermore, it can also reduce your hand strain and make you feel relaxed.
Fundamentally, there are three types of mouse grips: the palm grip, the claw grip, and the fingertip grip. You can also use your own grip, which is a mixture of these grips called the hybrid grip.
No grip is the most comfortable for everyone. However, the palm grip usually turns out to be more comfortable than the others for most people as it involves your entire hand resting on the mouse.
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[Wiki Editor]
Ali Rashid Khan is an avid gamer, hardware enthusiast, photographer, and devoted litterateur with a period of experience spanning more than 14 years. Sporting a specialization with regards to the latest tech in flagship phones, gaming laptops, and top-of-the-line PCs, Ali is known for consistently presenting the most detailed objective perspective on all types of gaming products, ranging from the Best Motherboards, CPU Coolers, RAM kits, GPUs, and PSUs amongst numerous other peripherals. When he’s not busy writing, you’ll find Ali meddling with mechanical keyboards, indulging in vehicular racing, or professionally competing worldwide with fellow mind-sport athletes in Scrabble at an international level. Currently speaking, Ali has completed his A-Level GCEs with plans to go into either Allopathic Medicine or Business Studies, or who knows, perhaps a full-time dedicated technological journalist.
