Gaming Mice and Accessories

In addition to the all-purpose mice we've just covered, a number of manufacturers are making mice aimed squarely at the gaming market. Some are actually worth looking into; others, not so much. It's rumored that Creative will soon be entering this genre with a gamer-focused mouse, but for now, it's mostly a two-horse race between Logitech and Razer.

Logitech MX510 Performance Optical Mouse
MSRP: $50

This was arguably Logitech's first foray at creating a "cool" gaming mouse, and the results weren't too bad. Just a hair bigger than MX310, the MX510 offers a resolution of 800 DPI, a whopping 8 buttons, and can be had in either a red or blue marble design. Unlike some mice, which place buttons on both sides, the 510 leaves the right side bare while placing two buttons in reach of a right-hander's thumb.

Sluggo's Take: I'm of two minds when it comes to the 510. I like the design, I like all the buttons, and I like the performance. On the other hand, it's a little large for my personal taste, and (I know this is really nitpicky) the scroll wheel requires a little more pressure to click than other mice. If you're like me and use the scroll button to activate a game's sniper zoom feature, having to push too hard can cause you to inadvertently scroll and switch weapons. If these things don't bother you, it's a pretty solid gaming mouse.

Logitech MX518 Gaming-Grade Optical Mouse
MSRP: $50

Logitech didn't leave any room for ambiguity with the MX518: they put "gaming" right in the name. Physically, it's the same body construction as the MX510, except with a different silver-ish finish. Technically, however, the mouse offers a resolution of up to 1600 DPI, special customization software, and the ability to change your sensitivity on the fly.

Sluggo's Take: I've played around with the MX518, but even with the better DPI, my reservations with it are similar to that of the MX510 -- its size and the scroll wheel. (And, personally, I think it's just plain ugly.) The extra features are pretty nice, however -- the sensitivity adjustment is pretty cool if you need one setting for normal play and a second setting, say, for sniping. If you've got a buddy who has one, it's worth checking out for a few days to see if it suits you.

Razer Diamondback /
Diamondback Plasma LE

MSRP: $60

For years, Razer was best known for the Boomslang, an oddly-shaped gaming mouse loved by a handful but mocked by most. In 2004, the company introduced a line of more conventionally-styled mice targeted at gamers, the Viper (1000 DPI) and the $60 Diamondback (1600 DPI). While we've yet to get our hands on the $30 Viper, we've played with two variants of the Diamondback: the red-tinted "Chameleon," and the blue-glow "Plasma LE." Both offer a total of seven buttons: left, right, scrollwheel, and two buttons along each side, giving both right-handers and southpaws equal opportunity to enjoy it.

Sluggo's Take: I'll admit: for years, I had a massive grudge against Razer. In 1999, they came by our offices with the old Boomslang and wanted to be the official mouse of GameSpy. They gave us a few mice to play with, and not only did we hate the design, but their initial drivers totally fried the USB ports on a few of our machines. We strung our prototypes up in the office (I still have mine), and the cry "BOOOOOMslang!" became a running gag.

A few years later, with new management and a new design, Razer appears to be turning it around. I've been using the Diamondback for a few months now, and it's just about everything I want out of a gaming mouse: it's the right size, the wheel feels right, it's got extra buttons, it looks cool, and it performs well. In fact, you can argue it's TOO sensitive, but there's a special Razer control panel you can use to tweak the settings. At $60, it's not cheap, but as far as I'm concerned, it's the best gaming mouse out today.

Logitech MX1000 Laser Cordless Mouse
MSRP: $80

Although I've largely ignored cordless mice in this guide, I'm making one exception for Logitech's MX1000 Laser Mouse, which dumps the traditional optical technology in favor of a laser-based system that, in theory, would be far more precise than optical mice and work on just about any surface. The mouse comes with a recharging stand, an on/off button, a battery indicator, a tilt-wheel, and extra thumb-button controls. If nothing else, it's a slick-looking package.

Sluggo's Take: When I first got the MX1000, I was pretty excited to check it out. It was a little too big for my taste (it's easily the biggest mouse in this guide), but I figured if I was going to give wireless another shot for gaming, this would be the time.

Unfortunately, no matter how many times I tried it, the MX1000 kept driving me away. Not only was it huge, but it felt like the signal would constantly drop for a split-second; it felt like I was constantly fighting for control. I have a number of friends who have the MX1000 and swear up and down by it, but for $80, it's hard for me to recommend as a gaming mouse.

Next: Mousepads