Christoffer K, Author at Gaming Simplified

How to hold your gaming mouse may not be something that you have been thinking about before but in fact, it’s important. Different grips are good for different games and you can even get an advantage in many games depending on your grip. Also, getting a mouse that supports your grip can make your gaming sessions more comfortable. But the big question is: how to know which grip you are using, and which is the best? In this article, you’ll learn the most popular ways on how to hold your gaming mouse and its benefits. Find out which is the best for you and your type of game. Using the Claw Grip for Gaming The claw grip is a relatively common grip for people who don’t just game for fun. As the name of the grip might suggest, when you use this type of grip for the mouse, your hand will look quite similar to a claw. This is because you rest the upper part of your palm on the bottom part of the mouse, leaving your fingers arched onto the mouse buttons. From here, you just click the mouse as you normally would with the tips of your index and middle fingers. If it’s more comfortable, you could also use the index and ring fingers for the mouse buttons, leaving your middle finger open to access the scroll wheel and any macro buttons you have in that area. Generally, people who use the claw grip will have longer fingers or larger palms. This can be used to your advantage. The claw grip leaves your fingers with a little bit more flexibility than any other type of grip would, meaning that you would be able to access the additional buttons that your mouse might have. Whether you are competing in an online tournament or you are simply just playing casually, the claw grip is well suited to many MMOs and MOBAs where macros become a crucial part of gameplay. The added mobility in your fingers also allows for better reaction time. The wrist also plays a pivotal role in your abilities. With a claw grip, you will be using your wrist to position your mouse, which allows for far more accuracy and faster movement. In fast-paced scenarios, where you also need access to your macros, a claw grip couldn’t be a better thing. Using the Palm Grip for Gaming The most common type of grip in gamers and non-gamers alike is the palm grip. Chances are that if you are out in public and you see someone using a mouse, they are using the palm grip. Unlike the claw grip, where only the upper portion of your palm touches the mouse, with a palm grip, your entire palm rests on the body of the mouse. This allows for your hand to relax, meaning that you won’t be cramping up as much during tense gameplay sessions. Palm grips are a jack of all trades, so to speak. They don’t have the increased precision and agility that the claw grip has, and they don’t have the speed that the fingertip grip has. What this type of grip does have is a support system. With your palm supported, you won’t have to pay a second thought to your fingers cramping. This can give you an opportunity to play a little bit longer each day. With that in mind, many competitive players will combine a palm grip with another grip to increase their capabilities. If you value being able to enjoy your games with your friends over being competitive and doing everything you can to win this one match, then you might be perfectly content with keeping your grip style as a palm grip. The added comfort can even help you increase your concentration on the game. With that being said, combining a palm grip with another grip and turning it into a hybrid grip can give you both the comfort and the increased precision or speed that you need to be at your peak performance for the upcoming tournament. Using the Fingertip Grip for Gaming A bit exaggerated to more easily see the difference The fingertip grip is a curious and fairly rare type of grip that you do not often see. Despite its unusualness, it can give you the offensive capabilities you need to win a tournament, specifically in shooters. The fingertip grip has its catchy name for a reason. With this grip, you only use your fingertips to use the mouse buttons. You can move the mouse by snapping it into place, offering high speeds and quick timing. This makes it a pretty good grip for games that need quick reaction times. You generally won’t find mice that are both built for the fingertip grip and have multiple buttons. This is to make it as easy as possible to use your fingertips to snap the mouse into place so that you can get the best shot possible, potentially earning your team’s victory. These mice will also be unique in appearance as well, being lightweight and surprisingly flat. This is because there is almost no contact with the palm needed when you are using a fingertip grip and cutting out unnecessary parts can make the mouse even lighter. A mouse that is great for fingertip grip is the Corsair Katar, which you can find on Amazon. The mouse doesn’t have any extra buttons that are in the way and it’s very lightweight at just 85 grams. You can also find more mice in our gaming mice buying guide here. With enough muscle memory, the speed and the accuracy that a fingertip grip can provide for your gameplay is astounding. If you are switching from another grip to better your skills at a certain game, you can expect to be uncomfortable for a fair bit. There are some niche games that can benefit from a player who uses a fingertip grip. If you can find one of these games, they are usually games where you might need to snap from position to position in the blink of an eye. Which Grip is the Best? Some people, especially those who are new to the sphere of competitive gaming, might want to consider switching to the most beneficial grip there is. There is no one “best” method on how to hold your gaming mouse. In truth, there is no one best grip. Each grip has its benefits and its drawbacks. Each grip has little features that might make it difficult for someone to get accustomed to. Each grip benefits a different type of gameplay. It all depends on what you consider comfortable and manageable. If you have issues with wrist pains, claw or fingertip grips might not be suitable for you. Instead, the palm grip allows you to control your mouse with your entire forearm instead. Some people have long, nimble fingers that end up becoming a hindrance if they want to use the palm grip. This is where fingertip and claw grips can play to their best, as they allow for focus on what the fingers can do, rather than relying on the palm of your hand. The type of game you play is also crucial, as there are some games where the grip you go with can alter your performance. Slower-paced games and people who aren’t too competitive can probably get away with using a palm grip. People who enjoy FPS games can benefit from the smooth, agile movement that a claw grip can offer. The mobility of your fingers can also allow better access to macros if that is something that your game of choice allows. People who enjoy sniping in competitive shooters can drastically benefit from the quick, snappy movements that a fingertip grip specializes in. Even if it feels uncomfortable at first, the benefit to your aim will be well worth it. There will never be a type of grip that is the one, true way to use a mouse. As with many things in the world of competitive gaming, it all comes down to what you can do to maximize your performance so that you can get the win your team needs. I am using the most common grip, the palm grip. What grip are you using?