Sensor
The model of the sensor installed in the mouse. This information is indicated mainly for models equipped with high-end sensors, which are significantly superior in their capabilities to simpler solutions. Such characteristics are important primarily for gaming mice, so most of the devices for which the sensor model is specified belong to this category.
Knowing the name, you can find detailed data on the sensor and evaluate its capabilities. Note that one of the most popular brands nowadays, under which advanced sensors are produced, is
PixArt ; on the market are often found, in particular, sensors
PixArt 3212,
PixArt 3325,
PixArt 3327,
PixArt 3335,
PixArt 3360,
PixArt 3389,
PixArt 3395. The second common brand is
Avago (recently owned by the same PixArt); the most popular model of this brand is
Avago 3050, the simplest and most affordable representative of gaming sensors.
Sensor resolution
Resolution of the sensor responsible for tracking mouse movements on the work surface. Specified in DPI — dots per inch.
The physical meaning of DPI as a whole is as follows. The sensor of a modern mouse works on the same principle as the camera matrix, and consists of pixels. And DPI is the number of pixels that fall on 1 inch of the underlying surface (length or width), "visible" by the sensor.
It is believed that more DPI means a more advanced sensor and mouse in general; nowadays, models for
3500 – 5000 DPI,
12000 DPI,
16000 DPI even
more are not uncommon. In a way, it is — high resolution contributes to accuracy. However, the only thing that is directly determined by this indicator is the speed at which the cursor moves across the screen: the higher the resolution of the sensor, the greater the number of pixels that the cursor will move when the mouse itself moves a certain distance. At the same time, it is worth recalling that too high a speed is even more undesirable than too low. So the real need for high DPI (
1000 and above) arises mainly when working on large screens (4K resolution and more); for more modest displays (HD and Full HD), smaller values are often enough.
Max. acceleration
The greatest acceleration during movement, at which the mouse maintains normal performance; if this indicator is exceeded, the cursor may “break down” (moving to an unexpected place due to incorrect processing of data from the sensor).
The faster the mouse moves, the greater the acceleration acting on it. Accordingly, this parameter determines the sensitivity to sudden movements, the extent to which this model is able to normally perceive and process such movements. High values of maximum acceleration (
40 G,
50 G) are important first of all in dynamic games, especially for professional e-sportsmen and advanced enthusiasts. If the mouse is bought for relatively simple tasks (working with documents, surfing the web, etc.), you can ignore this indicator.
Max. speed
The ips (inches per second) parameter is the linear speed of mouse movement, expressed in inches per second, at which the manipulator's sensor is able to read the surface. In top models, the maximum mouse movement speed often reaches 400-600 ips, but devices with ips in the region of 200 are more common.
Max. polling rate
The polling rate shows how often the mouse sensor communicates with the computer about cursor movement. The parameter is measured in hertz (Hz), and one second is taken as a unit of time when evaluating it. The smoothness and speed of cursor movement directly depends on the sensor polling frequency. Directly related to this is the mouse response time - this is the time period during which the signal about the movement of the manipulator will reach the display of a change in the cursor position on the screen. Response time is measured in milliseconds (ms). The more hertz the mouse has, the shorter the response time it demonstrates.
Switch resource
The durability of mouse switches is measured by the number of clicks the keys can withstand before they begin to show signs of wear or malfunction. Switches can have a lifespan of several million to tens of millions of clicks. In laboratory conditions, this parameter is checked using special testing machines, which diligently press the keys the required number of times, on the basis of which a verdict is made regarding the approximate service life of the switches.
Programmable buttons
The presence
of programmable buttons in the design of the mouse. In this case, the buttons mean not only the keys, but also the scroll wheels, which are usually able to work on pressure.
Almost all models with this feature are gaming (see "By Direction"). Usually, programming is carried out using special proprietary software, while the functionality of such a setting may be different. For example, in some models, only one action can be tied to one button, in others — a whole series of actions (such as a combination of attacks in an RPG). Often, it is possible to configure one button for different actions in different games.
However, this feature provides an additional convenience: the mouse keys are right at hand, and it is usually easier (and faster) to use them than to reach for the button (s) on the keyboard.
Battery capacity
The battery capacity in a mouse affects how long it can operate without recharging and determines how often the device will need to be charged. Although manufacturers usually specify the operating time, the capacity helps assess the battery's resource under intensive use or when additional features, such as backlighting, are activated.
Battery life
Battery life of the mouse (see “Power”) on a single charge.
The battery life in this case is rather approximate: it is given for an average usage scenario, and the actual autonomy may turn out to be less or more than stated, depending on the usage patterns. Nevertheless, it is a fairly reliable indicator, allowing different battery models to be evaluated and compared with each other: the difference in the stated battery life usually correlates well with the actual autonomy difference.