Having the proper gaming equipment can add substantial value to your gaming performance and experience; as a Final Fantasy 14 and CS:GO player, I can attest to that! It may be that your options are limited; although you do have a magic mouse available, you’re not sure if it can work. So, can you use a magic mouse for gaming?
Magic mouses can be used for casual games like Hearthstone that do not require much clicking in quick succession, but it performs poorly in more competitive, demanding games like Call of Duty. Due to its lack of ergonomic and technological features, it does not qualify as a gaming mouse.
Some people may consider the magic mouse to be a bar of soap, or comparing it to a gaming mouse is like comparing a fidget spinner to a propeller engine. Regardless, there are important things to keep in mind before you can make an informed decision.
Can You Use A Magic Mouse For Gaming?
The shape, size, and absence of side grips detract from its usefulness as a gaming mouse. Compared to gaming mouses that have been designed to fit the curvature of a gamer’s grip, the magic mouse has a very low body profile, so it feels unnatural to hold and doesn’t support your hand and wrist for extended hours of use.
The magic mouse’s lack of grip and comfortability will affect your gaming performance and in-game aiming accuracy; this could be further irritated by the aches and pains in your wrists and fingers due to the unnatural shape. It may not be a problem if you game for one or two hours a day, but more than that can be a problem.
Due to its smooth surface, when you’ve been gaming for long hours, especially in hot climates, your hands will start to sweat and become slippery, and it will affect your gaming experience. Gaming mouses have specialized rubber on the sides so that gamers can push through the sweaty seasons.
The magic mouse has slightly harder, unresponsive button presses when compared to a gaming mouse, so it will affect your precision and reaction time when trying to make flick shots in first-person shooter games. Furthermore, the left-click and right-click buttons cannot be used simultaneously, so you won’t be able to quick-scope.
The sensor at the bottom of a magic mouse will work on any surface, whereas a gaming mouse will require a mouse pad to function. However, gaming mouses come equipped with advanced sensors like the PMW3366 that professional gamers prefer and are designed to be responsive and have the ability for precise movements.
Having one single button on the magic mouse can be a problem for games that require a lot of rapid movements on the mouse. Depending on where your fingers are resting, it may become frustrating to right-click or scroll rather than left-click and shoot. The rubberized grips and the shape of a gaming mouse are meant to eliminate this factor.
What Games Can Work With A Magic Mouse?
Most fast-paced games like Dota, Apex Legends, Final Fantasy 14, and Fortnite are not good options if you have a magic mouse because they require some level of mechanical skill. You may want to consider playing ARGPs like Diablo 2: Resurrected, Hearthstone, and turn-based games like XCOM 2 and Gear Tactics.
These games don’t require a lot of mouse input but rather rely most on keyboard input or the occasional left-click to activate a spell or ability.
Why Is A Gaming Mouse Better Than A Magic Mouse For Gaming?
Magic mouses do not have a suitable lift-off distance for gaming. This feature refers to how high you can lift the mouse from the mouse pad before it stops registering input. It allows you to reset and slide the mouse back to its original aiming position without worrying about physically shifting the direction or crosshair on the screen.
Gaming mouses have high measures of DPI (Dots Per Inch). It indicates how much hand movement is required to cover the screen from one end to the other. Essentially, a higher DPI capability provides further movement with less effort. The magic mouse only has 1300 DPI, whereas a gaming mouse usually has 16,000 DPI.
Lift-off distance coupled with the weight of a mouse will drastically affect your precision when performing tasks that require accuracy, like aiming. The magic mouse weighs a total of 9.9 grams, making it too lightweight for effective gaming, especially when compared to the average 70-gram weight of a gaming mouse.
If Not The Magic Mouse For Your Mac Device, What Then?
The Logitech G403 wireless mouse is a fantastic gaming alternative for a magic mouse. It works effortlessly with a Mac device, and it’s also wireless like a magic mouse. Its great ergonomic design fits comfortably in your hand, and the rubberized parts on its sides improve the grip for those with a claw-hand mouse grip.
However, unlike the magic mouse, it does require a wireless dongle, so it needs to occupy one of your USB ports. The battery life of a magic mouse can easily last you up to one month per every overnight charge, whereas the Logitech G430 has a battery life of around 24 – 32 hours and gains a 10% charge every 15 minutes.
With the Logitech G430, your gaming experience is also more customizable because it comes equipped with six reprogrammable keys that can be configured with its Logitech software. The buttons are more sensitive on the Logitech G430 to promote precision gaming and help the user experience.
Check out the Logitech G430 on Amazon.
Conclusion
In truth, trying to game with a magic mouse to any effect is like going hiking with loafer shoes rather than hiking shoes; it may seem like a plausible idea, but it’s not a worthwhile venture. A magic mouse was never intended for gaming, and you may just be setting yourself up for a bad time and doing yourself a disservice.
Sources
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQPAyi1QvOE&ab_channel=HardwareCanucks
- https://www.rtings.com/mouse/reviews/apple/magic-mouse-2#:~:text=The%20Magic%20Mouse%20is%20a%20bad%20mouse%20for%20playing%20video,comfortable%20for%20longer%20gaming%20sessions.
- https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/magic-mouse-for-gaming.1662833/
- https://www.quora.com/How-possible-is-it-to-game-with-the-Apple-Magic-Mouse
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ar-HKYkWlvw&ab_channel=LinusTechTips
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwOaP3k3-K0&ab_channel=OptimumTech