If you are in the market to buy a mouse for your gaming setup, you will get a lot of options. These options include optical or laser sensors, wireless or wired connectivity, etc. The number of variables can be overwhelming and confusing. While there are clear winners on other grounds, wireless and wired mice are a grey area as every manufacturer comes up with a wireless and a wired version of their mice. However, which one would give you a competitive edge in games? Let us find out in this guide.
What are Wired and Wireless Mice?
Wired mice mostly use a USB wire that comes out of its body and can be connected to any port on the PC. This is the conventional layout of wired mice. However, wireless mice have a few layouts:
- Some wireless mice use a USB receiver that connects to a USB port. These mice cut one benefit of having a wireless device as they block one port on your PC.
- Some other wireless mice use proprietary wireless connections like Bluetooth to connect to your PC. Connectivity experience varies according to the Bluetooth version being used in the mouse and the quality of the receiver on your PC.
Are Wired Mice Better than Wireless Mice?
Wired mice are better than wireless mice. Part of this is because of the latency difference created between them. Wired mice can communicate much faster than wireless devices. Wireless connectivity slows down the responsiveness of mice, a trait that can be fatal in fast-paced games where a millisecond’s delay can cause you to lose.
Plus, wired mice are cheaper than wireless mice as well. Thus, you can save some bucks while being able to play games at lower latencies. Most wireless mice also come with laser sensors and pack clunky batteries which makes them heavy. These can be both pros and cons for players depending on their preferences.
Wired and wireless mice have their set of advantages and disadvantages. However, for gaming, we can conclude that wired mice have a lead over the other.