So come on experts, recommend me a decent gaming mouse + mouse pad combo! :)

[ChristopherW]

I've read reviews of fuNc, XRayPads, RatPadz, even Razer surfaces. I've looked at Razers, the MS-branded Razers, the Logitechs and more in terms of mice. I don't want thousands of buttons, but a simple model - two main buttons, maybe a DPI switch and a couple of subtle user-definable keys would do me just fine (mostly play FPS myself, some CS:S, UT, plus some DTP and other day-to-day work activities where a couple of extra buttons would come in useful).

I'm (preferably) after a large, fabric mousemat (like they have in Omega Sektor in Brum, if you've been in there) - they work very nicely with the Razer Deathadders they have on their machines, and they're extremely comfortable to use. Prefer them to the hard, plastic surfaces - I went through sets of teflon pads for my last mouse when I last had a plastic surface, and I didn't like how they wear smooth after a while (I can't remember the manufacturer, but it had the Unreal logo on it! think I bought it from OcUK many moons ago).

So kb+m fraggers, which combos do you find work best for you (pardon the pun) - and which would be best value for money whilst not sacrificing technical ability?

[kalniel]

MX 518 + cheap freebie hard-coated mat that you replace if you somehow manage to wear it out.

I don't know how you're manageing to wear out the teflon pads so badly.. I game straight on a wooden desk and my pads are fine. But fabric will wear the pads more than hard plastic mats.

[FifthFreedom]

I wouldn't neccessarily buy both together as this writes off a lot of good mice.

I've used my RazerDeath Adder for a while and love it to bits.

I've never found mouse mats to be important to my gaming try looking here:

http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=444815

Cheap but far better than wooden desk.

Anyone who spends more than £10 on a mouse has issues IMO.

[Agent]

Anyone who spends more than £10 on a mouse has issues IMO.

Considering its one of the primary methods of interacting with your PC, that's just an utter mad statement.

Why would you spend £100's on a system only to be fighting with the input devices to control it if you feel one over £10 is better?

[kalniel]

I would guess he meant 10 quid on a mouse mat, given how hard it is to find Razer mice under that.

[Lee H]

I'm currently using a MX-1000 mouse with a Creative rubberised/cloth coated mousemat which I was given.

Weirdly, I find it feels better than the Qpadz EC-R I have under the bed in it's tin as I can get better accuracy, and the slight resisistance is enough for me

[Agent]

I would guess he meant 10 quid on a mouse mat, given how hard it is to find Razer mice under that.

Ah very true

[Hicks12]

sorry to hi jack your thread but im also looking for a mouse(more of a gaming one), seen the logitech g5 but i dont like the colour design of the new one , do they do in silver or black on the revised version?. any better mice for ~ £30 and that have more than 3 buttons, 5 will do.

[ChristopherW]

Well this is the thing; I bought an MX1000 as my first 'proper' upgrade for £40 a couple of years ago (2005) because my old mouse was on its way out (left mouse click stopped working all the time). I used the MX1000 but I didn't have a very smooth surface, so I ended up using a naff mouse mat.

The problem I have with the MX1000 is that it has too much inertia once it's going (and needs too much of a push to get it moving fast enough for FPS) - I 'borrowed' a Microsoft IntelliMouse Optical (the black one with the silver strips which end at the side buttons) and I'm using that through the front USB port at the moment for gaming... On a stack of two or three sheets of A4 paper!

When I used my mouse on my wooden desk before, as it was quite a light wood I noticed that after a few months of use you got all the accumulated crap like skin grease and dirt worn into the grain of the wood - and the grain of the wood itself began to wear down. The desk I'm using at the moment feels 'odd' under the mouse, so I'm using paper. Simple and it works, but not perfect. If there's bumps underneath, even small ones, it translates straight through (like the princess and the pea fairytale!)


The MX518 I think looks like an alright mouse, but I hope it's lighter than the MX1000 (I'm guessing it is). The 1000's a great general productivity mouse, but it's not a great gaming mouse. I find the MS IntelliMouse far better for gaming (but again, not perfect) - I notice the difference between even the MS mouse and the Razers. I also quite like the profile of the Razers (though their latest RTS-oriented mouse I think looks too much like an old-skool base level MS mouse, ironically!). The deathadder's buttons are nicely tactile and it sits well in your hand without fatigueing the top of your hand too much (which I've found with the shape of some mice).

I tend to sit with my hand on the mouse a lot anyway in some aspects of the work I do (lots of DTP and design, graphics manipulation and suchlike), although I'm a proper keyboard warrior the rest of the time. (hotkeys combos ftw), so being able to use it for long periods of time without my hand hurting is a real plus.


So, I guess that narrows it down - I wish shops had the mice out for you to try and compare before purchase! An MX518 (if people can attest to it and give me a better idea of what it's actually like to use) is probably on my list as are most of the Razers. I wouldn't pay much more than £40 because that's what I paid last time for my MX1000.

The mousemat - I just need a larger-than-usual one, I'm a low sens gamer. (Nothing quite like swiping your arm across the desk and taking out a stack of mugs and pint glasses ) I'm after one with a decent fabric on top and a nice squidgy foam layer underneath, which will work well with optical mice... It's the size more than anything, so I'm wondering if some gamers on here already have oversized fabric mousemats they'd be willing to recommend

[Ciber]

I would say MX518 + noid pad

[Deadlight]

I'm using a Icemat v2 (glass-type surface) and a Logitech G9 mouse.

[TAKTAK]

i have an a4tech x750f (i think) and it's very nice to use in games, it's nice and responsive and is usably on lots of surfaces

and i got mine for about £20 on amazon

also has a triple fire button that is quite handy, and two side buttons that you don't catch accidentaly, and you can change sensitivity on-the-fly

[Behemoth]

Another vote for the MX 518, have had it for 2 years now, it really is a cracking mouse

[Mithrandir]

MX518 seems a bargain at £22.95 from Amazon been thinking of getting one myself.

At present, I've got an MX510 which is fantastic, a Logitech RX1000 which is too slim and an HP generic mouse (rubbish)

I've been looking at getting a better 'gaming grade' mice. These were the ones I thought looked good and below £35

MX518 - as above
G5 ~ £28 on scan today only, but around £30-£35 usually
Razer Deathadder ~£35
Razer Diamondback (red and green are £27 from Play)
MS Sidewinder heard its a bit big though
MS habu (based on Razer deathadder)

[Mithrandir]

Im currently using a Flexiglow mouse pad. Can't remember when/where I bought it, but must have been fairly cheap. It's a nice sized pad and seems to work well with the lazer and opticals.

I also got a Steelpad S&S but I've not used it yet as it came with my MX510 (package offer for around £25 at the time). It's supposed to be one of the best pad but it's pretty large.

[DavidM]

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