As any FPS gamer will attest, perfecting your mouse aim makes a big difference to your performance. Sure, you will have good days where you stay on target. There will also be the bad days when you can’t buy yourself a clean shot. But with so many esports professionals delivering consistent, high-level performances you can’t help but wonder – is there some secret I’m missing out on?
While there’s no easy or short solution, there are plenty of things you can be doing to improve your aim. In fact, we’ve got ten useful tips to help you achieve perfect mouse aim.
Get a Lightweight Mouse
First things first, let’s take a look at the tools you’re working with. Since you will be using your gaming mouse to aim you want to choose yours carefully. As well as ensuring the shape is comfortable, a lighter weight can be a key difference maker. A lightweight mouse is easier to accelerate and stop, giving you finer control if you adjust your sensitivity accordingly. It’s also less strenuous if you find yourself moving your gaming mouse frequently and extensively.
Glorious Model I Lightweight Gaming Mouse
At a feather-like 69g, the Glorious Model I is truly a lightweight gaming mouse. It will glide effortlessly as you take aim at your next target. Featuring swappable buttons and Glorious’s proprietary BAMF sensor, you can take advantage of up to 19,000 DPI for maximum control. It’s a stylish little number to boot, with an iconic honeycomb shell design, dazzling RGB lighting, and two colour options to choose from.
Get Your Mouse Settings on Point
There’s one simple change all Windows users can make. To achieve consistent precision, you need to deactivate pointer acceleration. What this does is artificially increase the speed at which your mouse pointer travels when you move the physical gaming mouse faster than usual. If you keep this on, you will never have a uniform sensitivity for your body to get used to.
To sort this out, just head over to “Additional Mouse Settings” in Windows. Once there, uncheck “Improve Pointer Acceleration” to feel an instant difference.
Understand How DPI Affects Mouse Aim
DPI, or dots per inch, makes a big difference in how your gaming mouse behaves. It is a measure of how the physical distance your mouse travels translates to the movement of your pointer. A higher DPI means you can move your cursor further with less movement. Depending on how you play and the specifics of your gaming setup, you may not want this number maxed out.
That’s why you’ll find many gaming mice come with adjustable DPI. Some even go so far as to program in specific DPI settings for you to swap into at the click of a button. Finding the right level of DPI to match your game is imperative. We’ve got more for you to read about understanding DPI if you’re keen to learn.
Get a Grip On Your Mouse
Okay, so your mouse is performing like a dream. But sweaty palms keep slicking it up and causing you to lose your grip. This is why you want to use a mouse grip. Firstly, they do just add a little something special to the aesthetic. Second, they provide some much-needed protection for this peripheral that’s going to see more than its fair share of action. Lastly, they add some friction to improve your grip and can even have sweat-absorbing properties. That gives you the consistent and reliable performance that’s needed for perfect mouse aim.
Glorious Model I Gaming Mouse Grip Tape
This grip tape is the perfect companion to our recommended gaming mouse. Coming in eight pre-cut pieces, it provides complete coverage for your Model I Gaming Mouse. Easy to apply with 3M adhesive backing, this lovely low-profile tape is only 0.5mm thick. Its slip-resistant texture also has sweat-wicking properties to really help you get a grip on your gaming mouse.
More Control With a Mouse Pad
Finding the best mouse pad for your gaming setup will really enhance your performance. You need a level surface for your movements to have consistency. Additionally, the material of your mouse mat will offer you some advantages. Soft, fabric-based ones increase friction and therefore control of your gaming mouse. On the other hand, mouse pads made from a hard material such as plastic allow for faster movements. Go for the one that plays better with your needs and how much space you have to spare for it.
OcUK Mega Mat XXL Gaming Surface
With the OcUK Mega Mat, you can equip your whole desk with a mousepad optimised for optical sensors. The woven fabric surface provides a consistent platform for your mouse to read, whilst the ample size gives you all the space to manoeuvre that you could possibly need! Plus, the rubberised base has outstanding grip, meaning that this mouse mat will never shift or cinch. Even in the heat of battle!
Make Sure Your Monitor Can Keep Up
Lag kills, especially when gaming online. Thus, you need a monitor that can keep pace with you and your game. Of course, we all want a display that gives us the best resolutions, but there are other factors to consider. Size matters since you want to see everything clearly as you game, but going too big can make it hard for your eyes to track everything going on. Having a high refresh rate is great too as it will reduce motion blur. But if you can go higher than your GPU can handle, it will backfire. Display technology like NVIDIA G-Sync and AMD FreeSync can help with this. We have a full breakdown of different monitor types for you to learn more.
ASUS TUF Gaming VG249Q1R 24” Widescreen Gaming Monitor
At 24” wide, this ASUS TUF Gaming Monitor is a perfect size for you to play on. This Full HD (1920 x 1080) screen may not be the biggest, but for your needs, it’s one of the best. For starters, it has an ultrafast 165Hz refresh rate, designed not only for immersive gameplay but for pro gamers too. Couple that with FreeSync technology and a 1ms response time, you can say goodbye to tearing and hello to sharp, high frame rate gaming visuals.
Keep Your Ears Open
Just as important as what you can see in FPS games is what you can hear. Incoming gunfire and approaching footsteps are important cues to help you analyse your surroundings and prepare for enemies. Speakers are fine for this, but you need to find the perfect gaming headset to get the best results. Immersive, spatially aware sound gives you another sense you can rely on when gaming.
ASUS ROG Delta S Core Gaming Headset
If you want an immersive audio experience to aid your mouse aim, this is a great gaming headset to choose. With its exclusive ASUS Essence drivers, airtight chambers, and Audio Signal Diversion technology, you’ll have pure gaming sound to work with. Its breathable fabric mesh and ergonomic D-shaped cushions make the ASUS ROG Delta Core Gaming Headset comfortable to wear too. This is ideal for long sessions where you don’t want to be feeling the pinch!
Position Your Crosshairs
In most first-person shooters, you will have the option of a crosshair available to you. Enabling this will show your weapon’s orientation and make it easier to aim precisely. If you want to ensure you’ll be the first to land a hit when you see your opponent, keep your crosshairs centred on the screen. So that means no running around the map with your head down. This is a small, and maybe slightly obvious trick, but one that can make a world of difference.
Take Your Time
Understandably, you’ll want to pull the trigger on your virtual weapon the second you sight an enemy. Learn to fight that urge. Taking an extra half-second to line up your mouse aim properly keeps your shot true. Practice this until you’ve internalised the movement. No longer panic and rush upon every enemy encounter.
Train Your Mouse Aim
Practice really makes perfect, but your FPS of choice might not be the place to get your reps in. To that end, you can spend some time on a dedicated aim trainer. Programs like Aim Lab offer lots of ways for you to practice, improve, and perfect your mouse movements. Some games do have training modes you can also use. If you really want the best mouse aim you can have, you need to put in the time.
Learn More About Your Mouse
We’ve talked plenty about gaming mice over the years. Here is but a small cross section:
What’s Your Secret to Perfect Mouse Aim?
Are you all hits and no misses when you pick up your favourite FPS? We’re sure you’ve got some great tips you could share. Tell everyone your best tricks in the comments below.
- 8 min read
Jacob Smith
Author
Jacob is a passionate gamer, plus a noted Pokemon and LEGO nutjob, who emerges only when doing the words here at Overclockers UK. Since starting at the tail end of 2021, Jacob has gone on to write dozens of blogs on everything from the latest games to whimsical Dickens-inspired poetry. Outside of creating content and being the one person in the office daring to champion Nintendo, he is often found fawning over his Pokemon card collection and his trio of lovely doggos.
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Forgot my ears correlate with how well I can aim