Which mouse grip should you use?

3 min read

Every gamer has their own style – from seating position, to keyboard orientation, and even monitor orientation. But even your mouse grip can be a factor in your aim and mouse stability.

At Fnatic, our focus is on performance. From our Pro Gaming team to our gear, we are equipped to create products that are refined and tested by gamers at the highest level of play. We craft our Fnatic Gear pheripherals alongside our High Performance Unit (or HPU). This ensures that we create products that bring out every ounce of performance in our players, and our fans.

Consequently, that’s how we were able to create the first wireless Fnatic mouse – the BOLT Wireless. Launched in early 2022, this is our best gaming mouse yet. It has the best-in-class components and most importantly, a shape that brings out a top performance in everyone. With high compatibility across various hand sizes and grip styles, it is suitable for everyone. It sports a lightweight medium shape that’s been refined by Fnatic players across the years. Including legends like Rekkles and JW, to our current roster of players and creators such as Hylissang and Pow3r, they all provided us feedback on the shape and feel.

Some mice have what enthusiasts call an aggressive shape – which means the shape can work for specific mouse grip styles, but not others. However, the BOLT Wireless sports a friendly shape to various grip styles – Palm, Claw, or Fingertip – depending on your hand size. What’s your mouse grip? Check out our guide below to figure out:

Palm Mouse Grip

Firstly, if you find your hand wrapping your mouse without too much space between your hand and your mouse, that’s a palm grip. Generally, this means your hand is in contact with the mouse from the fingertips, where the switches are, all the way to your palm. This is the most common grip and most of the time, your arm will be doing all the aiming. This means that your mouse and hand size are quite similar –or you’re not using a mouse too small for your hands.

Palm grips are the most common as even most non-gamers will likely be holding their mice this way. It’s a great relaxed grip that puts minimal strain on your arms and wrists, and is efficient for long, gliding motions across the mat. Bigger mice or mice with higher profiles will work best with a palm grip.

Pros:

• Easy to get used to
• Less strain
• Great for long flicks

Cons:

• Vertical movement is more restricted
• Short tracking and adjustment is more difficult than in other styles

Claw Mouse Grip

Secondly, the claw grip is as its name says – your fingers are arched and shaped like a claw. The contact points on your mouse typically are the tips of your finger, and the bottom of your palm. The grip allows for both long swipes with your arm, or micro adjustments for short flicks using your fingers. Hence, this grip is very common for competitive games and esports titles.

The claw grip will give you the best of both worlds between Palm and Fingertip grips, however it can cause more strain on your finger during long sessions. The claw grip can vary between how big the mouse is relative to your hand, or whether you have a relaxed claw grip or aggressive claw grip.

Pros:

• Good versatility for long swipes and short flicks
• Allows for quick movements and adjustments

Cons:

• Finger arching can cause straining

Fingertip Mouse Grip

Thirdly, and possibly the hardest grip of all 3, the fingertip grip arches like the claw grip, but without your palm resting on the mouse. This allows for much less restrain on the movements of your mouse. Thus, leaving your fingers in full control over micro adjustments and tracking short distances.

The fingertip grip can be the most accurate as it allows for maximum verticality as well, so even jumping opponents in FPS games won’t be a problem. It will also let you have the fastest micro adjustments in tight scenarios. However, the fingertip grip is likely the most difficult style to master.

Pros:

• Quick micro adjustments
• High speed

Cons:

• More difficult to do longer swipes
• Harder to master