Three is the magic number.

When it comes to human ergonomics – in this case, when the hand meets the computer mouse – research shows that although each person is unique, we can still reliably split the population into three groups of mouse ‘grip’ style (type) – palm grip, fingertip grip, and claw grip.

It’s a bit of an oversimplification to simply split it into three categories, but it’s a good starting point.

For those of you wondering “what is mouse grip style exactly?”.

Simply put: grip style (type) is how you hold the mouse in your hand – the position of your palm and fingers. It doesn’t have to get more complicated than that.

There are many variables, such as the mouse’s shape, weight, your hand size, hand flexibility and much more, but we’re going to keep this short and sweet, covering each grip’s use-cases and some of the pros and cons that may help you pick the mouse and grip that suits you.

Let’s get into it.

 

Palm Grip

Palm grip is the most common and most natural; even the majority of non-gamer muggles will likely be holding their mice this way. It’s a great relaxed grip that puts minimal strain on your arms and wrists, so it's efficient for long sessions and gliding/flicking motions across your mousepad. In general, larger mice or mice with higher profiles work best with this grip.

 

Pros:

• Natural, relaxed grip (less strain)
• More control for both large gliding movements and micro-adjustments

 

Cons:

• Less precise
• Vertical movement can be restrictive

Fingertip Grip 

Fingertip grip is sometimes hailed as the most accurate grip style, as it allows for maximum vertical agility, making it a solid choice for fast-paced FPS games due to its ability for easy micro-adjustments. Now for the bad news: it may be the most accurate, but it's also the most difficult style to master.

 

Pros:

• Fast reaction times
• Precise

 

Cons:

• Not great for longer swipe/glide movement
• Difficult to ‘master’
  
  

Claw Grip

Claw grip can be the best of both worlds. However, it comes with its risks - 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 naturally have a relaxed claw grip or aggressive claw grip. Of course, you can re-train your grip with practice.

 

Pros:

• Fast glide motion
• Excellent stability and precision

 

Cons:

• Speed compromises accuracy
• High finger arch can cause strain faster
  
  

Summary

As always, if in doubt, try a few different mice until you find the one that feels right for you – it’s not always the one that *should* fit you on paper that is the perfect match (a bit like relationships…).

Check out our mouse store where you can click into the mouse you fancy, and use our handy ‘Mouse sizing guide’ chart that will help steer you in the right direction.

Or come and ask for our community’s opinion and we’ll help recommend some great mice over on our Discord.