FPS games are intensive, requiring strict attention, awareness, and game knowledge. Not only that, but your mouse sensitivity, DPI, and key-binds need to be absolutely precise. If you’re a fan of FPS titles, and you’re looking to get serious about how you play, there are several factors to consider to make your plays better, your reactions quicker, and your gameplay sharper.  

Your DPI

DPI stands for Dots Per Inch, and dictates how much your mouse cursor on-screen will move as you move your physical mouse. The higher the DPI, the more your cursor will move; conversely, the lower your DPI, the less the cursor will move. Many pro gamers will recommend a lower DPI, so your mouse movements are less erratic and more precise, but the important factor is finding what works for you. Any changes you make to your DPI will take some time to adjust to, so if you want to try something new, expect an adjustment period where your level of skill drops for a short time. It’s worth bearing in mind that the ideal DPI can change from game to game, which is why the best FPS mouse comes with a DPI switch, so you can cycle through DPI settings quickly depending on the situation or game you find yourself in.  

Mouse Weight

Try lifting a laptop. Now try lifting a desktop PC. Slightly tougher to move, right? The same principle applies to your mouse. A heavier mouse is harder to move in the heat of FPS action, which is why when you choose a mouse, you should be looking for one that’s barely noticeable when it comes to its weight. Competitive mice these days are getting extremely light these days, sacrificing nothing in terms of quality or sturdiness, and falling in at 50g or below. You’ll find most, if not all competitive gamers reaching for a light mouse, and you should be too.  

Your Keybinds

All keys are not created equal; some keys might be larger than others, further apart, and many games place keys according to their letter, and not where they’re most effective (M for viewing maps in many games is a perfect example). First, you should choose the right keyboard for you. You can opt for small keyboards (60% or ten keyless keyboards are popular choices), while others prefer a full-size board that offers them the ultimate level of customisation and choice. FPS titles usually have you keep your fingers on WASD or very close in order to be able to quickly react to enemy presence. The ideal keyboard keeps your fingers in that area, and ensures the keys around it are quickly accessible. Beyond those considerations, quickly creating macros you can use across titles makes more complex controls easy to play, switching weapons, setting up traps, and so on. While macros in professional competitive action can be frowned upon or outright banned, simple macros to save a keystroke or two in more casual settings can mean the difference between winning and losing. Make sure whatever keyboard you choose bears these factors in mind.  

The Feel

Feel includes how tactile the buttons on your mouse and keyboard feel, as well as comfort. Your devices should focus on providing a comfortable experience during FPS games, preventing hand fatigue, loose grip if the sweat starts to kick in, and accessible keystrokes hours into the action. Additionally, every button press should feel responsive and intentional; you need to know you pressed that grenade key, and not be second-guessing whether that frag went out or not. The same goes for your mouse buttons; there’s nothing worse than being in the middle of a firefight, and your left mouse button failing you, leaving you standing there with a full clip and an empty health bar. Choose devices that include high-quality switches, rated for tens of millions of clicks and presses, as well as designs that focus on ergonomics and comfort.  

The ASUS ROG Family: Meet the Strix Scope and TKL Keyboards, and Gladius II Origin Mouse

When it comes to the factors above, nothing beats ASUS ROG peripherals. Keyboards such as the Strix Scope and TKL offer the perfect setup for FPS gamers, with textured WASD keys, a wide left-control key for easy access, quick macro set-up, and much more. The TKL variant is ideal for those who like to keep their keyboard setup small and easily manoeuvrable. Combine one of those with the ROG Gladius II Origin mouse, with its 12000DPI sensor, 50g weight, and OMRON switches rated for 50 million clicks, and you have yourself the ultimate FPS setup. If you’d like to find out more about the products mentioned above, you can learn more at the pages below: ASUS ROG Strix Scope Keyboard ASUS ROG Strix Scope TKL Keyboard ASUS ROG Gladius II Origin Mouse