The 3 Mouse Grip Types: What's The Best For Gaming?

There are different ways to hold your gaming mouse – palm, claw and fingertip.

What is palm grip?

Palm grip is when your palm rests on the mouse, and all limbs of your index and middle finger rests on the mouse.

It’s a natural grip for bigger mice with higher height, such as Razer Deathadder Elite.

As you can see, the whole palm is resting on the mouse.

What is Claw Grip?

Claw grip is when your index and middle fingers are in a claw shape, and your whole palm does not rest on the mouse.

When using a medium-sized mice, such as Logitech G Pro Wireless, your hand rests comfortably in a claw shape.

What is Fingertip Grip?

The last grip type is fingertip grip, where you’re controlling the mouse with only your fingers.

Small and light mice such as Finalmouse Ultralight 2 – Cape Town can be used comfortably with a fingertip grip.

Because it’s small and light, it’s easy to control the mouse with just the power from the index, ring and little fingers.

Summary of the three grip types:

What’s The Best Grip For Gaming?

As you have seen above, the size and shape of your mouse will affect your grip.

And of course, the size of your hand will matter as well.

So to find your best grip type, first find out your grip type and the size/shape of your mouse.

Now, let’s go over the pros and cons of each grip type.

Palm Grip Recommendations

Best for: People who want to use their arm to aim most of the time.

Best with: Big and tall mice with a hump where the palm can rest comfortably. Ergonomic mice are very good since the buttons are designed according to the shape of the fingers.

Let’s take a look at shape of the Razer Deathadder Elite:

You can see the big hump on the middle of the mouse where the palm rests.

It’s also a fairly large-sized mouse.

Claw Grip Recommendations

Best for: People who want to make quick movements and be able to aim precisely.

Best with: Mid-sized mice where the tip of index and middle naturally rest on the mouse. Ambidextrous mice tend to work the best because only the tips of your fingers rest on the mouse.

Here is the Logitech G Pro Wireless:

There isn’t a huge hump in the middle, so your whole palm wouldn’t rest on the mouse.

It’s also a smaller mouse that are similar to other mid-sized gaming mice.

Fingertip Grip Recommendations

Best for: People who want to aim precisely with fastest reaction time.

Best with: Small, lightweight mice that you can fully control with just your fingers.

If you look at the Finalmouse Ultralight 2 – Cape Town:

The mouse is very small, and very lightweight. That allows the user to only use their fingers to control the whole mouse.

Did this guide help you learn about the grip types? Maybe we helped you find the best grip for you?

Please let us know in the comment section!

Andrew is a lifetime gamer and a former amateur esports player. He has worked as the manager for teams such as the New York Excelsior and the Los Angeles Gladiators. Andrew has been mentioned in ESPN, Inven, The Ringer and other esports magazines and journals. andrew@gearrate.com