The urge to win and to do so consistently is a driving force for almost all gamers. This pursuit pushes players to continually strive for better performance. Despite the fact that VALORANT is more beginner-friendly than most other shooters, players still need to spend time to familiarize themselves with its gameplay and skillset. So, to excel in VALORANT, players need to hone their skills, strengthen team coordination, and become familiar with every map's terrain. However, beyond these aspects of gameplay, their choice of hardware also plays a crucial role in their performance. Having the right gaming gear can be the key to a player performing their best at critical moments. Among peripherals like monitors, mousepads, and keyboards, the mouse is especially vital for VALORANT gameplay.
When choosing a gaming mouse, players often consider various factors such as shape, hand size, grip style, comfort, sensor, DPI settings, etc. Beyond these considerations, the game itself — specifically game scenarios and in-game actions — significantly impacts a player's choice of equipment, as these directly influence performance.
Let’s break down the most common scenarios and in-game actions a player will encounter in VALORANT. They include:
• When you enter a site with an agent like Jett or Raze and need to find an opponent hidden in the corner, which then requires a flick shot.
• When you need to transfer your aim to the next opponent in quick succession and then spray them.
• When aiming at the enemy over longer distances or targeting a moving opponent by using micro adjustments.
• When you need to move your mouse back to a center position via lifting.
• When you’re in a defensive posture and you hit an object like Sova’s recon bolts first, and then need to re-aim at the opponents that follow in.
• When you need your aim to follow an opponent like Neon as she slides, so that you can shoot her using your tracking skills.
• When you need turn around, like Skye after casting her Guiding Light ability, and then re-aim after the flash to shoot all blinded opponents.
• When you use Jett’s Blade Storm and jump into the air, searching for enemies and aiming at them.
From these frequently encountered scenarios and in-game actions we can narrow in on the four actions that are most important in VALORANT: micro adjustments, lifting, tracking, and multi-angle movements. Excelling at these actions will help a player in their pursuit of better performance. Based on this understanding, ZOWIE’s Sports Science Lab conducted motion capture and electromyography (EMG) tests to objectively quantify the performance of these specific actions.
In terms of micro adjustments, test results from the lab showed that the FK series performs exceptionally well. This is because the lower hump design of the FK series creates more space between the palm and mouse which gives the gamer more flexibility to perform micro adjustments when they’re aiming at an enemy from long distances or targeting a moving enemy. This in turn results in faster aiming times and a greater range of movement, as confirmed by our data from tests that involved micro adjustments.
When tests that involved lifting took place, the lab found that the FK, S, and U series of mice each demonstrated outstanding performance. This is because each of these series of mice feature larger left and right tilt angles which are further complemented by finger support points. These designs allowed the players to apply upward force more easily so that they could lift the mouse faster and quickly transition to their next desired action.
Data from tracking tests showed that the S series of mice resulted in the most stable movements with accuracy percentages that were far higher than other mice. The main reason for the better performance with the S series is the shorter overall design coupled with the left and right curves which together allow the muscles on both sides of the player’s palm to control the mouse more stably and with more flexibility during vertical movements.
The results from our sports science tests showed that the U series of mice allowed claw-grippers to perform multi-angle movements remarkably well. The main features of this series include the inward-curved design on both sides that helps players perform more agile and stable mouse lifts, plus the curved design of the left-side – combined with the overall curve of the back – which is lab tested and proven to support a faster index finger click speed. Furthermore, the U series’ right-side curve is also proven to promote balanced force exertion on both sides of the palm for better stability during mouse movements.
For more in-depth information on the various series of Sports Science Mice offered by ZOWIE, including the data from our tests check the links below:
