Gaming mice come in various shapes and sizes, and not every mouse is suited for every person. Factors such as hand size, grip style, and even the sorts of games you play all play a part in determining the right mouse for you. While we can’t help with all of those factors, we can certainly teach you how to measure your hand size for a mouse.

While the jury’s still out on whether a properly-sized mouse will help make you a better gamer, there’s more to the right mouse size than just your kill count. An incorrectly sized mouse will likely strain your fingers and be uncomfortable to use in the long run. So, let’s get started.

Measuring Your Hand

The two measurements used in determining hand size are the length and width of your hand. Getting these measurements is straightforward and takes less than a minute; all you’ll need is a ruler or, preferably, a tape measure.

Once you have either, just measure from the tip of your middle finger to your wrist to get your hand length:

Source: Voltcave

For width, measure across the middle of your palm, including your thumb:

Source: Voltcave

Once you have your hand’s length and width, you’ll be able to figure out where you land on the spectrum of hand sizes. Let’s talk about that next.

Hand Size and Mice

There isn’t a definitive list of hand sizes, but Healthline has the average male hand as being 7.6 inches long and 3.5 inches wide. This lines up quite neatly with the average (medium) size, according to Razer:

Most mouse manufacturers seem to stick to this scheme, so buying a “medium” mouse should be relatively safe if you have medium-sized hands. Want to narrow things down even further? We’ve found the 60% rule (as suggested by Rocket Jump Ninja) particularly useful when buying mice untested.

As the name suggests, the 60% rule is all about choosing a mouse that measures 60% of your hand’s length and width. It’s not a foolproof method, especially since everyone has their own preferences for mouse shapes and sizes. Still, it’s a safe starting point, especially if you don’t have much experience with mice and aren’t yet sure what you prefer.

Already have a mouse and want the best way to compare it to other mice without needing to find one in person? RTINGS’ 3D mouse shape comparison tool is great for that. Just select your mouse and one you want to compare it to, and you’ll get an idea of how much bigger or how different the other mouse’s shape is.

A Razer Viper compared to a Finalmouse Starlight-12 Medium.

Grip Style

Another essential part of the relationship between your hand size and a mouse’s size is your preferred grip style. While all mice are designed to work with all three common grip styles, you may find that how you hold your mouse will influence how large (or small) of a mouse you can use comfortably.

Those with fingertip and claw grips have more flexibility with mouse size, as there are fewer contact points between the hand and the mouse. This means that you might be able to use smaller or larger mice than the 60% rule suggests.

However, palm grip users will likely want to stick closer to that rule to find a mouse that’s the perfect size to hold by the palm and fingers.

These aren’t hard and fast rules, so you’re going to have to experiment to find out precisely what you prefer given your grip style. Unsure what your grip style even is? Just hold your mouse naturally and compare it to our graphic below:

Note that there’s no right or wrong here and that it’s all a matter of preference. While each mouse grip style does have some commonly accepted pros and cons, we don’t think they’re anything to worry about unless you’re trying to go pro and need to get your flick shots on point.

Closing Thoughts

While it might seem like a minor thing, knowing how to measure your hand size for a mouse is an important bit of knowledge. Whether for work or play, having a suitably sized mouse will be more comfortable and result in fewer aches than an ill-fitting mouse.

We’d recommend sticking to the 60% rule we mentioned in the article to start with. But if you’re just looking for some straightforward suggestions for large or small mice, then you can check out our lists of the best small gaming mice and best large gaming mice.