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Do Wireless Mice Have Delay?

If you are a gamer, you will want to use the right mouse that will give you the best advantage to securing a win. In your search, you have probably come across the debate between wireless mice and wired mice. Until recently, the only answer would be that a wired mouse is the way to go.  

Wireless has always been said to have a delay when you compare it to a wired mouse. This delay is referred to as input lag, which is the delay of the computer monitor registering the signal and displaying movement from the mouse onto the screen.  

Using a wireless mouse for gaming can be more convenient, but it can be frustrating when there is always a lag and you can’t win any of your games. Luckily, there are some things you can do to correct the delay of your wireless mouse if you want to keep using it. Keep reading to find out what you can do to fix the delay issues with your wireless mouse. 

Importance of Input Lag and Delay 

When it comes to games, input lag can cause some serious issues. Any lag that interferes with your gameplay can make a difference between life and death for your character. When you are playing multiplayer online, this lag will be even worse. There is already a lag on online games and adding both of these lags together will put you way behind your opponents.  

What Causes Delay? 

There are a few reasons that your wireless mouse might have a delay. The first reason is the battery. If the battery is running low on your wireless mouse, it can cause a delay between your movements with the mouse on the screen on your computer.  

The settings on your mouse might also be causing delay with your wireless mouse. You should have your cursor speed set somewhere between medium and fast. If it is set to slow, that could be why you are having issues with delay or lag.  

If you have recently made changes to your computer, this could be another cause of your delay. Every time you install a piece of hardware onto your computer, you need to make sure you have the right driver for it to operate properly. If you do not have the proper driver, this could also cause mouse and even keyboard delay. 

How to Fix Delay 

If you are noticing that your wireless mouse is having a delay, don’t worry. There are a few ways you can try to shorten the delay or even get rid of it completely. 

The first thing you can try to do is install the mouse driver to your computer. In some instances, your Windows computer will download the driver automatically. While that driver will usually work, there can still be errors. The manufacturer’s website should have the latest driver for your mouse that you can install.  

You can also change the frequency. Most of the time if you are noticing a delay with your wireless mouse, it has to do with the frequency the computer is receiving from the mouse. This is also a way that can typically solve lag issues. You want to make sure the frequency of your mouse is 250Hz instead of 500Hz. 

Another thing you can try is changing your Clickpad settings. This is super easy to do and only takes a second. In your control panel, find the Mouse section. Open up the Clickpad settings, find Advanced and click on Smart Sense. Make sure the filter is set to 0. 

Interference 

Another cause for delay with a wireless mouse could be coming from interference. There might be some instances where you are using your wireless mouse and it becomes completely unresponsive, stuttery, or extremely laggy. The most common interference comes from USB 3.0 devices like an external hard drive. 

Interference can cause problems such as delay, ignored inputs, and decreased range for your wireless mouse and the USB receiver. Luckily, there are a few precautions you can take to reduce interference. 

First, if your computer has any USB 3.0 ports, make sure to plug USB 3.0 devices into them instead of into USB 2.0 ports. This will ensure that there is plenty of space between USB 3.0 devices and your USB 2.0 wireless. mouse receiver.  

If you have to have a USB 3.0 device plugged into a USB 2.0 port, consider a USB extender cable. This will allow for you to plug in the receiver for your wireless mouse without being too close to the USB 3.0 device. This will reduce the interference you experience while you are using the mouse.  

You also want to make sure that your wireless mouse is kept as close to the receiver as possible while you are playing. For example, if your computer is on a shelf and your mouse in on your desk, try to move your computer onto your desk instead to see if that helps with interference. 

Wired vs. Wireless 

For gaming, you might be thinking about whether you need a wired mouse or wireless mouse. As said earlier in the article, wireless mice have delay where a wired mouse might not. Wireless might tend to have a higher delay than wired mice, but they are more versatile.  

With a wireless mouse, you are able to have a wider range of motion than with a wired mouse. You will be able to move freely without any restriction and be able to get the job done. However, wireless mice are usually more expensive than wired mice.  

Wireless mouse technology has come a really long way from where it was when they first came out, but there is still a debate over which type of mouse is better for gaming. While it may seem like wireless mice have a disadvantage in gaming, there is actually very little difference when you compare the gaming performance of each. 

Final Thoughts

There has been a question about wireless mice and delay since the invention of the wireless mouse. When you use a wireless mouse on your computer for the first time, or the first few times, you will likely notice that there is a lag, and the cursor does not move as quickly as it does with your wired mouse. 

There are ways that you can prevent this lag from happening and you can continue to use your wireless mouse if it suits you better than a wired one. You can download the proper wireless mouse driver from the manufacturer’s website to make sure you have the latest version available.  

You can also try to change the frequency of your mouse. If the speed of your mouse is set to slow, you will want to change it to medium or fast. Doing either or both of these will get rid of the lag completely and you will be able to continue using your wireless mouse with no delay. 

You will also want to make sure there is no interference that you might be experiencing. Interference could be coming from another device that is plugged into your computer or it could mean that the receiver for your mouse is too far away from the actual mouse.  

Steven Carr

Steven is a certified IT professional and gaming enthusiast. He has been working in the tech industry for over 10 years, and specializes in all things Tech-related. When he's not geeking out over the latest hardware or software release, he can be found testing out the latest video game.

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