Top Professional Counter-Strike Gaming Gear (by BanKs)

Hey Skin.Club family! BanKs here, and I am writing my first article—one that, if you watch my streams, you know I am very passionate about. Gaming gear: the weapons of choice for professional gamers. In this article, I’m going to start by sharing some of the gaming gear that players are currently using at events, and then I’ll list some of the best products from different brands that I see most commonly.

First, we have to remember that buying a product that your favorite professional player uses will not make you as good as them.Pros always choose based on what is most comfortable for them—what feels good and works for how they grip their mouse. The best way to find out what is comfortable for you is to check out one of these guides. The legend of FPS, Rocket Jump Ninja, is one I usually recommend to people who ask: Rocket Jump Ninja. For me, I discovered mine through a lot of testing, trial and error, and even now, I often get my hands on the latest mice, mousepads, and keyboards to test them, see where the technology is at, and find out what’s new to the market. You can often find me talking about this on my stream!

G2‘s triumph is largely due to m0NESY‘s outstanding performances and clutch plays, which frequently got his team across the finish line. You may now improve your own accuracy and gameplay by looking into his CS2 settings.

What should be noted is that professional players have sponsors and may be required to use certain products. Both NAVI and G2 are sponsored by Logitech, but they don’t use only Logitech products because some choices, especially mouse and mousepads, cannot be forced by a sponsor. Keyboards are generally seen as more interchangeable.

At events, we can often see what players are actually using, giving us a better idea of their preferences. Working at many Counter-Strike events around the world with the best players in attendance, I always take note of gaming gear changes and what they might be using to perform at their best. Using the knowledge I have and what I’ve observed over 2024, I’ll share with you the top 3 of each type!

Best Gaming mouse

1st Place – Logitech G PRO X SUPERLIGHT

This is by far the most popular gaming mouse on the market. Some of the best players in the world use it, and it was one of the first wireless gaming mice that many players switched to after initial skepticism. My issue with this mouse is that the build quality isn’t very high; it feels like it could break in your hands easily, and the technology is starting to age. Even the SUPERLIGHT 2 hasn’t been widely adopted. Many other brands introducing 4K and higher technologies have become the choice of many professional gamers.

2nd Place – ZOWIE GEAR EC2-CW (You could also include the EC1-CW, EC3-CW)

ZOWIE has been at the top of the mouse market since its inception. They have the iconic EC shape and design that many companies have tried to replicate, but none have mastered like ZOWIE. The EC2-CW seems to be the most common shape, comfortable for most people, but for larger hands, you can go for the EC1-CW, and for smaller hands, the EC3-CW. The only downside is that the ZOWIE EC2-CW currently does not support 4K Hz. However, their most recent mouse does, and I have seen some professional players such as Calyx and XANTARES using a 4K Hz version already, so it will surely be on the market soon.

3rd Place – Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro

An old-school design with a very Razer feel. Similar to the EC2 I mentioned above, the DeathAdder is a larger mouse with a lot to offer, and Razer has both a 4K Hz and even a crazy 8K Hz polling rate. However, I honestly don’t recommend the 8K Hz, as it can lead to some issues when using the mouse. From talking to players, everyone is using around 4K Hz if their mouse supports it.

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Best Mousepad

Selecting the best gaming mousepad was much harder, so I’ve chosen to list the brands that pro players are using and ranked them in order. Remember that mousepads are very specific to the type of feel you want to achieve—whether you want more control or more speed. The best way to find the right one is to test them out in local stores or at LAN events in your area.

ZOWIE GEAR

This seems to be the most used mousepad among players, with the most popular models being the G-SR and G-SR II. These appear to be the most versatile and widely used, no matter what mouse the player is using.

Esports Tiger

These mousepads feature some of the most beautiful and unique designs, but what’s most interesting are the different styles and feels, each with Chinese names and meanings behind them. Some of the ones I’ve seen used are Tang Dao, Kun Lun, and Qingsui. I believe they have the largest selection of mousepads with all types of options. More and more players are being seen with them, including FURIA’s kscerato, Eternal Fire’s Woxic, and Team Liquid’s Twistzz.

Artisan

Artisan offers a very premium style of mousepad with various models, including X Soft, Soft, and Mid, depending on what you are looking for. I’ve seen more and more players using these, especially over the past year.

VAXEE

VAXEE has become very popular, with many players having custom-named mousepads using the PA ZYGEN model. They also have a premium pad, the PB 2023, that some players are using. Recently, I’ve seen the PE set, which was released and used at IEM Cologne 2023.

Next up, we take a look at keyboards, and this gets very interesting because of the new Rapid Trigger and Snap Tap technologies!

Best Keyboard

1st Place – Razer Huntsman V3

This keyboard has taken over the Counter-Strike world, sparking debates about whether it should be banned. It features Rapid Trigger technology, allowing you to set a low actuation point for when the key is pressed. You can customize this within the Razer software to suit your comfort zone and needs. The main and latest function is called Snap Tap, which prioritizes the last input without requiring you to release the current one. For example, you can press A to strafe left and then press D to instantly strafe right while holding both keys. This can improve your counter-strafing and provide an advantage. Some professional players say the difference is huge, while others say it’s minimal. It likely depends on how skilled you are without these features in the first place, but it’s a hot topic in the scene right now regarding whether it should be legal. For now, tournaments like ESL and BLAST are allowing it.

2nd Place – Wooting 60HE+

Wooting, in my opinion, offers the best keyboards you can get, but it’s not as mainstream or as easy to acquire, which is why I think we see fewer professional players using it currently. Razer literally has a representative at each event, ensuring that players can be equipped with their gear if they want it. Wooting is a very premium brand—the choice for those who want the best in life. They have their own version of Snap Tap called “SOCD”, which they claim is better than Razer’s version. Some pros who have used both confirmed that they consider Wooting’s to be the superior of the two, though I can’t personally comment on this. The advantage here is that SOCD is available for all Wooting keyboards, whereas with Razer, you have to buy the new Huntsman V3.

3rd Place – Logitech G PRO X

Whether due to sponsorship or simply because it’s a comfortable keyboard, many players are using the G PRO X. It’s nothing fancy—available in multiple colors, a solid keyboard without any frills. Currently, it doesn’t have Snap Tap, but it’s mechanical, functions well, and will meet your needs. I haven’t tested it myself, so it’s hard to comment further, but rumors suggest that Logitech is working on bringing their own Snap Tap variant to market as soon as possible—they don’t want to be left behind!

Now, this brings us nearly to the end of my thoughts and findings on the gaming gear that professional players are using, but what about headsets?

So there you have it—these are my findings and what I’ve discovered so far! What are you using at home? Why did you choose these products? Was it because your favorite professional player uses them? Drop me a message and let me know. I’m curious to see how you guys are choosing your equipment and what factors you consider. Is it the best for competitive play, or is it the best at a good price?