Generally shape and feel are the most important things followed by features.
The two biggest companies to compare mouse styles are usually Razer and Logitech. Razer mice tend to be skinnier, lighter, and longer with large flat buttons and their high point more centered. Logitech mice tend to be heavier and shorter with smaller more slanted buttons and a high point placed more towards the rear of the mouse.
Everyone tends to like their own combination of these features, but in my experience people who like Logitech mice place more of their hand on the mouse itself and move the mouse less. People who like Razer mice tend to do the opposite. This tends to be related to the raised bump or high point in a mouse and their weight. You should only use these mice companies for some general specs to compare with and to make the ballpark a little smaller when searching for a style you like.
Personally I've owned three Razer mice, a copperhead and a lachesis as well as the salmosa I currently use. The copperhead was very comfortable but broke after two years. The lachesis was not very comfortable but worked fine. Now I have a Salmosa and it is better than the copperhead for what I use it for. In respect to price and overall quality you certainly should look around and not just sell yourself to Razer or Logitech. The copperhead and salmosa I got mostly because they were almost 75% off at the time and in a style I liked.
Just try out the mouse before you buy it so you don't get something uncomfortable like the abysses was for me. I knew I wasn't a fan of Logitech mice at the time, but I took the lachesis for granted because it was a Razer mouse and I associated it with a certain style. All mice are different even if they come from the same company. As far as features you don't need any more than 1600dpi and 2 extra buttons is all you really need depending on what types of games you play. Don't get sucked into the marketing and blow a bunch of money on something flashy you don't need. My Salmosa has no extra buttons, 1600 DPI, cost me 14 bucks, and I like it more than the lachesis I had which cost me something like seventy dollars at the time, had 4 extra buttons, and 5600 DPI.
This post has been edited by GreatDay: 30 October 2011 - 10:00 PM
Help
Don't like others too much, deathadder is good but kinda odd to hold after ikari for so long, not as ergonomical, and also I've heard can break fairly quickly if you do it wrong. Ikari has a 0 to 3200 DPI range, other customizable stuff, two well placed and small macro buttons, and a DPI toggle from one setting to another.
