Counter-Strike: Global Offensive isn’t all about skill. Devices play a crucial role in winning as well. The CS.MONEY Blog is taking a look at the arsenal of top eSports pros to select the best gadgets for natural-born champions.
Mouse: Zowie EC2
By far the most popular mouse among CS:GO players. Approximately every fourth pro gamer uses this bad boy! Small wonder: it’s just the ticket for skillful shooters, those specializing in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive in particular.
Fact is, to create this model, the company invited a Swedish legend. Emil “HeatoN” Christensen known for his performance in NiP and SK Gaming helped build the most popular — and arguably the best — mouse for playing CS:GO. By the way, the name Zowie EC2 includes the renowned Swede’s initials.
Pros using the Zowie EC2: Nicolai “dev1ce” Reedtz, Sergey “Ax1Le” Rykhtorov.
Keyboard: HyperX Alloy FPS
As for keyboards, the distribution of favorites is much less clear-cut. Around one in seven pros uses a HyperX Alloy FPS, full-size or compact version. For comparison, one in ten plays with a Logitech G Pro X Mechanical Keyboard. There’s not much of a gap at all.
However, if you’re actually looking for a fresh keyboard, the HyperX Alloy FPS is an attractive choice. Thing is, this keyboard comes not only with two form factors but also with three types of switches: Cherry MX Blue, Brown, and Red. So you can choose one that suits you the most.
Pros using the HyperX Alloy FPS: Ismail “refrezh” Ali, Peter “stanislaw” Jarguz, and Aaron “AZR” Ward.
Headset: HyperX Cloud II
What about headsets? Well, there’s a single and unrivaled leader. Half of all the coolest CS:GO players have opted for HyperX headsets. Most often, a pro gamer will use a HyperX Cloud II. This doesn’t come as a surprise, since this headset meet all the requirements envisionable: from the quality of the microphone to model durability.
By the way, the HyperX Cloud II supports virtual sound in 7.1 format. While this feature is fun, it could bother you in-game. The reason is that Counter-Strike: Global Offensive features the HRTF option that helps with audio positioning. As a result, enabling the virtual 7.1 surround on the HyperX Cloud II can prove unnecessary and even harmful.
Pros using the HyperX Cloud II: it would’ve been easier to mention those who don’t.
Monitor: BenQ Zowie XL2546
Another absolute favorite. Ten out of ten pros prefer monitors from BenQ Zowie, half of them being the BenQ Zowie XL2546 model. It’s a 24.5-inch screen with a refresh rate of 240 Hz and a response time of 1 ms. If those figures don’t mean much to you, here’s a simple comparison: the BenQ Zowie XL2546 is like a Ferrari in motorsport.
Pros using the BenQ Zowie XL2546: Simon “twist” Eliasson, Kenny “kennyS” Schrub, Kirill “Boombl4” Mikhailov.
Mouse pad: Steelseries QcK Heavy
The Steelseries QcK Heavy is the genuine long-liver of this selection. Professional gamers have been using this mat for years, and it still ranks first in terms of popularity. It’s attributable to a few key features: size, thickness, and excellent material. This mat is so good that it’s literally used to benchmark mouse sensors. Bottom line: talk about an industry standard, no less.
Pros using the Steelseries QcK Heavy: Tomáš “oskar” Šťastný, Keith “NAF” Markovic, Olof “olofmeister” Kajbjer.
As mentioned previously, it’s not just skill that matters in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. It’s beyond frustrating to botch a flick because of a glitch in your mouse sensor, or miss someone’s steps due to crappy sound. So if you lay serious claim to victory, it’s best to look at high-profile devices. Like the ones used by eSports pros.
