This page compiles pro player grip style distributions across major FPS games using public ProSettings.net data and gear-check post analysis. The three primary grips — palm, claw, fingertip — have different distribution patterns by game, hand size, and mouse design.
| Grip | Description | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Palm | Whole hand contacts mouse including palm rest. Movement primarily from forearm/elbow. | Arm aimers, low sensitivity, larger hands, larger mice |
| Claw | Hand arched; palm touches back of mouse but fingers curl; tips of fingers click. Movement from wrist + fingers. | Mid-sensitivity, medium hands, asymmetric or smaller mice |
| Fingertip | Only fingertips contact mouse; palm fully off. Small movements from fingers + slight wrist. | High sensitivity, light flick mechanics, small mice (under 60g) |
| Grip | % of CS2 pros | Notable examples |
|---|---|---|
| Palm | ~52% | m0NESY, ZywOo, Twistzz, NiKo |
| Claw | ~38% | s1mple, donk, broky, sh1ro |
| Fingertip | ~10% | device, EliGE |
| Grip | % of Valorant pros | Notable examples |
|---|---|---|
| Palm | ~48% | TenZ, ScreaM (early Valorant), nAts |
| Claw | ~42% | Aspas, Less, Sayf, Demon1 |
| Fingertip | ~10% | Less common in tactical shooters |
| Grip | % of Apex pros | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Palm | ~28% | Lower than tactical shooters; high sensitivity favors faster grips |
| Claw | ~58% | Most common in fast-tracking BR games |
| Fingertip | ~14% | For lightest mice + highest sensitivity |
| Hand length (mm, base of palm to tip of middle finger) | Common grip |
|---|---|
| Under 170mm (small) | Claw or fingertip preferred |
| 170-185mm (medium) | Any of three; claw most common |
| 185-200mm (large) | Palm or claw; palm increasingly common |
| Over 200mm (extra large) | Palm with full-size mouse |
| Mouse weight | Best grip |
|---|---|
| Under 55g (Pulsar X2H, Lamzu Atlantis) | Fingertip or claw |
| 55-70g (G Pro X Superlight 2, Viper V3 Pro) | All three viable |
| 70-90g (mid-weight) | Palm or claw |
| Over 90g | Palm only — too heavy for fingertip control |
None. Pro player distributions show palm and claw nearly equally represented in tactical shooters. Best grip is the one that feels most natural and gives the most consistent results in your training.
Don't switch unless your current grip causes pain or noticeable inconsistency. Switching grip resets several months of muscle memory.
In CS2 it splits roughly 52% palm, 38% claw and 10% fingertip; Valorant is similar at about 48% palm and 42% claw. Tactical shooters lean toward palm and claw because lower sensitivity and arm aim suit them. Fast battle royales like Apex flip this — claw dominates at about 58%.
Measure hand length from the base of your palm to the tip of your middle finger. Under 170mm usually favors claw or fingertip; 170-185mm suits any grip with claw most common; 185mm and above leans palm or claw, with palm increasingly common on large hands using a full-size mouse.
Yes. Mice under 55g (Pulsar X2H, Lamzu Atlantis) suit fingertip or claw; 55-70g (G Pro X Superlight 2, Viper V3 Pro) work with all three; 70-90g favor palm or claw; and anything over 90g is really palm-only because it is too heavy for stable fingertip control.
It interacts with it. Fingertip and claw players tend to run higher sensitivity (lower cm/360) and aim more from the wrist and fingers, while palm players usually use lower sensitivity and arm aim. Use our step-by-step sensitivity guide to dial in a cm/360 that matches how your chosen grip moves.
Sources: ProSettings.net, HLTV pro database, Liquipedia VCT/ALGS, gear-check posts, individual pro Twitter / streaming gear posts.
Last reviewed 2026-05-08.