Filter visual noise.
Update or swap the loot filter before buying display hardware. Use the official item-filter documentation for what the client supports today.
Path of Exile · Setup guide
Path of Exile setup: choose PoE 1 or PoE 2
Start with your client: PoE 1 uses mouse movement, while PoE 2 lets you choose mouse movement or WASD. Set your controls first, then tune the loot filter and UI scale for readable fights.
Reviewed Oct 19, 2026 against community setups and manufacturer specs.
PoE 1 & PoE 2
MMOSetup / Layout notes
Start here: choose PoE 1 or PoE 2 before tuning controls
- Combat
Can you reach movement and the actions your build actually uses?
- Loot
Can you identify and select what you meant to pick up?
- Inventory
Can you inspect, move, and organize items without fighting the controls?
- Trade / reference
Can you reach the browser or reference you use, then return to the game?
Choose your version
PoE 1 and PoE 2 use different movement and menu assumptions.
Start with a loot filter and UI scale that make rare drops and defensive cues readable. Only then map movement, flasks, skills, and dodge on the input layer that matches the client you are running.
- PoE 1: mouse movement with keyboard and side-button binds. See the keybind guide.
- PoE 2: choose mouse movement or WASD first, then place skills. The same guide has a PoE 2 section.
- Ultrawide, trade-screen, and handheld setup each have their own guide below.
By version
Pick the version on your account.
Mouse-led binds Filter and UI scale first, then map flasks and skills without crowding movement.
Mouse or WASD, then binds Lock movement mode in the keybind guide before comparing multi-button mice.
Controller Combat can feel different from inventory and trade. Read the controller versus mouse/keyboard guide.
Keep defenses reachable.
PoE 1 and PoE 2 need separate checks for movement, flasks, skills, dodge, and menus. Add mouse buttons only when they fix a real bind conflict (see the keybind guide).
Separate useful cues.
Keep boss and defensive cues audible over the rest of the map noise.
Support the long loop.
Long mapping and crafting sessions need a desk height and input layout you can hold for an hour without shifting every few minutes.
These mice are for keyboard-and-mouse play. If you don't need a full side grid, a standard mouse with a keyboard-led bind map is fine. Controller players should use the guide below instead.
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| Role | Product | Fit | Tradeoff | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modular mouse | Razer Naga V3 Pro | Three magnetic side plates with 12, 6, or 2 buttons; lockable ring-finger button. | Setup uses Razer Synapse on Windows. Skip it if a fixed 12-button grid is enough. | Razer Naga V3 Pro |
| Fixed 12-button mouse | Razer Naga V2 HyperSpeed | Fixed thumb grid for mouse-led PoE 1 binds. | The grid does not slide and can be more buttons than a PoE 2 WASD setup needs. | Razer Naga V2 HyperSpeed |
| Open thumb-rest mouse | Logitech G502 X LIGHTSPEED | Open thumb ledge and programmable controls suit cursor aiming and keyboard binds. | It does not have a 12-button thumb grid; pair it with keyboard binds and see Naga V2 HyperSpeed vs Logitech G502 X Plus. | Logitech G502 X LIGHTSPEED |
| PC controller | 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Bluetooth | TMR sticks, switchable trigger modes, rear paddles, and extra bumpers. | Stash management and trade whispers remain easier with a mouse and keyboard. | 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Bluetooth |
Swappable side plates
Razer Naga V3 Pro
Choose it if switching between 12-, 6-, and 2-button side plates fits your PoE 1 and PoE 2 layouts. Skip it if a fixed grid is enough.
Check the Razer Naga V3 Pro PoE / Controls Read the guide
Controller or mouse and keyboard?
The PoE guide compares controller and mouse/keyboard tradeoffs across combat, inventory, trade, labels, and switching.
Guides for displays, controllers, and keybinds.
Naga V2 HyperSpeed vs Logitech G502 X Plus
Twelve thumb buttons and AA power versus an open thumb rest and fewer controls.
Best small secondary display for gaming
Choose a small monitor or spare-device screen by the job it has to do beside the client.
DualSense vs 8BitDo Ultimate 2 for PC
Check stick layout and the documented Windows connection path before extra paddles.
PoE keybind setup
Separate PoE 1 mouse binds from PoE 2 WASD, flask, skill, dodge, and controller decisions.
PoE 2 WASD, point-and-click, and controller setup
Compare movement schemes, keybinds, and hardware for the 1.0 launch.
Guides for one specific job: ultrawide, Steam Deck, or a trade screen.
Center the HUD before changing the aspect
Test 21:9, 32:9, inventory travel, and a safe windowed fallback without client patches.
Tune for stability, then test the content
Use the built-in controller interface, and judge frame rate in dense encounters, not quiet ones.
Put the official trade site first
Use a second screen without sharing POESESSID or treating a third-party tool as permanently approved.
Compare
Head-to-head mouse, keypad, and controller comparisons
Use these when you are down to two specific models.
Razer Wolverine V3 Pro vs 8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth
Four rear buttons and two extra bumpers give the Wolverine six remappable controls; the 8BitDo has two rear paddles and a charging dock.
Equipment comparisons
Monitor comparisons
Compare multi-client space, refresh, and static-HUD tradeoffs.
FAQ
Path of Exile setup questions
Separate PoE 1 and PoE 2 before you copy binds or buy gear.
Should PoE 1 and PoE 2 use the same keybinds and mouse layout?
No. PoE 1 uses mouse-led movement with keyboard and side-button binds, making a 12-button grid useful. In PoE 2 you choose mouse movement or WASD first. With WASD, an open thumb-rest mouse like the Logitech G502 X or the 6-button or 2-button plate on the Razer Naga V3 Pro leaves thumb room while aiming.
What should I set first in a Path of Exile setup?
Pick the client on your account, then tune the loot filter and UI scale for readable fights. Run the combat, loot, inventory, and trade check before buying display hardware or a multi-button mouse.
Do I need an MMO mouse for Path of Exile?
Not by default. Add mouse buttons only when they remove a real bind conflict after movement, flasks, skills, and menus are mapped. A 12-button grid is most useful in PoE 1.
Can I play Path of Exile with a controller on PC?
Yes, both PoE 1 and PoE 2 support controllers on PC, including the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Bluetooth or Razer Wolverine V3 Pro. Stash organization, crafting, and trade whispers remain faster with a mouse and keyboard.
Does PoE 2 use mouse movement or WASD?
You choose. Lock mouse movement or WASD in the client before mapping skills and defenses, and do not copy a PoE 1 mouse-only map onto a WASD layout.
What is the difference between the Razer Naga V3 Pro and Razer Naga V2 HyperSpeed?
The Razer Naga V3 Pro has three magnetic side plates with 12, 6, or 2 buttons, up to 23 programmable buttons including a lockable ring-finger button, a Focus Pro 50K Gen-3 sensor, and USB-C rechargeable power. The Razer Naga V2 HyperSpeed has a fixed 12-button grid with 19 programmable buttons and uses a replaceable AA battery.
Sources
Keep the PoE 1 and PoE 2 control paths separate.
PoE 1 uses mouse-led binds; PoE 2 players choose mouse or WASD. Check the game version before you copy a bind map or controller note from another guide.
Compare mouse layouts
Use the mouse keybind visualizer after you choose the PoE client and input path.