Gaming mice are a dime a dozen, and you can stroll into a shop and pick up something that will suffice. If you want to improve your standing online and with your friends, it may be time to consider buying the best gaming mouse.
How to Choose the Best Gaming Mouse
Before you can settle on the perfect gaming mouse for your favorite games, there are several areas you need to consider. Going in cold can result in buyer’s remorse or cause your K/D ratio to plummet if you make a bad choice.
What types of games do you play?
The term “gamer” is broad is it covers people that spend thousands on their graphics cards and folks that just want to play Stardew Valley or Terraria. Before you can look for the best gaming mouse, you have to consider what type of gamer you are. Needless to say, if you prefer first-person shooters, you’ll want a mouse capable of making those no scope headshots easier.
Gamers that prefer titles like WoW or EVE may require a different style while a hardcore could need something more universal. You may also want to consider checking out the best gaming keyboards as a mouse is only half the battle if you play certain titles.
Top Picks
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Types of Mice
- FPS – When precision and reaction times are key, you’ll want a mouse geared towards FPS games or shooters. Thankfully, there are no shortage of options considering the popularity of the genre. The areas to focus on for these types of games would be DPI, weight and special features like ExactAim.
- MMO – Simply put, a good MMO mouse is going to have plenty of extra buttons. It can have a DPI just as high as mice built for gamers, but you won’t get far without buttons. Some models even allow you to customize the side panels to better suit your needs.
- Customizable – As the name implies, this type of gaming mouse allows you to set things up the way you see fit. You can increase or adjust the weight, set the side panels or even adjust the pitch on the palm rest. It’s ideal for gamers that want to take full advantage of their mouse, regardless of the games they play.
- All-purpose – This is the category where most “casual” gamers will want to look at these mice won’t limit your overall productivity. An excellent all-purpose mouse that can be used for casual gaming should have a solid DPI rate and be comfortable in hand. It should also be a step above a regular mouse when it comes to performance and price.
Sensor Types
Once you figure out the type of mouse that fits your needs, it’s time to think about the sensors. While trackballs are definitely out, most gamers will find themselves stuck between optical or laser. Both will get the job done although there are some major differences between the two. Thankfully, DPI isn’t an issue with either style although still important for gamers. High DPI is always good, but it doesn’t need to dictate the type of mouse you buy.
Laser – Laser mice use a system called VCSEL or vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser diode. They are accurate and will work on a wide variety of surfaces, so you can game on a bedspread if you’re a laptop gamer or even on slick surfaces. The only downside is with accuracy as they can be “too accurate” at times resulting in jitter during slower movements.
Optical – An optical gaming mouse uses LED light, and is more accurate than a laser but won’t work on several types of surfaces. They need a non-reflective surface or mouse pad – something that shouldn’t be an issue for most gamers. All the best gaming mouse pads are built for speed, not reflections.
Wired vs. Wireless Gaming Mice
Whereas choosing a sensor style is relatively simple, there are more areas to dwell on between wired and wireless mice. Due to their wireless nature, a cheap cordless mouse may be slower than a wired one. The best wireless mice can hang with their corded counterparts, however, and the most folks won’t notice any lag at all.
While they may be just as speedy, wireless mice need batteries and can be more expensive than a wired mouse. There are advantages and disadvantages to both styles, but technology has considerably decreased the gap between modern wired and wireless mice.
Design and Comfort
Manufacturers have gotten wilder with their designs over the past decade, but a mouse is still a mouse at the end of the day. That means no matter how cool it looks, it needs to perform and not drag you down during gameplay. The first step to comfort is choosing a mouse that suits your lead hand whether you are a righty or a lefty – ambidextrous models aside.
How well a mouse is made is tied directly to the price more often than not, but shouldn’t be a deal breaker. Unless you are prone to fits of rage, you probably don’t need a mouse with a metal frame. Thick plastic is tough, and almost every switch is rated for 50,000 clicks these days.
Weight is far more important, and a mouse with removable weights allows you to alter the heft at will. RGB lighting is more common on gaming mice than weights, and while it doesn’t affect your comfort or speed, it can be a double-edged sword.
The best gaming mouse will have lighting controls and all allow you to tweak the settings through software. The software itself can be a mixed bag, and where the lighting is placed is critical as well. If your hand covers up the lighting, it can be a pointless feature and one that lure you away from a better option.
14 Best Gaming Mice
Razer Basilisk
Precision and Speed
Razer made their name by selling great gaming gear, and the Basilisk is no exception. It’s a fan favorite and an excellent choice for fans of FPS games due to a sweet price point and its overall accuracy.
This durable mouse is built for speed and longevity. The mechanical switches are good for 50 million clicks, and it can hit speeds up to 450 inches per second. It has an optical sensor rated at 16,000 DPI and is quite comfortable thanks to the weight and rubberized side grips. Nobody is going to complain about the lighting or the company’s slick software suite.
While the fact that it’s wired may turn some gamers away, the Razer Basilisk is definitely among the top gaming mice on the market. It will increase your prowess in shooters and makes a fine all-around mouse as well.
Pros:
- Chroma RGB Lighting
- 5G Optical Sensor
- 7 Programmable Buttons
- Removable Multi-function paddle
Cons:
- Right-handed only
- Software is rough around the edges
ROCCAT Kone AIMO Gaming Mouse
A Mouse that’s Easy on the Eyes
Gaming gear is made to look good, especially if you’re a professional or hardcore gamer. The ROCCAT Kone AIMO is one of the sleekest gaming mice around, and its performance is quite impressive with a polling rate of 1000Hz and a 1ms response time.
ROCCAT managed to make a device that’s quick and very easy on the eyes. The mouse has an Owl-Eye optical sensor with 250ips motion detection speeds and 50g acceleration. It will fly and is comfortable in hand during long gaming sessions into the wee hours of the morning. As darkness closes in, you will appreciate the RGBA dual light guides and smart lighting system.
If you want a mouse that looks just as good as your neon-infused rig, the ROCCAT Kone AIMO is the right choice for you. It has enough buttons for shooters or MMOs and is available in three different colors with Black, Grey, and White.
Pros:
- AIMO Intelligent Lighting System
- Ergonomic Tri-button setup
- 512kB onboard storage w/ ARM Cortex-M0
- Affordable
Cons:
- 130 grams
- Not as modular as similar models
CORSAIR M65 ELITE RGB
Perfect Choice for FPS Games
M65 Elite RGB from CORSAIR is made of high-quality anodized aluminum, which is capable of sustaining quite much of gaming outbursts, letting your mouse last much longer.
When it comes to speed and sensitivity, this mouse is a complete beast, since it has a total of 18,000 DPI, which allows you to be extremely fast and accurate in your favorite games.
M65 features a weight system that can be changed, meaning that you can set it to weight down to only 97 grams or tweak with the center of gravity to make it more comfortable in your hands.
As for the buttons, this gaming mouse has a total number of 8 buttons, which can easily be customized, making macros included.
That one is a bonus since a lot of gaming mice don’t support mapping macros, which can often be annoying.
Apart from that, buttons are extremely durable and can sustain over 50 million clicks. Along with that, there is a special sniper key, which will automatically decrease the sensitivity, allowing you to easily make important shots.
Pros:
- Made of durable materials
- Excellent DPI
- Adjustable weight
- A lot of additional buttons
- Special sniper button, perfect for FPS games
Cons:
- Main buttons tend to jam
Razer Viper
Very Light Gaming Mouse for eSports
Razer Viper is considered to be one of the lightest mice on the market, weighing only 69g, which makes it easily portable if needed, as well.
As for the sensitivity, it features 16,000 DPI, which will allow you to have fast and precise reactions in your games.
Instead of mechanical switches, it has specially-made switches that are based on newer laser beam technology, allowing it to be much faster than the regular gaming mouse.
Razer Viper can fit both right and left-handed people, since it has that type of neutral design, with additional buttons on every side.
As for its looks, there are several illumination modes, with 16.8 million colors, that can be fully customizable.
When it comes to available buttons, there is total of 8 buttons that can be edited and completely customized according to your needs in certain games.
Also, since this mouse is very light, you won’t experience any dragging effect from the cable, which allows you to have complete control over your actions at all times.
Pros:
- Extremely lightweight
- Optical switches
- Can be used with both left and right hands
- Has enough additional buttons
- Pretty RGN illumination
Cons:
- Not suitable for people with big hands
Logitech G502 HERO
The Best Gaming Mouse Money Can Buy
Logitech is the king of PC peripherals, and especially gaming mice, hence the G502 HERO has a very inspired (and inspiring) name, especially if you’re a gaming pro looking for the best deal of your life. Truth be told, the HERO thing is more like a marketing gimmick of sorts, as this mouse is basically an incremental improvement of the legendary Logitech G502, which took the world by storm back in 2014.
The G502 HERO is more or less a refresh/update of an old and legendary warrior and packs Logitech’s latest and greatest (proprietary by the way) Hero-sensor, hence its name. To make a long story short, when Logitech launched their HERO, they followed the philosophy of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, hence this baby makes for a supremely comfy right-hand mouse, featuring a large thumb rest and all the bells and whistles a gamer could wish for. We must emphasize this because it’s kind of important for binge-gamers: the G502 HERO is arguably the most comfortable mouse you’ll ever lay your hand on, boasting a pill-like elongated shape, in an oval form factor, which is the best there is for palm grippers. However, the HERO is narrow enough to appease to fingertip/claw grippers too, so there’s no problem here, Jack.
And if you were wondering about buttons, rest assured: there are 11 of them. Or one for each finger. Kidding aside, yeah, there are more than enough buttons for everyone, including Logitech’ epic dual-mode tilt wheel and the beloved hardware button that allows you to switch between a notched and a smooth scroll wheel. There’s also a customizable weight system underneath the bottom panel, and speaking of weight, this mouse is pretty heavy, standing at 139 grams fully loaded or 121 grams sans weights. But you know that saying, heavy is good, heavy is reliable, if it doesn’t work, you can always hit your opponent with it, right?
Pros:
- supremely comfy
- comes with all the buttons and features you’ll ever need
- clever weighting system
- the new switches are rated for 50 million clicks, which is amazing (the older version stood at 20 million)
- redesigned cable is lighter and thinner, yet just as durable as ever
- the new HERO sensor is fantastic, being pixel accurate up to 16k DPI
- RGB Lighting and LIGHTSYNC Technology
Cons:
- no wireless version
- kind of heavy
Logitech G Pro
Endgame Mouse
If you’re into wireless gaming, the Logitech G Pro would make for the sensible option, and we’re not mincing words here. Logitech is a company synonym with pro-gaming, and their G Pro stands true to this promise, being a high-quality wireless mouse specifically built and designed for hardcore gamers. Actually, the G Pro boasts Esports grade performance, being the end result of Logitech’s R&D team working together with Esports legends, and making for an ultra-light high-performance wireless mouse boasting 1-millisecond report rate connection.
Just like its G502 HERO kin, the G Pro comes loaded with Logitech’s latest HERO 16 sensor, which is supremely accurate and incredibly efficient in regard to autonomy. And since we’re talking about the G Pro, rest assured, that this mouse features an ergonomic ambidextrous design and comes with 50 million click durability, i.e. it will outlast all of your gaming gear by a long shot.
Pros:
- very comfy and well designed for any type of grip
- autistic levels of precision/accuracy due to new 16K DPI HERO sensor
- outstanding 500-hour performance-based autonomy on a single charge
- built like a tank, yet lightweight (80 grams)
- arguably the best wireless mouse for gaming out there (it’s just as good as a wired mouse)
Cons:
- boring design (basically the Toyota Corolla of gaming mice)
- comes with “sticker shock” price-wise, yet lacks the expected “premium look&feel”
- not suited for big hands
HyperX Pulsefire Surge
A Quick and Colorful Choice
Good lighting can set the mood. It also looks extremely cool, and it’s hard to find a mouse that can outdo the HyperX Pulsefire Surge when it comes to the “wow” factor.
This sleek optical mouse has a unique 360-degree RGB lighting system that can put on quite the show. That lighting is customizable through their NGENUITY software, which also allows you to tweak the DPI. The DPI range is between 100 – 16,000 so it is safe to say there is a setting for everyone regardless of the genre of game.
The only knock on this mouse has nothing to do with performance as the HyperX Pulsefire Surge will not let you down in that department. The software still has room to grow however as the customization process could be more straightforward.
Pros:
- 360-degree RBG Lighting
- Six Programmable Buttons
- 16,000 DPI
- Large Skates
Cons:
- Side button placement
- Subpar software
- Only 3 DPI presets
Logitech G203 Prodigy
The Best Gaming Mouse under $30
Logitech has produced more mice than most manufacturers, which means they have a product for everyone. That includes gamers just getting started, which is where optical solutions like the Logitech G203 Prodigy come into play.
The G203 is on the opposite end of the equation with pricing when compared to the Pulsefire Surge, but don’t let the price fool you. It still sports 6 customizable buttons and an RGB lighting system to go along with a handy button which allows you to switch DPI settings quickly. The sensor can hit 8000 DPI on the high end or drop down to as low as 200.
Logitech gave gamers a pleasant surprise with the G203 Prodigy, and it’s a nice alternative to the classic G Pro. It’s also an excellent option for the best budget gaming mouse and available in two different colors with solid Black or White.
Pros:
- Great price
- RGB lighting
- Comfortable for different grips
- Good software
Cons:
- Lower DPI
- Scroll wheel needs improvement
SteelSeries Sensei Ten
The Most Accurate Gaming Mouse
Sensei Ten features excellent sensitivity of 18,000 DPI, which can give you higher movement speed across your screen, allowing you to always respond on time while playing your games.
Along with that comes a 1-to-1 tracking feature, which makes this mouse one of the most accurate gaming mouse on the market.
Sensei Ten offers standard mechanical buttons, with a nice addition that they have a limit of 60 million clicks, allowing the mouse to last for a long time.
This mouse is made of extremely good-quality polymer materials, allowing it to be very durable to survive potential gaming wraths.
Apart from that, there is installed memory, which will allow you to save some of your customized options, such as macros and key binds, up to the total limit of 5 CPIs.
As for the buttons, there are 8 fully-customizable buttons for you to use. The mouse is designed that way that both left and right-handed people can use it. To make things even prettier, there is very nice RGB lighting.
Pros:
- Perfect sensitivity
- Extremely accurate
- Made of durable materials
- Internal memory to save your mouse options
- Neutral ergonomic design, for both right and left-handed people
Cons:
- Middle-click can easily be clicked by accident
Razer DeathAdder Elite
The Best Gaming Mouse under $50
Razer’s gaming mice are always popular among the eSports crowd, and the DeathAdder Elite is no exception. It’s responsive whether you’re going for a kill or collecting resources, and sports a high-speed sensor with incredible accuracy.
The Razer DeathAdder Elite is fast thanks to a 5G optical sensor rated at 16,000 DPI. Its accuracy is said to be 99.4% which is noteworthy when precision and speed are key. From the clicky mechanical switches to the RGB lighting system, this gaming mouse ticks all the right boxes.
Razer has billed this mouse as the “World’s Most Precise Sensor” and it is highly recommended for casual and hardcore gamers. It’s also a great all-around option regardless of the titles you play and won’t break the bank.
Pros:
- Comfortable
- Great software
- Quick DPI switching
- 7 Programmable Buttons
Cons:
- Lighting effects are partially covered
- Not a big upgrade from the previous version
Logitech G903 Lightspeed Gaming Mouse
A Wireless Wonder
When compared to the G502 and the G302, the Lightspeed G903 Gaming mouse is at the top food chain for Logitech. It’s one of their more expensive offerings, but for good reason as it has some features you generally don’t find all in one package.
This is another customizable mouse, but one that can be used by both left and right-handed gamers. Its new iteration sports the advanced Hero 16K sensor rated at 100 – 16,000 DPI. Other tech specs include a speed of 400+ IPS, 1ms wireless latency, and 11 buttons which you can set any way you’d like.
Another cool perk of the Logitech G903 Lightspeed is its charging system. The mouse is compatible with the POWERPLAY charging mat which doubles as your mouse pad.
Pros:
- Wireless Charging System
- Great Speed & Accuracy
- RGB Lighting
Cons:
- Expensive
Razer Naga Trinity
The Best MMO Gaming Mouse
While most of the top-selling gaming mice are built for shooters, this one is geared towards MMORPG fans. If you need more buttons than other gamers, you’ll dig what Razer has done with the Naga Trinity and its various side plates.
Panels aside, the Razer Naga Trinity is a capable gaming mouse on its own. With an optical sensor rated at 16,000 DPI, it’s fast and will liven up the night with its RGB lighting. It will work well with FPS games, but when it’s time to venture off to into your favorite RPG, there are 3 different panels to choose from. The Naga Trinity comes with a 2, 7, and 12-button panels although lefties are out of luck with this one.
Whether you need 19 programmable buttons or just a handful for Overwatch, this mouse doesn’t disappoint. Color options are limited to Black, but there are three variants of this mouse available with the Epic Chroma and Hex V2.
Pros:
- 3 swappable side panels
- Accurate 16,000 DPI sensor
- Razer Chroma
- 19 programmable buttons
Cons:
- Can be tricky for beginners
- Side buttons can feel stiff
Corsair Nightsword RGB
The Most Comfortable Gaming Mouse
Corsair Nightsword features innovative new technology that allows it to automatically finds gravity center, thus giving you the option to fix the weight you may want, ranging from 115g-137g.
It comes with an excellent optical sensor with 18,000 DPI, allowing you to move your mouse pointer swiftly across the screen, and making your moves more accurate as well.
Its design is very comfortable. It will feel natural in your hand, with the rubber grips, which will keep your hand rested, even if you play for a long time.
As for the number of buttons, Nightsword has a total of 10 available buttons, each completely customizable, which will allow you to make a lot of key bindings to make your gameplay smoother and more enjoyable.
All of that makes this mouse perfect for all types of games, especially for MOBA and FPS games, due to how fast and precise it is.
When it comes to its looks, Nightsword features RGB LED lighting, making it look pretty cool, which is a standard nowadays.
Pros:
- Adjustable weight
- High sensitivity
- A large number of buttons
- Extremely comfortable
- Good-looking LED lighting
Cons:
- It can be tricky to create macros
SteelSeries Rival 710
A Great All-Around Option
Why would anyone name their mouse Rival 710? That’s a question for posterity, but the SteelSeries Rival 710 is no joke. While sounding rather expensive for a 12k DPI gaming mouse (those metrics are mostly marketing by the way, remember where you read it first folks), the Rival 710 really delivers where it counts: tons of features, outstanding performance, fantastic optical sensor, and supremely comfy.
And yes, all these are must-have features in a high-quality gaming mouse. As you’ve already guessed, the Rival 710 from SteelSeries is built to win the hearts and minds of gaming pros, boasting an OLED display (ok, that doesn’t help much with gaming per-se, we admit it) and, check this out: haptic feedback, and we’re not talking smartphone either. What’s really cool about this gaming-centric mouse is its modularity, i.e. it comes with swappable components.
Pros:
- fantastic gaming performance
- comfortable
- comes with all the gimmicks you can think of, and then some
- the modularity thing is a nice touch
- the OLED display delivers on the fly Discord notifications, button mapping, in-game stats, personalized GIFs
- quasi-immortal 60-million clicks rated mechanical switches
Cons:
- some users report quality control issues (over-engineered software, under-engineered mouse, and that’s sad)