Different games — and different gamers — need different mice.
The right gaming mouse will fit your hand and grip-style so perfectly, you’ll forget you’re even using a mouse. It will glide effortlessly across any surface you choose to play on, and will have intuitive, well-placed tactile buttons. Oh, and it will also pack a powerful sensor and near-zero latency — so you can nail the perfect headshot, every time.
There are dozens of players in the gaming mouse industry, and models can range from budget-friendly basics to ultra-premium devices with physics-defying upgrades. There are also some bold design choices out there, such as flashy RGB (see the Roccat Kone XP Air), removable/swappable parts, and adjustable weight systems.
There’s no one-size-fits-all mouse, here. The right gaming mouse for you depends on everything from the games you play (and how you play them) to how big your hand is and how you hold your mouse. We’ll help you hone in on the perfect gaming mouse for your unique style by breaking down the best gaming mice for different uses (and users) below.
This list focuses on gaming mice — both wired and wireless. If you’re looking for a mouse that will boost your skills in the office, take a look at our list of best wireless mice for productivity.
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Weight: Lightweight mice — weighing 80g or less — are made for competitive shooting games, which require lots of quick, precise movements. They’re ideal for people who hold their mouse in a claw or fingertip grip (or who have smaller hands in general), and who don’t need more than a couple of programmable buttons. Heavier mice are designed for tasks that need slow, controlled precision. They’re best for palm grippers playing games where speed isn’t really a factor — but comfort and programmability are: MMOs, MOBAs, and other RPGs.
Wireless or Wired: Wireless mice have come a long way in the last few years, but they still have downsides, including limited battery life (particularly with RGB) and potential latency. If you opt for a wireless pointer, you’ll need one with decent battery life (40+ hours minimum) and a low-latency 2.4GHz connection — Bluetooth is too high-latency for gaming, though it’s convenient in non-gaming scenarios (many wireless gaming mice have both). If you decide to stick with wired, make sure the cable is designed to flex and move, so it won’t tangle or compromise your accuracy.
DPI, CPI, IPS and Acceleration: DPI and CPI are effectively the same marketing terms. Traditionally we use DPI in print to declare how many dots per inch something would be printed in, in regards to image clarity. CPI, however, stands for counts per inch, and that’s how many counts your mouse takes per inch it travels. Regardless, DPI is the more common usage, and it’s what we opt for here.
A higher DPI doesn’t necessarily mean a better mouse sensor. A delicate combination of DPI and IPS is essential. IPS, or inches per second, is the maximum velocity at which your sensor can still track those counts. The higher the IPS combined with the DPI, the better the sensor.
And then there’s acceleration. That’s how many Gs your mouse can handle and still track effectively. If you’re dashing the mouse back and forth and left and right in short, sharp movements, some mice may flake once they reach a specific G rating.
Grip Style: How do you hold your mouse? There are three common grip styles.
- Palm Grip – The base of your palm rests on the back of the mouse, with your fingers lying on top. This is the most common type of mouse grip.
- Claw Grip – Your wrist rests on the mouse mat/surface, your palm doesn’t touch the mouse, and your fingertips grip the edges/buttons.
- Fingertip Grip – Your wrist and palm are elevated off the mouse mat/surface (and do not touch the mouse). Your fingertips grip the mouse’s edges/buttons.
Larger, heavier mice with a pronounced hump are best-suited for palm grips, as are mice with sculpted, ergonomic profiles. If you have smaller hands, however, these mice may still feel unwieldy with a palm grip.
Lighter, smaller mice with flatter humps are better for claw and fingertip grips.
The Best Gaming Mouse You Can Buy Today
The Razer Basilisk V3 is the best gaming mouse to hit our lab. Its 9 (13 if you include all the scroll wheel inputs) programmable buttons, well-crafted shape and premium, textured finish make it versatile across gaming genres and even productivity workloads. While it’s on the heavier side compared to honeycomb-style mice for FPS games, PTFE feet help it glide easily, and a dedicated sniper button is easy to reach and drops DPI instantly for headshots.
Customization options abound, from the 11 individual RGB zones to the aforementioned buttons. Each button can also have a secondary function when using “HyperShift.” The Basilisk V3 is also unique in its scroll wheel’s ability to swap from a tactile to smooth, free scroll at the tap of a button or based on how you flick it. However, that does mean that the wheel can sound rattly and is particularly noisy when switching modes. It can also wobble when shifting side-to-side aggressively.
The Razer DeathAdder V2 is a worthy, simpler alternative if you don’t need that much programmability. But the Basilisk V3 earned our Editor’s Choice Award with its advanced feature set, build and customization options.
More: Razer Basilisk V3 review
A lighter and wireless version of the popular Logitech G502 Hero, the wireless Logitech G502 Lightspeed is a fantastic weapon for your arsenal if you can stomach the price tag. With premium features, like six additional weights (two 4g ones and four 2g ones) for customizing the mouse’s feel, the G502 Lightspeed starts earning your investment.
With Logitech’s high-DPI and power-efficient Hero (opens in new tab) sensor and an ample number of programmable buttons, the G502 Lightspeed is fit for any gaming genre. Its shape is familiar and comfortable, crafted in first-person shooter style. When you can’t risk a wireless connection, the G502 Lightspeed also comes with a reliable cable.
In addition to connecting to your PC with a wireless dongle, you can make it so you never have to connect the G502 Lightspeed to a cable at all — not even for charging. With the Logitech G Powerplay wireless charging mouse pad, the mouse is always charged as long as the pad is plugged into a USB port. Sadly, the mouse pad takes away the ability to use either of the G502 Lightspeed’s 4g weights and is currently $120 (opens in new tab).
If you’d like a mouse that can charge wirelessly with a broader variety of mouse pads (and more), consider Qi charging mice, like the Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE.
More: Logitech G502 Lightspeed review
Razer has made its incredibly versatile MMO-focused Naga mouse even more versatile with the Naga V2 Pro, which maintains its predecessor’s swappable side plates and adds in a uniquely customizable scroll wheel that lets users tweak scroll tension, number of scroll steps, and haptic feel.
This medium-sized wireless mouse has three connectivity options (2.4GHz, Bluetooth, and wired via USB-C) and three swappable side plates with 12, six, and two buttons. That’s up to 20 programmable buttons (including the three-click scroll wheel and the profile switch on the bottom of the mouse). The side plates are magnetic and swap out easily, and even hide a section to store the mouse’s 2.4GHz wireless dongle when you’re not using it.
Despite being on the heavier side at 4.72 ounces (134g), the Naga V2 Pro is a very comfortable and versatile mouse that’s perfect for MMO players who might occasionally want fewer than 12 side buttons. For those who are all MMO, all the time, however, there’s also the Naga V2 Hyperspeed, which costs $99.99 (versus the Naga V2 Pro’s $179.99), uses 1x AA battery, and has a fixed 12-button side plate.
Read: Razer Naga V2 Pro review
Razer’s DeathAdder V3 Pro sports a subtle-but-significant redesign that makes it lighter, more tactile, and more ergonomic than its predecessor, the DeathAdder V2 Pro. The new V3 Pro weighs just 2.22oz (63g) and features a streamlined silhouette with a split key cover design (instead of the usual unibody shell) and five programmable buttons. (To get the weight down, Razer stripped the V3 Pro of unnecessary frills, including RGB and Bluetooth).
The DeathAdder V3 Pro may not be as flashy as other gaming mice, but it still has plenty of features packed under its ultra-lightweight hood. The mouse is equipped with Razer’s Focus Pro 30K Optical sensor, which has a max sensitivity of 30,000DPI, a tracking speed of 750 IPS, and up to 70g of acceleration. The sensor tracks seamlessly on a variety of surfaces, including transparent glass.
The V3 Pro comes with a Razer HyperSpeed 2.4GHz wireless dongle, and is also compatible with Razer’s HyperPolling Wireless Dongle (sold separately for $30 or bundled with the V3 Pro for $165) — which upgrades the V3 Pro’s wireless polling rate to 4,000 Hz (from 1,000 Hz). Using the V3 Pro with the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle does have the downside of dropping the mouse’s impressive 90-hour battery life down to just 24 hours — maybe that’s why Razer doesn’t automatically include the new dongle with the V3 Pro.
Read: Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro Review
If you want a well-specced, comfortable gaming mouse at an affordable price, the Corsair Katar Pro XT is the best gaming mouse for you. At just 2.68 ounces, this lightweight mouse is excellent for long gaming sessions and is quickly adjustable. It’s a bit low profile, but has a nice, ambidextrous-shaped shell that doesn’t feel cheap, despite this being a budget mouse. Targeting FPS and MOBA players, Corsair’s mouse glides easily without cable drag, thanks to PTFE feet and a paracord USB-Type-A tether.
Speaking of the tether, the wireless version of this mouse, the Corsair Katar Pro Wireless, can be found for slightly more, if not on sale, for the same price (opens in new tab) as this wired version. So that’s worth considering. And if you’re after the lightest mouse, something with a honeycomb shell, like the Glorious mice on this page, shave off more weight.
The Katar Pro XT isn’t the flashiest or most unique mouse out there, but will make a reliable gaming companion.
More: Corsair Katar Pro XT review
If you’re an FPS gamer, a lightweight mouse can really elevate your experience, making you never want to go back to a ‘normal’ mouse again. The Glorious Model D- (available here for $50 (opens in new tab) or at Microcenter (opens in new tab)) is the best gaming mouse for FPS titles because of its light weight of just 2.15 ounces and comfortable shape that’ll fit righties with a palm or claw grip, as well as smaller hands.
Glorious’ Model D- is an exceptional example of the honeycomb-style mouse we’ve seen more of lately. If you can deal with the questionable Glorious branding, you get a mouse that’s easy to push and glides nearly effortlessly on its high-quality PTFE feet.
If you want something that’s more ambidextrous, the HK Gaming Mira-M or Glorious Model O- (also on this page) may be better options. But for a premium mouse that can help change the way you play, the Model D- is an A+ choice.
Oh, and if you’re worried about keeping it clean or working with all those holes, see what Glorious CEO Shazim Mohammad told us about that.
More: Glorious Model D- review
The Cooler Master MM720 has the makings of a fan favorite, thanks to heritage connecting it to Cooler Master’s Spawn mouse. Moving to an ultra-lightweight honeycomb shell, powerful specs and, of course, RGB, the MM720 proves to be one of the best gaming mouse options for FPS games.
Cooler Master’s MM720 is one of the lightest mice on this page. Pure PTFE feet help keep movements extra smooth, and a groove for the ring finger provides extra comfort for long gaming sessions. Unfortunately, the MM720’s braided cable started kinking on us during the testing process, drawing a bit of concern about long-term durability. But the mouse begins making up for it with a well-placed, reliable sensor and responsive left and right-click buttons.
On the other hand, the MM720’s side buttons, while seemingly well-made, make grips besides palm more inaccessible. But if you’re a palm gripper seeking an ergonomic mouse that’s easy to fling around your desk, this is a good choice.
More: Cooler Master MM720 review
The Corsair Ironclaw RGB wireless pointer (also available in wired form (opens in new tab)) is the best gaming mouse featuring wide grips for those with big hands. It’s the thickest mouse here, measuring 3 inches (77mm) at its widest point. It’s so incredibly comfortable for right-handed palm grips that we’ve nicknamed it Palmhugger.
This mouse’s optical Pixart PMW3391 sensor boasts a high DPI of 18,000 and also has one of the highest IPS ratings at around 450. These are high-end specs, but unless you’re a competitive gamer, you may not notice a significant improvement over rivals.
At 4.59 ounces, this isn’t a lightweight clicker, and FPS gamers may struggle with other design choices here, like the button layout. Still, when gaming with the Ironclaw RGB Wireless, the action was smooth, and despite its wireless configuration, we didn’t notice any latency.
More: Corsair Ironclaw RGB Wireless review (opens in new tab)
The Razer Basilisk Ultimate is an incredibly adept wireless mouse featuring Razer’s latest sensor, the Focus+ Optical (opens in new tab). This semi-intelligent sensor packs in some incredible stats, with a max DPI rating of 20,000 and an IPS rating of 650, and it’s also capable of withstanding upwards of 50G worth of acceleration before losing track.
Combine that with an impressive ergonomic design, and the Basilisk Ultimate is a killer wireless pointer. Although there are similarities to Logitech’s excellent G502 Lightspeed wireless mouse, (opens in new tab) the Basilisk Ultimate brings many improvements over the competition. You can control the scroll wheel resistance, for example, and the sensor is arguably more accurate. The materials are also substantially more premium. Plus, the Basilisk Ultimate is lighter than rivals like the G502, and Razer’s Synapse software suite runs rings around Logitech’s G-Hub.
The Basilisk Ultimate is not without flaws, though. Its sensitivity clutch button is a little far forward for smaller hands, and the optical buttons feel less tactile than their mechanical brethren. If you like what this mouse has to offer so far except the price, Razer has a similar but cheaper mouse in this family, the Razer Basilisk X HyperSpeed (opens in new tab).
For more wireless mice recommendations, check out our Best Wireless Mouse round-up.
More: Razer Basilisk Ultimate review (opens in new tab)
The Glorious Model O- saves weight with its hole-filled chassis. Unlike the other Glorious mouse on this page, which has an ambidextrous design, the Model O- is tiny and lightweight. That makes it a great fit for claw or even fingertip grips, especially for twitch-heavy games. Of course, the Model O- (and Model D- on this page) will feel right too.
The price isn’t bad either. You can find the Model O- on Glorious’ website (opens in new tab) and, sometimes at MicroCenter for $50 (opens in new tab). The Model O- doesn’t carry the most outrageous specs, but the honeycomb-style mouse feels great in the hands while gaming, providing reliable, responsive control. Although rivals outshine its specs, the Model O- felt esports-ready in-game. That includes well-tracked flicks and smooth response, from the lowest to highest DPI settings.
We wish it were easier to toggle through the Model O-‘s CPI settings, and the mouse’s ultra-flexible cable can look messy due to its loose covering. But the Model O- still has a lot to offer. For an alternate ambidextrous mouse with a honeycomb shell but a different look, see our HK Gaming Mira-M review.
More: Glorious Model O- review
If you want an understated design with a faster than usual polling rate and an impressive DPI, this is it. While the wireless version of the Corsair Sabre RGB Pro doesn’t quite have the ludicrous 8,000Hz polling rate of its predecessor, its 2000Hz rate is still twice as fast as even most wired mice. Plus, its 26,000 max DPI gives you plenty of sensitivity options, even if going that high is probably overkill for most gamers.
It’s also lightweight for a wireless mouse, which is perfect for fingertip and claw grip styles. And though it sports 7 programmable buttons, its understated style isn’t too far off from what you’ll find on office mice.
It’s pretty pricey and can feel a little slippery on its sides, but this is a great premium option for someone who wants their gaming mouse to look as at home in the boardroom as at their battlestation.
More: Corsair Sabre RGB Pro Wireless review
The Asus ROG Gladius III is unique among other gaming mice thanks to its hot swappable switches for its left and right click buttons. While the Razer Naga Trinity has hot swappable side plates for different genres, it’s rare to see this kind of customizability in a mouse.
It can feel a little heftier than other, similarly sized gaming mice, although some gamers prefer that. The plastic can also come across as a little cheap when compared to the mouse’s weightiness.
At the same time, this mouse is brimming with customizability, with a max DPI of 19,000 (26,000 via software) and three Asus Aura Sync RGB zones.
The ROG Gladius III also has an understated design with subtly lit “Republic of Gamers” detailing on the side.
As for the hot swappable switches, all you need to do to access them is remove two rubber grommets on the bottom of the mouse, then unscrew two Phillip’s head screws and gently pry off the mouse’s top panel using your fingernails. Once inside, you’ll be able to swap your left and right click button switches between either 3-pin Asus mechanical micro switches or 5-pin Omron optical micro switches. Plus, you can change out the battery while you’re in there.
Since mouse switches tend to wear down over time, the ROG Gladius III is great not just for gamers who likes to customize, but also for anyone who wants to futureproof.
More: Asus ROG Gladius III review
The Logitech G Pro X Superlight is an update to the already excellent Logitech G Pro Wireless (also on this page). However, the G Pro X Superlight lands itself as the best wireless mouse for FPS titles because it manages to be shockingly lightweight, despite requiring a power source. At 2.12 ounces, it’s slightly lighter than the Glorious Model D- (2.15 ounces), a wired honeycomb mouse. This is a remarkable achievement.
In our testing, the G Pro X Superlight proved great for twitchy games due to its lack of a cord, expanded area of PTFE feet and how easy it is to flick. It also boasts the same shape as the G Pro Wireless, which is handy for righties and lefties. However, while the G Pro Wireless lets you swap the position of its side buttons, those on the G Pro X Superlight are always left-flanked. This makes the G Pro Wireless a better option for lefties.
But with a high-end sensor that can climb to a DPI of 25,600, handle a speed of 400 IPS and has 40g acceleration, Logitech has built a mouse that boasts the specs and build of many premium FPS mice but without the cord.
More: Logitech G Pro X Superlight review
If you’re looking for the best wireless mouse, there’s a good chance you’re just sick of cables. The MSI Clutch GM41 Lightweight Wireless takes the cable-free game further by offering wireless charging via an included dock. By attaching via prongs, you can prop your mouse up to charge it similarly to how many charge their smartphone. And although some wireless charging mice can charge on a mouse pad, those mousepads typically cost over $100. (opens in new tab) The GM41 Lightweight Wireless’ charging pedestal is more wobbly than that of similar offerings, such as the Razer Basilisk Ultimate (also on this page), but it gets the job done, charging the MSI mouse in 90 minutes for up to 80 hours.
MSI is also kind enough to include a braided cable if you want to charge or use the GM41 Lightweight Wireless the old-fashioned way. This pointer carries additional gaming-ready features, too, like a bounty of PTFE feet that made the mouse glide smoothly on the battlefield and a sensor that lets you set sensitivity as high as 20,000 DPI. You also get five programmable buttons, but the single RGB zone is limited in customization options.
Still, the GM41 Lightweight Wireless brings a lot of features for the price and, most importantly, has a comfortable design that allowed us to game for longer than usual.
More: MSI Clutch GM41 Lightweight Wireless review
You might not have heard of Redragon (opens in new tab) before, but we’re getting more and more acquainted with the Chinese company, which is also on our Best Wireless Keyboards page. The company’s affordable, well-built M686 Vampire Elite is currently just $40 (opens in new tab) and carries many hallmarks of a premium wireless gaming mouse. That includes 8 buttons you can program, including with macros, and fast USB-C charging (Redragon claims just 5.5 hours to a full charge) via its 5.9-foot braided cable. If you’re a gamer whose budget tops out at $50, this may be the best wireless mouse for you.
In a rare move, Redragon included grooves for righties to rest their ring and pinky fingers on this mouse. Many mice neglect those digits, leaving them dragging on the mouse pad. The M686’s shape comfortably served my long hands, plus another person’s larger hands and also accommodates wide grips.
The M686 has soft, rubber side grips, and the rest of the chassis has a smooth, almost gel-like feel. It’s nice but can lack resistance, especially by the left and right click buttons. Meanwhile, the scroll wheel is tactile but still glides pretty smoothly and shows slight wobble, making precise scrolls hard. And you won’t get the same springy feel from the left and right click buttons that pricier wireless gaming mice offer.
The M686’s PixArt PMW3335 sensor goes up to 16,000 DPI, 450 IPS and 40g. Those specs match more expensive mice, and mainstream users won’t notice any tracking issues, whether using the lowest (100 DPI) or the highest setting. I never suffered any dropouts over my few weeks using it, including over a couple days of pairing it with a wireless keyboard.
Unfortunately, Redragon’s free software for the M686 is almost mandatory, because out-of-the-box the three side buttons are programmed to Alt, Ctrl and Shift. You only get one profile (with onboard memory) and very few Windows programs are launchable via the mouse. RGB is also limited to a rainbow effect, breathing one color or outputting a static color (there’s a color picker and the ability to enter red, green and blue values).
Redragon claims up to 45 hours battery life with Eco Mode, which confines RGB to the scroll wheel. The software provides a meter reading, but, confusingly, even with the battery fully charged, the software read 90 for me. After about 11 hours using the mouse at RGB set to max brightness and speed, the app said 70% battery remained.
If you’d prefer a more familiar name, the Logitech G305 Lightspeed is sometimes sold for $40 (opens in new tab), depending on the color, but isn’t rechargeable.
The latest Razer Naga mouse is as great as the Razer Naga Trinity, our favorite MMO mouse, but drops the cables and ups the sensor specs. It’s a whopping $150 (opens in new tab), but in return you get a unique, versatile mouse that can go from a 12-button side panel to a six or two-button panel in a couple snaps. If you need a lot of buttons and can afford it, the Naga Pro could be the best wireless mouse for you.
The Razer Naga Pro’s greatest advantage over a cheaper wireless MMO mouse, such as the Logitech G604 Lightspeed (opens in new tab), is its 12-button panel. We wish the buttons were better differentiated for identifying specific ones more easily. But combined with Razer’s robust software, we could get the performance we wanted with individual games.
During our testing with the Naga Pro, the battery drained at about 3% per hour. Razer claims up to 100 hours with a dongle connection without RGB and up to 150 hours under the same conditions but with a Bluetooth connection.
Want a cheaper wireless MMO mouse? Take a look at our Redragon M913 Impact Elite review.
More: Razer Naga Pro review
The Logitech G Pro Wireless is about as premium as gaming mice get with one of the most comfortable designs available. It’s ambidextrous, with a pleasantly soft, matte plastic shell that’ll please both left and right hands for hours. The coating helps your grip, with its light, 1mm shell making it feel easy to control without making it feel cheap. The light weight combined with the PTFE feet help it move around with easy control.
Logitech’s HERO 16K sensor goes up to a whopping 16,000 DPI (or 25,600 via software (opens in new tab)), 450 IPS and 40G. Logitech also claims it eats less battery than sensors like the Pixart PMW3366. The vendor says the mouse will last up to 48 hours with RGB lighting on and 60 hours without the flash. After about 30 hours with the mouse on, with both RGB on and off, I didn’t even make a dent in its battery life meter.
Gamers enjoy 5 profiles of onboard memory, which makes this wireless mouse even easier to use across multiple PCs. There are 4-8 programmable buttons (left and right click, 2 left side buttons, 2 right side buttons and scroll wheel in). The left and right clicks are rather light, and along with the scroll wheel, which presses in shallow and soft, they aren’t anything special.
I had no issues in my time with Logitech’s Lightspeed (opens in new tab) 2.4 GHz dongle. Even with a Bluetooth keyboard and the occasional 2.4 GHz headset connected, the G Pro Wireless kept up with its claimed 1ms report rate.
The biggest concern is longevity. The mouse is expensive and comes with a two-year warranty; however, my colleague started noticing accidental double-clicks after about 2 years of use. This is apparently a problem others have encountered too. Logitech has told me that it’s aware of and is working on the issue.
Finding Discounts on the Best Gaming Mice
Whether you’re shopping for one of the best gaming mice or a model that didn’t quite make our list, you may find some savings by checking out our lists of the latest Best Buy promo codes, Corsair coupon codes, Logitech promo codes, Newegg promo codes, Razer promo codes and Micro Center coupons.
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