Getting yourself the best gaming mouse will change your gaming experience forever. Trackpads are beautiful and elegant. Some of them even offer some of the best precision and performance needed for day to day computing activities. However, when it comes to games, most trackpads are inefficient, which is why manufacturers started creating the best gaming mice.
The best gaming mouse will change the way you play games without a doubt. They offer a higher level of performance and precision that will make your gaming experience better. Also, they tend to be faster than trackpads and they are customizable as well. Below is a review of the best gaming mouse on the market. We’ve also added a buying guide to help you make the best buying decision.
- The 12 Gaming Mouse
- Best Overall: Logitech G MX518 Gaming Mouse
- Logitech G903 LIGHTSPEED Gaming Mouse
- Best Value: PICTEK Gaming Wired Ergonomic Mouse
- CORSAIR IRONCLAW FPS Gaming Mouse
- Razer Basilisk Essential Gaming Mouse
- Logitech G502 HERO Gaming Mouse
- Razer Naga Trinity Gaming Mouse
- CORSAIR Harpoon RGB Wireless
- Razer Mamba Elite Wired Gaming Mouse
- SteelSeries Sensei 310 Gaming Mouse
- SteelSeries Rival 710 Gaming Mouse
- Logitech G203 Prodigy RGB
- Best Gaming Mouse Buyer’s Guide
- Specs
- Other Considerations
The 12 Gaming Mouse
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Best Overall: Logitech G MX518 Gaming Mouse
The Logitech G MX518 was widely regarded as the best gaming mouse in a time when no one made mice with the specific needs of gamers in mind. And while it was originally designed with the needs of office workers in mind, Logitech’s latest update to the model has made it worthy of being on our best gaming mouse review. Bucking modern trends in gaming peripheral design, the MX518 doesn’t have RGB lighting, and it uses a basic cord rather than a Bluetooth interface.
Instead, it opts for an elegant silver and matte black design, and it maintains the pristine contours that made it so popular in the first place. The eight buttons and mouse wheel are all intuitively designed for easy access and efficient performance while also being programmable. The MX518 is a feat of engineering, demonstrating that smart engineering alone can get the job done.
| Sensor | HERO 16K |
| Buttons | Eight, programmable |
| CPI | 100 – 16,000 |
| Weight | 6.9 oz. |
Pros
- Fully programmable and capable of saving five profiles
- DPI adjustment settings located right beside the wheel
- Supported by a strong 32-bit ARM processor
- Sports an elegantly ergonomic gaming mouse design
Cons
Logitech G903 LIGHTSPEED Gaming Mouse
If the MX518 is a legendary mouse that was supported by its audience even though it had a serendipitous design, Logitech’s G903 is quite the opposite. Everything from the RGB lighting on the logo to the quasi-militaristic design on this best wireless gaming mouse suggests a heavily focus tested peripheral targeted at gamers in particular. A ton of different customization features are built in, allowing it to shift from an MMO gaming mouse to an FPS gaming mouse and everything in between with little fuss.
And the price increase over the MX518 allows it to pack in wireless performance. Connectivity is strong here, and the inclusion of Powerplay wireless charging support makes it easy to stay in the game even during endurance sessions. With the wireless charging feature, you can get the best out of your mouse while staying connected to your game for a longer period of time. The stock design of this wireless gaming mouse features a full complement of customizable buttons that can be further expanded with an included magnetic plug.
| Sensor | PMW3366 optical |
| Buttons | 11, programmable |
| CPI | 200 – 12,000 |
| Weight | 3.84 oz. |
Pros
- Incredibly clean and tactile response to the buttons
- Right handed or left handed gaming mouse
- first gaming mouse to incorporate wireless charging
- Lightspeed wireless tech dramatically reduces the threat of latency
Cons
Best Value: PICTEK Gaming Wired Ergonomic Mouse
If you want a cheap PC gaming mouse, you’d be hard pressed to find one with as low a price tag as the PICTEK. While it doesn’t offer the type of charging or connectivity found in the G903 above, this budget gaming mouse is surprisingly rich in features considering you can pick it up for less than $20. The customization here performs well out of its class – allowing you to assign five different CPI settings and four different polling rates using the included software platform. Color coding makes it easy to shift to the settings that you need on the fly. That’s in addition to other functional configurations like macros, RGB lighting, and double clicking.
Expecting a premium level build on a bargain basement mouse is asking a little too much, but the feel of the PICTEK is surprisingly comfortable, making it one of the best gaming mouse around. The high durability and ergonomic design give it a comfortable and tactile feel, but you’ll likely experience mixed results if you don’t prefer the claw position.
| Sensor | High-definition Optical |
| Buttons | Seven, Programmable |
| CPI | 1,200 – 7,200 |
| Weight | 4.8 oz. |
Pros
- Amazing value for one of the cheapest gaming mice around
- An impressive array of configuration options
- 16 million color options for the LED backlit display
- 30 million click lifespan and 18 month manufacturer warranty
Cons
CORSAIR IRONCLAW FPS Gaming Mouse
Many of the mice on our best gaming mouse list are suited for the versatile needs of a range of different PC gaming genres. But if you want a mouse optimized towards first person shooters, the Corsair Ironclaw is arguably the best gaming mouse you can choose. This is a hulking brute of an FPS gaming mouse designed with the needs of esports pros in mind. The larger size makes it an ideal choice for players who prefer to make the most of their palm. Also, the treaded scroll wheel and weighty frame gives it a good grip even in the heat of battle.
Combine that with very strong DPI controls, and you have a mouse that’s as precise as you need it to be. The ergonomics are built clearly for the needs of MOBA and FPS players. The concave shape of the primary left and right mouse buttons will keep you focused on the triggers without slippage.
| Sensor | Optical |
| Buttons | Seven, Programmable |
| CPI | 100 – 18,000 |
| Weight | 3.68 oz |
Pros
- Features three customizable RGB zones for better personalization
- Compatible iCue software offers a simple interface for button and RGB customization
- Incredibly accurate and precise enough for competitive play
- Durable switches can withstand up to 50 million clicks
Cons
Razer Basilisk Essential Gaming Mouse
The Razer Basilisk may qualify as the best gaming mouse for those with a low budget, but it’s not slouch in terms of performance. It even offers some clever features that are uniquely its own. But even without those features, it would still be one of the best gaming mouse worthy of your consideration. The slim, matte black body is ergonomically designed, and it offers one of the most comfortably designed thumb rests on any available mouse. These alone would make it a solid and economical choice for mouse gaming.
But it’s the inclusion of a few smart features that really separate the Basilisk from the pack. The addition of a “clutch” along the side is really revolutionary and a great way to simplify the process of multitasking in more complex games. More focused for the needs of FPS players is the addition of a “sniper” paddle that automatically reduces your DPI for more precise aiming
| Sensor | Digital Optical |
| Buttons | Seven, Programmable (Including Paddle) |
| CPI | 6,400 |
| Weight | 4.5 oz. |
Pros
- Uses the impressive Razer Synapse customization software
- Clutch and sniper paddle are one of a kind features
- Backed by a two year warranty and protected to 50 million clicks
- Rubberized scroll wheel and sides for better gripping
Cons
Logitech G502 HERO Gaming Mouse
The G502 may look like a Star Wars fighter ship, but its design is exceedingly more functional than its curves might initially suggest. While this gaming mouse uses the same HERO 16K sensor as the MX518, it’s a bit of a step up in terms of gamer-specific needs (while sacrificing the MX518’s utility for non-gaming purposes). Both the notched scrolling wheel and the button mounted behind the G502 have a satisfyingly tactility when clicked, and shifting between notched and infinite scrolling is as natural as could be.
For gamers who like RGB lighting, the zones of the G502 are very smartly placed to ensure you get a splash of color regardless of what grip you prefer. The bottom also opens up so that you can slide weights in, a nice touch that’s underutilized in the gaming mouse market. Onboard memory of the G502 supports up to five different player profiles, making for a highly adaptable mouse.
| Sensor | HERO 16K |
| Buttons | 11, programmable |
| CPI | 200 – 16,000 |
| Weight | 2.88 – (approx.) 3.5 oz. |
Pros
- LIGHTSYNC RGB lighting supports 16.8 million different colors
- Great sense of feedback from both the wheel and the buttons
- Dedicated DPI cycling button with five separate configurations
- Sniper button located conveniently behind the wheel
Cons
Razer Naga Trinity Gaming Mouse
The Razer Naga Trinity takes the number seven spot on our best gaming mouse review. Gaming mouses are known for their sometimes absurd level of built-in buttons, but the Razer Naga Trinity takes it to a whole other level entirely. Three interchangeable side plates come with this gaming device, offering you 2, 7, and 12 additional button configurations.
The ability to assign hotkeys for MMOs, RTSs, and MOBAs is obvious here, but the interchangeability means that you can quickly adjust your profile to match practically any genre of game. And despite how many buttons are packed in, the overall design and presence of a comfortable thumb rest ensures that it’s not unwieldy.
The Razer Naga Trinity also comes with a 16,000 DPI 5G optical sensor, which allows for more precision and accuracy. The scroll wheel is well designed, clicking three ways and allowing you to adjust the levels in increments of 2 DPI at a time. Meanwhile, the Razer Synapse software that this mouse uses for all customization is incredibly well designed and easy to figure out.
| Sensor | 5G Optical |
| Buttons | 19, programmable |
| CPI | 800 – 16,000 |
| Weight | 4.2 oz. |
Pros
- Interchangeable plates are easy to swap out and highly versatile
- Supports 50 million clicks and comes with a two year warranty
- Offers 16.8 million color combinations and multiple presets
- Satisfying and audible feedback from every button
Cons
CORSAIR Harpoon RGB Wireless
The Corsair Harpoon is a Bluetooth gaming mouse that offers one of the best and most fluid gaming experiences without costing you a fortune. Available for about $50, this best wireless mouse focuses on the fundamentals rather than trying to pack a whole range of features in at once. The result is a clean and effective wireless mouse that’s eminently affordable and designed for gamers who prefer either a claw or palm grip. The value here can’t be overstated. $50 gets you a wireless gaming mouse with a strong battery life and one of the best wireless connections.
And it’s not like Corsair has cut any corners with the build quality here. The buttons on this best wireless mouse have a solid and responsive click that feels great to the touch, and the optical sensor is also highly accurate and dependable. All of the buttons can be programmed to suit your specific gaming needs. Simply put, there’s no wireless mouse on the market with such a good cost value.
| Sensor | Optical |
| Buttons | six, Programmable |
| CPI | 250 – 6,000 |
| Weight | 3.52 oz |
Pros
- Durable Omron switches support a life of 50 million clicks
- Incredibly lightweight construction makes for a nimble peripheral
- Battery can last for up to 60 hours per charge
- Also compatible with XBox One consoles
Cons
Razer Mamba Elite Wired Gaming Mouse
The Mamba Elite is the entry level alternative to the mainline Mamba and the Tournament Edition Mamba, and while it sacrifices some nice features like a laser sensor for the sake of affordable pricing, it’s still a solid mouse that can suit the needs of everyone but serious esports pros. Simplicity is the name of the game with the Mamba. It’s a lean and compact mouse with nine programmable buttons smartly laid out so as to be readily accessible without getting in the way of your gameplay.
And apart from the lack of a laser sensor or wireless Bluetooth functionality, this Mamba is an excellent PC gaming mouse through and through. The ergonomic design is exceedingly comfortable even during long sessions, and it makes use of both on-board storage and cloud functionality for optimal performance. That allows you to access your customized control settings more easily than with a lot of other gaming mice. To make things even
| Sensor | Optical |
| Buttons | Nine, Programmable |
| CPI | 200 – 16,000 |
| Weight | 4.8 oz |
Pros
- Scrolling wheel is ridged and rubberized for better grip
- Chroma and RGB functionality supports 16.8 million colors
- Rubberized grips to support endurance gaming sessions
- Two year warranty and protected to 50 million clicks
Cons
SteelSeries Sensei 310 Gaming Mouse
Looking for the best gaming mouse that comes at a really affordable price? The SteelSeries’ Sensei 310 is your guy. While it may occupy the budget end of the scale, it’s a gaming mouse that can be recommended confidently and without reservations. The design itself may not be one of the best and may look perfectly ordinary on the surface, but some great thought has gone into the design of this budget mouse.
Its ambidextrous design is a thoughtful choice, and it’s a comfortable choice whether you prefer palm of claw grips. This 12,000 CPI mouse may be a bit on the basic side in terms of features, but its performance is so good that it sits alongside Logitech’s MX518 in the pantheon of all time greats. This is a mouse that’s been iterated over for years, but the newest and boldest addition is the Custom TrueMove3 sensor. It provides one of the highest DPI ranges on the market, and it’s a sensor that’s notably exclusive to SteelSeries despite being made by prolific manufacturer Pixart.
| Sensor | TrueMove3 Optical |
| Buttons | Eight, Programmable |
| CPI | 100 – 12,000 |
| Weight | 3.52 oz |
Pros
- Advanced jitter protection builds confidently on basic sensitivity functions
- Prism RGB illumination settings and key remaps can be saved directly to the mouse
- Split trigger buttons ensure a longer life and more satisfying response
- Used by esports pros from around the world
Cons
SteelSeries Rival 710 Gaming Mouse
The TrueMove3 is in many ways SteelSeries’ secret weapon, and while it’s the anchor for both the Sensei and the Rival, the latter brings enough unique values to the table to be worthy of your consideration in its own right. The SteelSeries Rival is an astonishingly feature-rich mouse with a great ergonomic design, modular functionality, and a modest price tag that’s perfect for right-handed individuals. If it only had wireless functionality, it could potentially be the contender for the best gaming mouse ever.
Some of the features here are going to be more impressive than others, but they’re all pretty cool. The haptic interface and OLED screen are some of the best you can find in a gaming mouse. They are neat, but aren’t likely to mix up your gaming experience all that much. Far more game changing is the modular design on the SteelSeries Rival. You can swap out the cable, cover, or sensor, allowing this mouse to provide you with a level of versatility and range that will make your games more fun.
| Sensor | TrueMove3 Optical |
| Buttons | Seven, Programmable |
| CPI | 100 – 12,000 |
| Weight | 12.6 oz |
Pros
- Haptic vibrations can alert you to cooldowns and notifications
- True one to one tracking via the TrueMove3 sensor
- Discord chat integration via the OLED screen and haptic interface
- Switch rating on buttons surpasses 60 million clicks
Cons
Logitech G203 Prodigy RGB
The Logitech 203 Prodigy takes many of the smart design fundamentals of Logitech and strips them down to accommodate the needs of the most budget-oriented gamers. But there’s no need to be leery about what’s on offer here. Those performance is quite strong, and while the G203 may be cheap, it’s still one of the best gaming mice with the ability to suit the needs of casual and semi-hardcore players. In fact, most players won’t notice a different between the 203 Prodigy and the G Pro that it’s based off of.
The companion software for aligning your configurations is strong, and the DPI performance is incredibly solid considering how much you’ll be paying for this mouse. As far as budget mice are concerned, the responsiveness of the 203 Prodigy simply can’t be beat. Its low level of buttons means it won’t be great for MMO players, but it’s definitely one of the best mice for starters.
| Sensor | PMW 3366 Optical |
| Buttons | Six, Programmable |
| CPI | 200 – 8,000 |
| Weight | 3.04 oz |
Pros
- Offers butter smooth tracking well beyond its pay grade
- Communicates up to eight times faster than a traditional mouse
- Design is understated and sleek while also looking stylish
- Programmable RGB lighting and DPI shifting on the fly
Cons
Best Gaming Mouse Buyer’s Guide
There’s a lot separating a conventional mouse from a gaming mouse, and if this is your first time considering your options, you may be lost. Fortunately, we’re here to provide you with a solid understanding of the fundamentals. Below are some of the things to put into consideration when choosing the best gaming mouse.
Specs
When reading about consumer electronics (and particularly gaming hardware and peripherals), the specs often break down to confusing terminology with raw numbers that often follow a simple philosophy: bigger is better. That’s not the case with gaming mice. The value of each of the specs here will largely be an issue of personal preference, so we’ll break it down to help you understand what each means.
Sensor
A mouse’s sensor is one of its most important components. It translates the movement of the mouse onto your on screen pointer, and that means that the quality of a sensor is one of the most important factors in determining the CPI of a mouse (which we’ll get into below). The deep level specs of a mouse sensor can become exceedingly complicated, but there are just a few basic things you as a consumer need to know to make an educated choice.
The first is that mouse sensors come in two formats: optical and laser. A laser mouse obviously uses a laser to track movement, while an optical mouse makes use of an LED light. Laser mice come with a couple of distinct advantages: the ability to work on practically any surface and a higher degree of accuracy for tracking. So then why do all the mice on our lists use an optical sensor? One word: value. Mice with laser sensors cost significantly more than optical alternatives, but a good quality optical mouse can offer the level of integrity that can meet the needs of even the highest level esports competitor. If you’re looking to spend more on your mouse, that money is better spent on features other than a laser sensor.
Buttons
One of the biggest selling points of a gaming mouse is the addition of extra buttons. This could be as simple as a couple of extra buttons built into the sides or a panel of buttons exceeding a dozen. More isn’t always better here. If you’re an MMO player looking to assign shortcuts for all of your skills, you may need an entire panel of additional buttons. If you’re focused on more action-based shooters, a handful of additional buttons will probably do the job. The right number of buttons is about finding a balance between having access to all the skills you need and being able to comfortably manipulate the mouse.
What separates the buttons on gaming mice are the fact that all the keys are programmable, and the software that’s included with gaming mice allows for incredibly sophisticated macros. Shortcuts could be as simple as firing off cooldown powers, swapping out grenades, or toggling running. Or they could be as complex as establishing build orders in an RTS. Many mice offer specialized keys as well.
CPI
CPI, or counts per inch, is the industry standard for determining the responsiveness of a mouse. A CPI setting of 1000, for instance, would move the mouse 1000 pixels for every inch the mouse is moved. There’s something of a cold war among manufacturers to offer the highest CPI rating possible. That said, high CPI ratings can be something of a Trojan horse. Many manufacturers use firmware to artificially inflate the offered CPI and provide jacked up numbers that don’t necessarily reflect reality.
Weight
CPI can have a major factor on your reflexes when gaming, but just as important is the weight of the mouse. This is something that can be offset by adjusting the CPI manually, but you ultimately want a mouse that has a significant weight to it without being so lightweight that it slides all over the mousepad. There’s no perfect weight for a gaming mouse, but a majority of gamers seem to prefer options that fall somewhere in the middle of the scale.
Other Considerations
While we’ve provided metrics the most important specs for each mouse on their individual reviews, there are a number of other factors you should take into consideration while weighing your options.
Wireless or Wired
The majority of the mice on our list are of the wired variety, and while wireless mice normally come with a cost premium attach, that wasn’t the only factor we used to prioritize them. The need to deliver your movements over Bluetooth typically results in input lag on a wireless mouse, and while that might not be noticeable to the casual player, it can make all the difference in the world when you’re involved in high end competitive play. Wireless mice can also sometimes experience interference from other interfaces like USB 3.0, but you can largely mitigate that by clearing any potentially harmful devices out of your play space. Then there’s the issue of having to periodically charge your mouse.
IPS
Most manufacturers like to trot out the CPI of their mice, but that’s just one of three vectors that determine the technical responsiveness of a peripheral. Just as important is the IPS (Inches Per Second). Whereas CPI measures the speed of the mouse in terms of the pixels on your screen, IPS measures how effectively the sensor can register the physical movement of the mouse itself.
Also known as tracking speed, this is an important number to keep into consideration if you want a naturally feeling mouse. A low tracking speed matched to a high CPI will require you to do that much more work for little results and leave you with a lower margin of accuracy in your movements. As a general rule of thumb, an IPS of 300 is a good starting point, but higher numbers are generally better. You may have to dig a little deeper to find the IPS of your mouse since it’s not as publicized a metric as DPI (and since listing DPI alone allows shoddier manufacturers to fluff up the performance of their devices).
Acceleration
The third vector in determining the responsiveness of a gaming mouse is its acceleration. If CPI shows how quickly your mouse moves on the screen and IPS shows how much range the sensor can register in the course of a second, acceleration determines how well the sensor translates the context of those movements. A mouse with quality acceleration can more effectively tell the difference between a quick flick and a smooth roll.
Acceleration is measured in g’s which determine the maximum amount of acceleration that the mouse can measure. And while the ideal CPI for a mouse is a matter of personal taste, higher is always better for acceleration since it measures a maximum threshold rather than a set rating. The best mice on the market provide an acceleration rating of somewhere between 30 and 50 g’s.
Final Thoughts
If all the different gaming mouse types seem intimidating, they needn’t be. What’s important is to find a mouse that feels comfortable to you. Start by putting aside pricing, features, and specs, and simply think about your style of play and the features that matter to you. Once you have a place to start from, you’re sure to find something on this list that will fit you like a glove. And if you’re looking to expand your gaming acumen, be sure to check out our review of the best gaming mice and the best gaming headsets.If you liked our article on gaming mice, please share and comment below what your favorite product is.
