Best MMO Mouse for 2022

Here at ISITRATED.com, we’ve devoted a lot of our time to reviewing and analyzing computer mice, and a big chunk of those articles are specifically focused on gaming mice. But MMOs are something of an odd bird. MMO gamers have some very specific needs unique from other gamers. The features that make up the best FPS mouse or the best RTS mouse aren’t going to be of much use to someone looking to improve their performance in World of Warcraft.

That’s what this guide is for. We’re offering reviews for 10 contenders for the best MMO mouse, but if you’re still not sure what you should be looking for, we’ve devoted the bulk of our guide to helping you understand the specific features, specs, and functions that MMO players should look for.

The 10 Best MMO Mice

Award	Design	Computing	Retailer
Vastly customizable with a whopping 20 programmable buttons		Logitech G600 MMO Gaming Mouse	Check Price
Nicely chunky with a great range of customizability		ASUS ROG Spatha Gaming Mouse	Check Price
A real powerhouse with a uniquely vibrant design		Redragon M901 Gaming Mouse	Check Price
An innovative approach to regularly changing play styles		Razer Naga Trinity Gaming Mouse	Check Price
		Corsair Gaming SCIMITAR RGB MOBA/MMO Gaming Mouse	Check Price
		UtechSmart Venus Gaming Mouse	Check Price
		ROCCAT KONE Aimo Gaming Mouse	Check Price
		Mad Catz The Authentic R.A.T. 4+ Optical Gaming Mouse	Check Price
		SteelSeries Rival 500 MMO/MOBA Gaming Mouse	Check Price
		Swiftpoint Z Gaming Mouse	Check Price

MMO Mouse Buyer’s Guide

So what should you be looking for in an MMO mouse? First, we need to evaluate what we mean when we talk about MMOs in this article. While roleplaying games like Everquest and World of Warcraft – with a focus that emphasizes less frenetic and action-oriented gameplay – were once the norm, there’s now a whole host of games that use the MMO formula.

A large number of available keys, ideally individually programmable, are a necessity given the number of powers and cooldowns you need to juggle in an MMO. The advent of MMO shooters like Destiny and The Division means that a good modern MMO mouse also requires a level of responsiveness that older mouse models don’t offer. With a lot of late- and post-game content often taking the form of exhaustive raids, an MMO mouse also needs to be comfortable enough to not cause pain even during hour-long gaming sessions.

Just because you purchase an MMO gaming mouse doesn’t mean you have to use it exclusively for that. While these design sensibilities are great for the game, mouse features and functions are also well-suited for MOBAs and even everyday productivity. The huge number of keys and comfortable designs of MMO gaming mice are often great for productivity, especially in creative professions like video or photo editing and general graphic design.

In the guide below, we’ll break down everything you need to know about MMO mouse gaming. We’ll discuss the important specs and features of these mice, as well as providing you with some advice for extending your shopping experience beyond our own reviews.

Sensor

There are two types of sensors to look for when shopping for a mouse: a laser sensor or an optical sensor. You may notice that most models on our list make use of an optical sensor. It used to be the case that laser sensors represented the pinnacle of mouse engineering. These higher price alternatives to an optical sensor can work capably on any surface and used to offer a significantly higher DPI. But the gap between them has since narrowed, and most mouse models targeted towards gamers now use an optical sensor.

The only reason to opt instead for a laser sensor is if you want a mouse that you can use without a traditional desktop or mouse pad. For the most part, you can disregard the type of sensor entirely and focus your attention instead on the DPI. That being said, if you’re looking for the best of the best mouse sensor, some manufacturers list the specific sensor models they use. Any mouse sensor from PixArt is going to provide you with very reliable performance, and the HERO sensor used in many Logitech mice provides similarly impressive results.

Sensitivity

The biggest question you should ask yourself when considering the value of a mouse sensor is how sensitive it can be. Measured in DPI (dots per inch), the sensitivity level tells you how far the mouse will move in relation to your movements. The lowest possible DPI rating won’t matter to most users, but if you want your mouse to be as quick and responsive as possible, you should look for a higher DPI level.

That said, the highest DPI settings are harder to manage because they enable the cursor to move far more quickly across the screen even with small mouse movements. A high DPI level is great for FPS gamers because it responds well to quicker reflexes, but they’re also good for heavier mice because they don’t require you to dramatically twist your mouse across the surface of your desk.

Chances are that most users aren’t going to require the highest DPI settings possible, so we suggest that you test out various different levels to find the right feel for your specific play style. It’s just as important to consider how much control a mouse gives you over the DPI settings. Some models come with preset DPI settings, while others allow you to tune sensitivity to match your specific needs. The latter is a huge advantage if you want your mouse to feel as naturally in tune with your movements as possible.

Grip Style

How you hold your mouse is actually a more important consideration than you might think. Mouse manufacturers have identified three types of grips, and each of them is tailored to specific types of games. Figuring out your preferred grip style can help you find the most ergonomic design that will feel comfortable for you even during marathon gaming sessions.

• The palm grip is the most popular style of grip for casual users, but it’s also arguably the most effective for MMORPG players. The palm is placed on top of the mouse, with the thumb to the side. The result is the most comfortable grip of the three, and it gives you ready access to all of the buttons on your mouse. Since the focus of traditional MMORPGs is generally more about timing your power usage and positioning than quick reflexes (and since MMORPG sessions can last a long time), the palm grip is a natural fit for the genre.
• Games that place a greater emphasis on reflexes can benefit from a claw grip. This is the natural choice for more action-oriented MMOs like The Division or Dauntless. This grip employs similar finger positioning to the palm grip but arches the palm to facilitate quicker movements. It also gives you ready access to the keys while also providing you with greater maneuverability. If you prefer the palm grip, you should look for shorter mice with a lower arch.
• Gamers who prefer a tip grip use only their fingers to maneuver mice, providing a level of agility that goes beyond even what the claw grip can afford. It’s a grip that doesn’t favor precision and isn’t ideal for the huge amount of buttons prevalent in MMO mice, but some users might prefer it. Look for smaller mice with lightweight frames for this grip style. You’ll find quite a few of these on our guide to the best gaming mice of 2022.

Number of Buttons

The first time you glance at the button layout of a gaming mouse, it may look like it came from another world – a world where humans possess a larger number of far more nimble fingers. But the complex button layout designs that dominate the MMO gaming mouse market actually serve a significant purpose, and they’re more comfortable than you’d imagine once you get to grips with them. Keep reading to learn about the purpose these buttons serve so you can find a mouse with a button layout that’s right for you.

Side Buttons

How many buttons do MMO mice need? If you’re looking to play a more traditional MMORPG, the more the better. There’s a reason why a twelve-button layout accessible by the thumb is such a common refrain where MMO mouse models are concerned. They replicate the functionality of the 12 fuction keys (or F-keys) that appear on a traditional keyboard, allowing you to access the same number of powers, items, and other macros without having to play with your keyboard. Their positioning also means they’re less likely to be pressed by accident.

We recommend investing in an MMO mouse that offers this bank of 12 buttons if you’re playing a traditional MMORPG, a MOBA, or even more traditional RPGs like Diablo. They’ll be less essential for MMOs that offer less complicated mechanics or are built for console gaming as well as PC gaming. Since this 12-key structure is hard-baked into so many MMO games, you should be able to program them in-game without having to mess with complicated software.

DPI Buttons

While we consider the best MMO gaming mice to include the 12-key layout in addition to the traditional two-button top design, the additional buttons offered by many MMO gaming mice are a bit more subjective. The most common secondary button you’re going to see is usually a DPI adjuster. In most instances, this will take the form of a pair of keys or a scroll bar on the top or opposite side of mouses. Gaming mice with real-time DPI adjustment are more common in FPS gaming, but they can serve their purpose in modern MMOs as well.

While gamers of traditional MMORPGs like World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy XIV likely won’t need to change their DPI in-game, the increasing prevalence of arcade-style MMOs makes them a valuable choice for players of games like Warframe and Destiny. Sometimes referred to as “sniper buttons”, they make it easy to transition between running and gunning and more accurate sniping or firing from cover. The amount of control the DPI button offers can vary from mouse to mouse. Some have preset DPI settings to scroll through, while others enable you to assign your own.

Shift Buttons

Shift buttons are somewhat less common than DPI buttons in mouse designs, but they’re arguably more important when buying an MMO mouse. While different manufacturers call their shift buttons by different names, they fundamentally serve the same purpose. Shift buttons allow you to map two separate functions to each key and access your second lineup of commands with a single click.

When applied to an MMO mouse that makes use of 12 thumb keys, you can get a staggering level of additional usage out of the large number of buttons already available. While that’s great for lining up a whole row of extra actions or items, it’s an especially useful feature if you want to make use of macros. We’ll talk more about how macros can improve the utility of your mouse further along in the guide.

Button Customization

All of the mouse buttons in the world won’t mean much to you if you can’t adjust them to match your needs, and that’s why it’s important to analyze the level of possible customization. The level of adjustment that each mouse offers is largely dependent on the software and hardware built-in by the manufacturer. For that reason, we suggest you take the time to consider what value any extra buttons will have for you and use that as a blueprint to determine the level of sophistication you need.

Macros

An MMO mouse at practically any price will provide you with the ability to assign your buttons to replicate the keystrokes on your keyboard, but macros go a step beyond that. Macros allow you to accomplish an incredibly sophisticated series of actions with a single button press, and that’s of particular value to MMO players, where much of the grind is essentially automated.

A mouse backed up by solid software and a wealth of buttons can accomplish practically anything. Macros can help you access a page deep in the main menu with a single press of a button, fire off a succession of different powers one after the other, type out common phrases in the in-game chat window, or even accomplish out-of-game tasks like capturing screenshots. As you might imagine, these sorts of macros have potential beyond MMOs and gaming in general, and that’s what makes them particularly great choices for productivity.

Before pulling the trigger on an overly complicated mouse with buttons that might get in the way, we suggest that every MMO gamer take the time to understand what macros can actually accomplish. While the macros listed at Macro-WOW only apply to World of Warcraft, they can provide you with a better understanding of the sheer breadth of possibilities that mouse macros can accomplish.

Profiles

When you start looking at a mouse that offers 12 or more keys, things can get pretty complicated, and if you want to be able to use your mouse for multiple games – or to play as multiple classes in your favorite MMO – then you’re going to want to be able to store different profiles on your mouse. These can save a huge range of personal preferences from lighting to macros to sensitivity, and any decent mouse will include its own onboard memory so that you can continue to use your profiles even when using it on a PC that doesn’t have the configuration software installed.

Most people who are serious enough about gaming to invest in an MMO mouse will want to establish at least a couple of separate profiles, but you should evaluate the specific number of available profiles depending on your needs. If you’re just playing a single MMORPG and are simply using the side buttons as an alternative to your keyboard’s function keys, you might be fine with a single profile. If you intend to start incorporating more complex macros into your gaming experience, though, you’ll absolutely want to make multiple profiles a top priority.

Wireless or Wired

Only one wireless mouse features on our list, and it happens to be one that can also function as a wired mouse. There’s a good reason for that. While a wireless mouse means you don’t have to worry about tangled cords around your gaming setup, the wireless protocol used means that there’s often some latency when playing games, and that’s compounded when playing a game online.

While there are plenty of wireless mice that do a decent job of minimizing latency, we decided it was best to focus our attention on wired models. If you have your heart set on a wireless mouse for your gaming setup, feel free to check out our guide to the best wireless mice for 2022. Logitech in particular has some pretty killer models.

Weight and Size

The ideal weight and size of a gaming mouse is largely an issue of personal preference and the size of your hands. How a mouse feels is a very personally subjective thing, but it can have a massive effect on your comfort and performance. For that reason, we suggest you test out various mouse sizes before making a decision. Some even come with adjustable weights that allow you to tailor your experience more precisely.

Lighting

RGB lighting is a purely cosmetic function, but it’s undoubtedly a cool feature to have. Lighting is generally handled by the software interface, and depending on the manufacturer, the range of options can vary greatly. Some manufacturers offer a dozen or so preset lighting options, while Razer in particular sells their products on the notion that they offer as many as 16.8 million color combinations. Different mice also provide different zones that can be used to design a multi-color setup. If you want your mouse to be as stylish as possible, you’ll want to consider both of these factors.

Software Interface

Most of the cooler customization features available in an MMO mouse can be configured through a free software platform provided by the manufacturer. The quality and interfaces of these software platforms are too varied for us to break each one down completely, and the value of each largely depends on your own preferences and how deep you want to get into customization.

Fortunately, this software is free, and you can test out how comfortable you are with each platform before you settle on a particular mouse. We recommend downloading the software for the mice that interest you and testing it out so you can determine if it’s compatible with your needs. You might not be able to see how it works in action, but you can get a feel for the overall design and the features available to you.

One of a Kind Features

The range of innovations at work in the MMO mouse field is pretty vast. In most cases, manufacturer-specific features simply offer nice perk, but some of them can fundamentally change how you play your favorite games and can justify the purchase in its own right. Below, we’ll talk about some of our favorite killer features.

• The Key Slider system incorporated into the Corsair Scimitar Pro can improve the ergonomics of your mouse significantly. This design by Corsair lets you shift the 12 side keys up the length of the mouse and lock them into place so they conform more naturally to your fingers.
• The tactile feedback available on the SteelSeries Rival 500 is a game-changer in a different way. Your mouse will rumble in accordance with in-game events, and it’s more than just an immersion gimmick. You can assign different vibrations to different triggers (like low health or ammunition) so that you can spend less time staring at the HUD of your favorite MMOs.
• A lot of gaming mice like to tout their customization options, but they’re just scratching the surface compared to what the Swiftpoint Z offers. The modular design of this mouse lets you essentially mix and match different components to create a mouse tailored to your specific demands. But the most useful feature here is maybe the most understated: a dedicated button that lets you change between your saved profiles with a single click.

Final Thoughts

If you’re serious about online gaming, you’ll definitely want to consider looking at purchasing an MMO mouse. These devices may cost you a little upfront, but when you consider how much time a serious gamer pours into their favorite platforms, any price listed here is little more than a pittance. The gaming mice on our list and the advice provided in our buying guide should continue to be relevant and useful even as the field of MMO gaming grows and expands with its audience. We may be focused on helping you find the best MMO mouse for 2022 in particular, but this resource can also help you for years to come.

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