10 of the best gaming mice available

A good gaming mouse is an investment in accuracy, not just for gaming but for general computer use, too. And while differences between modern gaming mice may seem about as small as the diminutive namesake of this essential gaming peripheral, the best gaming mice don’t just feel better, they boost gameplay.

The pixel-point accuracy of wired gaming mice has now extended to wireless gaming mice, which means, budget permitting, the best gaming mice are wireless gaming mice for the complete movement freedom of snag-free gameplay. An accurate optical sensor is a must, and the number of buttons will be determined by the type of games you love to play. In terms of price, expect to spend upwards of $150 on a great high-end wireless option, but there are still solid choices below $100.

Yes, it’ll cost you, but viewed as an investment, the Logitech G502 Lightspeed is the best and most versatile gaming mouse I’ve ever used. Built atop the already impressive innards of its wired G502 predecessor, this wireless G502 is a marked upgrade.

For starters, it’s lighter. If lightness is less appealing, you can boost the weighty feedback ‘hand feel’ of the wireless G502 by inserting the included internal weights. Add more to tame the slide, or leave it lighter for unrestricted freedom. The G502 takes what Logitech gaming mice started with the iconic G900 – the first wireless gaming mouse solution that truly replicated the undisputed accuracy of a wired gaming mouse – and expands on it. Just ensure you keep the G502 sensor and your mousepad clear for ultimate accuracy.

The G502 feels designed for the popular palm grip, nestling your thumb into a groove that offers intuitive access to three buttons: apply forward pressure to hold the accuracy-modifier button or roll your thumb up to reach mouse buttons three and four. Download and install the easy-to-use Logitech G Hub software to customise those three buttons, and eight others, to suit your tastes. These buttons aren’t intrusive, either, meaning the G502 is just as viable for shooters as it is for RPGs and other genres that favour more buttons.

Check out our Logitech LightSpeed G502 review for more info. For a cheaper contender, scroll down to read all about the SteelSeries Rival 650 Wireless.

The HyperX Pulsefire Dart operates on the philosophy of keeping things simple. From its straightforward design to bare-bolts (beta) software, the Dart is a high-performance gaming mouse and was my go-to option before I unboxed the G502 victor above.

I didn’t take advantage of the optional Qi wireless charging, but I do appreciate that recharging is done via USB-C cable, which means no coin-toss risk of jamming the cable in upside down. An accurate sensor and very reliable 2.4GHz RF connection combine for incredibly dependable performance for everyday business and, of course, getting down to the business of everyday gaming.

The Dart’s ergonomic design means it sticks to your hand like glue and feels comfortable hours deep into an extended gaming session.

Speaking of gaming, the independent design of the main mouse buttons gives core clicking flexibility that makes it easy to dabble in RTS-favoured claw grip or speedy tip grip. While slowly improving, it’s a shame that the software isn’t yet as impressive as the hardware it supports.

The SteelSeries Rival 650 Wireless is priced in a way that undercuts its pricier competitors (including dethroned champ, the Razer Viper Ultimate), albeit without sacrificing on all-important performance. Speaking of the Viper Ultimate, comparing the two side by side, and while our previous pick has a dock that makes recharging easier, the Rival 650 Wireless lets you juice back to more than 10 hours of play time with just a 15-minute charge.

For everything else that should matter to competitive FPSers, the Rival 650 Wireless has the Viper Ultimate beat. The larger design of the SteelSeries mouse feels like a better overall fit for more hand types, and a DPI-shift button that’s within easy reach on top of the mouse is a digital lifesaver for fast-reacting fraggers.

It helps that the Rival 650 Wireless glides across surfaces without the slight scratchy dragging of other mice, which means it’s a great pick for low-sensitivity players armed with big mousepads. The main cons are the light-on SteelSeries companion software (the lack of a battery percentage is particularly painful) and no USB-C for straightforward recharging.

While you absolutely can use the Rival 650 Wireless in wired mode, that aforementioned easy gliding is best paired with a lack of wires for true movement freedom. The Rival 650 Wireless also comes with eight weights and some (or all) can be placed inside the side panels of the mouse chassis, both of which are incredibly easy to get to, to personalise the resistance.

The Razer Viper Ultimate isn’t cheap, but the bundled desk dock means you can conveniently charge it between sessions or overnight. There is the option of a Micro-USB cable if you’re about to run dry during a shooter session, but that’s finnicky to use and best avoided.

The other main con is one of the eight programmable buttons is inexplicably underneath the mouse which is, by default, used for changing DPI, rendering it ineffective for on-the-fly default use. Outside of that, though, the Viper Ultimate is a great gaming mouse, made even more impressive by speedy optical mouse-button switches and an ambidextrous design that can be switched to a left-handed gaming mouse in the excellent Razer Synapse software.

Its compact design makes it a better fit for smaller mitts, but it’s still incredibly useable with larger hands. The combination of its lightness and ergonomic shape means it’s a great fit for the different mouse grips, and at 66 grams, it’s one of the lightest gaming mice out there. The microseconds difference in click time can lead to better online shooter performance, and the fact it’s lightweight means it’s an incredibly mobile gaming mouse for fans of LANs.

Check out our Razer Viper Ultimate review for a deeper dive on the gaming mouse.

Hot keys are in hot demand when playing command-hungry MMOs, RPGs or strategy titles. Instead of making your keyboard hand do all the work, mice like the Corsair Scimitar give you the option of a stack of buttons for your mouse hand. For the Scimitar, this translates to 17 programmable buttons, 12 of which are controlled by your thumb.

On paper, this sounds incredibly daunting, but I was impressed by how easy it is to accurately feel for any specific one of those 12 buttons with a little bit of practice.

These 12 buttons have a great mix of supporting a palm mouse grip but also not requiring a whole lot of pressure to register input commands. Use the included tool to reposition these buttons for personalised feel, then tap into the impressively extensive Corsair iCUE software to take customisation to whole new levels.

It’s a shame the USB cable doesn’t detach for easier switching to a more practical everyday mouse. This is definitely a mouse that’s intended for single-use, hardcore players of those aforementioned genres only and preferably those with larger mitts.

When shopping for a cheap gaming mouse under $100, expect to be buying a wired mouse. That doesn’t have to be a bad thing, though, as the SteelSeries Rival 3 proves with its 1.8m USB cable. This offers enough wiggle room for use across gaming laptops or farther-away desktop computers.

The light weight and moderate chassis size make it a great fit for hands of all sizes and the core mouse grips, while straightforward customisation via the downloadable SteelSeries 3 Engine software makes for quick-click changes. In this software, you can also switch default button controls, record and add macros, tweak mouse performance, and even personalise the RGB lighting.

As long as you keep the USB cable clear of potentially snagging hurdles, the Rival 3 effortlessly glides across even bar mat-sized mouse pads (ideal for low-sensitivity gaming) and, as you’d expect from a wired mouse, offers complete accuracy during everyday or cross-genre gaming. The biggest con is the tiny third and fourth mouse buttons above the thumb, which means you have to reach for them.

You don’t have to scroll too far down the top picks on this page to notice a trend: there’s not a whole lot in the way of wired mice. These days, the better wireless gaming mice tend to be just as good as the wired ones, which means it takes something special to change that. Cue the entry of the Mad Catz R.A.T. Pro X3.

Couple this bad boy with a mouse bungee to eliminate cable snags and you’ll find an incredibly versatile gaming mouse. The modular design lets you switch out parts to create a personalised gaming mouse. Swap out the mouse wheel, thumb rest, palm rest, pinkie rest, and rotate between two additional scroll wheels to find the one that works best for you. You can even switch between Teflon or ceramic feet for influencing glide.

Unlike the other gaming mice on this page that tend to favour a particular mouse grip, the Pro X3 can be customised to match them all. As for performance, the Pro X3 boasts an incredibly accurate sensor that helps round out a fully featured gaming mouse.

While there are minor differences between gaming mice across budget ranges, there are some alternatives that are worthy of attention. Roccat is definitely worth weighing up, particularly when it comes to the lightweight (66g), ergonomic Kone Pure Ultra, which is extremely comfortable. So too is the Roccat Kain 202, which is a reasonably priced wireless option that’s a good choice for shooter fans.

For a multipurpose mouse that’s part gaming mouse, part joystick, the Lexip Pu94 has a thumb-mounted joystick (great for RTS camera control), axis control via an internal joystick (you physically move the mouse body like a joystick), and game-changing ceramic feet for friction-free gliding.