What is the best gaming mouse? This is a question we’ve heard quite a few times as we continue our research endeavors into finding the best gaming setup in the market today. Considering a mouse is essentially synonymous with gaming gear, you’ve come to the right place. Sure, you can always grab a standard, bland mouse from a popular brand for a cheap price tag — but what about the high-end, customized specifically for computer gaming mouse models that will take your skills to the next level? We saw in our best gaming headset and gaming keyboard guides that it’s definitely worth the investment if you want to step it up and gain that edge over competition. For our case today, although it does depend on the game you’re playing, how many buttons you’ll need and the overall feel you desire to be in your hands, the best mouse for gaming for you will also be based on a few other factors to keep in mind while you decide.
Picking the best gaming mouse
- Budget – Your budget will definitely be atop this list. How high do you want to go? There’s a range here, and although not by too much, still brings a difference between an under $100 mouse while others nearing the $200 mark.
- Custom buttons – How many extra buttons are you seeking? We’re talking extra customizable options aside from your two traditional clickers as well as mouse wheel. Your intended use will definitely be a factor in choosing how many you’ll need, since we’ve heard of more MMPORG and MOBA players needing all the custom buttons they can get. First-person-shooters however may entail some as well.
- Wired or wireless? After a lot of polling by our users, further research and personal experience, gaming mice specifically tend to go the wired route for quite a reasons. For one, any instance of latency (lag) is questionable — in fact, some of us can’t afford even a few milliseconds of delay considering that will determine life or death for some games. You can always read our best wireless gaming mice guide if you were interested since it’s more specific to those needs, although we do have a wireless choice at the bottom of this article.
- Extra features – RGB lighting? Custom lighting effects? Ambidextrous support? Super light weight? Aside from the overall feel and responsiveness of the mouse you’ll be looking at, check the extra features that may catch your eye.
The top 10 best gaming mice
SteelSeries Rival 700
To start off our list, let’s look at the SteelSeries Rival 700, a mouse that is well-reviewed and considered once of the best mice for the money by many around the gaming gear culture. This one comes equipped with a cord that stretches the length of 6.5 feet (many say wired or bust, especially when it comes to gaming gear) and is compatible on both the Windows and Mac platforms. An RGB lighting illumination system gives you the control to customize if you’re into the extra features factor, and a modular design lets you change out both the front and back plate whenever you like. The customization settings also allows the user to decide the intensity of the physical vibrations. Another great addition to this mouse is the “Tactile Alerts” which uses a pulse technology allowing for less recoil and more head-shot like aim. While this mouse is considered to be on the heavier side (weighing in at 0.35 pounds), it does have seven reinforced buttons to engage the user while in play, increasing hotkey abilities. Finally, the OLED display gives you the option of showing updated statistics during game play. We love the SteelSeries Rival 700 as our best gaming mouse pick, and although difficult to choose just one, this would be it if you needed an immediate answer.
Razer DeathAdder Chroma
Supported for both Windows and Mac OS X operating system, the Razer DeathAdder Chroma is one of the best customization mouse models in the market. With a scroll wheel and five different buttons that all act with light sensitivity, the textured design of the mouse makes it easy to use and grip during play. The 10,000 dpi optical sensor helps your game play reaction time by allowing movement as fast as 300 inches per second, timing itself to your personal speed to enhance your play and keep you in control. This helps those of you gamers out there who set their sensitivities super low. However, a big favorite feature of this mouse for those in need of flash is the lighting effects. With around 16.8 million colors within its spectrum, you can customize your favorite color to illuminate it, with an added option of changing the color every 7 seconds to replicate the breathing of the user. This would make an exceptionally great gift for the younger gamer from their parents as well. Overall, the Razer DeathAdder Chroma would be the best gaming mouse for someone who would like to increase reaction speed while also having something aesthetically pleasing. It was #1 in PCGamer’s gaming mouse article for a reason.
Logitech G900 Chaos Spectrum
Though we wouldn’t recommend this product for anyone looking for the best budget-friendly mouse, the Logitech G900 Chaos Spectrum lives up to the higher price-point with its high quality and professional grade construction. A wired mouse but also with a wireless option, it’s compatible with the Windows system and proves to be one of the best gaming mice on the market for multiple reasons. First, the mouse has a battery life of about 32 hours, meaning you won’t have to charge constantly if you’re in the mood for some wireless connectivity. The pivot design on the button also increases accuracy and responds to the precise speed and control of the gamer, once again increasing your reaction time. You can also choose from over 16.8 million colors to personalize the lighting on the mouse. The most interesting feature that the Logitech G900 Chaos Spectrum possesses however is the ambidextrous design, working for both those of the left or right-hand variety, with eleven programmable buttons which helps personalize the gaming experience by providing a number of different hotkey functions to choose from. If you have the cash, you won’t be disappointed with this mouse for gaming.
Corsair Sabre
Now for a budget-friendly mouse that is still very useful, the Corsair Sabre is a sleek and light gaming mouse that won’t cause too much damage on your wallet. Weighing in at only 100 grams, this lightweight mouse offers fluid movement that glides with ease and remains balanced for the high-speed gamer. With over 16.8 million color options, the user can easily customize the backlighting for the mouse, as well as create a cycle of which each color appears. Armed with a 6,400 dpi optical sensor and 8 programmable buttons, this gaming mouse makes it easy to stay accurate during first person shooting games to allow assignment to whatever hotkey you’d like (there’s no such thing as too many, in our opinion). It has a braided USB cable attachment that spans around 1.8 feet, leaving plenty of room to move with ease. Combined with a two-year warranty and optical sensors, the Corsair Sabre could be perfect for those of you looking for the best mouse for gaming if you didn’t want anything too pricey.
Razer Naga Hex V2
This right here is probably the best gaming mouse available for all the DOTA2 and League of Legends players working their way up to someday compete in The International. We feel like it’s made perfect for any multi-player online battle arena (MOBA). Designed with the purpose of giving MOBA players the best gaming experience possible, the Naga Hex V2 comes with 7 buttons located on the thumb wheel, which also has a rubberized thumb grip for optimal precision and accuracy in a gaming world of fast-paced movements. It also comes equipped with a 16,000 DPI 5G laser sensor meant to turn your action in the real-world into precise movements in the virtual-world. As for the lighting effects, this gaming mouse can change through a range of colors (spectrum cycling), fade in-and-out of different colors (breathing), or remain on one static color. It also comes with the customization option of having all the LEDs stay lit for your preference of time, fading out in short, medium, or long intervals. Overall, the Razer Naga Hex V2 wins the eye test and is one designed to increase your click speed making it easier for all you Pudge players to hook with precision. It was #2 in Tech Radar’s gaming mouse guide.
Roccat Nyth
Another pretty solid mutli-player mouse for gaming to own, the Roccat Nyth comes with a 12 button customization option so you can assign even more hotkeys needed to really get the job done during game play. The mouse includes two interchangeable side grips for comfort and player preference. Basically, you can add a grip made for playing purposes, especially one that is best during a heated battle or you can change it to something a little more relaxed. Even further, this mouse comes with an “Easy Shift” functionality, which allows you to create a secondary array of keys perfect for those of you playing games where you need to use a number of different skills at once. With MMO and MOBA in mind, this mouse was designed to function in all different settings of the gaming world. This mouse does come in on the heavier side, weighing 1 lb. However, with 3D printing capability, the Roccat Nyth makes it easy for gamers to design their own buttons and personalize their mouse to be the best it can be. This is definitely one of the most diverse and in the list of the best gaming mice in the world.
SteelSeries Sensei RAW
This is a newer gaming mouse that is already top rated and isn’t overly expensive. The Sensei RAW is a highly customizable mouse, with 8 button features that make it ideal for tournament play or to create a high-performance feel. It is very versatile and would be good use for any MOBA or even first-person-shooter action. The mouse comes equipped with a 32 bit ARM processor, which translates to the device having a high level of sensitivity when in use. With 16.8 million colors to choose from, Sensei RAW comes with a number of operations to illuminate your mouse, ranging from a solid to a fast pulse and a low, medium, or high intense of brightness. By having this many options, the gamer is better able to see images in a clear light and switch between profiles to know what is activated in their game. Compatible with both Windows and Mac OS X, the SteelSeries Sensei RAW is a gaming mouse for the masses and definitely a safe pick.
Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum
Logitech once again enters this best gaming mouse shopping guide, proving that it is one of the top computer gear brands in the world. With 11 buttons to program, the G502 Proteus Spectrums offers five DPI settings that allow you to switch quickly in fast-paced gaming situations. At 3.6 grams, this lightweight device provides a strong balance and comfortable design when in use for long periods of time. This helps if you are looking to increase reaction speed due to the hyper-fast scroll included with the customizable controls. Targeting accuracy is also improved thanks to a responsive optical sensor that zeroes in for maximum tracking while gaming. Finally, with RGB lighting, you can customize the style of your Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum by using up to 16.8 million colors. Keep it in breathing mode to be viewing the light patterns, or turn the colors off completely when you have finished your day in the gaming world.
Corsair M65 Pro
While this is considered to be a budget-friendly mouse for gaming, the M65 Pro is considered high quality for a great price. The 12,000 dpi sensor not only gives you pixel-precise tracking for ultimate accuracy, but also provides surface calibration that responds to your level of gaming and the surface it is working on. With an aircraft-grade aluminum structure and an advanced weight tuning system, this mouse proves to be not only lightweight but in tune with the surface’s center of gravity, increasing the level of play you are experiencing. The glide pads give you ease as you move with little effort, but leveled control for high accuracy. There are 8 buttons located on the mouse that maximize your strategy of play, including a high-mass scroll wheel for your fast-paced gaming lifestyle. Touted for its durability, the Corsair M65 Pro even comes with three zones of RGB backlighting that you can customize to make both the game, and the mouse, your own.
Razer Naga Epic Chroma
Last on our list, but certainly not one to overlook, is the Razer Naga Epic Chroma. A high-end gaming device, this mouse is designed with professional gamers in mind, offering exact precision and zero-acoustic ultra-slick feet for maximum control and no slips (which we’ve had happen before). Nothing is worse than mis-clicking on your opponent and losing the entire game for your team. With an 8,200 dpi 4G laser sensor, the Chroma matches all of your movements pixel-for-pixel, keeping up with the ultra-sensitive hyper-response buttons that are designed to offer you a quick rate of accuracy in all game play. Created with MMO gaming in mind, the mouse comes with 19 MMO-optimized buttons for enhanced play, including the 12 button thumb grid. Take it a step further by choosing between 16.8 million colors to personalize your thumb grid and scroll wheel, making this the best gaming mouse for the money. The Razer Naga Epic Chroma is built for Windows and Mac OS X, and equipped with a 20 hour battery life for continuous play.
