Greatest PC gaming mice 2022: Opinions and shopping for recommendation

If you wish to be aggressive in PC video games as of late you’ll be able to overlook about utilizing a run-of-the-mill workplace mouse. As a substitute, you’ll want a robust machine that’s optimized only for gaming.

Producers go to nice pains to design specialist units that give gamers an edge, with enhancements like distinctive physique dimensions and shapes, customizable weight, and additional grips to extend velocity and accuracy. On prime of that, the perfect gaming mice have distinctive {hardware} enhancements like extremely delicate sensors and complicated button configurations to maintain up with quick paced video games.

Deciding on the proper mouse is a extremely private determination that wants cautious consideration. Elements like the scale and form of your hand, your most well-liked grip type, the forms of video games you play, and the variety of buttons you want, are all elements that you just’ll wish to ponder in your quest for the perfect gaming mouse.

Under you’ll discover a listing of tried-and-tested units chosen by PCWorld reviewers that sit among the many vanguard of gaming mice. For a rundown on how they have been chosen and additional shopping for recommendation, learn our useful recommendation beneath our listing of suggestions.

1. Logitech G502 Hero – Greatest wired gaming mouse / Greatest total

Professionals

• Extremely comfy
• Buttons now rated for 50 million clicks
• Hero sensor performs in addition to the PWM3366

Cons

• Costlier than the earlier mannequin, however not a lot has modified
• Pretty heavy, which could dissuade some customers
• Nonetheless no wi-fi choice

Logitech’s G502 mouse has gained a legendary standing right here at PCWorld by making our ‘Better of’ listing yearly for the final 4 years, hitting the proper notes for energy, consolation, and sturdiness. Below the hood the G502 is powered by a really correct Logitech Hero sensor, whose exact efficiency is extremely wanted by critical players.

Within the design division, it affords up dollops of consolation with an elongated pill-shaped physique and excessive scoop that’s equally appropriate for palm, claw, or fingertip customers. MMO and MOBA players are effectively catered to with 11 well-placed buttons that reply shortly and are rated for as much as 50 million clicks. Admittedly, the mouse’s 121 gram weight doesn’t make it the lightest choice out there, however but it feels and performs simply in addition to lighter alternate options.

Learn our full
Logitech G502 Hero review

2. Mad Catz R.A.T. 8+ – Greatest gaming mouse for tinkerers

Professionals

• Eminently customizable
• Makes use of a dependable PMW3389 sensor
• Feels sturdy

Cons

• Customization choices aren’t all the time intuitive
• Heavy, even with the weights eliminated
• Laborious to know whether or not Mad Catz peripherals are the extra dependable these days

The Mad Catz R.A.T 8+ is about as customizable as gaming mice come, that includes a modular design that means that you can change up its element elements precisely as you want to discover your superb mouse form and weight. Doing so requires you to tug discrete levers and switch knobs built-in into the mouse’s physique, so there’s a reasonably steep studying curve earlier than you recognize what you’re doing.

Nonetheless, when you love tinkering, this mouse will maintain you entertained for hours at a time. It additionally doesn’t skimp within the button division, offering 10 buttons all informed, oriented in some fairly authentic positions for additional comfort. With a stripped-back, bare-bones look, the Mad Catz R.A.T 8+ additionally stands out within the crowd, making it an apparent speaking level at any group gaming classes.

3. SteelSeries Aerox 9 Wi-fi – Greatest wi-fi / Greatest for MOBA and MMO video games

Professionals

• 18 simply programmable buttons
• Weighs solely 89 grams
• Fast and responsive
• Twin Bluetooth 5.0 and a pair of.4GHz wi-fi

Cons

• Some buttons on the aspect grid are exhausting to achieve

The extra buttons, the heavier and slower gaming mice are usually, however the SteelSereis Aerox 9 bucks this development with a whopping 18 buttons and weighing simply 89 grams. For sure, having 18 buttons at your disposal somewhat than 6, 8 or 12, offers you a little bit extra firepower to launch instructions and macros in video games the place fast deployment is required—particularly in MMOs and MOBAs like The Elder Scrolls On-line or Closing Fantasy XIV.

On prime of the beneficiant button choice, the Aerox 9 incorporates a fast 18,000 DPI sensor and twin 2.4GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, so it’s extremely versatile and moveable. Design-wise, the Aerox 9 appears and feels unbelievable because of a futuristic honeycomb-shaped again with RGB lighting. Moreover, because it weighs underneath 100 grams, it’s quick sufficient to maintain you aggressive in first-person shooters.

Learn our full
SteelSeries Aerox 9 Wireless review

4. Razer Basilisk V3 – Greatest mouse wheel / Greatest for scrolling

Professionals

• The Razer Focus + sensor offers faultless efficiency
• Scrolling is made less complicated with the HyperScroll Tilt Wheel
• The RGB lighting appears unbelievable

Cons

• It is fairly heavy and ponderous
• You are restricted to wired connectivity solely

The Basilisk V3 resembles the Razer Basilisk V2 in dimension and form, sporting comparable right-handed curves and a barely arched thumb relaxation. Amongst its finest options are an 11 button structure, 26,000 DPI Razer Focus+ sensor, and second-generation Razer optical switches which are quick sufficient for every kind of gaming—whether or not that’s informal or critical. However the actual magic lies within the Basilisk V3’s HyperScroll Tilt Wheel, which is a flowery identify for its mouse wheel. This tilts in 4 instructions and triggers downwards to place 5 instructions at your fingertips, superb for tactical FPS video games like Rainbow Six.

Impressively, the HyperScroll Tilt Wheel additionally has additional AI scrolling modes that make your scrolling and looking rather a lot simpler. In our testing we loved toggling between “Tactile” and “Free-Spin” modes, which allowed us to modify between a sluggish, exact scrolling motion and a sooner, smoother scrolling motion that was helpful for attending to the top of lengthy web sites extra simply.

Learn our full
Razer Basilisk V3 review

5. HyperX Pulsefire Haste Wi-fi – Greatest for esports / first-person shooters

Professionals

• Weighs simply 61 grams
• Has a extremely correct sensor
• Design is comfy and aids efficiency

Cons

• Lacks Bluetooth
• Button configuration is uninteresting
• Has just one RGB lighting zone

Should you’re merely a great gamer HyperX’s Pulsefire Haste Wi-fi is the form of mouse that may elevate you to the standing of excellence. Weighing simply 61 grams, it’s the lightest and quickest mouse I’ve had the pleasure of gaming with, feeling barely-there in my palms.

Simply trying on the specs, you’d be mistaken for pondering its PAW3355 16,000 DPI sensor is a little bit underpowered—it’s not, proving extremely correct in shooters like Overwatch and CounterStrike: World Offensive, particularly with the DPI profile set to the bottom setting. Different issues that make this mouse a category act embody its fast 2.4GHz wi-fi connectivity, futuristic and cozy honeycomb-shaped again, and the additional grips and PTFE glide skates that come provided within the field.

Learn our full
HyperX Pulsefire Haste Wireless review

6. Cooler Grasp MM830 – Greatest price range gaming mouse

Professionals

• Extremely comfy and sturdy
• High-tier efficiency, with a PMW3360 sensor
• You may put a gun in your mouse, I assume

Cons

• D-pad is essentially the identical as another thumb buttons
• OLED display is superfluous at finest
• PWM3360 cranked to 24,000 DPI for no motive

The MM830 differentiates itself from different price range gaming mice with enjoyable options like a built-in D-pad and tiny OLED show that you could set as much as present info like your RAM, CPU, and GPU utilization stats. However trying past these novelties, it additionally performs effectively in video games, which is infinitely extra essential. Powering that efficiency is a top-end 24,000 DPI PMW3360 sensor, which for comparability’s sake, is identical because the premium Logitech Hero sensor simply with a better energy draw.

On prime of the mouse’s physique the MM830’s sports activities a textured plastic exterior that gives loads of grip on your hand. A mild right-hand scoop additionally makes it extremely cozy to make use of even for lengthy gaming stints.

Learn our full
Cooler Master MM830 review

7. Logitech G203 LightSync – Greatest ultra-budget gaming mouse

Professionals

• A cushty design that resembles dearer esports mice
• Sturdy and well-built
• The RGB lighting actually pops

Cons

• Some sensor lag was skilled with giant, quick actions
• The sensor’s lift-off distance is larger than some mice
• The RGB brand on the highest is not customizable

Few units provide as a lot bang for buck as this wired RGB gaming mouse that mixes consolation, type and respectable efficiency however and not using a hefty price ticket. The Logitech G203 resembles dearer esports mice with its easy 6-button configuration, small physique and ambidextrous form, however regardless of being considerably cheaper than rivals, it nonetheless feels sturdy and well-built. The G203’s 8,000 DPI sensor isn’t the quickest you’ll discover, however for causal players it’s nonetheless a greater than ample performer that tracks precisely.

The G203 isn’t missing type both. It incorporates a signature rounded again design with colourful RGB band and Logitech brand that lights up your gaming den with pops of colour. The RGB band can also be customizable within the Logitech G Hub app, with the choice to personalize three separate lighting zones.

Learn our full
Logitech G203 LightSync review

8. ROCCAT Kone XP – Greatest RGB gaming mouse

Professionals

• Gorgeous RGB lighting that lights up the entire prime part
• The Owl-Eye sensor is extremely correct and highly effective
• The 15 buttons may be personalized with as much as 29 features

Cons

• The button structure may be complicated earlier than you get the cling of it
• Some players might not just like the daring RGB
• The supporting Swarm software program might do with an replace

There are abnormal RGB gaming mice after which there’s the wired ROCCAT Kone XP whose dazzling RGB lighting is one thing else. Extra exactly, it options eight inside lighting “pipelines” powered by 22 particular person LEDs that diffuse gentle all through the mouse’s clear plastic prime. That a lot RGB is a daring assertion that you just’re both going to like or hate. However both manner, it’s exhausting to disclaim the Kone XP factors for originality.

Regardless of its flashiness, the ROCCAT Kone XP can also be a really succesful performer in video games. It sports activities a 15-button structure—programmable to 29 features—that makes it superb for MMO, RPG, and RTS gaming, the place you’ll be able to hardly ever have sufficient choices for instructions. What’s extra, a 19,000 DPI Owl-Eye optical sensor and fast optical switches make sure the Kone XP is suitably quick and responsive when you must fireplace off instructions shortly and precisely.

Learn our full
ROCCAT Kone XP review

9. Razer DeathAdder V2 X Hyperspeed – Greatest dual-purpose gaming and productiveness mouse

Professionals

• Comfy, ergonomic design
• Twin Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity
• Lengthy battery life

Cons

• No RGB lighting
• Barely slower than top-shelf gaming mice

The Razer DeathAdder V2 X Hyperspeed combines options for gaming in addition to productiveness, making it superb for each. Within the boardroom it syncs stealthily with its environment because of an all-black design with no RGB lighting zones. However beneath its modest exterior it hides a extremely delicate 14,000 DPI sensor, which is a strong performer in AAA video games.

Twin 2.4GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity enables you to change between your gaming PC and work laptop computer simply by flicking a change beneath the mouse’s physique. In contrast to some gaming mice, the Razer DeathAdder V2 X Hyperspeed is powered by both an AA or AAA battery, making it ultraportable. It will possibly keep powered a whopping 235 hours in Wi-Fi mode and 615 hours in Bluetooth mode simply on a single AA battery.

Learn our full
DeathAdder V2 X Hyperspeed review

10. SteelSeries Rival 650 – Greatest rechargeable wi-fi gaming mouse

Professionals

• Get 10 hours of cost in solely quarter-hour
• Comfy and enticing design
• Detachable weight system offers loads of choices

Cons

• Heavier than some may like
• Costly
• Third thumb button is small and awkwardly positioned

Two options stand out to make the SteelSeries Rival 650 a best choice for players. The primary is a twin sensor system comprised of a TrueMove 3 sensor and a devoted depth sensor. The depth sensor permits the Rival 650 to detect lift-off at a distance as small as half a millimeter, which is double the sensitivity of rival gaming mice. For sure, when you’re liable to lifting, the Rival 650 ought to assist regular your purpose.

The second characteristic highlighted by our PCWorld reviewer is its fast-charging functionality that will get you again gaming sooner when the battery runs out. SteelSeries claims simply quarter-hour charging time is sufficient to energy the mouse for 10 (or extra) hours of battery. On prime of those two helpful improvements the Rival 650 sports activities a chic design that permits you to peel of the left and proper aspect panels and modify it to your most well-liked weight.

Learn our full
SteelSeries Rival 650 review

How we take a look at gaming mice

To make sure that our gaming mice choices are the choose of the crop, the PCWorld crew topics them to intensive play testing in addition to a legion of different assessments. We scrutinize every part from how effectively a mouse carry out in video games, to the scale and form of it within the hand, to consolation and ergonomics, to customizations. Listed here are the principle classes our assessments fall underneath:

• Gaming efficiency: On the finish of the day it doesn’t matter how a mouse appears; it’s the way it performs that issues. To judge a mouse’s efficiency we glance particularly at how delicate and responsive its sensor is and likewise how effectively the sensor tracks motion. Precision can also be a key consideration, with mice which are extra correct typically scoring higher in our evaluations than people who aren’t. In wi-fi mice we additionally consider the velocity and power of the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth indicators, maintaining a glance out for crimson flags like sign dropouts or interference. Some mice additionally include software program enhancements that decide the mouse’s lift-off distance, which we additionally study in our testing.
• Design and ergonomics: You received’t discover one other tech machine for which design performs a extra essential a part of a consumer’s expertise. And, whereas it’s true that there’s nobody form, dimension, or configuration that matches each gamer, there’s sufficient variation on the market for each gamer to search out their very own good match. When design, we think about the scale and form of the machine itself and the kind of hand it suits. Players have a tendency to make use of considered one of three frequent grip sorts—palm, claw, or fingertip—so a mouse’s compatibility with one or all of these sorts is a giant consideration.
• Software program: With the ability to tweak settings like your mouse’s DPI and polling charge and create particular profiles on your favourite video games could make or break your gaming expertise, which is why a mouse’s software program assist is so essential. Our PCWorld reviewers’ focus right here is to contemplate the vary and scope of software program assist and the way readily settings may be modified, modified, and saved for future use.

What to search for in a gaming mouse

Connectivity: Wired versus wi-fi?

It was once typically effectively accepted that wired gaming mice had the sting over their wi-fi counterparts, offering players with a a lot sooner and extra correct sign between mice and PCs. Nonetheless, that’s much less true than it was once because of the recognition of two.4GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wi-fi applied sciences, which have virtually levelled the enjoying area.

I say virtually, as a result of there’s no denying that wired gaming mice nonetheless ship the quickest and most safe connections you will get. That mentioned, whether or not or not you select one sort over the opposite ought to come all the way down to your gaming priorities.

Should you’re a critical aggressive gamer or esports participant, the place successful or shedding sits on a knife’s edge, choosing a wired mouse over a wi-fi one is an efficient determination, because it’s much less doubtless a sign dropout or interference will disrupt your play. Each aggressive edge counts. Nonetheless, wi-fi mice are infinitely extra moveable and can help you change between units at a whim, so if nimbleness and portability is extra essential, a wi-fi mouse will probably be a greater match.

What dimension and form ought to I get?

Fingers, identical to gaming mice, are available in all completely different sizes and shapes and for consolation causes it pays to match like with like. Whereas categorizing sizes of palms may be extremely subjective, likelihood is you’ll be capable of guess whether or not your hand is on common small, medium, or giant. You may then discover a mouse that most closely fits from among the many dimension classes beneath:

• Small gaming mouse: Size: Lower than 6.7 inches; width: 2.9 to three.3 inches
• Medium gaming mouse: Size: 6.7 to 7.9 inches; width: 3.3 to three.9 inches
• Massive gaming mouse: Size: 7.9 inches; width: 3.9 to 4.3 inches

Gaming mice typically are available in three shapes: left-handed, right-handed, and ambidextrous. Ambidextrous mice are designed to be impartial in that they are often simply as simply utilized by your left or proper hand. Alternatively, left-handed and right-handed mice are tailored for the dominant palms specified by their namesakes, typically sporting bespoke curves and button placements for one or the opposite. Until you turn between palms, utilizing a gaming mouse that matches your dominant hand will go a protracted method to enhancing your efficiency and luxury.

Your most well-liked grip sort also needs to be thought-about when deciding on a suitably formed mouse. Right here’s a tough information for matching grip sorts with mouse shapes:

• Palm grip: Lengthy, flat mice are usually a greater match and extra comfy
• Claw grip: Narrower and smaller mice are likely to swimsuit this grip type
• Fingertip grip: Lighter mice are sometimes most well-liked by fingertip grippers to scale back pressure

How gentle ought to my mouse be?

Gaming mice weights have been steadily trending downwards over time as gamers search for lighter choices which are faster to maneuver and forestall arms and wrists getting overly drained or sore in lengthy play classes. FPS (first-person shooter) players particularly are likely to go for the lightest mice doable, seeing each millisecond of velocity benefit as value chasing.

Regardless of this, there’s no superb gaming mouse weight for all players, however somewhat a deeply private desire. In truth, some players—typically these with bigger palms or stronger arms—really want heavier mice for the additional stability they get. Nonetheless if you’re a type of in search of the lightest mouse doable, something underneath 100 grams will probably be among the many lightest in the marketplace.

Does DPI actually matter?

Your mouse’s sensor is the important {hardware} element that relays motion to your PC. Mice sensors are rated for DPI, or dots per inch, which tells us how far a cursor strikes per inch of mouse motion—that’s, how delicate it’s. Producers actually hype up the significance of excessive DPIs, which generally is a bit deceptive as a result of they don’t essentially equate to higher gaming efficiency (they will, however not in all circumstances).

For instance, when you play a whole lot of FPS and need the very best accuracy whereas focusing on opponents, a decrease DPI (between 800-1,000) is preferable, since this lets you make brief, sharp, and exact actions extra simply. Nonetheless, when you make a whole lot of large, sweeping hand actions, or in case your show is a really excessive decision, a mouse with a excessive DPI (between 12,000-30,000 DPI) may be a bonus.

The beauty of most fashionable gaming mice is that they will change between DPI profiles simply by clicking a small button behind the mouse wheel. That mentioned, our recommendation is to go for a gaming mouse with the very best DPI your price range permits, after which select your most well-liked setting for various gaming eventualities through the use of this useful DPI-switching characteristic.

Is an optical or laser sensor higher?

Optical sensors are the preferred with players since they have a tendency to have much less jitter and smoothing issues. These sensors work by casting down infrared or LED gentle onto your mousepad and capturing hundreds of digital photos per second, that then reveals the exact location of the mouse to the PC.

However, laser sensors use a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser diode to find out positioning. Most often an optical sensor will do exactly superb. Nonetheless, when you plan on utilizing your mouse on a translucent floor (like glass), a laser sensor is preferable since it can have higher sensitivity to quite a lot of floor textures.

Button rely: What number of do I would like?

The kind of video games you play ought to enable you to decide what number of buttons you want. For instance, when you’re a giant fan of actual time technique (RTS), role-playing video games (RPG), or massively multiplayer on-line (MMOs) video games, you’d be we’ll suggested to decide on a mouse with between 10 and18 buttons—just like the Razer Naga Professional or the SteelSeries Aerox 9. These video games sometimes require you to fireside off a whole lot of instructions shortly, so the extra buttons you need to program instructions and macros in, the higher.

On the flipside, if FPS is your go-to sport sort, you’ll most likely wish to maintain your button rely to between 6 and eight buttons. Chances are high you received’t want the upper button-count on your smaller listing of instructions. Plus, buttons have a tendency to extend a mouse’s weight, so choosing a mouse with fewer will more than likely imply it’s lighter and faster to maneuver within the frantic FPS motion.

RGB lighting or no?

RGB lighting is a enjoyable characteristic to have in any gaming machine that may brighten up your gaming den with pops of colour. It can be fairly helpful, permitting you to see your machine higher in dimly lit rooms or at evening. And but, there could also be occasions if you choose to make use of a mouse that has solely a minimal RGB, or none in any respect.

The most typical instance is when you plan on utilizing your gaming mouse covertly at work. On this case, mice just like the Razer DeathAdder V2 X Hyperspeed, that haven’t any RGB lighting zones and may convincingly go as customary black workplace mice, are superb as a result of your colleagues will probably be none the wiser.