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Several computer mice on a table Credit: Reviewed / Simon Hill

The Best Gaming Mice of 2024

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Several computer mice on a table Credit: Reviewed / Simon Hill

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Editor's Choice Product image of Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro
Best Overall

Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro

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This wireless gaming mouse offers a pleasing blend of high-performance, thoughtful design, deep versatility, and great value. Read More

Pros

  • Lots of useful buttons
  • Customizable lighting
  • Comfortable

Cons

  • Best with palm grip
2
Editor's Choice Product image of SteelSeries Rival 3
Best Value

SteelSeries Rival 3

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All the essentials you need in a solid gaming mouse are present and correct in this affordable wired mouse. Read More

Pros

  • Customizable lighting
  • Programmable buttons

Cons

  • Wired
  • Relatively few buttons
3
Editor's Choice Product image of Cooler Master MM711
Best Ultra-Lightweight

Cooler Master MM711

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The Cooler Master MM711 features a compact, lightweight ambidextrous design that has features every gamer wants. Read More

Pros

  • Customized RGB lighting
  • Form factor

Cons

  • Wired
4
Editor's Choice Product image of Logitech G502 X Lightspeed

Logitech G502 X Lightspeed

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Logitech’s G520 X Lightspeed is a great all-around gaming mouse, a worthy upgrade to the G502, and a competitor to the pricier Razer V3 Basilisk Pro. Read More

Pros

  • Wide compatibility
  • Excellent battery life
  • Logitech G Hub software

Cons

  • RGB on the Pro model only
5
Product image of Razer Basilisk V3 Pro

Razer Basilisk V3 Pro

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The Razer Basilisk V3 Pro updates on the Basilisk Ultimate and competes with the Logitech G502 X Lightspeed but can’t beat it on value. Read More

Pros

  • Packed with features
  • Excellent customizability
  • Supremely comfortable

Cons

  • Expensive wireless charging dock
  • Dismal battery life with RGB
  • Best Overall Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro
  • Best Value SteelSeries Rival 3
  • Best Ultra-Lightweight Cooler Master MM711
  • Other Gaming Mice We Tested
  • How We Test Gaming Mice
  • What You Should Know About Gaming Mice
  • More Articles You Might Enjoy

The best gaming mice should give you an edge against other gamers. Along with a great keyboard and monitor, a great mouse can boost both your single-player and competitive performance.

The best gaming mouse should be a comfortable, capable companion that feels like an extension of your arm. Addressable RGB is now common, and software lets you remap the thumb buttons or fine-tune performance to the games you’re playing. The best gaming mice have high DPI sensors and an array of extra controls and side buttons without forgoing an ergonomic design.

Our top pick is the Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE (available at Amazon for $79.99) which strikes the perfect balance between comfort, customizability, performance, and price. Smooth wireless connectivity, great accuracy, and clever design combine to make this the best gaming mouse for most people. We tried dozens of mice to suit different budgets, every hand size, and every conceivable way you might hold your mouse, so read on to find the best gaming mouse for you.

A computer mouse on top of a table
Credit: Reviewed / Simon Hill

The Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro is our favorite wireless gaming mouse.

Best Overall
Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro

Comfort and grip are supreme with this full-featured, right-handed, wireless gaming mouse which packs in an impressive amount for the money. It’s quite large and weighty, so it’s best suited to larger hands.

There’s a textured surface for enhanced grip on your palm and a textured thumb rest on the left. You can remove the right-side panel to reveal a slot for the USB receiver and switch in a textured pinkie rest to keep your hand completely off the desktop. It’s incredibly comfortable to use for long periods.

Connectivity is seamless thanks to Corsair’s proprietary Slipstream technology, which can switch channels on the 2.4GHz frequency automatically. There’s also Bluetooth connectivity as a backup. This mouse handles frenetic in-game action with aplomb, boasting a sensor that goes up to 18,000 DPI with a 2,000 Hz polling rate.

There are eight programmable buttons you can remap or customize with shortcuts and macros. You’ll also find nine RGB lighting zones. Everything is configurable via Corsair’s iCue software, which can take time to master but proves to be very versatile, with deep customizability.

With a suggested battery life of up to 50 hours, the Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro has some stamina, though you’ll need to be in power-saving mode with lighting off to get close to that time. There’s a USB-C port, so you can always plug in and keep playing when the battery runs down. If you really want Qi wireless charging support, you can upgrade to the Dark Core Pro RGB SE.

You could buy Corsair’s MM1000 Qi Wireless Charging Mouse Pad at $34.99, or you can charge the mouse on any Qi wireless charging pad. Just know that the wireless option can tend to add more to the bottom line than we feel is worth it at most retailers.

Listing the features, the $69.99 price is currently unbeatable, especially if wireless charging isn't a big deal to you. At the end of our testing, this was the mouse we wanted to return to. The Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro offers everything you could want in a gaming mouse.

Pros

  • Lots of useful buttons

  • Customizable lighting

  • Comfortable

Cons

  • Best with palm grip

$79.99 from Amazon

$79.99 from Best Buy

$79.99 from Walmart
A computer mouse with glowing lights coming from the bottom
Credit: Reviewed / Simon Hill

The SteelSeries Rival 3 offers excellent performance for the money.

Best Value
SteelSeries Rival 3

Not everyone is willing to pay big bucks for a gaming mouse, and the SteelSeries Rival 3 proves you don’t have to. It’s a small, lightweight wired mouse for right-handers that’s perfect for a comfortable claw or fingertip grip. At just 77 grams, with a thin 6-foot cable, it’s very easy to maneuver, and the build quality is solid.

You’ll find six buttons here and three RGB lighting zones. Everything is configured via the SteelSeries Engine 3 software. The sensor in the Rival 3 tops out at a respectable 8,500 DPI and the polling rate goes up to 1,000 Hz. While it’s a tad small, there were no issues with accuracy.

The main attraction is the relatively low price. That’s a bargain for this kind of performance and while it lacks the bells and whistles of many of the other options here, we don’t think you’ll find anything better without spending a good bit more money. The SteelSeries Rival 3 is compatible with both Windows and macOS.

Pros

  • Customizable lighting

  • Programmable buttons

Cons

  • Wired

  • Relatively few buttons

$21.99 from Amazon

$21.99 from Best Buy

$29.99 from Abt

$29.99 from Walmart
A computer mouse next to a keyboard
Credit: Cooler Master

The Cooler Master MM711 features a compact, lightweight ambidextrous design.

Best Ultra-Lightweight
Cooler Master MM711

With many people looking for a quality gaming mouse at an affordable price, something like the Cooler Master MM711 proves gaming isn’t only for the super-rich. It features a compact, lightweight ambidextrous design that has features every gamer wants. This wired mouse weighs only 60 grams and has a durable 6-foot ultra weave cable and a honeycomb shell design to maximize performance and comfort.

While using the device for a long time, our tester’s hand never got tired or sweaty thanks to the unique ventilated design. The MM711’s ambidextrous design is also a blessing for left-handed gamers. However, if you are right-handed it’ll be easier for you to use the two fully customizable thumb buttons.

Other features of the Cooler Master MM711 gaming mouse include the 16,000 DPI optical sensor for minimal lag, little-to-no stuttering, and superior tracking. Coupled with the white PTFE (Teflon) feet, expect smooth control and precise targeting in any game you play.

The mouse is fully supported on both Windows and Mac, but Cooler Master’s MasterPlus+ software for configuring RGB colors and button profiles is PC-only.

The overall value of the Cooler Master MM711 gaming mouse is incredible. It costs a few dollars more than competitors like the SteelSeries Rival 3, but you get a device with better build quality, more RGB customization options, and an ambidextrous design. Plus you can easily use it as an everyday mouse in addition to gaming.

While the MM771 doesn’t pack some of the higher-end features you’ll find on something like the Logitech G502 X Lightspeed, there isn’t a better value for the price than with this mouse.

Pros

  • Customized RGB lighting

  • Form factor

Cons

  • Wired

Buy now at Amazon

$29.99 from Walmart

Other Gaming Mice We Tested

Product image of Logitech G502 X Lightspeed
Logitech G502 X Lightspeed

Logitech’s original G502 and G502 Lightspeed were some of the most capable gaming mice around. With a new generation of gamers looking for more advanced features, Logitech stepped it up with the G502 X Lightspeed.

It features a compact, lightweight design that hugs the curvature of your hand. This wireless mouse weighs a solid 99.7 grams and comes packed with a durable 6-foot cable to ensure you can recharge the built-in battery after a respectable 140 hours.

That long battery life stems from Logitech’s revamped LIGHTSPEED wireless technology and improved LIGHTFORCE hybrid optical-mechanical Switches. The company claims a 68% faster response rate when compared to the original G502 Lightspeed. This tech also helps enhance the life expectancy of the mouse by reducing mechanical wear.

It uses a 25,600 DPI optical sensor for minimal lag, little-to-no stuttering, and effortless tracking in games. The mouse also works across both Windows and Mac platforms thanks to Logitech’s G Hub software.

You can also create custom macros and load custom button profiles on a per-game basis, or download profiles from other players through G Hub.

There is no denying the G502 X Lightspeed improves on the original in every meaningful way, and Logitech also offers three varieties of revamped G502 X to fit every budget. In addition to the Lightspeed, the plain G502 X, which is wired-only, can be found for $80; if you want all of the benefits of wireless and RGB lighting, the G502 X Plus will run $160.

Regardless of which model you pick, you’ll end up with a comfortable, high-performance gaming mouse that will last for years to come.

Read our full review of the Logitech G502 X Lightspeed.

Pros

  • Wide compatibility

  • Excellent battery life

  • Logitech G Hub software

Cons

  • RGB on the Pro model only

$99.99 from Amazon

$129.99 from Best Buy

$121.00 from Walmart
Product image of Razer Basilisk V3 Pro
Razer Basilisk V3 Pro

The Razer Basilisk Ultimate is no longer Razer’s top-of-the-line gaming mouse, nor its most expensive. That honor goes to the Basilisk V3 Pro, an evolution of the Basilisk line that packs the latest internals into the same familiar form factor, but you’ll pay for the privilege. $160 to be exact—or $200 if you opt for the almost necessary Mouse Dock Pro, which combines a 4000Hz polling receiver with a wireless Qi charger.

Razer’s Basilisk V3 Pro keeps an identical look to the wired Basilisk V3 but bumps the sensor up from 26,000 DPI to 30,000, upgrades the optical switches to gen 3 (90 million versus 70 million clicks), and introduces 2.4GHz HyperSpeed wireless and Bluetooth connectivity.

It has 11 reprogrammable buttons, 13 individually programmable lighting zones, and the best scroll wheel we’ve ever tested. It can switch between tactile or free spinning at the touch of a button, and you can enable “Smart-Reel” in Razer Synapse to combine the best of both modes.

Apart from the high-quality sensor and customizability, the Basilisk V3 Pro is supremely comfortable. It easily glides thanks to the large PTFE feet on the bottom, and the styling is aggressive but comfortable. The flared pad provides a natural resting place for your thumb, and the diagonally sloped left and right mouse buttons seat your index and middle fingers without overhang.

Unfortunately, there are a number of flaws that keep the Basilisk V3 Pro from claiming the top spot on this list. The first is the price, considering the Razer Basilisk Ultimate can be had for $80. The wired Basilisk V3 non-Pro is available for even less.

The battery life is also a killer. Razer claims 90 hours, but that’s without RGB enabled. If you turn it on, expect a fraction of that figure. Still, if you’re willing to pay up, the V3 Pro is a powerful gaming mouse worth considering.

Read our full review of the Razer Basilisk V3 Pro here.

Pros

  • Packed with features

  • Excellent customizability

  • Supremely comfortable

Cons

  • Expensive wireless charging dock

  • Dismal battery life with RGB

$157.32 from Amazon

$158.99 from Best Buy

$159.99 from Abt

$159.98 from Walmart
Product image of Corsair Ironclaw RGB
Corsair Ironclaw RGB

With a sharp, angular style, three RGB lighting zones, and ten programmable buttons, the Corsair Ironclaw RGB is a versatile gaming mouse. It boasts an attractive design and excellent build quality. It’s big and tall with a pronounced peak and textured grip on the sides.

It will suit palm grips best, though fingertip or claw grips are possible for those with larger hands. At 130 grams, it is quite heavy, so it might not suit FPS fanatics. It’s also for right-handed players only.

The Corsair Ironclaw RGB is a wireless mouse and can connect using Corsair’s 2.4GHz Slipstream technology, which jumps channels automatically to keep you seamlessly connected. It feels very responsive and we didn’t encounter any lag. There’s also Bluetooth support and you also have the option of plugging in via the charging cable for a wired connection.

A customizable DPI goes up to 18,000 for extreme accuracy, and your current level is displayed on the side via three LEDs.

To get the best from the Ironclaw RGB, you’ll want to install Corsair’s iCue software. This allows you to set up lighting effects; map keys, shortcuts, and macros to buttons; choose your DPI presets, and a host of other specifics to get the right feel for you. We didn’t like the defaults, but after fiddling around with iCue, we began to appreciate the Ironclaw. You can set up profiles for different games and there’s onboard storage for three profiles.

Two hours of charging give you 16 hours of battery life when connected via Slipstream with the lighting on. Considering the versatility, top-notch wireless connectivity, and a long list of features on offer here, the price tag feels reasonable.

Pros

  • Lots of useful buttons

  • Customizable lighting

Cons

  • Best for large hands

  • No wireless charging

$59.99 from Amazon

$62.45 from Walmart
Product image of Glorious Model O Wireless
Glorious Model O Wireless

Weighing in at just 69 grams, the wireless Glorious Model O is an absolute dream for gamers with a need for speed. Ultra-lightweight gaming mice have been growing in popularity as they allow for quick fluid movements with the minimum of effort, which is especially important in first-person shooter games where every millisecond counts.

Combine that low weight with incredible sensitivity up to 19,000 DPI and PTFE feet for minimal friction on any surface, and you have a dangerously fast gaming mouse.

To keep the weight down, the Glorious Model O has a shell with a honeycomb design which also looks seriously cool. The hexagonal holes reduce the weight and encourage airflow, but also let in dust and dirt. There’s RGB lighting with three separate zones you can customize via the Glorious Core software, which also allows you to create profiles for different games and configure the six programmable buttons.

You may worry about durability with something this light, but the Glorious Model O stands up to long gaming sessions and the Omron mechanical switches are good for 20 million clicks. Battery life can be pushed to 72 hours with lighting turned off, but you also get a flexible, lightweight cable to plug into the USB-C port when the power runs out.

The Glorious Model O Wireless is one of our favorite ultra-lightweight mice, and you can save considerably if you opt for the wired version instead.

If you want to go as light as possible, Glorious recently released the wired Model O Minus at 58 grams. But at 69 grams we think the Model O Wireless will be light enough for most people. It’s still almost effortless to use and very comfortable.

The original Model O Wireless has been succeeded by the Glorious Model O 2 Wireless, but don’t let that stop you from picking up the original, especially if you find it on sale.

Pros

  • Wireless

  • Very lightweight

  • Customizable lighting

Cons

  • No Bluetooth

  • No dongle storage

Buy now at Amazon
Product image of Corsair Katar Elite Wireless
Corsair Katar Elite Wireless

The Corsair Katar Elite Wireless doesn’t take many risks, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t shine. With its simple 6-button design and an ergonomic shape that encourages a nimble claw grip, it also packs in a 26,000 DPI Marksman sensor that precisely tracks your every movement.

At only 69 grams, the Corsair Katar Elite Wireless is lightweight and its large PTFE skates let it glide across soft and hard surfaces. It’s a Goldilocks mouse, not too big and not too small.

Under the hood, the Katar Elite Wireless pairs Corsair’s latest optical sensor with a 2,000 Hz polling rate, making it twice as fast as many of the mice on this list. It also uses high-quality OMRON switches that Corsair says have reduced travel for faster clicks, though they didn’t feel too different in our testing. The buttons are also programmable using Corsair’s iCUE software.

One of the biggest features for its price point is the dual-mode wireless connectivity. With a flip of a switch on the bottom of the mouse, you can swap between Corsair’s 2.4GHz Slipstream Wireless mode or Bluetooth.

The battery life on the Katar Elite Wireless is good at 110 hours over Bluetooth and 60 hours over 2.4GHz but falls short of competitors like the no-frills Logitech G305 at half the price.

At this price, the Katar Elite Wireless is a solid pick for a wireless gaming mouse for competitive shooters and throwing in a bag for work on the go.

Read our full review of the Katar Elite Wireless here.

Pros

  • High-resolution sensor

  • Lightweight with smooth gliding

  • Wide wireless connectivity

Cons

  • Claw grip only

  • Mediocre battery life

  • Can cause early fatigue

$79.99 from Amazon

$79.99 from Target

$44.00 from Walmart
Product image of Razer DeathAdder v2 Mini
Razer Deathadder V2 Mini

Easily one of the best gaming mice available, Razer’s 62-gram Deathadder V2 is a popular pick for gamers of all kinds. The Deathadder V2 Mini takes most of what’s great about the design and shrinks it down for smaller hands. Razer has managed to shave a fraction of an inch from the width and height and shed one of the buttons next to the mouse wheel, but the Mini retains the same shape.

The Razer Deathadder V2 Mini comes with optional grips that you can change if you feel the need. The response time is 0.2 milliseconds, there are six programmable buttons, and the DPI sensor goes up to 8,500. That’s a long way short of the regular Deathadder V2 which tops out at 20,000 DPI. Still, the Mini is very responsive and accurate for first-person shooting and third-person action.

Like most of Razer’s wares, the Deathadder V2 Mini can be customized via the Synapse software. It also supports Razer Chroma RGB, so you can choose preset lighting effects or create your own if you have the patience to work through the editor.

Some of the scaled-down elements of the Deathadder V2 Mini are more pleasing than others, but the best is the lower price. It’s extremely cheap and can be found new for under $20.

Pros

  • Customizable lighting

  • Programmable buttons

  • Very light

Cons

  • Wired

  • Best for small hands

Buy now at Amazon

How We Test Gaming Mice

The Testers

Simon Hill has more than a decade of experience reviewing all sorts of consumer technology. Before he was a writer, he worked as a game designer for many years and had a serious first-person shooter habit. He works on a computer all day and often plays games long into the night, so a good gaming mouse is essential to him.

Matthew Prunty is a freelance gaming and tech journalist with over a decade of writing experience covering everything from video game hard and software to smartphones and PC hardware. For over a decade, he has owned and operated his own multimedia website, Gaming Evolution, where he wrote features, reviews, conducted interviews, roundups, and more.

The Tests

Every gaming mouse was tested for at least three days. We worked through a normal day with each mouse, writing, researching, and running through typical administrative tasks. At night, each mouse was put through its paces in marathon gaming sessions with a range of different titles, including first-person shooters, real-time strategy games, and more sedate management sims.

What You Should Know About Gaming Mice

How to Choose a Gaming Mouse

  • Wired vs. Wireless: The debate between wired and wireless gaming mice used to be straightforward, with wired mice preferred by gamers looking to eliminate any lag between muscle movement and onscreen action. Nowadays, the top wireless mice offer seamless connectivity and no perceptible lag.

The lack of a cable makes them easier to move around without any drag or snags, but the trade-off is that their batteries add heft, and they inevitably need to be charged up from time to time. Some high-end gaming mice offer wireless charging, and you can even snag a wireless charging mouse mat.

  • Size, weight, and feel: Choosing the right size and weight for you is all about how a mouse feels in hand, so it’s a good idea to test them out before you buy whenever possible. Many gaming mice are right-handed only, so southpaws will have a more limited choice. You’ll want to take your preferred grip style into account.

  • Programmable buttons: All gaming mice offer buttons that can be remapped using the manufacturer’s software. Many of them offer extra buttons to change the DPI on the fly, but you can also map additional buttons to specific shortcuts or create macros that trigger a series of actions with a single button press.

Your gaming habits figure here. Sometimes you’ll also find specialist inclusions like a sniper paddle or button that can be depressed to drop the DPI temporarily for accurate aiming.

  • Customizable lighting: RGB lighting seems to be a standard feature in gaming mice now. It’s easy to turn off if you don’t care for it, but if you like to enhance your gaming with a light show then you should check the manufacturer’s software and see how many customizable lighting zones your prospective mouse has and where they are.

  • Portability: If you plan to take your gaming mouse on the road, then you might want the ability to store customized button or lighting profiles onboard. The top gaming mice have memory for a few profiles. For wireless mice, you should also check that there’s a compartment to store the USB receiver in.

Terms You Should Know

  • DPI: Dots Per Inch is the number of pixels your cursor can move across per inch of movement from your hand. While you may assume higher is better, it depends on your preferences, screen resolution, and the game you’re playing. A good gaming mouse will offer several preset DPI levels and make it easy for you to switch as required.

  • Grip styles: Palm, Claw, and Fingertip are the three main grip styles you’ll hear about. Most people have a preferred grip style, but it’s not uncommon to change your grip for different games. Generally, larger, heavier mice favor a palm grip while smaller, lighter mice work well with a fingertip grip.

  • Polling rate: This refers to how often your mouse is checking its position and reporting it to your computer and is measured in Hertz (Hz). A polling rate of 1,000 Hz indicates that your mouse is reporting its position 1,000 times per second. If you like to use a high DPI, then you’ll want a high polling rate to go with it.


Meet the testers

Simon Hill

Simon Hill

Contributor

@IamSimonHill

Simon Hill is a freelance technology journalist with a decade of writing experience covering everything from smartphones to smart home gadgets. For the last few years, he served as Associate Editor at Digital Trends where he wrote features, reviews, analysis, how-tos, and more.

See all of Simon Hill's reviews
Matthew Prunty

Matthew Prunty

Contributor

@MatthewLPrunty

Matthew Prunty is a freelance gaming and tech journalist with over a decade of writing experience covering everything from video games hard and software to smartphones and PC hardware.

See all of Matthew Prunty's reviews

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