With hundreds of different types of gaming mouse to pick from these days, finding the best gaming mouse can sometimes feel like an impossible task. Fortunately, my best gaming mouse guide is here to help. I’ve gathered together all my best gaming mouse recommendations from across the spectrum, ranging from super cheap budget gaming mice, to the best fancy wireless mice.
I’ve also picked out the best gaming mice for different hand sizes, too, as some people might prefer a nice small, light gaming mouse, while others are after heavy-duty palm hoggers. I’ve also picked out the best ambidextrous gaming mice for those of you who are left-handed, too. Whatever you’re looking for, every mouse on my best gaming mouse list comes with the full RPS seal of approval.
Best gaming mouse 2019
So what makes a best gaming mouse? For me, comfort is high on the list, but flexibility is another key consideration, such as whether that’s a wide sensitivity or DPI (dots per inch) range, or multiple, configurable buttons. That said, sometimes less is more. Just because a mouse has a DPI range up in the 10,000s doesn’t mean it’s necessarily better than one with a maximum of 7200. Generally, anything above 3000 DPI is so blisteringly quick you’d need bionic eyes to keep track of it anyway. The same goes for buttons. Instead, it’s all about how you can make the most of what the mouse has to offer.
I’m also not too worried about what type of sensor a mouse has, either. Some people might be able to tell the difference between one kind of sensor and another, such as how much lift-off one has or the kind of acceleration and deceleration speeds you can expect when you put the mouse back down again, but for me they’re all much of a muchness – especially when it comes to gaming. As such, my best gaming mouse picks focus less on the sensor and more on what you can actually do with them.
Best gaming mouse: Roccat Kain 120
The Roccat Kain 120 is one of the loveliest gaming mice I’ve used in ages. Not only does it feel soft and smooth to the touch thanks to Roccat’s new anti-wear coating, but the Titan Switches sitting underneath its right and left click buttons are also fast, firm and super precise.
It’s a brilliant mouse to use for gaming and everyday tasks alike, and its central DPI button gives you five different speeds to choose from. You also get six programmable buttons with it, too – or eight if you include the up and down scroll functions – but thanks to Roccat’s Easy Shift+ feature, each button can also hold a second button assignment as well, which technically gives you a total of 16 different commands overall.
Its 89g chassis is very lightweight as well, and its right-handed design is comfortable for all sorts of grip types, making this a very hard mouse to beat. If the Kain 120 is a smidge too expensive for you, though, then cast your eyes down to my next best gaming mouse, the Corsair Ironclaw RGB.
Read more in our Roccat Kain 120 review.
Best budget gaming mouse: Steelseries Rival 110 and HyperX Pulsefire Core
For those with less money to spend, the entry-level Steelseries Rival 110 and HyperX Pulsefire Core both great value gaming mice. The main reason why I’ve included two mice in this slot is because they’re both good at things the other isn’t. The HyperX is more flexible and lets you do a lot more with it, but I reckon the Steelseries has better build quality. They’re both still good gaming mice for the money, though, so it really comes down to what you prioritise most.
Both are reasonably small, which is perfect for my spindly fingers, but they’re also exceedingly light, making them feel lovely and smooth to move round your mouse mat. I don’t have anything against larger mice, but they can be more of a chore to move quickly.
They also have two extra side-buttons on the left hand side of the mouse, which can be configured to all sorts of different functions. These include keyboard buttons, macros and media controls, and in the case of the HyperX Pulsefire Core, a dedicated DPI clutch / sniper button that lowers the mouse’s speed to whatever setting you like for as long as you hold it down – handy, if you’re into online competitive shooter games.
The Pulsefire Core also lets you switch between five different customisable DPI speeds, while the Rival 110 limits you to just two. Still, even that’s an improvement on some of the other mice you can buy for this kind of money – including HyperX’s own Pulsefire FPS, which only lets you switch between fixed DPI speeds and doesn’t offer any customisation whatsoever.
Read more in our Steelseries Rival 110 review and HyperX Pulsefire Core review.
Best wireless gaming mouse: Logitech G Pro Wireless
The Logitech G Pro Wireless is hands down the best gaming mouse I’ve ever used, wireless or otherwise. It’s expensive, yes, but wireless gaming mice often are, and this really is the absolute cream of the crop. It’s wonderfully agile and super comfy to use, and weighs an almost impossibly light 80g. That’s practically unheard of in wireless gaming mouse circles, and when you combine that featherlight nothingness with Logitech’s super fast Lightspeed wireless tech and its brilliant Hero 16K sensor, the Pro Wireless definitely feels like £130 / $150 worth of gaming mouse.
It may not have a central DPI button like every other gaming mouse on the planet (it’s actually on the bottom of the mouse, for some incomprehensible reason), but Logitech’s intuitive Gaming Software tool gives you plenty of flexibility when it comes to customising its various buttons to suit your gaming habits. Whether you’re right or left-handed, you’ve got loads of options here, including being able to change your DPI or sensitivity setting on the fly for as long as you hold down your chosen button.
The Pro Wireless is also one of the most tasteful gaming mice I’ve ever seen. Its smooth, simple curves are accented by a single zone of RGB lighting over its G logo on the rear of the mouse, and that’s it. Not jaunty angles, no glossy flourishes; just good old-fashioned design that doesn’t make you want to blush with embarrassment every time another human being claps eyes on it.
If you’re after the pinnacle of gaming mouse perfection, then look no further than the Logitech G Pro Wireless.
Read more in our Logitech G Pro Wireless review.
Best budget wireless gaming mouse: Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless
Priced at just £49 / $50, the Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless is an absolute steal for those after an affordable wireless gaming mouse. Thanks to Corsair’s new Slipstream wireless technology, the Harpoon RGB Wireless feels just as nippy as the Logitech G Pro Wireless listed below, making it great for gaming and general desktop duties alike.
It also has built-in low latency Bluetooth support as well, just in case you’ve got one too many 2.4GHz wireless devices getting in the way of things, but even in my many wireless device-ridden home it worked like an absolute dream.
Why is the Logitech G Pro Wireless still listed below, then? Well, the Corsair’s battery life isn’t quite as good as the Logitech’s, it’s a fraction heavier, and it also doesn’t have as many programmable buttons. Still, there’s a lot to like here besides all that, and you’ll be hard-pushed to find a more responsive wireless gaming mouse for less.
Read more in our Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless review.
Best gaming mouse for big hands: Corsair Ironclaw RGB
For those after a great gaming mouse that doesn’t break the bank and offers loads of extra features, it simply doesn’t get much better than the Corsair Ironclaw RGB.
Not only is its large, contoured shape super comfortable to use over periods of time, but its weight of 105g and responsive sensor make it lovely and fast in the hand, too. Sure, the dash of RGB lighting won’t be for everyone (although you can always turn it off using Corsair’s iCUE software), but it’s a lot better-looking than the hard, ‘gamery’ edges and matt / gloss combo design of the similarly-priced Logitech G502 Hero (and regular G502, by extension – which I also quite liked, for the record).
The Ironclaw RGB also offers more functionality than the mildly cheaper and equally unassuming Steelseries Rival 310, which currently goes for £45 / $40. The Rival 310 is still a great choice for those looking to keep costs down (as is the identical Sensei 310 if you’re looking for a cheap ambidextrous mouse), but the Ironclaw does a lot more with that additional tenner, such as giving you an extra DPI or sensitivity profile to play with, a braided USB cable, seven programmable buttons instead of six, and the ability to turn one of those buttons into a ‘sniper’ button for on-the-fly DPI adjustments to give you better control when lining up shots in FPS games. All in all, it’s a great value gaming mouse.
Read more in our Corsair Ironclaw RGB review.
Best gaming mouse for small hands: Glorious Model O-
The Glorious Model O- (that’s a ‘minus’, not a dash, by the way) is an absolutely phenomenal gaming mouse. Weighing a mere 58g, this is the world’s lightest RGB gaming mouse, and my word is it wonderful. It’s just so effortless to move around my mouse mat, making it the most perfect thing for anyone with small hands like myself. I’m also a little bit in love with the luscious locks of Glorious’ bearded logo man on the side, too.
Don’t be put off by its many, many hexagon holes, either. Yes, they look like the perfect gunk traps for dust, hair, crisps and whatever else might be lurking on your desk, but honestly, I’ve yet to see any build-up on my Model O-, and that’s after several weeks on my desk with two cats poking around it.
Instead, I’m too busy enjoying its wonderfully light and comfortable chassis, and admiring its bright RGB lighting. I’m not normally that into having an RGB lightshow on my gaming mouse, but I’m actually quite impressed by how much the Model O- goes to town with it. I don’t think I’ve ever been more in awe of a mouse’s commitment to becoming a full-blown radioactive Skittle, and it’s yet another reason why I like it so much.
If you really can’t stand the Model O-‘s RGB lighting or its holey chassis, though, then your next best bets are the Roccat Kone Pure Owl-Eye or the Asus TUF Gaming M5.
Read more in our Glorious Model O review.
Best ‘do it all’ gaming mouse: Razer Naga Trinity
Personally, I don’t think I’d ever spend close to £100 on a gaming mouse, but for those after true high-end perfection, the Razer Naga Trinity makes a pretty compelling case for itself. Essentially three mice in one, the Naga Trinity’s party trick is its interchangeable side panel, giving you up to 19 different buttons to play with depending on your play style.
The basic side panel gives you a standard two extra buttons, while the second and third start piling them on like nobody’s business, giving up to 19 in total. These will no doubt come in handy if you’re a keen MMO or MOBA person who likes having dozens of macro commands at your disposal, but even if you’re not there are plenty of other things you could use them for as well, such as every media control under the sun, or a barrage of keyboard shortcuts.
You also get a choice of five DPI profiles on its central button beneath the scroll wheel, but this can easily be remapped to another one that’s easier to reach if you download Razer’s Synapse software. I particularly like that you have the option of being able to change your DPI on the fly, too, allowing you to get back to the action sooner without the faff of having to press another button. Instead, you can simply hold one down to slow things down, and then let go again when you want to return to normal speed. There are, admittedly, plenty of cheaper mice that have dedicated ‘sniper’ buttons for this sort of thing, such as the Asus ROG Gladius II and the Logitech G502, but at least here you have the option to assigning this function to any button you like.
Read more in our Razer Naga Trinity review.
Best ambidextrous gaming mouse: Asus ROG Pugio and Razer Viper
Yep, it’s another double-entry, if only because the Asus ROG Pugio is so ridiculously expensive in the US. For those buying in the UK, it’s definitely my ambidextrous gaming mouse of choice, as it’s not only supremely comfortable to use on a day-to-day basis, but it also comes with loads of extra goodies in the box, including including two replaceable Omron switches (just in case the 50 million click-rated ones it comes with happen to wear out), and a pair of side button covers.
That’s much better value than its similarly priced rival, the Steelseries Sensei 310, but it does have its limitations. It’s quite small, for starters, and its central DPI button only lets you swap between two different DPI profiles.
That’s where the Razer Viper comes in. It’s almost twice as expensive for those buying in the UK, but for me, it’s definitely worth the upgrade. And for those buying in the US, it’s exactly the same price, making this an even bigger no brainer. The Viper has a much more tasteful design than the Pugio, for example, and its two main clicker buttons feel a lot more responsive. It’s also absurdly light, coming in at just 69g, and Razer’s Synapse 3 software gives you a lot more customisation options, too.
It is expensive, but for the ultimate in luxurious ambidextrous gaming mice, the Razer Viper is a tough act to beat.
Read more in our Asus ROG Pugio review and Razer Viper review.