March 20 2019

Best Gaming Mouse

All men are created equal, but all gaming mice definitely aren’t. Depending on what you’re playing, there exists the best gaming mouse suited just for you. If you’re hoping to make a name for yourself in the latest season of Overwatch, you have very different needs than your brother who chills in World of Warcraft all day.

You need molecular precision and lightning-fast response times; he needs 83,000 extra buttons.

These days, basically everything even vaguely related to PC gaming comes in a “limited edition” box and/or has LED lights plastered all over it. Maybe those things really matter to you—that’s cool if they do, but at the end of the day, your mouse still needs to work reliably; it can’t skate by on its looks alone.

In this guide, we’ll break down the cool kid lingo for you—everything from learning how to check mouse DPI and LOD to polling rates—to help you make sure you love your next gaming mouse a lot.


Top 7 Gaming Mice For Every Type of Gamer

With a category as broad as “best gaming mice,” it’s pretty hard to make apples-to-apples comparisons. It would hardly be fair to compare two different mice that are marketed to significantly different subsets of gamers, so think of this roundup as our top overall picks for various categories.

If you already have an idea of what you’re shopping for, check out our top picks for the best mouse for MMO titles, as well as our best mouse for Overwatch.

Overall Best Choice: Logitech G502 HERO Gaming Mouse

Pros & Cons

  • Lots of buttons
  • Crisp mechanical switches
  • Responsive across the entire DPI range
  • Thin, somewhat flimsy plastic
  • Some of the bonus buttons are in weird places

If the price tag on the Razer Mamba (next on our list) is a little more than you’re looking to spend, consider the comparably excellent but more affordable Logitech G502 Hero gaming mouse. It’s highly customizable to suit nearly any set of preferences, even if it’s a bit hard to clean and slightly less durable than some other mice.

Overall, it’s one of the best Logitech gaming mice you can find.

Key Features

  • Up to 16,000 DPI
  • Adjustable weight system
  • Metal spring tensioning system

At least for some of us, there’s no such thing as too many buttons on a gaming mouse. The Logitech G502 HERO mouse sports 11 programmable function and macro buttons, which is about 50% more than most other competitors.

Most of them are positioned in very comfortable places, but a few are awkward to manipulate without substantially changing your grip on the mouse. Still, it’s nice to have extra options.

Each button on the G502 offers crisp, sharp feedback, particularly the two primary buttons. There will never be any doubt as to whether a particular click has registered.

There is a slight downside, though; because the primary buttons rest on thick mechanical switches, there’s a bit of a gap between them and the body of the mouse, which invites dust and gunk to accumulate over time. You’ll need to get in there with a cotton swab and some alcohol at least every month or two to keep the mouse in top shape.

The adjustable weight system is a pretty nice feature, too. This mouse comes with several weights of various sizes that can be added or removed to make it exactly as heavy or light as you prefer.

Like the Razer Mamba, the G502 has multiple DPI settings all the way up to 16,000. Whereas some ultra-sensitive gaming mice feel downright sluggish at lower DPI settings, the G502 feels like it scales more consistently, which makes for an easier and more natural adjustment period when switching between different profiles.

The body of the G502 is made of thick, solid plastic, but some of the buttons are on the flimsy side, particularly the primary two.

They’re thinner than you might expect, and since they overhang slightly, it’s not impossible to imagine the tips getting chipped or even breaking if the mouse is dropped just right or if the buttons are clicked too forcefully too often. We don’t want to overstate this problem, though; it’s not a huge concern, just something to keep in mind.

Premium Pick: Razer Mamba Gaming Mouse

Pros & Cons

  • Store and quickly switch between five different profiles
  • Comfortable, ergonomic grip
  • Absolutely stellar battery life
  • Clunky scroll wheel
  • The wireless model occasionally has connectivity issues

If we could only take home one new gaming mouse in 2020, we’d have to go with the Razer Mamba Gaming Mouse. It’s a solid performer across all genres (and a particularly excellent choice for twitch shooters due to its phenomenal DPI).

If shooters are your thing, we’ve also done some more comprehensive research on the best FPS mouse.

Key Features

  • 16,000 DPI
  • Snappy 1000Hz polling rate
  • 7 programmable buttons

Razer Mamba Gaming Mouse Review

As recently as just a few years ago, 1,600 DPI was considered respectable for a gaming mouse, while 4,000 DPI was viewed as truly impressive. The Razer Mamba Gaming Mouse blows those old numbers out of the water with 16,000 DPI, which when combined with its high polling rate, translates to noticeably faster and smoother performance.

A super-high DPI doesn’t mean much if the refresh rate doesn’t keep up, which is why some ultra-sensitive mice don’t actually feel all that sensitive. The Mamba does actually refresh quickly enough to make the difference between higher DPI settings noticeable.

For those of you who don’t need quite such microscopic precision, you can set the DPI to any level you wish and save your own custom profiles. The Mamba’s seven programmable buttons can be reassigned between profiles too, of course.

It would have been nice to have more of them, but seven or eight bonus buttons is a pretty standard configuration for most high-end mice, and it can be difficult to add more without overcrowding the mouse’s surface or making the whole thing bigger.

The mouse itself is sleek, comfortable, and has a nice tactile grip (though it may prove a bit small for gamers with especially large hands). It accommodates all grip styles reasonably well, although you may find its back to be a little flat if you prefer a palm grip.

Still, its borderline ludicrous DPI capabilities mean that palm-grip users can (with practice) reach levels of speed normally only attainable with the more aggressive and less ergonomic claw grip.

The Mamba comes in both wired and wireless models for the same price. The wireless model can be used as a wired mouse, although some owners report that it still experiences intermittent connectivity issues even when plugged in. It’s worth mentioning that the wireless version of this model is one of the, if not the best wireless gaming mouse you can get.

Some wireless mice transmit data via the charging USB cord when plugged in, while others still send signals wirelessly—it would appear that the Mamba falls into the latter group.

In any case, the wireless version’s battery life is simply stellar, boasting 50 hours of use on a single charge. Taking into account that rechargeable batteries can lose up to half of their ability to hold a charge as they age, you’re still looking at a full 24 hours of continuous playtime even once you’ve had this mouse for many years, and that’s amazing.

Among users that have anything negative to say about the Mamba, the wireless connectivity problems are the most common (and most potentially problematic) complaint. It’s certainly frustrating to have your mouse suddenly stop working in the middle of a match, so if that’s a potential deal-breaker for you, consider going with the wired model.

The stiff and clunky scroll wheel is the second most common complaint, although it does loosen up somewhat with age and probably isn’t as big a deal as connectivity interruptions would be for most people.

All in all, the Razer Mamba is a fantastic all-around gaming mouse for a perfectly reasonable price.

Best Value: Corsair M65 Elite

Pros & Cons

  • The unique “sniper button” is both cool and useful
  • 8 customizable buttons (even left and right-click can be remapped)
  • Adjustable in 1 DPI increments
  • Weirdly shaped

Corsair is mostly known for its PC components, but in recent years they’ve begun to branch out into peripherals. The company is known for offering quality parts at reasonable prices, and they appear to be applying the same successful strategy to their newer products as well. The Corsair M65 Elite mouse brings several innovative features to the table that are hard to find in other mice.

If getting a great deal on your next gaming mouse is your top priority, be sure to check out our roundup of some of the best budget gaming mice of 2020.

Key Features

  • Native 18,000 DPI
  • Lots of sensitivity customization options

Corsair M65 Elite Review

Corsair makes no secret of the fact that its M65 Elite mouse is marketed primarily to FPS fans. Arguably, its most notable claim to fame is its unique “sniper button,” which instantly changes your mouse sensitivity to a second (presumably far less sensitive) profile that you’ve set up ahead of time.

This is an exceptionally cool feature that FPS snipers will undoubtedly appreciate. Once you’re done sniping, click the button a second time to return to the previous sensitivity setting so you can effectively engage targets with different weapons at shorter ranges. You should also learn how to change mouse sensitivity settings on your own using your OS default settings.

Every gaming mouse out there has some number of programmable bonus buttons, but it’s rare to find one that also lets you reprogram the left and right primary buttons.

This function may not be all that useful in every game, but it could be nice for MMOs in which you need as many different macros as you can get your hands on. Setting up multiple profiles and assigning different functions to the primary two buttons is a handy option to have.

Corsair also breaks the mold by letting you adjust your DPI settings in increments of 1 DPI. Most gaming mice only offer increments of 100, and some only allow you to switch between a few preset (and usually vastly different) settings. For the ultra-competitive, highly experienced FPS gamer, such precise DPI control will undoubtedly be a favorite feature.

The M65 Elite has a bit of a weird shape to it that may be uncomfortable for some gamers, but it’s far from the most oddly shaped mouse out there. We really couldn’t find much else negative to say about it, other than the fact that it might not be your cup of tea if you’re not into shooters. At just over 50 bucks, this is surely one of the best gaming mice of 2020.

Best Multi-Genre Mouse: SteelSeries Rival 600

Pros & Cons

  • Durable, long-lasting mechanical click switches are rated for 60 million clicks
  • Dozens of options for configuring mouse weight and center of gravity
  • Great for users with big hands
  • Product Q/A may be lacking
  • Side grips may feel uncomfortable or sticky to some

If you play games spanning many different genres, finding one mouse that can do it all reasonably well might be tricky. The SteelSeries Rival 600 Gaming Mouse has your back. It’s not the best mouse around for any one thing, but it’s pretty good at everything.

For example, if you’re not sold on our best mouse for Fortnite, and also like playing other genres, this could be the choice for you.

Key Features

  • Silicone side grips
  • 12,000 DPI/350 IPS for reliable sensitivity and accuracy

SteelSeries Rival 600 Review

If you only want to buy one mouse for gaming and have it last a good long time, the SteelSeries Rival 600 would be a solid bet. Its durable mechanical switches are rated for 60 million clicks, far more than even hardcore gamers are likely to use in anything less than a decade.

The primary buttons not only can click a lot, they feel nice while doing it—they’re tactile and responsive no matter how far back or forward they’re pressed, resulting in a great experience regardless of your preferred grip.

Like several of our other top picks on this list, the SteelSeries Rival 600 comes with a bunch of weights for making the mouse exactly as light or as heavy as you prefer (options range from 96g when empty to 128g when fully loaded).

The mouse is also a bit bigger than average; several owners with big hands report that the slightly larger size makes for a significant improvement in comfort.

The SteelSeries Rival 600’s biggest drawbacks are its lackluster warranty and customer support, both of which are bad enough that most of the top Amazon reviews contain strong warnings. One user recommends using your credit card’s automatic warranty protection (most major cards have such a feature nowadays) to skip the manufacturer’s process if you have a problem.

In any case, it’s probably a good idea to make sure your purchase is covered one way or another since reports of mechanical or electrical failures are somewhat more common than average.

Best MMO Mouse: Redragon Impact

Pros & Cons

  • Buttons. So many buttons.
  • 8 weights for fine-tuning the mouse’s mass
  • Killer price tag
  • Side buttons have an inconsistent tactile response
  • Janky/frustrating software

MMO players don’t really need hyperspace-level response times or subatomic accuracy. They mostly need a metric buttload of extra buttons. With a whopping 19 programmable buttons, the Redragon Impact certainly delivers. This makes some people consider it the best MMO gaming mouse on the market.

Key Features

  • 12,400 DPI
  • 5 preconfigured DPI levels to choose from
  • 16.8 million RGB LED color option

Redragon Impact Review

In most MMOs, before long you’ll reach a point where you have access to about 32 quadrillion abilities, most of which will have their own hotkeys. It’s a common enough scenario that there’s a whole market of tiny keyboards meant to be set up next to your main one for the sole purpose of mapping all those extra abilities.

Some MMO fans don’t like that option and would prefer not to have to move their hands back and forth between different devices. Enter the Redragon Impact, which might well have the most extra buttons of any gaming mouse currently on the market. 19 buttons times five profiles equals quick access to 95 different abilities right on your mouse—more than enough to last you through the first five hours of most MMOs.

In keeping with the central theme of offering lots of options, the Redragon Impact also comes with a set of weights (and a hard plastic travel case, too). You get all of this for under $40; that’s pretty hard to say no to.

There are a few things to watch out for, though. 12 of the mouse’s extra buttons are on the left side, arranged in four rows of three, and each row feels noticeably different. The topmost row clicks nice and firmly, while the bottom row can seem squishy.

You’re also required to download some software to configure the extra buttons or change the DPI settings—software that’s both hard to find on the manufacturer’s website and barely functional.

Automated installers have been standard practice for a long time now, but the Redragon Impact’s software is little more than a .zip file you’ll have to unpack and organize on your own. Its interface is pretty plain, and it sometimes doesn’t save your RGB or macro settings correctly during the initial setup.

All that being said, it’s hard to pass up one of the most customizable gaming mice around when it’s also one of the most affordable. Amazon offers a 4-year protection plan for under $3, so you’re still out the door for less than the price of a steak dinner for one.

Best Left-Hand Mouse: Razer Lancehead Tournament Edition

Pros & Cons

  • Omron switches offer lightning-fast response times
  • Profile settings can be stored on the mouse itself as well as in the cloud
  • Less expensive than most Razer products
  • It’s pretty small

Lefties often get the short end of the stick when it comes to mice. Razer has done a little something to right this mild injustice with the Lancehead Tournament Edition Mouse, which can be used comfortably in either hand. (It’s got a few other nifty features, too.)

Key Features

  • Ambidextrous
  • 16,000 DPI
  • 450 IPS

Razer Lancehead Tournament Edition Review

For lazy Saturday gaming sessions, a difference of a few milliseconds in response time is barely noticeable. If you play hyper-competitive shooters or other games that rely heavily on reaction time, though, the fastest response time possible can make a difference.

Several independent tech review sites and user reviews support Razer’s vague claim about the “fastest response times ever,” but we weren’t able to find any actual numbers, even on Razer’s website.

Another nice feature the Razer Lancehead brings to the table is the ability to store DPI and macro settings on the mouse itself as well as in the cloud. Razer’s proprietary Synapse application stores and synchronizes settings across all of your Razer devices. You can even store multiple RGB patterns and macros for different games and switch between them on the fly.

It’s also worth noting that the Lancehead’s price tag is a bargain, at least compared to most Razer mice that start at $79 or more. In the fall of 2018, Razer extended their standard warranty on mice from one year to two years, so that’s some nice added value as well.

The only consistent complaint about the Lancehead seems to be that it’s on the small side, making it somewhat difficult to use for a significant portion of gamers. Still, it’s a great choice as long as you’ve got smallish hands (and especially if you mostly use the left one).

Best Budget Gaming Mouse: Redragon M711

Pros & Cons

  • 1000Hz polling rate
  • Very affordable
  • Tangle-free braided cable
  • Slow scroll wheel
  • Separate (and clunky) software download required for custom macros

Price tags under $30 for gaming mice tend to raise eyebrows; many such mice tend to be poorly built, poorly designed, or both. The Redragon M711 doesn’t have as many bells and whistles as our other favorites on this list, but it does the basics pretty well. It deserves your attention if you’re on a tight budget.

Key Features

  • 5 DPI levels
  • 7 extra buttons
  • Bright LED RGB lights

Redragon M711 Review

A gaming mouse’s polling rate is just as important as DPI when it comes to accuracy (if not more so). 1000Hz isn’t the fastest polling rate around, but it is above average for gaming mice. That rate is even more impressive when you consider M711’s current price on Amazon. Many owners can’t praise this mouse highly enough and often compare it to much more expensive models.

The braided cable is nice too, particularly if you have a lot going on under your desk. It’s nigh-immune to twists and tangles, and it’s also more resistant to cuts and fraying than standard rubber or plastic cable sheaths.

This mouse only has a few minor drawbacks. The scroll wheel is slow; scrolling through long documents or web pages may prove to be mildly exasperating.

You can use most of the M711’s functions without downloading extra software, but you’ll need to do so if you want to store custom macros. The program itself is a bit rough around the edges in terms of its user interface, too.

There’s not much else to say about the M711, but that isn’t a bad thing. It’s a simple mouse that sticks to the most basic functions and does them well. If you’re not looking to spend much but still want a quality mouse, you should definitely consider picking this one up.

 

Buying Guide – Gaming Mice

Twenty years ago, computer mice were pretty simple things. Today, not so much. There are dozens of highly specialized features to choose from and the acronyms can make your head spin at first. How do you know what to even look for if you split your time evenly between first-person shooters and MMOs?

Some gaming mice can cost well over $100. What are you getting when you spend that kind of money, and what noticeable effects will a given mouse have on your day-to-day gaming? You might be happier if you get the best gaming mouse under $50, than getting an expensive model

Gaming Mouse Analogy With Sports Car

Fear not. Despite all the jargon, gaming mice are actually not that hard to understand in terms of what a well-educated consumer needs to be aware of. By the time you finish reading our buying guide, you’ll know everything you need to know to make an informed decision.

Durability

There are a few different ways to measure a gaming mouse’s durability. One of them is pretty straightforward: what’s it made of, and how resistant is that material to wear and damage?

Most gaming mice are made of one kind of hard plastic or another, although some higher-end models use aluminum alloys. Either material should be more than sufficient to withstand the kind of mild and infrequent damage that a mouse is likely to be exposed to.

The mouse’s mechanical components are usually what we’re referring to when we talk about durability. Its buttons contain tiny, delicate switches that move thousands of times every day. Most manufacturers rate their mice on a scale of “lifetime clicks” to give you an idea of how long its most fragile components should last.

50 million clicks is a pretty common number these days, and most of the mice we’ve reviewed in this article are rated for at least that many. To give you an idea of how that translates into time, let’s do a bit of basic math.

The “average” person who uses a computer every day clicks about 5,000 times in a day, though that’s for non-gaming activities. Assuming that’s covering a period of eight hours, that breaks down to about 10.5 clicks per minute, but PC gamers will be doing a lot more clicking than that.

Gaming Mouse Smashed with a pink Hammer on Asphalt

MOBA players do a lot of data analysis on their own games, so we cruised some League of Legends and DOTA 2 forums to peek at their numbers. 150 clicks per minute look like a pretty average number for those kinds of games, which works out to 9,000 clicks per hour. If you’re playing MOBAs for ten hours per week, a mouse rated for 50 million clicks should last you about a decade.

If you want to be ultra-conservative, you can cut that number in half and assume that any gaming mouse should last at least five years even if you’re putting tons of miles on it—but still, that estimate is based on MOBAs, which are generally the most click-intensive games out there. If you play games that don’t demand as many clicks, you can expect your mouse to last even longer.

Ergonomics

Your hands and wrists can withstand a fair amount of abuse, but they do have their limits, and once you’ve got serious joint problems, it’s extremely difficult to fix them. Prevention is the better option by far.

Unlike gaming chairs, when it comes to gaming mice, proper ergonomics depends more on you than the product (though a mouse’s design does still matter).

There are three ways of gripping a mouse: palm grip, claw grip, and tip grip. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, both in terms of what works better for certain kinds of games and in how your hands and wrists will fare over the long term.

The palm grip, as the name implies, involves allowing your whole hand to cover the mouse. Most of its weight is supported by resting the palm on the mouse’s back. The index and middle fingers lie flat and cover the entire length of the primary and secondary mouse buttons.

This offers good precision at the cost of speed, since moving the mouse more than a few inches requires the use of muscles in your elbow and shoulder. Over time and in general, this is the healthiest way of gripping a mouse and is least likely to cause hand and wrist problems.

Hand Resting Comfortably on Gaming Mouse with Ergonomic Side Grips

The claw grip is more aggressive, faster, and more precise (with practice). The palm still rests on the mouse, but only partially. The fingers curl such that the tips, rather than the entire finger, are now responsible for clicking. Moving the mouse is now done more by the fingers and thumb than by the wrist.

This grip will generally improve your performance in games, but the claw grip is an unnatural position for the hand to be in. Take frequent breaks and stretch often to avoid injury.

The tip grip further emphasizes both the advantages and disadvantages of the claw grip. The palm now has little to no contact with the mouse and all movement is performed by the fingers and thumb. This grip takes a great deal of practice to use effectively, so in many cases, only highly competitive gamers will bother. It’s also the riskiest grip in terms of your hand and wrist health and frequent stretch breaks are mandatory.

No matter what style of mouse grip you use, pay attention to your own body. Pain is a signal that something is wrong. If you experience hand or wrist pain while gaming, stop immediately and take a long rest. If the problem persists, see a doctor. No game, no matter how fun or rewarding, is worth lifelong joint problems.

Technical Specs

When you’re shopping for mice, you’ll see a lot of acronyms—DPI, CPI, LOD, and IPS, most commonly.

DPI stands for “dots per inch” and is a measure of how much detail the mouse’s sensor can detect in the surface it’s resting on. CPI stands for “counts per inch” and is actually the more technically accurate term; it describes the same thing as DPI. In a nutshell, higher DPI/CPI means your mouse cursor will move farther on the screen when you move the mouse the same physical distance.

This is why some of our favorite mice have sniper buttons that lower your DPI—when you’re looking through a zoomed-in scope with a small field of view, you don’t want the slightest movement of the mouse to cause you to lose sight of the target.

IPS stands for “inches per second” and describes how fast the mouse can move and still be able to accurately track its own position (higher is better). If you move your mouse faster than its IPS rate allows, the cursor will not respond as you expect it to.

LOD means “lift-off distance,” which describes how far off the mat or table you can lift your mouse and still have it read accurately. In this case, a lower number is better, because if you’re having to lift your mouse to reposition it, you generally don’t want your character or cursor to spin around crazily while your mouse is in the air.

Adjustability

Gaming mice are more customizable than ever before. Many come with weights for those who like a hefty mouse, and some even have a variety of replaceable grips to ensure it feels just right in your hand.

Depending on what site you’re looking at, “adjustability” might also refer to DPI or macro profiles that can be saved and switched. Both features are pretty common for gaming mice now; it’s somewhat unusual to find one that can’t do these things.

Macros

A macro is a particular combination of keyboard strokes or mouse clicks that can be saved and simulated by pressing another key. They’re hugely useful in many games, even in those with relatively simple control schemes.

MMO fans generally utilize macros most extensively. MMOs tend to be heavy on complex processes that necessitate pressing many different keys in sequence. A great deal of time, clicking, and boredom can often be saved by binding a whole bunch of commands to a single keyboard or mouse button. MMO macro experts can even automate entire processes to cycle indefinitely until interrupted (but check the game’s TOS before doing this—some don’t allow it).

Macro Programming in Gaming Mouse

Even FPS veterans can benefit from simple macros. Suppose you want to be able to throw grenades with one of your mouse buttons, but the particular game in question doesn’t recognize buttons above “Mouse 4” (many still don’t). In such cases, you can open your mouse’s software and bind an unused keyboard key (say, NumPad 5) to the desired mouse button, then change the grenade key in your game to NumPad 5.

Problem solved!

When macros first started to become popular in gaming, you had to write them yourself. In most cases, it’s not super complicated, but there can be a bit of a learning curve at first. Now, there are websites dedicated to specific games where users can upload and share complex macros for particular skills or character classes. Search “<game name> macros” and you’re sure to find them if they exist.

Macros are a powerful tool that can significantly streamline your gameplay and enhance your enjoyment, so be sure to take advantage of them on your new gaming mouse. Your hands and wrists will also thank you anytime you can get away with less repetitive clicking.

Bonus Keys

Bonus keys on gaming mice are a somewhat divisive feature. Some gamers like as many extra buttons as they can get their hands on, while others prefer a simpler, less crowded mouse. In most cases, extra mouse buttons represent keys that don’t exist on a keyboard and are listed as “Mouse 5” or “Mouse 6” in games that recognize them—but not all games do.

It’s generally best to buy a mouse with as many extra buttons as you think you’ll really need based on the kinds of games you like to play without going overboard. More buttons mean more switches that can potentially fail, or they may simply be in the way if you don’t end up using them.

 

Black Mouse with Red Lightning Featuring Many Extra Buttons for MMO Games

Don’t forget that almost all gaming mice nowadays have the ability to store and switch between multiple gaming profiles with a single click. This can effectively increase the number of extra buttons available to you in certain games if you’re not convinced you’ll always need ten or twelve physical buttons on the mouse itself.


Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the most commonly searched questions about gaming mice and our answers to them.

What Is the Best Gaming Mouse for Big Hands?

The SteelSeries Rival 600 is a larger-than-average mouse; many owners with big hands seem to like it for that reason. Logitech’s G502 Proteus Core is also nice and large, and Logitech also makes a G700 series of mice that are somewhat oversized—I have big hands and I’m using a G700S right now. It’s great!

What Is the Best Gaming Mouse for Small Hands?

The Razer Lancehead Tournament Edition is a bit on the small side, as are several of Razer’s other mid-tier mice (the DeathAdder and the Naga come to mind). Logitech’s G200 series of gaming mice are also generally a little smaller than most of their other products.

What Is the Best Gaming Mouse for Mac?

The hardware gulf between Mac and PC isn’t as wide as it used to be. Any USB gaming mouse that works on a PC should also work on a Mac—but its accompanying software may not. Ensure that the software runs on macOS before purchasing.

Virtually all gaming mice are initially designed for and tested on PCs. Many of the most well-known manufacturers will pay someone to create a Mac version of the mouse’s software at some point—if they’re convinced there will be enough demand for the product among Mac users.

In terms of performance, there should theoretically be no difference between Mac and PC with any given mouse.

Who Makes the Best Gaming Mice?

“Best” is highly contextual when it comes to gaming mice. No one mouse can do everything under the sun extraordinarily well (although some can do everything moderately well).

Scroll up a little bit and check out our buying guide for mice. We’ve highlighted the most important considerations to understand and think about during the shopping research phase. If you mostly play MOBAs and MMOs, you’ll likely want a mouse with lots of buttons and a high lifetime clicks rating. FPS players may place more value on having precise control over DPI and LOD. The mouse you need will largely be determined by what you play.

logitech gaming mouse on logitech mouse pad

That being said, we’ll try to be a little more specific by touching on some of the best brands.

Razer is a pretty big name in PC peripherals; most of their products land on the higher end of the pricing spectrum, but they’re generally well-built and come with solid warranties. Consider starting there if you want a highly specialized mouse.

Logitech makes great all-purpose gaming mice designed to work well with almost any game, and on average, they’re less expensive than Razer products. If you need a solid middle-of-the-road mouse that doesn’t cost too much, Logitech might be your brand.

You may not think of Corsair when you think about gaming mice, but you probably should. Corsair is an innovator in the hardware space; on more than one occasion, they were among the first to pioneer cool new features for gaming mice that other manufacturers would later emulate.

On that note, we recommend reading through our Corsair Glaive review as it might be just what you’re looking for.


Final Words

With so many great gaming mice out there to choose from, it’s almost unthinkable that you’d be unable to find one you’ll love for many years to come. As with any other major purchase, the more time and attention you devote to the research phase, the more likely you are to love the mouse you eventually decide on.

Whether you religiously stick to one genre, play a wide variety of games, or need a mouse that is just as good for work as it is for gaming, there’s one out there just for you. Write down the top three things that you need your next mouse to do, then refer to our buying guide and start shopping! (Definitely take a few minutes to check out each of our top picks from this guide, too—they’re all worth consideration.)


Sources:

  1. How Does a Gaming Mouse Differ from an Ordinary Mouse?, Quora, July 13th, 2017
  2. Why an Ordinary Mouse Won’t Work for Gamers?, What’s my IP
  3. Top 10 Computer Mouse Tips, ComputerHope, November 13th, 2018

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Author

Tim White