Desktop computers are becoming popular again: After dropping gradually throughout the 2010s and then sharply in 2020, desktop sales rose by 7 percent in 2021, according to big PC manufacturers Dell and HP. Apple, generally known for its smartphones, also made waves with its new desktop releases: the 2021 iMac and 2022 Mac Studio.
This rise in desktop sales has led to increased interest in accompanying accessories like mice and keyboards. Laptop-converts looking for advice on the best computer mice should look to experts who have been testing mice for decades: gamers.
SKIP AHEAD The best gaming mice | How to shop for a gaming mouse | Why trust Select?
PC games, especially competitive shooters like Valorant and Apex Legends, require fast inputs and exact precision. To fulfill this need, companies have been making specifically branded “gaming mice” for years. Don’t worry about the name, though: These mice are great for games, work and everyday browsing.
Whether you’re a gamer looking to upgrade your desktop setup or just want to improve your home workstation with a high-quality mouse, we spoke to gaming experts about how to shop for gaming mice to help you narrow down your options. We also rounded up our experts’ favorite gaming mice.
What is a gaming mouse?
A gaming mouse is typically a mouse designed for extreme precision, comfort and customization. Unlike a mouse you might buy from Apple or Microsoft, gaming mice are designed to be precise and comfortable over long periods of time. Gaming mice often prioritize ergonomics and responsiveness, leading to less pressure on your wrist and smoother cursor movements. Esports athletes, whose livelihood depends on their mouse precision, only use gaming mice to compete.
Physically, gaming mice come in wired and wireless varieties, and they usually have additional buttons near the thumb and on the top of the mouse for executing additional functions while gaming and browsing. Many brands offer companion software that allows you to customize your button inputs, cursor speed and backlighting color.
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Best gaming mice in 2022
The experts we spoke to shared their personal favorite gaming mice, as well as what they look for when shopping for a new mouse. Most of the gaming mice they recommend are comfortable, all-purpose and mid-priced.
“Remember that even if you're trying to get a ’gaming’ mouse, you'll be using that same mouse for everything you do on the computer, so it needs to be comfortable to use,” said Jake Rabinowitz, a software engineer and developer of PogoChamp. (Full disclosure: Jake is also my brother.)
Below are our experts’ gaming mice picks.
Best for simple wireless gaming: Logitech G305
Logitech is one of the top brands for computer peripherals in general, and the brand’s gaming mice strike a great balance between price, comfort and precision. While Logitech sells many mice, nearly all of our experts recommended the Logitech G305 as a simple, affordable wireless option. It connects via the included USB-A wireless receiver, which creates a reliable, low-lag connection between your mouse and your computer.
“When I started improving at shooter games and wanted to experiment with different gaming mice, the Logitech G305 was the best budget option that had everything I love,” said Justin Ha, a game designer at Dots. “It is a smaller sized wireless mouse with side buttons and a button to switch between sensitivities.”
Some might find the G305’s single AA battery annoying. Thankfully, battery life is excellent — Ha said he only had to replace the battery after nine months of use.
Best for wired precision: Logitech G502 HERO
“[Logitech’s] G502 is a reasonably priced wired mouse with smooth scrolling and a couple extra buttons. That's all I was looking for in a mouse, and I'd say it gets the job done pretty well,” said Rabinowitz. While he prefers Logitech’s now-discontinued G700 series, the G502 HERO is one of the best selling gaming mice, according to the brand, and offers some great features.
The G502 HERO connects via USB-A cable and sports three thumb buttons, two buttons on the edge of the left click, two central buttons and a scroll wheel with side-to-side inputs. The G502 HERO also comes with removable weights, though our experts said generally prefer to take all the weights out for a lighter feel.
Best for wired and wireless freedom: Corsair Harpoon Wireless
Some gaming mice, like the Corsair Harpoon Wireless, offer wired, wireless and Bluetooth connectivity, and our experts highlighted it as an affordable, flexible option. “I’ve been using my Corsair Harpoon for a while now,” said Nicole Gutierrez, a web developer and MMORPG enthusiast. “It’s comfortable, well-rounded and has everything I need.”
The Corsair Harpoon can connect wired or wirelessly to your computer via USB-A cable or USB-A wireless receiver. It can also connect via Bluetooth. It features six programmable buttons and customizable backlighting.
Best for larger hands: Razer DeathAdder V2
Razer’s most popular mouse, the DeathAdder V2, is a critically acclaimed wired gaming mouse with an arched design and incredibly precise inputs. “It's a great budget gaming mouse that many people would recommend as an introduction to the world of more sophisticated gaming mice,” said Ha.
The DeathAdder V2 connects via USB-A and features eight programmable buttons, customizable backlighting and an optical design that’s fast and precise. This mouse is slightly larger than the competition, which makes it great for people with larger hands and a less appealing option for those with smaller ones. “If you really enjoy smaller mice like myself, you will feel a bit uncomfortable with the DeathAdder,” said Ha.
Best for MMO Games: Logitech G600
Massively Multiplayer Online games (MMOs) like Final Fantasy XIV and Lost Ark are immensely popular and usually require clicking a lot of different buttons. Instead of using the mouse cursor, many MMO gamers buy specialty MMO mice like the Logitech G600.
The Logitech G600 connects via USB-A cable and features a whopping 12 thumb buttons to use the many abilities in MMO-style games. All MMO mice offer a plethora of buttons, but our experts enjoyed the G600 because of its differentiated, easy-to-feel thumb button shapes. Logitech’s customization software makes the setup process easy, allowing you to customize the many thumb buttons in a flash.
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How to shop for gaming mice
With an overwhelming amount of choices, it can be hard to pick just one gaming mouse to buy. Our experts focused on a few key elements that can help you find your ideal mouse.
Brand
There may be hundreds of different gaming mice to choose from, but our experts recommended sticking to reputable companies like Logitech, Razer, and Corsair.
“You're going to be using a mouse every day,” said Ha. “Make sure that it's one that seems reliable and meets your comfort needs.”
Wired versus wireless
Wired and wireless mice offer different advantages. Wireless mice are clutter-free and more portable, while wired mice never have connectivity or battery issues. Some mice, like the Corsair Harpoon, offer both wired and wireless connectivity.
“I’m a wired guy in general,” said Rabinowitz. “I just don't want to bother with low battery and Bluetooth.” Rabinowitz did mention that mice with both wired and wireless connectivity can offer the best of both worlds.
“For a long time I preferred wired mice because I thought I would be very annoyed with charging wireless mice,” said Ha. “Now I'm for wireless mice forever. The freedom to move your mouse anywhere on a wide desk feels so much better.”
Additional features
Many gaming mice come packed to the gills with features — but our experts noted they rarely use them. Multiple profiles is a common extra feature, but it’s one nearly all of our experts ignored. The features they did appreciate were usually related to hardware or buttons.
“I'm a sucker for a scroll wheel that can swap between step and smooth scrolling,” said Rabinowitz. “If you've never just whipped a metal scroll wheel at full speed, you've never experienced the true potential of a computer mouse.”
Gutierrez and Ha both agreed that side buttons are a must-have for any new mouse, since many games have numerous or awkward inputs. “Whichever keys I find uncomfortable to press with my left hand, I'll map to a side mouse button,” explained Ha.
Why trust Select?
Select writer Harry Rabinowitz has been playing video games for his entire life. He primarily plays games on his desktop computer and has spent his entire professional career as a writer — both experiences have allowed him to test a wide variety of mice, keyboards and gaming peripherals. For this story, Rabinowitz spoke to multiple game and software developers. Combining their guidance and recommendations with his own expertise, he reviewed highly rated gaming mice from top brands like Logitech, Razer and Corsair.
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