A gaming mouse is one of the most critical components of a PC gaming setup. Gaming keyboards have an important place, but their effect on your gaming is minor compared to a gaming mouse. The difference between using a mediocre keyboard and a great one isn't going to be as significant as the difference between a mediocre mouse and a great mouse.
When you're playing a PC game where quick and accurate aiming is essential (which is a lot of games!), having a great mouse that's comfortable in your hand is the best way to ensure you're playing at your peak. A lesser mouse can introduce latency, add acceleration, or even track poorly. That'll be a distraction in non-competitive games, but when it comes to serious battles online, that extra time spent aiming can be the difference between winning and losing.
The best gaming mouse can ensure each of your hand movements are accurately and consistently tracked. In this way, you can build up muscle memory in each of your games so that you always know just how far to move your mouse to land on your target. There are many gaming mice that can deliver this solid tracking alongside a whole host of extra features, but these are the ones we think offer the very best experience – and click here to find them in the UK.
TL;DR – These are the best gaming mice:
- SteelSeries Rival 5
- SteelSeries Rival 3
- Corsair Harpoon Wireless
- SteelSeries Sensei 310
- Logitech G502 Lightspeed
- Razer Basilisk Ultimate
- Corsair NightSword RGB
- Swiftpoint Z Gaming Mouse
- Razer Orochi V2
- MadCatz R.A.T. 8+
- Logitech G Pro X Superlight
- Razer Viper Mini
1. SteelSeries Rival 5
Best Gaming Mouse
The SteelSeries Rival 5 is our top winner thanks to being impressively capable and stunningly affordable. This gaming mouse doesn’t leave much to be desired with its $60 price point and versatility. The SteelSeries Rival 5 follows the trend of gaming mice shedding weight, as it’s slightly cut back from Rival 600. Part of that weight loss may come from the omission of a depth sensor, but the Rival 5’s TrueMove Air optical sensor still provides solid tracking.
Impressively, SteelSeries actually increased the number of buttons available on the Rival 5 over that found on the Rival 600. You’ll get your usual assortment, plus a third thumb button situated near the front of the mouse as well as a two-way, flickable button above the Back and Forward buttons. There’s also considerable RGB lighting on board with a zone at the scroll wheel, a zone in the SteelSeries logo on the palm rest, and two RGB strips on each side of the palm rest each with four independent lighting zones.
2. SteelSeries Rival 3
Best Budget Gaming Mouse
SteelSeries makes some of the best mice around, and that goes for both its premium gaming mice as well as its budget options. The Rival series has long been a competitor in this budget space, and that's still true with the SteelSeries Rival 3. It's impressive what capability SteelSeries is able to put into this mouse for just $30.
You're getting a fairly straightforward gaming mouse with your regular accouterment of dual thumb buttons, a clickable scroll wheel, and a DPI button. SteelSeries also gives you a bit of flair with RGB lighting from the logo on the palm rest as well as an RGB strip along the base of the mouse. The star of the show is the TrueMove Core Optical sensor, which offers phenomenal tracking that'll keep up in the most demanding games. It may not be as fast as the TrueMove 3, but most of us probably don't mouse around at 300 inches per second or pull off 35G acceleration for our flick shots.
3. Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless
Best Budget Wireless Gaming Mouse
Your budget doesn’t have to preclude the option of going wireless. Corsair’s been making wireless gaming accessories more affordable than you may have realized, and the Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless does it for the mouse market at just $50.
So, what do you miss out on by going with the wireless mouse? More or less nothing. The Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless uses 2.4GHz Slipstream Wireless connectivity to keep a strong, low-latency link between itself and your computer so you get the same response times your wired competitors get. The mouse still has your typical six buttons as well as an adjustable sensitivity up to 10,000 DPI. And, with 30 to 60 hours of battery life, you won’t have to plug it in all the time and negate its wireless perks. If you want to take it on the go to use away from your gaming desktop, you can use Bluetooth with the Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless, giving you extra flexibility.
4. SteelSeries Sensei 310
Best Wired Gaming Mouse
The SteelSeries Sensei 310 is one of the finest gaming mice I've tested. It's one of the most comfortable gaming mice I've had the pleasure of holding thanks to a coat of soft-touch rubber covering a majority of the peripheral. The sides of the mouse also feature two large silicon pads, which aid in keeping a firm hold of the Sensei 310.
Although this gaming mouse boasts a 12,000 DPI Optical sensor, keeping your sensitivity capped to 3,500 will enable the 1:1 tracking—which is to say the on-screen cursor will follow your exact hand movements. For those who are right-handed, the SteelSeries Rival 310 is the same mouse but in an ergonomic shape.
5. Logitech G502 Lightspeed
Best Wireless Gaming Mouse
The Logitech G502 Lightspeed is a little on the expensive side at $150, but you won't find a better ergonomically designed wireless gaming mouse. Based on the already fantastic G502 Proteus Spectrum, this gaming mouse throws in every single wireless technology Logitech has developed including its "Lightspeed" wireless connection and Powerplay wireless charging.
The G502 is a beautifully angular mouse with enough geometric shapes incorporated into its design to make it look straight out of CyberPunk 2077. While it might look too sharp to hold, it has wonderfully sculpted curves that almost wrap around your thumb while supporting the rest of your whole hand. The Logitech G502 Lightspeed also has customizable weight that lets you shift the center of gravity of this mouse and make it 16 grams heavier, so you can really customize this peripheral to your liking.
6. Razer Basilisk Ultimate
Best FPS Gaming Mouse
The Razer Basilisk has been our favorite gaming mouse for first-person shooters since it hit the scene in 2017 and now it's finally seen a big update with the Razer Basilisk Ultimate. This gaming mouse takes the great shape and handy DPI clutch of the original and adds wireless technology along with Razer's fastest sensor and adds optical switches for the fastest gaming mouse you've ever used. Of course, a fully loaded gaming mouse such as this has a boatload of RGB lighting too and you get 14 fully customizable lighting zones to play with.
Beyond the specs, the Razer Basilisk Ultimate feels and plays great. It has the perfect shape to be cupped in your hand and hitting the DPI clutch to pull off a precise shot feels as good as pulling the e-brake on a hairpin turn in a rally car. You can also program the side paddle to toggle your second ability bar in MMOs or trigger your class ability in a MOBA game. The only thing that gives us pause is the Basilisk Ultimate's high $169 price. If that's too rich for your blood you might want to check out the Basilisk X Hyperspeed, which comes with a slower sensor and mechanical switches, but adds Bluetooth connectivity for over $100 less.
7. Corsair NightSword RGB
Best MOBA Gaming Mouse
The Corsair NightSword RGB is a highly customizable weapon designed specifically for right-handed, claw-grip gamers who play battle arena (and first-person shooter) games. This gaming mouse has all the usual programmable buttons and sensor, and then you can add six underside weights to adjust this peripherals center of gravity.
Corsair could have just left things there, but in the iCUE software, you can track how shifting the Corsair NightSword RGB center of gravity is affecting the way you play.
Its key features, the Corsair NightSword RGB is slightly bigger than your average gaming mouse, so it should fit like a glove for users with larger than average mitts. The gaming mouse also offers gamers a completely rubber covered finish, sizable thumb rest, and 10 easily reachable mouse buttons.
8. Swiftpoint Z Gaming Mouse
Most customizable gaming mouse
While a few gaming mice let you change up the side grips and add weights, the Swiftpoint Z takes customization to the next level. For starters, you can tune when and how the mouse recognizes left and right clicks based on height and pressure. The Swiftpoint Z also gives you secondary left and right mouse buttons positioned behind the main ones that can be either pressed or pulled, so they act like triggers.
Aside from the usual 2D tracking mouse sensors give you, the Swiftpoint Z has also been designed to recognize mouse tilting and pivoting as specific commands. Users can tilt the mouse to lean in tactical shooters like Rainbow Six Siege and PUBG. Pivoting, meanwhile, is useful for turning your field of view while running in a straight line. All these handy tricks make the Swiftpoint Z phenomenal for first-person shooter games and one of the best overall gaming mice, period.
9. Razer Orochi V2
Best Portable Gaming Mouse
If you're constantly on the go and want a quality gaming mouse that's ready to come along for the ride, it's going to be the Razer Orochi V2. There are a lot of things that make this a great gaming mouse, but the biggest one for mobility is the battery life. On a single AA battery, this mouse can run for 950 hours over a Bluetooth LE connection. Even using its low-latency Hyperspeed Wireless connection, it can last for 425 hours.
On top of that incredible battery life, it stays impressively light. Excluding the weight of the battery, the Razer Orochi V2 weighs just 60 grams. And, you don't have to make it all that much heavier when you put a battery into it because it can actually run on either a AA or a AAA battery. All that comes paired with your standard set of gaming mouse controls and Razer's optical sensor for all the capabilities you need for competitive gaming on the go.
10. MadCatz R.A.T. 8+
Best "Palm Grip" Gaming Mouse
Why conform your hand to a mouse when you can get a mouse that conforms to your hand? The MadCatz R.A.T. 8+ is designed to let you dial in the perfect palm grip. It does with with moveable rests that you can shift into just the right position for a comfortable grip. You also get adjustable weights to really make this mouse a perfect dance partner for your hand.
Beyond the adjustments, you're getting a proper gaming mouse with RGB lighting, 11 customizable buttons (including a side scroll wheel), on-board memory for up to four profiles, and long-lasting Omron switches. A Pixart sensor will keep you sharp in games, and it supports sensitivies up to 16,000 CPI.
11. Logitech G Pro X Superlight
Best Lightweight Gaming Mouse
Logitech already had a pretty lightweight mouse on its hands with the 80-gram Logitech G Pro gaming mouse, but now the company has gone and made it even lighter. The Logitech G Pro X Superlight trims some of the fat to bring a mouse weighing less than 63 grams. This wireless gaming mouse isn't for the casual gamer, as it has a price and pared-back features meant for gamers who know exactly what they're after.
The Logitech G Pro X Superlight features advanced tracking with the Logitech Hero 25K optical sensor. But, you won't be quickly cycling between DPI settings for various games. Logitech ditched the typical DPI button to save weight – another hint this mouse is for gamers who know exactly what they want for peak performance. The mouse is wireless, so you won't have a cable adding resistance or inconsistent drag to your movements. You'll get a 70-hour battery life with no eccentric RGB lighting to take away from that. If you want wireless charging, PowerPlay is also supported with an optional Powercore module, but that'll surely add some weight.
12. Razer Viper Mini
Best Small Gaming Mouse
If you don't have the biggest hands or just don't like the extra bulk of some gaming mice, Razer has the solution. The Razer Viper Mini takes the design of stylish Viper and shrinks it down a bit while also cutting the weight. This model is actually slightly taller, but it trims the length and width to give smaller hands an easier grip and access to the main buttons without needing to awkwardly slide forward.
The Razer Viper Mini still has the perks of a gaming mouse, with a high-DPI sensor, extra thumb buttons, and a healthy dose of RGB lighting. You get to customize that lighting to your liking as well by using Razer's fairly simple Synapse software. Even though this is a corded mouse, Razer has aimed to make it perform smoother with a specially designed cable that resists dragging on surfaces. As a bonus, this mouse is also a good deal cheaper than the full-sized Viper.
Where to Get the Best Gaming Mouse in the UK
You want to get it right when choosing the perfect gaming mouse. Thankfully, every single one of the mice we mentioned in this article is also available to pick up in the UK, so take your pick.
What to look for in a Gaming Mouse
The decision making process when it comes to a good gaming mouse really boils down to how it feels in your hand, and whether you want it to be wired or wireless.
Some people grip the mouse with their fingertips, while others use a claw or palm grip, so the shape of the mouse is easily the biggest factor you should consider.
If you're right-handed you're going to find a large number of ergonomic options to choose from. If you're left-handed...well you're pretty much going to probably have to go with something that's shaped symmetrically or designed for ambidextrous usage as there are very few gaming mice out there designed for left-handed users.
As far as wired versus wireless goes, the wireless technology is so good these days that I can't tell the difference either way, so that should not be a factor if you're worried about losing some performance. However, wireless mice are usually more expensive than their wired counterparts, so expect to pay for your freedom from cables.
Also, some mice are rechargeable while others just use replaceable batteries, so pay attention to how long each wireless gaming mouse can last on a charge if that's important. Lastly, the addition of the battery can also make some wireless mice heavier than a wired version, but this isn't the case for all wireless mice.
For more guides to the best tech, check out the best gaming headset, best desk for gaming, and the best graphics card round-up.
Kevin Lee is IGN's Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam
Mark Knapp is a regular contributor to IGN and an irregular Tweeter on Twitter @Techn0Mark
