Whether you're gaming on your PC or just trying to get some work done, having a dependable and accurate mouse can make a big difference. Selecting text and clicking into the right spreadsheet cells is one thing, but once you're gaming, it gets even more important to have a great mouse, and there are many gaming mice to choose from. Unfortunately, with all those options, there are plenty of duds, and many that just cost more than anyone should have to stomach (we're talking the price of a decent processor).
Fortunately, we've tried out so many mice, so we know which can still muster solid performance while boasting a price tag that's more gentle on the eyes. In fact, some of these gaming mice even borrow the design and features of their more expensive counterparts but stay a bit more affordable by dialing back things like RGB lighting or fancy connectivity options. Most of these options will cost you less than $50 while still delivering solid performance that track accurately enough for you to start working on your muscle memory and train those flick shots.
Below, you'll find wired and wireless mice that may seem simple at first but will work great whether you're a new gamer or a seasoned competitor.
TL;DR – These are the Best Budget Gaming Mice:
- SteelSeries Rival 3 Wireless
- Logitech G305 Lightspeed
- Fnatic Clutch 2 Pro
- Corsair Katar Pro XT
- Razer Basilisk V3
- Roccat Burst Pro
- Razer Naga X
- Razer Viper Mini
- HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2
SteelSeries Rival 3 Wireless
Best Budget Gaming Mouse
The SteelSeries Rival 3 is already a top-notch budget gaming mouse, but now it's leveled up with the Rival 3 Wireless. It takes the familiar shape of the Rival series and provides it with speedy wireless connectivity thanks to a low-latency wireless dongle. You also get Bluetooth for ample flexibility in how you use it. Since this mouse is wireless, solid battery life is essential, and it can run for over 400 hours on a pair of AAA batteries, but you can also opt to run on a single AAA battery if you prefer a lighter weight.
If you’re concerned about performance, the Rival 3 Wireless doesn’t disappoint. With an 18,000 CPI max sensitivity from its TrueMove Air optical sensor and tracking at up to 400 inches-per-second and 40G accelerations, this is undoubtedly a high-performance mouse. You also get six programmable buttons and other mouse customizations that SteelSeries makes easy to tinker with using their software. There’s even a tiny bit of RGB lighting on the scroll wheel for helpful battery alerts and in-game notifications. And somehow, the mouse does all this while maintaining a low price, coming in under $50.
Logitech G305 Lightspeed
Best Budget Wireless Gaming Mouse
If you’re on the hunt for a reliable wireless gaming mouse that won’t break the bank, the Logitech G305 Lightspeed is the one for you. It just can’t be beaten when it comes to performance versus price. For around $40, it’ll connect to your gaming PC or gaming laptop using a 2.4GHz wireless dongle, though you don’t get Bluetooth to use it with more devices. In gaming, we know speed is often everything, so even though it’s wireless, the Lightspeed tech ensures you still get an ultrafast response time of 1ms. And battery life shouldn’t be a big concern either, as it totes 250 hours of continuous play before you need to change the single AA battery.
The Logitech G305 Lightspeed comes packing a HERO optical sensor with an impressive 12,000 DPI sensitivity, 400 IPS precision, and up to 40G of acceleration. That means this mouse can track even your speediest movements with incredible accuracy, giving you a leg up in FPS games. You’ll be maneuvering the mouse with ease, too, because even though it’s wireless, it manages to remain lightweight, and the PTFE feet glide well on the majority of surfaces. The six programmable buttons also mean you can customize the mouse to games or activities you’re performing. It’s also super durable and compact, so you can toss it in a bag when traveling.
Fnatic Clutch 2 Pro
Best Budget Ergonomic Gaming Mouse
The Fnatic Clutch 2 Pro gaming mouse is built for comfort and competitive gaming, but it comes at a very reasonable price. This wired option totes an ergonomic shape and is easy to hold for hours thanks to a rubberized side grip that both claw-grip and palm-grip gamers should enjoy. A low, 97-gram weight and glides allows it to move at high speeds, which is essential in most games. Fnatic tops that all off with some custom RGB lighting at the scroll wheel and on the Fnatic logo.
Despite the low price, it includes a PixArt PMW3360 optical sensor that’s not only capable of some competitive tracking but also offers an adjustable lift-off distance so you can tune the mouse to behave appropriately in line with how you prefer to aim. The mouse is capable of tracking up to 12,000 DPI and can handle accelerations up to 50G and speeds up to 250 inches per second. You even get six buttons, which can be programmed to perform different functions in games.
Corsair Katar Pro XT
Best Budget Ambidextrous Gaming Mouse
Need a cheap gaming mouse you can hold just as comfortably in your left hand as your right? The Corsair Katar Pro XT is it. This affordable option has a familiar, symmetrical design with textured grips on the sides that you’ll be content to hold for hours. Though, it’s worth noting that there are only thumb buttons on one side. It’s also lightweight making it easy to swing around in even the most frantic gaming moments, while the durable plastic body and 6-foot braided cable can hold up against whatever you throw at it. There’s even some RGB lighting in the scroll wheel that can sync up with other Corsair peripherals. Not bad for a mouse slightly over $30.
Beyond that, the Corsair Katar Pro XT brings plenty of performance potential to its price point. It features an optical sensor that can track up to 18,000 DPI, and you can tune the tracking exactly to your liking in 1 DPI increments. Corsair has also implemented Quickstrike buttons to reduce the depth the mouse buttons travel before actuating, helping you get your inputs registered much faster. You don’t get loads of extra buttons, but the six on-mouse should be plenty and can be programmed to your liking.
Razer Basilisk V3
Best Budget FPS Gaming Mouse
The Razer Basilisk line of mice has featured some of our favorite options for FPS gaming thanks to their ergonomic design and stellar sensor. The tradition continues with the Razer Basilisk V3. Priced slightly above $60, this wired mouse features a comfortable form factor designed for right-handers with easy access to buttons and an included thumb rest. You’ll get a 26K DPI optical sensor—plenty fast for any PC gamer—and sensitivity can drop instantly, thanks to a sniper button. This feature gives you a better aim to take down opponents.
The Razer Basilisk V3 comes packing tons of other customizable buttons with tactile mechanical switches sure to give you a leg up on the competition. There is a solid, non-removable thumb paddle. It has a DPI clutch—basically paddle shifts down the side of the mouse—that’ll also work perfectly for sniping. Though you can customize those shifters and the ten other buttons on this mouse to do whatever you please with Razer Synapse. Plus, a HyperScroll Tilt Wheel features different modes for speedy scrolling or precision, depending on what you’re using it for. There are even 11 zones of customizable RGB lighting loaded in.
Roccat Burst Pro
Best Budget RGB Gaming Mouse
For an affordable gaming mouse that has heaps of flair, you want the Roccat Burst Pro. This gaming mouse borrows some cues from lightweight gaming mice—a category it actually falls into thanks to its 68g weight—with its use of a honeycomb pattern design. But, rather than opening up the frame, Roccat has covered the honeycomb in a translucent layer that lets the Burst Pro’s RGB lighting shine through brilliantly. That layer also keeps dirt and dust out of the mouse’s internals. While a total of three lighting zones, including one on the scroll wheel, can sync with other compatible AIMO products for a flashy, uniform look that changes based on the action in your games.
Of course, we wouldn’t recommend a gaming mouse if it didn’t also have the chops for gaming. The Roccat Burst Pro features the Owl-Eye 16K optical sensor, which handles high-speed mouse movements with high-resolution tracking up to 400 inches per second. There’s even a dedicated DPI button to make adjustments on the fly. It also supports an adjustable lift-off distance, so you’ll get to fine-tune your controls. Roccat has implemented optical switches in the mouse buttons for incredibly fast actuation and extended hardware longevity. In total, there are six buttons that you can customize to your liking, and you can save up to five profiles on the mouse.
Razer Naga X
Best Budget MMO Gaming Mouse
If you're playing MMOs, what you need from your mouse is really a second keyboard. And that's more or less what the Razer Naga X is offering at a fair price point. With this mouse, you get a total of 16 buttons, a number that blows all our other options out of the water. The star of the show is the thumb buttons, as this controller features a three-by-four grid of thumb buttons. Those twelve programable controls are always within easy reach for your thumb, so you'll be able to dial up your APM and pop-off abilities without having to reach across your keyboard to hit the right key.
Beyond the impressive array of buttons, the Razer Naga X totes Razer's 5G optical sensor, offering sensitivities up to 18,000 DPI. The wired mouse is also surprisingly lightweight, so MMO gamers can finally join the slimmed-down gaming mice trend. It has a slightly ergonomic design and textured plastic grip on the side, with extra space for your pinky and ring fingers to not get cramped. Though, we miss the rubberized grip that game with previous iterations of the mouse.
Razer Viper Mini
Best Budget Gaming Mouse for Small Hands
The Razer Viper Mini carries on the legacy of the Razer Viper, except it does so while being outright compact. This is one of the lightest gaming mice you'll find, as it weighs in at just 61 grams. It's still a proper gaming mouse, though. This model is slightly taller than the original, 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. If you're a claw gripper you'll also appreciate the form factor.
Despite its small size, the Razer Viper Mini still has the perks you expect in a gaming mouse. You get an optical sensor that can track at 8,500 CPI and hold up to the fast movements. It'll track even when accelerating at up to 35Gs and moving at 300 inches per second, so don't worry about it holding you back during flick shots. Six buttons give you all your primary gaming controls and are also built with optical switches for fast activation and considerable longevity.
HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2
Best Budget Ultra Lightweight Gaming Mouse
As far as capable gaming mice go, the HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 is about as light as they come, weighing just 53g. This wired mouse is relatively compact to keep its weight down, making it ideal for smaller hands or those with larger hands that prefer a claw grip. If you’re willing to add a bit of weight, grip tape even comes with the mouse for a solid hold. The paracord and PTFE skates also help cut down on friction, so your mouse movements are fast, smooth, and consistent.
Despite cutting mass, the HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 is still packing an 8,000Hz polling rate and a 26K sensor. So, it’s ready to handle tracking at high speeds and 50G accelerations with competition-level precision. There are six buttons that use tactile switches and can be programmed to perform different functions using NGenuity software. However, you can’t save multiple profiles on the mouse.
Best Budget Gaming Mouse FAQ
How to Choose a Budget Gaming Mouse
The first and most important thing about choosing the right mouse for you is its shape. For the most part, mice come in exactly two shapes: ambidextrous or ergonomic. While it might seem like a simple choice that all right-handed users should pick an ergonomic shape while left-handed are left with whatever is ambidextrous, the way you hold the mouse is just as important too.
To that end, there are also two primary types of mouse grip: palm and claw. For the former palm grip technique, you'll want a mouse with a tall back that can support your hand—as well as some level of pinky and ring finger support. Claw grippers, on the other hand, should look for a mouse that's relatively short and has a small footprint.
Is It Worth Buying a Cheap Gaming Mouse?
In this day and age, you really don't have to sacrifice a lot when you're trying to save a buck on a gaming mouse. Many of the cheap options out there offer a high level of DPI and polling rate to keep up with even the best premium gaming mice. That said, not all mice are built equal; some offer more buttons with others are ergonomically designed for a certain handiness (usually for right-handed users), so there are a few things to consider when buying something more affordable.
How Much should You Spend on a Cheap Gaming Mouse?
Although some of the best gaming mice brands have a budget option these days that offer decent quality, that doesn't mean you should buy just any cheap option. Although there are sometimes discounts that drop the price of some good wired mice down near $20, you'll usually want to spend a little bit more to get something you won't be disappointed in. The best budget mice tend to cost anywhere between $30 and $60.
Kevin Lee is IGN's Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam.
Danielle Abraham is a freelance writer and unpaid music historian.
