Best PC gaming mouse 2020: Reviews and buying advice

The Logitech G502, which so wowed gamers back in 2014 has evolved into a new model, the Logitech G502X, which boasts several big improvements over its predecessor. These include: a higher-resolution 25K sensor, a new rubberized thumb grip, and lightning-fast hybrid optical-mechanical switches.

Admittedly, its 89-gram weight means it’s not the lightest gaming mouse on the market. However, any concerns about performance fall by the wayside because of the larger and more accessible buttons. You still get 13 programmable options, including the side trigger button and DPI buttons cut into the left main click, but the trigger is now closer to your thumb and easier to reach, and the DPI buttons are longer and harder to misclick. This ultimately means the G502X has arguably the best all-rounder button setup you can get.

The Razer Cobra Pro is an excellent all-round gaming mouse with a very sensitive 30K sensor that will give the best esports mice a run for their money. While its 79-gram weight makes it a little heavier than many competitive FPS mice, it boasts features that most don’t have. Indeed, features like its up / down DPI buttons that allow you to switch DPI on the fly, its gorgeous 11 zones of RGB lighting and Tri-Mode connectivity (wired, 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth) make it a highly versatile and sought after gaming mouse.

Its one drawback, however, is its compact size, which comfortably fits small to medium sized hands but is a little too small for some large hands. Of course, this won’t affect players who prefer to use a claw grip, so this mouse is especially suited to them.

Few gaming mice can cater to a gamer’s varying connectivity needs, which is why the Keychron M3 is so unique. It sports not one, but three connectivity options, including low-latency 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.1, and wired connectivity via a USB cable, so that you can connect it up to just about any device in your home. What’s even more impressive is that the Keychron M3 weighs a lowly 79 grams, which makes it one of the lightest gaming-grade mice with wireless connectivity you can get.

In the hardware department too, the M3 is very fortunate, sporting an extremely quick 26,000 DPI sensor with flawless tracking. It proved just ideal for precision moving and aiming in my playtesting. This sensor is backed up by some of the quickest buttons I’ve ever used; they’re powered by Kailh GM 8.0 micro switches.

The M3’s buttons have also been designed with gamer convenience in mind. You get nine in total, but four allow you to change various settings like the polling rate, RGB lighting, connectivity mode, and DPI settings on the fly without having to go into Keychron’s M3 companion software app. It’s hard to believe, but you get all this for just $49, which makes the Keychron M3 an exceptional value buy that’s likely to quickly run off shelves this year.

The Mad Catz R.A.T 8+ is about as customizable as gaming mice come, featuring a modular design that allows you to change up its component parts exactly as you wish to find your ideal mouse shape and weight. Doing so requires you to pull discrete levers and turn knobs integrated into the mouse’s body, so there’s a fairly steep learning curve before you know what you’re doing.

Still, if you love tinkering, this mouse will keep you entertained for hours at a time. It also doesn’t skimp in the button department, providing 10 buttons all told, orientated in some pretty original positions for extra convenience. With a stripped-back, bare-bones look, the Mad Catz R.A.T 8+ also stands out in the crowd, making it an obvious talking point at any group gaming sessions.

Read our Mad Catz R.A.T 8+ review

The Razer Naga V2 Pro does one better than just let you program your buttons how you like them—it features three swappable side-button plates that you can change out to tailor your mouse’s physical button setup to your game’s command load. Consequently, it makes a great all-around gaming mouse. In my playtesting I found it was especially perfect for MOBA and MMO games since you get a total of 22 commands with the 12-button plate attached, so there’s lots of options.

As well as a very comfortable design, the V2 Pro also sports an accurate and precise 30,000 DPI sensor and Razer Gen 3 Optical Switches in the buttons that actuate in just 0.2 milliseconds. In our review, its 134-gram weight made it a little heavy for achieving top performance in FPS games, but in MMO games this extra weightiness made weapons play feel extremely authentic and highly satisfying.

The more buttons, the heavier and slower gaming mice tend to be, but the SteelSereis Aerox 9 bucks this trend with a whopping 18 buttons and weighing just 89 grams. Needless to say, having 18 buttons at your disposal rather than 6, 8 or 12, gives you a little more firepower to launch commands and macros in games where quick deployment is needed—especially in MMOs and MOBAs like The Elder Scrolls Online or Final Fantasy XIV.

On top of the generous button selection, the Aerox 9 features a quick 18,000 DPI sensor and dual 2.4GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, so it’s highly versatile and portable. Design-wise, the Aerox 9 looks and feels fantastic thanks to a futuristic honeycomb-shaped back with RGB lighting. Additionally, since it weighs under 100 grams, it’s fast enough to keep you competitive in first-person shooters.

The Basilisk V3 resembles the Razer Basilisk V2 in size and shape, sporting similar right-handed curves and a slightly arched thumb rest. Among its best features are an 11 button layout, 26,000 DPI Razer Focus+ sensor, and second-generation Razer optical switches that are fast enough for all kinds of gaming—whether that’s casual or serious. But the real magic lies in the Basilisk V3’s HyperScroll Tilt Wheel, which is a fancy name for its mouse wheel. This tilts in four directions and triggers downwards to put five commands at your fingertips, ideal for tactical FPS games like Rainbow Six.

Impressively, the HyperScroll Tilt Wheel also has extra AI scrolling modes that make your scrolling and browsing a lot easier. In our testing we enjoyed toggling between “Tactile” and “Free-Spin” modes, which allowed us to switch between a slow, precise scrolling action and a faster, smoother scrolling action that was useful for getting to the end of long websites more easily.

This mouse is the result of a collaboration by two big names in pro gaming: Asus’s ROG brand and the aim trainer, Aim Labs. Suffice to say, pro gamers have had a huge amount of input into its design and it really shows. To achieve a lofty 54 grams — just ideal for esports — it features a symmetrical body made out nylon instead of plastic. You wouldn’t know that from using it, though, since it feels remarkably tough and grippy.

The hardware too is expertly primed for pro gamers. Despite its ultra-light weight, the Harpe Ace Aim Lab Edition features all three connectivity types — wired, low-latency Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth — so that you have the convenience of the lowest-latency connection when you want it and the versatility of wireless connectivity to use it anywhere. Additionally, its 36,000 DPI sensor is one of the quickest and most accurate we’ve used.

The Harpe Ace Aim Lab Edition’s design will comfortably fit all hand types — from small to large. That said, some gamers with large hands may find its rather small left side buttons a little hard to reach.

Weighing just 63 grams, the five-button DeathAdder V3 Pro is ultra-lightweight and exceptionally quick off the mark in FPS games. It also sports a symmetrical streamlined body that fits perfectly into the contours of any medium to large hand. But what really sets it apart, is its pro-grade 30,000 DPI optical sensor, the likes of which you’d be hard pressed to find an equal. The V3 Pro’s sensor not only tracks your movements flawlessly, but it’s also capable of hyper polling up to a whopping 4,000Hz.

You can also set a lift-off and landing distance to one of 26 granular levels, which is 23 more than what you get in many rivals. Admittedly, as good as it is, there are still a few drawbacks. The DPI button is located on the underside, which means changing DPIs on the fly can be a little slow, and for the privilege of hyper polling you’ll need to purchase a Razer HyperPolling dongle for an additional $29.99. Still, with the V3 Pro you’re getting a top-notch device that will serve you extremely well when the heat is on.

If you’re merely a good gamer HyperX’s Pulsefire Haste Wireless is the kind of mouse that can elevate you to the status of excellence. Weighing just 61 grams, it’s the lightest and quickest mouse I’ve had the pleasure of gaming with, feeling barely-there in my hands.

Just looking at the specifications, you’d be mistaken for thinking its PAW3355 16,000 DPI sensor is a little underpowered—it’s not, proving incredibly accurate in shooters like Overwatch and CounterStrike: Global Offensive, especially with the DPI profile set to the lowest setting. Other things that make this mouse a class act include its quick 2.4GHz wireless connectivity, futuristic and comfortable honeycomb-shaped back, and the extra grips and PTFE glide skates that come supplied in the box.

The MM830 differentiates itself from other budget gaming mice with fun features like a built-in D-pad and tiny OLED display that you can set up to show information like your RAM, CPU, and GPU usage stats. But looking beyond these novelties, it also performs well in games, which is infinitely more important. Powering that performance is a top-end 24,000 DPI PMW3360 sensor, which for comparison’s sake, is the same as the premium Logitech Hero sensor just with a higher power draw.

On top of the mouse’s body the MM830’s sports a textured plastic exterior that provides plenty of grip for your hand. A gentle right-hand scoop also makes it incredibly comfy to use even for long gaming stints.

Few devices offer as much bang for buck as this wired RGB gaming mouse that combines comfort, style and decent performance but without a hefty price tag. The Logitech G203 resembles more expensive esports mice with its simple 6-button configuration, small body and ambidextrous shape, but despite being substantially cheaper than rivals, it still feels sturdy and well-built. The G203’s 8,000 DPI sensor isn’t the quickest you’ll find, but for causal gamers it’s still a more than adequate performer that tracks accurately.

The G203 isn’t lacking style either. It features a signature rounded back design with colorful RGB band and Logitech logo that lights up your gaming den with pops of color. The RGB band is also customizable in the Logitech G Hub app, with the option to personalize three separate lighting zones.

There are ordinary RGB gaming mice and then there’s the wired ROCCAT Kone XP whose dazzling RGB lighting is something else. More precisely, it features eight internal lighting “pipelines” powered by 22 individual LEDs that diffuse light throughout the mouse’s transparent plastic top. That much RGB is a bold statement that you’re either going to love or hate. But either way, it’s hard to deny the Kone XP points for originality.

Despite its flashiness, the ROCCAT Kone XP is also a very capable performer in games. It sports a 15-button layout—programmable to 29 functions—that makes it ideal for MMO, RPG, and RTS gaming, where you can rarely have enough options for commands. What’s more, a 19,000 DPI Owl-Eye optical sensor and quick optical switches ensure the Kone XP is suitably fast and responsive when you need to fire off commands quickly and accurately.

The ROCCAT Burst Pro Air’s four dedicated RGB lighting zones shine colored light through its semi-transparent body, creating a mesmerizing sheen-like glow that looks totally stunning from any angle. If the semi-transparent shell is your canvas, then ROCCAT’s Swarm app provides your painter’s palette, letting you go to town customizing each zone with up to 16.8 million colors and a range of stunning effects.

But as any gamer knows, looks aren’t everything. Consequently, we also chose the Pro Air because of its excellent gaming performance, which in our play testing we attributed to its comfortable eight-button design, powerful 19,000 DPI Owl-Eye optical sensor, and low-latency optical switches, which are rated for 100 million clicks.

The Pro Air also scores big points for its excellent connectivity options, which includes low-latency 2.4GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.2 wireless options, and a USB-A to USB-C cable for wired connectivity.

The Xtrfy M8’s design is as unique as possible, with the charging socket placed on its right-side rather than at the front like just about every other gaming mouse you will find. But while some players may like that and others not so much, what we salute the most in its design is the fact that its housing is made from 60 percent recycled plastic.

Despite the reused materials, this mouse’s hardware is just perfect for pro-gamers. It’s powered by a Pixart 3395 sensor with a maximum resolution of 26,000 DPI. A low-latency 2.4GHz Wi-Fi signal provides a response time as fast as 1 millisecond. If changing debounce is your jam, the M8 also allows you to choose between four settings: 2, 4, 8, or 12 milliseconds. Plus, it weighs just 55 grams which makes it one of the lightest and quickest mice you will move over your mouse mat.

The Razer DeathAdder V2 X Hyperspeed combines features for gaming as well as productivity, making it ideal for both. In the boardroom it syncs stealthily with its surroundings thanks to an all-black design with no RGB lighting zones. But beneath its modest exterior it hides a highly sensitive 14,000 DPI sensor, which is a solid performer in AAA games.

Dual 2.4GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity lets you switch between your gaming PC and work laptop just by flicking a switch underneath the mouse’s body. Unlike some gaming mice, the Razer DeathAdder V2 X Hyperspeed is powered by either an AA or AAA battery, making it ultraportable. It can stay powered a whopping 235 hours in Wi-Fi mode and 615 hours in Bluetooth mode just on a single AA battery.

The MSI Clutch GM51 Lightweight Wireless gaming mouse combines practicality, functionality, and stellar looks better than just about any other gaming mouse. As well as supporting all three connectivity types — 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and wired — it features visually striking RGB Diamond Lightgrips down each side that hold your fingers to the mouse’s body and provide you with a lot of precision control over movement. Another practical feature is the convenient charging dock that makes recharging a piece of pie and means it’s very difficult to ever run out of battery.

The GM51 Lightweight Wireless has impressive hardware for gaming, including a Pixart PAW 3395 sensor with a maximum resolution of 26,000 DPI and Omron switches in its buttons, which are known for their durability and speed. Although its 89-gram weight is at the upper end of what many would call lightweight, its balanced size makes it especially comfortable for palm and claw grips.

Two features stand out to make the SteelSeries Rival 650 a top choice for gamers. The first is a dual sensor system comprised of a TrueMove 3 sensor and a dedicated depth sensor. The depth sensor allows the Rival 650 to detect lift-off at a distance as small as half a millimeter, which is double the sensitivity of rival gaming mice. Needless to say, if you’re prone to lifting, the Rival 650 should help steady your aim.

The second feature highlighted by our PCWorld reviewer is its fast-charging capability that gets you back gaming sooner when the battery runs out. SteelSeries claims just 15 minutes charging time is enough to power the mouse for 10 (or more) hours of battery. On top of these two useful innovations the Rival 650 sports an elegant design that lets you peel off the left and right-side panels and adjust it to your preferred weight.