Best Gaming Mouse: Top Pointers for 2020

When it comes to finding the best gaming mouse, you need something that feels good for your grip and offers great performance with your favorite titles. Getting a mouse that feels like it belongs in your hand and has the right feature set and a strong sensor will inevitably improve the flow of your gameplay, the hits you land and the satisfaction you get from scoring those Ws. 

There are many players in the mouse game, and why not? Models can range from very cheap and simple to premium ones boasting handy (pun not intended) features, like wireless charging or a pile of programmable buttons. There are also bold design choices, like flashy RGB. Plus, school's about to start, and having a reliable, comfortable pointer is must-have tech for students. Below we help make things easier by breaking down the best gaming mouse for different uses.

Quick Shopping Tips

• Optical or Laser? : Both sensor types offer a great experience, but optical mice have slightly better accuracy. Laser mice work on more surface types. If you’re really picky, go for an optical sensor, preferably one designed or developed with PixArt.

• Wireless or Wired? : Wireless mice have come a long way in the last few years, but they still have downsides, including limited battery life (particularly with RGB) and potential latency. If you opt for a wireless, aim for one with 30 hours or more battery life. You’ll also need to decide if you want Bluetooth a 2.4 GHz dongle connection or both. Bluetooth is handy for switching among multiple devices, but comes with a latency cost, but 2.4 GHz will requires a USB port and dongle that’s easy to lose.

• Palm, Claw or Fingertip Grip? : It’s good practice to examine how exactly you hold your mouse. There are three common mouse grips: 

1. Palm Grip - The base of your palm rests on the back of the mouse, with your fingers laying on top.
2. Claw Grip - Where your wrist rests on the mouse mat, the palm doesn’t touch the mouse, and your fingertips grip the edges of it and the buttons.
3. Fingertip Grip - Where your wrist and palm are both elevated off the mouse mat and the mouse, and it’s again gripped with just the finger tips at its edges and on the buttons.

Knowing your grip style will help you find a mouse that’s right for you, since each grip typically occurs due to the size of your hands. Therefore, a mouse designed for a fingertip grip will likely be larger than one designed for a palm grip.

• DPI, CPI, IPS and Acceleration? : DPI and CPI are effectively the same marketing terms. Traditionally we used DPI in print to declare how many dots per inch something would be printed in, in regards to image clarity. CPI, however, stands for counts per inch, and that’s how many counts your mouse takes per inch it travels.

A higher CPI doesn’t necessarily mean a better mouse sensor either. Important is a combination of CPI and IPS. IPS, or inches per second, is the max velocity at which your sensor can still track those counts. The higher the IPS combined with the CPI, the better the sensor.

And then there’s acceleration. That’s how many Gs your mouse can handle and still track effectively, if you’re dashing the mouse back and forth and left and right in short, sharp movements, some mice may flake once they reach a certain G rating.

Best gaming mice at a glance:

1. Razer DeathAdder Elite
2. Razer Basilisk Ultimate
3. Logitech G502 Lightspeed
4. SteelSeries Rival 3
5. Razer Basilisk V2
6. Glorious Model O Minus
7. Razer Naga Trinity
8. Corsair Ironclaw RGB
9. Razer Naga Pro
10. Logitech MX Master 3

The Best Gaming Mouse You Can Buy Today

The Razer Deathadder has long been renowned as one of the world’s most famed eSports mice. Its simple, yet ergonomic design has seen little change since its conception back in 2006, and although some may gawk at the flared left and right click buttons, it’s hard to deny just how comfortable that non abrasive, sand-blasted black finish is when you finally rest your palm on the plucky pixel pointer.

That said, the showpiece of the Deathadder Elite is its sensor, which is a bespoke optical PixArt PMW 3389. Originally designed by PixArt in conjunction with Logitech, it’s also been followed up with some firmware tweaks by Razer itself. Thanks to that, it makes this mouse incredibly precise and direct in game. There’s zero lag, or jitter, and with a 16,000 CPI maximum, thanks to Razer’s Synapse software suite it’s impossible not to set this mouse up correctly for any and all of your gaming scenarios.

And then there’s the switches. Designed with Omron, these beauties feature a mechanical keyboard-esque clicky feel thanks to Razer incorporating a tactile notch in the switch itself. It’s not enough to slow you down, and doesn’t harm durability either, with up to 50 million clicks expected before failure.

Couple all of that with an epic price point, and a 2 year warranty, and the Deathadder Elite is our mouse of choice for anyone dabbling in today’s hyper-competitive world of multiplayer FPS or RTS gaming.

The Razer Basilisk Ultimate is a fantastically adept wireless mouse featuring Razer’s latest sensor the Focus+ Optical. This semi-intelligent sensor packs in some incredible stats, with a max CPI rating of 20,000 and IPS rating of 650, and it’s also capable of withstanding upwards of 50G worth of acceleration before losing tracking.

Combine that with an impressive ergonomic design, and the Basilisk Ultimate is a killer wireless pointer. Although there are similarities to Logitech's very good G502 Lightspeed wireless mouse, the Basilisk Ultimate brings a myriad of improvements over the competition. You can control the scroll wheel resistance, for example, the sensor is arguably more accurate and the materials used are substantially better. Plus, the Basilisk Ultimate is lighter than rivals like the G502, and Razer’s Synapse software suite runs rings around Logitech’s G-Hub

The Basilisk Ultimate is not without flaws though. Its sensitivity clutch button is a little far forward for smaller hands, and the optical buttons feel less tactile than their mechanical brethren. If you really like what this mouse has to offer so far except the price, Razer has a similar, but cheaper, mouse in this family, the Razer Basilisk X HyperSpeed 

For more wireless gaming mice recommendations, check out our Best Wireless Mouse round-up. 

Read: Razer Basilisk Ultimate review

There is a growing number of honeycomb style mice out there targeting gamers, but the HK Gaming Mira-M nails shape and design. It’s built like a honeycomb, wired version of the Logitech G Pro Wireless, making it fitting for both righties and lefties. It’s also much lighter -- a mere 2.22 ounces -- so it’s great for IPS gamers who want their mouse to be light so they can flick it about. 

Note that the Mira-M isn’t the lightest honeycomb mouse on this list. The Glorious Model O Minus is a lighter 2.08 ounces. But you might prefer the Mira-M’s ambidextrous shape, matte texture and lack of questionable logos. We reviewed the Mira-M in white, but it’s also available in black, bumblebee and pumpkin, catering to different styles even more. 

When it came to gaming, the Mira-M’s light build noticeably improved our abilities in FPS games and helped fight fatigue. That said, we have our complaints about the location of the Mira-M’s side buttons, but your experience may differ. The mouse’s paracord cable also proved advantageous. If you’re worried about similarly designed competition, note that the Mira-M’s sensor is equivalent  to what’s in the Model O Minus and the popular Finalmouse Ultralight 2.

Read: HK Gaming Mira-M review

A lighter and wireless version of the popular Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum, the Logitech G502 Lightspeed is a fantastic weapon for your arsenal if you can stomach the price tag. With premium features, like six additional weights (two 4g ones and four 2g ones) for customizing the mouse’s feel, the G502 Lightspeed starts earning your investment.  

With Logitech’s high-CPI and power efficient Hero sensor and an ample number of programmable buttons, the G502 Lightspeed is fit for any gaming genre. Its shape is familiar and comfortable, crafted in first-person shooter style. For times when you can’t risk a wireless connection, the G502 Lightspeed also comes with a reliable cable. 

In addition to connecting to your PC with a wireless dongle, you can make it so you never have to connect the G502 Lightspeed to a cable at all -- not even for charging. With the Logitech G Powerplay wireless charging mouse pad, the mouse is always getting charged as long as the pad is plugged into a USB port. Sadly, the mouse pad takes away the ability to use either of the G502 Lightspeed’s 4g weights and costs an extra $120. 

If you’d like a mouse that can charge wirelessly with a wider variety of mouse pads (and more), consider Qi charging mice, like the Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE, Asus ROG Chakram and lower priced Cooler Master MM831. 

Read: Logitech G502 Lightspeed review 

The SteelSeries Rival 3 is the best gaming mouse for those on a budget. It's available for a mere $30 as of this writing. The optical sensor here only goes up to 8,500 CPI, which is low compared to other mice on this page, such as the 20000-CPI Razer DeathAdder V2 above. But for casual gamers, this’ll do. Unfortunately, CPI adjustments are difficult due to a small CPI button, but response was great during our testing.

You’ll also want to note that its speed of 300 IPS is only with SteelSeries’ QcK-series of gaming mouse pads, but luckily those represent some of the best RGB mouse pads available, according to our testing.

The hardest part about gaming with the Rival 3 was its 6-foot-long rubber USB cable that was a noticeable drag compared to braided cables (or a wireless connection). But at least you get three customizable RGB zones and a comfortable grip.

Read: SteelSeries Rival 3 review 

The Razer Basilisk V2 is the best gaming mouse for FPS / RTS gamers who can’t afford any missteps. The updated mouse’s sensor packs impressive specs, including up to a massive 20,000 CPI. When we gamed with the Basilisk V2, tracking was excellent and we suffered nary a single mis-click. 

Compared to rivals, like the Razer DeathAdder V2, the Basilisk V2 has a winning layout with larger, more accessible side buttons. The Basilisk V2’s scroll wheel resistance is also customizable, as are 11 of its s buttons, so ultimately any gamer should be able to get the performance they crave. 

Considering it's wired, $80 is a high MSRP for this mouse. However, it's currently on sale at Amazon for $70. This clicker earns it with high-end performance and long-term comfort. 

Read: Razer Basilisk V2 review 

The Glorious Model O Minus is another one of the best gaming mice for FPS and RTS games. It’s a cheaper alternative to the Razer Basilisk V2 above, but it’s also less widely available (you can find it on Glorious' website and MicroCenter for $50). The Model O Minus doesn’t boast as outrageous specs as the Basilisk V2, but the honeycomb-style mouse feels great in the hands, especially small ones, while gaming. And that extra light weight proved advantageous. 

Although its specs are outshined by rivals, the Model O Minus felt eSports-ready. That includes well-tracked flicks and smooth response, from the lowest to highest CPI settings. 

We wish it was easier to toggle through the Model O Minus’  CPI settings, and the mouse’s ultra-flexible cable can look messy due to its loose covering. But the Model O Minus still has a lot to offer to FPS and RTS fans. 

Read: Glorious Model O Minus review 

When seeking the best gaming mouse for MMO games, versatility is key; The more buttons you have, the more you can allocate to macros, to push-to-talk keys for Discord and for other key actions.

The problem with big MMO mice, is that they often feature one very specific way of gripping, with a grid of keys littered on the left hand side and that’s about it. Razer looks to change that with the Naga Trinity, which gives you three separate left-hand grips to choose from. You get a simple numpad, complete with 12 switches, a circular button pad, complete with 7 switches dotted around it and your standard two-button affair.

On top of that you also get the same PixArt sensor as found in the DeathAdder Elite, a nice helping of RGB, and an ergonomic pinky rest too. Sure it’s the heaviest of our mice on this list, but for MMOs and all those keybindings, it’s a great choice.

The Corsair Ironclaw RGB wireless pointer (also available in wired form) is the best gaming mouse for those with wide big hands featuring wide grips. It’s the thickest mouse here, measuring 3 inches (77mm) at its widest point. It’s so incredibly comfortable for right-handed palm grips that we’ve nicknamed it Palmhugger. 

This mouse’s optical Pixart PMW3391 sensor boasts a high CPI of 18,000 and also has one of the highest IPS ratings around at 450. These are high-end specs, but unless you’re a competitive gamer you may not notice a great improvement over rivals, unless you have a multi-monitor gaming set-up. 

At 4.59 ounces, this isn’t a lightweight clicker, and FPS gamers may struggle with other design choices here, like the button layout. Still, when gaming with the Ironclaw RGB Wireless, action was smooth, and despite its wireless configuration, we didn’t notice any latency.

Read: Corsair Ironclaw RGB Wireless review 

For the ultimate in wireless MMO gaming, the Razer Naga Pro is the best mouse. It’s the latest in Razer’s Naga lineup of gaming mice, basically taking all the good things about the Razer Naga Trinity listed above and making them much more portable while upping the sensor specs.

The Nagao Pro boasts Razer’s premium Focus+ Optical Sensor, which has a range of 20,000 CPI (compared to the Naga Trinity’s 16,000 CPI), along with up to 650 IPS and 50G acceleration. You also get the option to connect wirelessly via Bluetooth, which Razer claims will net you up to 150 hours of battery life without RGB, or via Razer’s reliable HyperSpeed-branded dongle, which Razer claims up to 50 hours without RGB. During our testing with the dongle and RGB, the battery drained at about 3% per hour, though we didn’t get the chance to run the mouse until it died.

You’ll have to pay a hefty $150 price tag for this mouse. But what the Naga Pro brings over cheaper wireless MMO rivals, like the Logitech G604 Lightspeed, is that 12-button panel, the ability to swap out the button layout for six or two side buttons and some fine-tuned software.

Read: Razer Naga Pro review 

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Gamers need to get work done too. If you’re looking for a mouse that can handle work time, the Logitech MX Master 3 is the best mouse for you. It impresses with an innovative electromagnetic wheel and the power to control up to 3 PCs simultaneously, including transferring files, text and images. Plus, it's wireless, offering either a dongle or Bluetooth connection. 

While not designed for gaming explicitly, it offers per-app programmability for its 6 buttons, as well as a comfortable thumb rest and heightened design that lets your thumb and fingers rest comfortably during long gaming sessions. Plus, it works on almost any surface, so you can game on your desk, on the couch and anywhere in between. Just don't expect the competitive performance of a true gaming mouse, which you'll prefer if you're a hardcore gamer.  

And for the Mac users among us, Logitech has the MX Master 3 for Mac, which is tuned to work with macOS and iPadOS apps. 

For more wireless productivity options, check out our Best Wireless Mouse article. 

Read: Logitech MX Master 3 review