Dr. James Ries, the founder of Twenty Mile Medical, proudly proclaims that he’s a Razer Naga V2 Pro user. The most surprising thing about this tidbit is that he uses it while seeing patients remotely. Before you get your pitchforks out, no, the doctor isn’t playing World of Warcraft while evaluating a patient — instead, he uses it to simplify his and the rest of his team’s workflow. Dr. Ries mentioned this interesting piece of trivia during TextExpander’s interview with the healthcare provider, where he showed how he used the service to standardize patient care, reduce the cognitive burden on medical professionals, and quickly write more accurate clinical notes.

Doctor fatigue is one of the biggest issues that telehealth faces today. “Discharge instructions going out at 8 am from a fresh provider look nothing like the ones going out at 4 pm from the same provider after eight hours of visits,” TextExpander said. Dr. Ries said that he addressed this by using master Snippets (a snippet is a short text command, like “;sig” that would run a programmable command, like inserting your signature).

Instead of typing out a fixed phrase, sentence, or paragraph, which is what TextExpander is usually used for, the shortcuts he created bring up the relevant clinical scenario and give options to select appropriate responses as needed. He’d have snippets for general patient communication, sinus infections, psych refills, and more, and then there are check boxes that he can click in each master snippet to ask questions, add instructions, write prescriptions, and more.

Each master Snippet has its specific command, and this is where Dr. Riesa’s Razer Naga V2 Pro comes in. Instead of having to memorize the commands needed to launch the workflow, he assigned them to the customizable buttons that sit on his right thumb. He also assigned other buttons to insert his most commonly used typed paragraphs, like his intro paragraph and signature. You might think that this is excessive — after all, you’re only saving a few seconds by typing four characters instead of pressing one button. But even if that is true, you’ll save a lot of time if you use the shortcut often enough.

More than saving time, it also reduces the cognitive load on doctors. Decision fatigue is a real phenomenon across industries and professions, where people make bad calls not because they’re poorly trained or careless, but simply because they’re tired. Combining the text shortcut with the macro keypad on the mouse helps reduce this, as you don’t even have to lift your hand off the mouse to launch the master Snippet.

Dr. Ries says that the functionality isn’t limited to gaming mice — you can also use a macro pad like the Stream Deck Neo to assign commands and shortcuts, too. Nevertheless, he still prefers the Razer Naga V2 Pro because he doesn’t have to lift his hand off the peripheral to insert what he needs.

Watch the video below to see how the doctor uses his gaming mouse for productivity.

Logitech has announced new gaming peripherals, including the $79.99 G305 X Superlight wireless gaming mouse and the $119.99 G316 X 98 wired mechanical gaming keyboard. The original G305 (G304 in certain regions) has been a popular choice among gamers and is widely considered one of the best and most reliable budget wireless gaming mice on the market. With the new G305 X Superlight, Logitech has managed to cut the overall weight down to just 59 grams. It is also claimed to be built with a minimum 51% recycled plastic with exposed screws, offering users the right to repair. Available in black and white color options, the new G305 X Superlight is available for purchase at $79.99. You can purchase the Logitech G316 X 98 in either black or white for $119.99. It will be offered with either tactile or linear key switches.

• Buy the Logitech G305 X Superlight on Amazon
• Buy the Logitech G316 X 98 on Amazon

The new products are an expansion of the company’s relatively affordable G3 series, which also includes the G325 wireless gaming headset, which was introduced earlier this year.

The mouse also comes with the company’s latest Hero sensor that is capable of 44,000 DPI. Pairing the G305 X Superlight with the Pro Lightspeed wireless USB receiver offers up to 8,000 Hz of polling rate, which ensures ultra-low latency with improved responsiveness and precision. In addition to the 2.4 GHz Lightpeed wireless connectivity, the G305 X Superlight also supports Bluetooth and wired connectivity.

As for battery life, Logitech claims that it can deliver over 130 hours on a single full charge and supports fast charging via USB Type-C, providing up to 3.5 hours of playtime from just a two-minute recharge.

Moving onto the G316 X 98 mechanical keyboard, Logitech says that it offers a combination of customizability, “thocky” sound, and competitive gaming speeds. This one also offers up to 8,000 Hz polling rate and a 0.125 ms response time, making it suitable for competitive gaming. The keyboard offers hot-swappable switches, which is rare for a Logitech keyboard, along with a multi-layer snap-fit gasket design, which is claimed to improve structural integrity without using screws while offering a thocky sound profile.

There’s plenty of RGB as well, with a fully customizable LED lightbar and per-key RGB lighting. It even comes with a dial to control volume, brightness, and music playback, alongside a tiny dot-matrix LED display.

Corsair showed off its new Stream Deck-integrated gaming mouse at Computex 2026 — the Nightsword v2 Wireless SD Stream Deck gaming mouse. This mouse is semi-unique in that the Stream Deck app detects it as part of the Stream Deck ecosystem, which means you can map Stream Deck features directly to the mouse's 8 programmable buttons. It also features a dedicated Stream Deck Launch button, which lets you open up a Virtual Stream Deck (e.g. a Stream Deck on your screen) and activate Stream Deck functions from said "VSD."

This means the Nightsword v2 Wireless SD is more than just a mouse with macro-programmable buttons — not only do you get access to the Stream Deck's wide range of integrated plugins (mostly for various streaming and gaming platforms — it is called a Stream Deck for a reason, after all), but you can also program Stream Deck functions such as "multi-action," which lets you set up multiple Stream Deck actions to be performed in a sequence. It's great for people who want a one-click way to access their streaming or gaming setup.

Of course, the Nightsword v2 Wireless SD isn't the first gaming mouse with Stream Deck integration — Corsair's Scimitar Elite Wireless SE also featured native Stream Deck integration that allowed for both Stream Deck programmability and access to Virtual Stream Decks. However, instead of having a dedicated Stream Deck button, the Scimitar Elite Wireless SE just kind of had Stream Deck functionality built-in as a bonus (although, as a mouse with a 12-button side panel, it perhaps had more of an argument for the programmability).

Specs-wise, the Nightsword v2 Wireless SD features 11 buttons (8 of which are programmable) and sports Corsair's Marksman S optical sensor, which has a maximum sensitivity of 33,000 DPI and a maximum speed of 750 IPS, and can handle up to 50 G's of acceleration. This is the same sensor we've seen in Corsair's other recently-launched mice, including the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF and Sabre v2 Pro Wireless MG as well as last year's Scimitar Elite SE. It has a sculpted, right-handed ergonomic design that measures 5.1 x 3.07 x 1.61 inches (129.6 x 78 x 40.9mm) and weighs 3.14 ounces (89g). The primary mouse buttons have optical switches, which are rated for up to 100 million clicks.

The mouse features 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, and wired connectivity, and has up to an 8,000 Hz polling rate over its 2.4GHz wireless connection. It gets up to 170 hours of battery life over its 2.4GHz wireless connection (with a 1,000 Hz polling rate and the RGB lighting turned off). If you're using an 8,000 Hz polling rate, that number drops to 47 hours (with the lighting turned off) or 25.5 hours with the lighting turned on — which is better than we expected.

The Corsair Nightsword v2 Wireless SD is available now for $129.99.

Believe it or not, it’s been 20 years since Asus launched its high-end Republic of Gamers gaming line with the first ROG Crosshair, back in 2006 (see our recent review of the commemorative Crosshair 2006 motherboard). And because the sub-brand has since branched out to encompass nearly every aspect of gaming hardware (and also… noodles), Asus is celebrating this platinum milestone with, among other things, new 24K gold-plated peripherals.

Here we are looking at the ROG Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 wireless gaming mouse, which sports a transparent rear section with a gold metal interior surrounding an RGB 20th anniversary ROG logo (which pulses in a gold color by default). It also features a gold metal scroll wheel and side buttons, gold-colored accents on the bottom Corning Gorilla Glass mouse feet, along with white and red lettering on the mouse itself, including a bold “ROG 06 ←→ ∞” graphic on the left mouse button, which implies the Republic of Gamers will outlive the heat death of the universe.

All of this sounds like manufactured opulence and gamer posturing – and it is, as Asus has priced this mouse at $259.99 USD. But Asus has spent the last two decades crafting generally well-designed high-end hardware around its ROG brand, and the ROG Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 is no exception.

Specs and Design

Those who dare to splurge on this mouse will also get the company’s SpeedNova 8K wireless tech (via a svelte USB-A dongle), nicely clicky optical switches, and the company’s latest AimPoint Pro 65K mouse sensor that, at least on paper, seems to match the best options from PixArt. It’s all wrapped up in an 82-gram package that, while far from the lightest mouse around, is certainly light enough for serious, long-haul gaming sessions.

Apart from the fancy triangular fold-out packaging, Asus also includes a plastic display case for the mouse, complete with a clear lid with a gold 20th Anniversary ROG logo, and a silicon bed for the mouse, with an included slot for the 8K transceiver (the mouse itself sadly has no housing for the USB dongle). Some will see this as extra unnecessary packaging, but this is the kind of mouse you might want to show off more than most – and the triangular pod looks like it could be a small cryogenic chamber, designed to get this mouse to infinity, and beyond – or at least help it last until ROG’s 40th anniversary while still looking good.

The exterior shape and design of the ROG Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 should feel comfortable and familiar to connoisseurs of high-end gaming mice, as it’s based on the second-gen Harpe Ace. It’s a mid-sized mouse that doesn’t break the mold in terms of hand feel, button layout, or button count. Aside from the left and right main buttons and the scroll wheel, you get the two gold buttons on the left side.

On the bottom of the mouse, aside from the glass glides and the fancy sensor, there’s a switch for the three modes (2.4 GHz wireless, wired, and Bluetooth), as well as DPI and Pair buttons, the latter for Bluetooth or for pairing the mouse to another compatible 2.4 GHz transceiver. As you would expect, the front edge houses a USB-C port for charging and / or wired use.

Accessories

The accessory box first greets you with a simple graphical tutorial about how to clean the mouse (a small cloth is included). And considering this is a glossy rodent with a see-through back, you should expect to be wiping down the Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 fairly often if you want it to look its best. I do have to wonder worry what the transparent palm area will look like after years of regular use – no matter how often you clean it.

Aside from said cloth, you get a braided 6.5-foot USB cable, a dongle extender to bring the transceiver closer to your mouse, an extra set of mouse feet, and some pre-cut (and ROG-adorned) grip tape. I’m not often one to add grip tape to my mouse, but this one is particularly glossy and slippery, so you might want to consider it.

Also in the box are a foil-adorned ROG 20th anniversary card and a set of similar stickers.

Web-based adjustability

I’m not the biggest fan of Armory Crate (or any gaming peripheral software suite, to be honest), so I like that Asus makes heavy use of its Gear Link (https://gearlink.asus.com/) web app for mouse control here. With the mouse plugged into your system, you can dig pretty deep into the settings via the site.

There are sections for button assignments, SpeedShift settings, and performance. The performance section is pretty deep, with angle tuning / snapping, DPI adjustments (in four presets, or adjustable on the X and Y axis via a slider or letting you punch in specific numbers), and debouce delay.

There are also sections for lighting adjustments, power settings, and calibration for specific mouse pad surfaces (with presets for several Asus products).

A separate Zone Mode section lets you adjust the polling rate (which, like most 8K mice, defaults to 4K out of the box), as well as select the frame rate of the sensor and whether or not the transceiver runs in a dynamic power mode or max power (for the best possible connectivity). I would expect that if you leave the transceiver at max power and the mouse running at 8K, you’ll likely have to charge your mouse quite often. But I didn’t have the Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 long enough to judge battery life in different modes.

Gaming (and working) with the Asus Harpe II Extreme Edition 20

I only had about a week to use the mouse before heading to Taiwan for Computex 2026. But in that time, I used it as my daily driver for work and gaming. And as I would expect for a mouse this expensive, I didn’t have any major complaints. Apart from the slick, glossy surface (which took some adjustment coming from the matte mice I’ve been using lately), the Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 pretty quickly felt like an extension of my mouse hand, letting me game and work mostly without thinking about it (to me at least, this is an important feature in a mouse).

Whether I was using an aluminum mousepad, a more traditional flexible mouse surface, or even the cherry wood of my desk, the sensor performed flawlessly. And the buttons were where my thumb expected them to be, with a cool metallic feel that’s subtle but appreciated (especially as temperatures get warmer).

The editor in me missed the dual-mode scroll wheel of my MX Master 4 for quickly scrolling through large documents, but this, of course, isn’t a productivity mouse. The gamer in me, though, would have liked to see a DPI button on the top of the mouse, when shifting between fast-paced FPS titles like Borderlands 4 and Doom: The Dark Ages, and RTS and casual titles that require a different level of cursor control. It’s not exactly difficult to lift the mouse up and cycle through settings via the button on the bottom, but having that button behind the scroll wheel would make things more convenient.

Bottom Line

The gold-and-black design of the Harpe II Extreme Edition 20, along with its busy graphics, is something you’re likely going to love or hate. But it’s hard to fault the internal components of this mouse, with 8K polling and one of the highest-DPI sensors on the market. How many of us actually need this level of hardware to get the most from our games is debatable. But the ROG brand tends to lean toward the high-end, so no one should expect mid-range components in ROG peripherals. This is a mouse for those who know what they’re after, appreciate ROG’s legacy, and aren’t afraid to splurge when it comes to their gaming gear.

Part of me would have appreciated a slightly lighter weight and a couple more buttons, but you can find those features in other mice from Asus (and its gaming peripheral competitors, of course). As a tech-upgraded, gold-emblazoned cursor controller that both feels and looks premium, the Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 reflects back to ROG’s past (borrowing its shell design from the Harpe II Ace), while reaching toward the future (with its 65K sensor and web-based interface).

It’s also a damn fine gaming mouse for the here and now, as long as you can afford it. And don’t expect to be able to save up forever to afford it. Asus says it will be available from June 2026 through the end of the year.

In 2001, a Danish company with the name of “Soft Trading” released the ICEMAT - a simple, yet effective mousepad. Six years later, the company became what we know today as SteelSeries. SteelSeries is now known for a variety of gaming peripherals, such as the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless — a headset known for its fantastic noise cancellation for gaming and media — but its roots are in the best gaming mice (or, well, mouse-related things).

The SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 is the company's latest gaming mouse to go on those mouse pads. The Aerox 3 is a lightweight mouse, with bright colors and loud yet satisfying switches. It's also one of the few lightweight mice that still sports the perforated design that was trendy a few years back but has since been mostly abandoned in favor of ultra-lightweight plastic. The Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 is available in three colors — Magenta Haze (pink), Shadow (black), and Ghost (white), for an MSRP of $110. That $110 price tag makes it a little competitive — competitive enough to take a deeper look at, anyway.

Design and Comfort of the Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2

The SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 is a lightweight, colorful, honeycomb-style gaming mouse with lots of RGB, a semi-translucent shell, up to a 4,000 Hz polling rate, a 26,000 DPI sensor, mechanical switches, and PTFE skates for $110.

First things first, I want to discuss the color of the SteelSeries Aerox 3, because it’s truly my favorite part of this mouse. We received the Magenta Haze version and it took me back to the days of translucent controllers and consoles in the late ‘90s. Even with the RGB disabled, the mouse looks great and just makes you feel good.

Despite having a honeycomb construction, the Aerox 3 features an IPS4-rated design called “AquaBarrier,” which will protect the mouse against spills and dust. Honeycomb mice have never really been my favorite — I feel like the design has been beaten to death, and is more of a gimmick than anything given how light non-perforated mice are these days.The brand-new Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike, for example, has no holes and weighs just 61g — 7g less than the Aerox 3's 68g weight. But while I personally don't see the appeal of the design, I know some people love it.

Aesthetics aside, I found the SteelSeries Aerox 3 to be a very comfortable mouse. The Aerox 3’s dimensions are as follows: 2.64 inches (67mm) wide, 4.74 inches (120.5mm) tall and 1.49 (37.8mm) deep. Not the largest mouse on the market, but on the larger side in general. For perspective, I have pretty large hands, so if you do as well then you’ll probably find this mouse to be pretty comfortable.

Underneath the colorful shell are the loudest switches I have used in any gaming mouse before — and I love it. The clicks aren't obnoxiously loud, but they’re certainly audible — and very satisfying. They're rated for up to 80 million clicks, so you should be set for many years.

What I didn't like about this mouse was its sensor. I didn't hate it, but I found the TRUEMOVE 26K optical sensor to be sluggish and a little awkward-feeling. This was surprising, because the Aerox 3 Wireless' software is full of features to help you fine-tune the mouse, yet I just couldn't get it to feel right. When I was using the 2.4GHz connection, I noticed my cursor would almost lock up just before I went to click on something. Needless to say, this was very frustrating. Fortunately (sort of), this wasn't an issue over the Bluetooth connection.

As you might expect, the bright, awesome-looking RGB means a lower battery life. SteelSeries rates the Aerox 3 Wireless' battery life at 120 hours over a 2.4GHz wireless connection and 200 hours over Bluetooth. Of course, this decreases as you add lighting and up the polling rate. When I had RGB and Bluetooth enabled, I noticed the battery dropped about 10% every three hours, which wasn't too bad. The mouse also charges quite fast, so you shouldn't have too much trouble keeping this mouse working wirelessly.

Specs

Performance & Software of the Aerox 3 Wireless

The SteelSeries Aerox 3 is powered by SteelSeries' “GG” software (which is named after the classic text chat slang for "good game," I assume). The GG software is good, but frustrating. Upon booting up the software, you’re asked to enter your email address to utilize its unique features, such as Sonar, Moments and 3D Aim Trainer. Sonar is basically an audio mixer for your headset to make it easier to identify enemies in-game, Moments is for capturing clips, and 3D Aim Trainer does what you think — it helps you improve your accuracy.

As mentioned earlier, the Aerox 3's sensor is a bit sluggish. I usually set my DPI to 1,900 but with the SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2, I had to bump it up to 2,000 — which is a pretty significant increase. I also had tracking issues when I was utilizing the 2.4GHz wireless connection. It was almost like the cursor was locked to only horizontal and vertical movements. Fortunately, this issue didn't happen when I was connected via Bluetooth or USB-C, but it's definitely concerning given that 2.4GHz wireless is going to be most people's primary connection with this mouse.

During my testing I racked up a few hours on Ready or Not, which is a tactical, SWAT-style FPS that calls for strategic movements, quick reaction, and every button on the mouse. Despite my issues with tracking, I never experienced any issues in-game — I had no issues snapping to targets and calling for my squad mates to secure the perimeter.

The Bottom Line

The SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 is a nice-looking mouse — even though I'm not a fan of the honeycomb design, the semi-translucent bright magenta shell makes this mouse pop, especially if you have the RGB lighting enabled.

But looks aren't everything, and the mouse's sluggish performance over the 2.4GHz wireless connection was frustrating. I hope this was just an issue with my review sample, and if not, it's probably something that SteelSeries could fix with a firmware update, but it's something to be on the lookout for if you're considering this mouse.

While I did genuinely enjoy the Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2, it's not my first choice for a lightweight mouse. While lighter mice, such as the 56g Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro, tend to be stripped down and less exciting-looking, mice like the Glorious Model O 2 Wireless weighs the same as the Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 and also comes with holes and RGB lighting (and costs $10 less). The Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 is a solid mouse, but even at its $110 price point... I'd still recommend waiting until it goes on sale.

Let’s be real: Gaming mice are locked in a numbers war. Each new generation brings higher sensitivities and speeds. But despite DPI levels better suited to an IMAX screen than a computer monitor, rarely does a gaming mouse truly change the game and make you a better player. However, that’s exactly what the Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike accomplishes, putting it toe-to-toe with the best gaming mice we’ve tested so far.

At the time of publication, this is the only mouse of its kind — and the only mouse capable of turning back the wheels of time… at least if you’re almost forty, like me.

Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike Specs

Design and Comfort of the Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike

Logitech wasn’t out to fix what wasn’t broken. The X2’s shape and feel are carbon copies of the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2, one of the most popular competitive mice in use today (and an easy addition to our collection of the best gaming mice). It’s low profile and sleek — clearly designed for speed, weighing 2.15 ounces (61g) with a back-to-basics 5-button design. Its predecessor mostly stuck to a few core single colors and limited editions, but the X2 trades this for a launch colorway called Lunar Eclipse. There’s no RGB, but its black-button-white-shell aesthetic (and even more if you add the side grip tapes) looks slick.

While the shape and size of the mouse do feel a bit overdone at this point, that familiarity is, in fact, the point. If you’ve used a G Pro or Superlight in the past, the X2 should feel instantly familiar. Logitech doesn’t want you focusing on learning a new shape. It wants you to pay attention to the new haptic tech built into the buttons, picking up on its increased speed.

The Superstrike’s defining feature is that it has done away with mouse clicks. Instead of using actual switches beneath the left and right mouse buttons, click feedback is now produced by a haptic engine that Logitech calls H.I.T.S. (Haptic Inductive Trigger System). It combines tiny haptic motors with inductive sensors to create a feature set that brings together the worlds of gaming keyboards and gaming mice.

Because the left and right buttons use induction sensors, there’s no mechanical action that locks where the click should occur. Like a gaming keyboard with Hall Effect switches, this means that you can raise or lower the actuation point across ten levels. Like high actuation point switches, setting your clicks to their fastest point makes them incredibly sensitive. With all other variables being the same, this short throw trigger makes the Superstrike objectively more responsive. This is the bulk of where Logitech seems to be basing its claims of “up to 30ms” of response time improvement.

The click feedback is surprisingly convincing. The strength of each click can be adjusted across five levels ranging from no feedback at all to thick and bar-like. After using it for a while, the differences in its clicks become more obvious. It’s not bad, especially when you consider its excellent tactility. But even on its highest setting, there’s a slight roundness to each click that gives it away.

The X2 comes with the latest version of Logitech’s Hero 2 sensor. Like its outer appearance, there, tracking is far more on the iterative side. The only thing to change is the maximum DPI, which jumped from 32,000 to 44,000 (the numbers race crawls ever upward). It keeps the same 888 inches per second (IPS) max speed, 88G of acceleration, and up to an 8,000 Hz polling rate (1,000 Hz by default) . It’s high-spec and proven excellent many times over — but such minor updates definitely point to the triggers being the real reason to choose this over the Superlight.

In the quest to make mice ever lighter, the Superstrike leaves frills like DPI buttons on the cutting room floor. There’s no Bluetooth, which is expected for a competition-oriented gaming mouse. Its 61 gram weight is airy and only one gram more than the Superlight 2, despite the more advanced tech inside it.

There’s been a slight compromise on battery life, dropping from 95 hours or constant motion to 90 hours. It’s not much, but there’s a big caveat to this that the Superlight 2 and other gaming mice don’t have to contend with. Since each click is now driven by jolts to haptic motors, balancing feedback with battery life is a new consideration. On its default setting of “3,” my test period has me trending toward that 90 hour mark, even including some hours of testing at higher levels.

Performance of the Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike

With a retail price of $180, the Superstrike has a lot to prove. Because of its familiar shape, however, you essentially know what you're getting going in. It’s a very simple, minimalist shape and layout that most people will find comfortable right away. Depending on your preference of video game genre, you might find it a little too basic.

That’s because the Superstrike, like the Superlight series, is mainly designed around competitive shooters. It intentionally trades extra buttons for a streamlined design that delivers only what you’ll need but at the highest quality and performance Logitech has to offer. At 61 grams, it’s meant to feel like an extension of your arm — to get out of the way, in other words and any inputs you don’t “need” are left for other mice.

When it comes to physical performance, it lacks nothing compared to the Superlight 2. The grip is the same — fingertip, claw, or hybrid between the two. A palm grip isn’t ideal due to its low height and slim size. Its weight and high-performance sensor also make it perfect for twitch shooting and quick snaps, both of which lend themselves to a nimble grip.

It’s comfortable to hold. Out of the box, there’s no texturing or rubberized finishes to support control. It seems a little slick, but the shell has small contours on either side to promote a steady grip. There are also grip tapes included in the box as an optional add-on. I didn’t find the mouse difficult to hold without them, but the grip tapes add a significant amount of control that I preferred right away.

Tracking is, expectedly, excellent. Logitech's Hero sensor is a proven commodity, so you won't need to worry about spin outs or jittery reticles. Its maximum DPI is outside of what I personally find easy or even reasonable to use but, for the sake of science, I did try turning it all the way to the max and lowering my in-game sensitivity, which worked fine.

The important thing to know, however, is that tracking accuracy is pixel perfect throughout the range. If you're like most gamers, and you keep a sensitivity somewhere between 800 and 2000 DPI, you'll find that it doesn't get much better than what the Superstrike has to offer.

The new haptic technology is interesting and effective at mimicking mechanical mouse clicks. Like I mentioned above, it's not one-to-one and you can pretty quickly tell the difference between a traditional sharp mechanical click and the rounded bump of the haptic motor. Despite lacking some sharpness, there's enough power to the haptics that the tactility is exceptionally good. Being able to dial it in through Logitech's G-Hub software is all the better and guarantees you'll be able to find a feedback level that matches your preference.

The competitive edge the X2 offers comes from the inductive switches driving those haptics. With the ability to raise and lower the actuation point, you’re able to customize whether clicks send faster or slower, depending on your needs. In gaming, raising the actuation point to its highest turns each click into a hair trigger, similar to Hall Effect switches and trigger-locked custom controllers.

Logitech quotes up to 30ms of improvement. As a gamer turning 40 this year, I’ve noticed my own reaction time slowing down from what it once was. The 30ms of improvement doesn’t seem like much on paper, but it in practice, holds the potential to turn back time and help level the playing field against younger players. Or, if you’re among the whippersnappers dominating my BF6 lobbies, your advantage can stretch even further.

“Up to 30ms” is a pretty concrete claim, so I put it to the test using AimLabs. AimLabs is an aim-training program available on Steam and made up of benchmarks to improve your skills. One of those tests focuses explicitly on reaction time: as soon as you see a colored sphere, you click. No aiming, nothing else other than pure reaction time.

Through more than four dozen trials, I averaged out my current response time with my prior daily driver, the Razer Basilisk Mobile, my response time with the Superstrike on stock settings (actuation in the middle of the press), and my response time with the highest actuation point possible. I also tested to see if there was any difference between 1,000 Hz and 8,000 Hz polling rates for my speed.

Between the two mice, my reaction time remained almost exactly the same. With the Basilisk, I averaged 247ms across ten runs. The Superstrike on stock settings averaged 243ms — well within the margin of error. Raising the actuation point to its highest level dropped that to 218ms. Not quite 30, but enough to feel when you’re in the middle of a match. Polling rate didn’t make any difference whatsoever.

I admit that I was skeptical about even being able to perceive 30ms of improvement, but I could and easily. It’s subtle, but the Superstrike definitely felt snappier. The marketing is true.

Did this new tech make me a better player? Kind of. For someone like me, it helps level the playing field. But, like always, a mouse is just a tool and is not a replacement for skill. That 25ms of improvement may have let me fire the first shot more often, but if the other player has better aim, they still might net the win.

The inductive triggers also make Rapid Trigger (SOCD) possible for the first time on a mouse. It works identically to gaming keyboards with the feature. It’s easy to see how it could be configured to improve ADS speed, even if only slightly. We don't know yet whether competitive games will ban this feature like they did with gaming keyboards.

For productivity and non-competitive games, these benefits are less impactful — but they still matter. I have a tendency to misclick from time to time, especially if I’m multitasking. When I’m getting work done or browsing the web, I lower the actuation point almost all the way. Clicks need more weight, so those mistaken clicks have all but disappeared. If you’re a fan of macros or binding lots of different actions to your mouse hand, you'll probably find the Superstrike limited, however.

Software for the Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike

Like most other Logitech G peripherals, the Superstrike is configured using Logitech's G Hub software. This suite is polished, straightforward, and clearly designed for ease of use. You don’t need to be familiar with G Hub to dive right in and start personalizing the mouse.

Loading it up for the first time, I was prompted to update the mouse to the latest firmware version before it would be fully accessible. The process was fast and frustration free, then I was greeted with a graphic of the mouse, as well as my current battery level.

Clicking into the mouse applet reveals several tabs on the left for configuring DPI, polling rate, and a handful of other parameters. There’s also a neat feature that allows you to sensitivity-match the Superstrike with whatever your last mouse was, saving you the troubleshooting of trying to manually match sensitivities. You can also configure the scroll wheel to avoid accidentally bumping it and changing weapons mid fight.

There’s no lighting to configure, but you can reassign its handful of buttons. I’ve always appreciated Logitech’s approach to this section, listing all of the Windows shortcuts in an easy to interpret menu. Its inclusiveness might just help you discover shortcuts you didn’t know existed. You can also record macros and assign different functions like a DPI toggle or a sensitivity clutch to create your own sniper button. You can also save different profiles and associate them with specific games, but with only five buttons, there’s not a lot of room to personalize without losing functionality somewhere else.

The new H.I.T.S. system has its own dedicated tab. There, you can set the actuation point and feedback level so it feels and responds just as you would like. There’s also a rapid trigger where you can map the actuation and reset behavior to make the buttons even more responsive.

Overall, I find Logitech G Hub to be simple and straightforward. The advanced functions are well explained and there’s frankly more functionality built in that I personally find myself taking advantage of due to the button count. It’s great for newcomers, though, and does a good job of making the H.I.T.S. system quick and easy to engage with.

Bottom Line

With mice being such staple peripherals, real innovation is rare. These are peripherals that have been “figured out” for years now, which is what makes the Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike so refreshing. It’s simultaneously simple and minimalist while also being one of the most technologically advanced and forward thinking out there. And best of all, the innovation works: It’s objectively faster than a normal gaming mouse.

There’s no way around how expensive the X2 is, and if 30ms of improvement doesn’t sound worth it to you, the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 is worth a look (and is significantly cheaper). If you need more inputs and you don’t mind trading some weight to get there, the Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K is also a solid alternative.

Even though this won’t automatically make you a better player, the H.I.T.S system feels like an important advancement in gaming mice. I expect we’ll see more mice with customizable triggers in the future. For now, however, this is your only option for this kind of performance. If you don’t care about extra buttons and you want to mechanically reclaim some reaction time, it’s well worth considering.

Instead of reinventing the (scroll) wheel (or something), Corsair decided to take its ultra-lightweight high-performance Sabre v2 Pro wireless mouse to the next level — material-wise, that is. The brand announced two new versions of the Sabre v2 Pro at CES in January: One made of magnesium and one made of carbon fiber. This might not sound like a significant difference, but there are so many ultra-lightweight, stripped-down performance-first gaming mice these days that they're all pretty similar. So we took a look at both, naturally.

The Corsair Sabre v2 Pro Wireless MG is the magnesium version: An ultra-lightweight wireless mouse with a symmetrical shape and a perforated magnesium alloy shell. It weighs 1.98 ounces (56g), which makes it 0.7 ounces (20g) heavier than the original Sabre v2 Pro, which weighs just 1.27 ounces (36g). It features Corsair's Marksman S 33K sensor, which has a maximum sensitivity of 33,000 DPI, a maximum speed of 750 IPS, and can handle up to 50 G's of force. It gets up to an 8,000 Hz polling rate — both wired and wireless — and up to 120 hours of battery life (over a 2.4GHz wireless connection with a 1,000 Hz polling rate).

It's definitely a funky-looking mouse — it's been a while since we've seen a mouse with so many holes vying for a spot on our list of best gaming mice — but I'm not sure it's worth the extra $50 just for the magnesium shell. The mouse is available now, in black and white colorways, for $149.99.

Design and Comfort of the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless MG

The Sabre v2 Pro Wireless MG is a wireless pseudo-symmetrical ultra-lightweight gaming mouse; it's the cheaper version of Corsair's Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF, which is virtually identical except it's made of carbon fiber. The Sabre v2 Pro Wireless MG is made of magnesium and has a perforated shell — that's something we haven't seen in a while. This makes it only 1g heavier than its carbon fiber counterpart: the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless MG weighs 1.98 ounces (56g), while the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF weighs 1.94 ounces (55g).

The Sabre v2 Pro Wireless MG has a symmetrical shape with a slight flare and a low, mildly-sloped center hump. Its magnesium shell features geometric perforations that cover most of the hump and part of the buttons. The perforations are on the larger side — closer to those of the Razer Viper Mini Signature Edition than those of the Monoprice Dark Matter Hyper-K or the SteelSeries Aerox 9 Wireless. I personally don't think the somewhat random shapes make for the most attractive hole design, but I guess it's not any worse (or better) than other hole designs. The holes don't make much difference in how the mouse feels, as it's pretty low profile and best suited for claw or fingertip grip styles.

The mouse's magnesium shell has a matte black finish with a slight, glittery sheen, and it feels... pretty average, to be honest. While I don't necessarily like super slippery mice, I kind of wish the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless MG's shell was slightly smoother. The slightly rough finish is similar to that of most matte plastic mice I have on hand. This isn't a bad thing, but since a large part of the mouse's selling point is its magnesium shell, it felt... underwhelming.

The Sabre v2 Pro Wireless MG is close to the same size as other symmetrical, ultra-lightweight mice. It measures 4.83 inches (122.7mm) long by 2.51 inches (63.8mm) wide, and is 1.5 inches (38.3mm) high at its tallest point. By comparison, the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 measures 4.92 x 2.5 x 1.57 inches (125 x 63.5 x 40mm), while the Asus ROG Harpe Ace Extreme measures 5.01 x 2.51 x 1.56 inches (127.5 x 63.7 x 39.6mm) — so the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless MG is slightly (very slightly) smaller.

The mouse has five programmable buttons, including the scroll wheel click. The primary mouse buttons are large, separated, and flat, with no curves. The thumb buttons are pretty standard and are well-placed — they were easy to distinguish and press quickly regardless of what I was doing. The mouse has a clickable notched scroll wheel in neon yellow, with a black, textured rubber strip for grip.

On the bottom of the mouse, you'll find two curved UPE mouse feet at the bottom and top of the mouse (as well as the standard ring around the sensor). They're not huge, but Corsair includes extra, larger skates in the box so you can swap them out if you need extra glide. There's also a DPI switch button and a power switch that lets you toggle between 2.4GHz wireless and Bluetooth. The DPI switch button is not programmable.

In the box, the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless MG includes a couple of accessories — a 6-foot (1.8m) braided USB-C to USB-A cable for charging, the mouse's 2.4 GHz wireless dongle, pre-cut grip tape, and extra mouse feet.

Performance of the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless MG

The Sabre v2 Pro Wireless MG features the same Corsair Marksman S optical sensor as its pricier counterpart. It has a maximum sensitivity of 33,000 DPI and a maximum speed of 750 IPS, and can handle up to 70 G's of acceleration. This is the same sensor found in the regular plastic Sabre v2 Pro, and it's an excellent sensor. Mouse movement is smooth and highly responsive, even in — or, well, especially in — fast-paced first-person shooters like Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Overwatch. (Of course, no amount of mouse responsiveness will make me better at first-person shooter games, but that's beside the point.)

The sensor is also extremely precise and accurate, and I had no issues with lag, latency, or stuttering while I was editing images and videos. Like many premium gaming mice these days, the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless MG gets up to an 8,000 Hz polling rate (both wired and wireless), though it ships with a default polling rate of 1,000 Hz. Most people will not notice a meaningful difference between 1,000 Hz and 8,000 Hz unless they're playing in some sort of eSports competition where every fraction of a millisecond matters. Note that I said "meaningful" — while you might notice a difference in how smoothly your mouse glides across the screen with an 8,000 Hz polling rate, it's probably not going to dramatically affect your gameplay.

The Sabre v2 Pro Wireless MG features Corsair's own mechanical switches in its primary buttons, which are rated for 100 million clicks. They're on the quieter side, which is nice (I'm not usually one to complain about mouse click loudness, but some of today's mice are surprisingly noisy), and they have nice crisp tactile feedback. The side buttons also feel decent, with smooth, distinct clicks. The scroll wheel is on the softer side (and the center click is a little light on feedback), but it didn't bother me too much.

Specs

Features and Software of the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless MG

The Sabre v2 Pro Wireless MG is configurable via Corsair's Web Hub, which is the brand's new(ish) online peripheral configuration tool. It's a fairly simple mouse, so there's not much to configure, but you can use Web Hub to remap the mouse's five programmable buttons (left/right click, thumb buttons, center scroll wheel click) to whatever you want — including macros (Web Hub has a macro recorder). You can also set the DPI steps to cycle through when you press the DPI button on the bottom of the mouse; you can turn off DPI steps you don't need (between 1 - 5).

There are also a handful of settings you can change or toggle in the device settings — you can set the polling rate (8,000 Hz / 4,000 Hz / 2,000 Hz / 1,000 Hz) and the lift height, and toggle motion sync, angle snapping, and ripple control.

Wireless Experience and Battery Life of the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless MG

The Sabre v2 Pro Wireless MG has three connectivity options — 2.4 GHz wireless, Bluetooth, and wired (via USB-C). It comes with a USB-C to USB-A cable, but it's not a flexible, low-drag cable as you see with many mice; it's not really designed to be used as a wired mouse. The inclusion of Bluetooth is nice, since most mice like this don't even bother with it, since it's a feature most users will rarely (if ever) use. Still, not everyone is a hardcore professional competitive gamer, and sometimes people just want to use their mouse with other devices for non-gaming purposes without switching the dongle over every time.

Corsair rates the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless MG at 120 hours of battery life over a 2.4 GHz wireless connection with a 1,000 Hz polling rate, which is slightly better than you'll find on similar mice. The Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 gets around 95 hours, while the Asus ROG Harpe Ace Extreme gets 70 hours. Razer's DeathAdder V4 Pro gets up to 150 hours, so the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless MG isn't the longest-lived wireless mouse on the market — but it's on the higher side. This does, of course, drop to just 21 hours if you set the polling rate to 8,000 Hz.

Bottom Line

The Corsair Sabre v2 Pro Wireless MG is $50 cheaper than the carbon fiber version, but it's still $150. That price is around where most premium flagship mice start, though prices have been creeping up recently (the Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro launched at $170). If you're looking for a simple, ultra-lightweight wireless mouse that's not made of plastic, this isn't a bad choice, but it's very similar to, well, a lot of other mice. I didn't feel like the magnesium alloy shell was significantly more premium than similar plastic mice, so I'd probably stick with something plastic (and cheaper) — such as the regular Corsair Sabre v2 Pro.

There aren't many mice that cost $200 (though some flagships are starting to get close), and the ones that do are usually made of something fancy and expensive, like carbon fiber.

And the Corsair Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF is exactly that — the priciest version of Corsair's Sabre v2 Pro Wireless line, with a smooth, carbon fiber shell.

The Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF is an ultra-lightweight symmetrically-shaped wireless gaming mouse with pretty straightforward specs: Corsair's Marksman S 33K sensor, which has a maximum resolution of 33,000 DPI and a maximum speed of 750 inches per second (IPS), and can handle up to 50 G's of force; up to an 8,000 Hz polling rate (wired and wireless); 2.4GHz wireless and Bluetooth connectivity; and up to 120 hours of battery life (over a 2.4GHz wireless connection with a 1,000 Hz polling rate). It weighs just 1.94 ounces (55 grams), which definitely puts it in the ultra-lightweight category — it's about 5 grams lighter than our current pick for the best ultra-lightweight mouse, but it's not the lightest mouse we've tested. Oh, and it costs $199.99, which is a lot to pay for a mouse that only has five programmable buttons.

Design and Comfort of the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF

The Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF is a wireless pseudo-symmetrical ultra-lightweight mouse with a carbon fiber shell. This is the priciest version of Corsair's Sabre v2 Pro — there's also a $150 version that's virtually identical save for the magnesium shell, and both the carbon fiber version and the magnesium version are building off of the original Sabre v2 Pro (which is, of course, plastic).

The Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF has a solid black carbon fiber shell with a smooth matte finish (pretty much your classic carbon fiber pattern and feel). The top shell and primary buttons are made of carbon fiber; the thumb buttons and the bottom of the mouse are plastic. I suppose it's worth pointing out that this is slightly more carbon fiber than the Asus ROG Harpe Extreme, as the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF's sides are carbon fiber while the ROG Harpe Extreme's are textured plastic. However, the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF is heavier than the ROG Harpe Extreme, weighing 1.94 ounces (55 g) to the Harpe Extreme's 1.66 ounces (47 g). So apparently there's more than just carbon fiber under the shell.

The Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF has a low-profile, symmetrical shape with a modest hump and a slight flare. The primary buttons are large and flat, following the shape of the mouse — there are no channels for your fingers, like you'll find on the ROG Harpe Ace Extreme. The mouse measures approximately 4.81 inches (122.17mm) long by 2.5 inches (63.5mm) wide, and is 1.51 inches (38.86mm) high at its highest point. It's not a tiny mouse, but it's on the smaller side — many premium gaming mice from mainstream companies sit right around 5 inches in length. Still, it shouldn't be too difficult to use regardless of hand size, as it features a pretty universally workable shape.

The carbon fiber feels like, well, carbon fiber: smooth and slightly slippery, but very rigid and durable. I honestly loved the way this mouse felt: smooth, luxurious, and yet not so slippery that I felt like I would lose my grip in a bout of intense gaming. Corsair also includes pre-cut grip tape in the box, for those who might need something grippier, but I didn't feel the need to use it. And it's not just because it's carbon fiber — the ROG Harpe Ace Extreme is sitting on my desk right next to this mouse, and I still found myself reaching for the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF about 90% of the time.

The mouse has five programmable buttons: left/right primary buttons, two thumb buttons, and the center scroll wheel click. The primary buttons feature Corsair's custom-tuned mechanical switches, which are crisp and tactile and not too loud. The scroll wheel is the only thing on this mouse that's just about average; It's not bad, but not particularly notable.

The bottom of the mouse has two curved, medium-sized UPE strips at either end for glide, as well as a sliver around the sensor. It's a very lightweight mouse, so you shouldn't have too much problem with smooth movement, but if you want less friction Corsair also includes larger replacement mouse skates in the box. The bottom is also where you'll find the mouse's power switch, which lets you power on the mouse into 2.4GHz wireless or Bluetooth mode, as well as the DPI switch button that you can press to cycle through DPI steps.

In the box, the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF comes with a few accessories, all packed in a rigid, zippered carrying case. In addition to the case, you'll find a 6-foot (1.8 m) USB-C to USB-A cable, a wireless dongle, pre-cut grip tape, and extra, larger mouse skates. The carrying case reminds me of the case that came with the Asus ROG Harpe Ace Extreme — it's very similar and it also fits the mouse and all of its accessories. I don't know how often people carry their ultra-pricey gaming mice around with them, but it's a nice extra regardless.

Specs

Performance of the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF

The Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF features Corsair's Marksman S optical sensor, which has a maximum sensitivity of 33,000 DPI and a maximum speed of 750 IPS, and can handle up to 50 G's of force. This is the same sensor featured in the Corsair Sabre v2 Pro and the Corsair Scimitar Elite SE Wireless, and it's an excellent sensor. It tracked very well on every surface I tried it on — hard, soft, and hybrid mouse pads, as well as wood, laminate, glass, concrete, and fabric. Gaming with the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless is a flawlessly smooth experience, and I didn't experience any latency or stuttering during my testing.

Switching the mouse's polling rate from its default 1,000 Hz to 8,000 Hz can make a difference in latency, but it's not something most people are probably going to be able to benefit from unless they're competing. While the mouse does move across the screen even smoother with an 8,000 Hz polling rate, the difference is not that big (and it seems like it's more likely to take a toll on your PC's performance — after all, an 8,000 Hz polling rate means the mouse is reporting to your PC eight times as often as it would with a 1,000 Hz polling rate). Still, the option is there if you need or want it.

The carbon fiber shell does impact performance, in my opinion — the smooth finish makes it comfortable to hold, but it's not so slippery that you can't get a good grip on it. Plus, the rigid, durable carbon fiber means you can grip this mouse a little harder without worrying about damage (I didn't hear any creaking at all in my testing).

The mouse's switches are on the quieter side, but they feel very good. They're tactile, with a solid, lightweight click, and Corsair has them rated for 100 million clicks. The side buttons also feel good. They're large and well-placed, making them easy to click and not easy to misclick.

Features and Software of the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF

There's not much to configure on the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF, but there's enough that you'll probably need to open up Corsair's Web Hub at least once. Luckily, the mouse is so straight-forward that Web Hub handles it pretty well, with a very simple set of menus for remapping buttons, setting DPI steps, and recording macros.

You'll also need to use Web Hub to adjust the mouse's settings. This includes changing the polling rate (the mouse ships with a default polling rate of 1,000 Hz) and adjusting some of the more advanced features, such as lift height, angle snapping, and ripple control. You can also check the mouse's remaining battery life and update firmware for both the mouse and the dongle using the Web App.

For those of you who are concerned about being forced to be online just to update your mouse settings, the Web App can also be installed on your PC for offline use. Well, theoretically — I haven't managed to get it to work just yet.

Wireless Experience & Battery Life of the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF

The Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF has three forms of connectivity: low-latency 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, and wired (via USB-C). The Bluetooth is surprising, as most stripped-down ultra-lightweight wireless mice only have 2.4GHz wireless (but if you're wondering, the Bluetooth isn't why the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF weighs more than the ROG Harpe Ace Extreme, as the latter is also one of the rare ultra-lightweight wireless mice to have Bluetooth). I'm not sure Bluetooth is really necessary in a mouse that's clearly designed for high-performance gaming and not much else, but it's still a nice option to have.

Corsair rates the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF at 120 hours over a 2.4 GHz wireless connection with a 1,000 Hz polling rate. This is very good. It's better than most ultra-lightweight wireless mice, which usually top out at around 100 hours (though the Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro gets 150 hours). The magnesium version of the mouse has the same rated battery life, but the regular Sabre v2 Pro is significantly less impressive at just 70 hours.

Bottom Line

The Corsair Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF isn't a bad upgrade from the original plastic Sabre v2 Pro: the carbon fiber shell really does make a difference in comfort (and when you're more comfortable, you probably perform better). But it's still $200, while the original Sabre v2 Pro retails for half of that — that's a pretty big price difference. You do get the extra accessories (well, really just the carrying case)... but it's not a $100 carrying case. Of course, the other carbon fiber mouse we tested recently, the Asus ROG Harpe Ace Extreme, is even pricier at $250.

Ultimately, it comes down to what you're looking for — the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF does its job very well: it's lightweight, easy to pick up and move, sturdy and able to take a decent amount of enthusiastic gaming, and it's smooth, speedy, and accurate. It's not particularly customizable or feature-rich, but it's not trying to be (though it does have Bluetooth). But you're definitely paying at least somewhat for the cool carbon fibery-ness of it, so keep that in mind, you'll get great performance if you buy this mouse, but you don't need to buy this mouse to get great performance.

First unveiled at the Logitech G Play 2025 event in September 2025, the Pro X2 Superstrike is now available in stores for $179.99. It's Logitech's first gaming mouse to feature the brand's Superstrike technology, which combines an inductive analog sensing system with real-time haptic feedback.

• Buy the Logitech Pro X2 Superstrike at Amazon
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• Buy the Logitech Pro X2 Superstrike at Logitech

While competitors are still using industry-standard mechanical microswitches, Logitech has moved away from them and introduced its Haptic Inductive Trigger System (HITS) with the Pro X2 Superstrike. HITS features an electromagnetic induction system consisting of a metal coil and a magnet to register clicks. The core idea behind HITS is induction, which likely inspired the technology's name. According to Logitech, HITS can reduce latency by up to 30 ms compared to mechanical switches.

Since there is no physical contact, unlike mechanical switches, the Pro X2 Superstrike lets you pick the actuation levels, similar to modern Hall Effect keyboards. There are 10 actuation levels and five rapid-trigger reset points you can choose from. Since there's no mechanical interaction, there's no "real" click to the Pro X2 Superstrike. Instead, Logitech added a haptic actuator to simulate the click, much like what Apple does with the MacBook Force Touch trackpad on its devices. There are six actuator intensity levels for the Pro X2 Superstrike, which you can customize in Logitech G HUB.

Logitech Pro X2 Superstrike Specifications

The Pro X2 Superstrike retains many of the same specifications as the original Pro X Superlight 2. Logitech's Hero 2 sensor remains at the heart of the Pro X2 Superstrike and delivers a DPI range of 100-44,000, with tracking and acceleration of 888 IPS and 88 G, respectively. As always, the performance metrics are from Logitech's internal tests on its G640 Gaming Mouse Pad.

The Pro X2 Superstrike flaunts polling rates up to 8,000 Hz using Logitech's Lightspeed technology. A single charge provides up to 90 hours of battery life, so it's only 5% less than the Pro X Superlight 2. It charges via a standard USB-C port, or you can pair it with a Powerplay mouse pad. The Pro X2 Superstrike and Pro X Superlight 2 are identical in dimensions and design. However, the former weighs 2% more than its predecessor, which is not a substantial difference.

The Pro X2 Superstrike retails for $179.99, 13% more than the Pro X Superlight 2 if we're comparing MSRP. However, at street price, the Pro X Superlight 2 typically sells for as little as $114.99 and has dipped to an all-time low of $99.99, so we're potentially looking at a significant premium for the Pro X2 Superstrike if you bought the predecessor at a significant discount.

The Razer name has been around for a long time, having established itself as one of the first gaming-oriented brands in the PC space. The company is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the iconic Razer Boomslang mouse. The gaming gear firm is launching a special transparent edition of the Boomslang with a display case, as a highly limited run of 1,337 units, all priced at $1,337.

The special edition comes with mostly transparent innards and polyurethane leather buttons. Following the original design, the mouse is ambidextrous, except this time around it's fitted with the latest-and-greatest from the Razer camp: optical switches, a Razer Focus Pro sensor, low-latency wireless communication, and magnetic wireless charging. The charging dock is made of glass, and both mouse and dock have copious RGB LED lighting.

Buyers will get an additional glass display frame with LED lighting, containing each part of the mouse displayed in full glory. Razer also throws in a set of glass feet if the original ones end up on the wrong side of a Counter-Strike loss.

The wording of "20th anniversary" might strike some as odd, seeing as the Boomslang is nearly 27 years old now, with the initial launch in 1999. Razer calls it the world's first gaming mouse, something that's a bit of a stretch but also not untrue. Technically, that title goes to Logitech's Wingman Gaming Mouse, although the Boomslang is arguably more deserving of it, having introduced many features we take as granted nowadays like high-DPI movement and macros.

In that timeframe, the Boomslang was effectively discontinued between 2000 and 2007. The brand was belonged to Kärna LLC, a company that went bankrupt in 2005. It was around 2005 that the Razer was bought and the Razer Inc company started existing as an individual entity. As far as we can ascertain, the Boomslang was actually properly re-released in 2007. Seems that Razer is celebrating its own 20th anniversary, rather than the famous rodent's.

If you're wondering what's the deal with all the references to the number 1,337, it's because it looks like "l33t", or "elite", which was the early 2000s way of describing someone or something as top-notch or high-tech. Amusingly, it quickly became used as a pejorative term. Interested buyers can get in line using the preorder form at the bottom of the Boomslang's page.

There are a lot of ultra-lightweight wireless gaming mice with 4K or 8K polling rates out there right now. So much so that it's getting hard to differentiate them, partly because they're not doing much to differentiate themselves. Turtle Beach's new Burst II Pro probably isn't going to make our list of best gaming mice, but it's the latest ultra-lightweight (57g), speedy, stripped-down wireless gaming mouse with 8K polling (both wired and wireless). And, well, it looks a lot like the rest.

The Burst II Pro is an ultra-lightweight wireless gaming mouse with six programmable buttons and eight programmable inputs, and... not much else. It features Turtle Beach's Owl-Eye 30K optical sensor, which has a maximum resolution of 30,000 DPI and a maximum speed of 750 IPS, can handle up to 70 Gs of force, and it gets up to an 8,000 Hz polling rate over both its 2.4GHz wireless connection and its wired connection (it comes with a special, shielded USB-C to USB-A cable to ensure the absolute lowest latency). It's a lot like other ultra-lightweight wireless gaming mice with 8K polling rates, though it does have a DPI button that's located on the left side, near the front — a somewhat unique placement. But, for the most part, it's just like other mice in its category.

The Burst II Pro is available now, in black and white colorways, for $139.99 (though it's recently been on sale for $99.99).

Design and Comfort

The Burst II Pro is an ultra-light wireless gaming mouse with a fairly basic shape — pseudo-symmetrical, with curved sides and a centered, even hump. It features a lightweight plastic shell with a smooth, soft-touch matte finish and a metallic accent line that separates the primary mouse buttons from the palmrest. The finish looks and feels nice, but it does attract fingerprints — I had to wipe down the mouse daily to remove shine.

Turtle Beach's palm tree logo is printed in dark gray on the mouse's hump, and the brand's text logo is printed on the mouse's right primary button (alongside the scroll wheel). "8K" is printed in the corner of the left scroll button, presumably to remind you that this mouse boasts wireless polling rates of up to 8,000 Hz, at the price of battery life, of course.

The mouse's shell feels fairly sturdy, but the sides do creak a lot — even with just a little pressure. This wasn't much of an issue for me, as I don't grip the sides of my mice particularly hard (I'm definitely a palm gripper), but it is concerning in a stripped-down, ultra-lightweight mouse. The mouse is aimed at gamers who prioritize speed and mobility over everything else, and many of these gamers do tend to grab and pick up their mice by the sides. While side creaking doesn't usually mean an issue with structural stability, it can definitely be frustrating and noticeable while you're playing.

The Burst II Pro is slightly smaller than most modern flagship mice — it's not tiny, but those with smaller hands will probably find it a little easier to wield than something like the Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro. The mouse is 4.81 inches (122mm) long by 2.65 (67mm) wide at its widest point — its sides curve inward, making it slimmer where your fingers will be gripping. It's closer to 2.3 inches (58.17mm) wide at that point. It's also very, very lightweight, weighing in at 2.01 ounces (57g).

The mouse has five buttons, not including the scroll wheel click: primary left/right mouse buttons, two side thumb buttons, and a DPI button that's also located on the left side, near the front (close to where you might find a sniper button on other mice). This is an interesting place to put the DPS switch, but I don't mind it. I definitely prefer having the DPS switch here, rather than somewhere truly inconvenient, such as the underside of the mouse. The DPS switch is programmable, so you can remap it to do just about anything, but it's located slightly too far forward to be convenient to press.

The bottom of the mouse has a couple of geometric cutouts (to reduce weight, presumably), as well as a cutout section for storing the mouse's USB-A dongle. It also has a power switch for toggling between 2.4GHz wireless and Bluetooth, as well as four PTFE skates at each corner. It's such a lightweight mouse that you probably won't have any issues with gliding, but if you're looking for a different feel, Turtle Beach does include a few different options for mouse feet: a set of larger feet, and two sets of dots you can place anywhere (PTFE and UMHW-PE).

In the box, the Burst II Pro comes with a 5.9-foot (1.8m) USB-C to USB-A "8K PhantomFlex" cable, which is fabric-covered and low-drag (though it's stiffer than other flexible cables I've used, such as HyperX's HyperFlex cables). It also comes with a 2.4GHz USB-A dongle and a USB extender, as well as pre-cut grip tape and the aforementioned extra mouse skates.

Specs

Performance

The Burst II Pro features Turtle Beach's latest Owl-Eye 30K optical sensor, which has a maximum sensitivity of 30,000 DPI and a maximum speed of 750 IPS, and can handle up to 70 Gs of force. According to the company, the sensor is optimized for "99.8% resolution accuracy on all surfaces including glass." This probably doesn't mean you can use it on a freshly-cleaned, fully-transparent glass windowpane, but it should still work almost perfectly on glass tables, desks, and mouse pads.

And it did work perfectly on all of the surfaces I tested it on, which included a variety of mouse pads (hard, soft, hybrid, glass) and different tabletops (wood, laminate, and frosted glass). In all of my tests, the sensor was smooth, speedy, and very accurate — even over uneven surfaces. Of course, most will probably be using this mouse in a pretty standard gaming environment, so accuracy shouldn't ever be an issue.

The Burst II Pro sports Turtle Beach's Titan optical switches, which are rated for up to 100 million clicks. The switches have a firm, stable click with a solidly tactile feel; they are on the louder side, though I've personally never found loud mouse switches to be a problem. The side buttons also have fairly clicky (and fairly loud) switches. This may not be the mouse for you if you're planning on gaming in the dead of night and hoping to stay relatively silent while doing so.

Like many other ultra-light modern gaming mice, the Burst II Pro features up to an 8,000 Hz (0.125ms latency) polling rate. I maintain the opinion that almost nobody will actually benefit from an 8,000 Hz polling rate in any peripheral — but if there was a peripheral in which it would make a difference, it would be a gaming mouse. You can adjust the mouse's polling rate in Turtle Beach's Swarm II peripheral software.

Features and Software

The Burst II Pro works with Turtle Beach's Swarm II software. The mouse works fine out of the box, but you'll need the software to download and install firmware updates, change various settings such as DPI steps, lift-off distance, and polling rate (1,000 Hz by default), and to remap buttons.

The mouse has eight programmable inputs: the left/right primary buttons, the two side thumb buttons, the DPI switch, the center scroll wheel click, and the scroll wheel's up/down scroll. While you probably won't remap the main input for most of these buttons, you can also activate Easy Shift, which gives you a second layer of programmable inputs.

Wireless Experience and Battery Life

The Burst II Pro has three forms of connectivity: 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, and wired (via USB-C). Its default polling rate is the standard 1,000 Hz, but the included 8K wireless dongle and the 8K USB-C to USB-A cable allow for up to 8,000 Hz polling rates over both wireless and wired connections.

Turtle Beach rates the Burst II Pro's battery life at 150 hours (with a 1,000 Hz polling rate), which is very good — on par with similarly lightweight mice, such as the Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro. Of course, switching to an 8,000 Hz polling rate drops this number down to just 40 hours (as you might expect). Still, that's not too bad — you should still be able to go a few days without charging.

Bottom Line

The Turtle Beach Burst II Pro is a comfortable, ultra-lightweight gaming mouse with 8K wired and wireless polling rates — and it's quite a bit cheaper than flagship standouts such as the Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro. Still, it's not the cheapest ultra-lightweight 8K polling wireless mouse — you can find similar mice for less than the Burst II Pro's $139.99 retail price, such as the Glorious Series 2 Pro Wireless — and it's not a very exciting mouse otherwise. I did like the location of its DPI switch (though I don't find myself switching DPI... ever, basically), but it's placed a little too far forward to be remapped as anything else.

The Burst II Pro is... fine — it's not doing much to differentiate itself from its competitors, aside from having noticeably creaky sides, and it's a solid mouse if you're looking for wireless 8K polling — it's just not a standout in this increasingly crowded field.

Black Friday is the perfect time to pick up new tech — but instead of spending $$$ on a new CPU or GPU, why not buy something a little more wallet-friendly, like a new gaming mouse? This is actually one of the best years to pick up a new gaming mouse, as we've seen several companies release brand new versions that were, let's face it, more like updates. What that means is that you can find several fantastic gaming mice at a pretty deep discount — they're not the absolute newest versions on the market, but they're so good we're still recommending them over their successors.

Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro

Razer recently launched its DeathAdder V4 Pro, which has the same shape and size as the DeathAdder V3 Pro, because the shape and size of the DeathAdder V3 Pro were basically perfect. This lightweight wireless gaming mouse weighs just 2.22 ounces (63g) and features five programmable buttons and up to 90 hours of battery life over 2.4GHz wireless (with a 1,000 Hz polling rate).

It sports Razer's Focus Pro 30K optical sensor and works with Razer's HyperPolling Wireless Dongle (sold separately) to achieve a wireless polling rate of up to 8,000 Hz (at the expense of battery life, of course). The DeathAdder V4 Pro is also excellent, but the V3 Pro is still one of our favorites — and it's currently on sale for just $74.99 at Amazon, which is 50% off its MSRP of $149.99.

Read our full review of the DeathAdder V3 Pro here.

Razer Basilisk V3 Pro

Another one of our favorite Razer gaming mice is also on sale: the Basilisk V3 Pro, which is part of Razer's flagship Basilisk lineup. The Basilisk V3 Pro isn't as performance-focused as is the DeathAdder V3 Pro — this ergonomically-contoured wireless gaming mouse also features Razer's Focus Pro 30K optical sensor, which has a maximum sensitivity of 30,000 DPI and a maximum speed of 750 IPS, and can handle up to 70G's of force. It has 11 programmable buttons and 13 zones of bright, customizable RGB lighting, and it weighs 3.95 ounces (112g).

Like the DeathAdder V3 Pro, this mouse also works with Razer's HyperPolling Wireless Dongle (sold separately) to get up to an 8,000 Hz wireless polling rate; it's also compatible with Razer's Mouse Dock Pro (sold separately), which integrates the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle and also allows for wireless charging (and also features 8 zones of customizable RGB lighting, because why not).

Read our full review of the Basilisk V3 Pro here.

Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2

If you're looking for something ultra-light, well, it's in the name: the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 is a pseudo-ambidextrous ultra-lightweight mouse weighing just 2.12 ounces (60g) and designed for those who need speed above all else.

The Pro X Superlight 2 features Logitech's Hero 2 optical sensor, which has a maximum sensitivity of 32,000 DPI and a maximum speed of 500 IPS, and can handle up to 40G's of force. It has five programmable buttons; its primary buttons feature Logitech's Lightforce hybrid optical/mechanical switches, which can actuate both optically (for the lowest latency) and mechanically (for saving power).

Read our full review of the Pro X Superlight 2 here.

Corsair Scimitar Elite SE Wireless

Maybe ultralight and stripped-down gaming mice aren't your thing. If you're looking for a mouse with all the buttons, Corsair's newest Scimitar Elite SE Wireless is a good option, and it's currently on sale for almost 50% off at Best Buy — you can pick it up for just $74.99, which is 46% off its original MSRP of $139.99.

The Scimitar Elite SE Wireless features 16 programmable buttons, 12 of which are on its movable side panel — you can move the side panel forward or backward, depending on your hand size and what's most comfortable for you. It sports Corsair's Marksman S 33K optical sensor, which has a maximum sensitivity of 33,000 DPI and a maximum speed of 750 IPS, and can handle up to 50G's of force. It weighs 4.02 ounces (114g), but let's face it — if you're looking for a mouse with 16 programmable buttons, weight is not your top priority. The Scimitar Elite SE Wireless also features a pretty solid battery life of 150 hours over its 2.4GHz wireless connection, which means you'll only have to charge it every couple of weeks (and that's if you're a serious gamer).

Read our full review of the Scimitar Elite SE Wireless here.

Orbitalworks Pathfinder

If the perfect mouse for you doesn't seem to exist, maybe you should try your hand at making your own mouse — or, at least, putting together a modular mouse with a bunch of different pieces. Orbitalworks' ultra-lightweight, wireless, modular Pathfinder mouse comes with everything you need to fully customize the size and shape, and it's currently 10% off for Black Friday.

The Pathfinder comes with everything you need to customize it in a separate box, including four mouse humps, four left-side pieces, seven right-side pieces, three sets of side buttons, and spacers for adding more width/length to the mouse. There are thousands of different possible variations, but everything will end up giving you a mouse that weighs between 1.8 and 1.94 ounces (51 - 55g), which is incredibly lightweight even for ultra-light mice.

It sports PixArt's PAW-3950 optical sensor, which has a maximum sensitivity of 30,000 DPI and a maximum speed of 750 IPS, and can handle up to 70G's of force, and features five programmable buttons. It also offers a wireless polling rate of up to 8,000 Hz.

Read our full review of the Pathfinder here.

HyperX Pulsefire Saga Pro

If you're looking for something modular, but not that modular, HyperX's Pulsefire Saga Pro is a wireless gaming mouse with just a couple of modular options (plus the ability to print your own pieces, coming soon). This lightweight gaming mouse also features five programmable buttons and up to a 4,000 Hz wireless polling rate, and it's currently on sale at Best Buy for $99.99 — $20 off its MSRP of $119.99.

The Pulsefire Saga Pro sports HyperX's 26K sensor, which has a maximum sensitivity of 26,000 DPI and a maximum speed of 650 IPS, and can handle up to 50G's of force. This is the same sensor we've seen in HyperX's mice for a couple of years now — it's a solid sensor in terms of speed and accuracy, but it might not be for you if you're looking for the latest and greatest.

However, if you're just looking for lightweight modularity, the Pulsefire Saga Pro is where it's at: this mouse comes with two mouse humps, two sets of primary mouse buttons, and two sets of side buttons, and it implements its modularity well — everything fits together nicely and feels sturdy, and we had no issues with creaking or parts moving around in our testing. All configurations will give you a weight of 2.54 ounces (72g) — lightweight, but not quite as light as the Pathfinder.

Read our full review of the Pulsefire Saga Pro here.

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Amazon has been busy cooking up some juicy bargains ready for Black Friday, including a big discount on this Razer gaming mouse. The Razer Basilisk V3 X HyperSpeed, the wireless version of the OG Basilisk V3, is down to a record low price on Amazon right now, making it one of the best value mice for gaming that you can pick up right now.

• Check out this deal on Amazon

This Black Friday deal makes it even better value than normal, dragging the price of this Razer Basilisk V3 X HyperSpeed mouse down to just £38.49, saving you 45% on its usual price. Newer models like the V3 Pro and V3 Pro 35K might have superseded this solid performer, but this is still a great option, especially for under £40.

Don’t think that low price means you’re settling for low specs, though. Budget-friendly as this Razer mouse might be, it delivers with a decent spec sheet, including an 18,000 DPI sensor, which can track up to 450 inches per second, with an acceleration rate of 40G. It features the familiar ergonomic design used on other Basilisk models, with a shape that is comfortable for long periods.

It also gives you easy access to seven different programmable buttons, as well as the tilting scroll wheel, which you can set up to use macros or quick commands using Razer’s Synapse control software.

Synapse is also where you can configure your DPI settings, along with presets which you can quickly toggle between using a button on the bottom of the mouse. You can also set up your RGB preferences, setting up different lighting effects for different environments, as well as setting up colors to work in Chroma-integrated games.

This is a fully wireless version of the original Basilisk V3, with the ability to use Razer’s low-latency HyperSpeed wireless mode over 2.4GHz, or Bluetooth, to connect your mouse to your PC or laptop. Razer reckons that you’ll get a huge 535 hours on Bluetooth, with a reduced 285 hours on HyperSpeed, and all on a single AA battery.

If you’re using basic, office-grade peripherals, this £38.49 Razer Basilisk V3 X HyperSpeed gaming mouse will feel like a significant upgrade. If it doesn’t run out of stock, it’ll certainly jump back up in price after Black Friday, so make sure to jump on it before it does.

If you're looking for more savings, check out our Best PC Hardware deals for a range of products, or dive deeper into our specialized SSD and Storage Deals, Hard Drive Deals, Gaming Monitor Deals, Graphics Card Deals, Gaming Chair, Best Wi-Fi Routers, or CPU Deals pages.

Corsair has become one of the biggest names in the PC hardware community — it makes everything from all-in-one liquid coolers to gaming mice, which is what we have today. The brand's latest stripped-down ultralightweight mouse is just 36g — significantly lighter than most of its competition — and, needless to say, you can't put much in the way of buttons or features in a mouse that weighs so little.

There's not a lot to say about the Corsair Sabre v2 Pro, as it's a pretty simple mouse: it has five buttons, an ultra-lightweight faux-symmetrical body, and it features Corsair's 33,000 DPI Marksman S optical sensor. It also offers up to an 8,000 Hz polling rate and up to 70 hours of battery life — though not at the same time, of course — and is available in white or black for $100.

Design and Comfort of the Sabre v2 Pro

Originally, I wasn’t a fan of the Sabre v2’s size. The mouse measures 4.69 inches (119mm) long by 2.46 inches (62.55mm) wide, and is 1.5 inches (38.21mm) thick, which makes it around the same size as the Razer Viper Mini. This isn't a bad thing, necessarily, but I just didn't expect it — it's quite small, especially compared to most mainstream gaming mice. However, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the mouse's small size hasn't been an issue, even though I have pretty large hands.

The mouse features a pseudo-symmetrical design, with a mild hump and a slight flare at the ends. It's a standard five-button mouse, with two primary buttons, two thumb buttons, and a clickable scroll wheel. On the bottom of the mouse, you'll find a power switch and two medium strip-like UPE mouse feet.

Despite weighing only 1.27 ounces — 36g, which is much lighter than most of the ultra-light mice on the market today — the Corsair Sabre v2 Pro doesn’t feel cheap. It features a matte black finish, which isn't terribly exciting (it's the same finish you'll find on most gaming mice), but the body feels sturdy. It also has a notched scroll wheel and custom-designed tactile mechanical switches from Corsair, which are rated for up to 100 million clicks. The scroll wheel didn't stand out to me, but I found the switches to be very nice.

The Corsair Sabre v2 Pro comes with a few accessories in the box: pre-cut grip tape, extra mouse skates, and an 8,000 Hz wireless dongle.

Performance and Software of the Sabre v2 Pro

The Corsair Sabre v2 Pro is a smooth operator. It was very comfortable while browsing the internet and gaming. Prior to receiving the Sabre, I was using the Cougar Revenger 4k, which uses PTFE skates, while this mouse utilizes UPE. I don't use a mouse pad, and the Sabre v2 Pro glided so smoothly and accurately that I think I'll be looking for mice with UPE skates in the future.

The Corsair Sabre v2 Pro features the brand's Corsair Marksman S optical sensor, which has a maximum resolution of 33,000 DPI and a maximum speed of 750 IPS, and can handle up to 50 G's of force. The mouse also features a wireless polling rate of 8,000 Hz — though this will obviously deplete the mouse's battery life significantly faster than the standard 1,000 Hz polling rate. You can expect about 70 hours of battery life with a 1,000 Hz polling rate — which isn't particularly impressive, but is decent for a mouse that only weighs 36g — but that drops to just 16 hours with an 8,000 Hz polling rate.

To test the Corsair Sabre v2 Pro, I spent at least five hours playing Battlefield 4 in preparation for the franchise's sixth installment. I didn’t have to make any tweaks to the mouse — except for adding a snipe feature to my back button — for it to be a great sidekick in-game. I will point out that the mouse is very simple — there's no built-in button for toggling between profiles or DPI steps: you'll need to set up the mouse before launching your game, which might be frustrating for those who switch between multiple games.

The mouse was comfortable and performed very well for gaming — quick and smooth, and it never felt awkward or difficult to maneuver, which was surprising because I have large hands and tend to use a palm grip. Still, the mouse was lightweight, speedy, and comfortable enough that I didn't think about the size at all beyond my initial impression.

Specs

Features and Software of the Sabre v2 Pro

The Corsair Sabre v2 Pro is customizable via Corsair's Web Hub — which is a web-based software. Yes — Corsair has decided to ditch iCue in favor of a web-based "software" that requires internet connectivity to work. I'm not a fan of this choice at all, as it puts your peripheral settings in the hands of Corsair's servers — which could be subject to blackouts or potential security risks. Also, what if you're trying to update or change your mouse's settings and you don't have internet access? As there's no button for switching between profiles or DPI on the mouse, this seems like it has a lot of potential to be a big hassle.

That said, Corsair's Web Hub works fine — though I found it to be somewhat barren and uninspired (I thought iCue was pretty cool, though not everyone agrees with me). But it is a fairly simple mouse, so there's not much to change — you can remap keys, switch DPI, and change settings such as polling rate using the Web Hub. Still, this mouse is so simple that I wish I didn't have to go online to change just a handful of settings.

The Bottom Line

The Corsair Sabre v2 Pro is a stripped-down, extremely lightweight mouse that performs very well. It was incredibly smooth and accurate in my testing — even smoother if you're the kind of person who notices the difference between 1,000 Hz and 8,000 Hz polling rates (I'll admit I'm not, and so 8,000 Hz polling rates seem like a gimmick to me). I found it very comfortable and natural to use despite its smaller-than-average size and fairly generic design.

But I don't see it overtaking Razer's DeathAdder line (both the DeathAdder V4 Pro and the older DeathAdder V3 Pro are next-level natural-feeling)... or even the brand's own Katar Pro XT. The Corsair Sabre v2 Pro is still $100 — that's not exactly cheap, though it is about $30 less than the Glorious Series 2 Pro Wireless, which also features 8K wireless polling rates and is a similar size and shape (but weighs 55g). (The Series 2 Pro Wireless does have a DPI switch and an extra button for switching profiles, though.)

HyperX was all excited about the modularity of its Pulsefire Saga mouse lineup at CES 2025 — showing off not just modular parts that would come with the mouse, but a variety of colorful 3D-printed modular parts that it suggested users would be able to print at home.

(Of course, who wants to pay $120 for a gaming mouse, only to have to then print your own parts at home?)

Okay, well, you don't have to print your own parts at home, as the mouse does come with some parts in the box — an extra version of each modular part, which includes the shell, primary buttons, and individual thumb buttons. But the modular parts aren't particularly interesting on their own, so at the end of the day it's just a regular mouse with switchable parts unless you really plan on putting your 3D printer to use.

The HyperX Pulsefire Saga Pro is, at its core, a wireless gaming mouse with a right-handed shape, six buttons (five programmable), and up to a 4,000 Hz wireless polling rate. It's lightweight — but not that lightweight — and it features HyperX's 26K sensor, which is the same sensor we've seen in HyperX mice for the past couple of years. But it is modular — an uncommon trait among the best gaming mice — and the modularity is implemented nicely.

Design and Comfort of the HyperX Pulsefire Saga Pro

The Pulsefire Saga Pro Wireless has a pretty familiar shape — it looks a lot like the HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2, albeit with a less ambidextrous shape. The mouse, in its default form, has a mildly contoured right-handed shape with flat primary buttons, a notched scroll wheel, and two thumb buttons that follow the chassis' side curve. It features a lightly textured matte black shell with HyperX's HX logo printed in silver on the palm rest. It's not the most exciting mouse design, but the angled separation of the buttons from the palm rest gives it a little HyperX flare. It has one customizable RGB lighting zone, in the scroll wheel.

The notable thing about this mouse is that it's modular — though it's not nearly as much as the Orbitalworks Pathfinder. The modularity is implemented pretty well: the parts feel sturdy and are mostly connected magnetically. You can swap out the main shell (the palm rest and sides), the primary buttons, and the thumb buttons. HyperX includes two options for each in the box: two palm rests (one is slightly more contoured), two sets of primary buttons (one set has finger grooves), and two sets of thumb buttons, which can be used separately.

Swapping out the shell is as easy as sliding off the back of the mouse, which is connected magnetically. This is perhaps a little too easy, however, as I kept sliding it off accidentally whenever I tried to unplug the mouse. Once the back is off, the thumb buttons, which are also connected magnetically, pop off easily (I suppose you can try to pry them off without sliding off the back, but it's easier if you do). The primary buttons also pop off — these, you cannot swap without sliding off the back. Everything fits together neatly and easily, and feels fairly sturdy — I didn't have any issues with parts falling off or moving around, except when I was trying to unplug the mouse from its USB-C cable. There's also a storage spot for the 2.4GHz wireless USB-A dongle under the hump, which is a nice touch.

Regardless of how you configure this mouse, it's on the smaller side. It measures 4.7 inches (119.7 mm) long by 2.65 inches (67.2 mm) wide, and is 1.57 inches (39.8 mm) high at its highest point, which is smaller than most mainstream gaming companies' flagship mice. It's also a little shorter than the Pulsefire Haste 2, which measures 4.89 x 2.63 x 1.5 inches (124.6 x 66.8 x 38.2mm). I have medium-sized hands and long fingers, so larger/longer mice have never been much of an issue for me, but if you're looking for a shorter mouse, this is worth a look. It's the same length as Razer's Cobra Pro (but slightly wider and taller).

All configurations of the Pulsefire Saga Pro give it the same weight of 2.54 ounces (72 g) — lightweight, but not that lightweight. I don't play a lot of games where mouse weight is an issue for me, but this mouse definitely isn't so lightweight you'll forget it's there. It's still lighter than some similarly-sized mice — the Cobra Pro weighs 2.72 ounces (77 g) — but the Haste 2, for example, is significantly lighter at 1.87 ounces (53 g). I suppose it's the modularity that adds to the weight, probably to ensure the strength and integrity of the shell, but the Pathfinder is both modular and ultra-lightweight, maxing out at 1.94 ounces (55 g). Of course, the Pathfinder is also significantly pricier at $189.

On the bottom of the mouse, you'll find PTFE mouse feet — two large feet along with some extra dots and a ring around the sensor for glide, a DPI switch button, and a power switch that lets you toggle between the mouse's 2.4GHz wireless connection and Bluetooth.

In the box, you'll find the pre-built mouse and secondary options for each modular part, as well as extra PTFE mouse feet, pre-cut grip tape (though, only one — so you should finalize your mouse build before adding grip tape), a 5.9-foot (1.8 m) HyperFlex USB-C to USB-A cable, a USB-C adapter, and a 2.4GHz wireless USB-A dongle.

Specs

Performance of the HyperX Pulsefire Saga Pro

The mouse features HyperX's 26K optical sensor, which has a maximum resolution of 26,000 DPI and a maximum speed of 650 IPS, and can handle up to 50 G's of force. This is the same sensor featured in the HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2, and it's a good sensor — but it's definitely a couple of years old at this point. It still works very well, with fast, accurate tracking that doesn't skip or stutter. It tracked nicely over a variety of different surfaces, including hard, soft, hybrid, and glass mouse pads, as well as standard desktop surfaces such as wood and laminate.

The mouse features HyperX's own optical switches in its primary mouse buttons, which are pretty nice — precise, tactile, and clicky. They're a little on the firm side, like those of the Pulsefire Haste 2, but I didn't mind that this time. Unfortunately, the mouse's side buttons and scroll wheel are still lackluster — the side button switches are mushy, and both the scroll and the scroll wheel click are lacking in tactile feedback for me. The primary buttons' optical switches feel very good, but this kind of highlights how bad the other switches feel.

The mouse offers up a solid performance for gaming in general, but at this point I'm sort of programmed to see this kind of simple, lightweight, minimal-button gaming mouse as a mouse for games where speed and accuracy are important — e.g., first-person shooters and competitive eSports. And while this is a decent mouse for those types of games, it doesn't really stand out. It's light, but not that light; it has a solid sensor, but not bleeding-edge (or particularly current); and it offers up to a 4,000 Hz wireless polling rate in a world where its competitors all feature 8,000 Hz wireless polling rates. While these specs aren't necessarily going to make a significant difference for the casual gamer, the Pulsefire Saga Pro just feels a little behind.

Features and Software of the HyperX Pulsefire Saga Pro

The Pulsefire Saga Pro is a pretty straight-forward 6-button mouse, but it has a few options that can be adjusted using HyperX's universal peripheral software, Ngenuity. I have no real issues with Ngenuity, other than that it's fairly basic — but this mouse is fairly basic, so it's not an issue.

You can use Ngenuity to update the mouse's firmware, remap its buttons, adjust the DPI steps, switch the polling rate to 4,000 Hz, and customize the RGB lighting in the scroll wheel. The mouse comes preset with a 1,000 Hz polling rate and four preset DPI steps (400, 800, 1,600, 3,200), and you can add an additional step in the software.

Wireless Experience and Battery Life of the HyperX Pulsefire Saga Pro

The Pulsefire Saga Pro has three forms of connectivity: ultra low-latency 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, and wired (USB-C). It also features HP's "Instant Pair," meaning it can pair over 2.4GHz wireless with compatible HP Omen laptops sans dongle. I haven't tried this feature, as I don't have a compatible HP Omen laptop, but it certainly sounds handy for those who do.

HyperX rates the Pulsefire Saga Pro's battery life at around 90 hours with a 1,000 Hz polling rate, which is good — but also pretty standard for similar mice. Bumping the polling rate up to 4,000 Hz decreases that figure, of course, down to about 30 hours.

Bottom Line

The HyperX Pulsefire Saga Pro is a solid, if somewhat boring, wireless modular gaming mouse. The only real reason I see to get this mouse over other mice on the market is if you'reThe excited about its modularity — and you own a 3E printer, and you have, I don't know... very unique hands? Because while it might make sense to 3D print your own modular parts for a hefty MMO-oriented gaming mouse, I don't see it being quite as useful for something that's supposed to be simple, speedy, and lightweight. I don't think you can trust the at-home 3D printing process enough to expect it to output something competition-ready, so anyone who is 3D-printing parts is probably looking for a different type of mouse.

I like the idea of this mouse, but $119.99 is too much to pay for mediocre modularity. The Pulsefire Haste 2 — while also not particularly exciting and two years old at this point — will give you a pretty similar, if slightly less modular, experience.

Razer's DeathAdder V3 Pro has been near the top of our list of best gaming mice since it debuted in 2022, and for good reason: It's one of the best (if not the best) feeling mice I've used. Of course, it's also speedy, accurate, and ultra-light, so it's practically a no-brainer if you're looking for a top-of-the-line gaming mouse and you don't need any extra features, such as Bluetooth, RGB lighting, or 19 buttons.

The DeathAdder V4 Pro is identical on the outside, but it's been redesigned on the inside: It has a brand-new sensor, new optical switches and scroll wheel, and it's more efficient (it weighs less and offers more battery life). It also comes with a wireless 8K polling dongle in the box — unlike the V3 Pro, which comes with a standard dongle. The 8K dongle is sold separately on the older model. The DeathAdder V4 Pro features Razer's Focus Pro 45K Optical Sensor Gen-2, which has a maximum sensitivity of 45,000 DPI and a maximum speed of 900 IPS, and can handle up to 85 G's of force — it's Razer's latest, fastest, and most accurate sensor yet.

All of this doesn't come cheap, of course, and the DeathAdder V4 Pro will set you back $170, which is on the high end, even for a premium flagship gaming mouse. Like the DeathAdder V3 Pro, it's an excellent mouse — but it doesn't make sense for everyone to upgrade.

Design and Comfort

The design of the DeathAdder V3 Pro was perfect — the ergonomic, contoured right-handed shape fit perfectly in my hand to the point where I forgot I was even using a mouse. The mouse felt so good that I found my hand moving toward it whenever it was on my desk (even while I was trying to test other mice). Razer went all-in on perfecting the DeathAdder V3 Pro's shape, and I don't think there's much (if anything) that could be done to improve it.

Luckily, Razer and I are on the same page, which is why the new DeathAdder V4 Pro is basically identical to its predecessor. The DeathAdder V4 Pro features the exact same size and shape as the V3 Pro: ergonomic and contoured to fit your right hand, with a left-shifted center hump and lightly curved sides to keep the mouse grippable. It has large, separated primary mouse buttons with subtle channeling to help keep your fingers in place, two large, flat thumb buttons on the left side, and a notched, textured rubber scroll wheel.

The DeathAdder V4 Pro is a relatively large mouse overall, measuring 5 inches (128mm) long by 2.67 inches (68mm) wide, and 1.73 inches (44mm) high at its highest point. This is slightly smaller than most general-purpose gaming mice, such as the Logitech G502 X Plus (5.17 x 3.12 x 1.62 inches / 131.32 x 79.25 x 41.15mm) and the Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K (5.11 x 2.96 x 1.67 inches / 130 x 75.4 x 42.5mm), but it's still on the larger side in general. It's almost the same size as the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 Dex (4.95 x 2.67 x 1.73 inches / 125.8 x 67.7 x 43.9mm), which is Logitech's answer to the DeathAdder lineup.

The DeathAdder V4 Pro may be the same size and shape as its predecessor, but it's not the same mouse. It features a smooth, matte finish (unlike its predecessor's lightly textured finish) and is about 10% lighter: The V4 Pro weighs 56g (57g in white), while the V3 Pro weighs 63g (64g in white). Six grams might not seem like much, but it's a noticeable difference, side-by-side. The mouse also feels a bit sturdier than its predecessor — it doesn't seem to have any of the minor side creaking issues I eventually noticed on the V3 Pro (but I've also only been using it for a month or so).

The bottom of the mouse is expectedly simple, with two large PTFE mouse feet at either end (along with a PTFE strip around the sensor) for smooth gliding, and a power button that doubles as a DPI switch. The mouse has no RGB lighting, but it does have a small, colorful LED indicator light next to the scroll wheel that changes color to indicate your current DPI preset. The mouse comes with five preset DPI steps: 400, 800, 1600, 3200, and 6400.

The DeathAdder V4 Pro also comes with a new wireless dongle — instead of the typical USB-A dongle that plugs directly into your PC, the V4 Pro comes with a small, weighted wireless dongle that connects to your PC via a USB-C to USB-A cable. The dongle measures approximately 1.8 inches (45.6mm) in diameter by 1 inch (25.5mm) high and weighs around 1.6 ounces (45g) and features a grippy rubber base to keep it from moving around on your desk. It has a USB-C port on one side and three small, colorful LED dots on the other, which change color to indicate connection quality, battery level, and polling rate.

In the box, the DeathAdder V4 Pro comes with a 6-foot (1.8m) braided USB-C to USB-A cable, a wireless 8K dongle, and a set of pre-cut grip tape. The USB-C to USB-A cable feels durable and fairly stiff — it's not one of Razer's "SpeedFlex" cables, so it's not an ideal cable for using the mouse in wired mode.

Specs

Performance

The DeathAdder V4 Pro features Razer's Focus Pro 45K optical sensor (gen-2), which has a maximum resolution of 45,000 DPI and a maximum speed of 900 IPS, and can handle up to 85 G's of force. This is Razer's latest, fastest, and most accurate sensor (and this is the first mouse in the brand's lineup to feature this sensor), and it delivers exactly as well as you'd expect, with smooth, accurate, ultra-precise movements on just about any surface. We tested it on a variety of hard, soft, hybrid, and glass mouse pads, as well as on plain surfaces (wood, laminate, polished concrete, and frosted glass), and it had no issues tracking on any of them.

The mouse also features Razer's new gen-4 optical mouse switches and an optical scroll wheel. The switches are rated for 100 million clicks and definitely feel and sound different from the switches in the DeathAdder V3 Pro — they're ever-so-slightly lighter and have a higher, somewhat hollow-sounding click, but they feel great: firm, clicky, and accurate. The notched scroll wheel is also fairly lightweight — it's not as stiff as the DeathAdder V3 Pro's scroll wheel, and it felt even more accurate and precise despite having freer movement.

If you're looking for a simple, ultra-light gaming mouse, the DeathAdder V4 Pro is probably the mouse for you. You don't have to be a competitive player to appreciate how good the mouse feels in hand, or to recognize how precise and accurate its sensor and switches are — and if you are a competitive player, the DeathAdder V4 Pro's all-optical setup and 8K-ready polling dongle are about as cutting-edge as you can get on a gaming mouse right now.

Features and Software

The DeathAdder V4 Pro is a fairly straightforward mouse, but it does have six programmable buttons (eight programmable inputs, including scroll up/down). You can customize the mouse and its dongle using Razer's universal peripheral software, Synapse. You can remap the mouse's buttons and set up a second layer of inputs using Razer's HyperShift, and you can also customize the dongle's LED lighting indicators.

Synapse is also where you can adjust the mouse's preset DPI steps and change the polling rate — the default is 1,000 Hz, but you can permanently move it up to 8,000 Hz or you can turn on the "Smart Polling Rate Switcher," so the mouse will automatically switch to an 8K polling rate when you're running a game in full screen mode.

Synapse also has some calibration features, including a sensitivity matcher that lets you match the DeathAdder V4 Pro's sensitivity to that of your old mouse. You can also set up smart tracking, asymmetric cut-off, dynamic sensitivity, and mouse rotation to customize the mouse to perfectly fit your gaming style.

Wireless Experience and Battery Life

Like its predecessor, the DeathAdder V4 Pro only features two forms of connectivity — low-latency 2.4GHz wireless and wired (USB-C). This is pretty standard for ultra-light stripped-down gaming mice — gamers aren't going to use Bluetooth, anyway, so including it is really just a lifestyle convenience. The polling dongle does keep track of how strong your mouse's connection is, which is a nice feature if you're concerned about how many wireless peripherals you're trying to run simultaneously and/or you're trying to use your mouse from across the room.

Razer rated the DeathAdder V4 Pro's battery life at 120 hours when it launched, but has since issued a firmware update that brings that number up to 150 hours (with a 1,000 Hz polling rate). This is significantly better than the DeathAdder V3 Pro, which topped out at 90 hours, and is higher than most similarly lightweight, stripped-down mice. The Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 Dex, for example, gets up to 95 hours of battery life. Razer's Naga V2 Pro also gets 150 hours of battery life, but it also weighs more than twice as much at 4.72oz (134g).

Bottom Line

The DeathAdder V4 Pro is everything we loved about the DeathAdder V3 Pro, but better — it has a better sensor, better switches, and a better scroll wheel, and it weighs less and lasts longer on a charge. It also comes with the 8K wireless dongle in the box — though the V3 Pro launched with a $150 price tag, so the dongle is now just baked into the V4 Pro's price. If you're looking for a new ultra-lightweight premium gaming mouse, and you don't need extra buttons, RGB lighting, or Bluetooth connectivity, you won't be disappointed with the DeathAdder V4 Pro.

That said, it's still $170 for what is, ultimately, a pretty simple mouse. While it does improve upon the DeathAdder V3 Pro in many ways, most of those ways are fairly minor when you consider that the V3 Pro is still a fantastic mouse. I'm not saying the V4 Pro isn't worth it, because it is, but if you can find the DeathAdder V3 Pro on sale now that the V4 Pro has launched, you may not need to splurge on Razer’s latest, greatest cursor controller.

Logitech's MX Master 3S has long held the top spot on our best wireless mouse list for its excellent scroll wheels, premium look, and comfort. But its days as our favorite productivity rodent may be numbered, as Logitech just took the wraps off its successor, the MX Master 4. The new model carries over everything we loved about the 3S, while adding haptic feedback and an "Action Ring" menu for quick access to commonly used tasks.

The haptic feedback resides in the thumb rest area, and has four intensity settings – although the default Medium setting felt right for me. The mouse can subtly vibrate to let you know you're connected or disconnected from a device, when battery life is low, and for app-specific purposes, like when your cursor hits a layout guideline in Adobe apps. It's an intuitive trick that feels like it has a lot of potential for productivity. But at launch, it feels a bit under-utilized.

If you install Logitech's Options+ software, the MX Master 4 will also bring up an Actions Ring when you press the button embedded in the mouse's thumb rest. This circular menu, by default, gives you quick access to things like Windows Explorer, screen capture, media playback, and emojis. There's also an AI shortcut here, which fans out to give one-click access to ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Copilot.

If any of those shortcuts don't appeal to you, the Action Ring can be customized via the company's Options+ software to do any number of things, including opening specific files, folders, or macros. You can also install plugins for a number of popular programs, although you'll have to log in to the Options+ software for this. The default Photoshop plugin is shown below.

You can even use the Actions Ring to switch the mouse between connected devices – a feature that was previously relegated to a button placed inconveniently on the bottom of the device. It's not exactly an ordeal to flip the mouse over to switch between connected devices, but it's nice to have the option to do that in software.

Other changes include what Logitech says is "2x stronger" connectivity thanks to an improved chip, USB-C dongle, and better antenna placement.

Of course, many of the existing features from previous MX Master mice carry over to this model, including the best-in-class dual-mode MagSpeed scroll wheel on the top and a horizontal wheel on the side. There's also an 8K DPI sensor that works on glass and pretty much every other reasonable mousing surface. I can confirm it works pretty well on my leg.

Whether you opt for connecting via the RF USB transceiver or Bluetooth, Windows 10 and up and macOS 13 or later are supported, as is Linux and ChromeOS. Logitech says you should expect 70 days of use on a full charge, and three hours' use from a one-minute charge.

Logitech's latest addition to its ultra-light wireless gaming mouse lineup has something no other mouse has: an "innovative blend of inductive analog sensing and real-time click haptics." What this means is that Logitech's new G Pro X2 Superstrike mouse will feature an analog system that allows you to adjust the point at which your mouse switches actuate and still get the real-time feedback of a physical "click," thanks to haptics.

Logitech's new mouse will feature its new "Superstrike" technology, which involves a "bespoke Haptic Inductive Trigger System (HITS)" that "combines adjustable actuation point and rapid trigger capabilities with an innovative haptics system."

While we've seen analog switches and adjustable actuation a lot in the best gaming keyboards, this is the first time we'll see it in a gaming mouse. This is because gamers want their mice to click exactly when the button actuates, and you can't have this without something like HITS, which changes the "click" to match the new actuation point.

According to Logitech, the mouse will feature 10 selectable actuation steps and five rapid trigger reset levels over 0.6mm of click travel, which seems like a fairly detailed amount of fine-tuning. But the brand does point out that the mouse is designed for professional athletes, so this makes sense.

Haptic Inductive Trigger System aside, the Pro X2 Superstrike will feature Logitech's latest Hero 2 optical sensor, which has a maximum resolution of 44,000 DPI and a maximum speed of 888 IPS and can handle up to 88 G's of acceleration. (This is the same sensor found in Logitech's G Pro X Superlight 2 Dex.)

It will also feature up to an 8,000 Hz polling rate and offer up to 90 hours of battery life, albeit not at the same time. Specs-wise, the mouse will weigh 65g (2.29oz) and measure 4.92 x 2.5 x 1.57 inches (125 x 63.5 x 40mm), which makes it identical to the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 in size and shape and about 5g heavier in weight.

Logitech says the Pro X2 Superstrike will hit shelves in Q1 of 2026 for $179.99, so we'll probably see it showcased at CES 2026.

Most modern gaming mice these days have at least five buttons — left, right, center (scroll wheel), and two thumb buttons. Even ultralight, performance-focused mice that ditch frivolous features such as Bluetooth connectivity and RGB lighting, like Logitech's G Pro X Superlight 2 and Razer's Viper V3 Pro have at least five buttons (and if you count the DPI switch button on the bottom, they actually have six). It's safe to say the world has moved beyond thinking that a mere two or three mouse buttons is sufficient (I refuse to acknowledge any company that has ever thought that only one mouse button was enough).

But five (or six, technically) mouse buttons isn't enough, either, and most flagship, all-purpose gaming mice have more than the five (now) standard buttons. Razer's Basilisk V3 Pro 35K, for example, has 13 programmable controls, though not all of these are buttons (this number includes the tilt wheel, which allows you to remap the center, right, and left clicks, as well as the scroll up/down functions); so does Logitech's G 502X Plus.

You might be thinking, "Surely, 13 programmable controls — or 11 programmable clicks, if we're not counting the scroll directions — is more than enough," but it's not — in fact, it's not much more than five or six, functionally speaking.

Saying these mice have 13 programmable controls is a bit disingenuous — while all of the buttons can technically be remapped, it's safe to say that almost nobody is going to remap the standard left and right primary buttons or the scroll function. They probably aren't even going to remap the two thumb buttons, which are mapped to MB4 and MB5 by default. And any buttons on the underside of the mouse might be remappable, but they're not usable mouse buttons in the midst of gaming (or anything). Once you take these buttons off the table, you're left with just a couple of actual extra buttons — both of these mice have a third "trigger" button in the thumb area (often used to temporarily slow down DPS for when you're lining up a tricky shot).

The Basilisk V3 Pro 35K has a couple of buttons above the tilt wheel, but these aren't particularly convenient for regular use, while the G 502X Plus has two side buttons along the edge of the mouse's primary button. So you really only get two or three "extra" mouse buttons, and that's if you include less convenient options and/or tilt wheel clicks.

But don't worry — there are mice with even more buttons. Specifically, mice like the Razer Naga V2 Pro, the Corsair Scimitar Elite SE Wireless, and the SteelSeries Aerox 9 Wireless, all of which have a 12-button side panel (or, well, the option of a 12-button side panel), for all your actual mouse button needs.

Mice with 12-button side panels are usually aimed at a particular niche of gaming: players of MMORPGs (e.g., The Elder Scrolls Online) and MOBAs (e.g., League of Legends). Both MMORPGs and MOBAs are about action and inventory management — you need a lot of hotkeys/mouse buttons to open up various menus and execute however many different types of attacks or skills the game allows for. Sure, you can use your keyboard — and, well, you'll have to, as there are far more hotkeys in any of these games than you can fit on a mouse — but many things are more convenient to do from your mouse (especially if it's a shortcut that can be set up as a macro), and it's just more efficient, in general, to have both hands in the game.

But you don't need to be playing an MMORPG or a MOBA for those extra mouse buttons to come in handy: not only do most games have at least some sort of inventory system that requires management — even if it's just swapping and/or reloading weapons — but there are plenty of other things you might need to do while gaming. There are also plenty of useful shortcuts that can be mapped to your mouse buttons for when you're not gaming at all — having 12 easily-accessible macro keys is fantastic for productivity, if you use them.

Plus, if you're using a multi-button mouse built by a mainstream gaming company, the supporting peripheral software will usually allow you to set up game- and app-based profiles that switch based on your current active window. This can be finicky, however — as most peripheral softwares is — so I prefer to map my mouse buttons to generic extra modifier keys (e.g., F13, F14, etc.) and assign specific actions in each game's in-game menu. This only works for actions that can be remapped within the game, of course — anything else, you'll need to map directly to the mouse.

Autorun

You do a lot of walking/running when you're exploring large open-world games — a lot. MMORPGs like World of Warcraft and The Elder Scrolls Online have an autorun feature — a hotkey that lets you toggle forward movement, so you can move without having to hold down the W key for hours. While it's usually bound to something obscure on the keyboard (or not bound at all) by default. I'm pretty sure binding ESO's autorun to one of my mouse buttons saved me from a repetitive stress injury.

Primary Action / Interaction

Once you start using autorun, it's very frustrating to run up to an interactive character or object, only to have to find the interaction key on your keyboard (usually E, R, or F — conveniently close to the WASD movement keys, which you are no longer using). The only solution, of course, is to map that action to another mouse button, so you can now run up to things and interact with them without ever touching the keyboard. While you're at it, you may as well also map a third button to the Esc key — so you can also easily leave those interactions without touching the keyboard.

Volume Control

Many of the best gaming keyboards come with volume knobs (and other dedicated media controls) — but I don't have time to find and fiddle with a knob when my husband is trying to talk to me over my dogs barking. I usually assign two of the less-convenient buttons in the 12-button cluster to volume control (volume up and volume down, though you could also assign one button to mute. I don't use it so often that it needs to be foolproof, but I've never regretted mapping volume controls to my mouse.

Print Screen / F12 / Screenshots

The default screenshot hotkeys — Print Screen for Windows, and F12 for third-party apps like Steam and ReShade — are not in a particularly convenient location. Some might argue that lightning-quick screenshot-taking isn't a critical aspect of gameplay, but I beg to differ. You don't want to have to fumble across your keyboard to find the Print Screen button when the perfect Kodak moment pops up; you just want to be able to quickly hit a mouse button and keep going. And if you're using fancy camera tools like Frans Bouma's photomode mods, mapping your screenshot key to a mouse button is a must.

Push-to-Talk

If you stream while playing games, or you play games while chatting with friends over voice chat — and especially if you do both at the same time — you're probably using either push-to-talk or a mute toggle to control who's hearing your audio, and when. Push-to-Talk and other microphone-related hotkeys are basically made to be mapped to your mouse, as talking is essentially a way to bypass typing. You can also map a hotkey for a game chat overlay to your mouse, but it's hard to avoid the keyboard in a text chat.

Modifier Keys

Okay, you can't avoid touching the keyboard forever. But you can make your keyboard significantly more efficient and one-handed by moving modifier keys — Ctrl, Fn, Shift... and the Windows key — to your mouse. Now, instead of having to use two hands to perform Fn shortcuts, you can hold down a mouse button with one hand and pump out those secondary keybinds like nobody's business.

App-specific Shortcuts

Multiple mouse buttons aren't just convenient and efficient in games — they can make powerful productivity tools, and you can usually set up app-specific profiles similar to the gaming-specific profiles using peripheral software. Anyone who uses a complex, shortcut-heavy app — basically any photo-, video-, or sound-editing software — knows how useful it would be if you could perform some of those shortcuts with the click of a mouse button. The exact shortcuts you should program on your mouse depends, of course, on what you're doing — whether you need a shortcut to quickly change brush size and opacity, or you just need shortcuts to quickly move between tools.

Managing Windows and Tabs

The most frustrating thing about having a large, high-resolution screen — or multiple large, high-resolution screens — is managing windows and tabs (it's hard enough to just find your mouse with multiple screens). Mapping your mouse buttons to standard tab and window management keyboard shortcuts, such as Ctrl + Tab (to move to the next tab) or Ctrl + Shift + Tab (to move to the previous tab), or Ctrl + W (to close the current tab) can save you a lot of time and hassle, so long as you take the time to learn the buttons. (But you probably still don't want to start with the close tab shortcut — just in case.) Also, any task that requires you to either use a keyboard shortcut or find your mouse and move it very precisely somewhere on screen is worth considering (e.g. "Show Desktop").

What not to map to mouse buttons

Take a look at any gaming peripheral software and you'll see that there are several different types of keys and actions that can be mapped — some you may not have realized were options, and some you may not have wanted as options (I'm pretty sure Asus gives you the specific option of mapping Armoury Crate somewhere, as though anyone is so desperate for Armoury Crate that they'll dedicate an entire button to it (not to mention the fact that, if Armoury Crate isn't running, you probably won't be able to open it on an Asus-made peripheral until Armoury Crate is running). Just like you probably don't need to manually switch your Razer Chroma RGB lighting effects so often that you want to dedicate an entire mouse button to it — not even if you have a dozen mouse buttons.

More generally speaking, however, while it might seem neat that you can set a mouse button to open a program or a website for you, this is probably not all that useful in a gaming or productivity context, since you normally don't need to open a program more than... once or twice in a single session. You also probably don't need to map more than one DPI or profile switch button, as it usually makes sense to just cycle through those. Individual keys that aren't associated with shortcuts aren't terribly useful, either — but text strings, if used often enough, can definitely be worth it. One of my mouse buttons is programmed to type "site:tomshardware.com " — space included, for quick, site-specific searches, but other text strings that come to mind are those that contain unusual characters or punctuation. I do have one of my mouse buttons programmed to insert an em-dash, for the rare occasion that I'm using a keyboard without a numberpad.

I know plenty of people will insist that five or six buttons is more than enough, and that they wouldn't even know what to do with 12 buttons — let alone 19. All those buttons can be pretty intimidating, and it does take some time and experimentation to get a 19-button mouse set up perfectly, for you. But if you do put in the effort and take full advantage of how customizable gaming mice — and most peripherals, actually — are today, you'll quickly find that 19 buttons isn't nearly enough.

The best gaming mouse for you depends a lot on what types of games you like to play. If you play competitive first-person shooters, you're probably looking for something speedy and lightweight, like the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2. But if you play MMOs, MOBAs, or other RPGs while also streaming on Twitch or YouTube, you might want... whatever the opposite of that is — something consistent and comfortable, with a bunch of extra buttons that you can program shortcuts into.

Something like Corsair's Scimitar line of mice — large and with a customizable 12-button side panel so you can do (almost) everything with just one input device.

Corsair's new Scimitar Elite Wireless SE looks a lot like its predecessor, the Scimitar Elite Wireless — in fact, it's identical, minus the new color scheme. But it sports some under-the-hood upgrades, including a new sensor: Corsair's Marksman S 33K optical sensor, which has a maximum resolution of 33,000 DPI, a maximum speed of 750 IPS, and can handle up to 50 G's of acceleration. It also has improved battery life — up to 150 hours over 2.4GHz wireless and up to 500 hours over Bluetooth, and features Elgato Stream Deck integration, including support for Elgato's new "Virtual Stream Deck."

The mouse comes in black and yellow and gunmetal and white colorways — Corsair points out that this is the first time the Scimitar line has been offered in white, for what that's worth — and costs $139.99.

Design and Comfort of the Scimitar Elite Wireless SE

The Scimitar Elite Wireless SE is a large, ergonomically-sculpted wireless gaming mouse with 16 programmable buttons — including an adjustable 12-button side panel. Like other mice with a ton of buttons, this mouse is aimed primarily at MMO and MOBA players — it's large and heavy, designed to support your hand during long gaming marathons, not fly across your desk in seconds.

Our review unit came in black and yellow, which features a mostly-black chassis with a matte, soft-touch finish, and a bright yellow panel on the left side, surrounding the 12-button side panel. The scroll wheel is also yellow (though it has a textured black rubber cover for grip). It's an interesting color scheme — the yellow is a bright true yellow just shy of neon, and it definitely pops. I'm not sure how many gaming rigs this is going to seamlessly blend with (probably not many), but the mouse does have two zones of RGB lighting — in Corsair's ship logo on the palm rest, and in the numbers on the side panel. My high school colors were black and gold (yellow), and this mouse looks like something our Spirit Booth would have sold. It's a pretty aggressive yellow.

The Scimitar Elite Wireless SE is the same size and weight as the Scimitar Elite Wireless, which we reviewed back in Aug. 2023. It's a big mouse, measuring 4.69 inches (119.23mm) long by 2.89 inches (73.48mm) wide, and it's 1.66 inches (42.17mm) high at its highest point, and it feels bigger because it's designed to have a lot of contact with your hand. It has a wide, flat hump (shifted to the left for right-handed ergonomics) and the right side features a textured side panel / finger rest.

I still use the Razer Naga V2 Pro as one of my primary mice — I love mice with tons of buttons — and the Scimitar Elite Wireless SE feels bigger than the Naga V2 Pro despite being slightly smaller (the Naga V2 Pro measures 4.7 x 2.97 x 1.72 inches / 119.5 x 75.5 x 43.5mm), because the Scimitar Elite Wirless SE has less sculpting on the left and it just ends up hitting more of your hand. Instead of a gentle slope like the Naga V2 Pro has, the left side of the Scimitar Elite Wireless SE is scooped out somewhat abruptly, which gives it a curved shape — similar to a scimitar. The 12-button side panel follows this curve — the buttons are arranged in a 4 x 3 grid, with texturing on alternating columns for easier distinction.

The side panel can be moved forward or backward approximately 1/4 of an inch, so people with smaller hands or shorter thumbs are better able to reach all 12 buttons. To slide the panel, you'll need to unscrew it using a hex key (included with the mouse) and then move it to your desired location.

You can lock it into place using the screw at any point along its track, so you can fine-tune the positioning if you need to. I'm sure this flexibility is very much appreciated by some, but in general I don't think it will wildly affect most people's experience. Ergonomically the mouse is a little clunky and I don't love the inward curve of the side panel — I find it makes everything a little less ergonomic. I would prefer a side panel that curves outward and perhaps angled buttons over the ability to move the side panel a quarter of an inch forward.

Speaking of the buttons, the Scimitar Elite Wireless SE has 16 programmable ones: 12 on the side panel, left/right primary buttons, a DPI switch button above the scroll wheel, and the scroll wheel center click. In addition to texturing, the side-panel buttons are also slightly different heights (the center row is slightly raised compared to the top and bottom row), and I didn't love this. Maybe there was just too much going on — different textures, different heights, and there's also a homing bump on the 5 — but it took me a while to get used to where the buttons were by touch. (And I normally use a mouse with a 12-button side panel!) I'm sure it will eventually become second-nature if I keep using it, but I prefer the Razer Naga V2 Pro's angling.

The mouse has a notched scroll wheel — not a tilt wheel, like the Naga V2 Pro, and not adjustable or dual-mode like the Logitech G502 X Plus, just a regular scroll wheel. The scroll has a comfortable amount of tension, but the notches are on the softer side.

On the bottom of the mouse, you'll find four medium-sized PTFE mouse feet, a power/connectivity switch, and a profile switch button. There's also a small compartment that holds the mouse's 2.4GHz wireless USB-A dongle; the door is a little flimsy (and perhaps not necessary, as the dongle fits pretty tightly). This is also where you'll find the screw that unlocks and locks the side panel.

The mouse comes with a 6.5-foot (2m) USB-C to USB-A cable and a hex tool for moving the side button panel. The cable is braided but fairly stiff — it's a far cry from the ultra-flexible paracord-style cables that come with Razer's and HyperX's mice. You'll be able to use it as a mouse cable if you need to, but it won't be the most comfortable, drag-free experience.

Specs

Performance of the Scimitar Elite Wireless SE

The Scimitar Elite Wireless SE sports Corsair's Marksman S 33K optical sensor, which has a maximum resolution of 33,000 DPI, a maximum speed of 750 IPS, and can handle up to 50 G's of acceleration. Corsair says the sensor features "improved DPI detection and IPS tracking," as well as lower power consumption, and while the sensor was very accurate and consistent in my testing,

I didn't have any issues with accuracy or consistency in the Scimitar Elite Wireless, either. The sensor is able to track on a variety of surfaces, including laminate, wood, plastic, glass, polished concrete, and, of course, mouse pads.

The mouse features Corsair's house-brand optical switches, which are somewhat loud (though not any louder than the optical switches in other mainstream gaming mice). I didn't have any issues with misclicks or double-clicking while I was testing the Scimitar Elite Wireless SE, but I did find the switches to be a little inconsistent in both sound and feel. They felt and sounded a little lightweight and "fluttery," which made me worry there would be misclicks or accidental double-clicking, but this never happened.

This sounded more concerning if I clicked off-center — not at the very edge, just not directly in the center. I'm a little concerned with durability, but Corsair does say the switches are rated for 100 million clicks.

The Scimitar Elite Wireless SE performed well in MMOs and RPGS (and MMORPGs), with smooth, accurate movements and a relatively comfortable form factor for a palm grip. While I'm not the biggest fan of the Scimitar Elite Wireless SE's side panel curve, I don't use those extra buttons often enough that the lack of ergonomics was really an issue — it's not like I'm constantly mashing them, even if I bind my most frequently-used actions and macros.

The mouse also performed decently well in more action-oriented / skill-based RPGs, such as Elden Ring, though it's not the kind of mouse you can move around very quickly. Not only is it particularly wide and therefore difficult to really hold (as opposed to move), it's also fairly heavy at 4.02 ounces (114g). That still makes it slightly lighter than my go-to, the Naga V2 Pro (4.73oz / 134g), and it definitely feels pretty hefty (especially compared to all the super lightweight mice we've been looking at recently).

It's also not the type of mouse you can pick up and move around your desk — even if you can wrap your hand around it, it has a side panel full of buttons. This is definitely not a mouse for quick swipes and flicks.

Features and Software of the Scimitar Elite Wireless SE

The Scimitar Elite Wireless SE works (well, "works") with Corsair's universal peripheral software, iCUE. You can use iCUE to update your device firmware, customize the mouse's RGB lighting, and adjust some settings, such as DPI steps, polling rate, and surface calibration. Unfortunately, since this is a 16-button mouse, you can't really avoid iCUE completely — you'll also need it to remap/program buttons, and I assume you want to do at least some of that if you're getting a 16-button mouse.

iCUE is, however, terrible — not only did I have to restart my PC more times than I could count during the program's extremely slow and inefficient updating system (where it updates each device, including the dongle, one at a time and requires like three restarts after each one), but it was unable to complete the mouse's final firmware update because... it just wouldn’t go (I'm not sure why).

Anyway, once you remap your keys and tweak some settings on the Scimitar Elite Wireless SE, you can save your changes to the hardware (three profiles) and uninstall iCUE if you want. Well, sort of. The other key feature of this mouse is that it has native Elgato Stream Deck integration and it also works with Elgato's new Virtual Stream Deck app works with Elgato's new "Virtual Stream Deck" software. Which is, of course, even more software for you to download (though Elgato's software is, thankfully, much better than iCUE's).

The Virtual Stream Deck is... exactly what it sounds like: a virtual Stream Deck, i.e., a pop-up of a stream deck that lives on your desktop and can be used to perform various Stream Deck features, such as interacting with your connected Elgato equipment, or doing complicated multi-task "macros."

Not only can the mouse interact with your Elgato streaming gear, it can also act as a physical 'virtual' stream deck with all of its buttons — you can assign Stream Deck actions directly to the side panel of the mouse, though you'll need iCUE running in the background for this to work.

Wireless Experience and Battery Life of the Scimitar Elite Wireless SE

The Scimitar Elite Wireless SE offers three forms of connectivity: low-latency 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, and wired (via USB-C). Corsair rates the Scimitar Elite Wireless SE's battery life at up to 150 hours over 2.4GHz wireless with the backlighting turned off, which is pretty solid — 30 hours over the Scimitar Elite Wireless' 120-hour rating, and on par with the Razer Naga V2 Pro's 150-hour rating.

The Scimitar Elite Wireless SE also gets a serious boost in battery life over Bluetooth — up to 500 hours with the lighting turned off, which is a big jump from its predecessor's 150 hours, but this is neither here nor there as even no gamers — not even those playing cozy, dreamy platformer/crafting games such as Infinity Nikki — are connecting over Bluetooth, unless they're traveling or something.

Bottom Line

The Corsair Scimitar Elite Wireless SE is basically identical to the two-year-old Scimitar Elite Wireless, but it's been improved on the inside. It has a new sensor, better battery life, and it integrates with Elgato's Stream Decks as well as the new virtual Stream Deck software.

But I would have liked to see some — any — attention paid to the mouse's chassis, which felt bigger and clunkier than it needed to be when we tested the Scimitar Elite Wireless and feels even bigger and clunkier now. The fact that you can turn your mouse into an impromptu Stream Deck is neat, especially if you're the type of person who actually uses their Stream Deck, but it doesn't really feel like enough to be considered a "real" update. This is sort of like the Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K — same mouse, new sensor... but that's basically it. It's also $139.99, which is $10 more than MSRP of the Scimitar Elite Wireless.

But if you're looking for a mouse with a lot of buttons, your choices are a little scarce in our current world of ultralightweight, super-fast, eSports-player-endorsed peripherals. While it's not my favorite 12-button side panel, it's still a pretty good one, and it's $50 cheaper than the $180 Naga V2 Pro.

Finding the perfect mouse is hard — even we can't pick one perfect mouse, which is why we have an entire list of the best gaming mice. But Orbitalworks hopes it can make things a little easier for people who are highly picky about mouse shape by offering a bunch of different shapes right out of the box.

Orbitalworks' Pathfinder mouse is a lightweight, wireless gaming mouse with a modular setup — the hump, sides, and buttons are all interchangeable and the mouse comes with a selection of humps, sides, and buttons to get you started. It also comes with spacers, so you can add extra width and length to the mouse, and in the future the company plans to offer additional pieces as well as 3D print files so you can create your own pieces. Naturally, this much modularity doesn't come cheap — the Pathfinder costs a steep $189, and comes in both black and white.

Design and Comfort of the Pathfinder

The Pathfinder is a modular, lightweight five-button wireless mouse that comes with several options for changing its size and shape. The mouse comes in its own box with a handful of accessories: an 8K polling rate 2.4GHz wireless receiver, a 5-foot (1.5m) paracord-covered USB-C to USB-A cable. It also comes with extra mouse skates from X-Raypad — it has four dots pre-installed, and it comes with a set of X-Raypad's Obsidian PRO Air dots, as well as a set of X-Raypad's Obsidian mouse feet.

The mouse also comes with a separate box of parts that you'll need to create the customized final product. These include four mouse humps, four left-side pieces, seven right-side pieces, three sets of side buttons, and spacers for adding more width/length to the mouse.

The parts are all packaged very nicely in foam, and there's a guide printed on the inside of the lid. The parts hook into the mouse with notched "teeth" and are fairly secure when installed but can be removed with a little pressure. I didn't have any issues removing the pieces with my nails, but it would be nice if Orbitalworks had included some sort of tool for removal (even just a thin, flat spatula-type thing seems like it would help).

Let's start with the humps, as they're the most straightforward pieces: low, medium, high, and right-handed. The low, medium, and high humps are all bilaterally symmetrical, while the right-hand hump shifts the hump to the left.

The hump size corresponds to the amount of palm contact your hand will have with the mouse — the low hump features an immediate, gradual downward slope so the highest part of the mouse is at the center, while the high hump extends the center height and features a steep downward slope near the back (the medium hump is in between these two, and is close to what you'll see in a lot of symmetrical lightweight mice, such as the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2).

There are also two hump spacers — 4mm and 8mm, which you slide onto the mouse before you attach the hump to add extra length. You can also use both spacers together, for an extra 12mm total. I will say that this is the one area that I didn't feel was very sturdy — even adding just the smaller spacer made the back feel a little detached from the mouse.

This wasn't too much of an issue while using the mouse, but it bothered me regardless. Adding both spacers made the back look like it was about to fall off, and created a noticeable gap between the hump and the body of the mouse. The mouse felt sturdiest without any hump spacers — if you're looking for a longer mouse, this may not be the mouse for you.

The four left-side pieces are labeled (sort of) by grip type: latch, claw, pinch, and average. (Okay, only two of those are grip types, but close enough.) "Latch" is the curviest piece, with a generous dip for your thumb and flare toward the back. "Claw" is for claw grips and is designed for those who use a claw grip and have their thumb at more of an angle. "Pinch" features a thumb indent that's placed slightly forward, and "average" is a flatter piece with a thumb indent set slightly to the back.

There are seven right-side pieces: Average, pinch, claw, right-hand, xtra, slash, and wave. The first three — average, pinch, and claw, are the right-side counterparts to their left-side pieces; "average" is somewhat flat and asymmetrical to its left-side counterpart, "pinch" is designed for a grip that's shifted forward, and "claw" is for an angled grip. "Right-hand" is designed for palm grips and gives you more of a sloped finger rest. The last three — xtra, slash, and wave — are designed from handscans of gamers, and feature finger channels based on your grip style to give you more control.

"Xtra" is for claw grippers, and has channels that are vertical and angled slightly backward — for people who have an aggressive claw grip near the front of the mouse. "Slash" is for people with a less aggressive claw grip that's closer to the middle of the mouse, and has channels that are vertical and angled slightly forward. "Wave" is more of a full finger rest, with front-angled channels for resting your pinky and ring finger. Wave took me a little while to get used to, as I usually have my pinky and ring finger resting closer to the center of most mice, but once I got used to it I loved it — having my fingers so close to the front of the mouse gave me more control, which I'm not used to when I use a palm grip.

There are two spacers — about 1.5mm and 2.5mm — for both the right and left side of the mouse, and they can be used together, adding an extra 4mm to each side. Unlike the spacer issue with the hump, the side pieces fit very securely to the mouse with one or both spacers installed (though you'll still see a lot of space if you have both installed), and I had no issues with creaking, flexing, or movement from the side pieces while I was using the mouse.

The mouse also comes with three side button sizes, which seem to be mainly designed to accommodate use of the side spacers, as they're longer but are otherwise identical in shape.

The mouse itself is well-made, with a sturdy but lightweight plastic shell and a shiny, ridged notched scroll wheel. It comes in both black and white — our review unit was black, and the smooth, matte finish did show fingerprints somewhat quickly, though they were easy to wipe off.

That said, the shell does appear to be ABS, so it seems like you may have to contend with shininess as the ABS wears down. The mouse is on the slippery side — especially if you sweat while gaming, and it doesn't come with grip tape. I suppose this makes sense, as there are multiple sides and the company probably didn't want to have to account for the different shapes and possible switching (I'm sure some people would need/want grip tape for every single piece), it does seem like they could have included something, especially since the modular sides are a little smaller than most mouse sides and so generic grip tape seems like it would be difficult to fit. Perhaps Orbitalworks will sell grip tape as a separate accessory.

The mouse is on the smaller side in general — the base mouse measures 4.6 inches (117mm) long by 2 inches (50.5mm) wide, and is 1.46 inches (37mm) high at its highest point. Using spacers, the mouse's maximum length is 5.11 inches (130mm), while the maximum width is around 2.74 inches (69.7mm). Orbitalworks says the mouse's configured weight will range between 51 and 55g.

Based on my measurements, the base mouse (unconfigured) weighs 1.56 ounces (44.5g), while the lightest configuration was 1.87 ounces (53g). The heaviest configuration I could make weighed 2.01 ounces (57g), which is still a very lightweight mouse overall.

The Pathfinder is a fairly standard five-button mouse, with left/right primary buttons, two thumb buttons, and a scroll wheel click, all of which are programmable (the scroll wheel is also programmable). It also has a DPS switch button on the bottom, which is not programmable. The scroll wheel is tactile and notched, with fairly stiff notches — a little stiffer than I prefer, and (surprisingly) slightly louder than the primary switches.

On the bottom of the mouse, you'll find a power switch, a DPS switch button, and a small indicator light to indicate DPS steps and battery life. There are also four dots installed as mice feet, and you can add additional dots from the included X-Rayband dots for more glide. There's also what appears to be a receiver for a wireless charging dock, but the mouse doesn't come with a wireless charging dock so perhaps that will be a separate purchaseable option in the future.

Specs

Performance of the Pathfinder

At its core, the Pathfinder sports a PixArt PAW-3950 sensor, which has a maximum resolution of 30,000 DPI, a maximum speed of 750 IPS, and can handle up to 70 G's of acceleration. This is an excellent sensor that's on par with the sensors in other flagship gaming mice, and it performed very well — as expected. The mouse was able to track flawlessly on a variety of surfaces, including laminate, wood, glass, and, of course, all types of mouse pads, and movements were smooth, accurate, and precise.

The Pathfinder features Omron's subminiature optical switches, which have a lightweight and relatively quiet click compared to the other flagship mice I currently have on my desk — the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 Dex, the Asus ROG Harpe Ace Extreme, and the Razer Naga V2 Pro. The side buttons are also lightweight and quiet, with a slightly less tactile feel.

The scroll wheel is tactile and notched, with stiff notches and a somewhat firm center click — it's not the worst scroll wheel I used, but I didn't love it (and I would have preferred something with a rubbery finish rather than shiny plastic). I suppose a dual-mode or adjustable scroll wheel might be a little too much to ask, but considering this mouse is all about customizability, it does seem like an oversight.

Scroll wheel aside, the Pathfinder is an excellent mouse if you're looking for a five-button gaming mouse that's (practically) designed just for you. The smaller size, relatively light weight, and highly customizable shape made it feel like an almost-perfect mouse for the ultra-lightweight mouse crowd, though I still like the comforting large-ness of the hump in the Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro.

Features and Software of the Pathfinder

The Pathfinder comes with its own custom software from Orbitalworks, which hasn't given me any issues so far (knock on wood). The software features sections for remapping buttons, recording and saving macros, adjusting the DPI steps and report rate, and changing a handful of settings and checking firmware.

The Pathfinder has several gaming-oriented settings that you can change, including lift off distance, debounce time, and "Esports mode," which gives you a "faster response time" at the expense of battery life — this appears to mainly change the polling rate, however, as it's not available if you have the mouse's polling rate set to 8,000 Hz.

It also has a "Game Enhancement" setting in the button function menu, which lets you set up each button to perform X autokeystrokes per second when you hold that button down — perfect for spamming actions (but potentially something that could get you banned in some games).

Wireless Experience and Battery Life of the Pathfinder

The Pathfinder has two forms of connectivity: 2.4GHz wireless with up to an 8,000 Hz polling rate, and wired (USB-C). The company hasn't given official details on the rated battery life, but the mouse features a 300 mAh battery, and I managed to get about a weeks' worth of use from it on a 1,000 Hz polling rate (obviously, this time decreases significantly as you increase the polling rate). You can check the battery level (by percentage) in Orbitalworks' software and by looking at the indicator light on the wireless receiver, which will be green (high), blue (medium), or off (low).

Bottom Line

Orbitalworks' Pathfinder is an ambitious gaming mouse, but it does a pretty impressive job of stepping up. The customization part works extremely well — the mouse feels sturdy and solid in just about every configuration, and even my issue with the hump spacers isn't really that much of a problem when it comes to actual usage.

My only real complaint with this mouse was that the customization worked so well that I expected more customization — different side button shapes, pre-cut grip tape, and a dual-mode scroll wheel are all things I think could have been included, but this mouse is already doing a lot for customizability.

That said, $189 is a lot for a mouse — and if you can find a mouse that's the perfect shape for you right out of the box, you probably don't want to pay that much. But what's perfect for you will depend on you, so it's hard to recommend just one. I still love the Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro, but the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 Dex also has a nice ergonomic shape. And this might be the only modular mouse on the market at the moment, but HyperX also has something modular in the works.

It seems like every other mouse we see is an ultra-lightweight, stripped-down performance mouse with a speedy higher polling rate. But because you can't strip down a mouse and also have it retain any... personality or style, they're beginning to blend together (and they all have similar specs — if one's the best gaming mouse, they may as well all be).

Glorious' new Series 2 Pro Wireless mouse is, unsurprisingly, no exception. This ultra-lightweight (55g) mouse features a low-profile symmetrical shape, six programmable buttons (if you include the scroll wheel click), and comes with an 8K polling dongle for polling rates of up to 8K — though it ships with a measly 1,000 Hz polling rate (whether you need more than a measly 1,000 Hz polling rate in the first place is... debatable). It's slightly smaller than Glorious' other gaming mice, such as the Glorious Model D 2 Pro 4K / 8K, and its 8K polling rate holds true for both wired and wireless connections.

The Series 2 Pro Wireless is available now in black and white colorways, for $129.99.

Design and Comfort of the Series 2 Pro Wireless

The Series 2 Pro Wireless is a symmetrical, lightweight wireless gaming mouse with six programmable buttons. It features a right-handed symmetrical shape with a relatively low, centered hump. Our review unit came in white (the mouse also comes in black), and had a lightly-textured matte surface — similar to that of the white Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro, light gray buttons, and a light gray notched scroll wheel. Glorious' logo and the name of the mouse are printed on the right side, near the front, in dark gray.

It's not a particularly exciting-looking mouse, but most ultra-lightweight mice aren't very exciting. I'm not the biggest fan of the shiny finish on the mouse's gray accent buttons — I think they look a little cheap, but they're also so small that they don't really make that much of a difference. The mouse feels sturdy despite its light weight and otherwise boring exterior, with a curve for grip in the middle and contoured primary buttons to keep your fingers on track. The mouse's matte, textured surface means it doesn't start out slippery (like the Logitech G Pro X 2 Superlight), but it can still get slippery, especially if you sweat. The mouse doesn't come with any precut grip tape like many of its competitors, but it's got a generic enough shape that it shouldn't be too difficult to find some that fits.

The Series 2 Pro is on the smaller side, relatively speaking, measuring 4.69 inches (119mm) long by 2.44 inches (62mm) wide by 1.5 inches (38mm) tall. Specifically, it's shorter than other ultra-lightweight, symmetrical wireless gaming mice, which mostly come in at about 5 inches (127mm) long. The Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 measures 4.92 x 2.5 x 1.57 inches (125 x 63.5 x 40mm), while the Asus ROG Harpe Ace Aim Lab Edition is 5.01 x 2.51 x 1.56 inches (127.5 x 63.7 x 39.6mm), so the Series 2 Pro is only slightly smaller in width and height. Likewise, the Razer Viper V3 Pro measures 5 x 2.51 x 1.57 inches (127.1 x 63.9 x 39.9mm).

This doesn't necessarily mean the Series 2 Pro is going to be significantly better for those with smaller hands — length isn't usually the issue when a mouse is too big — but it does mean that it might not work with those who have bigger hands if you normally use a palm grip. That said, as an ultra-lightweight, stripped down, symmetrical mouse, the Series 2 Pro audience probably mostly uses a claw or fingertip grip anyway.

The other benefit to being smaller (although, not that much smaller) is weight: the Series 2 Pro weighs a mere 1.94 ounces (55g). Well, sort of, anyway — while this is very light for a gaming mouse, it's not much lighter than other similar mice... such as the mice I just mentioned. The G Pro X Superlight 2 weighs 60g, but both the ROG Harpe Ace Aim Lab Edition and the Viper V3 Pro weigh in at 54g, so clearly the Series 2 Pro's smaller size isn't really a factor when it comes to weight.

Don't get me wrong, 55g is extremely light regardless, and the weight makes it feel even smaller: it's definitely a great mouse for gamers who frequently pick up and move their mice. The buttons are well placed, though their shiny finish makes them a little slippery, and the notched scroll wheel felt slightly on the stiff side for me (but I'm used to free-scrolling all the time now).

On the bottom of the mouse, you'll find four pure PTFE feet, a DPI indicator light, and a power switch. While the DPI indicator light being on the bottom of the mouse isn't super convenient, it's more convenient than the DPI switch button being on the bottom of the mouse (ahem, Razer). You can change the DPI indicator colors in Glorious' Glorious Core software.

The mouse comes with just two accessories: the 8K polling dongle and a 6.5-foot (2m) flexible, paracord-covered USB-C to USB-A cable.

Specs

Performance of the Series 2 Pro Wireless

The Series 2 Pro Wireless features Glorious' BAMF 2.0 26K sensor, which has a maximum resolution of 26,000 DPI, a maximum speed of 650 IPS, and can handle up to 50 G's of force. Spec-wise, this puts it in the same league as the ROG Harpe Ace Aim Lab Edition. Plus it's got 8K polling — if you turn that on (it's turned off by default), which makes for very smooth, speedy cursor movement and a mouse that feels highly responsive and accurate, overall.

The mouse features Glorious' optical switches (called "Glorious Optical Switches"), which are nicely clicky and tactile, with a firm, decisive click. They're also quite loud — louder than Logitech's, Asus', and Razer's optical switches. I've never paid much attention to mouse switch volume, but if you're looking for a mouse that you can stealth-click in the dead of night, this is not the mouse for you. Volume aside, the switches feel great and make for accurate, precise clicks and feel highly responsive (and they're also rated for 100 million clicks).

The mouse's side buttons, by comparison, are just okay. Maybe the shiny texture is coloring my opinion, but they just felt a little harder to click than other side buttons — it doesn't help that they're slightly thinner than the side buttons on the G Pro X 2 Superlight and the ROG Harpe Ace Aim Lab Edition, and I occasionally felt like I was just slipping over them when I wanted to click.

This is the first mouse I've tested that had serious stutter issues when the 8K polling rate dongle wasn't pretty close to it. I always have several USB-C cables lying around, so I initially plugged this receiver into a USB-C cable on my other desk — about four feet from where I was using the mouse, and it kept stuttering like crazy. I moved the dongle to my desk, about a foot way from the mouse, and I haven't had an issue since. It's not too surprising that the receiver needs to be near the mouse for the best performance, but I haven't had other mice stutter or lose connection — and this was at a 1,000 Hz polling rate, not an 8K polling rate.

Once the polling rate receiver was placed near the mouse, the mouse performed expectedly well: smooth, speedy swipes with accurate motion and the ability to stop on a dime. I didn't have any issues with double-clicking or disconnecting while in wireless mode, and the 8K polling rate definitely appeared smoother — if not significantly so. While most gamers most certainly do not need a mouse with an 8K polling rate, I'll concede that a few could probably benefit from a 2K or 4K polling rate, which you can also select within the mouse's software.

The mouse is noticeably smooth and tracks well over a variety of surfaces and feels very natural — not quite like an extension of your arm, but close. While Glorious likes to point out the mouse's "fan-favorite shape," I'd argue that the reason this mouse is such a fan-favorite is because the shape is pretty generic — smaller, but still generic. It doesn't feel particularly great — not like the Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro does — but there are also no issues with the way it feels.

Features and Software of the Series 2 Pro Wireless

The Series 2 Pro Wireless is configurable with Glorious' Glorious Core 2.0 software, which is... terrible. On the plus side, this is a stripped-down ultra-lightweight mouse with no RGB lighting and only six programmable buttons, so there's not much you'll need to do in Glorious Core. But the downside is that you'll still need to install Glorious Core to unlock the mouse's 8K polling rate — it comes with the polling rate set to the standard 1,000 Hz you'll see on most gaming mice, and you can only change this in the Glorious Core software.

The main reason I dislike Glorious Core is because it doesn't really work — it doesn't seem to do much other than slow down my PC and not be activated when I need it to be running. Luckily, it seems you can download the software and set your 8K polling rate and save it directly to the mouse (up to 3 profiles) and then uninstall the software.

You can also do a handful of other things while you're in the software, before you uninstall it, such as adjusting the debounce time and lift-off distance, changing the DPI steps (and assigning different colors to each step), and remapping buttons. However, this is a six-button mouse (including the scroll wheel click), so you're probably not going to be remapping any buttons.

Wireless Experience & Battery Life of the Series 2 Pro Wireless

The Series 2 Pro Wireless has two forms of connectivity: 2.4-GHz wireless and wired (USB-C). Instead of a dongle that plugs directly into your PC, it comes with a small receiver that connects via the included USB-C to USB-A cable and can be placed on your desk, closer to the mouse. As I determined while testing this mouse, proximity to the 8K wireless receiver is actually very important, so it makes sense that Glorious would force you to put the receiver on your desk (other gaming mice often come with an extender that turns the dongle into a receiver like this, the only difference is that Glorious doesn't give you the option to plug it directly into your PC).

Glorious rates the Series 2 Pro at 80 hours of battery life — over a 1,000 Hz polling rate, of course. That's a decent number — most of Razer's flagship mice are a little higher (closer to 90 - 100 hours), as are most of Logitech's, but it's not too far off. Of course, this number drops significantly if you're using an 8K polling rate: my battery dropped from around 80% to 62% (as measured on Glorious' app) in about 10 hours of mostly not using it.

Bottom Line

The Glorious Series 2 Pro Wireless is yet another ultra-lightweight, stripped-down gaming mouse designed for speed and mobility above all else. It has a fairly generic symmetrical shape with a mild hump, and it's slightly smaller than similar mice, which means it's easier to pick up and move around. It glides well — not surprisingly well, just well — and offers smooth, speedy movement over the 8K polling rate, so long as the receiver is placed relatively close.

At $129.99, it's priced slightly lower than many similar flagship mice, but it seems a little late to the game — we've seen far too many ultra-lightweight, stripped-down symmetrical gaming mice by now, and they've been around for long enough that they're often on sale.

Plus, there are plenty of cheaper mice that do the same thing, like the HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Wireless, which weighs 61g and can be found on sale for around $70. On the other end of the spectrum, Asus' ROG Harpe Ace Extreme is even lighter (47g) than the Series 2 Pro, but it also retails for $250 — though right now it looks like the price has jumped to $290.

Logitech's G Pro line of lightweight, performance-focused, ambidextrous gaming mice has been popular with professional gamers since it debuted. Naturally, the company decided it was better not to mess with a good thing, and, as a result, the line has stayed pretty consistent — even the most recent Pro X Superlight 2 was practically identical to its predecessor. But now it seems like Logitech is looking to branch out (slightly) by introducing a Pro X Superlight 2 alternative: the Pro X Superlight 2 Dex.

The Logitech Pro X Superlight 2 Dex is everything the Pro X Superlight 2 is, it just... looks different. The Pro X Superlight 2 Dex has the same specs as its ambidextrous counterpart: Logitech's Hero 2 optical sensor, which has a maximum resolution of 44,000 DPI and a maximum speed of 888 IPS and can handle up to 88 G's of acceleration; Lightforce hybrid optical/mechanical switches; and up to an 8,000 Hz wireless polling rate. It also weighs the same (60g), has the same rated battery life (95 hours), and comes in the same colorways.

The only real difference is its shape — an asymmetrical, right-handed ergonomic shape with a hump for support and lightly contoured sides for grip. While not the most revolutionary shape for a gaming mouse, it's a huge deviation from the low-profile, uniformly ambidextrous shape that has practically defined the line up until now. It's not surprising, though — the Pro X Superlight 2 Dex looks like it's coming for the Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro, which is still one of the best gaming mice on the market thanks to its incredible design.

The Pro X Superlight 2 Dex is available now for $159.99.

Design and Comfort of the Pro X Superlight 2 Dex

The Pro X Superlight 2 Dex is a wireless ultra-lightweight gaming mouse with an ergonomic, contoured right-handed shape. It's made of solid, lightweight plastic and features a uniformly smooth, matte surface that comes in black, white, or pink. I will say that I am a big fan of Logitech's bright fuchsia take on pink over other gaming companies' fixation on pastel pink, mostly because bright fuchsia is my favorite shade of pink. As far as design goes, the mouse has Logitech G's "G" logo in silver on the palm rest, and the word "SUPERLIGHT" printed in silver on the right side.

The Pro X Superlight 2 Dex is on the larger side, measuring 4.95 inches (125.8mm) long by 2.67 inches (67.7mm) wide. It has an ergonomic shape, with contouring along the sides and a hump that's shifted toward the center left. The hump is on the higher side, measuring 1.73 inches (43.9mm) at its highest point. It's worth pointing out that these measurements are almost identical to those of the Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro (which is clearly what the Pro X Superlight 2 Dex is gunning for).

The mouse is easy to hold thanks to its contoured sides — the contouring is more pronounced on the left (thumb) side, but there's still enough of a groove on the right side that the mouse is easy enough to pick up and move quickly. It helps, of course, that the mouse is ultra-light, weighing just 2.12 ounces (60g). It's not the lightest mouse on the market, though it is just a touch lighter than the DeathAdder V3 Pro (2.22oz / 63g).

It's a very comfortable mouse, though the hump's placement did feel particularly pronounced. Its highest point is at the center left, and the slope toward the right side of the mouse is steeper than expected. This wasn't too much of an issue for me — though I never really got used to it — but I can see this being bothersome for someone with smaller hands. The primary mouse buttons have some very subtle contouring to help keep your fingers in place, though they are a bit slippery. Logitech includes grip tape in the box, but I don't usually need grip tape to keep a good grasp on mice — the smooth finish is just a little too far on the slippery side.

The Pro X Superlight 2 Dex is a fairly straight forward five-button mouse, with right and left primary buttons, two thumb buttons on the left side, and a notched, clickable scroll wheel. All of the buttons are nicely tactile and clicky, and the scroll wheel has a soft, easy notching that's still delineated enough for precise scrolling but not so stiff that it's taxing to scroll through long webpages.

The bottom of the mouse features a power switch and large PTFE mouse skates — a large piece covering the upper third (or so) of the mouse, a piece surrounding the magnetic door that opens to reveal dongle storage, and a small piece surrounding the mouse's sensor. Logitech includes an alternate PTFE-covered door for those who feel like they're not getting enough glide from the strip around the bottom. The magnetic door can also be replaced with the PowerPlay module from Logitech's PowerPlay or PowerPlay 2 for infinite wireless charging.

In the box, the mouse comes with a 6-foot (1.8m) rubber USB-C to USB-A charging cable, a 2.4GHz wireless USB-A dongle and USB extender, custom cut grip tape for the sides and the buttons, and an alternate magnetic door covered in PTFE.

Specs

Performance of the Pro X Superlight 2 Dex

The Pro X Superlight 2 Dex features Logitech's Hero 2 optical sensor, which has a maximum sensitivity of 44,000 DPI and a maximum speed of 888 IPS, and can handle up to 88 G's of acceleration. It gets a standard 1,000 Hz (1ms) polling rate when connected via cable, and up to an 8,000 Hz (0.25ms) polling rate over 2.4GHz wireless. These are the same specs that this mouse's counterpart, the Pro X Superlight 2, has, thanks to a firmware update — the Pro X Superlight 2 and the Pro X Superlight 2 Dex have the same sensor.

The Pro X Superlight 2 Dex will work for all grip types, though you'll need larger hands if you want to use this mouse comfortably with a fingertip grip. This mouse is more ergonomically-designed than the regular Pro X Superlight 2, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's for you — it's a comfortable mouse, but it does have a lot of flare at the tip and the hump didn't sit back far enough for my liking. I didn't hate it, but I didn't take to it anywhere near as naturally as I did to the Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro.

The Pro X Superlight 2 Dex is an excellent gaming mouse for those who don't need extra buttons (you can program the mouse two layers deep with Logitech's "G-Shift" feature, but if you're looking for extra buttons this is not the mouse for you. It's lightweight and easy to grip and pick up, and it glides over just about any surface smoothly thanks to the large PTFE foot on the bottom. It has an extremely low 0.125 ms response time, and even if this doesn't make a significant difference to most gamers, at least this mouse's 2.4GHz wireless connection felt stable and speedy over 1,000 Hz, 4,000 Hz, and 8,000 Hz polling rates.

The mouse feature's Logitech's new Lightforce hybrid optical/mechanical switches — the same as you'll find in the Pro X Superlight 2. These switches can operate both optically and mechanically — optical actuation is faster (literally, the speed of light) but drains battery faster, while mechanical actuation (actually, as configured by Logitech — "hybrid") is still fast enough for most gamers and also saves power. The switches are definitely on the loud, clicky side, and have a tactile, if somewhat inconsistent, feel.

Only the primary buttons are loud and clicky, however — the side buttons and scroll wheel click are practically the opposite. The mouse's side buttons are well-placed, though they may be a little out of the way for those with smaller hands, and are slightly mushy. The scroll wheel is notched, with soft, quiet notches. Despite this, scrolling is somewhat loud, as there's a little bit of a rattle when you scroll quickly. This is not my favorite scroll wheel — I didn't encounter any issues with scroll wheel jump in my testing, but the scroll wheel is just loose enough that I'm concerned this could be an issue in the future. The scroll wheel click is also on the stiffer side (though it is, at least, also pretty quiet).

Features and Software of the Pro X Superlight 2 Dex

The Pro X Superlight 2 Dex can be configured in Logitech's universal peripheral software, G Hub. You can use G Hub to set the mouse's DPI steps and wireless and wired polling rates, and to remap buttons (all five of them). There's also an advanced menu that lets you set DPI separately for x- and y-axis movement, as well as adjust the lift-off distance (low, medium, high).

Logitech also includes a sensor calibrator that lets you calibrate the mouse to mimic the feel of a different mouse — say, the mouse you had before this one, so you don't need to worry about a significant adjustment period. G Hub also comes with a handful of generic game-ready presets, such as "First Person," "First Person XY Split," "MMORPG," and "Productivity."

Wireless Experience & Battery Life of the Pro X Superlight 2 Dex

The Pro X Superlight 2 Dex is designed to connect primarily over a low-latency 2.4GHz "Lightspeed" wireless connection — it can also connect via cable (USB-C), but the included cable is clearly designed for charging, not wired use. Like other premium ultra-lightweight wireless gaming mice, the Pro X Superlight 2 Dex doesn't bother with frivolities such as Bluetooth connectivity or RGB lighting (though there is a small indicator LED in the center of the mouse that pulses to indicate things like battery life, charging status, etc).

Logitech rates the battery life of the Pro X Superlight 2 Dex at 95 hours over 2.4GHz wireless with a standard 1,000 Hz polling rate; this number drops to around 19 hours, as you might expect, when you bump the polling rate up to 8,000 Hz and turn on the "optical only" switch option. The Pro X Superlight 2 Dex is compatible with Logitech's PowerPlay system, so if you own the PowerPlay or the PowerPlay 2, the mouse will have essentially unlimited battery life. The PowerPlay module does add about 3g of weight to the mouse, though.

Bottom Line

The Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 Dex is an excellent alternative to the regular Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 — it's both lightweight and grippable while adding an ergonomic shape that many users will find more comfortable than the original's ambidextrous shape. Many users, but not all — while it works better than the original does for all grip types, that doesn't make it ideal for every grip type. I generally use a palm grip, and the Pro X Superlight 2 Dex's steeper, more centered hump felt off to me — I couldn't get used to it even after a couple of weeks of testing.

If you're a fingertip or claw gripper who's looking for a non-ambidextrous mouse to take into battle, the Pro X Superlight 2 Dex might just be the mouse you've been waiting for. But if you're a palm gripper or you have smaller hands, I'd stick with Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro, which feels better despite having almost identical dimensions.

I play a lot of MMOs, they are my most played genre of computer games and ever since getting my first multi-button mouse, I’ve never been able to go back to a mouse with minimal buttons. Once I’d tried and gotten used to the first Razer Naga, there was no returning to anything without a 12-button side panel, it’s just so intuitive and useful for MMOs that often have a multitude of spells, abilities, and key binds. The Aerox 9 from SteelSeries looks to creep into the MMO mouse market and challenge the usual suspects on our list of best gaming mice with its wireless lightweight design, bright RGB colors, and functional quality construction.

Design and Comfort of the Aerox 9

The Aerox 9 is a colorful MMO/MOBA-targeted wireless mouse with a matte black chassis with honeycomb cutouts. The cutouts give it a distinct look while also helping keep the weight low. I wasn't a big fan of the cutouts, however — the cutouts flow from the rear of the mouse to the main left and right mouse buttons, and this can be rather uncomfortable if your fingers happen to rest on them for too long. I found this happening quite often if I used a claw grip.

The Aerox 9 is a medium-large mouse measuring 5 inches (128mm) long, 2.6 (68mm) inches wide, and 1.6 inches (42mm) high. It weighs just 3.13 ounces (89g), which is fairly light for a mouse with so many buttons. It's a good mouse for gamers with larger hands, but if your hands are on the smaller size it could be uncomfortable. The mouse wheel is sunk into the chassis and has a low profile, which improves access for scrolling but makes using the tilt function difficult.

Now for the most important part: the Aerox 9 has 18 programmable buttons, most of which are on the elongated 12-button side panel. The other buttons are the left/right primary buttons, the tilt wheel (left, right, middle click), and the DPI switch button behind the mouse wheel.

On the bottom of the mouse, you'll find two large 100% PTFE mouse feet, plus a small PTFE circle around the sensor. This allows the mouse to freely glide around your mouse mat with minimal drag. The mouse is also touted as having an "Aqua Barrier" with an IP54 rating to protect its inner workings from dust, debris, and accidental drink spills (which we know all too well have dispatched a few peripherals to the bin).

In the box, you get the Aerox 9 mouse, a 6.5-foot (2m) braided USB-C to USB-A cable, a USB-C to USB-C wireless extension adapter, and the 2.4GHz wireless USB-C dongle.

Specs

Performance of the Aerox 9

I found the Aerox 9 to be highly accurate and responsive in my testing. It features the TrueMove Air sensor, which was co-developed by SteelSeries and PixArt. This sensor offers a maximum sensitivity of 18,000 DPI and a maximum speed of 400 IPS, and can handle up to 40 G's of acceleration and tilt tracking. I found the mouse performed equally well in MMO games, such as World of Warcraft, and FPS games, such as Destiny 2 and Counter-Strike 2. This was nice, as I didn't have to constantly swap mice between games.

Using the SteelSeries GG software Engine I was easily able to set up multiple profiles for my favorite games, and map macros and spells to buttons with ease. The wireless worked faultlessly with no dropouts and no hint of latency. The option is there to use Bluetooth to connect as well, and it also seemed to work flawlessly, there is a higher latency on Bluetooth, but I honestly couldn’t tell when using it. Primarily I kept to the 2.4GHz Quantum 2.0 wireless for the smoothest experience.

The 1000Hz polling rate and ability to tweak every setting In the software meant the mouse performed flawlessly. The responsiveness of the main and side buttons was perfect and it didn’t take long to acclimatize to them from switching over from a Razer Naga Trinity. I still prefer the layout of the Razer Naga’s side buttons, but I’d rather have the larger and sleeker design of the Aerox 9. Yet the more I use the mouse, the more I don’t miss the Naga.

The only issue I did have with the Aerox 9 in regards to the performance was the positioning of the mouse wheel. I found the mouse wheel to be positioned too deep in the chassis, and as I often bind abilities to the left and right tilt switches of the mouse wheel I found I couldn’t consistently access these abilities on command. Trying to force the left/right tilt switch often led to me scrolling up and down — which I also use for separate abilities. This forced me to have to rebind and change up some key binds, which I wouldn’t have had to do using a mouse with a better-positioned wheel.

Features and Software of the Aerox 9

For me, the SteelSeries GG software is one of the best from the big peripheral manufacturers. It has a lot of features — some that have more to do with other aspects of gaming rather than the peripherals, but I’ve found I like using Moments a lot (when it comes to capturing those hilarious deaths and funny moments with friends it’s awesome).

All of the Aerox 9’s settings are controlled in the Engine section of the SteelSeries GG software. You can control every aspect of the mouse: button assignment, sleep timer settings for battery, polling rate, sensitivity, and, of course, lighting. Here you can configure the RGB for each zone of the mouse, or disable it completely. Disabling the lighting drastically improves the battery life of the Aerox 9.

Battery Life of the Aerox 9

SteelSeries quotes the Aerox as having a 180-hour battery life, and the mouse can certainly last that long over a Bluetooth connection. However, that figure is drastically different when you connect via 2.4GHz wireless, and is even lower with the lighting on.

In my personal testing, the Aerox 9 lasted around 20 hours with the RGB running and around twice that with it turned off while I was gaming. The good news is that the mouse recharges very quickly and notifies you with a red flash when running low; it’s also easy to check the battery status in the SteelSeries GG software.

The Bottom Line

There’s a lot to like about the SteelSeries Aerox 9: it’s the only MMO mouse I’ve tried that I feel could replace my fondness for the feel of Razer’s 12-button side panels on their range of Naga mice. The sensor is responsive and accurate, and the mouse has a great hand shape for sustained hours of gaming — I felt no hand or finger fatigue while using the Aerox 9 over many gaming sessions. The only downside I encountered were the honeycomb cutouts on the left and rice mouse buttons, which made the tips of my fingers a little sore when I changed to more of a claw grip in some games, and the positioning of the mouse wheel in the chassis.

The 3-zone RGB and all the different lighting patterns help to make the mouse stand out on the desk and give that gamified aesthetic, but the trade-off with battery life doesn't really seem worth it to me. I ended up disabling the lighting for extended play time off of the charging cable.

Logitech's wireless charging mouse pad, the PowerPlay, has managed to stand the test of time. It first debuted in 2017 and is still going strong. In fact, just last July the company launched the G309 Lightspeed mouse, which features a supercapacitor that holds just enough charge to power it when it's not directly touching the PowerPlay mat, and can therefore be used, with PowerPlay, sans battery.

While PowerPlay was never wildly popular, it is the only wireless charging gaming mouse pad that you can still buy today (RIP, Razer Hyperflux).

But it has been eight years since the PowerPlay launched, and most of Logitech's current gaming mice support it, so an update makes sense.

Enter the Logitech PowerPlay 2 — a revamped PowerPlay that has a (slightly) larger charging area, is (slightly) thinner, comes with fewer features, and is cheaper... if you ignore the fact that the original PowerPlay launched at $100 and then got a price increase at some point a few years later.

The Logitech PowerPlay 2 has a charging area that's 15% larger and up to 38.5% thinner than the original's. And while the original came with two surface options (hard and soft) and doubled as a wireless mouse receiver, the PowerPlay 2 comes with just one surface (soft), and its wireless capabilities are strictly limited to charging only. But it will be cheaper — sort of — when it launches on March 11, 2025 for $99.

Design of the PowerPlay 2

Logitech's PowerPlay system consists of three parts — four if you include the mouse, which is not included: the wireless charging mat, which sits on your desk and plugs into your PC; the mouse pad / surface, which sits on top of the charging mat; and a "PowerPlay module," or a magnetic puck that attaches to the bottom of a PowerPlay-compatible Logitech gaming mouse.

In a world where the average gaming mouse pad is very, very large, the PowerPlay 2 is... pretty small. It's close in size to most medium-sized gaming mouse pads (remember that "medium-sized" is usually the smallest option when it comes to gaming mouse pads), not including the charging module. The surface area measures 13.54 inches (344mm) wide by 11.14 inches (238mm) deep. Logitech reports the charging mat as measuring 0.09 inches (2.2mm) thick, and the charging mat plus the mouse pad at 0.14 inches (3.5mm) thick. Using calipers, I measured the charging pad plus the mouse pad at 0.126 inches (3.2mm) thick — so, close enough.

By contrast, the original PowerPlay's surface has the exact same width and depth measurements, but is thicker — by my measurements, 0.165 inches (4.2mm) thick with the charging mat plus the soft mouse pad, and 0.204 inches (5.2mm) thick with the charging mat plus the hard mouse pad.

But, according to Logitech, the PowerPlay 2 has a 15% larger charging area, so this must mean that not all of the original PowerPlay's surface is part of its charging area.

The original PowerPlay came with both a soft mouse pad and a hard mouse pad, so gamers could swap between surfaces. The PowerPlay 2 comes with just a soft mouse pad — a very, very thin soft mouse pad with a shiny, rubbery non-skid backing. The mouse mat also has a rubber, non-skid finish, and these work very well together — the surface isn't going anywhere, though it is a little tricky to put on perfectly. (It's sort of like putting a screen protector on your phone, only the stakes are much lower.)

The mouse pad's surface is a shiny polyester weave with raw, unfinished edges — Logitech will be offering replacement pads (but couldn't confirm details on pricing or whether they'll be offering additional surface types), which is good because I don't see this flimsy sheet of mouse pad surface lasting for more than a year — if that. I'm not sure why the company decided to go with just the soft mouse pad, but it feels like a replacement soft mouse pad could have been easily (and cheaply) included.

That said, I have no complaints about the surface insofar as performance or comfort — it is shinier and smoother than the original's soft surface, so my mouse did glide (ever so slightly) better.

Like its predecessor, the PowerPlay 2 has a black plastic "control module" attached to its upper left corner. The control module measures 5.09 inches (129.2mm) wide by 1.36 inches (34.6mm) deep, and is 0.41 inches (10.5mm) thick. The control module on the original PowerPlay has — you guessed it — almost the exact same measurements. But while the control module on the original PowerPlay features an RGB-backlit Logitech G logo, the control module on the PowerPlay 2 is RGB-free. The Logitech G logo is still there, it's just plain, light-free plastic. This isn't too much of a drawback, however, as the RGB lighting on the original PowerPlay seemed like more of an afterthought than anything. There is still a small white indicator LED on the side of the control panel that lights up to indicate when your mouse is charging.

The PowerPlay 2 connects to your PC via a non-detachable 6-foot (1.8m) rubber USB-C cable; I suppose I might as well go ahead and point out that the original PowerPlay's charging cable wasn't USB-C (it launched in 2017, guys, come on — it was micro-USB), but it was detachable. A detachable USB cable is always nice to see on a desktop accessory like a mouse pad, since it's the kind of thing you don't move too often (or ever) and therefore cable management makes sense, but I guess Logitech needed to cut that extra $20 somewhere.

Specs

Performance of the PowerPlay 2

The goal of the PowerPlay 2 is to eliminate the primary problem with wireless mice: the inconvenience of charging. While it's true that most of today's best wireless gaming mice have decent battery life — 100 - 150 hours will get you at least a week of gaming, even if you game like it's your job — you still have to charge them once every week or two. I have a wireless charging dock sitting right next to my mouse pad that I could pop my mouse onto whenever I'm not using it (for example, right now, while I'm writing this review), and yet... I don't. And I inevitably end up needing to switch over to my backup mouse once a week while my primary mouse charges.

Anyway, the point of the PowerPlay system is to eliminate this problem entirely, and it accomplishes this... flawlessly. If you have a compatible wireless Logitech gaming mouse and the PowerPlay 2 (or the PowerPlay), you will never have to plug it in, ever again. It really is that simple. I used the Logitech G309, which has no internal battery (just a supercapacitor), to test this, and, well, yeah — not once did the mouse stop working while it was on the PowerPlay 2.

The PowerPlay 2 uses Logitech's proprietary wireless charging technology, of course, so it's only compatible with Logitech gaming mice (and only certain Logitech gaming mice, though the list is pretty respectable). You will need to pop Logitech's "PowerPlay module" into the mouse for it to charge, so you can only charge one mouse at a time (you can purchase a spare module for the original PowerPlay from Logitech directly for $25, and I assume you'll also be able to do this for the PowerPlay 2 — the charging module from the original is not compatible with the PowerPlay 2, by the way).

Features and Software of the PowerPlay 2

Unlike the original PowerPlay, the PowerPlay 2 does not connect to Logitech's G Hub peripheral software, because it has no customization options (and no other features).

The control module on the original PowerPlay doubled as a Lightspeed wireless receiver — meaning you could connect your mouse to the PowerPlay and not have to worry about plugging in a separate dongle — the control module on the PowerPlay 2 is for charging only. This is pretty frustrating, as being able to connect your mouse to the mat was definitely the other big feature of PowerPlay, and the PowerPlay 2 doesn't even have a pass-through USB port (like the Razer Firefly V2 Pro) to make plugging the dongle in easier.

I suppose this could be a blessing in disguise, however, as I've definitely had problems connecting the original PowerPlay to G Hub, and when I look online the first line of advice is usually "try a different USB cable." But of course, you can't do that with the PowerPlay 2, because the cable is non-detachable.

Compatible Mice

When the original PowerPlay launched, only a couple of Logitech gaming mice could take advantage of its wireless charging capabilities. Luckily, eight years has given Logitech enough time to bring its mouse lineup up to speed, and the PowerPlay 2 is compatible with the following Logitech gaming mice:

• G309
• G502 X Lightspeed
• G502 X Plus
• G703
• G903
• Pro Wireless
• Pro X Superlight
• Pro X Superlight 2
• Pro X Superlight 2 Dex

Bottom Line

Logitech's PowerPlay system is excellent if you're a fan of Logitech gaming mice — it works exactly as advertised, and you'll never have to plug your mouse in again. And, well, what more could you ask for? Absolutely nothing more, apparently, because the PowerPlay 2 cuts all of the original's features aside from the wireless charging, and still costs $99. Even if we accept that the original PowerPlay's sneakily increased price of $120 was in line with inflation, or whatever, the PowerPlay 2 is still only $20 cheaper. It's worth pointing out that the PowerPlay 2 is replacing the PowerPlay in Logitech's lineup, so... go out and grab one of the oirignals while you still can, I guess.

The Logitech G Pro is still a great choice for a gaming mouse, even though it has now been surpassed by newer generations and iterations. The G Pro was replaced by the G Pro Superlight, and then the G Pro Superlight 2. Although more recent iterations reduced the mouse's weight, not everything was an upgrade. The Logitech G Pro still has a sensor with a high accuracy of 25K DPI and is the perfect gaming mouse for lefties, thanks to its truly ambidextrous design, which, unfortunately, was a feature that was dropped in the newer models.

Today's deal features the superb Logitech G Pro gaming mouse, on sale at Amazon for under $70. You can grab a Logitech G Pro wireless gaming mouse for just $69 and look forward to some accurate and smooth gaming mouse action. It might not be the best choice for an MMO with its lack of a mega-button side panel, but for most other types of games — especially FPS — it's a superb choice.

Using a lightweight design and only weighing 80 grams on the scale, the Logitech G Pro won't put too much strain on your gaming hand. The G Pro features an ergonomic, ambidextrous design with removable side buttons for customization. The sensor used in the G Pro is the Logitech HERO 25K with 25,600 DPI, 400 IPS speed, and 40 G acceleration. The onboard memory of the mouse can store up to 5 profiles.

The bottom of the mouse also has large PTFE skates for smooth mouse glide, and even though the battery life of the G Pro is excellent, should you suddenly need to charge your mouse, you can use the mouse with the cable to carry on playing while charging. Logitech's G Pro uses a solid 2.4 GHz wireless connection with the included dongle for a super-fast 1-millisecond report rate that eliminates any noticeable latency.

Don't forget to look at our Amazon coupon codes for February 2025 and see if you can save on today's deal or other products at Amazon.

One of the most interesting companies you'll come across in modern computing is Cougar. Cougar is known for making some of the most niche cases, such as the Conquer 2 and the FV270 — which we took a look at, not too long ago. The aggressive, unique Cougar designs usually extend to their peripherals, too... but not today.

Cougar's newest gaming mouse, the Revenger Pro 4K, is oddly simple for a company that's known for going above and beyond with its designs. This basic 5-button mouse features a simple, plain, lightweight (55g) design that looks practically mundane next to Cougar's cases.

Design and Comfort

The Cougar Revenger Pro 4K is a new mouse from Cougar; a company not really known for its peripherals. The Revenger Pro is available in either white or black and features a matte finish that isn’t grippy, nor slick — it’s the right finish in my opinion. However, if you get the black model, keep in mind that it will attract palm sweat. I can’t fault Cougar too much for this; it’s practically inevitable.

According to Cougar, the mouse has been sculpted to make room for two fingers on each button, meaning you can rest your middle and ring finger on the RMB (right mouse button). I have very large hands and while this was somewhat doable, it was not comfortable at all and I was practically resting my middle finger on the scroll wheel. I should mention that just because this type of grip didn’t work for me, it’s not because this mouse is abnormally small. In fact, it’s a really nice size. It’s a bit smaller than the Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro and weighs only 1.94 ounces (55g).

However, if you’d like to add some bulk to the Cougar Revenger 4K, the company was generous enough to include rubber grip tape in the box. Speaking of generosity, the mouse also comes with a little sack for traveling and extra skates so you can truly get the most out of this mouse. These skates aren’t cheap plastic either; they are 100% PTFE. It also comes with both 1,000 Hz and 4,000 Hz polling rate dongles, a USB dongle adapter, and a USB-C to USB-A paracord cable.

For reference, the measurements of the Cougar Revenger Pro 4K are 4.9 inches (124mm) long by 2.6 inches (65mm) wide by 1.5 inches (38mm) tall. In contrast, the DeathAdder V3 Pro is 5.01 inches long (127.3mm) by 2.65 inches wide (67.31mm) by 1.6 inches (40.6mm) tall. Yes, while the size difference is minuscule, it could be a dealbreaker for some.

The side buttons on the Revenger Pro 4K are crafted perfectly. They’re light enough to use on the fly, but not too light to the point where you’re making errors. This is huge for me because I’m the type of person who swears by side buttons for regular computing.

One of my favorite parts about the Revenger Pro 4K is the switches, which are optical and made by Omron and are rated for 70 million clicks. They felt more lively, clicky, and satisfying than the switches on my Death Adder V3 Pro.

What isn’t satisfying is the scroll wheel: it's notched and somewhat loud, and while it didn't give me any issues, it just wasn't very satisfying to use.

Specs

Performance

The Cougar Revenger 4K is very simple looking; arguably as simple as the Logitech G Pro. However, its performance is the opposite. It’s amazing.

After using the Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro as my primary gaming mouse for over two years, I was genuinely concerned about switching to Cougar’s new mouse. However, I had nothing to worry about, as I absolutely adored this mouse's performance.

If you’re unaware, I’m a huge fan of the zombies mode in Call of Duty, and with the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, there was no better time to test a mouse. Call it a coincidence, but before switching to the Cougar, I was stuck at a high round of 32 — which is decent, but not great. But after switching, I was able to hit round 53 after a few games — and then round 62 a few days later.

Everything on the Cougar Revenger Pro 4K feels crisp and smooth. The left and right mouse buttons have a nice, firm tactile bump and the side buttons never felt mushy or unresponsive (and I rely on those a lot for melee attacks). The PixArt 3395 sensor works flawlessly; I use a pretty high DPI for FPS games (1,900) and I never experienced any lag or issues with the lift off distance.

That said, when I set the report rate to 4,000 Hz, my 1,900 DPI felt more like 800 DPI. Could I bump up the DPI? Yes, but that defeats the purpose of the dongle.This was a bit of a bummer, because while there are some people who obsess over high polling rates, this demonstrates that it's not just the polling rate that can create lag or latency issues. Plus, there are plenty of mice on the market today that boast even higher polling rates (8,000 Hz), without this issue.

The battery life on the Cougar Revenger 4K is fantastic without the dongle — according to Cougar, it's rated for 150 hours, which is on par with or above that of most premium gaming mice. With the dongle and a 4,000 Hz polling rate, that drops to 45 hours, which isn't great but could certainly be worse.

Despite the fact that I couldn't get the 4,000 Hz dongle to work correctly, the Cougar Revenger Pro 4K’s performance still blew me away, especially at its price point of only $70.

Features and Software

The software supporting the Cougar Revenger 4K is simple, yet effective.

You can adjust the DPI and polling rate, and turn on ripple control, angle snapping, and motion sync. The polling rate will automatically bump up to 4,000 Hz when you're using the 4K dongle, but you can still adjust it down in the software if you want to.

The Bottom Line

While it was disappointing that the Cougar Revenger Pro 4K had issues with its 4,000 Hz polling rate dongle, I still loved this mouse — especially for $70. I'm not too concerned about the polling rate because I don't think it's necessary, but there are plenty of mice with 4K or 8K polling rates — such as the $130 Glorious Model D 2 Pro 4K/8K.

We've covered a lot of gaming mice over the years here at Tom's Hardware, and it's always great to see some of our favorite review products get a nice discount. One of the best gaming mice in the last few years, Logitech's G502 X Plus wireless mouse is an improved iteration of the original G502 and is an excellent choice for either PC gaming or productivity tasks. An accurate sensor and very pretty RGB lighting help make the G502 X Plus a worthy addition to any PC setup.

Available at Amazon for just $104, the Logitech G502 X Plus has received a nice discount that matches its previous all-time-low price. The list price for the Logitech G502 X Plus is $159, with the Amazon price checking tool, Camelizer, showing that the G502 X Plus fluctuates often between that upper price limit of $159 and $114. To get the mouse at the advertised $104 of this article, you MUST click on the little coupon box for the extra $10 discount. I emphasize this because some readers miss this clickable coupon box when checking the deals.

The Logitech G502 X Plus features stunning RGB lighting, 13 programmable buttons, optical-mechanical switches, and low click latency. The G502 X Plus uses Logitech's Hero 25K sensor with a 26K DPI and polling rates up to 1000Hz. You can connect to your PC via 2.4GHz wireless or the included USB-C cable.

Featuring a very familiar shape and lineage to previous G502 models, the G502 X Plus improves upon past iterations and pushes the envelope of gaming mouse quality. Our peripherals editor had the chance to review the Logitech G502 X Plus, and if you want to know more about this excellent wireless gaming mouse, you should check out that review for more info.

Don't forget to look at our Amazon coupon codes for February 2025 and see if you can save on today's deal or other products at Amazon.

Playing games on a PC is feeling more niche as time goes on, and prices rise through the stratosphere when it comes to components and peripherals. With Nvidia asking $2,000 or more for the RTX 5090 series graphics cards and the likes of Asus, Razer, and Logitech charging over $200 — sometimes over $300 — for a keyboard, the prices have gotten a little insane for the average user. I still remember ordering PC components and the retailer chucking in fairly decent keyboards and mice for FREE!

Buying gaming peripherals doesn't always mean you have to sell an organ on the black market, not when you can pick up deals like today's. Redragon's M910-K gaming mouse is on sale for just $14.99 at Amazon, thanks to a 25% discount coupon.

This Redragon M910-K comes in black (a white mouse option is available for a few more dollars) with bright RGB accents controllable via the Redragon software suite. The mouse is wired with nine programmable and fully customizable buttons. Along with the left and right mouse buttons are a mouse wheel and DPI buttons, plus three buttons on the side accessible with your thumb. The side buttons include a rapid-fire button where one press will result in three clicks — a built-in burst-fire mode for your mouse.

Redragon's M910-K uses a PMW 3104 sensor with up to 8000 DPI. The onboard memory of the mouse has 5 pre-programmed DPI levels for easy adjustment during gameplay sessions, with the ability to customize your preferred settings in the Redragon software. You're getting a lot of gaming mice for just $15, and the money saved is money you can spend on something else.

Don't forget to look at our Amazon coupon codes for February 2025 and see if you can save on today's deal or other products at Amazon.

In a world of stripped-down, ultra-lightweight FPS-oriented gaming mice, HyperX is bringing something new (well, newish) to market: a lightweight, modular gaming mouse with eight interchangeable parts in the box and a downloadable 3D print file for further customization. The HyperX Pulsefire Saga will come in both wired and wireless versions, and will feature HyperX's current 26K optical sensor, the brand's own optical switches, and both mice will offer speedier polling rates — 8,000 Hz on the wired Saga, and 4,000 Hz wireless on the Saga Pro.

The brand is also, of course, updating its stripped-down, ultra-lightweight FPS-oriented Pulsefire Haste 2 line with a couple of new variations: the wireless Haste 2 Pro 4K, which will have — you guessed it — 4,000 Hz wireless polling; and the wireless Haste 2 S, which will have a magnesium alloy shell for "a balance of strength and agility" (whatever that means — it's a mouse, after all) and premium glass mouse skates installed (with spare PTFE skates in the box), but will have regular 1,000 Hz polling rate. The brand is also introducing a more budget-friendly wireless ambidextrous gaming mouse called the Pulsefire Fuse, which will run on a single AAA battery and feature dual wireless connectivity (2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth) and have a Pixart PAW3311 sensor.

The HyperX Pulsefire Saga and Saga Pro are certainly not the first modular mice we've seen — partially modular customizable mice, such as the Mountain Makalu Max and the Razer Naga V2 Pro, are more popular than fully modular mice, of course. The Saga/Saga Pro will come with eight interchangeable parts in the box (which sounds like a lot but really isn't, as this includes four interchangeable thumb buttons). You'll get two primary mouse button pieces, two palm rest pieces, and two buttons for each of the two thumb buttons. It's not really the most exciting-looking mouse, even for modularity: the interchangeable palm rest pieces don't even change the shape of the mouse (both are ergonomically curved for a right hand).

But I suppose that's where the 3D printing aspect comes in — HyperX showed off several concept 3D-printed parts, including pieces with different shapes (such as adding a thumb rest), as well as pieces made of different materials and colors. The brand is offering a free 3D print file that customers can use to make and print their own custom mouse parts, so the possibilities are, theoretically, unlimited. I'm not entirely sure how many people are looking for something so unique that they'd rather make and print it themselves instead of just purchasing something that works, so we'll have to see how the market responds.

Spec-wise, the Saga and Saga Pro will both feature HyperX's current HyperX 26K optical sensor, which has a maximum resolution of 26,000 DPI, a maximum speed of 650 IPS, and can handle up to 50 G's of acceleration. Both mice will feature the brand's in-house optical mouse switches, and will have customizable RGB lighting — the wired Saga will have lighting in the scroll wheel and on a strip that divides the buttons from the palm rest, while the wireless Saga Pro will only have lighting in the scroll wheel. The Saga will offer polling rates of up to 8,000 Hz over its wired connection and will weigh a fairly lightweight 69g in all of the in-box customizations (this will change, obviously, if you use your own 3D-printed parts). The Saga Pro will offer wireless polling rates of up to 4,000 Hz over 2.4GHz wireless and will weigh 72g. HyperX says it will get up to 90 hours of battery life over 2.4GHz wireless using the standard 1,000 Hz polling rate, and up to 30 hours if you go for the 4,000 Hz.

Both mice will be available in March 2025; the Saga will cost $79.99, while the wireless Saga Pro will go for $119.99.

If modularity doesn't thrill you, no worries — HyperX is also adding a couple of new variations to its Haste 2 lineup. The Pulsefire Haste 2 Pro - 4K adds an optional 4,000 Hz wireless polling rate to the existing Haste 2 Wireless, as well as optical mouse switches. A minor update, but not a particularly surprising one given how many gaming mice have been pushing polling rate limitations (and yes, it's debatable whether most gamers will benefit or even notice the polling rate difference — but that's neither here nor there). The mouse otherwise appears to be the same as the original Haste 2 wireless: HyperX 26K optical sensor, lightweight 61g design, dual wireless connectivity, and PTFE mouse skates. HyperX says it will get up to 90 hours of battery life, presumably with a 1,000 Hz polling rate, which is close to the original Haste 2 wireless' 100 hour estimate.

The Haste 2 Pro - 4K will be available in January for $119.99, or $30 higher than the original Haste 2 wireless' retail price of $89.99.

If you're not here for high polling rates but you are here for aesthetic, the HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 S is a fancier, premium version of the Haste 2 wireless, with a solid magnesium alloy shell and tempered glass mouse skates. It has translucent buttons (not magnesium, obviously) and will come in navy and silver colorways. Tom's Hardware editor Matt Safford liked the way the magnesium shell felt in his hand, even if it's technically a little heavier, at 64g, than the original 61g Haste 2 wireless. It will come with HyperX's glass mouse skates pre-installed, but HyperX will include extra PTFE skates for those who can't or don't want to use glass skates (they're not great for wood or glass surfaces, for example). HyperX will also sell its glass mouse skates separately on HP.com for $19.99.

The Haste 2 S is premium... only on the outside, it seems. Magnesium shell aside, it features the same 26K optical sensor and regular switches as the original Haste 2 wireless, as well as a standard 1,000 Hz polling rate. It will get better battery life — up to 120 hours over 2.4GHz wireless, versus the original's 100 hours, and will feature a quick-charge that will get you up to 18 hours of play time after 10 minutes of charging. Other specs include dual wireless connectivity and customizable RGB lighting in the scroll wheel. It will, of course, be expensive: $149.99 when it drops this March.

Finally, HyperX's new Pulsefire Fuse wireless mouse is a budget-friendly, lightweight ambidextrous mouse for people who keep... dropping other lightweight ambidextrous mice.

Okay, it's actually — according to HyperX — "designed for palm grip users who are looking for a sleek frame." The mouse has an ambidextrous shape with Microline textured panels along the sides for extra grip, and features two customizable RGB zones. Like the brand's other budget-friendly wireless mice, the Fuse runs on one AAA battery, and will get up to 85 hours of battery life over a 2.4GHz connection (it will also have Bluetooth). The Fuse will feature a Pixart PAW3311 sensor, which has a maximum sensitivity of 12,000 DPI, a maximum speed of up to 300 IPS, and can handle up to 35 G's of acceleration. It will have Kailh switches in its primary buttons and a standard 1,000 Hz polling rate, and will weigh 75g with the battery installed (64g without).

The Pulsefire Fuse will be available in March for $49.99.

There are a lot of gaming mice to choose from these days. From mice with lightning-fast poll rates to 21-button MMO mice, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one — even before considering comfort, grip position, and weight. Then there’s wireless or wired, Bluetooth or 2.4GHz, RGB or battery life; the options are seemingly endless. Even within our own best gaming mice guide, you’ll find a wide range of mice options that cover the spectrum.

The Cherry Xtrfy M64 Pro Wireless is one such mouse that aims to cater to pro gamers and those looking for a quick-responding, lightweight gaming solution. Equipped with a Pixelart 3395 sensor, DPI settings up to 26,000, an 8,000 Hz poll rating, and weighing a mere 1.94 ounces (55g), the M64 Pro Wireless is ready for the most intense gaming session you can handle. Throw in a unique ergonomic design and 90-hour battery life, and you have all the elements for a solid wireless gaming mouse.

Priced at $139.00 / £139.00, the M64 Pro Wireless stands spec-for-spec with other mice in its price range. However, some design choices needed to achieve this unique ergonomic design and the lack of software support might be seen as drawbacks to this otherwise solid mouse offering from Cherry.

SPECS

Design and Comfort of the M64 Pro Wireless

The M64 Pro Wireless features a plastic solid shell design. The matte finish seemed to withstand the wear and tear of Cheeto-dusted fingers fairly well after a week of use. This is due to the matte UV coating that covers the outer shell which is designed to reduce the effects of long-term usage. I was quite impressed at how well the finish held up, especially considering that I tested the white version of the Pro Wireless. I’m not typically a fan of a smooth finish on a mouse, and I often lean toward more textured designs. But this design offers a simple yet sleek alternative to more ornate mice, and I have to confess I’m becoming a fan of the finish.

There are two colors to choose from: the aforementioned white, with black side buttons and accent on the scroll wheel; and the inverse, an all-black chassis with white side buttons and a white accent on the scroll wheel. While it is a simple design, the small accents help the M64 Pro Wireless stand out on your desk — it's a sharp-looking mouse.

It is also quite light even with a solid plastic shell. While not the lightest gaming mouse, the M64 Pro Wireless finds itself firmly in the lightweight category of gaming mice with a weight of 1.94 ounces (55g). Despite its lighter weight, the M64 Pro Wireless still feels sturdy and rugged in hand making it ideal for more intense gaming sessions.

Cherry Xtrfy opted to not include RGB of any kind on the M64 Pro Wireless and instead went for a sleek, streamlined design — optimal for gamers looking for performance over customization. The five-button mouse offers little by way of customization other than standard game or Windows button mapping. The scroll wheel follows the same theme of "performance over customization," and is a straightforward notched wheel. This is not to imply that the mouse doesn't feel great. On the contrary, the scroll wheel has a rubberized grip and feels satisfying to use, both for games and while performing work-oriented tasks.

If we examine the underside of the M64 Pro Wireless, there are a few design elements to note. The mouse feet are PTFE glides, which is fairly typical within this price range. They offer excellent glide across multiple surfaces. Cherry also throws an additional set of PTFE glides in the box for those players who tend to wear mice feet out a bit quicker. The second notable feature is the inclusion of a toggle switch and single button which are used in tandem to adjust presets on the mouse (more on this shortly).

The M64 Pro Wireless offers an ergonomic, low-profile design that allows your hand to rest closer to the mouse pad. This is achieved by moving the USB-C charging port — typically located on the front of the mouse below the left and right mouse buttons — to the right side of the mouse. It's an interesting choice that has some notable benefits as well as one unfortunate drawback.

The most prominent benefit is that the mouse feels incredibly comfortable to use. The lowered front end allows the fingers to rest more naturally in a curved position and as a result, reduces fatigue with longer usage. Measuring 4.72 x 2.56 x 1.56 inches (120 x 65 x 39.5mm), the M64 Pro Wireless fits quite well in my larger hands. This, coupled with the slightly more arched left side, bolsters the hand grip while holding the M64 Pro Wireless. The buttons further support the ergonomic design and are well-placed for easy engagement. The M64 Pro Wireless feels great in your hand.

The primary buttons of the M64 Pro Wireless have Huano Transparent Blue Shell Pink Dot mechanical switches. These are a variation of the standard Huano Blue Shell and offer a slightly quieter click experience, while still providing a satisfying bounce-back and response when engaged.

I did, however, note a slight stiffness on the right mouse button when first engaged after long periods of inactivity. This is most likely due to a slight variance during manufacturing, as the M68 Pro Wireless that I have here at the office — which contains the same switches — did not suffer from this anomaly. Other than this small critique, the buttons worked quite well, even when panic-spammed during an aggressive round of COD BlackOps 6 multiplayer.

The one drawback of moving the USB-C port is that, when charging, the M64 Pro Wireless becomes a bit awkward to use. Even with the 6ft (1.8m) Cherry Xtrfy "Ezcord," the positioning made moving the mouse around feel cumbersome. It also caused an odd issue in which my pinky finger kept bumping up against the cable's connect point, which felt uncomfortable for prolonged use.

The mouse connects wirelessly via 2.4GHz and takes about two hours to charge. The M64 Pro Wireless comes with an additional USB-A to USB-C cable that connects to a 2.4GHz wireless dongle. The dongle is larger than a standard USB-A dongle we see in a lot of gaming mice but this is a requirement to house the electronics needed to support one of the mouse's standout features — its 8,000 Hz poll rate..

The M64 Pro Wireless is quite comfortable overall, with solid button placement, a nice, lightweight chassis, and a superb ergonomic design. It fits well in hand and the lower front profile offers a more natural resting state for your fingers. Despite some small design annoyances — namely the USB-C port — the M64 Pro Wireless is a well-designed and constructed mouse.

Performance of the M64 Pro Wireless

The Cherry Xtrfy M64 Pro Wireless Gaming mouse has a Pixelart 3395 sensor, capable of producing up to 650 IPS, 26,000 DPI, and 50 G's of acceleration. This places the M64 Pro Wireless firmly in the performance gaming mouse category. The Huano Transparent Blue Shell Pink Dot mechanical switches that under the main buttons on the M64 Pro Wireless also offer satisfying, consistent performance.

The M64 Pro Wireless has a slew of presets built into the mouse. It offers eight preset sensor sensitivities as well as six preset poll ratings (up to 8,000 Hz). As a plug-and-play device, the M64 Pro Wireless has no software and instead relies on the toggle switch for mode swapping and a single button for preset switching, as noted earlier. A single indicator light located in the lower-left corner of the left side of the mouse is the only means of determining which preset you currently have selected.

While some might struggle without software support for adjusting settings such as polling rate and DPI sensitivity, the lack of support feels in line with the design of the M64 Pro Wireless. From its streamlined, no-nonsense design to its simple but functional construction, everything about the M64 Pro Wireless is built to get you gaming as quickly and with as little fuss as possible. As a result, everything needed to get in the game can be handled on the fly by the mouse.

The one drawback is that it does limit customization. What you see is what you get with the M64 Pro Wireless. There are no options to adjust a preset from, say 1,600 DPI to 1,700 DPI. This might be a bit of a drawback for those who are accustomed to adjusting every little setting to their specific desires.

That said, in my testing I found very little to be upset about with this design choice. With the wide range of presets to work with, I had no issues finding a mix of settings that felt great to use. As for performance, the M64 Pro Wireless handled itself well. The sensor has no issues functioning on less-than-ideal surfaces. Glass surfaces were unusable, but the Pixelart 3395 sensor performed well on both plastic and wood (varnished and unvarnished) surfaces. When using the M64 Pro Wireless on a mouse pad the results were as to be expected. Response times were lightning-fast, precise, and smooth. The ergonomic, low-profile design also helped — it was easy to grip and control of the mouse felt solid at all times.

I had no issues with misclicks — on the contrary, the Huano Transparent Blue Shell Pink Dot mechanical switches performed very well with my panic mashing. The side buttons and scroll wheel also performed well, with the latter offering precise, consistent scrolling with each notch movement. Overall the M64 Pro Wireless performs as one would expect, based on its specs.

Features and Software of the M64 Pro Wireless

While there is no software for the M64 Pro Wireless it still has an impressive lineup of features. Along with mouse sensitivity and poll rating settings, the Pro Wireless also offers debounce time adjustments, Lift-off distance presets, and motion sync. Debounce is the measurement of time from mouse click to response and in the case of the M64 Pro Wireless, is measured at 2 ms, 4 ms, 8 ms, and 12 ms. Lift-off presets include a 1 mm and 2 mm option and is the measurement of distance from the mouse pad before the sensor shuts off. Finally motion sync, which can be toggled on and off, helps improve performance and reduce input lag over a wireless connection.

The one other notable feature of the M64 Pro Wireless is the preset sensor modes. There are three modes: Pro Gaming, Standard, and Low Power mode, and the sensor modes shift the focus from performance to battery life depending on how you wish to utilize the mouse. These, along with all of the aforementioned features, are controlled directly from the mouse, with no need for additional software.

Not having to rely on software, which in many cases can cause more problems than not, is a huge blessing. Simply being able to switch presets on the fly is a quick solution that gets you gaming faster, and Cherry has done a decent job of adding plenty of presets to the mouse. The flip side, of course, is that managing all of the settings and presets on the mouse can be a little cumbersome with the toggle switch, mouse buttons, and indicator light. But I did love the plug-and-play aspect of this mouse.

Battery Life of the M64 Pro Wireless

While wired mode is an option with the M64 Pro Wireless, the real focus of the design is the wireless mode. The mouse's battery is rated for 90 hours of game time in Standard sensor mode. This is in line with many of the other wireless gaming mice we’ve tested this year and should last a couple of weeks at time (depending on how often you game).

In testing, the battery held up exceptionally well. Even when I was running the M64 Pro Wireless at an 8,000 Hz polling rate, it took a while for me to get below 75%.

Because there's no software, there's nowhere to check the mouse's remaining battery life except on the mouse itself: holding the two side buttons and the left mouse button for three seconds flashes the indicator LED one of four colors to indicate current battery life. As for charging, Cherry’s data sheet notes that the M64 Pro Wireless can be charged from 0-100 % in two hours. This is a pretty quick turnaround, but perhaps still not ideal with the location of the charging port.

Bottom Line

The Cherry Xtrfy M64 Pro Wireless Gaming mouse is a solid piece of hardware. It offers a surprising amount of customization despite lacking software, it's exceptionally comfortable to use thanks to its low-profile design, and it features solid performance with an optional 8,000 Hz polling rate.

There are a few design choices, though, that might be a bit of a turn-off for some users. The lack of software, while not an issue for me, could be frustrating for those used to complete customization and control over settings. The charging port's awkward location on the right side is also... not great, as it makes gaming in wired mode frustrating and awkward — but at least it's not on the bottom of the mouse!

While the $139.00 / £139.00 price point isn’t unreasonable considering the specs and build quality there are other mice in this range, such as the Glorious Model D 2 Pro, that offer similar specs, software support, and are lightweight and speedy and offer up to 8,000 Hz polling rates. Still, the Cherry Xtrfy M64 Pro Wireless gaming mouse is a solid choice if you are looking for comfort and the ultimate plug-and-play experience.

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The Asus ROG Harpe Ace Extreme is the mouse side of Asus' "Extreme" peripherals — to match its $500 Asus ROG Azoth Extreme keyboard. This carbon fiber mouse is insanely lightweight (47g), with a classic, symmetrical shape and five programmable buttons (including the scroll click). Like the Asus ROG Keris II, the Ace Extreme sports Asus' ROG AimPoint Pro optical sensor, which has a maximum resolution of 42,000 DPI and a maximum speed of 750 IPS, and can handle up to 50 G's of force. It also features a wireless polling rate of up to 8,000 Hz with Asus' ROG Polling Rate Booster (included). 

The specs are excellent. There's no doubt this mouse rivals the best gaming mice in accuracy, speed, and weight – and it should for $250.  

Design and Comfort of the ROG Harpe Ace Extreme 

The ROG Harpe Ace Extreme is made of carbon fiber, and it… looks like it's made of carbon fiber. Well, it's not made entirely of carbon fiber — the top half of its chassis is made of carbon fiber, while the lower half is made of lightweight plastic. This means the top of the mouse, including its two primary buttons, feature a distinctive carbon fiber weave pattern, while the bottom of the mouse is solid matte black plastic with light texturing on the sides.

The mouse features the same right-handed symmetrical design of its less-extreme counterpart, the Asus ROG Harpe Ace Aim Lab Edition, which we reviewed last year. It has the same dimensions as that mouse, measuring 5.01 inches (127.5mm) long by 2.51 inches (63.7mm) wide by 1.56 inches (39.6mm) high at its tallest point. Thanks to its carbon fiber construction, however, it's lighter than the Harpe Ace Aim Lab Edition by 7g — the Harpe Ace Extreme weighs just 1.66 ounces (47g).

The Harpe Ace Extreme is not a small mouse, but it has a mild hump and a symmetrical shape that will work with a range of hand sizes. The sides curve in slightly and the mouse flares out at the top, making it easier to pick up and more comfortable to hold in claw and fingertip grips. It has a mild center hump that's slightly pointed so your fingers will fall on either side of it.

The primary buttons are mostly flat, with a slight curve toward the center of each button to help keep your fingers in place. It's easy to pick up because it's so lightweight, and even though the carbon fiber is smooth and a little slippery, the textured sides offer enough grip that you shouldn't have any trouble keeping this mouse in your hand. In the event that you do need a grippier surface, Asus includes precut grip tape with the mouse (for the sides and the primary mouse buttons). 

The Harpe Ace Extreme is a simple mouse in many ways, and it has just five programmable buttons if you include the scroll wheel click. The two primary mouse buttons are programmable, as are the two thumb buttons on the left side. The scroll wheel click is programmable and so are the scroll wheel directions — so that's actually seven programmable inputs in all, though most people aren't going to reprogram the scroll wheel.

There are two additional non-programmable buttons on the bottom of the mouse, one for switching between DPI steps and one for pairing The bottom of the mouse features pure PTFE mouse feet — a large semi-circle on the bottom and two triangles at the top, plus a strip around the optical sensor. There's a power switch for switching between 2.4GHz wireless and Bluetooth, a DPI switch button for cycling through DPI steps, and a pairing button for pairing the mouse with Bluetooth devices. Unlike the ROG Harpe Ace Aim Lab Edition, the Harpe Extreme doesn't have a spot to store its 2.4GHz dongle. This is probably because the Harpe Extreme comes with its own storage/carrying case (which fits all of the mouse's necessary accessories). 

Speaking of which, the ROG Harpe Ace Extreme comes with a lot of accessories in the box. And the box, by the way, is just as over-the-top as the box that Asus' ROG Azoth Extreme came in:

The mouse comes with a padded storage case that fits the mouse, its 2.4GHz wireless dongle, the ROG Polling Rate Booster, a USB extender, and a 6.5-foot (2m) USB-C to USB-A cable. The cable is a flexible, low-drag paracord style that won't weigh you down too much if you want to use the mouse in wired mode. 

The mouse also comes with two sets of extra mouse feet — one set of replacement PTFE mouse feet (the same as the feet that come installed), and one set of glass mouse feet that will give you even faster glide in some situations. Glass mouse feet have been around for a while — they can be speedier on soft/cloth mouse pads, but they wear out quickly (and can wear out the mouse pad, too), can be finicky when it comes to dust, and can't be used with glass mouse pads.

Rounding out the accessories are a couple of cleaning wipes and a polishing cloth, pre-cut grip tape, and some Asus ROG stickers. 

Specs

Performance of the ROG Harpe Ace Extreme

The ROG Harpe Ace Extreme sports Asus' ROG AimPoint Pro optical sensor, which has a maximum sensitivity of 42,000 DPI and a maximum speed of 750 IPS, and can handle up to 50 G's of acceleration. This is an upgrade from the sensor found in the ROG Harpe Ace Aim Lab Edition, and is the same sensor found in Asus ROG Keris II Ace. 

In its primary buttons, the mouse features Asus' ROG 100M optical micro switches, which are rated for — as the name suggests — 100 million clicks. These switches have a firm, tactile click that feels similar to that of the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2. They're also on the louder side — not significantly louder than the switches you'll find in most mainstream gaming mice, but definitely not quiet.

The mouse has a notched scroll wheel with a TTC gold scroll wheel encoder that's rated for up to 1 million cycles. The scroll wheel is tactile, with firm, distinct steps. It's stiffer than I prefer — in fact, it was so stiff that I found it quickly fatiguing (my typical day includes a lot of scrolling, and I've been spoiled by dual-mode free-spinning wheels). Not everyone is looking for dual-mode or free-spinning scroll wheels, however, and this type of firmly delineated scroll wheel is good for short, precise scrolling. The scroll wheel is different from what you'll find in Asus' other gaming mice (the ROG Harpe Ace Aim Lab Edition and the ROG Keris II) — it's both more tactile and stiffer. 

The ROG Harpe Ace Extreme is designed for fast-paced first-person shooters and competitive eSports (presumably, anyway). Its ultra-lightweight design slips quickly across your desk, and the AimPoint Pro optical sensor is sensitive, accurate, and consistent over a variety of surfaces, including hard, soft, and glass mouse pads, a wooden table, various fuzzy surfaces (e.g. blankets, dogs), and various shiny surfaces (stone countertop, opaque glass table top, lacquered tabletop). It's an excellent performer, but you'll get similar performance from other flagship gaming mice, such as the performance-focused Razer Viper V3 Pro (which also gets 8,000 Hz wireless polling rates).

Features and Software of the ROG Harpe Ace Extreme

The ROG Harpe Ace Extreme can be configured using either Asus' universal peripheral software Armoury Crate or the lighter-weight Armoury Crate Gear, which is, quite frankly, what Armoury Crate should be. Armoury Crate Gear has the standard array of features — button remapping, DPI and performance tweaking, lighting customization, and power settings, and the only real difference seems to be that it doesn't include the one million unnecessary extra features that Armoury Crate includes, such as... virtual pets? Interactive wallpaper? Some kind of Asus-branded digital... town?

It's nice that Asus has given us a less obnoxious version of Armoury Crate with its extreme peripherals, but Armoury Crate Gear still doesn't seem to be particularly lightweight. For one thing, the Harpe Ace Extreme version seems to be separated into four different apps, one for each form of connectivity (2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, wired) and one for the dongle, which is a little strange. Also, I keep getting popups asking if I want to install Asus' various other apps (including the virtual pet), and I can't tell if this is some residual Armoury Crate thing or if it's from Armoury Crate Gear or if it's just from the mouse itself. Regardless, it's annoying.

Both Armoury Crate and Armoury Crate Gear let you reprogram the mouse's buttons, adjust settings such as angle snapping, DPI, and polling rate, customize the mouse's RGB lighting, and update the mouse (and the dongle's) firmware. You can also change the mouse's power settings and check the remaining battery life and calibrate the mouse to a variety of different surfaces. There's not much to do as this is a pretty basic mouse, and Armoury Crate Gear still sort of seems like overkill.

Wireless Experience and Battery Life of the ROG Harpe Ace Extreme

The ROG Harpe Ace Extreme offers three forms of connectivity: 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth 5.1, and wired via USB-C. The mouse comes with a 2.4GHz wireless USB-A dongle, as well as Asus' ROG Polling Rate Booster (a USB-A pass-through dongle that you plug the 2.4GHz dongle into). The 8,000 Hz polling rate is only an option with 2.4GHz wireless connectivity; wired connectivity maxes out at 1,000 Hz. You do need to turn the mouse off in order to use it in wired mode. 

Asus' rates the mouse's battery life at around 70 hours over 2.4GHz wireless with a 1,000 Hz polling rate and with the RGB lighting turned off (58 hours with the lighting turned on). This is decent, though most of the flagship wireless gaming mice (both ultra-lightweight and not) on the market today hit closer to 90+ hours. Of course, this number drops considerably if you up the mouse's polling rate to 8,000 Hz.

Bottom Line

The Asus ROG Harpe Ace Extreme is an ultra-lightweight wireless mouse with an easy, symmetrical shape, five programmable buttons, and up to an 8,000 Hz wireless polling rate. It's speedy, accurate, low-latency, and fairly comfortable — even with its relatively generic shape — but it's a pretty basic mouse for $250. The mouse features a carbon fiber top shell and a ton of accessories (including a carrying case and the ROG Polling Rate Booster, as well as grip tape, mouse feet, and even glass mouse feet), but it's still pretty difficult to justify a $250 price tag. 

Of course, this isn't the first crazy high-end "extreme" version of a mouse — in fact, it's pretty similar to the Razer Viper Mini Signature Edition. The Viper Mini Signature Edition is a fancy version of Razer's performance-oriented Viper line with a magnesium alloy shell, a ton of accessories, and up to an 8,000 Hz polling rate, and it retails for $300. So really, the ROG Harpe Ace Extreme is practically a steal. But the Razer Viper Mini Signature Edition isn't exactly what I'd call a good deal, either. 

If you're looking for a performance-oriented ultra-lightweight wireless gaming mouse, there are plenty of options that don't cost nearly as much — including Asus' own ROG Harpe Ace Aim Lab Edition, which retails for $100 less and can often be found on sale. There's also the slightly more ergonomic ROG Keris II ($160), which features the same sensor as the ROG Harpe Ace Extreme, and my still-favorite Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro ($150).

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At the beginning of this year, Turtle Beach decided to retire Roccat and completely absorb the brand, but that doesn't mean it's doing away with Roccat's peripheral lines. The new Turtle Beach Kone II (and its wireless counterpart, the Kone II Air) is the latest addition to the Kone line of gaming mice, and it occupies an interesting niche.

Okay, I'm not really sure what niche that is. Mid-range RPG gaming mouse?

The Kone II is definitely a change from the speed- and performance-focused stripped-down mice with 8,000 Hz polling rates we've been seeing way too many of lately, but it's not particularly budget-friendly at $70 (which is on the pricier side for a wired gaming mouse). It's big, but it's not too clunky, and it's surprisingly comfortable. It sports an ergonomically contoured chassis, seven programmable buttons, a 4-way tilt wheel, and it even retains some of the Kone line's bright, AIMO-infused RGB lighting (albeit in a much subtler way than we've seen in some of the lineup). It's packed with Turtle Beach's latest Owl-Eye 26K optical sensor, which has a maximum sensitivity of 26,000 DPI and a maximum speed of 650 IPS, and can handle up to 50 G's of force.

The Kone II might be a little confusing in terms of where it fits (if it fits) on our list of best gaming mice, but there's no denying that it's very, very comfortable. Combined with the brand's latest sensor and some pretty lighting, it's not the worst way to spend $70. The Kone II comes in both black and white colorways and also comes in a wireless version, which is pricier at $120.

Design and Comfort of the Kone II

The Kone II is a seven-button wired gaming mouse with a contoured, right-handed design and a tilt wheel. It's a fairly large mouse, measuring 5.13 inches (130.2mm) long by 3.25 inches (82.6mm) wide, and 1.72 inches (43.6mm) high at its thickest point — definitely larger than the Kone XP Air, and it's one of the bulkier mice we've tested. It weighs 3.17 ounces (90g), which puts it on the lighter side (for non-lightweight mice) — it's certainly lighter than it appears.

Despite its bulky design (or perhaps because of it), the Kone II is a very comfortable mouse. It has a soft, rounded ergonomic shape that fits nicely in your palm — though you won't forget you're holding a mouse. It has contoured sides to help with grip, but it's definitely a mouse for larger hands. You'll still be able to hold it with smaller hands, but you might have trouble reaching all of the buttons comfortably.

The mouse comes in both black and white colorways (our review unit was black) and features a smooth, matte finish with Turtle Beach's palm tree logo printed in silver on the palm rest. The mouse's smooth finish definitely attracts fingerprints and oil, and is pretty slippery overall — even with the grip tape in place, this wasn't the easiest mouse to pick up thanks to its general bulkiness.

The mouse has two glossy RGB light strips along its sides, as well as RGB lighting in its tilt wheel. The Kone II isn't a particularly refined-looking mouse, but I do like the gradient of the light strips and the lighting looks very good — especially with the brand's unique AIMO lighting preset enabled.

The Kone II has seven programmable buttons: left/right click, two thumb buttons, a thumb rest button, and DPI/profile switch buttons above the scroll wheel. The mouse's scroll wheel is a 4-way tilt wheel, which means it scrolls up and down and has a middle, right, and left click. All of these inputs are also programmable (including scroll up/down, though I don't think most users will reprogram those).

Like most gaming peripheral companies, Turtle Beach also offers a second layer of programmability, called "Easy Shift." Holding the Easy Shift button down (by default, the thumb rest button, but it can be reassigned) gives you access to the mouse's secondary functions, giving you almost twice as many buttons without adding more physical buttons.

The bottom of the Kone II is pretty simple, with two large, smooth PTFE feet at either endm, as well as a strip of PTFE around the mouse's optical sensor. I'm not sure these mouse feet need to be quite this large, as the Kone II isn't very heavy, but... well, they are. And they certainly work, as the Kone II had no issues gliding swiftly over a variety of mouse surfaces (or moving between surfaces).

The Kone II comes with a non-detachable 5.9-foot (1.8m) USB-A cable. The braided cable is the brand's "PhantomFlex" cable, and it's fairly flexible with just a little cable drag. Also in the box are two strips of textured, rubbery grip tape, which are pre-cut to fit the sides of the mouse.

SPECS

Performance of the Kone II

The Kone II sports Turtle Beach's Owl-Eye 26K optical sensor, which has a maximum sensitivity of 26,000 DPI and a maximum tracking speed of 650 IPS and can handle up to 50 G's of force. This is the brand's newest sensor — it's also in the brand's ultra-lightweight Burst II Air and Pure Air mice, and is an upgrade from the Owl-Eye 19K optical sensor found in the Kone XP Air.

The mouse's primary buttons feature the brand's TITAN optical switches, which are rated for up to 100 million clicks. The switches are tactile and clicky, and have a click that's lighter in weight than Razer's or Logitech's current optical switches. The rest of the buttons on the mouse also have tactile, clicky switches, making for a very satisfying switch experience all around.

All of the mouse's buttons are pretty large — even the thumb buttons and the DPI switch buttons are larger than average. This meant they were easy to find (and easy to differentiate), but it also meant that I was moving my thumb and forefinger a bit more than I normally do to switch between buttons. This wasn't an issue for me as I have long, flexible fingers, but it might not make for the most comfortable experience if you have shorter fingers or smaller hands.

I didn't love the mouse's tilt wheel, either. It's a notched scroll with soft, round notches that were somehow still a little too stiff for me (maybe I've been spoiled by dual-scrolling mice with smooth scroll, such as the Razer Basilisk V3 Pro and the Logitech G502 X Plus). And while the center click was fine, if a little loud (a very distinct click), the side clicks were a little mushy. It just wasn't the tilt wheel for me, but considering you don't usually see tilt wheels in this price range, perhaps I shouldn't be complaining.

The Kone II is a gaming mouse for an RPG marathon — it's big, smooth, comfortable, and wired. It's designed for palm grippers, not for claw or fingertip grippers (it's both too big and too slippery for these grips). As I mentioned earlier, it's lighter than it looks, but that doesn't mean it's light. The Kone II's bulky, slippery form factor is not for lifting — this is not a mouse I would recommend picking up. While the mouse's big PTFE skates do help it glide smoothly, it's not particularly speedy.

Features and Software of the Kone II

The Kone II works with Turtle Beach's (formerly Roccat's) Swarm II peripheral software. Upon plugging the Kone II in and opening up Swarm II, I was unsurprised to see the mouse needed a firmware update. (I don't think I've ever used a Turtle Beach/Roccat product that didn't need an immediate firmware update.) Luckily it was a quick, smooth update that didn't require a restart. Also, I used the mouse for a while before installing Swarm II, and it worked fine, so this didn't seem to be a critical firmware update.

In addition to updating the mouse's drivers and firmware, the Swarm II software is where you can change various settings, such as polling rate, debounce time, standby mode, and angle snapping, and where you can set up and adjust the mouse's DPI steps.

The software also lets you remap the mouse's programmable inputs — both the primary inputs and the secondary Easy Shift inputs. Remapping inputs is as simple as clicking the input you want to program and picking a function from a list of standard mouse, keyboard, system/OS, Windows, browser, and multimedia functions. You can also assign macros — there's a macro recorder in the software, as well as tons of pre-set macros for over 40 games and programs, including Apex Legends, Counter Strike: Global Offensive, Minecraft, and World of Warcraft, as well as Microsoft Office, Photoshop, and Team Speak 3.

According to Turtle Beach, the Kone II offers 23 programmable inputs with Easy Shift — which is technically true, but you're probably not going to reprogram your primary buttons or your scroll wheel.

You can also use the software to customize the Kone II's RGB lighting. The mouse technically has five RGB lighting zones — two in each side strip and one in the scroll wheel — but you can't program all five independently. The software offers six different lighting effects: AIMO, colorwave, fully lit, heartbeat, blink, and breathe.

The first two effects, AIMO and colorwave, offer very limited customization. With AIMO you can change the brightness and that's it; with colorwave you can change the brightness and the speed. AIMO is the company's unique "organically responsive" lighting effect (which I happen to love) while colorwave is your standard spectrum cycle.

The other four effects let you change the colors as well as the brightness / speed. However, there are only three lighting zones for customization purposes — the scroll wheel, the top of both side strips, and the bottom of both side strips.

The Kone II's lighting customization is pretty limited compared to what you'll find in apps like Razer's Chroma... but I think it's fine. There are a couple of multi-color / spectrum options, and you can customize with up to three of your own colors; I don't see most people wanting a lot more than this. Razer's Chroma is unnecessarily complicated — most people want something that looks pretty and/or matches the rest of their setup, and basically nobody is going to program 17 different lighting zones with 32 multi-layered effects that trigger on various inputs.

Bottom Line

The Turtle Beach Kone II is a solid, mid-priced wired gaming mouse that performs well and feels good — if you have medium or larger hands — and is very comfortable for long gaming sessions. Its soft, smooth chassis is a little slippery, but this isn't too much of an issue for palm grippers, and the mouse comes with grip tape for the sides (as a note: it probably would have benefitted from grip tape for the primary buttons, too). It also looks pretty good with its bright, blended light strips, even if it's a little clunkier than other mice — I'm a big fan of the whole AIMO lighting situation, but even if you aren't, the Kone II doesn't implement its lighting in a polarizing way, the way some might argue the Kone XP Air does.

While the Kone II does have some features you won't see in cheaper mice, such as a 4-way tilt wheel and the ability to program everything (including inputs nobody ever programs), it's not the only option for sub-$100 wired gaming mice. Logitech's G502 Hero and Razer's Basilisk V3 have been out for a few years now, but both have similar specs with a few more buttons and dual-mode scroll wheels, and can frequently be found on sale for half the price of the Kone II. (The Kone II is lighter than both of those mice, but it's also larger and slipperier and therefore not any easier to pick up or zip across your desk.)

Razer has updated its flagship all-purpose gaming mouse, the Basilisk V3 Pro, with its newest mouse sensor. The new Basilisk V3 Pro 35K features the brand's new Focus Pro 35K optical sensor, which has a maximum sensitivity of 35,000 DPI, a maximum speed of 750 IPS, and can handle up to 70 G's of force. The new mouse also boasts a decent increase in battery life (150 hours over 2.4GHz wireless, up from the previous model's 120 hours).

And... that's it.

Sensor upgrade and battery life increase aside, the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K is identical to the Basilisk V3 Pro. Don't get me wrong — the Basilisk V3 Pro is a great mouse: it's a nicely-proportioned right-handed contoured wireless gaming mouse with a dual-mode, 4-way tilt wheel, 11 programmable buttons, built-in side grips, and lots of bright, customizable RGB lighting. It looks good and it feels nice for all grip styles, and it's comfortable enough for all-day use despite being on the heavier side at almost 4 ounces (112g). If you're looking for a great gaming mouse that also works well as a productivity mouse, the Basilisk V3 Pro is one of your best options — and with the introduction of the new Basilisk V3 Pro 35K, it's now an even better option.

Design and Comfort of the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K

The Basilisk V3 Pro 35K has the exact same physical design as its predecessor, the Basilisk V3 Pro. It's a wireless gaming mouse with an ergonomic, contoured, right-handed design, 11 programmable buttons, and a dual-mode tilt wheel. It has a matte black plastic shell with glossy black accents and built-in rubberized panels for extra grip on both sides. It comes in both black and white colorways. Our review model came in black, which I prefer because it's monochromatic — the white version has the same glossy black accents as the black version does, and this lends it sort of a Star Wars Stormtrooper vibe.

The Basilisk V3 Pro 35K is on the larger side, measuring 5.11 inches (130 mm) long by 2.96 inches (75.4 mm) wide, and is 1.67 inches (42.5 mm) tall at its thickest point. It feels smaller than it is, though, thanks to the contouring on the sides, and should fit comfortably in most medium- to large-sized hands. This mouse weighs 3.95 ounces (112 g), which isn't light by any means but isn't overly heavy, either. It's not an ultra-lightweight mouse designed for frequent lifting, but it's easy enough to pick up with its grippy, contoured sides.

The Basilisk V3 Pro 35K has 11 programmable buttons. This includes the primary left and right click buttons, two thumb buttons, a trigger button, a DPI switch button and a scroll wheel toggle located above the tilt wheel, the tilt wheel's center, right, and left clicks, and the profile switch button, which is located on the bottom of the mouse. The scroll wheel's up and down scroll inputs are also programmable in Synapse (though they don't count as buttons). If you hold your mouse in a palm grip, the trigger button is right under your thumb — you can hold the mouse slightly further back to avoid misclicking it. But if you're not planning on using the trigger button with some regularity, this may not be the mouse for you.

The bottom of the mouse is where you'll find the power/connection switch for switching between Bluetooth and 2.4GHz wireless connections, as well as the (programmable) profile switch button. The mouse has 100% PTFE mouse feet — two small feet in the top corners, a longer strip under the thumb rest, a curved strip at the bottom, and a strip around the optical sensor. There's a removable puck that hides a storage spot for the 2.4GHz dongle; the puck can be replaced with Razer's Wireless Charging Puck, which works with Razer's Mouse Dock Pro.

The mouse has bright RGB lighting in the scroll wheel, the tri-snake logo on the palm rest, and in a strip around the base. The strip around the base is angled slightly outward for an attractive underglow effect, and features 11 customizable RGB zones for a seamless gradient.

In the box, the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K comes with a 6-foot USB-A to USB-C cable, a USB extender, and a 2.4GHz USB-A dongle. The cable is braided, but it is not a SpeedFlex cable and is somewhat stiff — you probably won't want to use the mouse while it's plugged in with this cable. The 2.4GHz dongle is a multi-device dongle, so you can pair it with more than one compatible Razer device (such as a mouse and a keyboard) and free up a USB port.

SPECS

Performance of the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K

The main upgrade in the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K is its new sensor. This mouse features Razer's Focus Pro 35K optical sensor, which has a maximum sensitivity of 35,000 DPI and a maximum speed of 750 IPS, and can handle up to 70 G's of force. The new sensor also allows the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K to take advantage of some new Synapse features, such as the Sensitivity Matcher, which can match the DPI sensitivity of the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K to the DPI sensitivity of another mouse. This is the same sensor featured in Razer's Viper V3 Pro.

The mouse's primary buttons feature Razer's third generation optical switches, which are the same switches that are in all of the brand's most up-to-date mice. These switches, which are rated for up to 90 million clicks, are tactile and snappy, with a click that's firm and slightly on the louder side. The side buttons also feature tactile, clicky switches, and are easy to click without being too sensitive.

The Basilisk V3 Pro 35K is a great general gaming mouse — if you like to play a range of games, from RPGs to first-person shooters, the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K offers a comfortable, immersive experience that won't drag your performance down in more competitive situations. In my testing, the new sensor was quick, accurate, and excellent at tracking across a variety of surfaces (including soft, hard, hybrid, and glass mouse pads) — but so was the older sensor in the original Basilisk V3 Pro. The new sensor unlocks some features in Razer's Synapse software (see Features & Software, below), but, performance-wise, it feels identical.

The Basilisk V3 Pro 35K doesn't have anywhere near as many buttons as a dedicated MMO/MOBA mouse (such as the Razer Naga V2 Pro), but it does have more easily-accessible programmable buttons/inputs than a basic gaming mouse. The trigger button gives you an extra button in the thumb area, while the tilt wheel offers two extra inputs with the programmable side clicks. If you're looking for something that leans a little more toward MMO/MOBA gaming, you might be better off with something like the Logitech G502 X Plus, which is very similar to the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K but has an additional two side buttons.

While the V3 Pro 35K is still on the heavier side as far as mice go, its grippy side panels and slim contouring make it easy to pick up. There are better mice for picking up, but you shouldn't have any issues lifting this one occasionally. (You'll need to make sure you don't accidentally hit the trigger button, though.)

The Basilisk V3 Pro 35K is a great general gaming mouse that performs well in all types of games. It hits a sweet spot in terms of versatility — its sleek, comfortable design is more complex than the stripped-down ultra-lightweight mice pervading the market right now, but won't overwhelm you with buttons and inputs.

Features & Software of the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K

The Basilisk V3 Pro can be configured using Razer's Synapse software. Using Synapse, you can program the mouse's 11 programmable buttons (13 programmable inputs), with options to map mouse, keyboard, and multimedia functions, launch programs, input text strings, or activate system shortcuts and macros. The software has a built-in macro recorder and manager that syncs across devices when you're signed in.

You can also change the mouse's settings: you can set the DPI steps, polling rate, lift-off distance, asymmetric cut-off, and scroll wheel settings. The Basilisk V3 Pro 35K's scroll wheel has two modes — tactile and free-spin. It's not customizable like the wheel on the Naga V2 Pro, but it does have a couple of new options you can turn on in Synapse — including Smart-Reel, which automatically activates free-spin when you're scrolling quickly and reverts back to tactile mode when you stop. The new sensor also lets you use Synapse's new Sensitivity Matcher, which can match the DPI sensitivity of the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K to another mouse (presumably, your old mouse, or if you have a collection of mice for different types of games). This feature, which we also saw in the Viper V3 Pro, is useful for those who want to quickly switch over from an older gaming mouse, but it's a bonus at best — not a must-have.

You can also use the software to customize the mouse's RGB lighting. It has 13 lighting zones — one in the logo on the palm rest, one in the scroll wheel, and 11 around its base. The lighting around the base is angled slightly outward and makes for a bright, attractive underglow, which can be customized with various effects through Razer Chroma (and/or linked to various games and programs with Synapse).

Wireless Experience and Battery Life of the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K

The Basilisk V3 Pro 35K has improved battery life over its predecessor — 150 hours over 2.4GHz wireless (versus the Basilisk V3 Pro's 120 hours). This is a solid 25% improvement, which is nice but isn't really a game-changer — if you're gaming for around eight hours a day, 150 hours will get you a little over two and a half weeks, but 120 hours will still get you a little over two weeks before you need to plug in.

The Basilisk V3 Pro 35K works with Razer's Mouse Dock Pro (sold separately, for $60), which offers wireless charging and features an integrated HyperPolling transceiver. The HyperPolling transceiver is the same transceiver found in Razer's HyperPolling Wireless Dongle (also compatible with the V3 Pro 35k; also sold separately, for $30), and allows you to increase the mouse's wireless polling rate up to 8,000 Hz. While 8,000 Hz is eight times the standard wireless polling rate of 1,000 Hz, a 1,000 Hz polling rate still translates to a response time of 1ms. Most gamers, especially those who are looking at the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K, are unlikely to notice much of a difference between 8,000 Hz and 1,000 Hz polling — and it certainly won't be significant enough to justify the drop in battery life (to just 28 hours). Still, if you already happen to own the Mouse Dock Pro or the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle, the newest Basilisk V3 Pro 35K is compatible with both.

Bottom Line

The Basilisk V3 Pro 35K isn't much of an update — it's the same mouse as the Basilisk V3 Pro, just with a new sensor and a 25% increase to battery life. The new sensor is responsive, accurate, and great for gaming, but so was the old sensor. Minus the increased DPI, which nobody is going to use anyway (I would love to hear from anyone who has their DPI set above 10,000) and a couple of software features, the new sensor is basically the old sensor. And while better battery life is always a plus, it doesn't really justify buying a whole new mouse.

The good news is that the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K retails for the same $160 price as its predecessor, which means you can now find said predecessor — the Basilisk V3 Pro — on sale. It's currently $117 at Amazon (26% off), but it will probably go a little lower as the holidays approach. The Basilisk V3 Pro is an attractive, comfortable wireless gaming mouse that's versatile enough for both work and play, and it's definitely worth it if you can grab it on sale.

October's Prime Day (Big Deals Day) is edging ever closer, but there are still plenty of great early deals to get your hands on before the main event happens and you don't need to be a Prime member to take advantage of this deal. Today's deal is on an ultralight gaming mouse from Corsair that would be at home on our list of the best gaming mice. 

You can grab this deal at Amazon where you can snag the Corsair Katar Elite wireless gaming mouse for just $49 thanks to a massive 38% discount off its original MSRP. Originally priced at $79.99, we found the price to be a little costly for the upgrade of the earlier Katar model in our review of the Corsair Katar Elite, but the mouse was a solid performer and we awarded it 3.5 out of 5 stars. 

The Corsair Katar Elite has managed to shave the excess weight of the mouse and reduce the overall weight to a point that the Katar Elite only tips 69 grams on the scales. The lightweight build helps gamers perform accurately in games with precision and reduces the fatigue experienced by using a much heavier mouse. With two side buttons and a DPI sector switch the Katar Elite is perfect for any FPS or shooter, and with its high DPI (26K) optical sensor, locking onto those headshots should be less of an issue.

Play for longer with up to 60 hours of battery life when playing over the 2.4GHz wireless connection and up to a whopping 110 hours if you're using the Katar Elite over a Bluetooth connection, although if you want the lowest latency you should stick to Corsair's Slipstream wireless for the best performance in your games.  

A good gaming mouse can make a world of difference when gaming, that's why it's important not to skimp out on this small, handheld peripheral. You should make sure the specs are top-notch to reduce lag and ensure your input is received instantly and accurately. Today we've come across a deal on a nice, high-spec mouse — the Razer DeathAdder V3 wired gaming mouse. It usually goes for around $69 but today at Amazon it's down to just $44, the lowest price we have ever seen.

Overall, this is a pretty good deal on a gaming mouse with a high-quality build and enviable specs that are suitable for both casual gamers and enthusiasts alike. We had the opportunity to review the Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro in the past and loved it. Although, it's important to note the review model specs are a little different — mainly in that it's wireless and has a lower polling rate. However, both use the same Focus Pro 30K optical sensor.

The Razer DeathAdder V3 wired gaming mouse is designed around the Focus Pro 30K optical sensor. Today's discount applies to the wired edition with a black shell. It has an extremely high polling rate, referred to as HyperPolling, that can reach up to 8 KHz.

This gaming mouse is also notably lightweight, measuring in at 59g. There are six buttons total, one more than the DeathAdder V3 Pro we reviewed. They feature 3rd gen fast optical switches and can be programmed with custom macros.

Visit the Razer DeathAdder V3 wired gaming mouse product page at Amazon for more details and purchase options. As of writing, it's not clear for how long this discount will be made available.

The Logitech G309 isn't the first wireless mouse to contain a supercapacitor — and only a supercapacitor, but it is the most versatile one.

This wireless, lightweight gaming mouse has a supercapacitor, which holds just enough energy to power the mouse when it's not directly touching Logitech's PowerPlay wireless charging mat, and keeps the mouse's weight at just 2.4 ounces (68g). The mouse has unlimited battery life if you use it with PowerPlay, but you can also use the mouse without PowerPlay. It runs for around 300 hours on a AA battery — a good option for travel, or for someone who just... doesn't have PowerPlay. Whether you should buy this mouse if you don't have PowerPlay is, of course, a different question. 

Battery life situation aside, the G309 Lightspeed is a fairly basic, lightweight, sub-$100 gaming mouse. It sports Logitech's Hero 25K sensor and hybrid optical-mechanical switches, can connect over both 2.4GHz wireless and Bluetooth, and retails for $80.

Design and Comfort of the G309 Lightspeed

The G309 Lightspeed is a lightweight 6-button mouse with a symmetrical, ambidextrous shape. It comes in both black and white colorways (our review unit came in white), and features a fairly generic-looking design with flat, separated mouse buttons that taper to a point at the front.

The mouse buttons are separated from the body of the mouse via a semi-translucent textured gray plastic strip that looks sort of like a place for RGB lighting to shine through, but this mouse does not have RGB lighting. (It does have a pinprick status LED that changes colors as you cycle through DPI steps, however, and that is located on the strip.) The mouse's body is made of smooth, matte plastic and has the Logitech G logo printed on its hump in light silver.

The mouse is on the slightly larger side, measuring 4.72 inches (120mm) long by 2.52 inches (64mm) wide, and has a mild hump that is 1.54 inches (39mm) tall at its highest point. Logitech lists the weight at 2.4 ounces (68g) without a battery installed and 3.03 ounces (86g) with one AA battery. Our review unit actually weighed slightly less without a battery installed (and with the Logitech PowerPlay puck installed) at 2.35 ounces (66.5g), which is just 6.5 grams heavier than Logitech's ultra-lightweight champ, the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2. (The G309 weighed around the same with a battery installed — 3.02 ounces / 85.6 grams.)

The G309 has six programmable buttons if you include the scroll wheel click (left click, right click, two thumb buttons, and a DPI switch between the primary buttons), as well as a connection switch button on the bottom of the mouse.

The buttons are well-placed and tactile — the primary buttons have Logitech's optical-mechanical hybrid switches, which are crisp and clicky and have yet to give me the double-click issues that are frequently seen in Logitech's mechanical switches. The side buttons are glossy on the sides but have a matte texture on their faces. The scroll wheel is just a scroll wheel (no tilt), and is notched. Maybe I'm just used to friction-free flywheels now, but I thought the wheel was just a little too stiff. However, it felt very similar to the wheel on the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2.

On the bottom of the mouse, you'll find three PTFE strips for glide, a power switch, a connectivity switch button, and a magnetic dummy puck that can be swapped out for a Logitech PowerPlay puck for wireless charging. The back of the mouse slides off to reveal the regular battery compartment, which takes one AA battery. There's also a slot for storing the mouse's 2.4GHz wireless USB-A dongle located on the underside of the backplate that slides off.

The mouse comes with a 2.4GHz wireless USB-A dongle, pre-cut grip tape, and a AA battery in the box. It also comes with a 5-foot (1.5m) USB extension cable, which you can use to place the dongle closer to your mouse. It doesn't come with a charging cable, however, as it has no rechargeable battery (and no charging port).

Logitech G309 Specifications

Performance of the G309 Lightspeed

The G309 Lightspeed sports Logitech's Hero 25K optical sensor, which has a maximum sensitivity of 25,600 DPI, a maximum speed of 400 IPS, and can handle up to 40 G's of acceleration. This is the same sensor found in Logitech's G502 X Plus but is a step down from the Hero 2 sensor in the Pro X Superlight 2. The mouse gets a maximum polling rate of 1,000 Hz, so it's a fairly standard budget lightweight mouse if you use it with the PowerPlay charging system. 

The G309 features hybrid optical-mechanical switches in its primary mouse buttons, and the clicks are light, crisp, and responsive. They're a little loud, but not as loud as the switches on the Pro X Superlight 2. If battery life isn't a concern, you can switch to "optical only" in the mouse's device settings; This will lower latency and ensure you won't experience any of the problems sometimes associated with mechanical mouse switches, such as double-clicking, but I haven't had any double-click issues with Logitech's hybrid switches (yet). Still, if you're using the mouse in its battery-free state with PowerPlay, you might as well go optical only. 

The side buttons also have decent switches — not quite as crisp, but they feel nice enough and the buttons themselves are large and easy to press. The only minor issue I had with the click experience on the G309 was its scroll wheel, which has a rather heavy middle click as well as the aforementioned stiffness to its scroll. 

The G309 is a pretty basic gaming mouse: it performs well in most games, but it's not revolutionary. The Hero 25K sensor is precise, consistent, and accurate, and it handles quick swipes with ease. The buttons feel good and are intuitively placed; I didn't find myself straining my fingers to reach the side buttons, nor did I accidentally hit them when I was picking up the mouse in games like Overwatch 2. The mouse is very lightweight when you're using it without a battery, and even with a battery installed it can still be picked up, though it's not as easy to pick up as mice with some contouring on the sides. Also, the sides are a little slippery, but Logitech includes pre-cut optional grip tape that does a good job of making the mouse's surface less slippery. 

Don't get me wrong, the G309 worked fine in first-person shooters and eSports games, which is what basic, lightweight gaming mice are really designed for. It just didn't stand out much for its gaming capabilities, as there are many other basic, lightweight gaming mice that feel less generic or are more budget-friendly. But  , the G309 doesn't really have enough buttons for MMORPGs and MOBAs.

Features and Software of the G309 Lightspeed

The G309 Lightspeed can be configured with Logitech's G Hub software. You can use G Hub to customize the mouse's sensitivity presets and remap the mouse's six programmable buttons (left click, right click, thumb buttons, DPI switch, and scroll wheel click).

The mouse comes with five preset DPI settings (400, 800, 1200, 1600, and 2400), which you can cycle through using the DPI switch button between the two main mouse buttons. In G Hub, you can change the values of these presets, either by selecting a premade profile (there are a handful of "curated" presets in the software for various scenarios: first-person shooters, MMORPGs, MOBAs, productivity, etc.) or by creating your own profile with custom DPI steps. You can also assign one of the DPI steps as the "DPI Shift," which is essentially sniper mode — when you hold down the DPI Shift button/key, your DPI will switch to this setting. (Of course, you'll also need to map a DPI Shift button/key to hold down.)

I'm not the biggest fan of how G Hub handles button remapping, but at least it's usable. You can remap any of the programmable keys to commands, keys, actions, macros, system options, etc. of your choosing, and you can also map a second layer of controls with G-Shift (though you'll have to designate a G-Shift button to use G-Shift). You can record and save macros in G Hub, and you can set up software-specific profiles that will work as long as G Hub is running in the background. Of course, this is a six-button mouse, so it's unlikely you're going to be doing a large amount of remapping.

Wireless Experience and Battery Life of the G309 Lightspeed

The G309 Lightspeed is a wireless-only mouse, with two forms of connectivity: 2.4GHz wireless and Bluetooth. You can switch between the two modes with the button on the bottom of the mouse; the mouse can connect to one device using Bluetooth and one device using 2.4GHz wireless at a time. The 2.4GHz wireless connection has a 1,000 Hz polling rate, which is the industry standard for wireless gaming peripherals. While most gamers don't need and will likely not notice higher polling rates, several companies have been pushing wireless mice with polling rates of 4,000 or 8,000 Hz — especially in lightweight mice, which are usually aimed at competitive eSports and first-person shooters.

The G309 has two power options — it either takes one AA battery (included in the box), which will last around 300 hours over 2.4GHz wireless or up to 600 hours over Bluetooth; or it can be used without a battery, in conjunction with a Logitech PowerPlay charging mouse pad. Using the mouse with a PowerPlay charging mouse pad gives you unlimited battery life, so long as it's on the pad.  

Unlike Logitech's other mice that work with the PowerPlay charging mouse pad, the G309 has no rechargeable battery inside — it has a supercapacitor, which holds just enough juice to keep the mouse powered when it's not directly touching the mouse pad (e.g., when you lift or swipe off the pad). Well, the supercapacitor actually holds about five minutes' worth of juice, but still — it's not a lot. By cutting out the battery, Logitech was able to cut the mouse's weight, which is why this $80 mouse weighs less than 68g when you use it with PowerPlay. 

I won't lie, it's a cool idea — it cuts out the battery, but still gives you the option of using a battery when you don't have your PowerPlay mouse pad on hand, making it much more versatile than other wireless supercapacitor mice we've seen, such as Razer's Mamba/Firefly Hyperflux duo from 2018. But you don't get a PowerPlay mouse pad with the G309; the PowerPlay is sold separately for $120 and uses proprietary wireless charging tech, so it's only compatible with select Logitech mice (including the Pro X Superlight 2 and the G502 X Plus).

Bottom Line

The Logitech G309 Lightspeed is interesting mainly for its "unlimited" battery life, but you can only take advantage of that if you also have Logitech's PowerPlay mouse pad. If you do have PowerPlay, it's a solid, simple, lightweight gaming mouse that will offer unlimited battery life at home and that you can also travel with, in a pinch. If you don't have PowerPlay, well, there are better options out there. 

Without PowerPlay, the G309 is a generic-looking gaming mouse that weighs around 86g and gets 300 hours of non-rechargeable battery life. It's cheap, but it's not that cheap. Razer's Viper V3 Hyperspeed, which also has a pretty generic shape, weighs 82g and gets similar battery life (280 hours) with a AA battery, and costs $10 less at $70. Plus, it works with Razer's HyperPolling Wireless Dongle (which you can buy bundled with it for $85) for a faster 4,000 Hz polling rate (at the expense of battery life, of course). 

You could always buy PowerPlay, of course, for $120. But I wouldn't buy it just for this mouse. 

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The big Amazon sale finished last week, but it's never too late to pick up a bargain. Today's deal is Logitech's G502 Hero mouse, reduced to a very affordable price. This is a wired mouse, so the price is already a lot lower than a more expensive wireless version as there's no need for a dongle or battery.  The nice thing about this mouse though besides its accurate sensor is the fact that you can customize the handling and feel of this mouse with adjustable weights.

To grab this deal just head on over to Amazon where you can pick up Logitech's G502 wired gaming mouse for just $35. A wired mouse that includes Logitech's Hero 25K sensor with 25K DPI, 11 programmable buttons, adjustable weights, RGB, and onboard memory profiles. 

We've not had a chance to review the wired version of the G502 Hero, but we have reviewed the wireless Logitech G502 Lightspeed, which is very similar bar the obvious switch from wired to wireless. A comfortable form factor and plenty of programmable buttons on top of a great sensor make the G502 Hero a great bang for the buck peripheral.

The Logitech G502 Hero is already a reasonably heavy mouse by modern gaming mouse standards with most lightweight mice weighing between 60 - 70 grams. The G502 Hero weighs 121 grams, but with the included 5 x 3.6 gram weights, the mouse can top out at 139 grams. So for gamers or PC users who prefer their peripherals on the heavier side, this mouse is a great option.

Gaming peripherals have reached astounding prices for the latest and greatest pieces of tech, but you can still pick up a bargain on some of the older models without losing out on the functionality stakes. The Logitech G Pro was first replaced by the G Pro Superlight and then the G Pro Superlight 2, and although more recent iterations reduced the weight of the mouse, not everything was an upgrade. The Logitech G Pro still has a sensor with a high accuracy 25K DPI and is even truly ambidextrous which unfortunately was a feature that was dropped in the newer models. 

What makes today's deal special is that this superb gaming mouse is on sale at Amazon for its lowest-ever price. You can grab yourself a Logitech G Pro wireless gaming mouse for just $54 and look forward to some accurate and smooth gaming mouse action. It might not be the best choice for an MMO, but for most other types of games - especially FPS - it's a superb performer. 

The Logitech G Pro uses a lightweight design and only weighs 80 grams on the scale, so although not the lightest mouse, it won't be that noticeable. You can use the mouse with the cable when charging, but off the cable, the G Pro uses a solid 2.4 GHz wireless connection with a super-fast 1-millisecond report rate that eliminates any noticeable latency.

The sensor used in the G Pro is the Logitech HERO 25K with 25,600 DPI, 400 IPS speed, and 40 G acceleration. The onboard memory of the mouse can store up to 5 profiles. The bottom of the mouse also has large PTFE skates for letting your mouse glide smoothly across most surfaces - especially a nice mouse pad.

This is a deal for those who predominantly like to play first person shooters or high-twitch accuracy games. If you're into gaining every possible advantage with your hardware on top of any already mastered skills, then this Logitech mouse has a great reputation for being an accurate companion and one of the best wireless gaming mice on the market. 

Logitech's G Pro X Superlight wireless mouse peripheral is on a discounted sale at Best Buy for only $99, saving $60 off the MSRP. We reviewed the Logitech G Pro X Superlight and gave it our Editor's Choice award thanks to its amazing wireless performance and ergonomics. I've also got one of these myself, and I swear by it in some of my favorite games like Helldivers 2 and XDefiant.

One of the lightest gaming mice on the market, at only 63 grams, this mouse will not cause fatigue in long gaming sessions. With 5 programmable buttons that can be configured through the Logitech G software and long battery life, this mouse can spend more time gaming rather than being on charge.

Another standout feature of Logitech's G Pro X Superlight is the super-accurate HERO 25K sensor with a DPI that can be tuned to how you want to play, from slow methodical movement to flick shots that move your mouse around the desk. Helping the Superlight to be this accurate are the large PTFE feet that take up a lot of the surface area of the underside of the mouse. These smooth plastic feet offer a near-frictionless experience on a decent mouse pad.

When the battery does eventually run low you can continue to play while charging with the included USB-A to Micro-USB cable. There's also an adapter that converts the micro-USB to a USB-A port for connecting the 2.4 GHz Lightspeed wireless dongle and using the cable as an extension cable from your PC or preferred USB port.

Most ultra-lightweight mice sacrifice unnecessary features, such as RGB lighting and Bluetooth connectivity, to shave off a gram or two. But Asus' newest ROG Keris II Ace mouse has both of these features, as well as up to 4,000 Hz wireless polling (8,000 Hz wired), and it still manages to be lighter than most of its competitors.

Designed to compete with the best gaming mice, the Asus ROG Keris II Ace is an ultra-lightweight wireless gaming mouse that weighs just 1.9 ounces (54g). It's the ergonomic counterpart to the Asus ROG Harpe Ace Aim Lab Edition, and it features Asus' 42,000 DPI ROG AimPoint Pro optical sensor, five programmable buttons (seven programmable controls, including scroll up/down), and up to a 4,000 Hz wireless polling rate and an 8,000 Hz wired polling rate with the included ROG Polling Rate Booster. The Keris II Ace is available now, in both black and white, for $159.99, which is pricey but on par with other companies' flagship ultra-lightweight gaming mice.

Design and Comfort of the Keris II Ace

The Keris II Ace is an ergonomic, right-handed ultra-lightweight wireless gaming mouse with five programmable buttons, including the scroll wheel click. It comes in two colorways: black and "moonlight white," or white with light gray accents.

The Keris II Ace is an ultra-lightweight gaming mouse, and it's certainly very light, weighing just 1.9 ounces (54g) without accessories. This is the same as Asus' symmetrical ultra-lightweight mouse, the ROG Harper Ace Aim Lab Edition and Razer's newest symmetrical ultra-lightweight mouse, the Viper V3 Pro. It's lighter than both the symmetrical Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 (2.12oz / 60g) and my favorite ergonomically-shaped ultra-lightweight mouse, the Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro (2.22oz / 63g).

It's on the shorter side, measuring 4.76 inches (121mm) long, 2.64 inches (67mm) wide, and 1.65 inches (42mm) high — but it's still designed primarily for people with at least medium-sized hands. It's wider and taller than the ROG Harpe Ace Aim Lab Edition (5.01 x 2.51 x 1.56 inches / 126.5 x 63.7 x 39.6mm) and the DeathAdder V3 Pro is larger all around (5 x 2.67 x 1.73 inches / 128 x 68 x 44mm).

It feels very good — though I'll admit it's pretty difficult for a mouse this light to feel like... much of anything. The right-handed shape is pretty pronounced, with a fairly high left-side hump. It's housed in a slightly-textured matte nylon chassis that feels premium and doesn't get too slippery (though the sides are grooved for extra grip — and, of course, there's the optional grip tape). Asus' ROG eye logo is printed in light gray on the palm rest, and the mouse's only RGB zone is found in the textured rubber scroll wheel.

The mouse has five programmable buttons: left click, right click, two thumb buttons, and the clickable scroll wheel. You can also program scroll up/down (not technically buttons) using Asus' peripheral software Armoury Crate. There are two more buttons on the bottom (DPI switch and pairing) as well as a power switch, but they're not programmable.

The Keris II Ace comes with four small 100% PTFE mouse feet, which work well — this is an extremely lightweight mouse, and I didn't have any issues with glide in my testing (especially not on my favorite glass mouse pad). But if you want something even smoother, Asus does include larger replacement mouse feet, similar to the feet on the Razer Viper V3 Pro.

The mouse comes with several accessories in the box: a 6.5-foot paracord-style USB-C to USB-A cable, optional pre-cut grip tape, and larger replacement PTFE mouse feet. Adding the grip tape and the replacement feet to the mouse brings its weight up to 2.01oz (57g), which is still solidly in the ultra-lightweight category. It also comes with the mouse's 2.4GHz wireless USB-A dongle (stored on the underside of the mouse), as well as Asus' ROG Polling Rate Booster and a USB extender.

Specs

Performance of the Keris II Ace

The Keris II Ace sports Asus's ROG AimPoint Pro optical sensor, which has a maximum sensitivity of 42,000 DPI, a maximum speed of 750 IPS, and can handle up to 50Gs of acceleration. That's certainly the highest DPI I've seen on a gaming mouse, but remember that DPI doesn't really mean much on its own, and that most gamers aren't going to go above 4,000 DPI, let alone get anywhere near something like 10,000. It's an excellent optical sensor that tracked on every surface I tried it on — including glass (both a glass mouse pad and an actual glass table) — with near-perfect accuracy and precision, and it's on par with the top-of-the-line sensors you'll find in just about every other premium flagship mice.

The mouse also features Asus' ROG Optical Micro Switches, which are rated for 100 million clicks. They're nicely clicky and very consistent. They're about as loud as Razer's current optical mouse switches, if a little deeper-sounding, and they're a little crisper and quieter than the Logitech Lightforce hybrid optical switches on the G Pro Superlight 2.

Gaming with the Keris II Ace was fantastic: the mouse is so lightweight that it quickly starts feeling like an extension of your arm. The 100% PTFE mouse feet offer a super smooth glide — the replacement feet are even smoother — and the mouse is practically impossible to not pick up, it weighs so little. The primary mouse buttons have lightly contoured grooves to keep your fingers in place, and the thumb buttons are well-positioned and I had no issues clicking them. The Keris II Ace is smaller than many of its competitors — it's smaller than the DeathAdder V3 Pro in all aspects — not by a lot, but it is. I have medium-sized hands and long fingers, so I don't have issues with larger mice, but it's nice to see some variance in size.

If you're looking for an ultra-lightweight mouse to take you through competitive eSports and FPS games, the Keris II Ace is it. I'll admit I still slightly favor the DeathAdder V3 Pro's shape — that mouse is damn comfortable — but the Keris II Ace's lighter weight (54g vs the DeathAdder V3 Pro's 63g) puts the two on pretty even footing. The Keris II Ace also has a few extra features over the DeathAdder V3 Pro, such as Bluetooth connectivity and RGB lighting. Sure, gamers who are only interested in speed, latency, and performance won't care if a mouse lacks Bluetooth connectivity, but it's a nice feature to have (especially if you don't even have to give up things like weight or battery life).

Features and Software of the Keris II Ace

The Keris II Ace is configurable using Asus' universal peripheral software, Armoury Crate. Armoury Crate isn't my favorite peripheral software, but the Keris II Ace is a pretty simple mouse — so configuring it isn't too complicated. You can use Armoury Crate to program the mouse's 7 programmable controls (you must program at least one with the primary click function, however), adjust DPI steps and performance settings, customize (or turn off) the one RGB lighting zone, calibrate the mouse for various surfaces, and configure a handful of power settings.

You can program the mouse's buttons to do a number of things using Armoury Crate's dropdown menus — perform mouse, keyboard, or multimedia functions; run macros or Windows shortcuts; and take screenshots or enter strings of text. There's a macro recorder in Armoury Crate (but it's separate from the device you're programming). In the performance tab, you can adjust the mouse's DPI and change the default DPI steps (four steps), change the mouse's polling rate, adjust angle tuning and toggle angle snapping.

Armoury Crate has various gamer-friendly features such as "scenario profiles" (profiles that launch with specific games or apps) and Aura Sync for syncing lighting across various peripherals. For the most part you'll need to run Armoury Crate in the background to take advantage of these gaming features, but the mouse does have onboard storage with room for up to five hardware-based profiles.

Wireless Experience & Battery Life of the Keris II Ace

Like many of the best wireless mice, the Keris II Ace features three forms of connectivity: 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, and wired (via USB-C). This already makes it somewhat unique, as Bluetooth connectivity is the first thing most ultra-lightweight mice ditch — Bluetooth is too high-latency for gaming; it's just a convenience feature for gamers who might also want to use their mouse for non-gaming purposes, or while traveling. The mouse can connect to up to three Bluetooth devices simultaneously on top of its 2.4GHz wireless or wired connection.

The mouse gets up to a 4,000 Hz polling rate over 2.4GHz wireless, if the dongle is connected to the included ROG Polling Rate Booster. The ROG Polling Rate Booster is a USB-A dongle that you can plug directly into your computer, or that you can connect via USB cable. Of course, if you're using the included USB-C to USB-A cable, you'll probably also need to use the included USB extender, which lets you plug the dongle into one side (USB-A) and the USB cable into the other side (USB-C), so you'll end up with a somewhat chunky trio of linked dongle...type things on your desk. It feels like this could be a little smaller and/or more convenient, but...at least you have options. What's interesting is that if you want to take advantage of the mouse's optional 8,000 Hz wired polling, you'll also need to connect through the ROG Polling Rate Booster. Of course, whether you need a polling rate of 8,000 Hz or even 4,000 Hz is... debatable. But several companies are offering higher polling rates now, so it makes sense that Asus would, as well.

Asus rates the Keris II Ace's battery life at 107 hours over 2.4GHz wireless with the lighting turned off. I assume that's with a standard 1,000 Hz polling rate — the Keris II Ace did do a good job of retaining its battery life when I had the polling rate set to 4,000 Hz, mostly because it was good at switching off automatically when not in use. But the battery life started to drop pretty quickly once I started actually using it. Still, 107 hours over a 2.4GHz wireless connection is (just) on the higher side of average.

Bottom Line

The Asus ROG Keris II Ace is an excellent mouse, even though stripped-down, ultra-lightweight gaming mice with high polling rates are getting to be pretty common these days. It's one of the lightest ultra-lightweight gaming mice and, while it didn't quite inspire me in the same way as the Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro, it feels very, very good. It has a speedy, accurate sensor, low-latency wireless connectivity, optional 4K/8K polling rates, and it comes with precut grip tape and extra mouse feet in the box.

It's also packaged with Asus' Polling Rate Booster, which gives it a small advantage over the DeathAdder V3 Pro — while the DeathAdder V3 Pro can take advantage of Razer's HyperPolling Wireless Dongle for an 8K wireless polling rate, Razer's dongle will cost an extra $15 (if purchased bundled with the mouse) to $30 (if purchased separately). (Razer's latest mouse, the Viper V3 Pro, does include the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle in its $160 price tag, however.)

If you've been looking for a premium ultra-lightweight wireless gaming mouse, the Keris II Ace is a great choice (it's also slightly smaller than a lot of the other options on the market, though it's not made for small hands) — it's just not the only choice (far from it, in fact). Glorious' Model D 2 Pro 4K/8K is heavier (2.19 ounces / 62g) but also features an ergonomic shape and 4K/8K polling rates — and it's about $30 cheaper.

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If you're a fan of massively multiplayer online games or multiplayer online battle arenas then large multi-button mice are the way to go to make casting your abilities that much easier. Corsair's answer to MMO players is the Scimitar, with its 12-button side panel and a total of 17 programmable buttons for all your in-game abilities.

At Best Buy you can save $30 off the total price of the Corsair Scimitar RGB Elite and pick it up for just $49 - that's an impressive price for a premium brand gaming mouse from a reputable gaming peripheral maker. We've reviewed the Corsair Scimitar RGB Elite and were fans of the material used in its construction, as well as the high DPI sensor and how comfortable the mouse is to use in prolonged gaming sessions.  Check out the review for more details on this MMO mouse. 

The Corsair Scimitar RGB Elite mouse uses a braided cable with a USB Type-A interface. The braided cable helps the cable to move about freely on most surfaces; limiting drag. The Scimitar RGB Elite is no slouch in other games besides MMOs and can be used effectively in anything from an RTS to an FPS thanks to the accurate 18K DPI optical sensor.

This edition of the Scimitar uses 17 buttons that can be individually programmed with custom key binds and macros through Corsair's iCue software, and thanks to the ergonomic design of the 12-button side panel - that can be adjusted by sliding it forward or back - your thumb has easy access to any command you assign. 

Last year, Razer released the first third-gen mouse in its Viper lineup — the Viper V3 Hyperspeed — which featured a redesigned body and some tweaks that affected how the mouse felt, such as a forward-shifted sensor. The Viper V3 Hyperspeed was Razer's more affordable version of its — at the time, yet to be announced — Viper V3 Pro, powered by one AA battery and sporting a $70 price tag. 

Anyway, it should come as no surprise that Razer's latest mouse is the Viper V3 Pro, or the premium version of last September's mouse. The new Viper V3 Pro looks very similar to its more budget-friendly alternative, with most of the same redesign — a simpler, more streamlined body than the Viper V2 Pro, and a smooth, soft-touch surface. 

But it's also got some updates (aside from the fact that it's rechargeable: it's the first mouse to feature Razer's newest Focus Pro 35K optical sensor (gen-2), which has a maximum sensitivity of 35,000 DPI, a maximum speed of 750 IPS, and can handle up to 70G's of acceleration. Razer has also decided to shift said sensor back toward the middle of the mouse. It also comes packaged with Razer's HyperPolling Wireless Dongle, which allows for wireless polling rates of up to 8,000 Hz. Iit weighs just 54g (1.9oz), which puts it on par with some of the lightest and best gaming mice we've tested.

Of course, with a retail price of $159.99, it's also on par with some of the priciest gaming mice we've tested. The Razer Viper V3 Pro is available now in both black and white colorways, and is only sold as a package deal with Razer's HyperPolling Wireless Dongle (unlike some of Razer's previous mice, which could be purchased alone or bundled with the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle). 

Design and Comfort of the Razer Viper V3 Pro

The Viper V3 Pro looks a lot like the Viper V3 Hyperspeed — it has the same semi-ambidextrous, symmetrical design with ledges on either side of the primary mouse buttons and contoured finger grooves. The main difference is the DPI switch, which has moved from the top of the mouse to the bottom — the Viper V3 Pro features a dual-function Power/DPI switch button on the bottom, next to its optical sensor.

Otherwise, the V3 Pro feels a lot like the V3 Hyperspeed, with a smooth, soft-touch body that measures 5 inches (127.1mm) long by 2.51 inches (63.9mm) wide, and a rear-shifted hump that's 1.57 inches (39.9mm) high at its highest point. It is, however, significantly lighter than the V3 Hyperspeed: The V3 Pro weighs just 54g (1.9oz) in black (55g / 1.94oz in white). That's 6g lighter than the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2, Razer pointed out, which has a similarly symmetrical shape with similar measurements (4.92 x 2.5 x 1.57 inches / 125 x 63.5 x 40mm) and also retails for $159.99. It weighs the same as the Asus ROG Harpe Ace Aim Lab Edition, which also has a very similar symmetrical shape (5.01 x 2.51 x 1.56 inches / 127.5 x 63.5 x 39.6mm) and costs $149.99.

The Viper V3 Pro has six programmable buttons, if you include the clickable scroll wheel, (left click, right click, two thumb buttons, scroll wheel click, and the Power/DPI switch underneath the mouse). Razer also lets you program the scroll up/down functions, giving you eight programmable functions, though you are required to program one of those as the primary click.

On the bottom of the mouse you'll find two large 100% PTFE mouse feet — extra large for extra glide, not that this mouse really needs it with how light it is. You'll also find the Power/DPI switch button, which is next to the mouse's much more centered optical sensor. There's no dongle storage because there's no dongle — this mouse comes with the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle and that's it.

In the box, the Viper V3 Pro comes with a 6-foot (1.8m) USB-C to USB-A cable, optional pre-cut grip tape, and the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle. The cable is sturdy and braided — it's heavier and stiffer than the "SpeedFlex" cables Razer usually includes with its mice.

Specs

Performance of the Razer Viper V3 Pro

The Viper V3 Pro is the first mouse to contain Razer's newest optical sensor, the Razer Focus Pro 35K. The main difference between this sensor and its predecessor, the Razer Focus Pro 30K, is — you guessed it — the maximum sensitivity. This is, of course, not particularly useful considering most people aren't going to get anywhere near 10,000 DPI, let alone 30,000 or 35,000, but I guess it's there if you need it. It has some other features, such as sensitivity matching, which lets you use Synapse 3 to calibrate this mouse so that it feels the same as another (any other) mouse. The Viper V3 Pro also features the ability to adjust DPI by increments of 1, which seems like overkill, even for professional gamers. I could be wrong, but I don't think even the most elite competitive gamers need their DPI to be adjustable by increments of 1.  

The Focus Pro 35K otherwise has the same stats as its predecessor — it can handle a maximum speed of 750 IPS and up to 70G's of acceleration. Like other Razer gaming mice, it features the ability to set different lift-off and landing distances (asymmetric cut-off) and it tracks well on a variety of surfaces, including cloth, wood, various mouse pads, concrete, leather, and glass.

The Viper V3 Pro sports Razer's Gen-3 optical mouse switches, which are rated for up to 90 million clicks. The switches are nicely firm and clicky, if a little loud, and I didn't have any issues with mis-clicks or double-clicking while testing. Of course, I've only been testing this mouse for a week or so, and click issues usually pop up after a couple of months, but I haven't had any issues with Razer's mouse switches in the past. 

The buttons are otherwise easy to press — the thumb buttons are comfortably located and aren't too sensitive, and, well, that's basically all of the buttons you've got. Realistically, this mouse has five programmable buttons, because nobody is actually programming an underside DPI switch for real mouse functions.

The scroll wheel was a little stiffer than I'd like, but I think I might be a little spoiled by free-scrolling. However, I wouldn't want free-scrolling all the time, so I suppose if I had to choose, a little stiffness isn't the worst option. There's a small indicator LED under the scroll wheel that you can customize in Synapse 3 to show connection status, battery status, or a warning when the battery is low; the mouse has no lighting otherwise. 

The Viper V3 Pro performed expectedly well in games. I played through my usual roster: 300 hours of Baldur's Gate 3 (just kidding, I also played some Fallout 76 this time), as well as several rounds of Overwatch 2 and Counter-Strike 2. The Viper V3 Pro is one of those mice that's so incredibly lightweight that it feels like it improves your first-person shooting game instantly — it's easy to pick up and move, and even smaller movements feel smoother. But it's not significantly different from other similarly-shaped, ultra-lightweight mice in this respect.

Features and Software of the Razer Viper V3 Pro

The Viper V3 Pro can be configured with Razer's universal peripheral software, Razer Synapse 3. As you may know by now, this is not my favorite software, but at least the Viper V3 Pro is relatively simple and doesn't require a ton of tweaking to work. In Synapse 3 you can remap buttons (two layers with Razer's HyperShift), adjust DPI steps and polling rate, toggle power saving settings, and calibrate your mouse for different surfaces. The Viper V3 Pro appears to have just one onboard profile, however, so you'll need to use Synapse 3 if you want to be able to switch between profiles.

The Viper V3 Pro does come with a new, exclusive (for now) feature — a sensitivity matcher that lets you calibrate your new mouse using any other mouse. It's a fairly simple process that involves moving both mice together, slowly, and all it really does is determine where to set the Viper V3 Pro's DPI so that it feels like your other mouse. I tried it a couple of times and I'm not totally convinced, but perhaps I'm just not the kind of person who can feel a 1-step difference in DPI (I know I'm not).

Wireless Experience and Battery Life of the Razer Viper V3 Pro

The Viper V3 Pro offers two forms of connectivity: 2.4GHz wireless ("Hyperspeed") via the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle, and wired via USB-C. While the mouse can get wireless polling rates of up to 8,000 Hz, it's worth pointing out that the maximum polling speed over a wired connection is still just 1,000 Hz. If you're looking for a wired mouse that polls at up to 8,000 Hz, HyperX's Pulsefire Haste 2 is 53g and retails for just $60. 

Razer rates the Viper V3 Pro's battery life at up to 95 hours when the polling rate is set to 1,000 Hz — which is pretty standard for today's premium gaming mice. When the polling rate is set to 8,000 Hz, however, that number drops to just 17 hours (which is, well, unsurprising). The 8,000 Hz wireless polling rate is probably one of the main ways the Viper V3 Pro distinguishes itself from the competition — assuming people care enough about an 8,000 Hz polling rate. 

You may already know this, but we'll break it down again: the standard wireless polling rate for gaming peripherals is 1,000 Hz, which means the peripheral reports to the PC 1,000 times per second — meaning it has a latency of 1ms. This can be noticeably different from a 500 Hz polling rate, which has a latency of 2ms, because it's a difference of one millisecond. However, as you get faster you start to face diminishing returns — a 4,000 Hz polling rate has a latency of 0.25ms and an 8,000 Hz polling rate has a latency of 0.125ms. Both of these latency rates are faster than 1ms (4x and 8x, respectively), but the difference is still less than one millisecond (and the difference between a 4,000 Hz polling rate and an 8,000 Hz polling rate is 1/8 of a millisecond). While this is objectively faster, it's not going to make a big difference for most gamers — assuming they even notice. 

On top of that, the Viper V3 Pro only offers 8,000 Hz over its wireless connection, which does a number on battery life (for obvious reasons — it's reporting to the PC eight times as frequently). A mouse that offers 4,000 Hz wireless and 8,000 Hz wired polling rates, like the Glorious Model D 2 Pro 4K/8K, seems like it would make sense for the majority of gamers.

Bottom Line

The Razer Viper V3 Pro is basically everything I expected it to be — a symmetrical, ultra-lightweight gaming mouse stuffed with some premium features that many gamers don't need and probably won't even notice. If you're dead-set on needing true 8,000 Hz wireless polling rates and being able to adjust your DPI by increments of one, then the Viper V3 Pro was made for you. 

If not, however, there are plenty of symmetrical, ultra-lightweight gaming mice — at various price points — that feel just as good and perform just as well as the Viper V3 Pro. The Glorious Model O Pro is symmetrical, 57g, and the 4K/8K version (4K wireless, 8K wired) costs $129.99. The HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 is wired, but it weighs 53g and has an 8K polling rate for just $59.99. I'm still a big fan of how the Asus ROG Harpe Ace Aim Lab Edition and the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 feel — and Asus' newest mouse, the ROG Keris II Ace, comes with a polling rate booster for up to 4K wireless / 8K wired polling rates. 

Also, it's interesting that Razer is choosing not to sell this mouse without the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle. While this is fine for people who don't already own the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle, Razer has been selling this dongle for a couple of years — both as a standalone accessory and bundled with other mice. It seems likely that many people who are truly interested in 8,000 Hz wireless polling rates already have this dongle, and would probably prefer to buy the Viper V3 Pro at a slightly cheaper price rather than end up with another dongle. 

Asus launched its newest gaming mouse Monday — the ROG Keris II Ace, an ultralight wireless gaming mouse with an ergonomic shape that looks poised to take on Razer's DeathAdder V3 Pro as one of the best gaming mice. 

Weighing just 54 grams (1.9 ounces), the Keris II Ace is the ergonomic counterpart to the company's impressive ultralight ROG Harpe Ace Aim Lab Edition mouse, which we reviewed last year. While the ROG Harpe Ace Aim Lab Edition has a symmetrical (pseudo-ambidextrous) shape, the ROG Keris II Ace features a right-handed ergonomic shape designed to better fit in your hand. The new mouse also features an upgraded ROG AimPoint Pro optical sensor, which has a (truly unnecessary) maximum sensitivity of 42,000 DPI and a maximum velocity of 750 IPS and can handle up to 50G's of acceleration. (The ROG Harpe Ace Aim Lab Edition's AimPoint optical sensor, by comparison, is: 36,000 DPI / 650 IPS / 50G.)

The ROG Keris II Ace also offers wireless polling rates of up to 4,000 Hz with Asus's ROG Polling Rate Booster, which comes packaged with the mouse. What's interesting is that it also offers wired polling rates of up to 8,000 Hz, but apparently that's also through the Polling Rate Booster (and not just when it's plugged in normally). 

While a 4,000 Hz wireless polling rate may not be quite as impressive as Razer's 8,000 Hz wireless polling rates, it's not surprising to see that Asus is trying to bring its ultralight competitive gaming mice up to speed. We've seen a lot of ultralight mice with high wireless polling rates recently — and even though high polling rates are going to be negligible for most gamers (and, in some cases, might even tax your PC enough to slow you down), the competitive FPS gamers the ROG Keris II Ace is aimed at are the ones who are most likely to notice.

With its ergonomic shape and extremely low weight, the ROG Keris II Ace definitely seems like it could take on one of my favorites: the Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro. The DeathAdder V3 Pro still feels fantastic, but it's a couple years old now — and the ROG Keris II Ace is at least a little more impressive on paper. The ROG Keris II Ace weighs less (54g vs. 63g), gets better battery life (107 hours vs. 90 hours over 2.4GHz wireless), and is more versatile with both 2.4GHz wireless and Bluetooth connectivity. Both mice have the same MSRP — $159.99 — but the ROG Keris II Ace includes its polling rate booster, while Razer's HyperPolling Wireless Dongle is sold separately for $29.99 (or, bundled with the DeathAdder V3 Pro for $164.99). 

Anyway, we've got the Asus ROG Keris II Ace in and we're testing it, so stay tuned for our full review. The mouse is available now for $159.99 in both black and "moonlight white."

It's hard out here for a leftie looking for one of the best gaming mice. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of good symmetrical gaming mice on the market, such as the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 and the Razer Cobra Pro — but symmetrical in shape does not mean truly ambidextrous. Both of those mice only have thumb buttons on the left side — meaning they're still designed for right-handed users, even if their shape means that left-handed users can technically use them.

But Corsair's newest symmetrical mouse is truly ambidextrous: The M75, which comes in both a wired and a wireless version, has thumb buttons on both sides — and they can be swapped out for flat buttons, so you don't have to feel the buttons on the side you're not using. Corsair sent over both the wired M75 and the M75 Wireless for review; because the mice are so similar, this review will focus on the M75 Wireless but it largely applies to both products. The M75 is available now, and costs $79.99 for the wired version (black only) and $129.99 for the wireless version (black and white).

Design and Comfort of the M75 Wireless

The M75 Wireless features a symmetrical shape that's truly ambidextrous — with interchangeable thumb buttons on both sides of the mouse. It comes in both black and white colorways, with a smooth, lightweight plastic shell that has two slim stripes of lighting that taper down toward the bottom, where Corsair's ship logo also lights up.

The mouse comes configured by default as a right-handed mouse, with raised thumb buttons on the left side. In the box are four extra thumb buttons that can be swapped in as you like — two flat buttons for the left side and two raised buttons for the right side. While Corsair describes the button options as either "raised" or "smooth, non-clickable buttons," the flat buttons are not, in fact, non-clickable — they're flat, and flush with the mouse's surface, but they're still very clickable and they continue to work as configured when swapped in.

You can, of course, turn them off in Corsair's iCue peripheral software. There's a toggle for switching between right- and left-handed mode — which turns off the left-side buttons and the right-side buttons, respectively — as well as a toggle for enabling all buttons; if you want to turn all side buttons off, you'll need to do that manually. But if you were wondering if swapping in the flat buttons somehow prevents those side buttons from functioning, it doesn't. These are not button deletes, like you'll find on some mice with swappable buttons (such as the Glorious Model I 2 Wireless).

The side buttons are magnetic and are easy to switch out. All you have to do is press the inside of the button and it pops out easily — no tools necessary.

The M75 Wireless is a relatively large mouse, measuring 5.04 inches (128mm) long by 2.56 inches (64.6mm) wide, and is 1.64 inches (42mm) high at its thickest point. It has a somewhat generic shape that tapers toward the front and curves slightly for grip. The M75 Wireless weighs 3.14oz (89g) — a little too heavy to be considered an ultra-lightweight mouse (the wired version weighs 2.61oz / 74g). If you're looking for an ultra-lightweight mouse, Corsair also sells the M75 Air, which weighs 2.12oz (60g) and looks very similar to the M75 Wireless, but doesn't have the right-side thumb buttons for left-handed users.

The mouse has nine buttons if you include the clickable scroll wheel, six of which are programmable. Well, technically seven are programmable, but Corsair doesn't allow you to reprogram the primary click (the left button in right-handed mode; the right button in left-handed mode). The scroll wheel is notched and feels sturdy — it's a little stiffer than I prefer, but this didn't bother me too much in my testing.

On the bottom of the mouse you'll find two large PTFE strips along the top and bottom edges, as well as a PTFE strip surrounding the sensor. On either side of the sensor there are two triangular buttons — one for power and switching between 2.4GHz wireless and Bluetooth, and one for switching between DPI steps, which can be configured in iCue. There's also a hollowed-out storage area for the mouse's 2.4GHz wireless USB-A dongle, which is always a nice touch.

In addition to the extra buttons and the 2.4GHz wireless dongle, the M75 Wireless also comes with a 6-foot (1.8m) braided USB-C to USB-A cable for charging. The cable is of decent quality, but it's not an ultra-flexible low-drag cable like some companies package with their mice (e.g. Razer's "SpeedFlex" cables) — if you use the M75 Wireless while charging, you'll experience some cable drag. It's not too bad, but you'll definitely feel it. The wired M75's attached cable is similarly stiff; if you're looking for a wired mouse with a lightweight, drag-free cable, I'd recommend the HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2.

Specs

Performance of the M75 Wireless

The M75 Wireless sports Corsair's Marksman 26K optical sensor, which has a maximum sensitivity of 26,000 DPI, a maximum speed of 650 IPS, and can handle up to 50 G's of acceleration. It has optical left- and right-click switches, with zero delay between the buttons and their switches for instant, speedy clicks. The buttons offer a nice amount of tactile feedback and clickiness without being too stiff, though they are slightly on the louder side.

The M75 Wireless performed expectedly well: its sensor had no issues tracking on a variety of surfaces (wood, paper, carpet, concrete, and various mouse pads, including a glass mouse pad), I experienced no issues with lag, connectivity, or latency, and the mouse felt responsive and accurate at all times — even when waking from sleep or running low on batteries. 

This is far from the lightest mouse on the market, but it glides well across most surfaces thanks to its pure PTFE feet and its (relatively) light weight. I didn't have too much difficulty flicking or swiping quickly, and I was able to pick it up and move it pretty easily (its slightly-tapered shape kept it from slipping through my fingers), but it's still noticeably heavier than ultra-lightweight mice such as the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2. Overall, it's a very comfortable mouse despite its relatively generic-looking shape, and as long as you're not planning on picking it up too often the slightly heavier weight probably won't be an issue for most gamers. 

While the M75 Wireless does technically have four programmable side buttons, you're most likely only going to use two with any regularity. The left-side buttons (I'm right-handed) are well-placed and easy to click, so I can only assume the same is true of the right-side buttons. As I noted earlier, the flat buttons you can swap in don't actually prevent the buttons from working, and you will accidentally press them if they're turned on. This shouldn't be too much of an issue, however, as they're turned off by default (the right buttons are turned off by default; the left buttons are turned off by default if you're using the mouse in left-handed mode).

Features and Software of the M75 Wireless

The M75 Wireless is configurable via Corsair's iCue software. With iCue, you can program the mouse's six programmable buttons — the right mouse button (or, in left-handed mode, the left mouse button), all four thumb buttons, and the scroll wheel click. You can also configure the mouse's RGB lighting and DPI steps, and set both key assignments and lighting for the mouse's onboard profile (only one).

There's also a Device Settings menu in iCue, where you can toggle on left-handed mode or enable all side buttons, change the mouse's RGB lighting brightness, and toggle options such as angle snapping and button response optimization, and adjust the lift-off height. You can't adjust the mouse's polling rate, which is set at Corsair's "Slipstream" wireless polling rate of "up to" 2,000 Hz.

The M75 Wireless has two RGB lighting zones — the logo and the two stripes along its side are one zone and the underglow (along the back edge of the mouse) is another zone. It's not my favorite way to implement RGB, because it doesn't allow for attractive color blending across zones like you'll see on Logitech's G502 X Plus.

You can program each zone independently and they don't really interact with each other. I'm not totally sure why the underglow section even exists here, as it's pretty lackluster. Cranking up the RGB lighting brightness to 100% gives you some underglow, but it's not nearly as bright or vibrant as you'll see from Razer's Cobra Pro, for example.

Wireless Experience and Battery Life of the M75 Wireless

The M75 Wireless offers three forms of connectivity: low-latency 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, and wired (via USB-C). Corsair calls its version of 2.4GHz wireless "Slipstream" and says it gets up to a 2,000 Hz polling rate, which halves the latency of a 1,000 Hz polling rate (from 1ms to 0.5ms). This difference won't be noticeable to most people, but it can matter in games where speed of the essence — i.e., FPS games. (Of course, the M75 Wireless is a little heavier than most FPS-oriented mice.)

It's worth noting, however, that while the M75 Wireless' maximum polling rate is 2,000 Hz, the wired M75 mouse has a polling rate of up to 8,000 Hz — again, probably not noticeable to most gamers, but an 8,000 Hz polling rate cuts latency to just 0.125ms.  

Corsair rates the M75 Wireless' battery life at 105 hours over 2.4GHz wireless with the RGB lighting turned off, which is pretty good — about what I'd expect from a mouse this size and weight. For context, the 80g Logitech G Pro Wireless, which also has both left and right thumb buttons, gets just 60 hours of battery life with the lighting turned off, while the M75 Wireless gets 65 hours of battery life with the lighting turned on (we'll assume that's at 50% brightness, not 100%).

Bottom Line

Corsair's M75 Wireless is a good option for left-handed gamers looking for a mouse with thumb buttons... mostly because it's one of the only options. It's a solid, reliable, relatively lightweight mouse with a generic-looking but surprisingly comfortable symmetrical shape, decent battery life, and a 2,000 Hz polling rate — all things that are great to see in a gaming mouse but are not particularly impressive or unique.

If you're looking for a mouse that has a symmetrical shape, there are plenty of options, but if you're looking for a mouse that has thumb buttons on the right side, there are only a couple of options — the Logitech G Pro Wireless, the older Razer Viper — and now the Corsair M75, both wired and wireless.

The NZXT Lift 2 Symm is a wired gaming mouse that balances mid-tier pricing with a minimalist aesthetic. Weighing a mere 2.05 ounces (58g), it has a simple, symmetrical shape that's both versatile and comfortable. It’s a little light on features for its $50 price tag,, but that’s unlikely to deter gamers looking for a basic yet capable mouse.

We received the NZXT Lift 2 Starfield for review, but our conclusions also apply to the standard NZXT Lift 2 Symm. The NZXT Lift 2 Symm is available now for $49.99 ($59.99 for the Starfield version).

Design and Comfort of the Lift 2 Symm

The NZXT Lift 2 Symm sports a sleek, flat, and symmetrical design. The body is constructed entirely from plastic, which contributes to its low weight. Material quality didn't immediately impress, but the plastic used seems acceptably resistant to smudges and scratches — especially in the white colorway I received. 

The mouse has a total of five buttons, including a clickable mouse wheel and a DPI/Profile button for adjusting sensitives and swapping saved profiles. The scroll wheel has a rough texture that looks likely to collect dust and dirt, but it felt good to use. It doesn't move smoothly but is instead notched, with discrete steps — which I personally preferred, but there’s no option to change how it operates. If you're looking for a mouse with more than one scroll wheel option, mice such as Logitech's G502 X Plus and Razer's Basilisk V3 Pro have scroll wheels with free-spin modes. 

Flipping the NZXT Lift 2 Symm on its back reveals why it’s so light: most of the plastic has been removed, leaving only a few thin strips to hold the optical sensor. It looks a bit strange, but no more so than mice that remove portions of the upper shell. 

In fact, I like this design. The Lift 2 Symm doesn’t scream “look at me, I’m a light-weight, competitive gaming mouse!” It just looks like a mouse, and that’s how I like it. If you prefer a little (or a lot) of flair, however, the Lift 2 Symm isn’t for you. A lack of RGB lighting underscores that point.

Every mouse in the Lift series, including the Lift 2 Symm, is wired. That’s important to note, as the Lift 2 Symm’s $50 price tag puts it in league with some wireless gaming mice, such as Logitech’s G305 Lightspeed. Wireless competitors are heavier (the G305 is 3.49 oz vs. the Lift 2 Symm’s 2.05 oz), but most have similar features.

NZXT compensates with a lengthy braided cable measuring a tad over six and a half feet long. That’s a lot of slack, so tension from the mouse cord won’t be a burden in most situations. In fact, the long cord and low weight meant the Lift often “felt” wireless in my hand. I didn’t notice any amount of tension with, or connection to, the back of my PC. 

The NZXT Lift 2 Symm has a symmetrical, oblong profile. It evenly supported my hand, striking a balance in size that didn’t seem overly large or uncomfortably small. That suggests it can comfortably accommodate a wide range of hand sizes — making it a versatile option that should suit many gamers. 

However, while Lift 2 Symm’s symmetrical shape might suggest it's ambidextrous, that’s not quite right (and, to be fair, NZXT never says it is). Its button placement is optimized for right-handed users. I believe a left-handed owner could use the mouse comfortably for many games, but the placement of the third and fourth buttons would prove inconvenient. 

I found the mouse enjoyable for both gaming and general use, and it excelled in scenarios that demand frequent movement. That is mostly a boon, as I noticed my arm and wrist felt ever-so-slightly more relaxed after using the mouse for a few days. The low weight can become a barrier when pixel-level precision is required, though. I found it a bit too easy to jostle, bump, or shake the cursor of its mark.

I have zero complaints about the Lift 2 Symm’s button placement. There aren't a ton of buttons to begin with, so there’s plenty of room to ensure all buttons are large and easy to find. The left and right mouse buttons were easy to activate from a press either at their front or back and respond with a light, yet tight, click. The same was true of all other buttons, including the mouse wheel. In short: no notes.

The overall design and comfort of the NZXT Lift 2 Symm is close to one of our favorite budget gaming mice, the Corsair Katar Pro XT. The Corsair, however, has the advantage of a lower price point (usually around $35), while the Lift 2 is arguably a bit too expensive to sit in true budget territory. But the Lift 2 Symm is over half an ounce lighter than the Katar Pro XT — 0.63oz (17.9g), to be exact — and weight definitely makes a difference. THe Lift 2 Symm is slightly heavier than HyperX's Pulsefire Haste 2, which weighs 1.87oz (53g) and currently sells for around $40.

Specs

Performance of the Lift 2 Symm

The NZXT Lift 2 Symm packs a PixArt PMW3395 optical sensor with a native resolution of 26,000 DPI and up to an 8,000 Hz polling rate. I don’t recommend putting too much stock in these figures, however — not because they’re inaccurate, but because figures this high are well beyond what most gamers need. Still, NZXT is not giving up any ground here, and its specifications match some more expensive gaming mice. It also supports Nvidia Reflex which, though likely of niche appeal, is noteworthy at this price point.

I was pleased by the sensor's responsiveness in general use. It handled a wide variety of surfaces well — including a standard desktop, a felt-like fabric, and a semi-reflective metal surface. The only surface it failed to track on was a mirror, which is typical for most optical mice.

It was also a fantastic plug-and-play device. The simple design, slim feature set, and inclusion of a physical button for toggling DPI modes add up to a mouse that’s close to 100% functional without software. There are a few reasons to use the software, which I’ll describe later, but the Lift 2 Symm is ideal if you're looking for a mouse you can plug in and use without additional setup.

Game performance was also great in most titles. I had no issues with the mouse's reliability or latency — it’s a wired mouse, after all — and it tracked beautifully across several dozen hours of gameplay. 

That said, a mouse this lightweight is better for certain types of games. It’s great in titles where you frequently move the mouse great distances, quickly. This most often applies in FPS games, but I also found it useful in MMORPGs. The mouse didn’t become tiring to use, and it was easy to rapidly throw the cursor (or crosshairs) across the screen. When I required precision, though, the lack of weight was a barrier. Every jostle and shake was translated to the mouse. Lowering the DPI helped, of course, but it never felt dead-on precise. This might be a problem if you like games with a very heavy UI and many tiny objects to interact with, such as Crusader Kings 3 or Factorio.

Features and Software

No software is required to enjoy the NZXT Lift 2 Symm, but the company does have its own software suite, the oddly-named NZXT Cam (which...isn’t just for cameras, I guess). Name aside, NZXT Cam is easy-to-use and doesn't demand you sign into an account to access the Lift 2 Symm's features. 

But — as I mentioned earlier — features aren’t what the Lift 2 Symm is about. Owners can control what the DPI setting does, remap some mouse buttons (the side buttons, middle click, and DPI button only), alter the polling rate, and change the lift-off height (from 1mm to 2mm — though, frankly, I’m not sure I could tell the difference). Profiles can be saved to the software or directly to the mouse, which has onboard memory and can store up to four profiles.

That’s the extent of the options available — fairly standard for a modern gaming mouse. Still, I appreciated that the software was quick and easy to install, and that it wasn't required to use most mouse features.

Bottom Line

The NZXT Lift 2 Symm is a solid mid-range entry that’s worth a look if you're shopping for a lightweight wired mouse. It weighs just 2.05oz (58g), which is far less than most similarly-priced mice, and it has a versatile, comfortable design that will probably fit a range of gamers' hands. Plus, it's easy to use right out of the box and doesn't require software to function. 

It does, however, lack any distinctive, must-have features, and it's a little pricier than some similarly-equipped mice we've tested. It offers up to an 8,000 Hz polling rate, which might appeal to eSports competitors but is unlikely to make a difference for the majority of users. While the HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 debuted at a higher price point, you can now grab that mouse — which is also wired, ultra-lightweight, and offers up to an 8,000 Hz polling rate — for about $10 less than the Lift 2 Symm.

At the moment, Razer is the only company with mice that have 8K wireless polling rates — other companies offer 8K wired polling rates (and 4K wireless — such as the Glorious Model D 2 Pro 4K/8K we recently reviewed) — but it looks like MSI is going to change that with its new Versa Pro Wireless 8K gaming mouse. MSI is among one of a few companies (like Cherry) introducing the tech in its mice here at CES.

We saw a live demo of the Versa Pro Wireless 8K at MSI's CES 2024 suite, and the mouse was definitely reporting polling rates of over 4K (it wasn't quite reaching 8K most of the time, but we saw it jump to 5K - 6K pretty frequently). Of course, whether most gamers need a mouse with an ultra-high polling rate — especially because the toll such frequent reporting takes on a system isn't negligible, not when we're already talking about less than a quarter of a millisecond — is up for debate. Regardless, it's nice to see a company other than Razer going for extremes. 

As for the mouse itself, the Versa Pro Wireless 8K is an ergonomically-contoured, right-handed gaming mouse with 13 programmable controls including the 4-way tilt wheel (11 programmable buttons if you include the tilt wheel's center and side clicks but not its up/down scroll). 

It's got two left-side thumb buttons as well as a sniper button, plus an extra button on the left of the right-click. The tilt wheel also features both free-spin and tactile modes, though we couldn't tell if this is more software-controlled and/or automatic based on scroll style (like we've seen on Razer's mice) or physically-controlled (like we've seen on Logitech's mice), though MSI seems to be including the scroll-switch button as one of its "programmable controls," so we assume it's the former.

Under the hood, the Versa Pro Wireless 8K has a PAW-3395 optical sensor with a maximum sensitivity of 26,000DPI, a maximum speed of 650 IPS, and up to 50 G's of acceleration. It's also got tri-mode connectivity (2.4 GHz wireless, Bluetooth, and wired via USB-C) and full side lighting similar to MSI Clutch GM51 Lightweight Wireless. It's not an ultra-lightweight mouse but it didn't feel too heavy — the MSI rep said it was around 85g, which is the same weight as the GM51, but it felt a little heavier (perhaps because of its shape).

The Versa Pro Wireless 8K looks like it will come with its own wireless charging dock (complete with dongle storage and matching side lighting, naturally), but the mouse's wireless charging puck will also be Qi-certified. This means it will work with other Qi chargers, so you can charge it wirelessly without needing the dedicated dock. 

MSI says the Versa Pro Wireless 8K will hit shelves with both 8K wireless polling rates and built-in Qi-certification in Q2 2024. There's no word on pricing yet.

Cherry, the German-based company famed for computer input devices and switches, has announced two new families of high-performance Cherry XTRFY wireless gaming mice at CES 2024. The M64 Pro features an ergonomic design to better adapt to the contour of your palm (if you’re right-handed), while the M68 Pro has a symmetrical design suitable for lefties or righties.

However, the big news comes with the “Pro” variants, which support an ultra-fast 8,000 Hz wireless polling rate thanks to Pixart’s 3395 sensor. Most companies offer 4,000 Hz for wireless and 8,000 Hz with a wired connection (like the Glorious Model D 2 Pro). However, Razer previously breached the 8,000 Hz barrier, and now Cherry looks to do the same.

To be honest, it’s a bit surprising that Cherry is jumping straight into 8,000 Hz polling rates -- something most gamers aren't really clamoring for – given that it’s a relatively new name in the mouse business and hasn’t really made a mark as the gaming mice to buy (or anything close to that… yet). It’s definitely a bold move for a small player, but we’ll see how it works out for them.

The M64 Pro and M68 Pro are offered in black or white but are otherwise very basic. My first impression of the mice is that they are very light (55 grams) but pretty slippery. So, despite the lightness, I felt as if I might drop them. Each features a 350 mAh battery that’s good for 90 hours of usage per charge.

When it is time to recharge, the charging port is interestingly on the side of the mouse instead of the front (as it is in most mice). While this isn’t an issue if you plan to charge while you’re away from your computer, it could be a bit cumbersome when trying to charge and game simultaneously. With that said, at least the charging port isn’t on the bottom of the mouse (I'm looking at you, Apple).

Cherry says that the M64 Pro and M68 Pro will launch in Q2 2024, priced at $139. The company will also offer the M64 and M68 (minus the Pro designation) for $99. These two mice look exactly like their more expensive counterparts but max out with a 1000Hz polling rate. These lesser models are also available in one additional color: blue.

The perfect gaming mouse will fit your hand and grip-style so perfectly, you'll forget you're even using a mouse. It will glide effortlessly across any surface (such as one of the best mouse pads) you choose to play on; it will have intuitively-placed, tactile buttons; and it will be perfectly accurate and sensitive with near-zero latency.

Unfortunately, the perfect gaming mouse doesn't exist. Well, the universally perfect gaming mouse doesn't exist: Different games (and different gamers) need different mice. For fast-paced, competitive first-person shooters, you'll want something simple, lightweight, and easy to pick up. For a marathon style MMORPG with 75 different in-game menus, you'll want something with plenty of extra programmable buttons. And if you're the type of person who likes to dabble in multiple genres (and, perhaps, also work — occasionally), you'll want a mouse that lands somewhere in the middle.

We've tested hundreds of gaming mice over the years, and we're here to help you hone in on the perfect mouse for your unique style by breaking down the best gaming mice for different uses (and users) below.

(This list is for gaming-specific mice; if you're looking for a mouse to help boost your skills in the office, take a look at our list of best wireless mice for productivity.)

The Quick List

The Best Gaming Mouse You Can Buy Today

Best Gaming Mouse

There are several versions of the Razer Basilisk V3, including the original wired version, the Basilisk V3 Pro, and the updated Basilisk V3 Pro 35K, and all are great options for a solid, comfortable, all-purpose gaming mouse with excellent performance. The most recent update to the Basilisk line is the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K — the same mouse, but wireless and with Razer's most recent Focus Pro 35K optical sensor, which has a maximum sensitivity of 35,000 DPI, a maximum speed of 750 IPS, and can handle up to 70 G's of force. It also features up to 150 hours of battery life over a 2.4GHz wireless connection (up from the Basilisk V3 Pro's 120 hours).

The Basilisk V3 Pro has a comfortable, right-handed ergonomic shape, with a matte black shell, built-in side grips, and glossy accents. It features 11 programmable buttons and a dual-mode tilt wheel that can switch between tactile and free-spin — this is similar to the dual-mode wheels on Logitech's mice, but Razer's version is software-based, not hardware-based. It is on the larger side for mice, but its nicely-contoured shape means that it should still be comfortable for a range of hand sizes.

Performance-wise, this mouse hits a sweet spot — speedy and responsive, thanks to the Focus Pro 35K optical sensor, and also comfortable and premium-feeling, with enough buttons for those who want to customize a little (but not so many as to be overwhelming). It can also reach up to an 8,000 Hz wireless polling rate with Razer's HyperPolling Wireless Dongle (sold separately, for $30) — but still manages up to a 4,000 Hz wireless polling rate without (which is plenty for the majority of gamers).

Read: Basilisk V3 Pro 35K Review

Best Wireless Gaming Mouse

The Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro was practically perfect when it came to size, shape, and feel — and Razer knew better than to fix what wasn't broken with the Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro, which is why the V4 Pro is aesthetically identical to its predecessor. The V4 Pro has the same size and shape as the V3 Pro, but it's not the same mouse — it's about 10% lighter (weighing 56g to the V3 Pro's 63g) and features a smooth, matte finish. It also comes with a separate wireless dongle designed to sit on your desktop, instead of the standard USB plugin dongle for its 2.4GHz wireless connection.

The DeathAdder V4 Pro features Razer's Focus Pro 45K optical sensor, which has a maximum resolution of 45,000 DPI and a maximum speed of 900 IPS, and can handle up to 85 G's of force. This is Razer's latest, fastest, and most accurate sensor, and it delivers exactly what you'd expect — top-notch performance that offers smooth, accurate, ultra-precise mouse movement that tracks on just about any surface you can think of. It's a simple mouse overall, with six programmable buttons (including the power/DPI switch on the bottom and the clickable scroll wheel) and up to an 8K polling rate.

Like its predecessor, the V4 Pro is all about performance — not frills, and it doesn't have Bluetooth connectivity or RGB lighting. With the most recent firmware update, it gets up to 150 hours of battery life with a 1,000 Hz polling rate, which is significantly better than the V3 Pro's 90 hours. The DeathAdder V4 Pro is everything we loved about the DeathAdder V3 Pro, but better — it has a better sensor, better switches, a better scroll wheel, and better battery life, and it weighs less and comes with a fancy 8K wireless dongle in the box. While $170 is a lot to pay for what's ultimately a pretty simple mouse, it's basically the best mouse you'll ever use.

Read: Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro Review

Best Budget Gaming Mouse

If you want a well-specced, comfortable gaming mouse at an affordable price, the Corsair Katar Pro XT is an excellent option. It's a bit low profile, but it has a nice, ambidextrous shape and a matte plastic shell that doesn't feel cheap. It weighs just 2.68 ounces (73g), so it's easy to quickly adapt to and is perfect for long gaming sessions.

It's a wired mouse, but it glides easily without cable drag thanks to a paracord-covered USB-A tether cable. It features a PMW3391 sensor with a max sensitivity of 18,000 DPI, and it has six programmable buttons, including the clickable scroll wheel. It's programmable via Corsair's iCue software, and it even features a touch of RGB lighting in the scroll wheel.

If you'd rather not be tethered, the wireless version of this mouse, the Corsair Katar Pro Wireless, can often be found on sale for the same price as this wired version. If you're looking for an even lighter wireless mouse, the Corsair Katar Elite Wireless weighs just 2.24 ounces (69g), though you will pay more for the extra ergonomics.

The Katar Pro XT isn’t the flashiest or most unique mouse out there, but it's a reliable $35 gaming companion.

Read: Corsair Katar Pro XT Review

Best Budget Wireless Gaming Mouse

You might not have heard of Redragon before, but we’re getting more and more acquainted with the Chinese company, which is also on our Best Wireless Keyboards page. The affordable, well-built M686 Vampire Elite is currently just $36 and carries many hallmarks of a premium wireless gaming mouse. This includes 8 programmable buttons and fast USB-C charging. If you’re a gamer whose budget tops out at $50, this may be the best wireless mouse for you.

In a rare move, Redragon included grooves for righties to rest their ring and pinky fingers on this mouse. Many mice neglect those digits, leaving them dragging on the mouse pad. The M686’s shape comfortably serves larger hands and accommodates wide grips.

The M686 has soft, rubber side grips, and the rest of the chassis has a smooth, almost gel-like feel. It’s nice but can lack resistance, especially by the left and right click buttons. The scroll wheel is tactile but still glides pretty smoothly and shows slight wobble, making precise scrolls hard. And you won’t get the same springy feel from the left and right click buttons that pricier wireless gaming mice offer.

The M686’s PixArt PMW3335 sensor goes up to 16,000 DPI, 450 IPS and 40g. Those specs match more expensive mice, and mainstream users won’t notice any tracking issues, whether using the lowest (100 DPI) or the highest setting.

Unfortunately, Redragon’s free software for the M686 is almost mandatory, because out-of-the-box the three side buttons are programmed to Alt, Ctrl and Shift. You only get one profile (with onboard memory), and very few Windows programs are launchable via the mouse. RGB is also limited to a three options: a rainbow effect, single-color breathing, and single-color static.

Redragon claims up to 45 hours battery life with Eco Mode, which confines RGB to the scroll wheel. The software provides a meter reading, but, confusingly, even with the battery fully charged, the software read 90 for us. After about 11 hours using the mouse at RGB set to max brightness and speed, the app said 70% battery remained.

If you'd prefer a more familiar name, the Logitech G305 Lightspeed can often be found for less than $40, but isn’t rechargeable.

Best RGB Gaming Mouse

The Logitech G502 X Plus is the successor to the Logitech G502 Lightspeed, and while it retains the overall shape of its predecessor, it sports a moderate redesign that’s less aggressive, less angular, and features a very pretty eight-zone RGB light strip that will look fantastic on your desk.

The G502 X Plus also has some internal upgrades, including Logitech’s latest Hero 25K sensor, which has a maximum DPI of 25,600, a maximum speed of 400IPS, and can handle up to 40 G’s of acceleration. It also features the brand’s new “Lightforce” switches, which are hybrid optical-mechanical switches designed to have the speed and durability of optical switches and the tactility and feel of mechanical switches. The mouse has 13 programmable buttons — that’s two more than the similar-looking Razer Basilisk V3 Pro — and features a dual-mode tilt wheel that lets you switch between notched and free-scrolling modes.

The G502 X Plus is a solid all-purpose gaming mouse that will work for everything from MMOs and MOBAs to competitive FPS games and even productivity tasks. And its colorful, glowy lightstrip is one of the prettiest implementations of RGB we’ve seen on a mouse.

Read: Logitech G502 X Plus Review

Best Ambidextrous Gaming Mouse

The Logitech G Pro Wireless is about as premium as gaming mice get with one of the most comfortable designs available. It’s ambidextrous, with a pleasantly soft, matte plastic shell that’ll please both left and right hands for hours. The coating helps your grip, with its light, 1mm shell making it feel easy to control without making it feel cheap. The light weight combined with the PTFE feet help it move around with easy control.

Logitech’s HERO 16K sensor goes up to 16,000 DPI (or 25,600 via software), 450 IPS and 40G. Logitech also claims it eats less battery than sensors like the PixArt PMW3366. The vendor says the mouse will last up to 48 hours with RGB lighting on and 60 hours without the flash. After about 30 hours with the mouse on, with both RGB on and off, we didn’t even make a dent in its battery life meter.

Gamers enjoy 5 profiles of onboard memory, which makes this wireless mouse even easier to use across multiple PCs. There are 4-8 programmable buttons (left and right click, 2 left side buttons, 2 right side buttons and scroll wheel in). The left and right clicks are rather light, and along with the scroll wheel, which presses in shallow and soft, they aren’t anything special.

We had no issues in our time with Logitech’s Lightspeed 2.4 GHz dongle. Even with a Bluetooth keyboard and one of the best gaming headsets connected, the G Pro Wireless kept up with its claimed 1ms report rate.

The biggest concern is longevity. The mouse is expensive and comes with a two-year warranty; however, we've started noticing accidental double-clicks after about 2 years of use. This is apparently a problem others have encountered too. Logitech has told us that it is aware of and is working on the issue.

Best Compact Gaming Mouse

Thanks to the popularity of eSports and online competition, It's not hard to find small, lightweight gaming mice these days. But it's a little harder to find small, lightweight gaming mice that aren't also stripped down because they're designed for, well, competitive eSports. The Razer Cobra Pro is a small(er), lightweight compact gaming mouse that isn't designed specifically for FPS gamers — it's got a semi-ambidextrous design, grippy sides, and bright 11-zone RGB lighting for immersive gaming.

The Cobra Pro features Razer's most recent Focus Pro 30K optical sensor, which has a maximum sensitivity of 30,000 DPI, a maximum speed of 750 IPS, and can handle up to 70 G's of acceleration. It tracks well over all surfaces (including glass) and weighs just 77g — not the lightest mouse on the market, but significantly lighter than the flagship Razer Basilisk V3 Pro. And like the Basilisk V3 Pro, the Cobra Pro is compatible with Razer's Mouse Dock Pro and HyperPolling Wireless Dongle, which means it can get a super speedy 4,000 Hz wireless polling rate (at the expense of battery life, naturally).

Speaking of which, the Cobra Pro gets a solid 100+ hours of battery life over a low-latency 2.4GHz wireless connection, and up to 170 hours over Bluetooth (with the lighting turned off, of course). (It also comes with Razer's SpeedFlex cable, which is a great drag-free cable for wired use.)

But perhaps most importantly: the Cobra Pro is small. Most of the flagship gaming mice from mainstream companies measure over five inches long and three inches wide — sized to fit medium-to-large hands. The Cobra Pro is 4.71 inches (119.6mm) long and 2.46 inches (62.5mm) wide — not tiny, but much easier to wield if your hands are on the smaller side. Good news: the downsizing affects price, as well — the Cobra Pro retails for $129.99, a solid $30 - 50 cheaper than other flagships.

Read: Razer Cobra Pro Review

Best FPS Gaming Mouse

It's hard to beat a classic, so Logitech didn't even try. The Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 is practically identical to the original Logitech Pro X Superlight — at least, in form factor — but it brings some convenient upgrades to the table. These include USB-C charging (which the original probably should have had, frankly), an upgraded sensor, new switches, and longer battery life.

The Pro X Superlight 2 upgrades to Logitech's Hero 2 sensor, which has a maximum sensitivity of 32,000DPI and a maximum speed of 500 IPS, and can handle up to 40 G's of acceleration. It also gets up to a 2,000 Hz polling rate — while the standard 1,000 Hz polling rate will suit most gamers, higher polling rates seem to make the most difference in competitive eSports gaming, and the Pro X Superlight 2 couldn't really be the best FPS gaming mouse without at least trying to appeal to competitors at the highest level. The mouse gets about 95 hours of battery life (with a 1,000 Hz polling rate), which is about 25 hours / 35% more than its predecessor.

Otherwise, the Pro X Superlight 2 is the same five-button, ultra-lightweight wireless gaming mouse you know and love. It weighs 2.12oz (60g) and features a symmetrical shape with a smooth finish and slightly-pinched sides for grip. The bottom of the mouse has two large PTFE mouse feet, a power switch, and a magnetic puck with storage for the mouse's 2.4GHz wireless dongle; Logitech also includes optional grip tape and an alternate PTFE-covered magnetic puck in the box. Oh — and, of course, a USB-C to USB-A cable for the mouse's USB-C charging port.

If you're looking for something that's as light and speedy as the Pro X Superlight 2, but is slightly more adapted to your hand-shape, you might want to take a look at the ergonomically-shaped version of this mouse: Logitech's G Pro X Superlight 2 Dex.

Read: Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 Review

Best MMO Gaming Mouse

Razer has made its incredibly versatile MMO-focused Naga mouse even more versatile with the Naga V2 Pro, which maintains its predecessor’s swappable side plates and adds in a uniquely customizable scroll wheel that lets users tweak scroll tension, number of scroll steps, and haptic feel.

This medium-sized wireless mouse has three connectivity options (2.4GHz, Bluetooth, and wired via USB-C) and three swappable side plates with 12, six, and two buttons. That’s up to 20 programmable buttons (including the three-click scroll wheel and the profile switch on the bottom of the mouse). The side plates are magnetic and swap out easily, and even hide a section to store the mouse’s 2.4GHz wireless dongle when you’re not using it.

Despite being on the heavier side at 4.72 ounces (134g), the Naga V2 Pro is a very comfortable and versatile mouse that’s perfect for MMO players who might occasionally want fewer than 12 side buttons. For those who are all MMO, all the time, however, there’s also the Naga V2 Hyperspeed, which costs $99.99 (versus the Naga V2 Pro’s $179.99), uses 1x AA battery, and has a fixed 12-button side plate.

Read: Razer Naga V2 Pro Review

Other Gaming Mice We Tested

HyperX Pulsefire Saga Pro

HyperX's modular Pulsefire Saga Pro is definitely modular — but it's a little underwhelming, otherwise. This lightweight wireless mouse features a right-handed shape (though, I suppose that's mutable), six buttons, and up to a 4,000 Hz polling rate. It comes with HyperX's 26K sensor, which is the same sensor we've seen in HyperX mice for the past couple of years, as well as two options for each of its modular parts — the primary buttons, the hump, and the individual side buttons.

HyperX has implemented the mouse's modularity well, and all options retain the mouse's relatively light weight of 2.54 ounces (72g), but it's hard to get excited about an older sensor — even with a 26,000 DPI / 650 IPS / 50G's of force. The mouse features new optical switches in the primary buttons, which are nice, but the side buttons and scroll wheel feel a bit mushy and lackluster. The mouse features 2.4GHz wireless and Bluetooth connectivity, and gets about 90 hours over 2.4GHz wireless with a standard 1,000 Hz polling rate.

Read: HyperX Pulsefire Saga Pro Review

Corsair Scimitar Elite SE Wireless

Corsair's update to its Scimitar Elite Wireless mouse is very similar to its predecessor — complete with a customizable 12-button side panel that can be moved into the perfect position to fit your hand. It's identical in size and shape as its predecessor (though it has a new colorway option), but it sports a new Corsair Marksman S 33K optical sensor, which has a maximum resolution of 33,000 DPI and a maximum speed of 750 IPS, and can handle up to 50 G's of acceleration. It also offers better battery life (150 hours) and features Elgato Stream Deck integration.

Unfortunately, the mouse's size and shape was sort of the issue I had with its predecessor — it's larger and clunkier-feeling than it needs to be, and the concave curve of the side button panel isn't particularly comfortable (no matter where it's positioned). It's also $10 pricier than its predecessor at $139.99, which is still cheaper than the $180 Razer Naga Pro (but pricier than the $100 Naga V2 Hyperspeed).

Read: Corsair Scimitar Elite SE Wireless Review

Asus ROG Harpe Ace Extreme

Asus's "extreme" version of its Harpe Ace Aim Lab Edition mouse is made of carbon fiber and weighs just 47g and features Asus's ROG AimPoint Pro optical sensor, which has a maximum resolution of 42,000 DPI, a maximum speed of up to 750 IPS, and can handle up to 50 G's of force. It also offers a polling rate of up to 8,000 Hz if you use the included ROG Polling Rate Booster dongle. It is, without a doubt, an excellent mouse — but it also costs $250.

While it comes with plenty of fancy accessories to justify its high price, including optional glass mouse skates, the Polling Rate Booster dongle, and a fancy case to carry everything in... it's not worth $250. At the end of the day, it's a standard symmetrical-shaped five-button ultra-lightweight mouse that feels pretty good, but not that good. Plus, it's practically the same mouse as the Asus ROG Harpe Ace Aim Lab Edition, which costs $100 less and can often be found on sale.

Read: Asus ROG Harpe Ace Extreme Review

Turtle Beach Kone II

If you're looking for a mouse that's not quite budget, but also not a flagship, the Turtle Beach Kone II is a great mid-range wired gaming mouse that retails for $70. It's a large, somewhat clunky mouse that's surprisingly comfortable, with an ergonomically contoured right-handed chassis and attractive RGB lighting strips. It features Turtle Beach's Owl-Eye 26K optical sensor, which has a maximum sensitivity of 26,000 DPI and a maximum speed of 650 IPS, and can handle up to 50 G's of force.

The Kone II has 7 programmable buttons (plus a second layer of programmability using "Easy Shift") and a 4-way tilt wheel. It's a wired mouse, but it comes with a non-detachable "PhantomFlex" cable that's braided and very low-drag. It also comes with pre-cut grip tape in the box, which is a nice addition as the mouse's surface is somewhat slippery. While this is not the mouse we'd recommend for FPS games or esports due to its size and weight (which make it fairly difficult to pick up), it's a very comfortable mouse that works nicely for RPGs and other marathon gaming sessions. It also comes in a wireless version, which retails for $120.

Read: Turtle Beach Kone II Review

How We Test Gaming Mice

There's more to gaming mice than just DPI, speed, and acceleration — a gaming mouse is more than just its sensor, after all. Gaming mice, like all peripherals, are as much about comfort, convenience, usability, and style as they are about speed and ultra-low latency.

First, we inspect the mouse's build quality and materials — the switches in the mouse's primary and secondary buttons, the scroll / tilt wheel, the mouse feet, and any included accessories such as grip tape. We then spend hours with each mouse over the course of a week or more, using it for both work and play. We use it to play a mix of games, including fast-paced first-person shooters, which require speed and accuracy, as well as MMOs and RPGs, which require more comfort and flexibility (and, often, more buttons). We also use it over the course of a normal day to test overall comfort and convenience, and to see how easily it fits into a more productivity-oriented environment.

We test each mouse on a variety of surfaces, including a plain wood/laminate desk top, a soft gaming mouse pad, a hard or hybrid gaming mouse pad, and glass (a glass mouse pad and a standard glass table surface). We test each surface for accuracy, speed, and comfort — how quickly and smoothly we can move the mouse, including how easy it is to pick the mouse up, if necessary. We also test the mouse's cable, even if it's a wireless model, for flexibility and drag (and, once in a while, charging port location). For wireless mice, we also test battery life and wireless connection at both the standard 1,000 Hz polling rate and the mouse's highest polling rate (if higher).

Finally, customization is an important factor in gaming mice, especially for MMOs and MOBAs. We test each mouse's customizability by installing the included peripheral software and remapping buttons, recording and mapping macros, and setting up profiles for specific games or programs.

Quick Shopping Tips

🖱 Weight: Lightweight mice — weighing 80g or less — are made for competitive shooting games, which require lots of quick, precise movements. They're ideal for people who hold their mouse in a claw or fingertip grip (or who have smaller hands in general), and who don't need more than a couple of programmable buttons. Heavier mice are designed for tasks that need slow, controlled precision. They're best for palm grippers playing games where speed isn't really a factor — but comfort and programmability are: MMOs, MOBAs, and other RPGs.

🖱 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 pointer, you'll need one with decent battery life (40+ hours minimum) and a low-latency 2.4GHz connection — Bluetooth is too high-latency for gaming, though it's convenient in non-gaming scenarios (many wireless gaming mice have both). If you decide to stick with wired, make sure the cable is designed to flex and move, so it won't tangle or compromise your accuracy.

🖱 Resolution, Speed, and Acceleration:

• Resolution - Measured in DPI/CPI, this is how quickly the mouse cursor moves on screen relative to the distance you physically move the mouse. DPI and CPI are used interchangeably, but aren't exactly the same thing. DPI, or dots per inch, is traditionally used to measure print resolution, while CPI, or counts per inch, measures how many counts the mouse takes per inche it travels. CPI is technically more accurate, as screen resolution (minorly) affects DPI, but 'DPI' is more well-recognized. A higher DPI doesn't necessarily mean a better mouse sensor — and the vast majority of gamers never even approach the higher end of the of the DPI scale.

• Speed - Measured in IPS, or inches per second, this how fast you can move the mouse physically and still have the sensor accurately track counts. A high DPI needs a high IPS to function at peak performance.

• Acceleration - Measured in g-force units (Gs), this is how quickly the mouse can accelerate while still tracking effectively. This is most important if you're making a lot of short, sharp flicks.

🖱 Grip Style: How do you hold your mouse? There are three common grip styles.

🖐 Palm Grip - The base of your palm rests on the back of the mouse, with your fingers lying on top. This is the most common type of mouse grip.

🖐 Claw Grip - Your wrist rests on the mouse mat/surface, your palm doesn't touch the mouse, and your fingertips grip the edges/buttons.

🖐 Fingertip Grip - Your wrist and palm are elevated off the mouse mat/surface (and do not touch the mouse). Your fingertips grip the mouse's edges/buttons.

Larger, heavier mice with a pronounced hump are best-suited for palm grips, as are mice with sculpted, ergonomic profiles. If you have smaller hands, however, these mice may still feel unwieldy with a palm grip. Lighter, smaller mice with flatter humps are better for claw and fingertip grips.

Finding Discounts on the Best Gaming Mouse

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