For PC gamers, choosing a gaming mouse is arguably the most important decision you can make when rounding out your setup. While picking out the right keyboard is also a key decision, your mouse is used almost constantly while performing any task on your computer. And when you throw gaming into the mix, you need an ultra-reliable mouse with some key features to help you get the best experience (and performance) possible while gaming–especially if you play competitive multiplayer games. The best gaming mouse for you often revolves around the type of games you play. We’ve rounded up the best gaming mice in 2022.
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With so many different things to consider–and options to choose from–we at GameSpot have tested a large number of gaming mice to find the best ones out there. Below, we’ve listed the best of the best in each category of gaming mouse you can think of. This lists covers all the bases: programmable buttons, RGB lighting, wireless, scroll wheels, optical sensors, and more. If you’ve been looking for the best gaming mouse, you’ll likely find it among these.
Editor’s Note: Article updated on July 22, 2022
Razer DeathAdder V2 Pro
The Good
- Large size makes it comfortable for large hands
- Big side buttons are easy to press
- Long battery life
The Razer DeathAdder V2 is a fantastic gaming mouse, especially for fans of shooters with big hands. It’s been Razer’s flagship mouse for a long while, and its affordable price makes it an even more attractive option. Its bigger size fits nicely into larger hands, and the left and right mouse buttons feel great for shooters like Rainbow Six Siege and Valorant. It also features two large programmable buttons close to where your thumb rests naturally on a mouse. These work excellently for commands such as throwing a grenade or performing a melee attack as well as special abilities in games like Overwatch. That said, the limited number of programmable buttons might make it a less attractive choice for fans of MMOs and other genres that require easy access to macros and certain commands.
The DeathAdder V2 Pro was released last year as the first version of Razer’s DeathAdder to boast wireless connectivity–and it has an impressive battery life to boot. Like the regular V2, it comes with buttons that let you adjust the DPI sensitivity, allowing you to go from more sluggish cursor movements to extremely fast ones instantly. Razer’s own software lets you adjust each of the five sensitivity modes to your liking.
SteelSeries Prime Wireless
The Good:
- Excellent ergonomics
- 5 programmable buttons
- Lightweight
- Great for competitive gaming
You can’t go wrong with the SteelSeries Prime. SteelSeries’ flagship mouse offers consistently impressive performance and a sturdy but lightweight design that’s built to last. It’s equipped with magnetic optical switches, which can lead to faster response times. Magnetic switches serve another purpose other than performance. Due to the design, they can last longer than regular mouse buttons.
The Prime is aimed at right-handed users, as the side buttons are located on the left side of the mouse. One of the cool things about the Prime is that it’s shaped just a tad differently than most other popular gaming mice in its category. It has a more rounded curvature. Regardless of the style of grip you use when gaming, the Prime should prove to be comfy for long gaming sessions. We’ve been using the Prime for hundreds of hours at this point, and it still feels as good as it did out of the box.
It should be noted that due to the minimalistic design in terms of buttons, the Prime is best suited for first-person shooters when it comes to competitive games. But for what it’s aimed to do, the Prime can hang with the best of them, and it’s reasonably priced. It just plain works, offering precise improvements thanks to its fine-tuned optical sensor and a crisp connection via 2.4GHz wireless. If there’s a knock to be found, it’s that the Prime only offers up to 100 hours of battery life between charges, which is good but bested by some other popular options out there–including another SteelSeries mouse you’ll find on this list.
Corsair Katar Pro Wireless
The Good:
- Very affordable price
- Compact form factor
- Easy-to-use controls
- Long battery life provided by AA battery…
The Corsair Katar Pro Wireless gaming mouse is about as streamlined as you can get. Its compact form factor feels good to hold for long sessions, and its limited number of buttons keep things simple for mapping controls and adjusting DPI sensitivity. The 10,000 DPI optical sensor may not match up to higher-end mice, but it still provides plenty of sensitivity for most people.
One thing to note about the Katar Pro Wireless is that it operates on a single AA battery. While this may seem inconvenient, this makes it possible to provide a total charge time of 135 hours, and if you have a pair of rechargeable batteries, you’ll be good to use the Katar Pro for as long as you want–mice with internal, non-replaceable batteries will lose charge over extended use.
Razer DeathAdder Essential
The Good:
- Budget-friendly
- Durable design
- Programmable buttons
Looking for a Razer mouse that’s easy on the budget and provides an optimal gaming experience? The DeathAdder Essential should suit your needs then, as it bundles durable mechanical switches with five programmable buttons, and a competent 6,400 DPI optical sensor. Ergonomically shaped and built from rugged materials, this budget-friendly mouse can go the distance and then some.
SteelSeries Aerox 5
The Good
- 180-hour battery life
- Sleek RGB lights
- 9 programmable buttons
Don’t quite need an MMO mouse but want something with a few extra buttons? The Aerox 5 is an excellent choice. It follows in the footsteps of the popular Aerox 3, offering long battery life and a lightweight design that makes it easy to control during heated game sessions.
The Aerox 5 clocks in at 74g–making it a bit heavier than the Aerox 3, but still lightweight for a mouse with this many programmable buttons. You can customize the role of every click with the SteelSeries Engine, and the Bluetooth connection ensures a smooth (and fast) translation to on-screen action. It also features a TrueMove Air sensor that delivers 18,000 CPI.
SteelSeries threw a few extras into the mouse, including IP54-waterproofing and fast-charging that’ll get you 40 hours of gameplay after just 15 minutes. Wrap it up in a gorgeous honeycomb design, and it’s easy to see why the Aerox 5 is such a compelling gaming mouse. The only drawback is the $140 price tag. It’s a bit steep, but no doubt you’re getting a premium product. If you don’t mind a wire, though, you can get the same great mouse with a cord for only $80.
Roccat Kain 200 Aimo
The Good:
- Sturdy build
- Attractive look
- Excellent mouse buttons
- 50 hours of battery life
- Great RGB lighting…
The Roccat Kain 200 Aimo is a sturdy-feeling mouse, made of a mostly plastic shell that’s accented with a touch of metal to give it a sharp look. It’s buttons are satisfying to press. Two thumb buttons feel comfortable and are perfect for remapping, while the DPI button right below the scroll wheel allows you to adjust the 16K DPI optical sensor’s sensitivity on the fly. Using the Kain 200 is an excellent experience, gliding nicely across mouse pads and feeling accurate in the thick of action.
It features a battery life of up to 50 hours, more than enough for several days of play before charging is required. One downside, however, is that if you use the RGB lighting, there’s a noticeable drop in battery performance–Roccat’s site says it drops to 35 hours with illumination on. The Kain 200 is an excellent mouse, and if you can live without the RGB lighting, then it’s definitely worth picking up.
Razer Basilisk Ultimate
The Good
- Usable in both wired and wireless modes
- Adjustable scroll-wheel tension
- 100-hour battery life
- 11 programmable buttons
- Comes with charging dock
With a sharp shape and comfortable ergonomics, the Razer Basilisk is another one of the best gaming mice we’ve tested. It’s slightly smaller than the DeathAdder, but it still felt good in my large hands. And like most of Razer’s gaming mice, it shined in our tests. The Basilisk comes in three different variations, which all share the exact same shape but offer different options. The first is the Basilisk X HyperSpeed, which allows for both Bluetooth and 2.4GHz wireless connectivity. It comes with six programmable buttons and is powered by one AA battery. It’s the most basic of the three variations, containing only one on-board memory profile and no RGB lighting. The wired Basilisk V2, on the other hand, boasts five onboard profiles, 11 programmable buttons, and 2 RGB lighting zones as well as customizable scroll-wheel resistance–the latter makes it so you can move the scroll wheel with no clicking or all the clicking in the world. However, the Basilisk V2 can’t be used wirelessly.
The third variation is the Basilisk Ultimate, a mouse you can use both wirelessly and wired. It uses the 2.4GHz standard for its wireless connectivity, and I didn’t experience any latency in my use of it. Plugging it in with the included soft cable turns it into a wired mouse. This also charges the mouse to prepare it for your next wireless session–there’s also an included dock you can place the mouse on between sessions. I was impressed by the number of programmable buttons and how natural they felt on the mouse’s chassis. As someone with large hands, I normally prefer a slightly larger mouse, but the Basilisk’s comfortable ergonomics superseded its smaller size, making a strong case for itself as a great gaming mouse.
SteelSeries Sensei Ten
The Good
- Fantastic ambidextrous shape
- Strong click action
- Incredibly high-resolution sensor
The SteelSeries Sensei Ten is a budget-friendly ambidextrous gaming mouse with a solid design. The matte polymer shell coating feels a lot nicer and sturdier than the original shiny metallic Sensei, and way better than its rubberized RAW editions. There’s also a noticeably stronger and nicer action to the button clicks, too–the Ten uses dual-spring mechanisms instead of singles, and they are graded for 60 million clicks.
The Sensei Ten sadly ditches the onboard customization of the original in favor of a software-only solution for its programmable buttons, and it lacks the more extensive RGB customization of some of SteelSeries’ other mice. But it does feature SteelSeries’ current TrueMove Pro sensor, a high-resolution 50–18,000 DPI optical sensor that will supposedly maintain 1:1 tracking, even at high speeds or if you lift your mouse. It’s probably overkill if you’re not a top-level competitive player who needs to crank their sensitivity to ridiculous heights, but it helps make the Sensei Ten feel smooth, precise, and good to play games with on a variety of different surfaces. It’s nice to have the cutting-edge tech, but it’s the form factor, build, and feel of the Sensei that makes this line so good.
Razer Viper Ultimate
The Good
- Ambidextrous design
- Impressive optical sensor
- Razer Chroma support
The Viper Ultimate might not have the 100+ hour battery life of some products on this list, but it has the next best thing–a dedicated, fast-charging dock. Each charge will get you around 70 hours of game time, although the inclusion of a charging dock gives you a sleek way to display the Viper Ultimate while not in use and get its batteries juiced up for your next match. It also supports Razer Chroma so you can personalize its RGB lights.
Aside from the unique dock, the Viper Ultimate is a well-rounded mouse. It’s lightweight (74g), designed around a 20,000 DPI sensor, includes durable optical mouse switches that are rated for up to 70 million clicks, and an ambidextrous design that makes it ideal for all gamers.
Despite its wireless connection, the Viper Ultimate is just as fast as most wired mice due to its underlying Razer HyperSpeed Wireless Technology. This results in low latency and a response time that’ll make it seem like you’re playing via a wired connection.
SteelSeries Aerox 3
The Good
- At 68 grams, it’s one of the lightest options avaialbel
- Stylish design
- Great, tactile buttons
- Long battery life
- Boasts Bluetooth and 2.4GHz wireless
If you’re in the market for a lightweight gaming mouse, the SteelSeries Aerox 3 is an excellent choice. Available in both wireless and wired models, the Aerox 3 comes in at only 68g. A lightweight mouse can help you make quicker movements. It has RGB lighting effects and a grated design that lets you see inside the mouse when it’s on. Pretty neat! More importantly, the Aerox 3 offers stellar performance.
It uses a custom tracking sensor that produces pinpoint, accurate performance. The wireless version is equipped with advanced tech that makes it a fast, input-lag performer that makes it rival the stable performance of wired mice. Plus, the sensor is extremely energy efficient, allowing it to run for up to 200 hours on a full charge. The pair of side buttons are well-placed and have a satisfying click to them. That said, even though it has an ambidextrous form, the side buttons are set up for right-handed users.
The Aerox 3 is also a versatile pick, as it offers a wireless connection via a 2.4GHz USB-C dongle or Bluetooth. You can save some cash by opting for the wired version of the Aerox 3, too.
Corsair Ironclaw RGB
The Good
- Multiple RGB lighting zones
- Granular DPI settings
- Excellent Value
The Bad
As far as RGB lighting goes, mice tend not to get as flashy as keyboards. Among configurable RGB-lit mice from leading manufacturers, the Ironclaw’s two-zone RGB lighting–the Corsair logo and the inner section of the scroll wheel–makes it one of the most colorful options. The accent lights on the side provide a little additional illumination, indicating your current profile and DPI settings.
Speaking of, the range maxes out at 18,000 DPI, and can be configured by increments of 1, giving you extreme control over the sensor, which complements the tight latency of a wired gaming mouse. Seven buttons round out the configurability of the Ironclaw, providing a little bit of everything for the player who likes to personalize the look and functionality of their RGB mouse.
The key features that make the Ironclaw worth a look can also be found on more expensive mice, but at this price, it has all of the qualities of a gaming mouse corsair fans have come to expect for a good price. It’s an all-around feature-rich offering that won’t break the bank.
SteelSeries Aerox 9
The Good
- Premium optical sensor
- Impressive battery life
- 18 programmable buttons
If you loved everything about the Aerox 3 and Aerox 5 but need a full suite of buttons, the Aerox 9 is the mouse for you. It looks almost identical to the others in the family, although you’ll notice a panel of 12 programmable buttons on its left side–along with six more on its face.
Despite all the buttons, SteelSeries managed to keep the mouse to just 89g, making this a surprisingly lightweight option for MMO and MOBA players. It’ll also net you around 180 hours of game time before needing a recharge and is IP54-rated for dust and water resistance.
Inside you’ll find the same TrueMove Air sensor as the Aerox 3, offering precise tracking and smooth movements regardless of what you’re playing. The mouse connects through Bluetooth for a no-fuss setup and can be charged using its detachable USB-C mesh cable. The Aerox 9 is the pinnacle of the Aerox lineup and carries a premium $150 price tag–although you can often find it on sale for much less.
Razer Naga Pro
The Good:
- Wireless
- Multiple interchangeable side plates
- 20K DPI optical sensor
Mastering an MMO-genre game means having a dozen skills at your beck and call at any given time, and with the Razer Naga Pro, you’ll be firing off spells and special attacks in rapid succession.
Razer’s gaming mice have a reputation for being smooth, fast, and reliable, and the Naga Pro does the brand proud while also offering three interchangeable side plates with two, six, and 12-button configurations.
Even better, this mouse has a wireless mode that can keep up with its wired brethren, up to 100 hours of battery life, and a silky-smooth 20K DPI optical sensor.
Logitech G502 Lightspeed Wireless
The Good:
- Optional wireless charging accessory
- Precise 25K sensor
- Customizable buttons
One of the very best gaming peripherals of all time, the Logitech G502 got even better when it added a wireless option. With a design that still looks wonderfully futuristic, a 25K optical sensor for impressive precision, and a scrolling wheel that lets you rotate it with reckless abandon, the G502 is a proven and durable gaming mouse. This model packs an extra punch in the longevity department, as it can be wirelessly charged with the power play wireless charging system, virtually eliminating any cables from your desktop in the process.
The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors.
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