Gaming mice are the high-end devices of the mouse world. They are designed to be more accurate, offer a more comfortable experience and are built to last – as gamers are likely to spend more time with their mouse than anyone else.
Top-of-the-range gaming mice also have multiple buttons, highly adjustable dots per inch (DPI) accuracy and a mass of settings that include everything from custom lighting to macros for specific games.
However, finding the right mouse for you can be tricky. People hold their mouse in different ways and have different sized hands that make purchasing a tricky business. A wide mouse with thumb rests and grips might be perfect for someone with large hands, but others might find a small and sleek mouse preferable, both in terms of fit and agility.
We run through a variety of gaming mice to see which are the best around, taking into account all the things gamers love most – RGB, responsiveness, number of buttons and, of course, value for money.
Best overall gaming mouse
Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro
- 2.4GHz wireless, low-latency Bluetooth 4.0 or wired USB connection
- Swappable side grips and ergonomically textured design
- Nine individually customisable RGB lighting zones
- 1.8 metre braided USB cable
- Corsair Utility Engine (iCUE) compatible
- 18,000 max DPI, on-the-fly DPI switching via buttons and sniper mode
- Eight programmable buttons
- 2,000Hz polling rate
The original Corsair Dark Core was one of our favourite gaming mice for a multitude of reasons. Comfort, convenience and an ace design rounded off with a reasonable price point.
Now that mouse has been updated to be an even better option.
The Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro is a true work of art and gaming precision. This is an ergonomically designed mouse with a comfortable textured grip that fits perfectly in the hand. It comes with a swappable side grip which keeps your fingers and thumbs off the gaming surface and allows for accurate mouse movements.
It’s wireless by design – capable of connecting either via wireless or low-latency Bluetooth. A USB wireless transceiver included in the box ensures an instant and responsive connection to your gaming machine via ultra-fast 1ms 2.4GHz wireless. But you can take the Dark Core RGB Pro with you and quickly connect to any other machine that supports Bluetooth in a flash.
As standard, this mouse can manage up to 50-hours of gaming on a single charge. If that doesn’t sound like enough then there’s also the Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE – a version that’s compatible with the MM1000 Qi wireless charging mat meaning you can keep the mouse going and going by popping it on the charging zone when not in use. The Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE is Qi capable – so not only can it be charged on the mat, but also with any other Qi charging pad you happen to possess. The standard version is not.
Using Corsair’s iCUE software you can do everything from changing the lighting to programming buttons and more. Here, you can customise the Dark Core’s nine main lighting zones with a number of different effects that including static, rainbow, colour pulse and colour shift or choose instant lighting to set the same colour across multiple Corsair devices with a single click.
The Dark Core RGB Pro has been upgraded over the previous model, with more RGB zones including a lighting bar under the thumb buttons that is split into sections and can be individually tweaked.
As you’d expect, the eight buttons are fully programmable, right down to recording macros, remapping buttons, setting up specific actions like launching applications and more.
This mouse supports up to 18,000 max DPI switchable on-the-fly with the buttons on the top. You can change between three main DPI modes which can be customised in the CUE software.
You can also add to your DPI options by changing one of the eight programmable buttons into a “Sniper” button. This is a fourth ultra-low DPI level for tiny and accurate movements. This needs to be pressed and held, but means you can quickly get back to your standard DPI much more easily too.
High-performance Omron switches provide a lightning-fast response and continue the theme of precision and accuracy. Easily accessible thumb buttons mean you can masterfully activate any setting or macro you want with a small movement of your hand too. Corsair has upped the polling rate of the new Dark Core RGB Pro too. So it’s accurate, responsive and agile.
Verdict
The Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro is a solid all-rounder. It’s a multi-button mouse with great battery life, a comfortable design and brilliant specs too.
It’s superbly agile, accurate and customisable too. The highlights of this mouse include wired, wireless and Bluetooth connectivity options that make it easy to use on multiple machines with ease. We also really like the dual side grip setup which means your fingers are very rarely interfering with movement and you can keep on gaming until your heart’s content.
Best weight adjustable gaming mouse
Logitech G502 Lightspeed
- Ergonomically textured thumb rest
- 114-gram standard weight with extra adjustable weights
- Powerplay compatible
- Lightspeed wireless technology
- 11 programmable buttons with hyper-fast scroll wheel
- Logitech G Hub compatible for lighting controls, macros and various customisation options
- 16,000 max DPI, on-the-fly DPI switching via buttons with four custom settings and DPI shift mode
- 11 programmable buttons customisable with macros, actions and G-shift settings
- Up to 60 hours battery life, fast charge capable
Gaming mice are often nifty, swift and packed full of customisable features to ensure you get the most accurate gaming experience possible. These mice are also generally lightweight and top out with insanely high DPI levels which allow you to move your cursor (or crosshair) across the entire screen with just a small flick of your wrist.
What they sometimes lack though, is customisation options. Not so with the Logitech G502 Lightspeed. This is a mouse that’s not only crammed full of all the usual options, but also has a customisable weighting setup that allows you to adjust its heft to your personal preference.
Logitech’s G502 Lightspeed is a real looker, but it’s much more than that. It’s very much a right-handed mouse, with a mass of easy-access buttons on the left side and very little catering to lefties.
It’s incredibly light and nimble in the hand. It is also customisable in various ways. This mouse comes with 16 grams of extra weights that can be installed within the mouse via hidden flaps in the underside.
Lift the flap with the little G on it and you get access to a hidey-hole which is perfect for storing the USB wireless dongle when you need to travel with the mouse. The underneath of that flap also has room for some of the weights. You can install the two 4 gram weights here and the rest go under the other flap which surrounds the sensor.
We really like this flexibility as it means you can customise it to your own personal preference – adding as many or as few extra weights as you want.
The G502 uses Logitech’s Lightspeed wireless technology to ensure it maintains a low-latency and reliable connection constantly and never lets you down. It also has fast charge capabilities which mean you can get around two and a half hours of battery life from a five-minute charge this way. The G502 Lightspeed can manage as much as 60 hours of battery life and is also compatible with the Powerplay wireless charging system so it never needs plugging in if you splash out some extra cash.
One of our favourite features of this mouse is the mouse wheel. This is a hyper-fast scroll wheel similar to the one we saw on the Logitech G903. Click a button and you either have a tactile mouse wheel that gives a clicky feedback each time your scroll or an ultra-smooth, ultra-fast wheel that just spins and spins. This setup has a variety of potential uses, but is brilliant for just smashing through long webpages and documents in the blink of an eye. It’s also incredibly satisfying to use.
The Logitech G502 Lightspeed is controlled by Logitech G-Hub – a free download for Windows and Mac that allows you to tweak the various settings on the mouse and customise to your liking.
From within it, you can control the lighting of the two main RGB capable zones, adjust DPI levels, report rates and customise the setup of the buttons. This mouse has 11 different buttons, two of which are sideways presses on the mouse wheel, and they can all be tweaked in here. You can set specific commands (like Windows shortcuts), individual keypresses, macros or actions within this software. It’s possible to do things like assign a button press to start/stop OBS recordings for example. This system is incredibly flexible.
Then there’s G-Shift mode. This lets you add an additional action, button customisation or macro to any button on the mouse. This is then accessible when you activate G-Shift mode (via a key or button press). Essentially you then have 22 buttons instead of 11. Though you will have to remember which is programmed with what.
The G502 has DPI levels that run up to 16,000, in four different increments that can be switched to on-the-fly. There’s also an additional DPI shift button on the side that can be held to temporarily engage a low DPI mode for accurate sniping. This can also be customised in the software, so there are plenty of options when it comes to speed settings.
Verdict
The G502 Lightspeed is one of our favourite gaming mice when it comes to customisation options. We love many of the little design features of this mouse that make a big difference. The ultra-smooth scroll wheel, the mass of programmable buttons, the reliable wireless connection and the utterly incredible battery life.
This mouse does come with a hefty price tag and it is a tad smaller in the hand than other mice we’ve tested, but its almost certainly worth adding to your shortlist if you’re shopping for a new gaming mouse. It’s bound not to disappoint.
Best RGB gaming mouse
Corsair Nightsword RGB
- Customisable weight system
- Four RGB lighting zones controllable in the iCue software
- Six pre-set illumination effects
- Patterned rubber grips, ergonomic design and thumb rest
- Customised button mapping, surface calibration settings and macro settings
- 18,000 DPI max, 10 programmable buttons
- 1000Hz/500Hz/250Hz/125Hz report rates
We’ve seen a fair few gaming mice with RGB lighting, some are in-your-face, some are more subtle and understated.
The Corsair Nightsword verges on the latter, but with multiple lighting zones and numerous other features that make it appealing.
The Corsair Nightsword is a brilliantly designed feature-packed mouse that has plenty going for it. We’ve suggested that it’s the best RGB mouse, but it’s much more than that. This is an affordable gaming mouse with all the bells and whistles.
It sports a contoured shape, a rubberised textured finish and a design for palm grip specifically for right-handed FPS and MOBA players. Another highlight is the tunable weight system, with six weights (three 4.5g and three 2.8g) that can be placed in different layouts in the underside compartment.
Add to that a design that includes 10 programmable buttons, with DPI switching buttons and multiple easy-access thumb buttons too.
For RGB lighting lovers, there are four lighting zones on this mouse – the logo, the rear, front and mouse wheel. There’s also a DPI indicator that can be tweaked in terms of colour too. All with the usual Corsair RGB goodness.
The Nightsword has 11 programmable buttons, as well as the ability to switch DPI on the fly. Set three different DPI levels to switch between, as well as custom level for “sniper” mode that can be engaged by pressing and holding one of the thumb buttons to drop into an uber low DPI level for precise movement.
As a gaming mouse, the Corsair Nightsword is no slouch. It boasts one of the highest DPI sensors we’ve seen and you can set three different levels to switch between on-the-fly in 1 DPI increments. 18,000 max is extremely fast, even on a 4K ultra-high-definition screen.
Verdict
We really enjoyed our time with the Corsair Nightsword. It’s a fantastic little mouse that’s packed full of features but without excessive cost which is refreshing.
It’s comfortable to use all day, whether working or gaming or both. Customisable lighting, buttons and weight systems round off a brilliant package that anyone will love. Unless, of course, you’re a lefty.
Best high-dpi multi-button mouse
Razer Basilisk Ultimate
- Customisable scroll wheel resistance
- Replaceable Multi-function paddle
- Gaming-grade tactile scroll wheel with customisable resistance
- Textured grips and an ergonomic grip
- 2.4 Ghz HyperSpeed Wireless technology
- Razer Synapse 3 compatible
- 20,000 max DPI adjustable in five different levels
- On-the-fly DPI switching via buttons with sensitivity clutch too
- 11 programmable buttons
The Basilisk has been a solid favourite with Razer fans and gamers for quite some time now. The Basilisk Ultimate is the pinnacle of that design – a wireless mouse with multiple buttons, a nifty charging base, some colourful RGB lighting and interesting features too.
The Razer Basilisk Ultimate is immediately striking for a number of reasons. It’s clearly a Razer mouse, but with some really interesting design quirks that we found both fascinating and useful.
One example of this comes in the form of a removable multi-function paddle that doubles as an oh-so-satisfying thumb button. This paddle can be customised within the Synapse software, but as default works as a sensitivity clutch. Press and hold the paddle in the middle of a game and you get a temporary reduction in DPI levels for accurate sniping or tiny mouse movements. Once you let go again you’re back to whatever level you were using before.
The other fun feature is the customisable scroll wheel. On the underside of the mouse, there’s a tiny wheel you can roll to change the way the mouse wheel works. Roll it one way and the scroll wheel becomes smooth and fast, roll it the other and you get a clicky feedback with every tiny movement of the wheel. This is a nice little customisation option that we’ve not seen elsewhere.
That mouse wheel is also sideways clickable and this combination of buttons, along with things like the DPI buttons meaning you get a total of 11 programmable buttons with even more when you engage Hypershift.
This is a wireless gaming mouse with a focus on comfort and usability. When not in use you can pop it on the accompanying charging base to refill the juice. That dock also has a USB passthrough meaning you can plug the wireless dongle directly into it, removing the need for using two ports on your PC for one mouse.
Easy access DPI switching buttons, wonderfully contoured and textured thumb rest and brilliantly ergonomic design make this mouse incredibly comfortable and pleasant to use.
The Razer Basilisk Ultimate uses Razer’s HyperSpeed Wireless technology that provides accurate, lag-free wireless gaming goodness. It’s also designed to run for as much as 100 hours with the lighting turned off – though we feel that might be a little optimistic under normal use, but the dock makes it easy enough to charge anyway.
This mouse also has an insane 14 customisable lighting zones for you to play around within the software.
From Synapse you also get access to tweak the mouse buttons, adjust DPI levels and more. You can set up several different profiles, with five on-board memory profiles on the mouse you can switch between using a small button located underneath.
You can also choose levels of DPI switching in five varying levels up to 20,000 max. Set stages here and you can then switch between them using the two buttons on top near the mouse wheel.
We enjoyed this mouse, particularly for its thumb buttons and mass of customisable settings. The textured grips, ergonomic design and thumb rest make it comfortable and capable during gaming sessions too.
With found the Razer Basilisk to be fantastic for FPS sessions, but also great for everyday use, surfing, browsing and working too. It’s really accurate and the wireless connection never let us down. Meaning we could never blame our tools when we failed to claim a Battle Royale victory or outshoot an opponent.
Verdict
If you’re looking for something with a mass of buttons, plenty of programmability options and a stylish design, then look no further.
The Razer Basilisk Ultimate is easily one of the most comfortable and flexible wireless gaming mice we’ve tried.
A ridiculous battery life, snazzy customisable lighting and a convenient charging dock certainly round off an awesome gaming package.
Most stylish gaming mouse
Roccat Kain 202 AIMO
- Roccat Owl-Eye optical sensor with 16000 DPI
- 1.8m micro USB cable
- 2.4GHz wireless
- 1000mAh inbuilt Li-Ion rechargeable battery with up to 50 hours charge
- Omron switches
If style and charm is something you need from your gaming mouse and you’re just a tad bored of boring black mice, then this mouse from Roccat might be the answer.
The Roccat Kain 202 AIMO is not only a pleasantly affordable, feature-rich mouse, it’s also a looker.
This is a compact gaming mouse with some pleasantly understated style. It’s designed to be both ergonomic and durable with a dirt-resistant, anti-wear coating that should keep things clean even for the messiest gamer.
The Kain 202 AIMO has a number of things going for it. Firstly, a battery life that means it can last up to 50 hours before it needs plugging in. Then there are the eight programmable buttons, which can be doubled up with Roccat’s Easy-Shift technology. Then a multitude of settings that include five customisable DPI levels up to 16,000, a tuneable click, scroll and pointer speed as well as adjustable lift-off distance.
Roccat claims the Kain 202 has ultra-fast Titan Click technology and an Owl-Eye optical sensor that make it agile, accurate and responsive. It shows too as this mouse is a real performer, both in game and out of it.
Verdict
Although the Roccat Kain 202 AIMO isn’t necessarily the most feature-packed mouse on our list, it is probably the most beautiful. Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but we love the white colour of this mouse and the durable bodywork that should keep it clean for yonks.
Beauty is more than skin deep too and that shows with this gaming mouse. Backed by a variety of features that include high DPI settings, some funky lighting and neat Easy-Shift button customisation too.
At this price, the Kain 202 is a bargain.
Best large gaming mouse
Roccat Kone AIMO
- Left/right clickable mouse wheel
- Three thumb buttons including Easy-Shift[+] button
- 12 customisable buttons, up and down DPI settings buttons with audio feedback
- Onboard memory for profile settings storage
- Standard button assignments and Easy-Shift settings
- DPI, double-click, scroll and pointer speed settings
- Lighting settings including AIMO intelligent lighting, snake, colour wave, fully lit, heartbeat and breathing
- 12,000 DPI max
If your hands are slightly on the large side, then choosing the right gaming mouse can be tricky. Comfort is a problem and you might find that your thumb can get in the way, at least we do anyway. The Roccat Kone AIMO might be the solution to these issues. It’s a larger gaming mouse, that strikes a brilliant balance between comfort and functionality. It’s not too big, it’s just perfect. For right-handed gamers, this mouse is a great choice.
The Kone AIMO has four lighting zones – the two strips left and right and on either side of the mouse wheel that are controlled by the Roccat Swarm software. You can even set different colours for the inner and outer parts of these lighting areas or use a gradient, making it flexible and colourful too.
It’s larger than your average mouse and feels more comfortable in the hand. The design includes three side buttons on the left side of the mouse and a slight recess that works nicely as a thumb rest. We found this to be particularly comfortable and it prevented any issues we have with our thumb getting in the way during gaming sessions. The button on the bottom of this recess also works as the Easy-Shift button. This is an interesting design in itself.
The Easy-Shift button works by allowing you to change any of the 12 programmable buttons to a secondary setting. When you press and hold that button the Easy-Shift mode is activated. So, for example, in an FPS game you could set the left mouse button to fire by default, then reload your gun while in Easy-Shift. This feature allows for quick actions in the midst of gameplay.
That’s a basic setting too, there’s also the option for recording macros, assigning hotkeys, multimedia keys, even setting a timer. Pressing the Easy-Shift button also changes the colour of the lighting, so you know when it’s engaged too. It’s amazing what a difference a simple feature can make to your gaming style.
The Roccat Kone AIMO is supported by Roccat’s Swarm software that opens up a mass of options and settings. There are five programmable profiles here, each with five DPI switching modes, vertical/horizontal scroll speeds, double-click speeds, lighting settings and more.
Other highlights of this design are the different lighting modes. Although there aren’t as many as you might see on other gaming devices, there are plenty and some of them are especially cool. Snake, for example, sees the light moving around on your mouse in a similar manner to the game that was made popular on Nokia mobile phones in the 1990s.
For gaming, you have a mass of buttons at your fingertips. Simple things like having left and right click on the mouse wheel means there’s more to customise and more flexibility when you need it. A great mouse like this can make all the difference when you’re gaming and it’s nice to see that every aspect of the design has been considered here.
Verdict
The Roccat Kone AIMO is a large gaming mouse that’s feature-packed and a joy to use. It’s both comfortable and fully-functional. There’s a lot to like here and if you’re considering your options, this mouse should certainly be on your list. Some of the settings might seem unnecessarily over the top, but that’s the norm in the gaming world and the options are there when you need them.
Best MOBA/MMO mouse
Corsair Scimitar RGB Elite
- 18,000 DPI
- 17 customisable buttons
- 4 RGB lighting zones
- 122g weight
- Palm grip design
- 3 onboard memory profiles
MMO and MOBA gamers are generally a different breed of player. They’re often found trying to micromanage and pull off all sorts of moves with multiple macros and complex button presses.
Corsair has been catering to these games for a fair while with the Scimitar gaming mouse. Now the Scimitar RGB Elite has come along as the latest iteration. This is a serious bit of kit and yet doesn’t cost the earth.
It’s a high DPI capable mouse with a whopping 17 programmable buttons. 12 of which are located on the left-hand side for fast and easy access with your thumb in the middle of a game.
This button riddled side panel is also customisable as it’s designed to slide up and down the side of the mouse. Simply loosen it with the accompanying tool, reposition and tighten up again and you’re good to go.
As you might expect, all these buttons and the others on the mouse are customisable within Corsair’s iCue software. You can remap all the buttons, adding different button presses, macros, functions, enhanced actions and more. If 17 is too many you don’t need some you can even disable them here too.
The side buttons are also styled to make them comfortable and easy to identify when you’re playing with some being textured and some not, so it’s easy to tell where your thumb is and what you’re pressing.
Aside from multiple buttons, the Scimitar RGB Elite shines in other areas too. It has five customisable levels of DPI, that can be switched up and down on-the-fly via the buttons on top of the mouse. You can also set a sniper mode button to press and hold for ultra-low DPI when the need arises.
Verdict
The Scimitar RGB Elite might be designed with MMO/MOBA gamers in mind, but it’s also flexible and customisable in more than enough ways to keep it interesting. A contoured design, pink finger rest and a reasonable price tag make this a gaming mouse well worth considering.
Others to consider
Speedlink Tarios gaming mouse
- 12 programmable buttons incl. DPI switch and rapid-fire button
- High-end 12,000dpi (up to 24,000dpi interpolated)
- Weight-tuning system, with 3 additional weights
- Colours, macros and buttons all software customisable
The Speedlink Tarios is an interesting potential choice if you’re looking for something more affordable but without scrimping on features. This mouse takes all the high-end features of other mice on this list and crams them all into a much cheaper device.
These features include 12 programmable buttons, up to 24,000 max DPI, adjustable on-the-fly DPI switching and a weight adjustment system. An interesting highlight for us is the inclusion of a “rapid fire” button that you can use as an alternative to fast-fingered mashing. This button is great for double-tapping bullets in FPS games or firing in bursts with full-auto weapons without changing in-game settings for example.
All told, the Speedlink Tarios is as surprising as it is fun to play with.
Corsair Ironclaw RGB Wireless
- 2.4GHz 1ms wireless, low-latency Bluetooth 4.0 or wired USB connection
- Three individually customisable RGB lighting zones
- 1.8 metre braided USB cable
- 18,000 max DPI adjustable in 1 DPI steps
- Up to 50 g max acceleration and 400 IPS
- On-the-fly DPI switching via buttons and sniper mode
- Ten programmable buttons
- 1000Hz/500Hz/250Hz/125Hz report rate
The Corsair Ironclaw is one of our very favourite gaming mice – especially if you’re a gamer with larger hands and need something reliable, capable and feature-packed.
It’s a wireless mouse that uses Corsair’s 2.4Ghz Slipstream wireless technology or Bluetooth (your choice). In the latter mode, it is capable of a whopping 50 hours of use before it needs charging. The highlights for us though, come in the form of the mass of programmable buttons, easy DPI switch buttons and Sniper button that drops you into an ultra-low DPI for accurate shots in game.
The Ironclaw also offers the ability to reprogram the 10 different buttons whichever way you see fit. Whether that’s setting macros, remapping buttons, setting up specific actions like launching applications or just minor tweaks, the options endless.
All rounded off in a relatively inexpensive package that’s eye-catching too.
Roccat Kain 120 Aimo
- Roccat Owl-Eye optical sensor with max 16,000 DPI
- Adjustable lift-off distance
- 50G acceleration
- 400ips maximum speed
- 1000Hz polling rate
- AIMO illumination with 16.8 million colour RGB illumination
The Roccat Kain 120 Aimo is an interesting smaller mouse available at an appealing price point. This is a feature-rich gaming mouse that could be easily overlooked. If you prefer your mice to verge on the small side, then this one might be for you. Highlights include a lightweight 89-gram design with a refined and comfortable shape. As well as a max 16,000 DPI adjustable in up to five different levels via the Swarm software and switchable on the fly with the DPI button.
You also get the ability to customise the button assignment, even taking advantage of Roccat’s Easy-Shift[+] tech to double up potential button usage with a single extra keypress. Bright and interesting RGB lighting also comes from the Roccat logo and mouse wheel too. In short, the Kain 120 Aimo is a surprisingly comfortable, capable and cunning gaming mouse that’s worth considering.