When it comes to the best gaming mouse, you're not just getting a responsive clicker for highly competitive gameplay, but also a comfortable and hugely customizable experience for your daily gaming (and non-gaming) routines. Plus, it doesn't hurt that it adds a touch of style to your PC setup.
Over the years, we've tested dozens of gaming mice of all shapes, sizes and flashy RGB lighting. You'll find some are fantastic all-rounders while others are better fit for a specific type of game, such as massively multiplayer online games (MMO) or first-person shooters (FPS). Then there are lightweight speedsters and more chunkier, grounded options.
My personal favorite is the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2, as it nails everything you'd want from a gaming mouse. Its 32,000 DPI, 4,000Hz polling rate and great-feeling matte finish make it the go-to mouse for most. But now the Fnatic X Lamzu Maya 8K has swooped in to try and take the crown. Although, if value is a priority, the SteelSeries Rival 3 does a stellar job at offering a high-quality gaming experience with affordability in mind.
Whatever your playstyle, there's a mouse with your name on it. For something more office-friendly, check out the best mouse you can get right now. Otherwise, find the best gaming mouse for you below.
The quick list
Here's a quick overview of the best gaming mice you can buy right now based on our testing and reviews.
The best gaming mouse overall
The Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 is an incredible mouse for gaming. It boasts a maximum DPI of 32,000 and a 4,000Hz polling rate. It’s a no-frills mouse without any RGB lighting, a premium matte finish, and a light-as-air construction. It's the ultimate gaming experience for the competitively-minded.
The best gaming mouse for less
The Fnatic x Lamzu Maya 8K shows that a top-tier gaming mouse doesn't have to set you back too much, delivering excellently clicky switches, a high 8,000Hz polling rate and an ultralightweight design that's comfy to use. Even better if you're a fan of its stylish orange colorway.
Best budget gaming mouse
At $30, the SteelSeries Rival 3 has the brand's high-quality engineering, RGB lighting that is subtly tasteful, and the excellent software one expects from SteelSeries. The odd sensor hiccup and a lack of ambidextrous or ergonomic design are a disappointment. However, for its price, it's almost a no-brainer.
The best light gaming mouse
The Razer Viper V2 Pro ticks all the right checkmarks for a gaming mouse. Its virtually nonexistent weight and minimalist design make it comfortable to use for hours. The mouse also has epic battery life, and can literally last for weeks between charges. It’s a worthy successor to the Viper Ultimate.
The best wireless gaming mouse
The Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse plays as good as it looks, with its incredibly light weight, super-high 26,000 DPI and snappy wireless connectivity with its 2.4GHz dongle. It's pricey, but its 32-hour battery life and feature set more than make up for this.
The best mouse for FPS
The Razer Basilisk V3 improves on the Razer Basilisk V2’s great design, adding a better sensor and better gliding feet. The Basilisk V3 is especially helpful for FPS players who need to aim precisely, but it’s also a perfectly good all-purpose gaming mouse featuring many options via the Synapse app.
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The best mouse for MMO
The Razer Naga Trinity is arguably the best gaming mouse for MMOs. But thanks to its unique design, it can also be the best gaming mouse for MOBAs, or even action/adventure games. The 12-button configuration is incredibly useful for World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy XIV and other MMO favorites.
The best mid-range gaming mouse
For less than $100, the Cherry M68 stuns with its excellent sensor, clicky Huano switches and plentiful customization options. Whether you’re using it for casual gaming, or need a tournament-winning peripheral, this should be in high consideration for your next gaming mouse.
Best gaming mouse for Windows
The Glorious Model O 2 features a sleek, perforated design that makes it super light. It also has a max DPI of 26,000 and a 1,000Hz polling rate for precision aiming and shooting. Its RGB lighting is also stunning without looking tacky. However, it's only compatible with Windows 11 (sorry, macOS users!).
Read more below
As Computing Editor at Tom's Guide, I check out the latest in all-things peripherals, and that (thankfully) includes the best gaming mice. I'm (usually) a fan of Razer's offering of clickers, but that doesn't mean they're the best for everyone. There's a gaming mouse out there that will suit everyone's fancy, and our team and I have done the legwork to find the best of them.
The best gaming mouse you can buy today
Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what's best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate.
The best gaming mouse overall
The Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 is an outstanding mouse that builds on the Superlight’s biggest selling points. It is well-designed, high-performing, and the ideal mouse for gamers competing at the highest level.
The 32,000 DPI and 4,000Hz polling rate means you can depend on this mouse when you need it to perform its best. Though it's expensive at $154 on Amazon, you get exactly what you pay for. The Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 is the latest and greatest gaming mouse of the series so far, especially for competitive FPS players.
Read our full Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 review.
The best gaming mouse for less
Sporting the bright orange and iconic logo of the world-renowned Fnatic Esports organization, the Fnatic X Lamzu Maya 8K is one of the best mice we have used. Supporting a polling rate of up to 8,000Hz and boasting one of the most comfortable symmetrical case designs we have laid our fingers upon, there is a lot that sets this mouse apart from the crowd.
With two different models, the Maya and the Maya X, you can pick the one that best suits your hand size. I opted for the Maya X, taking advantage of the larger case size which fit comfortably into my hand. I was able to use the mouse for marathon MMO or RTS sessions without getting tired or my fingers aching, and this is definitely helped by the tiny 47g weight and buttery smooth PTFE skates underneath the mouse.
The Maya directly competes with the Logitech G Pro X Superlight to be the premier gaming mouse for competitive games, and in my eyes it largely succeeds — besides some minor annoyances like a subpar companion app. At just $119 for an 8K polling rate mouse, the Maya is a great deal for those looking to get the very best performing esports mice available right now, without spending big for the Logitech or Razer names.
Read our full Fnatic X Lamzu Maya 8K review.
The best budget gaming mouse
The SteelSeries Rival 3 is the mouse you want when you don't fancy blowing a wad of cash on a high-end Logitech gaming mouse, but still want a device that'll have you nailing headshots with a flick of your wrist. At a mere $30, the SteelSeries Rival 3 has the brand's high-quality engineering, RGB lighting that is subtly tasteful, and the excellent software one expects from SteelSeries.
For esports competitors, the mere 2.7 ounces of the SteelSeries Rival 3 is a boon, letting you quickly move it around without any worry of fatigue. But those with less of a competitive streak can also benefit from a light and precise gaming mouse. The odd sensor hiccup and a lack of ambidextrous or ergonomic design slightly knocks down the overall goodwill towards the mouse. But for its price, it's almost a no-brainer.
Read our full SteelSeries Rival 3 review.
The best light gaming mouse
The $150 Razer Viper V2 Pro is billed as a wireless esports mouse, but it’s also ideal for everyday use. This is due to the device’s lightweight, nondescript design, and its exceptional battery life. A slew of customization options via the Razer Synapse desktop app also lets you tailor the mouse's functionality to your tastes.
As the successor to the Razer Viper Ultimate, the Viper Pro 2 has a lot to live up to. But Razer fans can rest assured that the Viper Pro 2 lives up to its predecessor, and earns its premium over cheaper mice, such as the Razer Orochi.
Read our full Razer Viper V2 Pro review.
The best wireless gaming mouse
The Alienware Pro may be the company's first product aimed at professional gamers, but perhaps the first time's the charm in this case. Boasting a super-high 26,000 DPI, a lightweight design at 2.08 ounces and seamless connectivity with its 2.4GHz wireless dongle.
It's lovely to hold and glides across surfaces like few others, and is amazing for the vast array of FPS titles out there. The $149 price is steep, and the lack of RGB lighting can be a downer for those looking for it, but that can't take away from all-around greatness. What's more, it can last over 32 hours during use (and 120 hours battery life at 1KHz polling).
The Alienware Pro is a brilliant peripheral for pro and general gamers alike. If you can spare the cash, do yourself a favor and pick up this top-tier gaming mouse.
Read our full Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse review.
The best mouse for FPS
The Razer Basilisk V3 improves on the Razer Basilisk V2’s great design, adding a better sensor and better gliding feet. This time around, there's also a creative new feature: a scroll wheel that automatically adjusts, depending on whether you're making minute motions in a game, or scrolling through hundreds of rows in a a spreadsheet. The Basilisk V3 is especially helpful for FPS players who need to aim precisely, but it’s also a perfectly good all-purpose gaming mouse.
My only real issue with the Basilisk V3 is that I miss the less conventional "paddle" design from the previous model. Otherwise, bear in mind that the Razer Synapse software is robust, although it may take a few days to learn all of the options at your disposal.
Read our full Razer Basilisk V3 review.
The best mouse for MMO
The Razer Naga Trinity is arguably the best gaming mouse for MMOs. But thanks to its unique design, it can also be the best gaming mouse for MOBAs, or even action/adventure games. Rather than being stuck with a single style of thumb buttons, the Naga Trinity offers three swappable panels: one with two buttons, one with seven buttons in a “hex” pattern (really, “hept,” but let’s not split hairs) and one with a whopping 12 buttons.
The 12-button configuration is incredibly useful for World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy XIV and other MMO favorites, but the other two side panels ensure that you can use the Naga Trinity with just about any genre and still excel. It’s a large, heavy mouse, which is good for players with large hands, and the side panels are effortless to swap in and out. If you'd prefer a wireless model, consider the similarly excellent Razer Naga Pro instead.
Read our full Razer Naga Trinity review.
The best mid range gaming mouse
The Cherry M68 stands up against its competition with powerful performance and overall great build, making it an impressive gaming mouse that sets a high bar for the mid- to high-range of gaming mice.
It isn't exactly made for professional-level gameplay, seeing as its charging port is awkwardly placed at the side, but its hard to beat that under-$100 price. Plus, its high 26,000 max DPI, 2.4G wireless connectivity and comfortable build are all the makings of a premium gaming mouse. Oh, we're big fans of the clicky Huano switches.
The M68 is an easy recommendation for those looking for a high performance mouse that feels great to use. We recommend this over the "Pro" version, which comes with a 8,000Hz polling rate that can't be used to its fullest. Although, if you have the cash, it's still a great option.
Read our full Cherry M68 review.
The best gaming mouse for Windows
The Glorious Model O 2 lives up to its "glorious" moniker thanks to its maximum 26,000 DPI, 1,000Hz polling rate, vibrant RGB lighting and sturdy premium casing. Even if you're not a competitive gamer, you'll feel this gaming mouse's excellent performance. The fact it's only $79 serves to make this handy (pun intended) peripheral even better.
While the perforated design and the fact there's no software for Mac users might be off-putting to some, we think this gaming mouse's strengths far outweigh its weaknesses. If you want an all-around solid gaming mouse for Windows, the Glorious Model O 2 fits the bill.
Read our full Glorious Model O 2 review.
How to choose the best gaming mouse
There are three things to consider when buying a gaming mouse: design, features and price.
Design is probably the single most important consideration for a mouse. Ultimately, the best gaming mouse is the mouse that feels most comfortable in your hand; everything else really is secondary.
As such, you should see if you can hold a mouse before you commit to buying it. If not, at least consider whether you want a large mouse or a small mouse, a mouse with a high profile or one that’s low to the ground, a mouse with a ton of extra buttons or just a few, and so forth.
Extra features are another consideration. These include things like wireless connectivity, tunable weights, RGB lighting and swappable parts. The general rule here is that the more features you want, the more expensive a mouse will be. A wireless mouse with swappable parts can cost up to $150; a small mouse with just a few extra buttons and perhaps a light or two could cost $30, or even less, if you’re looking at older models.
Price is usually a function of how many features a mouse offers, but there’s another way to save: Buy mice from an older generation. (This doesn’t, however, mean “buy used mice.” That’s usually a bad idea.) Once a shiny, new version of a mouse comes out, the perfectly good older models often plummet in price.
How we test the best gaming mouse
To test gaming mice, we run them through at least four games across a variety of genres: usually FPS, RTS, RPG and MMO. We make sure we get a few hours of game time whenever possible. We also use mice for productivity for at least two days, in order to gauge the shape, comfort and overall design.
Software is another important part of a mouse’s evaluation, as almost every gaming mouse from a major manufacturer has access to a software suite. We analyze a software suite for functionality, ease-of-use and system resource drain. The best software packages are lightweight and easy to learn; weaker software packages tend to be unstable or convoluted.
Price factors into our evaluations as well, although “cheaper” does not always necessarily equal “better.” Instead, we believe that more expensive mice should offer more features, especially if they’re priced similarly to competing mice that offer similar feature sets. Cheaper mice should always be comfortable and effective in-game, although we don’t penalize them for offering simpler designs or fewer bells and whistles.
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