Best Gaming Mouse 2024 – Forbes Vetted

Connection: Wireless | Sensor: Optical | Polling rate: 4,000Hz | Weight: 63 grams | Battery life: Up to 90 hours | DPI: 30,000

Pros:

• Industry-leading DPI
• Ultra-low latency wireless connection possible
• Lightweight

Cons:

• Expensive
• Ultra-high DPI is not for beginners

If you’re serious about e-sports, one gaming mouse feature stands above all others—speed. This is where the Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro really shines, and the extra fraction of a second this mouse gives you can mean the difference between a solid kill/death ratio for multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games. When compared to Razer’s DeathAdder V3 Hyperspeed, which itself is no slouch, you get an extra 4,000 DPI of sensitivity, and an extra 250 IPS of tracking speed. At 30,000 DPI in total, the DeathAdder V3 Pro packs one of the the most sensitive sensors on the market at the moment. It’s almost bordering on overkill.

The DeathAdder V3 Pro is a little larger and heavier than its brother, but the positives far outweigh the negatives. The extra speed is more than enough to balance out the extra 8 grams you’ll be sliding across the desk. And that’s just when you compare it to the Hyperspeed. At just 63 grams in total, the DeathAdder V3 Pro is one of the lightest gaming mice on the market. Add a HyperPolling Wireless Dongle (sold separately) and you’ll have an 8,000 Hz connection that is as near to latency-free as you can possibly get. Keep in mind that the higher polling rates do affect battery life, though. You’ll only get 24 hours while boosting your DPI with the dongle.

Connection: 2.4GHz, Bluetooth | Sensor: Optical | Polling rate: 1,000Hz | Weight: 99 grams | Battery life: Up to 250 hours | DPI: 12,000

Pros:

• Saves up to five profiles for your games
• Can program all six buttons

Cons:

• No USB-C charging, takes one AA battery instead
• Low sensitivity compared to high-end options

If you’re not gaming professionally you probably don’t need to spend a fortune on a gaming mouse. Instead, save a few bucks and consider the Logitech G305 Lightspeed Wireless. It’s no surprise this is our budget pick: Logitech has dominated the budget-friendly gaming hardware market for a long time. 

The G305 is actually a solid all-rounder for the price, not excelling in any one department (other than affordability) but offering enough to be of use to almost any style of gamer. With 12,000 DPI sensitivity, it’s fast and sensitive enough to do the job in most instances. It also weighs under 100 grams and can last up to 250 hours on a single AA battery. The mouse packs six buttons in total with your thumb having convenient access to two of those.

Connection: Wireless | Sensor: Optical | Polling rate: 1,000Hz | Weight: 82 grams | Battery life: Up to 280 hours | DPI: 30,000

Pros:

• Great mix of speed, performance and weight
• No cost-increasing, superfluous features
• Incredible battery life

Cons:

• No RGB lighting
• A bit heavier than some other wireless options

Razer’s ever-growing line of PC gaming peripherals gets plenty of attention for its abundance of flashy RGB lighting features. But while these fireworks-show-rivaling effects are indeed impressive, they can also overshadow the equally impressive tech powering the products.

This isn’t an issue with Razer’s Viper V3 Hyperspeed, pro-level esports gaming mouse that ditches the flashy distractions. Lightweight, fast and packing the sort of precise performance that can make a big difference on the virtual battlefield, the Viper V3 Hyperspeed checks all the right boxes. The more conservative design is both easy on the eyes and ergonomic in hand—whether you’re jumping into a quick match or marathon session. Where the otherwise unassuming peripheral does draw attention to itself is with its whopping battery life. Running on a single AA battery, the Hyperspeed’s up-to-280 hours could teach the Energizer Bunny a thing or two. If you’re looking for premium performance in a lightweight, wireless mouse—and don’t care about a RGB light show—the Hyperspeed fits the bill and then some.

Connection: Wired | Sensor: Optical | Polling rate: 1,000Hz | Weight: 59 grams | Battery life: N/A | DPI: 8,500

Pros:

• Wired, so no batteries needed
• IP54 water resistance
• Affordable price

Cons:

• Limited buttons compared to competition
• Wired connection may be off-putting for some

Steelseries trimmed so much fat from the Aerox 3 that its weight came down to a mere 59 grams, making it one of the lightest gaming mice on the market. This helps you move faster and react quicker to what’s happening in a game, potentially giving you an edge over your adversaries.

Don’t worry about exposed electronics and accidental spills. The Aerox 3 features an “Aquabarrier” protection. This helps the mouse earn an IP54 water resistance rating—but while it can withstand accidental spills, don’t dunk this mouse in your fish tank. The Steelseries Truemore Core sensor has a sensitivity of between 200 and 8,500 DPI that’s adjustable in 100 DPI increments. It’s best used on a hard surface, though a dust-free cloth mousepad is fine. If you want to ditch the wire and don’t mind paying a premium for the privilege, there’s also the Wireless Aerox 3 ($75 at Amazon).

Connection: Wireless | Sensor: Optical | Polling rate: 1,000Hz | Weight: 107 grams | Battery life: Up to 140 hours | DPI: 25,000

Pros:

• Powerful and accurate optical sensor
• Extensive battery life with wireless recharging
• Uses Logitech’s fast Lightspeed wireless connection

Cons:

• Not as well suited to palm grip gamers

The Logitech G903 Lightspeed wireless gaming mouse has a long battery life, a fast polling rate and an optical sensor with support for 100-25,600 DPI sensitivity. It also has a number of reprogrammable buttons helping you to make the mouse your own, but its real selling point is its ambidextrous design. That makes it fantastic for finger grip gamers, but more importantly, it’s just as usable by left-handed gamers as it is with right-handed gamers.

The battery lasts 140 hours with RGB enabled, or if you don’t care for the subtle lighting, you can turn it off to extend the battery to 180 hours. With this mouse, you don’t necessarily need to worry about battery life, as it supports Logitech’s Powerplay mat via a wireless recharging system.

Connection: 2.4GHz, Bluetooth | Sensor: Optical | Polling rate: 4,000Hz | Weight: 126 grams | Battery life: Up to 300 hours | DPI: 30,000

Pros:

• Interchangeable side plates for extra customization
• Class-leading DPI
• Good battery life

Cons:

• May be a little large for some

Effective massively multiplayer online game (also known as MMOs) gaming requires a very particular type of mouse. Ideally you’ll want something comfortable so you won’t get fatigued during long sessions, and you’ll also need a lot of extra customizable buttons. Then you can assign attacks, macros and just about anything else to said buttons and make gameplay a lot simpler going forward. The Razer Naga V2 Pro not only ticks all of those boxes, but excels as a traditional gaming mouse.

It’s ergonomic enough to comfortably use for hours on end and features up to 12 programmable side buttons. Connect via low-latency dongle, and you can charge it wirelessly should you also own Razer’s wireless charging puck or mouse dock. The mouse’s side plates are also interchangeable, with two-, six- and 12-button options included. With minimal effort, this mouse becomes a solid all-rounder for most gaming styles, but it truly shines with MMOs. You can use it during the day and then swap in the extra buttons when it’s time to delve into a fantasy world. And, as a plus, its battery can last up to 300 hours on a single charge.

Connection: 2.4GHz, Bluetooth | Sensor: Optical | Polling rate: 8,000Hz | Weight: 54 grams | Battery life: Up to 95 hours | DPI: 35,000

Pros:

• Staggeringly high DPI
• Very lightweight
• Low latency

Cons:

• Expensive
• Very FPS-focused

Different games have different demands, and if first person shooters are your thing then you’re going to have very specific needs. All of those extra buttons you’ll see on an MMO-centric mouse are essentially useless, and instead you’ll need to focus on response times, click speed, tracking, and overall comfort. If you’re at a level where you need a specialist mouse, each split second is crucial.

And that’s where the Razer Viper V3 Pro stands out from its competition. It’s lightweight enough for those quick in-game movements, precise enough to pick off your target and responsive enough to give you an upper edge. 35,000 DPI might be overkill for most applications, but it will give you peace of mind in a world of fine margins. You can expect around 95 hours of battery life before it needs a recharge, too.

Connection: 2.4GHz, Bluetooth | Sensor: Optical | Polling rate: 1,000Hz | Weight: 47 grams | Battery life: Up to 120 hours | DPI: 26,000

Pros:

• Small and ultra lightweight for portability
• Specs that will satisfy all but the most elite gamers
• Solid battery life

Cons:

• Those with larger hands may struggle with their grip

The Turtle Beach Burst II Air won’t push any boundaries in terms of performance, and MMO gamers won’t have the ability to bind 40 macros to a multitude of different buttons. But at 47 grams, it’s a very functional gaming mouse that’s great for tucking into your carry-on. It also boasts an impressive 120 hours of battery life from a single charge, so there’s little to no chance of you running out of juice on the go. 

In terms of raw specs, the 26,000 DPI is fast and accurate enough for most gaming needs. If you feel you need the best of the best, then portability is far from your primary concern. You also have a choice between 2.4GHz wireless and Bluetooth— with a latency-free promise accompanying that 2.4GHz dongle. That said, because it’s so small, those with larger hands may struggle with its size.