If you want to be competitive in PC games these days you can forget about using a run-of-the-mill office mouse. Instead, you’ll need a powerful device that’s optimized just for gaming.
Manufacturers go to great pains to design specialist devices that give players an edge, with enhancements like unique body sizes and shapes, customizable weight, and extra grips to increase speed and accuracy. On top of that, the best gaming mice have unique hardware enhancements like highly sensitive sensors and complex button configurations to keep up with fast paced games.
Deciding on the right mouse is a highly personal decision that needs careful consideration. Factors like the size and shape of your hand, your preferred grip style, the types of games you play, and the number of buttons you need, are all factors that you’ll want to ponder in your quest for the best gaming mouse.
Below you’ll find a list of tried-and-tested devices selected by PCWorld reviewers that sit among the vanguard of gaming mice. For a rundown on how they were selected and further buying advice, read our helpful advice below our list of recommendations.
Updated 3/01/23 to include the Keychron M3 as our pick for the best wireless gaming mouse. In addition to its flexible connectivity (dual wireless and wired), this mouse is extremely lightweight and comfortable, with some of the quickest buttons we’ve used. Scroll below to learn more about this mouse and our other top picks.
1. Logitech G502 Hero – Best wired gaming mouse / Best overall
Pros
- Incredibly comfortable
- Buttons now rated for 50 million clicks
- Hero sensor performs as well as the PWM3366
Cons
- More expensive than the previous model, but not much has changed
- Fairly heavy, which might dissuade some users
- Still no wireless option
Logitech’s G502 mouse has gained a legendary status here at PCWorld by making our ‘Best of’ list every year for the last four years, hitting the right notes for power, comfort, and durability. Under the hood the G502 is powered by a very accurate Logitech Hero sensor, whose precise performance is highly sought after by serious gamers.
In the design department, it offers up dollops of comfort with an elongated pill-shaped body and high scoop that’s equally suitable for palm, claw, or fingertip users. MMO and MOBA gamers are well catered to with 11 well-placed buttons that respond quickly and are rated for up to 50 million clicks. Admittedly, the mouse’s 121 gram weight doesn’t make it the lightest option available, but yet it feels and performs just as well as lighter alternatives.
2. Keychron M3 – Best wireless gaming mouse
Pros
- Very fast and precise 26,000 DPI sensor
- Well-proportioned and very comfortable
- The quickest buttons I've ever used
Cons
- It would have been more convenient for the DPI button to be placed where the RGB button currently sits
- Mac users will have to wait on the software app
- The M3 is currently only available for order on the Keychron website
Few gaming mice can cater to a gamer’s varying connectivity needs, which is why the Keychron M3 is so unique. It sports not one, but three connectivity options, including low-latency 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.1, and wired connectivity via a USB cable, so that you can connect it up to just about any device in your home. What’s even more impressive is that the Keychron M3 weighs a lowly 79 grams, which makes it one of the lightest gaming-grade mice with wireless connectivity you can get.
In the hardware department too, the M3 is very fortunate, sporting an extremely quick 26,000 DPI sensor with flawless tracking. It proved just ideal for precision moving and aiming in my playtesting. This sensor is backed up by some of the quickest buttons I’ve ever used; they’re powered by Kailh GM 8.0 micro switches.
The M3’s buttons have also been designed with gamer convenience in mind. You get nine in total, but four allow you to change various settings like the polling rate, RGB lighting, connectivity mode, and DPI settings on the fly without having to go into Keychron’s M3 companion software app. It’s hard to believe, but you get all this for just $49, which makes the Keychron M3 an exceptional value buy that’s likely to quickly run off shelves this year.
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3. Mad Catz R.A.T. 8+ – Best gaming mouse for tinkerers </h3>
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<p class="product-chart-subTitle">Pros</p>
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Eminently customizable </li>
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Uses a reliable PMW3389 sensor </li>
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Feels durable </li>
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<p class="product-chart-subTitle">Cons</p>
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Customization options aren't always intuitive </li>
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Heavy, even with the weights removed </li>
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Hard to know whether Mad Catz peripherals are the more reliable nowadays </li>
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