Best Gaming Mouse in 2026: Wired and Wireless Mice

Best Overall

Logitech Pro X2 SuperStrike

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This lightweight gaming mouse uses new HITS mouse sensors that feel excellent in high-intensity esports games. And, well, the haptic feedback just feels cool.

For the last few years, it seems like the best gaming mice have been coming from the world of esports. It’s not hard to see why – after all, esport athletes need peripherals with the best possible performance, and that obviously spills over to less professional gamers. And that’s what makes the Logitech Pro X2 SuperStrike so good.

When my colleague Will Judd reviewed the X2 SuperStrike, he was blown away by how reactive the mouse felt when playing games. That reactivity comes from the new button sensors that Logitech calls “HITS” – subtle, right? That stands for Haptic Inductive Trigger System, and it uses special sensors that can tell how far a button has been clicked, while using the same kind of haptic feedback found in a MacBook keyboard to give you immediate confirmation that the mouse button has, in fact, been clicked.

That’s exciting technology for a gaming mouse either way, but it’s impressive that Logitech was able to fit it in such a thin and light package that weighs just 61g. It doesn’t hurt that it also has incredibly long battery life, lasting through 20 hours of testing, according to the reviewer.

Still, this is an expensive gaming mouse, coming in at $180. But that cost might be worth it, especially if you play a lot of Counter-Strike or Overwatch.

Razer Deathadder V4 Pro – Photos

Razer Deathadder V4 Pro

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Incremental improvements over the V3 make this Razer’s best-ever mouse, with flawless gaming performance and long battery life.

Razer’s Deathadder has lived high on this list for years, and each version just gets better. The V4 Pro is no exception: Razer has upgraded everything from the sensor to the scrollwheel, and although some of the changes are incremental they add up to a noticeable leap forward.

This is a light, comfortable, sturdy, competitive gaming mouse that doesn’t look flashy – no RGB or obnoxious logos – but has specs you can boast about. The 45K sensor is overkill, as is the 8K polling rate, but this is the kind of mouse you could buy and keep for years as you upgrade the rest of your setup.

I gave it a 9 in our review: It performed flawlessly in every game, with precise tracking and ultra-responsive clicks on both its main two buttons and the two side buttons. It’s comfortable to use for hours at a time no matter what grip you favor, and I even like the USB dongle it comes with, which has three indicator lights to tell you everything you need about your mouse at a glance. The cherry on top is the battery, which will last 150 hours at 1K polling rate. That’s more than I’ll ever need.

It is expensive, but $169.99 is by no means absurd for a mouse that feels cutting edge. It’s going to take something special to knock it off the top spot.

SteelSeries Rival 3 (Gen 2) – Photos

SteelSeries Rival 3 Gen 2

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Save with this impressively capable wired mouse offering six programmable buttons and a TrueMove Core Optical sensor for outstanding tracking.

The specs sheet of the SteelSeries Rival 3 Gen 2 is unremarkable, and you’ll find lower latency mice on this list, but it’s still more than accurate and responsive enough for competitive gaming, and the max 1,000Hz polling rate is plenty for most people. Plus, the price is hard to beat: The wired version is just $35/£35, and the wireless version regularly dips below $50/£50.

The Gen 2 is an upgrade because of lower click latency, smooth-glide 100% PTFE feet, and, for the wired version, a cord that tangles less often. Both versions of this mouse are comfortable to use for claw and fingertip grip (if you’re a palmer, look elsewhere), and both are solidly built, feeling far more premium than their price tag suggests.

So, wired or wireless? The wireless version boasts impressive battery life – 100 hours on 1,000Hz polling rate, longer if you turn that down or connect via Bluetooth – but it’s very heavy at more than 100g, making it feel less agile in your hand than the wired version. It also lacks the customizable RGB on the base of the wired version, if you care about that.

The wired version is therefore easier to recommend but the wireless version is still a very good affordable mouse.

SteelSeries Aerox 3

SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless

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The Aerox 3 is one of SteelSeries’ best gaming mice; it’s super lightweight, has a long-lasting battery, and sports a great optical sensor that allows for lightning-fast, yet accurate swipes.

Sticking with SteelSeries, the Aerox 3 is a flashy mouse that looks loud. The triangular cutouts at the palm and the bright RGB may seem over the top, but in actual use, its effects are quite nice (which you can customize through SteelSeries’ software). If you’re worried about damaging the internals, they’re guarded so it’s not actually exposed. None of that would matter if the Aerox 3 wasn’t fit for gaming, and thankfully it’s one of my favorite wireless mice you can get on sale for around $50 to $60. That makes it a great value for an all-rounder.

In our Aerox 3 gaming mouse review, it earned a 9 for holding its own in competitive shooters with SteelSeries’ TrueMove Air optical sensor (topping out at 18,000 DPI) while not having to eat up too much battery – although battery life has evolved in brand new wireless mice, the Aerox 3 still isn’t a slouch and charges fast, if anything. It’s a bit tough to find a flashy, high-performance wireless mouse at this price range, making the Aerox 3 my current recommendation for a budget wireless mouse.

Logitech G403 Hero

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With its ergonomic shape, rubberized texture for grip, and fast and accurate sensor, the G403 is one of the best all-around gaming mice available.

The Logitech G403 has been a personal favorite for many years as I see it as the spiritual successor to an all-time favorite, the MX 518 from decades ago. Its grooves and super grippy rubberized texture on the sides make it easy to pick up and swipe around despite it being a bit on the heavier side of mice (although I will admit that the material picks up grime more so than others). I really like how large the G403 is since I have big hands, and that makes a palm grip very comfortable. However, its size is something to note if you prefer something smaller.

One thing I’ve always loved about it more than even brand-new top-line mice is the chunky and clicky side buttons – this makes them easy to use and distinguish from one another, which is helpful since I use them often. It’s outfitted with the same super-accurate Hero sensor as all of Logitech’s high-performance mice, making it a great value to get the same quality sensor in a reasonably-priced wired mouse. I also just like the simple aesthetic of the Logitech G product line, especially with this one being rounded and elegant with just the Logitech “G” and scroll wheel strip giving a bit of RGB lighting to boot.

Corsair Scimitar Elite Wireless MMO – Photos

Corsair Scimitar Elite

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The Scimitar Elite is one of the best multi-button gaming mice for its ergonomic design and adjustable textured side buttons. It’s easy to grip despite its extra features, making it perfect for MMOs/MOBAs and productivity.

I tend to stick with normal-style mice regardless of the game I’m playing, but whenever I do try out a new multi-button mouse designed for MMORPGs or MOBAs, I always compare it to the Corsair Scimitar. And with the latest iteration in the Scimitar Elite, I’ve yet to find one that can top what Corsair seems to have perfected.

It’s a tricky thing to juggle; having upwards of 12 side buttons across your thumb while still being ergonomically sensible to use like a normal mouse is no easy feat. Still, I wasn’t afraid of accidentally activating one of the side buttons because they have a necessary firmness to them, which is what makes the Scimitar Elite so good. Those side buttons also have a nice tactile surface to them. By alternating the texture type of each column of buttons, it’s easy to distinguish which set of buttons you’re touching, and in turn, pressing down. It’s a simple and smart design, and I’d be hard-pressed to think of a way a new model or different brand can improve on what the Scimitar Elite already does.

Granted, this is a heavy mouse given all the buttons and additional internals required to make it all work, but this isn’t a mouse you’ll be swiping frantically for lining up flick shots in a Counter-Strike match. Although we’re here to focus on gaming, the 12 side buttons also come in handy in video production, photo editing, or data management since you can map shortcuts to them. It’s a pretty hyper-specific niche to fill, but after hands-on testing of the Corsair Scimitar Elite is an easy recommendation if you prefer this style of mouse and can benefit from its features in MMOs or MOBAs.

HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini – Photos

HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini

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Beyond just being the shrunken counterpart, the Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini is a solid all-rounder and fully featured gaming mouse.

It’s a bit tough to find compact versions of popular gaming mice, which helps the HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini stand out and shine bright. The original Pulsefire Haste 2 is a great mouse to begin with (and oddly enough, its larger size was one of my favorite aspects about it), but shrinking that down to something noticeably smaller is more than just a novelty as I found in my review. It still sports a sleek look with a bit of RGB flair and still has a grippy material necessary for a fingertip-style grip, which is how I use a mouse this small. However, the reduction in overall height and depth (or rather, vertical length) make it easier to wield.

Those with smaller hands might not have fun with the likes of the larger Logitech G703 or Razer Viper V3 Pro, but with something like the Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini, they don’t have to make many (if any) compromises when it comes to gaming performance. You can find mice even smaller or lighter, but HyperX is able to include the high-performance Precision 26K sensor and long battery life, which are key features for a proper gaming mouse. It also includes Bluetooth connectivity which adds some versatility as a mouse to take on the go for work. So, beyond just being the shrunken counterpart, the Pulsefire Haste 2 Mini is a solid all-rounder as well.

Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2

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The Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 might be the perfect lightweight gaming mouse. Its simple curved shape will fit most hands and most grips, and is comfortable for long sessions. The Hero 2 sensor is fast and responsive, the left and right mouse clicks are reliable, and the shell of the mouse is durable. At 60g, it’s light enough that you can whip it effortlessly around your mouse pad and it’ll feel like an extension of your hand.

There’s very little to criticize here, other than Logitech’s G Hub software – confusing and prone to bugs – and the lack of Bluetooth connectivity.

As our review noted, it’s not a massive upgrade to the original Superlight – but since we wrote that, Logitech has updated the mouse’s firmware to support 4K and 8K polling rates. Polling rate isn’t everything, as we’ll explain at the end of this list, but it does differentiate this mouse more from the original and make it a viable option for anyone who enjoys 4K or 8K.

And there’s now a smaller variant, the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2c. It is every bit as good but more compact, in case that’s what you prefer.

Corsair Sabre V2 Pro – Photos

Corsair Sabre V2 Pro

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It’s 36g! Corsair’s Sabre V2 Pro really does need to be held to be believed. It puts other “lightweight” mice – often weighing between 50g and 60g – to shame. Lighter does not necessarily mean better, of course, but when combined with its comfortable shape and grippy coating it makes this mouse a joy to use.

All that weight-shedding does have a cost. You get no Bluetooth and a smaller battery than normal: Corsair says it will last up to 70 hours, but we got between 50 and 60 when we reviewed it. And although it generally feels sturdy, there’s a spot in the shell that you can press down if you try, which is quite alarming, and the scroll wheel press feels horrible, too.

But the drawbacks are worth it. If you know you like lighter mice, you’re bound to like the Sabre V2 Pro.

Logitech G502X Lightspeed Mouse – Photos

Logitech G502 X Lightspeed

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Logitech brings its high-performance Hero sensor to the ergonomic workhorse in the G502. Its deep grooves, solid grip, and wide base make it super comfortable and the extra buttons elevate it as a productivity workhorse.

If you want a true ergonomic gaming mouse you’ll need an upright mouse or a trackball, but if you want a comfy mouse that will both cradle your hand and track your movements accurately, then the Logitech G502 X Lightspeed is a good pick. Its deep thumb groove and curvy body suit any grip, and when I tested it for my review I used it for multiple long gaming sessions without any aches or pains.

It has far more extra buttons than most gaming mice, with three on the side for your thumb and two on top, next to your main left click. Mapping controls to those buttons – or even commands outside of games – will help keep your keyboard hand rested, too. And although it’s slightly larger and heavier than most mice, it’s not as big and hefty as you might think by looking at it. If you’ve got slightly smaller-than-average hands, or bigger, you’ll be absolutely fine. My one gripe is that if you use a palm grip, you might find it tricky to reach one of the side thumb buttons, but that’s not a big enough flaw to stop me recommending it.

As a mouse from 2022, it’s starting to show its age: It only goes up to 1K polling rate, lower than many of its competitors, and none of its buttons feel quite as satisfying as the best more contemporary mice. But the benefit is that it’s often on sale, and you can regularly find it for around $100. It’s solid value at that price.

The X Plus is the version with RGB, but the Lightspeed has better battery life, is slightly lighter, and has a lower retail price.