How we rate the best gaming mouses

I believe everyone understands that PC gaming is quite an expensive affair, but in the end, it usually delivers unparalleled performance. Here is a good example, when you are buying a console, it usually comes with its own controller and other accessories and the only thing you’re left to invest in is a monitor. When it comes to PC gaming, you have to assemble your entire system one piece at a time. After getting yourself the best gaming keyboard and the best gaming monitor, the next step is on making sure that you also have the best gaming mouse. The thing about PC gaming is that ignoring a single unit can make all the difference and ruin the entire experience. Therefore, to dominate Fortnite, you need to keenly invest in every single piece so that you can end up with the ultimate system that will give you all the advantage you need.

Gaming Mouse Buying Guide

So, with hundreds of options available, how do you pick the best gaming mouse? To identify the best gaming mouse, you’ll need to switch on your techie side, if you have one and don’t worry if you don’t because we’ve got you covered. In this review, we will try and explain the factors that you need to consider in the simplest words possible for everyone to understand what they need to look for in a gaming mouse.

Grip

If you’re the kind that spends the entire night on a Homall Gaming Chair doing heists and playing poker on The Red Dead Redemption as I do, then grip has to be a priority. This is because the grip you’re getting from your mouse will directly determine just how comfortable your hand is, and this will determine how long you can spend gaming.

When it comes to grip, things can get really subjective because while I may be very comfortable with a certain type of grip, it may be unbearable to someone else. Here are the three choices you’ll have:

Palm – this grip makes sure that your entire hand rests on the mouse. Most people find it really comfortable and easy to maneuver as compared to the alternatives.

Claw – this is almost similar to the palm grip, but it is normally sculpted to arch the index and middle finger at a perpendicular angle. The guys who are used to this type of position will find it really easy to click the mouse, but it can get uncomfortable at times.

Fingertip – Your thumb, index, and middle finger will touch the mouse while the rest of your hand remains in the air or brushing your mousepad.

As I said, the ultimate choice here will depend on what you are used to.

DPI

Dots per inch or counts per inch refers to how many times a mouse reads the surface it is tracking. From this definition, you can tell that you need your mouse to have as many counts per inch as possible. This way, you won’t have to move your mouse too far to achieve the movement you are hoping for on the screen. Remember that a single second can make all the difference, especially in first shooter games.

Angle Snapping

Angle snapping is an excellent feature in a mouse if you are using it for your regular work stuff. However, when it comes to gaming, angle snapping can distort the type of movement that you are hoping to achieve since your hand and cursor movement will never be 1:1. This variation can make a very big difference when you are gaming. It is therefore advisable to avoid this feature or at least get a mouse that gives you the option of disabling it.

Lift-off distance (LOD)

This refers to the height the mouse has to be raised before it stops tracking the surface beneath. This feature is important if you tend to lift the mouse a lot maybe to try and reset it in your ideal location or if it’s just an intuitive habit you develop when things get intense in your games. In such instances, a low LOD is crucial as it will prevent erratic movements in your game when the mouse is lifted.

Wired vs. Wireless

Both wired and wireless gaming mice perform really well if you choose them properly. Initially, wired mice used to pose problems as the cables used to interfere with the movement of the mouse. The latest gaming mouse, fortunately, gotten rid of this issue by keeping the cable super light and improving the connection between the cable and mouse. Wireless mice have also come a long way, making them even more reliable and accurate. As I said, it shouldn’t matter a lot which of the two you choose if you pay close attention to the Bluetooth version or cables utilized.

Our Top Picks

1. CORSAIR M65 Pro RGB-FPS Gaming Mouse

The CORSAIR M65 PRO is designed to deliver the ultimate PC gaming experience. This mouse comes with up to 12000 DPI which is insane by any imaginable measure. With this level of sensitivity, you don’t just get super accurate movements, but you will gain a lot of speed in your gaming since even the slightest of movement is enough to get you the results you are looking for. With that level of pixel-precision and speed, what could possibly stop you from dominating the battlefield?

Moving away from the optical sensor, we have to mention the external designing of this mouse and boy; it is stunning! Every curve and edge is highly calculated to make sure that you get all the advantage you need both in terms of comfort and performance. Accessing all the eight buttons available is also super easy.

Through iCUE, you can customize all of these buttons to fit your style of play. They are all strategically placed, and hence, all the functions you need are within your reach. We must also recognize the sniper button included here. Customizing the mouse speeds to match with your specific game demands has never felt any easier. The high-mass scroll wheel is rubberized and wrapped with a metallic core boosting its tactile precision significantly while also keeping it durable.

The M65 Pro RGB also comes with three tuning zones that you can use to customize the weight of the mouse and its center of gravity. This should help you personalize the mouse to match your preference.

Other Features

• Customize the mouse with double macros
• Custom RGB lighting
• Large PTFE glide padding
• A surface calibration tuning utility
• A smart weight tuning system

2. Logitech G900 Chaos Spectrum Gaming Mouse

Coming at a close second is the Logitech G900 Chaos Spectrum Gaming Mouse. This amazing mouse is perfectly designed to work with both the left and right hand making it comfortable with every gamer out there.

The Logitech G900 comes with an adjustable count per inch of between 200-12000, and this is great in many ways. In as much as a high CPI is usually attractive, not everyone can operate with the highest CPI because the sensitivity can become too much for most people. The fact that the G900 allows you to adjust this all the way to just 200 means that everyone should be able to find their perfect sweet spot. To improve your performance even further, the mouse uses PMW3366 optical sensors that deliver unmatched tracking accuracy.

The Logitech G900 will also give you the option of using the mouse in either wired or wireless mode. When it is fully charged, you can use the mouse for up to 30 hours thanks to the Clock Tuning battery saving tech. This basically means that if you were to charge the mouse on Friday, then you can do some serious wireless gaming throughout the weekend. In its wired connection, the mouse will also perform brilliantly without any lag issues. Also, when the battery starts to run out, the mouse will issue alerts for you to get into the wired mode and continue gaming.

The mouse has various customizable buttons found on both sides. All the buttons can be programmed to DPI shifting, game macros, media controls, and many more. The metal spring tensioning system and pivot hinge will also improve both the speed and accuracy of your clicks.

Other Features

• RGB customizable lighting (up to 16.8 million colors, light patterns, and brightness to choose from)
• 200-12000 DPI with zero filterings and smoothing
• Pivot button design
• Compatible with Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10 or later
• Lightweight

3. Logitech G203 Prodigy RGB Wired Gaming Mouse

Logitech G203 Prodigy is yet another incredible gaming mouse engineered towards achieving almost instantaneous movement from your hand to the screen. The mouse offers between 200 to 8000 CPI which is nowhere as high as 12,000 as is the case with the other two gaming mice discussed above, but it still performs pretty well. Also, if we are honest, not everyone can game at 12000 CPI, and hence 6000 offers a good middle ground that most gamers will be comfortable with.

The manufacturer also boasts of integrated Advanced Button Tensioning in this mouse. In simple terms, this is some tech that is supposed to make it easier for you to interact with the buttons found here. Thanks to this tech, registering clicks is a lot faster and consistent, and you will also feel the clicks, and this should avoid repetitive clicks that can ruin your gaming. The technology also reduces the amount of pressure you need to put into registering a click. In the end, Advanced Button Technology will not just make it easier for you to use the mouse accurately, but it will also improve your gaming speeds significantly.

You can also spice up your gaming experience by using hundreds of game-driven lighting effects. You can also take advantage of the 16.8 million colors and different brightness levels to breathe some life to your gaming station.

Other Features

• On-the-fly CPI shifting
• Six programmable buttons
• Onboard memory
• Compatible with macOS 10.11 or later or Windows 7 or later
• Compatible with Chrome OSTM