The Best Gaming Mice, According to Gamers

Twitch streamerJenna Stoeber, who also produces video essays about video games, says this is her go-to mouse for any games that require a lot of accuracy and aiming, such asFallout 76.“It’s fast, tactile, and has a handy reprogrammable side button,” she says, adding that its slightly wing-shaped thumb rest is particularly comfortable. Most important, though, it can switch between wired and wireless connections: wired for lower latency and faster response times, wireless for easier movement. When used in wireless mode, Alienware says it should last up to 350 hours.

It has seven programmable buttons, but as with all gaming mice, you’ll need to use the company’s software to access those customizations. Stoeber also notes that this mouse has some light-up points — such as the Alienware logo — with customizable colors that can be changed from within the app.

Streamerjoshsekisays this ultracomfortable and lightweight mouse is his go-to for everything. He uses it when playingOverwatch,Valorant,and even cozy games likeMapleStory.“The weight is the biggest thing for me,” he says. “It’s superlight and feels like an extension of my hand.” Even during eight-hour streams, he says it remains comfortable throughout, and its aim is always precise. It’s also quite customizable with eight programmable buttons. “I have specific profiles set up so that my side buttons do different things depending on whether I’m casting spells in an MMO (massively multiplayer online role-playing games) or using abilities inDeadlock,” he says.

If you need a mouse that has a button for every in-game function imaginable, the Razer Naga — which has 19 programmable buttons — is the mouse to get. It’s so good that streamerDontRachQuithas one for her gaming PC and one for her laptop. While her older model has only 12 customizable buttons, that’s still more than enough to be handy for heavy gameplay. “Being able to have quick access to immediately press 12 buttons with my mouse is such a game changer for me,” she says. “I struggle to reach past the 5 on the keyboard when my fingers rest on [the keys] W, A, S, D.”

Unlike the Viper, which requires a USB dongle to connect to your computer, the Naga also works over Bluetooth. When using the USB connector, Razer says the mouse can work for up to 250 hours on a single charge. Switching to Bluetooth brings that limit up to 400 hours, but the connection may not be as reliable.

YouTuberGab Smolders, who often streams on Twitch, says she has always used Logitech mice because of their light weight and comfortable designs. She’s particularly fond of this mouse thanks to its noiseless clicks and because it handles her powerful clicking without issue. “With my ADHD, I tend to get a bit impatient sometimes and click many times in quick succession, to the point where my microphone would pick it up,” she says. “This mouse saved the day because the clicks are absolutely silent — I can click aggressively to my heart’s content.” Additionally, she notes, you can adjust how much resistance the mouse’s main click buttons provide; hers is set to maximum. “To match the aggression,” she says.

For those who want a wired mouse that’s durable and doesn’t have too many buttons, there’s Razer’s Mamba Tournament Edition. Elisaprey has been using her older version of this mouse for over eight years as its hefty weight (over double that of some wireless mice on this list) is more satisfying to move around. “It’s so important that I have accuracy when I shoot things or when I try to hit things,” she says, “I’m afraid a mouse that’s much lighter is just going to make my hands completely slip.”

“AfterShadow of the Erdtreecame out, I experienced basically a clawlike paralyzation in my grip,” Stoeber says. “I went to a doctor and they said, ‘You need to be doing something different.’” She landed on getting this trackball mouse for times when her wrist is feeling particularly strained. Rather than requiring you to move your wrist to control the mouse, you use your fingers to push a large ball around in place, putting less stress on your wrist. While they don’t work for shooters and other games that require precise aim and quick reactions, trackballs can work for puzzlers and other turn-based games.

Stoeber uses the Kensington Expert Mouse for any games that are click and drag based. It has four programmable buttons plus a large wheel around the trackball that she says is satisfying to use for scrolling web pages and documents. “Because a mouse’s scroll wheel is so short, you can’t spin on it quite as much,” she says. “This one I can really just let fly.”