As gamers, most of us pay a lot of attention to our CPUs, GPUs, and fancy cooling fans. It’s easy to overlook the accessories, but things like a quality gaming mouse can be the difference between a pro-level experience and a lackluster one. The next obvious question: so, which is the best gaming mouse to buy?
There’s no “one size fits all” when it comes to gaming mice, both literally and figuratively. The physical size and shape of a mouse is important, particularly if you have above- or below-average sized hands or are left-handed.
Other factors to consider are the wired vs wireless debate, DPI (dots per inch, a measure of how many pixels the mouse can move when you move it one inch), and the customization options.
There are dozens of quality models on the market, and we considered a range of factors in coming up with our top picks, both in terms of the hardware itself and who a given mouse would be most suited to. Whatever your needs and budget, these are the best gaming mice of 2023.
- Weight: 2.8 oz
- DPI: 26,000
- Buttons: 8
- Connection: Wireless
- Weight: 3.9 oz
- DPI: 25,600
- Buttons: 11
- Connection: Wireless
- Weight: 4.6 oz
- DPI: 12,000
- Buttons: 6
- Connection: Wired
Best Gaming Mouse: Razer Basilisk V3
The Razer Basilisk V3 is one of the most popular gaming mice on the market, and for good reason. It has a comfortable, ergonomic design (for right-handed gamers, at least), along with 11 programmable buttons for plenty of customization options.
It also has the signature Razer Chroma RGB lighting, which lets you customize the backlights and syncs with other Razer gear.
At up to 26,000 DPI, this is a highly sensitive and accurate mouse. Of course, most gamers don’t use such sensitive settings all the time, which is why the Basilisk offers on-the-fly DPI adjustments via programmable buttons. This lets you change your settings instantly to adapt to changing gameplay (to up your DPI when you switch to sniping, for example).
The Basilisk V3 is wired, but features a unique drag-free cord design. This makes the mouse feel more like a wireless mouse, while performing like a wired model. For this reason, along with its competitive price point, we consider this the best wired gaming mouse on the market.
For those who prefer wireless, there are also two wireless versions of the Basilisk available, the Ultimate and the Hyperspeed.
The downside of this model, and all Razer mice, is the Synapse software that you use to customize the settings. Not only is the current version Windows-only (sorry, Mac owners!), you need to sign up for a Razer account just to use it. We don’t think this should be necessary for a piece of hardware.
If you can deal with the software annoyances, they’re the only real problem with what is otherwise an excellent gaming mouse. If you’re a Mac user, the one upside is that if you can borrow a Windows PC for a few minutes, any setting changes you make will carry over on your usual machine.
Buy on AmazonBest Wireless Gaming Mouse: Logitech G Pro Wireless
For those looking for a portable, lightweight option, the Logitech G Pro Wireless is a great choice. This is perhaps the best lightweight gaming mouse, clocking in at just 2.8oz with a compact yet comfortable design. The G Pro Wireless is symmetrical, which makes it appropriate for both right and left handed gamers.
The Logitech G Pro Wireless was designed and built in collaboration with 50+ eSports professionals, who provided feedback after testing various versions of the mouse. This rigorous collaboration shows: the G Pro Wireless offers excellent performance, a 1ms report rate (ie, it reports its position to the computer 1000 times per second), and accuracy up to 16,000 DPI.
This is a higher-end gaming mouse, so the price point is above average. This is the only real downside of the G Pro Wireless, but if you can stomach the price tag, it’s the best wireless gaming mouse on the market today.
Buy on AmazonBest Budget Gaming Mouse: Logitech G203
For gamers on a budget, it’s tough to beat the Logitech G203 Lightsync Gaming Mouse. This lightweight wired mouse delivers stable and consistent performance at a very reasonable price. At up to 8000 DPI, it’s precise enough for most gamers, and you can easily cycle through up to five custom DPI settings at the click of a button.
There’s three-zone RGB lighting built in, and the mouse itself is available in three different colors: white, blue, and lilac. The comfortable, classic design is surprisingly durable for an inexpensive model, and includes mechanical spring button tensioning for reliable performance.
There’s nothing particularly fancy about the G203, but it does a good job at a low price, and that’s all we ask for at this end of the market. The only real downside (for some) is that the G203 is a bit on the small side, so gamers with larger hands may find it a bit too cramped for comfort.
Buy on AmazonBest Gaming Mouse for Big Hands: Logitech G903 Lightspeed Wireless
For those of us with larger hands, many gaming mice simply don’t feel very comfortable. The shape and relatively small size of a traditional gaming mouse can feel cramped, and even lead to finger pain and other issues.
Fortunately there are a few models that buck the trend: due to its larger size, the Logitech G903 Lightspeed Wireless is the best gaming mouse for big hands.
The G903’s design is comfortably large, without feeling bulky or too heavy. It’s also ambidextrous thanks to its symmetrical design, so both right and left-handed gamers will be happy.
Although it’s wireless, it performs just as well as most wired gaming mice. With Logitech’s Lightspeed wireless tech, the G903 has a 1ms report rate. This, combined with a high 25,600 maximum DPI, makes it a quick, responsive, and highly accurate gaming mouse.
The G903 also offers exceptional battery life, giving up to 140 hours on a single charge with the RGB lighting enabled, and up to 180 hours with it switched off. The mouse also works with the Logitech Powerplay wireless charging system (sold separately), which is a combination mouse pad and wireless charging system.
The only real downside of this device is its higher price. That’s especially true when you pair it with the wireless charging system, which roughly doubles the cost.
Buy on AmazonBest Gaming Mouse for Small Hands: Logitech G Pro Gaming FPS
For those with smaller hands, the Logitech G Pro Gaming FPS Mouse is a great option. This model is similar to the G Pro Wireless (included above as our budget pick,) but this wired model is slightly narrower and thinner than the wireless version.
This mouse has similar features to the G Pro Wireless. It has six customizable buttons, complete with onboard memory to save your settings. The RGB lighting is fully customizable and can sync with other Logitech G Pro gaming gear, while the mechanical spring button system delivers reliable and consistent performance.
Logitech designed this mouse, and its wireless cousin, in collaboration with eSports professionals. As such, this is a finely-tuned device in terms of performance and accuracy. With up to 12000 DPI, the optical gaming sensor offers strong tracking accuracy, and it’s perhaps the best FPS gaming mouse for casual and competitive players alike.
The price point on this mouse is a bit above average, particularly for a wired mouse. With that said, the reliable performance of this device makes the cost worthwhile, especially so for gamers with smaller hands or who just prefer the feel of a compact mouse.
Main image via EKKAPHAN CHIMPALEE/Shutterstock.com, product images via Amazon
About the Author
