If there is something that gamers cannot live without, it is probably the gaming mouse. For me, the gaming mouse is an essential part of a gamer’s arsenal mainly because it works in tandem with the keyboard. The gaming mouse also handles most of the actions and movement that the player must do in their games.

Now, you might be wondering, “what’s the main difference between a gaming mouse and an ordinary computer mouse?”. That is actually a very good question and I am going to be talking about it in the next section.

You can also read our buying guides for best monitors for gaming – best graphics cards for gaming – best gaming keyboards – Best Gaming headsets – and much more is coming.

What is a gaming mouse?

A gaming mouse is essentially a computer mouse with gamer-centric features. These features are the DPI, the mouse sensor used, whether it comes in wired or wireless format, just to name a few.

There are many things that a gamer wants in his or her gaming mouse. But unlike keyboards where you can essentially have one keyboard for different genres of games, the gaming mouse is different.

There are gaming mice out there that are specifically made for one genre. Of course, there are other gaming mice that are universal and can be used for a lot of different genres but if you gravitate towards playing only one genre, then you need a gaming mouse that will suit you.

In this article, I will talk about the gaming mouse, what to look for when you’re going to buy one, and I am also going to recommend some gaming mice based on different popular game genres.

What to look for when buying the best gaming mouse?

When you ask pro gamers out there, they want to have a gaming mouse that is comfortable to use for hours. Now, this can be subjective because there are a lot of grip styles people use when wielding a gaming mouse. The various grip styles are the finger grip, claw grip, and palm grip. Decide for yourself which gaming mouse you’re going to buy that suits your particular grip style. This is another important factor to consider when buying a gaming mouse. The weight of the mouse is important, especially in some gaming genres. For example, if you’re playing first-person shooters, having a light gaming mouse is preferred so you can make those fast-twitch movements necessary to gain the upper hand. There are also some people who prefer heavier mice as having a lighter gaming mouse might lessen their accuracy. If you want, buy a gaming mouse that has a weight system where you can just add weights whenever you want. Laser or Optical? One of the most popular questions asked when buying a gaming mouse is, “which sensor should I use?” There are two sensors that are commonly used in gaming mice: laser and optical sensors. Basically, the difference between them is the light they use to track movement. Laser sensors use a laser beam to track movement while an optical sensor uses an LED light. Back in the day, optical sensors are preferred because laser sensors are bad when using certain gaming surfaces (such as cloth mouse pads). But, laser sensors commonly used in gaming mice nowadays are way better than before. So essentially, whether you choose either of them, it will be just fine. DPI is the most commonly marketed term in gaming mice. I usually hear people saying, “the gaming mouse with the higher DPI is always the better choice”. But, that is not really the case. Before anything else, what is DPI? DPI stands for “Dots Per Inch” and it is a term used to describe how sensitive a particular mouse is. You will usually see gaming mice nowadays that supports more than 10,000 DPI. Truth be told, gamers rarely ever go past 2,500 DPI. Seriously, you want a mouse that is accurate and the higher the DPI, the poorer your accuracy will be. Now, if that is true, why do gaming peripheral companies always sell gaming mice with insanely high DPI? I am not saying that high DPI is useless; there are certain use case scenarios where a high DPI can be useful. But in competitive games, the lower the DPI, the better. DPI is also known as CPI or Counts Per Inch and it is basically the same. Acceleration in gaming mice is a big no-no, especially when you are playing competitively. What acceleration means for gaming mice is the time it takes for the mouse to fully “accelerate” to its rated speed. For any gamer, you want to have a gaming mouse that doesn’t have mouse acceleration. Although it can be useful for different applications, it is definitely not useful in games. Polling Rate. Mouse polling rates are also important. This term refers to the mouse’s communication with your computer. You want to get a mouse that supports a 1000 Hz polling rate to ensure that what you do with your mouse will immediately be reflected on screen. Wired or Wireless. There has been a lot of debate whether people should choose a wired or wireless gaming mouse. The wireless gaming mouse has suffered a bad rap before because gaming performance suffers when you forget to charge the battery of the mouse. Because of that, people opt for a wired gaming mouse because it essentially eliminates that specific problem. But, there are people who favor a wireless mouse because they just want a cleaner setup and having wires on the desk can be a nuisance at times. Thankfully, newer wireless gaming mice on the market have better sensors and they come with a better battery life than wireless gaming mice of old. If you want a wireless gaming mouse, however, you need to be willing to spend a lot more money as they are more expensive than their wired counterparts. I do not know about you but I usually play games with the lights off. I just play better in the dark. I share the same sentiment with a lot of gamers and having a gaming mouse with a lighting mechanism is always preferred. Illumination is important, especially when you’re playing in the dark. Having an RGB gaming mouse is not really a requirement but it is a nice thing to have. Again, if you’re opting for the RGB variant, be ready to shell out some more cash as it is much more expensive than a gaming mouse with only one lighting mechanism. And lastly, the price of the gaming mouse is also very important. There are some gaming mice out there that warrant their hefty price while others are just expensive without having great features. If you want a gaming mouse that has the most bang for the buck, then you’ve read the right article!

Top 18 Most Recommended Gaming Mice of 2016

A Quick, ‘no frill review’ of the best gaming mice available in the market today

If you are a gamer, you need good ammo.

It’s simple. You need nothing but the best when it comes to equipment. And it is tough to find a good gaming Mouse in the market today because there is a ton of bad quality stuff out there that is marketed well. So what happens is, people buy them hoping for top quality performance, but it underperforms.

Now, the obvious question arises: How to pinpoint the BEST Mouse out there?

The solution to this problem is down below.

Here are our top 18 Gaming mice picks, their technical specs and their pros and cons. By the way, many people agree our list contains the best, as can be seen in this article Best Gaming Mouse 2018 – Top 10 Reviews And Comparisons.

18th : Best gaming mouse: Razer Death Adder Chroma

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SPECS:

Sensor: 3989 Optical

Weight: 100g

Buttons: Omron Switches

Size: Large

Game Types: FPS, MOBA, and RTS

Pros: Great sensor, great shape, and build.

Cons: Too big in size for some people.

17: Cougar 550M – Mouse for Gaming

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SPECS:

Sensor: 3988 (Optical)

Weight: 118g

Buttons: Omron Switches

Size: Large

Game Types: FPS, MOBA, and RTS

Pros: Excellent sensor, provides a glitch-free gaming.

Cons: The weight of the Mouse is a little bit on the heavy side.

16th: best mouse for gaming: Gigabyte XM300

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SPECS:

Sensor: 3988 Optical

Weight: 102g

Buttons: Omron Switches

Size: Medium-Large

Game Types: FPS, MOBA, and RTS

Pros: Probably the best sensor you will find in a Mouse that is quite affordable in price.

Cons: The shape and design of the Mouse are slightly questionable and often doesn’t please people.

16: Logitech G303/G302 Gaming Mice

SPECS:

Sensor: 3366 Optical

Weight: 87g

Buttons: Omron Switches

Size: Small

Game Types: FPS, MOBA, and RTS

Pros: This is a Mouse that is built for MOBA and FPS gaming.

Cons: The build quality is not the best one would expect from a Mouse in this price range.

15: Logitech G900 Mouse

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SPECS:

Sensor: 3366 (Optical)

Size: 130x67x40mm

Grip Width: 5.5cm

Weight: 107g

DPI: 200 – 12000

Buttons: 7-11

Pros: There are many extra buttons and features on this Mouse for you to explore. This is a great wireless Mouse for gaming. Comfortable to use, and the sensor works efficiently.

Cons: The G900 is a bit pricey.

14: Zowie EC2-A

SPECS:

Sensor: 3310 Optical sensor

Base Length: 115mm

Grip Width: 55mm

Weight: 95g

DPI: 400 – 3200

Buttons: 5 (plus DPI toggle on the bottom)

Pros: This is one of the best FPS Gaming Mouse out there in the market at the moment (July 2016). The sensor works great and in a glitch-free way.

Cons: The Lift-off distance is low (adjustable), and there are some issues with the Polling rate and DPI (adjustable).

13: Dream Machines DM1 Pro

SPECS:

Sensor: 3310 Optical

Weight: 88g

Buttons: Omron Switches

Size: Medium

Game Types: FPS, MOBA, & RTS

Pros: This is a small, light, comfortable Mouse that has great buttons and one of the best sensors you can expect a pro gaming Mouse to have.

Cons: No software comes with the Mouse (meaning you can’t alter what the buttons do).

12: Zowie FK2 or FK1 and FK1+

SPECS:

Sensor: 3310 Optical

Weight: 84g

Buttons: Huano Switches

Size: Small

Game Types: FPS

Pros: This Mouse features a very comfortable fingertip grip, is lightweight and has a great sensor quality.

Cons: It doesn’t come with software. Additionally, the Lift-off distance is low, and the Polling rate and DPI aren’t perfect either. However, they are all adjustable.

11: Roccat Kone Pure Military

SPECS:

Sensor: Avago 3310

Size: 115x70x3mm

Grip Width: 5.5cm

Weight: 93g

DPI: 100 – 5000 (+100)

Buttons: 7 (inc. DPI)

Pros: The Build quality, look, clicks, scroll and buttons of this Mouse are all as top-notch as it’s performance.

Cons: The shape of this Mouse can be an issue for some people. If your hand doesn’t get used to it, it might be tough for you to use for longer durations of time.

10: Fnatic Flick G1

SPECS:

Sensor: 3310 Optical

Weight: 93g

Buttons: Omron Switches

Size: Medium

Game Types: FPS, MOBA, and RTS

Pros: The Mouse performs well and is ideal for FPS, MOBA, and RTS gaming. There aren’t any sensor issues.

Cons: The lift-off distance of Fnatic Flick G1 is low and needs to be fixed. Also, the sides need to be sloped ‘inwards’ toward the base (to give us a ledge to assist with picking up the Mouse).

9: SteelSeries Rival 300

SPECS:

Sensor: Avago 3310

Size: 130x70x40mm

Grip Width: 5.5cm

Weight: 103g

DPI: 50 – 6,500 (+50)

Buttons: 6 (inc. DPI)

Pros: The Sensor is pretty good. The materials used in manufacturing are of very high quality. The Mouse has a lot of good buttons, and the scroll is pretty smooth.

Cons: This Mouse is a bit ‘big and a heavy’ to use. So if you don’t have a large palm, you might have some trouble with it.

8: Logitech G402

SPECS:

Sensor: AM010 Optical

Size: 136x72x41mm

Weight: 103g

DPI: 240 – 4000

Buttons: 8 (inc. Sniper)

Pros: This Mouse from Logitech is well-priced. The materials used in the Mouse are nice (nice rubber on sides). A Sniper button and DPI buttons give us a lot of control over things.

Cons: The cable that comes with the Mouse is made of quite stiff rubber, and the buttons aren’t comfortable to use.

7: Cougar 300M or CM Alcor

SPECS:

Sensor: 3090 Optical

Weight: 95g

Buttons: Omron Switches

Size: Medium

Game Types: FPS, MOBA, and RTS

Pros: This is a fairly cheap Mouse and is comfortable to use for longer sittings.

Cons: The Mouse could use a sensor upgrade, though, as users occasionally face a basic issue like lag.

6: Zowie ZA

SPECS:

Sensor: 3310 Optical

Weight: 90 g

Height: 40 mm

Width: 67 mm

Estimated Width at grip position: 60 mm

Length: 128 mm

Number of buttons: 5 (plus DPI toggle on the bottom)

Pros: Good build quality, comfortable shape for longer sittings.

Cons: No software comes with the Mouse. Another issue is the Low liftoff distance.

5: Cougar 450M

SPECS:

Sensor: 3310 Optical

Weight: 96g

Buttons: Omron Switches

Size: Medium

Game Types: FPS, MOBA, and RTS

Pros: The Mouse has a good shape. The sensors work quite well.

Cons: Some people accidently click the buttons on the right side of the Mouse, as they can’t find any room for their ring finger.

4: Mionix Avior

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SPECS:

Sensor: 3310 Optical

Weight: 104g

Buttons: Omron Switches

Size: Medium-Large

Game Types: All

Pros: A great Mouse from Mionix with high-quality materials and good technical specs.

Cons: There are side buttons on both sides that don’t go well with many people’s experience while gaming. Also, the weight and the shape can be an issue for you if you like to move it around quite a bit during gaming.

3: Mionix Castor

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SPECS:

Sensor: Avago 3310 (Optical)

Size: 120x64x40mm

Grip Width: 5.5cm

Weight: 94g

DPI: 50 – 10,000 (+50)

Buttons: 6

Pros: It has a great quality Sensor and the building materials are top-notch.

Cons: The shape and the buttons are an issue for many people. They don’t find it very suitable for longer sittings.

1: Roccat Kiro best gaming mouse 2016

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SPECS:

Sensor: 3050 Optical

Size: 111x66x35mm

Grip Width: 5.5cm

Weight: 101g

DPI: 250 – 4000 (+50)

Buttons: 4-8

Pros: The main features of this Mouse are its sensor quality, and it’s super-dexterous design! Other features include great buttons, design and a ‘user-friendly’, light cable.

Cons: The weight of this Mouse is a problem. It is a bit heavy.

Purchasing a good gaming Mouse is one of the first steps in becoming a good gamer. We hope we were able to help you in some way here, with narrowing down the 18 best mice out of hundreds and hundreds of units out there.

Now, you can go ahead and make an informed decision on purchasing the best mouse for you, putting your money in the right place.

It’s time to GAME!

What to look for in the best gaming mouse

The computer mouse is the most heavily used computer component out there. It is the foundation of the human interaction with the machine. As you already know, it’s used it to control your cursor on the screen, click here and click there, to play the critical computer games, and so on. Now this makes the mouse a critical peripheral device.

Your hand will be on the mouse for many hours every day, so a good mouse needs to be comfortable, reliable and precise. And it needs to have the buttons and the features that you want so that you can select exactly what you want to select on the screen. Despite the importance of having a good mouse, many PC users settle for whatever mouse they found on sale or the cheapest option available without taking into consideration the variety of choices available out there.

So, what should you know before buying a mouse and how do you know when you found the right mouse for you?

The most important criteria that we are going to discuss in this article are the comfort, precision, the number of buttons, and the extra features on a mouse. Let us start with comfort.

When shopping for a mouse, the most important factor is that the mouse ‘feels good’ to you. As long as you are happy with your experience and your hand is comfortable using the mouse for extended periods of time, then it is a right mouse for you. A mouse needs to be comfortable in the user’s hand. That means that the mouse needs to have a texture, a shape, a grip style and weight that feels good to the user. Now obviously, comfort is very subjective. It is impossible to quantify or even describe accurately, but it is still the most important factor when considering a mouse. Whenever possible, we recommend testing the mouse in person before making a purchase and ensure it feels good to your hand and grip style. If it is not possible to test the mouse in person, it’s good to at least understand your ‘grip style’ and try to find reviews from people who share your preferences.

More features of Top rated gaming mice

Now, let’s talk about the surface texture. Mice can have a hard plastic finish, rugged plastic, soft plastic, a glossy plastic finish, rubberized surfaces or rubberized sides. Some mice even have metallic parts attached to them. Surface finish is important because of two aspects. Firstly, it determines how ‘grippy’ your mouse is. Do you want a mouse that you can easily slide or glide your hand over? Do you want a mouse that sticks a bit more to your fingers so that you never drop it if you need to lift it to move it? Secondly, people’s hands are different in how they reacted to different surfaces. Some people complain that their hands feel sweaty when they’re using glossy mice. Some people complain about using hard mice saying that it doesn’t go well regarding feel. So, go to the store and pick the mouse up, feel the mouse, touch the mouse, caress the mouse, keep your mind out of the gutter and pick a mouse with a surface finish that feels good to you.

A ‘grip style’ is how you prefer to hold the mouse in your hands. Without doing anything, pause and take a look at how you are holding your mouse right now. You will most likely be using one of three common grip styles: the palm grip, the claw grip or the fingertip grip.

With the palm grip, the user’s hand rests completely on the mouse with full contact between the palm and the mouse. This is the most common type of grip and the most comfortable for most people. But you sacrifice a bit of accuracy since it is not easy to click the mouse buttons when you compare it to the other styles.

Claw grip involves shaping your hand more like a claw so that your fingertips and the back of your palm are in contact with the mouse but nothing else. This grip is less comfortable than palm grip, but it allows for greater control and faster clicking; making it more preferable with some gamers.

Fingertip grip involves only touching the mouse with your fingertips with the rest of your palm resting on the mouse pad or in this case, the table. The shape of the hand is more natural than the claw, and the fingertips give you more control. But this is the most tiring grip since you move the whole mouse with your fingertips alone.

Now, let’s have a look at the other factors in play. Orientation refers to the ‘shape of the mouse for the hand.’ All mice will have one of two orientations, right-handed or ambidextrous.

Right-handed mice are designed specifically for the right-hand. Ambidextrous mice, on the other hand, are typically symmetrical, allowing them to be used by either hand. Unfortunately, for left-handed people, left-handed options are very few so you may want to look for ambidextrous mice instead.

The physical size of the mouse is also an important factor to consider, and your preference will mainly be determined by the size of your hand. Generally speaking, bigger mice feel better to people with bigger hands and smaller mice feel better to those with smaller hands. You may also want a wider mouse to rest your thumb or pinky finger. The Mionix mouse is a good example for this. The height and length of the mouse can also play a factor depending on your grip style. A mouse that is too tall may feel uncomfortable for palm grip. A mouse that is too long won’t work well with a claw grip. The weight of the mouse also plays into your level of comfort. Some people prefer a light mouse that won’t feel cumbersome for several hours of use. While others might prefer the solid feel of a heavy mouse, today some mice allow you to add or remove small weights until you find the perfect feel for you.

It is also important to consider the precision of the mouse. The purpose of a mouse is to track your hand movements and translate them into cursor movements on the screen. If the mouse cannot track your movements as accurately as you want, then it has failed its purpose. Your mouse’s sensor plays a big role in its precision. Modern mice use either an optical (LED) sensor or a laser sensor to track movements.

Generally speaking, optical sensors have superior precision. But they don’t work on shiny surfaces or glass. A Laser mouse, by comparison, will work on just about any surface, but you may sacrifice some precision.

More important aspects of a mouse for gaming

Another specification that you may notice is DPI or CPI, which stands for Dots Per Inch or Counts Per Inch. DPI or CPI measure sensitivity and not precision. So don’t be fooled into buying a high DPI mouse thinking that’s more precise. The consensus is that anything in the 1000 to 2000 DPI range is perfectly fine. Gamers who play fast-paced, competitive games may want a mouse with a DPI in the 2,000 to 3,000 range. If you go significantly above 3,000 DPI, the sensitivity may become more of a hindrance than a benefit as it won’t allow for precise tracking, that’s why having a precise, accurate mouse is so important since you need the cursor on the screen to go to the exact point that you want it to go to. Some forms of imprecision such as acceleration can be acceptable to some users. On the other hand, something where your cursor randomly moves around a few pixels in random directions is universally unacceptable.

Other than the sensor, precision is also affected by lag which is usually an issue with wireless mice. Wired mice have low lag values and thus are usually the best option for gamers. Some wireless mice have good enough lag, but some are downright horrible. We’ve had experiences with some wireless mice that are so ‘laggy’ and imprecise that they’re pretty much unusable for gaming.

Button layout plays another big role in the mouse that you choose. Some people just want two buttons and a scroll wheel. Others might be dissatisfied with anything less than seven or eight buttons on their mouse. Typically gamers may prefer to have more buttons to serve specific purposes while gaming. It makes things more convenient for them. However, plenty of gamers who win major tournaments, use mice with just three or four buttons on them. Only if you know that you will need the extra buttons on your mouse for a specific reason, should you go and get a mouse with a good number of buttons. Otherwise, you might be paying for the extra buttons that you won’t ever use.

There are many other features in mice that may or may not play a role when you choose your mouse. For example, lift-off distance refers to how high the mouse must be lifted before it stops tracking. A low lift-off distance is always preferable as long as you have a decent mouse pad. A mouse with a lift-off distance may continue to track even after you picked it up and that can be annoying. Having a dual mode scroll can be a deal breaker for some people. I find myself very attracted to the G502 since I’m very used to having the dual modes scroll.

Another feature that some people desire in their mouse is having custom colors while others believe that this is a trivial thing. Make sure that you know what you want from a mouse before you make a purchase.

Finally, let’s talk about mouse pads. We are sometimes asked do we need a mouse pad. You do not need the mouse pad, but we highly recommend that you use one. A good mouse pad reduces friction providing a smoother glide and improved precision. Mouse pads also reduce wear and tear both on your mouse and on your table.

Hopefully, now you now know a little bit more about mice. Remember- there is no mouse that is perfect for everyone. The best thing to do is do your research and test a few units out yourself.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_mouse

In the next section, I will talk about the best gaming mice based on different gaming genres. I just think that it is the best way to segregate the different gaming mice in the market since people usually buy one based on the genre of games they’re playing.

Let’s start our categories with a popular gaming genre: first-person shooting games. There are a lot of FPS games nowadays such as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (or CS:GO) and Blizzard’s foray into the FPS niche, Overwatch.

Now, what do casual and pro gamers look for when buying a good gaming for first-person shooters? We’ll find out in the next section.

Best First-Person Shooting Gaming Mice ( best gaming mouse for cs go )

Corsair Gaming M65 Pro RGB

The Corsair Gaming M65 Pro RGB is one of the best gaming mice for first-person shooters and here’s why: it includes a dedicated “sniper button”.

Now, as the name implies, the sniper button is essentially a button you press and hold to instantly decrease the DPI to a lower value, allowing you to aim more accurately. The value of the Sniper Button can be adjusted using the Corsair Utility Engine. Say, for example, you set your gaming mouse to 1,500 DPI by default. When the need arises, just press and hold the sniper button and your DPI will be set to a value you’ve set in Corsair’s proprietary gaming software. When you release the sniper button, the original DPI will be in place once again.

Speaking of DPI, the Corsair M65 Pro RGB is actually an upgraded version of the original M65. The original one had a sensor that can reach up to 8,200 DPI only but the newer one is more accurate and it can reach a total of 12,000 DPI.

Another great thing about the M65 and why it is a great gaming mouse for first-person shooters is that it comes with a weight system. You can adjust the weight of the M65 thanks to the three included weights at the bottom of the mouse. You can truly tweak the weight of this mouse according to your preference.

The Corsair M65 Pro RGB gaming mouse is also quite durable. It comes with Omron switches that are rated to last up to 20 million clicks and the mouse itself is also crafted with an Aircraft-grade Aluminum chassis.

Other notable features include a surface calibration utility where you can adjust the accuracy of the mouse based on the specific surface the mouse is on, 8-programmable buttons that you can tweak using the CUE software, and of course, it also comes with an RGB lighting scheme that you can also adjust in Corsair’s Proprietary gaming software.

No wonder the Corsair M65 Pro RGB gaming mouse is one of the most preferred gaming mice for FPS games.

Razer Deathadder Chroma

Another popular FPS gaming mouse is the Razer Deathadder Chroma. Actually, this gaming mouse has been recommended for a couple of years now, especially for people who are playing first-person shooters.

Unlike the Corsair M65, the Razer Deathadder Chroma is silent; patiently waiting for the kill. What I mean by this is that this gaming mouse doesn’t come with a lot of bells and whistles. This mouse, however, only comes with the essentials.

One of the reasons why a lot of gamers prefer this mouse among others, especially for FPS games, is because of its ergonomics. The Razer Deathadder Chroma is just one of the most comfortable gaming mice on the market.

That is thanks to its perfectly shaped mouse structure that can accommodate a lot of various grip styles: from palm grips to claw grip styles.

The Razer Deathadder Chroma also comes with a 10,000 dpi optical sensor, which is one of the most accurate out there. Although there is acceleration in this mouse, you can turn it off using the Razer Synapse software.

This gaming mouse also comes with only two side buttons that you can configure using the aforementioned gaming software.

It also comes with a surface calibration tool that allows the mice to work optimally no matter what mouse pad you’re using and it also comes with Razer’s acclaimed Chroma lighting feature which you can also set in the Razer Synapse software.

Probably, the only thing that I would’ve wanted in this mouse is the inclusion of on-the-fly DPI buttons. If you want to set the DPI, you have to go to the Razer Synapse software to do so.

Other than that, the Razer Deathadder Chroma is an amazing gaming mouse for first-person shooters.

Zowie FK2

If you want a gaming mouse that just does its job well without the added crap other companies usually add to their gaming mice, then look no further than the Zowie FK2.

This gaming mouse is an ambidextrous mouse, which means that it can be used well even if you’re a left-handed gamer. There are also two buttons on each side that you can use in games.

Now, I mentioned earlier that this gaming mouse is no BS. That is because this gaming mouse just works right off the bat and it doesn’t require any software to work properly.

It’s already got 4 preset DPI settings at 400, 800, 1600, and 3200. All you have to do is click on the DPI adjustment button and you’re ready to go.

The mouse also has optimum polling rates and it has a lift-off distance of 1.8mm. If you want a gaming mouse that has everything and is literally plug and play, then the Zowie FK2 gaming mouse is the one you should get.

Best MOBA Gaming Mice

The next category is for another popular gaming genre, MOBA games. MOBA stands for “Multiplayer Online Battle Arena” and it usually refers to games like Dota 2, League of Legends, Heroes of the Storm, and the like.

Games like these pit teams of 5 or 6 and they usually fight in a battleground where they have to destroy the other team’s base.

MOBA games are like RTS games but the main difference is that you only get to control one hero or character at a time. You have to work in unison with your team to ensure victory in battle.

Now, what are the best gaming mice for this genre? I am glad you ask because I will talk about them now.

Razer Naga Hex

The Razer Naga Hex V2 is arguably the best MOBA gaming mouse out there. This is said by a lot of gamers and it is usually attributed to its 7 programmable side buttons.

Unlike the Razer Naga, the Razer Haga Hex comes with only 7 programmable side buttons but it also has a convenient thumb rest as well. You can rest your thumb when you’re just navigating through the different maps and you can easily press the side buttons when needed.

Also, I just love the fact that the buttons are spaced out nicely and that it only takes a short time for your muscle memory to be familiar with the button layout.

Other than the programmable buttons, the Razer Naga Hex V2 also comes with a reliably accurate and fast 16,000 DPI 5G sensor. Whether you want precise movements or speedy reaction times, this gaming mouse has you covered.

The Razer Naga Hex V2 also has amazing ergonomics. Every pro MOBA player that uses this particular mouse is happy to report that they can use this gaming mouse for hours without any problems with muscle soreness and the like. This mouse is also fit for any grip styles.

This gaming mouse also comes with the Chroma lighting feature that allows you pick a certain lighting mode and you can choose any color from the 16.8 million color spectrum it supports.

All of the customization happens inside the Razer Synapse software which is a software that is not only intuitive but it is also easy to use as well.

And lastly, the mouse also has a game integration feature. When you play Dota 2, for example, and you choose your favorite hero, the color of the gaming mouse will fit the color scheme of the hero you’ve chosen. Pretty cool feature, right?

All in all, the Razer Naga Hex V2 should be greatly considered if you frequently play MOBA games.

Logitech G303 Daedalus Apex

Next on the best MOBA gaming mice list is also a very popular choice. The Logitech G303 Daedalus Apex is another great gaming mouse for MOBA games and that is because of its sensor.

According to Logitech, the G303 comes with an advanced optical sensor with its proprietary “Delta Zero Sensor Technology”. What does this technology do? Well, it basically means that this gaming mouse is so accurate that even pixel-precise movements can be handled with ease.

Its responsiveness coupled with its lightweight design is what won most MOBA players out there. It also has a unique honeycomb aesthetic on the side of the mouse which is a design not found in other gaming mice. It also has two buttons on the left side of the mouse as well.

Aside from its pixel-precise sensor, the Logitech G303 Daedalus Apex also supports a high DPI of 12,000. Furthermore, it has a dedicated on-the-fly DPI switch button that allows you to just adjust the DPI without going to the Logitech Gaming Software. You can set up to 5 different DPI settings and that can be done using the LGS.

Lastly, it comes with RGB illumination and that, too, can be configured using the Logitech gaming software. The G303 also has game integration enabled in various MOBA games and it works the same way to that of Razer’s implementation.

Corsair Sabre RGB

Last on the list of best MOBA gaming mouse is the Corsair Sabre RGB. This gaming mouse’s best asset is its lightweight and accurate sensor.

This gaming mouse is so light that it only weighs 100 grams. This is perfect for MOBA games, especially in those situations where every mouse movement is important.

Aside from its accurate sensor, the DPI of the Sabre RGB is also pretty high at 10,000. According to Corsair, its accuracy is topnotch and is perfect for any game out there.

It’s got 8 programmable buttons with 2 buttons placed right beside the left mouse button and another two buttons placed at the thumb position.

It also has a dedicated on-the-fly DPI button just below the scroll wheel so you can set the DPI to your preferred setting without firing up the CUE software.

Another important thing to note about the Corsair Sabre RGB is that it comes with four lighting zones, making this gaming mouse perfect for any gaming setup.

The four lighting zones include the Corsair Logo at the center of the mouse, the scroll wheel, the DPI indicator, and a zone at the top of the mouse. The mouse is surprisingly bright and you can enjoy its RGB glory, especially when you’re playing in the dark.

It also has an impressive 1000Hz polling rate so that you’ll know every mouse movement registers on screen immediately. It also comes with the Omron switches that are not only durable but also great to the touch as well.

And lastly, you can adjust the DPI settings, the programmable buttons, and the RGB lighting in the Corsair Utility Engine. It might not be that user-friendly but when mastered, the CUE software is an amazing software to tweak the different parameters of the gaming mouse.

With its lightweight, accurate sensor, 1000Hz polling rate, RGB lighting, and four different lighting zones, the Corsair RGB is not only a great MOBA gaming mouse but it can also be used for a variety of different gaming genres as well.

Best MMO Gaming Mice

The next category will be specifically for MMO gaming mice. MMO or MMORPG stands for “Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game”. Games like World of Warcraft, Guild Wars 2, and Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn are just some popular examples of MMORPGs.

Now, what do these games have in common? For starters, these games present players with a lot of skills, abilities, and macros they need to use depending on the situation.

With that being said, gaming mice that are specifically made for MMORPGs have more programmable buttons than any other gaming mice out there.

Let’s start the list with a very popular choice from Razer.

Razer Naga Chroma

The Razer Naga Chroma, according to a lot of MMO gamers, is the best gaming mouse for the specific genre. That is thanks to the 12 programmable thumb buttons on the left side of the gaming mouse.

Because of the design of the mouse, the Razer Naga Chroma is only suitable for right-handed gamers. Although this may be the case, the ergonomics of the gaming mouse is perfect no matter what grip style you use. It is so comfortable to use even when you’re playing your favorite MMORPG for hours.

The Naga Chroma’s optical sensor is also quite accurate and it can actually reach 16,000 DPI. This is great in moments where you need to have precise movements in the MMORPG that you play.

This gaming mouse comes with a total of 19 programmable buttons with the inclusion of the 12 buttons on the side. The scroll wheel also tilts either right or left (which counts as a “programmable button”), there are also DPI switches just below it to adjust the DPI on-the-fly, either by increasing the DPI or decreasing it.

Most of the magic of the Razer Naga Chroma is found within the Razer Synapse software. The Razer Synapse is one of the most user-friendly gaming software available out there.

Here, you can map all the programmable buttons to your skills, macros, and other abilities that you want to have quick access to.

There are also certain games that make use of the Razer Naga Chroma officially. For example, Blizzard in coordination with Razer, has released an addon specifically for the Naga Chroma.

With this in-game addon, you can map all of the spells and other macros you want directly from within the game.

Speaking of integration, the Razer Naga Chroma also integrates with a variety of MMORPGs very nicely (like the aforementioned World of Warcraft).

Since this mouse is part of Razer’s “Chroma edition” peripherals, it also supports its Chroma lighting feature which allows you to set different lighting modes and it also allows you to choose between many different colors (16.8 million to be specific).

There is just one issue I would like to point out with regards to this gaming mouse. Although it has some impressive ergonomics, the 12 thumb buttons might not appeal to people with large thumbs.

Furthermore, it may take quite a while for people to get used to its side buttons because they are just a tad smaller than other side buttons Razer has managed to put in their other products.

Still, the Razer Naga Chroma is one of the best gaming mice out there for MMORPGs.

Corsair Scimitar RGB

This next gaming mouse might not be the pioneer when it comes to mice for MMORPGs but this company actually refined what Razer did to make it more suitable for the masses.

The Corsair Scimitar RGB gaming mouse is a mouse that is specifically made for MMORPGs. It also has 12 programmable buttons just like the previous mouse but there is one big difference.

The big difference is that the Scimitar’s side buttons can be adjusted to suit your thumb placement.

In the Razer Naga Chroma mentioned above, I said that the mouse’s side buttons are not fit for people with huge thumbs, right? That is because the buttons are a bit smaller for large thumbs and it is stationary.

The Corsair Scimitar, however, allows you to move the 12 programmable buttons to suit your need. This way, you can press the buttons with comfort and ease.

Speaking of ease, the 12 programmable side buttons are easily discernable thanks to the alternating pattern of smooth and contoured surfaces on the buttons. For buttons 1-3, you will feel that its buttons are smooth. Buttons 4-6 are contoured. Buttons 7-9 are smooth while buttons 10-12 are contoured.

This is much better than Razer’s implementation and you can actually know which button you’re pressing thanks to this scheme.

The Corsair Scimitar RGB gaming mouse also has a competitive optical sensor that supports up to 12,000 DPI. From fast movements to precise pacing, this mouse has got that covered.

It has a 1000Hz polling rate so that means that the mouse has no lag. It also has no acceleration so you’re getting the best response times out of any gaming mice out there.

This gaming mouse is also ergonomically designed and it is large enough to support a wide variety of grip styles.

There is also a total of 17 programmable buttons you can tweak using the Corsair Utility Engine software.

And lastly, this gaming mouse is an RGB mouse which means that you can set different lighting options to it using the aforementioned software.

It comes with 3 lighting zones: just above the thumb buttons, the scroll wheel, and the Corsair logo at the middle of the mouse.

There is one problem with this gaming mouse, however, and that is the weight. Because of its features and durability, this gaming mouse is hefty at 144 grams. If this isn’t an issue for you, then you can buy this mouse over the Razer Naga Chroma.

Roccat NYTH

Have you ever heard of a modular gaming mouse before? I was skeptical at first but there is actually a gaming mouse out there that is modular in nature. For those of you who do not know, when a product is said to be “Modular”, it actually refers to the product’s ability to remove all of the unwanted features for a cleaner look and more efficient performance.

In this case, there is actually a modular gaming mouse on the market and it is the Roccat NYTH RGB gaming mouse.

The Roccat NYTH is unlike any gaming mouse I’ve seen before. There is a whopping total of 33 programmable buttons you can slap on this mouse.

You can put 12 programmable side buttons on the left side of the gaming mouse or you can just put on the appropriate number of buttons depending on your preference.

There is also an “Easy Shift button” that maps some commands along with the Shift key for more customizability.

All of this can be adjusted in Roccat’s Driver called the SWARM. The cool thing about the SWARM is that you can install it on the PC and you can also control it using a companion app. So, if you’re getting an idea about which macro to map on a particular button, the SWARM software and app has got you covered.

This gaming mouse uses a twin laser sensor for maximum precision no matter what surface the mouse is on. Because of the sensor’s performance, you can actually use this gaming mouse for FPS or MMORPGs.

In terms of ergonomics, the NYTH is a comfortable gaming mouse. Thanks to its swappable side grips, you can truly tweak the gaming mouse according to your liking.

Seriously, the level of customization you can have with this gaming mouse is insane! Of course, all of these features come at a hefty price of $110.

Still, with the aforementioned features and a convenient carrying case for all of the buttons and side grips, the Roccat NYTH should definitely be considered when buying a gaming mouse for MMORPGs.

Best RTS Gaming Mice

The last popular genre of games out there is the RTS or “Real-Time Strategy” games. Games like Starcraft 2, Warcraft 3, and the newly released Ashes of the Singularity are all popular examples of RTS games.

Although RTS games have lost their allure, there are some gamers who are still playing some RTS games. So, it is just fitting to recommend some gaming mice for the specific genre.

Razer Mamba Tournament Edition

Razer really knows what to put on their products to entice gamers. The Razer Mamba Tournament Edition is considered to be one of the best gaming mice for RTS games because of its ergonomics and its amazing 5G sensor that can support up to 16,000 DPI with on-the-fly adjustment.

In RTS games, you don’t really need a lot of buttons like the ones that you see on MMO gaming mice. A gaming mouse with a total of 9 buttons should suffice.

Another great thing about the Mamba is that it is ergonomically designed. RTS games tend to be really long and having a mouse that can be used comfortably for hours is a huge plus. The mouse also has a rubber textured side grip on the right side of the peripheral while on the left side, you will see two huge thumb buttons.

The scroll wheel can be tilted left or right and just below that, you can see the two DPI adjustment buttons. Do keep in mind that the DPI buttons can be mapped to different functions if you want to.

The Razer Mamba Tournament Edition is part of the company’s Chroma line of peripherals and what is interesting is that this mouse has two light strips located on the left and right sides of the mouse.

In other words, you will get a total of 4 lighting zones: The scroll wheel, the left and right light strips, and the Razer logo at the center.

This gaming mouse wins a lot of people over thanks to its ergonomic design and the cool light show. The Mamba comes with acceleration but thankfully, it can easily be turned off using the Razer Synapse software.

The Razer Mamba Tournament Edition is a solid gaming mouse for RTS gamers and one that you should consider when you’re playing such games.

Mionix Castor

The Mionix Castor has gained a lot of fanfare since its release. Thanks to its amazing ergonomics, this gaming mouse is the preferred gaming mouse for a variety of different genres; RTS games included.

Although this gaming mouse doesn’t come with a lot of buttons, it does come with 6 programmable buttons that you can tweak using Mionix’s own gaming software.

This simple looking gaming mouse boasts of an impressively accurate sensor that can handle 10,000 DPI and it is also fast with a 1ms response time. Furthermore, you will be impressed by its performance because this mouse doesn’t have any acceleration.

Lastly, the Castor also has RGB lighting which you can set using the company’s gaming software, though, there are only two lighting zones present on this mouse and that is the scroll wheel and the icon.

Still, even if the design is not loud compared to other gaming mice on the market, the Mionix Castor’s performance is topnotch.

SteelSeries Rival

SteelSeries will always have a competitive gaming mouse and the Rival is a great gaming mouse for RTS games.

The design of this gaming mouse is also quite simple but its major selling point is the sensor used. This mouse comes with the famed Avago ADNS 3310 optical sensor. For those of you who do not know, this particular mouse sensor has been praised due to its pixel-precise accuracy. Literally, if you want to do those precise movements, this mouse will allow you to do that. The DPI of this mouse, although not as high as other gaming mice, is still considerable at 6,500.

Aside from its popular optical sensor, the SteelSeries Rival comes with the company’s proprietary switches which are rated to last up to 30 million clicks. Most other gaming mice on the market are only rated to survive 20 million clicks so for this mouse to survive 10 million more clicks is quite impressive.

You can fine tune the mouse to your preference thanks to the SteelSeries Engine. It is not as user-friendly as the Razer Synapse but all of the appropriate settings can be tweaked using the software.

The SteelSeries Engine is also used to control the RGB illumination of the gaming mouse. It only has two lighting zones, however, so people who want a flashy gaming mouse might want to look for another one.

One last notable feature of the SteelSeries Rival is its 3D printable nameplate. By default, you can see the word “Rival” on the base portion of the mouse. However, if you want to change it, you can print your own nameplate and replace it with that one.

The SteelSeries Rival is a competitive gaming mouse for RTS games thanks to its amazing optical sensor and robust gaming software.

Honorable Mentions

Now, I’ve segregated popular gaming mice based on the popular genre of games but there are just so many popular gaming mice out there that need to be mentioned.

In this part of the article, I will talk about the gaming mice that deserves an honorable mention; may it be because of its features, its aesthetics, or overall gamer appeal.

So, without further ado, let’s start with the only wireless gaming mouse on this list, which is the…

Logitech G900 Chaos Spectrum

All of the gaming mice in this list are wired versions because of its unparalleled and uninterrupted signal to your computer.

Wireless gaming mice, although gives you a cleaner setup, actually hinders your gaming experience, especially when you’re playing competitively.

Most of the gaming mice you will see used in tournaments are all wired ones because of this longstanding myth.

But, Logitech aims to quash that myth once and for all and the gaming mouse that is going to give wired mice a run for their money is the new Logitech G900 Chaos Spectrum.

The Chaos Spectrum is an ambidextrous mouse which means that it can be used by both right-handed and left-handed gamers.

Everything about the G900 is amazing. The mouse uses Logitech’s own PMW3366 optical gaming sensor which, according to the company, is the best optical sensor in the market to date.

One important thing to note when buying a wireless gaming mouse is its battery life. You don’t want the mouse to just die in the middle of a heated gaming session, right?

Thankfully, the Logitech G900 comes equipped with a battery that has a long battery life. It is touted to last up to 36 hours of intense gaming. That is thanks to the company’s “Clock Tuning Technology” which intelligently optimizes the battery life of the mouse. The mouse also weighs 110 grams which is acceptable in most cases.

If you forgot to charge but you still want to use the gaming mouse, then that is no problem! When you purchase the mouse, it will also come with a USB wire that you can just plug into the peripheral so you can play your game and charge the battery at the same time.

The Logitech G900 is also ergonomically designed and according to gamers who’ve already purchased this mouse, it has the ergonomics and the aesthetics to back up its hefty price.

The mouse also has 200-12,000 DPI support and it has a 1ms response time as well. It also has revolutionary pivot buttons that provide a good tactile feedback when you click the left and right mouse buttons.

For complete customization, there are 11 programmable buttons on the gaming mouse and it also has its own RGB illumination mechanism.

Seriously, the Logitech G900 should break the longstanding myth that Wireless gaming mice are inferior. Although it is a bit pricey at $140, for the price, you are getting a revolutionary new wireless gaming mouse that can rival its wired counterparts.

Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum

Another mouse from Logitech, the Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum is considered to be the best all-around gaming mouse on the market.

Now, I’ve separated gaming mice based on popular genres but if you want to have a gaming mouse that is perfect no matter what games you play, then the Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum is the perfect mouse for the job.

The Proteus Spectrum has a convenient weight system that allows you to put weights so that the mouse becomes heavy or light depending on what you want.

This mouse also comes with the same sensor that is found on the G900 so you’ll know that its performance is no slouch. There is also a surface calibration feature which optimizes the mouse to work on a variety of surfaces in the Logitech Gaming Software.

Now, one might say that the G502 is nearly identical in specs with the aforementioned gaming mouse but there are some notable differences. More on that later.

This gaming mouse also comes 11 programmable buttons that you can configure using the LGS.

One neat feature of this gaming mouse is that it includes a scroll wheel unlock button that can be toggled at any time. Basically, this feature allows the scroll wheel to either have resistance (perfect for games) or without resistance (perfect for scanning long documents or webpages).

You can also store 3 onboard profiles on the gaming mouse thanks to the inclusion of a 32-bit microcontroller. If you want to use the gaming mouse on a different computer without the Logitech Gaming Software, then it is no problem; you can just use the ones you’ve stored on the chip of the mouse.

Lastly, the RGB lighting scheme is predominant in today’s gaming peripherals market and that is also present in the Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum.

Seriously, if you want a gaming mouse that can be used in a variety of genres and can also be used to do a lot of different things, then the G502 Proteus Spectrum is definitely a must-buy.

Skill Ripjaws MX780

The company G.Skill might just be new in this niche but they have crafted one of the best ambidextrous gaming mice on the market.

The G.Skill MX780 is a robust, ambidextrous gaming mouse that is perfect for left or right-handed gamers and is great for a variety of different grip styles. Now, left-handed gamers will not be left behind!

The main highlights of the MX780 are its interchangeable side grips and height-adjustable design. The former allows you to change between 4 different side grips to improve its ergonomics for your specific preference. The latter allows you to adjust the height of the palm rest to also improve comfort when gaming.

Aside from its ambidextrous design, you can also adjust the weight of the mouse thanks to its included adjustable weights. You can put some in the mouse to suit your desired heft.

The MX780 is equipped with Avago’s latest Laser Sensor that supports up to 8,200 DPI and it also has a polling rate of 1000 Hz. This mouse also comes with Omron Switches that are not only durable but also great to the touch as well.

You also get a total of 8 programmable buttons which makes this mouse a perfect mouse for both RTS or MOBA games (of course, you can use this gaming mouse for your favorite games no matter what genre it is).

G.Skill also has its own programming software and though it is not as polished as the others, it still allows you to tweak the different parameters of the gaming peripheral.

Last but definitely not the least, the company knows that aesthetics also matter in a buyer’s purchasing decision, so the MX780 also comes with fully customizable RGB backlighting to ensure that you will enjoy the best gaming mouse for you even further.

Conclusion

A gaming mouse is definitely one gaming peripheral that you should invest on. Having a good gaming mouse and keyboard will surely up your game, especially in competitive games like Dota 2, CS:GO, among others.

Although gaming mice give you the edge, it doesn’t necessarily mean that getting one will instantly turn you into a pro. Being a pro requires a lot of time and practice. A gaming mouse can only help you become a pro but it cannot turn you into a pro in an instant.

With all of the things being said, you are now equipped with the right information about what to look for when buying a gaming mouse.

I’ve also done the work of researching the best ones out there based on community feedback and what is popular in the gaming scene for different genres.

Remember, a gaming mouse, when used in conjunction with other gaming peripherals, will make your gaming experience worthwhile.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_mouse

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