The best gaming mouses of 2021 are the ones that will fit your hand comfortably and performs well in your favorite games. Having a mouse that feels right in the palm of your hand will have the right features, has a powerful sensor that will improve the flow of your gameplay, and will ultimately make your strikes more accurate and enjoyable. However, with so many options in the market, finding the best one for you can be quite a struggle. To help you out, here are our top picks for the best gaming mouses this 2021.
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Why Should You Upgrade To A Gaming Mouse?
If you’re still contemplating whether a gaming mouse is something worthy to invest in, then perhaps, this is something you should read. But if you’re a gamer who is just looking to upgrade your current mouse or want to check out your best options in 2021, then you can freely scroll down to our top picks below.
As a rule of thumb, you’ll want the best gaming mouse you can find if you want to get the most out of your gaming setup. In fact, it doesn’t matter how strong your PC is. Your peripherals will limit your overall gameplay if you are unable to keep up with the speed of the game and your attacks. So it’s important that you give your peripherals the same attention you would as your other PC parts.
If you want to bring victory and glory for yourself or for your team, investing in a good gaming mouse will help you a lot. Unlike your regular computer mice, you get a lot more than simply the ability to point and click with an actual gaming mouse. It doesn’t matter what kinds of games you’re playing, having a solid gaming mouse will feel like an extension of your own hand.
Not to mention, gaming mouses are created specifically with gamers in mind. So most models will include improved sensors, remappable buttons, a better DPI range, and more. In case you’re still unconvinced, remember that any PC game’s essential actions occur at the click of a mouse.
So if you’re gunning for a win, you can’t afford to be stingy with a reliable gaming mouse. After all, if you’re going against some tough competition, wouldn’t you want to pick up the best weapon to fight?
Our Top Recommendations For The Best Gaming Mouses 2021
If you’re ready to finally make the jump to getting a gaming mouse, you should know that the quality threshold of gaming mice has been raised to the point that you can afford to be selective on the features you want to have.
Things like reliable connectivity, precise functionalities like clicking and scrolling, as well as responsive tracking are all pretty much expected in most models. But in our list below, you’ll see why these particular gaming mice stand out from the rest and made it into our “Best Of” list.
1. Logitech G502 Lightspeed
Overview
The Logitech G502 Lightspeed is a solid and excellent gaming mouse that is sure to satisfy most gamers’ needs. It’s also a lighter and wireless version of the Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum. Despite its high-end cost, the G502 Lightspeed begins to repay your investment with premium features such as six different weights for optimum customizations as well as for changing the mouse’s feel on your hand.
The best thing about the G502 Lightspeed is that it is suitable for any gaming genre. Thanks to Logitech’s high-CPI and power-efficient Hero sensor and a large variety of configurable buttons, this was made possible.
Its shape is comfy and doesn’t feel weird when being used, and it was designed in the style of a first-person shooter. In case you’re not too excited about the G502 Lightspeed being wireless, it also comes in with its own cable so you won’t have to worry about any issues with latency and its battery life.
Another thing worth noting with the G502 Lightspeed, which I find really incredible, is that it is configured to never require the use of a cable at all. Yes, that includes charging as well. As long as the Logitech G Powerplay wireless charging mouse pad is hooked into a USB port, the mouse will always be charged. However, keep in mind that this mousepad will cost you an extra hundred dollars.
Overall, the Logitech G502 Lightspeed is the best gaming mouse for gamers who are unwilling to sacrifice anything when it comes to having top-shelf features. It’s comfortable and packed with excellent features. And despite being wireless, it’s a quick and accurate performer that doesn’t feel disadvantaged when compared to its wired counterparts.
The G502 isn’t cheap, but the best things rarely are, and its high-quality features more than justify the price if you’re willing to spend a little extra.
Check Out Our Full Review Of The Logitech G502 Lightspeed Here.
Features & Specifications
- Dimensions: 2 x 4 x 8 inches
- Item weight: 14.2 ounces
- Brand: Logitech
- DPI: 16,000
- Sensor: Logitech Hero 16K
- Ergonomics: Right-handed
- Wired or Wireless: Wireless
- Buttons: 11
- RGB: Yes
- Battery Life: Up to 60 hours (lights off)
Pros
- Excellent customization for weight adjustments.
- Has a cord available if you want it to be wired.
- Sleek and lightweight design.
- Wireless charging capabilities.
- Configurable buttons.
Cons
- Expensive.
- The charging mousepad costs an extra hundred dollars.
Rating: 9.5 out of 10.
Where Can I Buy The Logitech G502 Lightspeed?
2. Razer DeathAdder V2 Pro
Overview
Without a doubt, the Razer DeathAdder V2 Pro is one of the best wireless gaming mice for a lot of people. It still sports the same shape and design from its predecessor that we all know and love while eliminating the cord without sacrificing any of its performance. In fact, gaming performance was comparable to the mouse’s wired counterpart while using a 2.4 GHz USB-A adapter with Razer’s HyperSpeed technology.
The DeathAdder V2 Pro is also equipped with Razer’s most advanced optical sensor, which performs so well in gaming even at high CPI settings. Additionally, dual sensitivity controls aid in quick adjustments. Meanwhile, the mechanical-optical switches on the left and right-click buttons can be a bit polarizing, especially among those who might prefer the tactile feel of mechanical switches.
Apart from its excellent gaming performance, people who prefer a more minimalist approach to their gaming peripherals will also appreciate the DeathAdder V2 Pro’s clean aesthetic. This also makes this mouse pretty versatile when being used in a more professional setting. So if you’re willing to splurge on this premium piece of hardware, you totally won’t be disappointed.
Features & Specifications
- Dimensions: 2.86 x 1.68 x 5 inches
- Item weight: 4.3 ounces
- Brand: Razer
- DPI: 20,000
- Sensor: Razer Focus+
- Ergonomics: Right-handed
- Wired or Wireless: Wireless
- Buttons: 8
- RGB: Yes
- Battery Life: 70 hours
Pros
- Sleek, minimalist design.
- Excellent gaming performance.
- Long battery life.
- Strong wireless connectivity.
Cons
- Expensive.
- Lacking customization features.
Rating: 9.5 out of 10.
Where Can I Buy The Razer DeathAdder V2 Pro?
3. Razer Naga Pro
Overview
The original Naga gaming mouse from Razer has come a long way in terms of both form and function over the years. However, it has long been the best gaming mouse for MMO games, period. But the latest version of the Razer Naga which is the Pro is probably their greatest iteration yet.
The Razer Naga Pro is a small, ergonomic mouse with a high-quality sensor and three configurable thumb grips you can swap out any time, as well as an array of buttons that are excellent for playing MOBAs, MMOs, and pretty much general use.
For people who love playing games like DOTA 2 or League Of Legends, you’ll be glad to know that this gaming mouse has six buttons laid out in two rows, which gives you enough buttons to configure many skills without becoming overwhelmed or issues with misclicking.
The Naga Pro also has a longer battery life and is compatible with the Razer Mouse Dock. Though keep in mind that the Mouse Dock is sold separately. With a lower form than your typical gaming mouse, the Razer Naga Pro is slightly on the small side. So if you have larger palms, this is something to keep in mind.
On the other hand, this gaming mouse is pretty comfortable in the relaxed grip that’s ideal for MMO gaming, but it should also work fine in MOBAs, first-person shooters, and other fast-paced games. While the Naga Pro is typically made for right-hand use, Razer has designed another variant of the Naga that’s created especially for lefties. Unfortunately, the left-handed variant just has one set of side buttons.
Check Out Our Full Review Of The Razer Naga Pro Here.
Features & Specifications
- Dimensions: 2.94 x 1.7 x 4.68 inches
- Item weight: 13.4 ounces
- Brand: Razer
- DPI: 20,000
- Sensor: Razer Focus+ optical sensor
- Ergonomics: Right-handed
- Wired or Wireless: Wireless
- Buttons: 3 interchangeable side plates with up to 20 programmable buttons
- RGB: Yes
- Battery Life: Up to 150 hours.
Pros
- Has interchangeable side plates with plenty of programmable buttons for optimum gaming.
- Ideal for MMOs.
- Excellent battery life.
Cons
- Might feel a little heavy for some gamers.
- Form might be a little low for gamers with bigger palms.
Rating: 9 out of 10.
Where Can I Buy The Razer Naga Pro?
4. Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro
Overview
While gamers all over the world may still be reluctant with a wireless gaming mouse’s capabilities, the Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro aims to get rid of all doubts. And they weren’t playing when they made this statement. In fact, the Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro is easily one of the best gaming mice in the market, both in wireless and wired categories.
In the past years, wireless mice were not ideal for gaming. Especially in games where every second counts and latency issues could mean a mortifying defeat. However, these concerns don’t exist with the Dark Core RGB Pro. This particular gaming mouse is truly made for gamers.
The Dark Core RGB Pro performs flawlessly in terms of accuracy, speed, and responsiveness. So you’re sure that your gameplay is going to be as smooth as possible. While its eight programmable buttons, configurable RGB lights, and its textured rubber palm rest are simply icing on the cake.
All in all, the Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro will surely get you through with even the toughest games you will encounter. But with the added bonus of looking and feeling great while doing so. However, no product will ever be without flaws.
As expected, the Dark Core RGB Pro does come with a few, minor hiccups. Namely, a stiff charging cord that might inconvenience you if you use this gaming mouse while it is charging. Though personally, I don’t see this as a huge deal breaker to many gamers and it can be easily resolved as well.
Features & Specifications
- Dimensions: 5 x 3.5 x 1.69 inches
- Item weight: 4.7 ounces
- Brand: Corsair
- DPI: 18,000
- Sensor: PixArt PAW3392
- Ergonomics: Right-handed
- Wired or Wireless: Wireless
- Buttons: 8
- RGB: Yes
- Battery Life: Up to 50 hours.
Pros
- Great value for the money.
- Extremely low latency.
- Excellent performance.
Cons
- Wired gaming is a bit difficult due to the stiff charging cord.
Rating: 9.0 out of 10
Where Can I Buy The Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro?
5. ROCCAT Kone Pro Air
Overview
The Kone Pro Air from Roccat sports a clean and minimalist aesthetic which makes it very pleasing to the eyes. It’s a more straightforward mouse than the majority of the gaming mice on this list, with fewer buttons, gimmicks, features overall. If you’re looking for a gaming mouse that’s fuss-free and has reliable basic functions, this one is a strong and solid option for you.
Looking into it further, it includes dual wireless connectivity with Bluetooth and 2.4GHz compatibility. It also has a switch on the underside that toggles between two modes. Next to it is a button for profile-switching which you can program in its accompanying software. You’ll also find a slot for the USB dongle, a braided cable, and USB-C charging.
In terms of design, the Kone Pro Air has a low arch and thumb buttons that are thick and easy enough to reach. If you’re not too keen on these types of designs, you might not fully appreciate the feel of this mouse. However, it’s fairly easy to use with different grips. The major mouse buttons, which cover about half of the mouse’s topside, contribute to that comfortable advantage.
Roccat also boasts up to 100 hours of continuous playtime on this mouse and fairly enough, their claims are true. You can easily go weeks without having the need to plug this mouse to charge. On top of that, since this gaming mouse supports USB-C, you can expect lightning-fast charging capabilities too.
Features & Specifications
- Dimensions: 4.94 x 2.83 x 1.57 inches
- Item weight: 7 ounces
- Brand: Roccat
- DPI: 19,000
- Sensor: Roccat Owl-Eye Optical Sensor
- Ergonomics: Right-handed
- Wired or Wireless: Wireless
- Buttons: 23
- RGB: Yes
- Battery Life: Up to 100 hours.
Pros
- Great design.
- Can go weeks without needing to charge.
- USB-C support.
- Solid gaming performance.
Cons
- Expensive.
Rating: 8.5 out of 10.
Where Can I Buy The ROCCAT Kone Pro Air?
Before You Buy
It can be difficult to choose the best gaming mouse among the many options available in the market. There are other aspects to consider, including how it feels in the hand, its design, the button choices and placement, the sensor’s quality, and whether you want a wireless or tethered mouse.
These tiny nuances, as insignificant as they may appear, can have a significant impact on your experience with the mouse you purchase. On the other hand, mice occasionally have features that are exaggerated and do not perform as well as advertised. So when shopping for a gaming mouse, below are some things you might want to consider and keep an eye out for.
Wired Vs. Wireless Gaming Mice
If you’ve been playing PC games for quite some time now, you’ve probably already heard of the long-running debate over whether a wired or wireless gaming mouse is preferable for your requirements. However, with both models having their pros and cons, it’s quite a difficult question to answer.
Some just simply prefer corded mouses due to their reliability while other gamers love the mobility of wireless gaming mouses without any cords getting in the way. But up until recently, the majority of hardcore gamers had a firm answer: wired gaming mouses remain superior.
Because a wired mouse is physically attached to your PC, you don’t have to worry about connectivity. Battery concerns are also alleviated, and as for response times, wired mouses are expected to be the winner in this battle. Then 2016 came and Logitech made a huge release.
With the launch of Logitech’s G900 Chaos Spectrum in 2016, the performance gap between wired and wireless mice began to shrink. The G900 was one of the first wireless gaming mice to properly compete with wired gaming mice in terms of speed and performance.
Since then, technology for wireless gaming mice continued to evolve and progress. It’s now at the point wherein major gaming manufacturers like Logitech, Corsair, and Razer have released both wired and wireless variants of their popular gaming mice without any compromises on its features and capabilities. Not to mention, this gives their consumers a choice of which type of mouse to go for.
So wireless or wired?
Truthfully, there’s no right or wrong answer when it comes to gaming mice. It’s all up to your personal preference at the end of the day.
A wired mouse, obviously, has a cord attached to it. Because your mouse connects directly into a USB port and a wired mouse has little input lag, this typically means that problems like input lag shouldn’t be an issue at all. Not to mention, you also won’t have to worry about losing your gaming mouse’s battery life in the middle of a game.
On the other hand, most wireless gaming mice use a USB connector and a 2.4GHz connection to connect to a computer. Although low-latency Bluetooth is also an option, and many will come with a wire as well. Latency should not be an issue if you purchase a good specialized wireless gaming mouse.
While particular gaming enthusiasts would always prefer using wired mice, there are some advantages to having a totally wireless setup. When gaming, a cable can sometimes be in the way of your mobility, which is something to keep in mind. In the heat of an online battle, issues with a cable could mean the difference between winning and losing.
Sensors
Honestly, the best way to know if a particular gaming mouse has high-quality sensors is to have actual on-hand experience with them. Without that, knowing which suits you best can be a little difficult.
With that said, the two most common types of sensors with gaming mouses are “optical” and “laser”. Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages and it’s up to your personal requirements which you prefer than the other. The easiest way to find out how a mouse feels in various play conditions is to try it out in person or rely on reviews and online forums for people’s personal experiences.
Optical sensors, which give strong tracking sensitivity and tend to map well on a range of surfaces, even textured ones like fabric, are common in cheaper models of gaming mice.
Laser sensors, on the other hand, can map onto the same or more types of surface. This also includes smooth or glossy surfaces that optical sensors may have trouble with. Though keep in mind that laser sensor types can be picky about rough surface textures.
However, this is something that really shouldn’t be fussed too much about. You can easily solve any issues with your mouse’s sensor with a very cheap mousepad to fix its surface tracking.
Types Of Mouse
While most gaming mice should be good for all types of games, there are also specialty or niche gaming mice that target specific gameplays. The best kinds of gaming mice should be able to provide comfort during usage as well as customization capabilities to a wide range of users. However, there are some cases wherein particular models also boast features that focus on certain types of games.
For example, there are gaming mice in the market that are well-suited for first-person shooter games, MMOs, professional esports tournaments, and so much more. Whichever it is, each game category has its own set of requirements and certain gaming mice may cater to those particular needs in order to help boost your gaming experience.
Software
The software functionality that the gaming mouse manufacturer provides for its hardware is just as important as the shortcut buttons and tracking-speed toggles it offers. All major and minor gaming companies have created their own mouse-control software to allow you to customize them to your preference. This typically includes advanced macro programming as well.
In many cases, the software also allows you to manage and personalize a gaming keyboard from the same manufacturer. So it might be quite beneficial if your peripherals come from the same brand for better compatibility.
These software dashboards allow you to activate prefabricated, game-specific profiles, let you build your own profiles, and even modify any RGB patterns and illuminations your gaming mouse might have, in addition to recording macro commands.
Another handy feature that certain software might also include is non-gaming presets. This allows you to utilize the programmability of your mouse in applications from Microsoft or Adobe for your professional needs.
All in all, the availability or the lack of dedicated software is sometimes what separates low-end and high-end gaming mice. In fact, some low-end gaming mice will not come with any software at all. You’ll only be able to alter mouse commands within a game or in your PC’s own mouse settings if such software is not available to you. This isn’t a huge deal for some, but you might want to keep this in mind.
Size, Shape, & Weight
As you know by now, gaming mice come in all shapes and sizes. In fact, some models would even let you pick it apart or remove certain parts of it to adjust its overall shape and weight according to your needs. So if you ever feel uncomfortable with how your mouse feels under your palm, you can easily switch it up for added comfort.
In better gaming mice, removable weights, which resemble little steel tablets, are prevalent. The overall feel and amount of drag can be changed by adding or deleting these weights from slots inside the mouse body. Some versions go even farther, allowing you to vary the height and pitch of the palm rest, as well as the center of balance.
These kinds of customizations are there to make sure that you’re most comfortable whenever you’re using your gaming mouse. After all, your mouse is one of the things that you’ll be holding the most when you’re gaming.
Another thing worth noting is that most gaming mice cater to right-handed users. So if you’re a leftie, you might have a bit of difficulty finding a mouse that is specifically designed for you. Thankfully, some manufacturers offer ambidextrous designs to suit all types of people.
Conclusion
All in all, when shopping for a gaming mouse, the most important factor to consider is how comfortable it feels on your hand. There are plenty of differently-sized mice in the market. Weight and shape are also something to think about. Aesthetics and additional features can come in later. After all, no one wants to have a nice-looking mouse that you won’t be able to use because it feels uncomfortable. Once you’ve settled on which models are well-suited for your hand, then you can start deciding on the features that will benefit you most as a player.
Have you already bought your own gaming mouse? Did your pick make it into our list? Was our list of the Best Gaming Mouses 2021 helpful? Let me know in the comments section below if you have any suggestions, insights, or questions to ask. I would love to hear all your thoughts!
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