Whether you’re a gamer or just a casual user, a gaming mouse can give you lots of advantages over a regular mouse. Gaming mouses are more durable, more ergonomic, and also more sensitive. Plus, they also come with more features, like extra programable buttons, weights, lights, and more. Here is our list of the best wired and wireless gaming mouses of 2020.
What to Look For in a Gaming Mouse
Wired Vs. Wireless Mouse
A wireless gaming mouse looks nice, and you don’t have to worry about their wires getting tangled up on your desk. However, a wired mouse is almost always faster and more responsive. Plus, since they don’t rely on batteries, you won’t have to worry about your mouse dying on you mid-game.
So, if you want to land the perfect headshot every time, you should probably use a wired mouse. On the other hand, if you hate getting tangled up in ugly wires, there are some wireless gaming mouses that work just as well as wired mouses.
Ergonomics: Choosing a Mouse Grip that Fits You
Not every gaming mouse is the same, and not every player is the same. Some prefer to use their palm to grip their mouse, while others prefer to hold it with the claw grip or the fingertip grip instead.
The palm grip is the most comfortable for most people. It means that you completely rest your palm on the mouse. The claw grip means that only your fingertips and the back of your palm are in contact with the mouse. And the fingertip grip means that your palm is above the mouse, and only your fingertips are in contact with the mouse.
Gaming Mouse Sensitivity: DPI
The sensitivity of a mouse refers to how fast the pointer on your screen moves when you move your physical mouse. Mouse sensitivity is measured in DPI (dots per inch), meaning how many pixels your cursor moves for every inch you move the mouse.
A high DPI means you can move your mouse cursor around on your screen faster with less effort. You will need a higher DPI if you have a high screen resolution because there are more pixels per inch.
So, if you are playing fast-paced games on a 4K monitor, you will want a gaming mouse with a DPI of at least 400-800. However, depending on how you want your mouse to feel, you might want a gaming mouse with a DPI as high as 10,000 or more.
Extra Programmable Buttons
These days, most gaming mouses come with extra buttons that you can program to do anything you want. Using the software that comes with your mouse, you can also assign “macros” to the extra buttons on your mouse. Macros are basically a series of actions, like mouse clicks or keyboard keystrokes, that you can record and then assign to one of the buttons on your mouse.
For example, you can use this to easily switch between weapons in a game, or select a certain group of characters with one click. If you’re a regular computer user, you can easily use a gaming mouse to effortlessly launch and close apps, or switch between browser tabs, or empty your recycle bin, and more.
The Best Wireless Gaming Mouses
Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless – Best Cheap Wireless Gaming Mouse
If you’re looking for a cheap wireless gaming mouse, the Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless is your best bet. This mouse is easy to set up. All you have to do is connect the wireless dongle to a USB port and turn the mouse on. If you don’t have a free port, you can also use Bluetooth to connect it to your computer.
Although this gaming mouse is wireless, it is still very responsive. It’s also comfortable thanks to its contoured shape and rubber grips on the sides. So, it is perfect for you whether you prefer the palm, claw, or fingertip grip.
What’s more, the mouse’s battery can last up to 60 hours, so you can play without any interruption. And, you can even plug it into your computer, so you can keep playing while the mouse is charging.
$59.99
Logitech G502 Lightspeed – Best Wireless Gaming Mouse for Large Hands
The Logitech G502 Lightspeed is, without a doubt, one of the best wireless gaming mouses on the market. It comes with a futuristic design, and its wireless connection works faster than many wired gaming mouses, according to Logitech.
The mouse has a DPI of 16,000 and features hyper-fast scrolling and 11 customizable buttons. If heavy mouses are not your thing, then you can customize the mouse’s weight by making it up to 16 grams lighter. You can also use this mouse with the PowerPlay charging mat to re-charge the device on the fly.
$149.99
Razer Viper Ultimate – Best Wireless Gaming Mouse for Professional Gaming
The Razer Viper Ultimate is one of the best wireless gaming mouses on the market because it works at hyperspeed and has a 70-hour battery life.
The mouse is ultra-lightweight at only 74 grams, making it an ideal choice if you’re an esports gamer. With eight programmable buttons on either side and an ambidextrous shape, it is also perfect for you whether you’re left or right-handed.
Moreover, the mouse has a tactile scroll wheel and a DPI of up to 20,000. You can also adjust the DPI on the fly with the programmable buttons to make things easy. It also comes with a flexible cable for charging. You can also use the cable to physically connect the device to your computer if you prefer. What’s more, if you don’t mind spending a bit more, you can get the mouse with its own charging dock.
The Best Wired Gaming Mouses
SteelSeries Rival 3 – Best Cheap Wired Gaming Mouse
If you’re looking for a wired gaming mouse that won’t break the bank, then the SteelSeries Rival 3 is your best choice. This cheap gaming mouse is great for the claw or finger grip ergonomic positions. It is also very durable and lightweight at only 77 grams, so you can play longer without getting tired.
The mouse comes with a sensitivity rate of 100-8,500 CPI (counts per inch). It also features a scroll wheel and six programmable buttons, which is more than enough for most gamers. What’s more, the mouse comes with built-in memory, so you can save your hotkeys directly to the mouse for any game you play.
Corsair Ironclaw RGB – Best Wired Gaming Mouse for Large Hands
If you have large hands and prefer to use the palm grip to hold a mouse, then the Corsair Ironclaw RGB is the perfect choice for you. This wired gaming mouse weighs just 105 grams and comes with a tough, but comfortable, contoured shape design.
It uses an advanced optical sensor with a maximum DPI of 18,000. It has a scroll wheel, and seven fully programmable buttons, which you can program using Corsair software. If you have other Corsair compatible devices, like a mechanical keyboard, then you can connect all your devices together in a single interface.
This mouse is ideal for first-person shooter (FPS) and multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games alike.
$59.99
Razer Naga Trinity – Best Wired Gaming Mouse for MOBAs and MMOs
If you’re a fan of multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) and massively multiplayer online (MMO) games, like League of Legends and World of Warcraft, then the Razer Naga Trinity is one of the best wired gaming mouses you can get.
This wired gaming mouse is great for right-handed gamers. It weighs about 120 grams and comes with a rubberized scroll wheel and rubber side grips. It features the world’s most advanced 5G optical sensor, according to the company. Plus, it has a maximum DPI of 16,000, which you can adjust using mouse buttons.
But what makes the Razer Naga Trinity more interesting is that it comes with up to 19 programmable buttons and removable side-plates with three different configurations. These side buttons allow you to have as many hotkeys as you could ever need right at the tip of your thumb.
Are you looking for a gaming laptop to go with your new gaming mouse? Make sure to check our list of the best gaming laptops of 2020 here.
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