It's easy to buy a $10 mouse for your PC and call it a day, but you'd be doing an injustice that could hamper your experience. Spending on your mouse is a great way to make sure you get the most out of Windows 11, which is why we've rounded up all of the absolute best mouse options available on the market.
Which is the best mouse?
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Choosing the right mouse for you and your PC largely comes down to personal preference. Like the keyboard, only you alone can determine which is best for your needs. Our recommendation list simply rounds up the best mouse hardware available on the market right now, allowing you to choose from a shortlist of the very best pointers across different categories.
It's important to pick the right mouse for the job. If you're more into gaming than work, something like the Razer Viper 8KHz is going to appeal more with its internal memory storage for profiles, ability to remap buttons, and the absolutely amazing sensor. Then you have productivity mice like the exceptionally good Logitech MX Master 3 and its vast array of features.
Spending a little more than $10 on your mouse will result in your enjoying a pointer that will not only look and feel better but also help with your posture. Whether you're searching for something to game with or to take with you on your next business trip, take a look at our recommendations here for our top mice picks.
Bottom line: With up to 70 hours' worth of battery life between charges, the MX Master 3 from Logitech will easily last a few days of intense work. It's a solid ergonomically designed mouse with an emphasis on productivity.
Logitech makes some amazing PC accessories, and the MX Master 3 is the mouse to buy right now. We loved the Logitech MX Master 2S, and you can see why with our full review, and the company managed to improve on that pointer to create something truly wonderful for productivity.
Firstly, this mouse is wireless, and you can use Bluetooth or wireless with the included dongle. Should you go the latter route with the dedicated USB receiver, you'll be able to connect up to six Logitech devices to that single dongle, making it a great option if you have more than one Logitech PC accessory.
Logitech even allows you to pair up to three devices with the MX Master 3, making it possible to quickly switch between PCs. This creates some unique scenarios both at home and in the office. Performance with Logitech's TrackAnywhere sensor is brilliant and is right up there with more pricey PC pointers.
It's not all great, however. If you need more than 4000 DPI to engage in intense gaming sessions, or if you prefer a wired mouse, the Logitech MX Master 3 isn't for you. But for everyone else, this mouse is an excellent package.
Bottom line: The Logitech MX Vertical is named as such for a reason. It's more like a tower than a PC mouse, which is actually great if you suffer from carpal tunnel.
The best vertical mouse is the Logitech MX Vertical because it matches excellent performance with style and comfort. If you're somebody who frequently suffers from carpal tunnel or repetitive strain, a vertical mouse could be the next best thing for productivity.
The DPI can be configured up to 4,000, which is more than enough for most uses, but if you're into gaming you may want to consider other pointers in our recommendation list. In terms of battery life, because the MX Vertical is also a wireless mouse, you can expect up to three weeks on a single charge, which is pretty impressive.
Lastly, to help with productivity, the forward and back buttons, DPI switch button, and the mouse wheel can all be reprogrammed using Logitech's Options software. This mouse is all about giving you the utmost support, and it truly succeeds.
Bottom line: Razer took the already excellent Viper gaming mouse and made it even better with a newer sensor that allows for a polling rate of 8,000Hz.
The Razer Viper is the best gaming mouse, period. We previously reviewed the base model, but the newer Viper 8KHz takes everything and turns it all up to 11 for maximum performance. It's a true ambidextrous gaming mouse with plenty of features for PC gamers like the impressive 8,000Hz polling rate.
First up is the wire-only connection. Wireless tech has come a long way, especially with mice, but it's still best to go wired for minimal latency. There's also Chroma RGB lighting, which is pretty neat if you're all about the light show and enjoy using Razer's Synapse software suite. The sensor is seriously good, too, allowing you to set up to 20,000 DPI for incredible sensitivity.
The maximum supported speed (or inch-per-second) is 650, which is very good for a gaming mouse. So too is the max acceleration at 50G. You can reprogram eight buttons in total and store up to five profiles on the mouse itself. Best of all, you'll be able to smash the two main buttons 70 million times before you can expect to see issues, making it one of the best mice for Fortnite play.
Bottom line: Razer's Naga X is a new take on the company's MMO pointer that includes everything you'll need to enjoy your favorite online game, but not much else.
The Razer Naga series of gaming mice are designed with massive-multiplayer online games in mind. The reason for this is the array of buttons located on the side for the thumb. Having countless abilities or skills to use in-game can make it difficult for movement and other tasks using the keyboard, which is where mouse-based programmable buttons come into play.
At the heart of the Razer Naga X is the sensor, which is optical and very accurate. Razer mice (even the more affordable ones) usually tend to rock some of the best sensors, and this mouse is no exception. There's the ability to configure the DPI up to 18,000 and a total of 16 buttons that you can remap accordingly.
There is onboard profile storage too, though this is limited to saving a single configuration. The mouse is backed by Razer's excellent software package that can allow you to switch between games, however. The only drawback I have is that there's little to differentiate the side buttons, making them feel almost identical and difficult to activate the correct skill at times.
Bottom line: Logitech has been manufacturing affordable PC accessories for decades, and they understand the requirements for quality budget mice. It's a top seller for being a no-frills, reliable mouse.
One of the most familiar brands in the PC hardware landscape, Logitech covers the whole range of accessories from barebones basic to premium tech. For under $10, you can't go wrong with the M100 if you need a reliable, basic mouse.
It's not wireless, but that helps keeps the cost down. A standard USB-A cord keeps the compatibility high, meaning it'll work on Windows, macOS, Chromebooks, Linux, and beyond. Stick it in a compatible console if you like; it's using standard mouse drivers and will work out of the box.
You don't get any fancy features like RGB lights, but it's a perfectly serviceable mouse that'll let you click on things all day long.
Bottom line: The Microsoft Ergonomic Mouse is essentially a more affordable Surface Precision Mouse that still features programmable buttons and the same comfortable design. This is an excellent mouse for the price and is incredibly versatile.
Microsoft doesn't make flashy gaming mice with RGB lighting, nor does it make premium office mice with more features than you'd know what to do with. The company makes good, solid, reliable mice that don't cost a small fortune, and the Bluetooth Ergonomic Mouse is another fine example of this effort.
It's a $50 mouse, which isn't budget by any means and there are plenty of cheaper alternatives, but what you get for the money is brilliant. It's good-looking with a minimalist and ergonomic design, but has enough features for you to get all your work done for the day. There are a total of five buttons, including a metal scroll wheel.
If there were any complaints to make about this mouse, it would be the battery life. It's not awful — in fact it's pretty good — but compared to other Bluetooth mice out there, it's not amazing. It takes AAA batteries and will last for a year, according to Microsoft. The entire experience is a little less advanced too. If your budget can stretch a little, I'd recommend the Logitech MX Master 3.
Bottom line: There's plenty to love about the SteelSeries Rival 310, including the excellent TrueMove3 sensor, ergonomic design, and amazing gaming performance, designed with esports in mind.
We reviewed the SteelSeries Rival 310 years ago, but to this day it remains a compelling purchase for PC gamers, especially those searching for the best gaming mice for big hands. It's an affordable mouse with a high-end sensor, one you'd also find on the SteelSeries Rival 710.
The TrueMove3 sensor from SteelSeries provides true 1-to-1 tracking without employing any jitter reduction. It's possible to configure a dots-per-inch (DPI) setting of up to 12,000 without sacrificing on performance. Designed and engineered with the help of PixArt, the company has also managed to pack in 50G acceleration and speed of up to 350 inches per second.
Other handy sensor features include true tracking of up to 3,500 counts per inch (CPI). This is a highlight for gamers who use low DPI settings like 400 or 800. And if you have larger than normal-sized hands, it's ergonomically designed so you shouldn't feel any discomfort when playing for many hours.
Bottom line: Logitech's Pebble M350 is a brilliant portable mouse simply because it's super-compact, has great battery life, and is easy enough to use through Bluetooth or with the included dongle.
Need a compact mouse? Look no further than the Logitech Pebble M350. It's small, light, and easy to carry around with you in your laptop bag (or even your pocket!). Logitech's receiver is also really good, allowing you to connect numerous Logitech accessories to the same PC, but you can use Bluetooth if preferred.
The battery life is rock solid, allowing a single AA battery to last up to 18 months, depending on use. It may take a little time to become accustomed to the shape of the Pebble M350, but it's one of the best portable mice out there, especially for professionals.
This mouse won't win any awards for performance or functionality, however. There are only three buttons so you won't be able to remap functions to this mouse, nor will it be suitable for some gaming thanks to the maximum DPI setting of just 1000. Still, for business use, it's more than adequate and ticks most of the right boxes.
How to pick the best PC mouse
We chose the Logitech MX Master 3 as our top recommended mouse for a few reasons. It's incredibly powerful with an accurate sensor, offers plenty of features with programmable buttons, comes with Bluetooth support or a wireless dongle, and can support up to five other Logitech devices. But how do we go about choosing the best mouse?
1. Choose the right mouse for your needs
Picking the right mouse for your needs is incredibly important since a mouse designed specifically for productivity isn't going to best a gaming mouse and vice versa. If you want to play PC games, but have something that will also work for, well, work then you'll need a gaming mouse.
Productivity takes advantage of buttons that help with accessing functions quickly and a solid sensor for accurate mouse tracking. For creatives and other professionals, picking a mouse with all of these "serious" features is important to get everything done. The same goes for travelers, who will value battery life and Bluetooth connectivity over the best, most accurate sensor.
2. Think ergonomically
Ergonomically designed mice are better for heavy use, because the designers took into account posture and how to combat repetitive strain injury, both of which are a cause for concern to anyone who uses a PC for multiple hours each day. Mice with a smooth shape and rests for your fingers will be better than smaller portable pointers.
3. High DPI isn't everything
DPI stands for dots per inch and it represents how many dots the mouse can capture per inch. The higher the number, the more sensitive the mouse is and the faster your cursor will move on screen. Usually, higher DPI settings are reserved for creatives and gamers who require highly sensitive mouse movement, but it doesn't necessarily mean the pointer is better because it has a higher DPI.
4. Wired vs. wireless
Wired, wireless, or Bluetooth? That's your call. Bluetooth is the best choice for those who need portable mice since it means you won't need to carry a dongle around with you, but wireless technologies drain mouse batteries. When tethered to your desk, a wireless mouse can be quickly charged with a dock, making this a non-issue for gamers and workstations.
