If you’re on a tight budget or you’re not ready (just yet) to spend a small fortune on a high-end piece of gaming gear, well, the good news is that you’re not the only one. Hence today’s piece is about the best budget gaming mouse; today’s article is aimed at helping you make the most of your hard-earned dollars, so if you’re that kind of person who loves a good deal, keep reading, because you’re in for a real treat.
Choosing the best budget gaming mouse is not an easy task, but we’ve already done the research for the best offers available in the “current year”, so you won’t have to.
Top Picks
Last update on 2023-10-03 // The links above are affiliate // Images from Amazon
How to Choose the Best Budget Gaming Mouse
Usually speaking, it’s not worth buying cheap gear, because in the end, you’ll end up spending more money on X so-called affordable items (which keep breaking down or fail to satisfy your requirements), instead of buying a high quality (and more expensive) product in the first place. Why? Well, cheap stuff usually breaks down the moment it leaves the store. However, that’s not necessarily the case with technology; due to rapid tech advancements, mass production and all that, tech gear gets cheaper and better year over year with few exceptions.
So, if you’re looking for a proper gaming mouse, the good news for today is that you won’t have to break the bank just yet. Provided you already own a gaming mouse pad (that’s very important if you want to squeeze the last drop of performance from your gaming-grade sensor), let’s focus on the mouse thing for now.
Grip Style
The first thing to wrap your head around is grip style. Why? Well, because based on your grip style, you’ll choose the size and shape of your preferred gaming mouse. Speaking of grip styles, we have the palm grip, which is the most common style among hardcore gamers, the tip grip, when only your fingertips touch the mouse, and the crawl grip, which is highly probable to give you a bad case of carpal tunnel syndrome.
Wired or Wireless
The second thing to contemplate when choosing a gaming mouse is wired versus wireless. Usually speaking, pro-gamers prefer wired mice. Wireless gear looks cool and spares you from mitigating wire-management issues. However, wired mice are more reliable, but also lighter and 100% lag-free compared to their high-tech siblings. Truth be told, there are some high-end wireless mice out there which brag with low/zero latency and zero interference issues, which is hard to believe, but those bad-boys are pretty far from being budget gaming mice, so forget about it.
Optical or Laser
Thirdly, you have 2 types of sensors to choose from: optical and laser. This is a matter of personal preference and tech implementation, i.e. an optical mouse can be better than a laser mouse for one particular person. Weight is also an issue for gamers: the lighter the mouse, the better (at least to some). However, other people prefer heavier gear, so after all, it all goes to personal preference issues.
DPI
How about DPI? Well, to tell you the truth, DPI in a gaming mouse nowadays is the equivalent of horse-power in a racing car. As Enzo Ferrari used to say back in the day, break-horse-power sells cars, torque wins races, if you catch my drift (pun intended). The point being: forget about DPI and focus on things that really matter in the real world: ergonomics, high quality sensors, impeccable workmanship, reliability, how many buttons a given mouse has (a metric that depends on what type of games you’re into i.e. FPS, RTS, MMORPG etc.) and, finally, provided you already have a budget gaming keyboard, take a deep breath, count your money and keep reading about our top budget gaming mice picks in no particular order:
Best Budget Gaming Mice
Logitech G203 Prodigy RGB
The Best Budget Mouse for Gaming Overall
Logitech is the granddaddy of PC peripherals, and their (wired) G203 Prodigy RGB is a true legend among gaming enthusiasts, hence it gets “first dibs” in today’s article. The best thing about the G203 Prodigy RGB is that it makes for an affordable high-quality gaming mouse, which is built by one of the best manufacturers in the world, hence if you’re looking for a solid, well designed and really cheap piece of gaming gear, the G203 should definitely rank high on your shopping list. Oh, and then there’s the RGB thing, provided you’re into shiny lights and all that.
Optics aside, this prodigal son of Logitech really delivers in the performance department, and that’s what really counts after all. Hardware-wise, you’ll get a top-notch Mercury Optical sensor, which has been proven in combat times and times again with fabulous results, Omron Switches rated at ten million clicks, 8000 DPI and even a cool ambidextrous design. Bottom line: this baby plays and wins in the best bang for the buck category, and by a long shot, and that’s why it comes highly recommended by our staff, that if you’re looking for no-nonsense design and performance without breaking the piggy-bank.
- excellent hardware
- highly accurate
- ambidextrous design
- 200 – 8,000 DPI after upgrade in increments of 50
- Polling Rate: 125 / 250 / 500 / 1000Hz
- small (under 12 centimeters) and perfectly balanced (weighs 85 grams)
- zero button latency
- RGB lighting
- works great with most grip types/hand sizes
- awesome choice for FPS games
- very low lift-off distance
- amazing value for money
- feels solid and high quality
- it’s literally a cheaper G Pro performance-wise
- awesome software bundle from Logitech
- not the best choice for MMO and RPG games
HyperX Pulsefire Core
Durable Yet Cheap Gaming Mouse
The HyperX Pulsefire Core is a wired gaming mouse designed and built by Kingston’s high-performance product division. This says a lot in itself, as Kingston Technology is known for producing awesome gaming gear, and the same philosophy applies to this under $30 gaming mouse. Don’t let the price tag fool you, as this rodent can go in a head to head with many of its higher-end competitors, due to its high-quality PixArt PAW3327 optical sensor, heavy-duty buttons rated at 20 million clicks (TTC silver switches), and RGB lighting.
And all these cool features are available at a ridiculously low price-point. What else do you want? It’s a deal, it’s a steal, it’s the sale of the century. Just go for it and thank us later.
- 200–6,200 CPI
- Polling Rate: 1000 Hz
- medium size
- well implemented sensor
- good gaming performance
- surprisingly good buttons
- flexible/light cable
- fantastic build quality for the money asked
- great choice for claw and palm grippers
- works great in FPS, MOBA and RTS games
- well designed, classic look
- weighs 87 grams sans cable
- 7 Programmable Buttons
- symmetric design
- plays and wins in the best bang for the buck category
- the feet are smooth enough yet kind of grippy
- not the best software out there
Corsair M55 RGB Pro
Great Value for Money
Let’s talk a little bit about the Corsair M55 RGB Pro, which makes for an affordable yet elegant and well-built gaming mouse. The M55 arrives in an ambidextrous design and features RGB lighting, as well as four programmable buttons, including a DPI button placed right on the top. Speaking of DPI and marketing gimmicks, the Corsair M55 RGB Pro brags with a 12,400 DPI adjustable sensor, as well as Omron switches, which are rated at 50 million clicks.
To make a long story short, this Corsair gaming mouse delivers a lot of bang for the proverbial buck, and that’s quite something considering the fact that the M55 RGB Pro retails for around $30.
When it comes to real-life performance, the M55 RGB Pro does a neat job, being very comfy to use for both right and left-handed users; the rubber side grips boost confidence, while the plastic-made casing which measures 5’’ by 2.7’’ in a symmetrical design is well built and feels great in hand.
- ambidextrous design
- good gaming performance
- amazing value for money
- feels great in the hand
- precise and comfy
- lightweight at 86 grams
- glides smoothly
- user-friendly and chic
- weirdly designed scroll wheel
Razer Viper Mini
An Excellent FPS Gaming Mouse
Razer Viper Mini is a compact and pretty lightweight (85g) gaming mouse that presents a great option for a wide variety of gamers, thanks to its great price and, before anything else, its excellent performance.
Due to its low latency, as well as its great 8500 DPI optical sensor performance and drag-free cable, it is a perfect fit for FPS fans, while it can also be successfully used as a solid MMO gaming option. However, since it has only six programmable buttons, don’t consider it a dedicated MMO mouse.
Razer Viper Mini offers discrete, but attractive-looking RGB lighting that can be easily customized with the help of the Synapse Software. It is fitted with Optical Switches that use light beam-based actuation and provide great durability, and a high-quality build that places it neck and neck with the best gaming mice out there.
According to its performance, Razer Viper Mini is pretty close to the much more expensive and feature-rich Razer Viper Ultimate. In its class, however, it is the closest to the SteelSeries Rival 3, which is more comfortable and responsive; nevertheless, because of its smaller size, Razer Viper Mini doesn’t offer that level of universality as its SteelSeries rival.
To conclude, if you are after a small, highly-efficient gaming mouse, Razer Viper Mini should be among your top picks.
- Lightweight
- Excellent sensor performance
- Great drag-free cable
- Low latency
- Comfortable
- A bit small
Razer DeathAdder Elite
A Mouse Built for Gaming
If you are a fan of gaming and are looking for an affordable, yet versatile gaming mouse that can be successfully used with almost any gaming genre, whether it is FPS, MMO, or any other type, Razer DeathAdder Elite is the mouse for you.
This mouse is fitted with an excellent high-precision 16,000 DPI optical 5G sensor and discrete, but attractive-looking Chroma RGB Lighting that is fully customizable through the Razer Synapse software. More importantly, its seven programmable buttons would allow you to use it with the MMO games as well; however, don’t expect miracles, since this is a great all-in-one mouse, not a dedicated device.
When talking about other aspects of this device, you should know that it comes with a 2.1m braided USB cable that provides great ergonomics, as well as excellent speed, which is a result of its very low 17ms click latency.
Razer DeathAdder Elite comes with a two-year warranty, it is compatible with Razer Chroma-enabled peripherals and Philips Hue devices. It is also fitted with mechanical switches that can withstand up to 50 million clicks, which adds to the overall durability of the device.
All in all, if you are after the best cheap gaming mouse, with excellent multi-functionality and usability and great performance that positions it neck and neck with the more expensive models such as Razer Mamba Elite and Glorious Model O, Razer DeathAdder Elite is certainly the mouse for you.
- Excellent optical sensor
- Very good Chroma RGB lighting
- Great gaming performance
- Very well built
- Low latency
- Quiet
- Mechanical switches
- Excellent for eSports
- A bit rigid cable
- It may be too small for some
Cooler Master MM710
A Perfect Tool for Lightweight Gaming
Cooler Master MM710 is a lightweight and compact gaming mouse that makes the ideal option for eSports fans due to its characteristics and nature.
Although it doesn’t come with too many features, what it offers is more than enough for the majority of gamers. There is a precise 16000 DPI sensor, as well as durable Omron switches that allow for about 20 million presses. It also includes six-buttons, two of which are programmable, and they add a much-needed level of convenience.
This mouse has an ergonomic shape and before anything else, it is very comfortable to use, which may be a decisive factor for many users, considering how long gaming sessions can last. Moreover, it is fitted with an ultra-weave cable and customizable CPI, which is one more commodity that explains why this device is among the best gaming mice out there.
In other words, if you are a fan of more basic devices that will deliver excellent performance, Cooler Master MM710 is the tool for you.
- Lightweight
- Compact
- Very good software
- Comfortable
- Very low click latency
- Omron switches
- Only for right-handed
- It may be too small for some users
Redragon Impact RGB LED MMO Mouse
Decent Budget Gaming Mouse for MMO
We know what you’re thinking: what’s a Redragon? Since you’re reading an article about gaming mice, it seems pretty obvious that the Redragon M908 Impact RGB is a gaming mouse that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. Here’s why we’ve mentioned a gaming mouse built by this relatively unknown company: first, you get a laser sensor in a very interestingly designed wired gaming mouse for under $40. This should be enough to get your attention. Just take a look at Redragon M908 Impact RGB’s design, and then say “shut up and take my money”.
Truth be told, as far as futuristic design goes, this mouse is level 99, i.e. it looks like an alien artifact. Optics aside, the “dragon” features no less than 19 (nineteen, that’s correct) programmable buttons, which makes it perfect for MMORPGs and things of that nature, as well as a more than decent Pixart PMW3327 laser sensor which boasts 12400 DPI with five adjustable levels on the fly, or ±100 from 100 to 12400 via software.
- futuristic design
- 19 programmable buttons
- RGB lighting
- high precision in gaming
- well implemented Pixart PMW3327 laser sensor
- Teflon feet pads
- 6ft braided-fiber cable
- gold-plated USB connector
- pretty comfy for long-term gaming sessions
- highly customizable
- users report software issues
SteelSeries Rival 3
An Affordable Gaming Mouse that is Neck and Neck with the Big Guys
SteelSeries Rival 3 is an excellent, full-featured mouse that has great durability and plenty of features more common in much more expensive devices.
With this mouse, you are getting an excellent 8,500 CPI TrueMove Optical Sensor, as well as high-quality mechanical switches that can cope with up to 60 million clicks. Moreover, there is also very good Prism lighting, with three lighting zones and six programmable buttons that make this mouse suitable for MMO games.
SteelSeries Rival 3 comes with the excellent SteelSeries Engine 3 configuration software and has a high-quality build. It is lightweight (77g), comfortable to use, and compatible with both Windows and Mac. Furthermore, this mouse comes with 35G acceleration; it is fitted with a top-quality 1.8m cable and has great ergonomics that make it a solid option in the long run.
When talking about its performance, you should know that it positions it above SteelSeries Sensei Ten and, following multiple merits, pretty close to the Razer DeathAdder Elite. In other words, if you purchase SteelSeries Rival 3, you may be sure that you are getting one of the best gaming mice out there and a high-quality device that will keep you company for a long time.
- Durable
- Comfortable
- Ergonomic
- Nice-looking three-zone RGB lighting
- TrueMove Core optical sensor
- Lightweight
- Excellent performance
- It’s a bit hard to reach side buttons
- It may be a bit small for some users
Logitech G502 Hero
The Best There Is
Logitech G502 Hero is an affordable, high-performing gaming mouse that has plenty of features, and equally importantly, it provides an excellent value for the customer. Although it doesn’t bring any major improvements over the previous generation, this device still brings enough punch to be placed among the best gaming mice out there.
Simply, when you have a mouse that is fitted with a top-class Hero 25K sensor and 11 fully programmable buttons, equipped with mechanical switches that can last some 50 million clicks, and that includes a whole bunch of other features, such as the ability to record up to five different profiles on the mouse on-board memory, the only thing you can say is Bravo!
In a nutshell, this is what this mouse is all about, for the largest part. There is compatibility with Mac and Windows, a one-year warranty, and programmable RGB Lightsync lighting. First and foremost, there is 40G acceleration, very intuitive G HUB software, as well as the ability to personalize the mouse weight with five removable 3.6-gram weights.
In other words, the full package is there and the only question that remains is: When you are going to buy it?
- Mechanical switches
- Excellent RGB lighting
- Highly precise Hero 25K sensor
- 11 programmable buttons
- Adjustable weights
- Comfortable
- Very good value for the money
- Not the best grip
- A bit heavy
Logitech G305
The Best Wireless Gaming Mouse is in Front of You
Logitech G305 is a fair-priced wireless gaming mouse that provides great 1ms responsiveness and excellent precision that makes it suitable for the vast majority of games, including MMO and FPS titles.
This mouse is fitted with a very good 12,000 DPI HERO optical sensor, it offers great compatibility that allows for its full use with Windows, Mac, Chrome OS, and many other operating systems and it provides very good energy-efficient performance that allows its 250-hour use with a single AA battery.
Logitech G305 is equipped with six programmable buttons, fitted with mechanical switches that can handle up to 10 million clicks, and has a very low click latency of 11ms, which makes it suitable for fast-paced gaming.
This is a compact and lightweight (99g) device that does highly comfortable work and comes with a two-year warranty. It is highly versatile, with an excellent price, and altogether delivers what the majority of gamers need, and all that for more than a reasonable price.
- Very good optical sensor
- 1ms response time
- Excellent compatibility
- Very good energy efficiency
- Durable
- Comfortable
- Compact
- Two-year warranty
- No wired connectivity
- It may be a bit small for some users
