While scouring the Amazon or Reddit lists can show you lots of gaming mice, it can easily become overwhelming as you have to consider the size, style and price of the mouse. If you’re on a budget, look no further than our pick for the best cheap gaming mouse options under $50.
If you’ve never bought a gaming mouse before, you should go to a store, if that’s an option, to try a few out before buying it. All sorts of factors factor into the best possible gaming experience – such as ergonomic design, weight, the mouse sensor, number and positions of buttons, how programmable or open to customization it is, wired or wireless connection and, of course, customizable lighting.
We’ll continue to test new mice as they become available, so expect this list of cheap gaming mouse options to change as we weigh the pros and cons of each. If you also need a new gaming keyboard, here are our current gaming keyboards for under $100.
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The Model O comes on this list for a penny under $50. However, it’s well worth the extra cost if you’re looking for an ultra-lightweight gaming mouse with full functionality and RGB lighting. The honeycomb design cuts the weight down to just 67 grams, and the paracord-style cable gives it an almost wireless feel (although you can get a true wireless version for $80).
Despite the lower price, the Model O has quality components such as Omron switches with a sharp click response and a Pixart sensor with a DPI of up to 12,000. Four DPI settings are pre-programmed on the button at the top, but you can use a desktop app to set them up however you want. A light at the bottom lets you know which position you are in. The RGB lighting can be changed with the same app.
You’ll also find that 100% polytetrafluoroethylene skates keep your movements smooth and precise. They’re small though, so if you really put pressure on them, you’ll get some resistance on a cloth mouse pad. (Consider getting Glorious’ Air surface for the best speed.) The skates are easily replaced and so is the cable, which Glorious sells in eight color choices. A great mouse for the money.
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A rare bargain for a wireless gaming mouse. The Katar Pro uses the company’s Slipstream 2.4GHz wireless connection that can channel on-the-fly, keeping it on the fastest possible connection, with latency of less than 1 millisecond. This wireless mouse also features low-latency Bluetooth LE 4.2, which is great for gaming when speed is less important, or for connecting to other computers or devices that don’t have a USB-A port for the Slipstream receiver.
Corsair used a 10,000 dpi PixArt PMW3325 sensor and a mouse button on top lets you toggle between three presets: 800, 1,500 and 3,000. Those settings, along with the mouse’s other five buttons, can be remapped in the company’s iCue software for Windows and MacOS. You can also save dpi and lighting settings to the Katar Pro so that you always have your favorites to hand, no matter what computer you’re using.
This wireless mouse is powered by a single AA battery with a battery life of up to 135 hours. That’s good, but you probably want to invest in good rechargeable batteries.
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SteelSeries already has an excellent budget gaming mouse in its lineup with the two-handed Sensei 310, which is further down this list. However, the new $30 SteelSeries Rival 3 is also surprisingly good for a cheap mouse. The ergonomic six-button right-handed mouse is very light at 77 g (2.7 ounces) and uses the company’s TrueMove Core sensor with an 8500 CPI and one-to-one tracking for precise movements. This wired mouse uses the same switches as its $93 SteelSeries Rival 650 mouse, and while the buttons require a little more power than others we’ve tested, it has quite a few configuration options, including three zones of RGB LED lighting that SteelSeries says are the brightest they use in any mouse.
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You can reject Razer because it’s popular or you think it’s all hype. But the fact is, this is a good budget gaming mouse for any gamer. It’s comfortable, especially when using a palm, with an accurate, fast 16,000 DPI sensor and a lightweight body. Programmable Synapse software lets you customize the lights and seven buttons as many times as you want, and you no longer need to log in. And it’s backed by a two-year warranty.
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At 100 grams, the Surge is light enough to use with a fingertip or claw grip, and it’s also ambidextrous. Other pluses are that this HyperX mouse is designed with six programmable buttons and a ring of RGB light that wraps around the entire body. It’s a plug-and-play mouse, but you can program the lights and buttons with the company’s NGenuity software. In addition, up to three profiles can be stored on the mouse, so you can always make custom settings regardless of the system you’re using. The Pixart sensor also delivers excellent performance with a native DPI up to 16,000 and the Omron switches provide sharp clicks.
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The G305 is the only one here that doesn’t have RGB lighting. However, it’s also wireless and without that extra lighting, this wireless gaming mouse will last longer: up to 250 hours of uninterrupted PC gaming. It requires a single AA battery that hides under the palm rest with its Lightspeed wireless USB adapter. Even with the battery, however, this PC gaming mouse weighs less than 100 grams. The small size, relatively low profile and weight was comfortable when used with claw and palm grip styles. It is also a two-handed gaming mouse. All in all, it’s a great choice among wireless gaming mice, with good battery life if you don’t want a lot of buttons or lights.
The price hovers around $50, so if it jumps a bit over that, I recommend waiting for a price drop or sale. It’s now also available in four colors if you’re looking for something a little more noticeable on your desk.
Read our Logitech G305 Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Mouse preview.
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