The Best Cheap And Budget Gaming Mouse - Fall 2023 Mice Reviews

The best budget gaming mouse is the Logitech G305 LIGHTSPEED. While many wireless gaming models come with a price jump compared to similar wired versions, this mouse is a rare exception. It has a very sturdy-feeling, almost egg-shaped body that's comfortable to hold for nearly all hand sizes. Logitech advertises a battery life of up to 250 hours from a single AA battery, and an LED indicator behind the scroll wheel lets you know when your battery is running low. Its companion software offers plenty of customization and allows you to set custom profiles, re-program buttons, and precisely adjust your sensor settings.

Performance-wise, its click latency is excellent and is even lower than some wired options around the same price range. This sensor is an earlier version of Logitech's current flagship sensor and offers good all-around performance for gaming in any genre. Unfortunately, it doesn't have RGB lighting but comes in various colors to better suit your setup. Altogether, this mouse offers the freedom of a wireless connection without sacrificing gaming performance, and it's the best budget gaming option out there.

The Logitech G502 HERO is the best budget gaming mouse if you play different types of games, especially if they require more buttons, like MOBA or MMO games. It has a more ergonomic right-handed shape than our best pick on this list, the Logitech G305 LIGHTSPEED, making it a more comfortable option for longer play sessions. It also has outstanding click latency, making it more than capable of delivering stable, responsive performance, even in competitive games. Its companion software allows you to remap any of its 12 buttons, set custom lighting, and make sensor adjustments. Its scroll wheel also has tilt inputs and a free-scrolling mode, a helpful feature for scrolling quickly through web pages out-of-game.

Overall, this mouse is a great option if you play plenty of different game titles, though it isn't ideal if you only tend to play FPS or fast-paced games, as it's pretty heavy, and you can't flick it around as quickly. If you're interested in a similar mouse that connects wirelessly with a USB receiver or via Bluetooth, we recommend checking out the Razer Basilisk X Hyperspeed. It also offers similar gaming performance and is typically around the same price. However, it only has six programmable buttons, lacks RGB lighting, and its scroll wheel lacks tilt inputs and a free-scrolling mode.

If you're on a budget but want the lightest mouse on the block, we recommend the Cooler Master MM720. The price of this mouse bounces around quite a bit, but it frequently goes on sale, and it's at its best value when it falls to $25 or less. It's a wired model that weighs only 52g, making it the lightest pick on this list. It may not look like most other mice, but its unusual right-handed shape features a rest for your ring finger and is surprisingly comfortable for most hand sizes. In terms of performance, this mouse has incredibly low click latency and solid sensor performance. The quality of its cable and mouse feet is also outstanding and on par with those typically only found on premium options.

Unfortunately, its weakness is with other elements of its build quality. The body squeaks and feels like it might crack with enough pressure, and the side buttons have a mushy feel. These issues won't present any problems during gameplay, but they can be a longer-term concern or be more of a problem if you're a little rougher with your mice overall.

If you're looking for the best cheap option, we recommend the Logitech G203 LIGHTSYNC. This wired model is available in several expressive colors to suit your setup. It also has fully customizable RGB lighting that you can adjust using the companion software. This mouse has the same egg-like shape as our best overall pick, the Logitech G305 LIGHTSPEED, which means it's well-suited to left and right-handed users for nearly all hand sizes.

It may not have the same sensor accuracy as the more expensive options on this list. However, its click latency is low enough to deliver a high-quality experience in all genres, including more fast-paced and competitive games. Its biggest downside is its weight, and while it's much lighter than our multi-genre pick, it isn't as quick and easy to maneuver as our lightweight pick, the Cooler Master MM720. That said, this mouse offers nearly unrivaled performance for gaming in any genre considering its consistently low price point.

If you want the most cutting-edge performance for your money, the best cheap gaming mouse for enthusiasts is the EVGA X12. While its regular price makes it more of a mid-range option, it's frequently on sale and is a great deal whenever it gets down to around the $30 mark. Its overall shape is symmetrical, with a pair of side buttons on the left and right sides, meaning it's a great choice whether you're right or left-handed. Its build quality is good, but there's some flexibility in the sides of the plastic body. There's also a small amount of wobble in the left- and right-click buttons and a rattling sound from the mouse wheel if you shake the mouse. However, these issues don't affect performance while gaming.

In terms of raw performance, it has extremely low click latency and a very consistent and accurate sensor. This mouse is also one of the few options currently available that offer polling rates higher than the standard 1000Hz, which provide smoother-feeling cursor movements and slightly better click latency. Using the maximum 8000Hz polling rate setting requires a fairly powerful six-core gaming rig, but most modern gaming setups can take advantage of 2000Hz or even 4000Hz polling rate options. Altogether, the EVGA offers excellent gaming performance and some cutting-edge technology typically exclusive to higher-priced options, and it's a great cheap option when it goes on sale.