The 6 Best Cheap Gaming Mice - Fall 2020
Mouse Reviews

The best cheap gaming mouse that we've tested to date is the Logitech G300s. This wired mouse has a comfortable ambidextrous design with all hand sizes being able to hold it in a claw grip. It has an optical LED sensor, and there are nine programmable buttons situated on the top of the frame. It's worth noting that while this mouse's regular price falls within the limits of this article, the price tends to fluctuate and is sometimes quite a bit higher.

Despite having a smaller CPI range than other gaming mice, the maximum polling rate is quite high and should keep the cursor feeling fluid. Also, click latency is great and should feel responsive enough for competitive gamers. There are two RGB lights along the side of the mouse, which can be controlled through the outstanding compatible software, Logitech Gaming Software. From there, you can also remap all the buttons and adjust the polling rate and CPI, all of which can be saved to the mouse's on-board memory.

Unfortunately, the stiff cable may be annoying for gamers playing with a very low CPI setting. If you have large hands, palm grip isn't advised as there's a chance you may hit the wrong buttons at the top of the mouse. Furthermore, the top right buttons don't seem to work on macOS, which will be inconvenient for left-handed people who want to use the buttons for macros. Overall, this is a very good cheap gaming mouse that should be more than suitable for casual gaming.

The best cheap gaming mouse for MMOs that we've tested to date is the Redragon M908. It's an excellent mouse for MMO gaming due to its amazing performance and programmable buttons. It may not feel premium, but there's no rattling or wobbly parts, and the heftiness of the mouse makes it feel well-designed. The mouse has 12 side buttons that can be customized in the Redragon M908 software and saved to the on-board memory, along with the CPI and polling rate.

It has a very wide CPI range, and the polling rate can be adjusted to suit your needs. Click latency is decent, and even though it's not as good as other wired gaming mice, most casual gamers shouldn't notice any delays when playing. Furthermore, the mouse is very comfortable to use, and the design makes it ideal for those with medium and large-sized hands to use a claw or palm grip.

Unfortunately, the mouse's cable is quite stiff and retains a lot of the kinks from the packaging. Also, those with smaller hands won't be able to comfortably use this mouse in any grip type. Furthermore, the mouse acted unusually on macOS for us, with some buttons not working out-of-the-box and some programmed buttons not carrying over from a PC. That said, if you want an excellent mouse for MMO gaming that's also very affordable, it offers great value overall.

If your budget is a tad greater than $25, the best budget gaming mouse for under $50 is the SteelSeries Rival 3. This small mouse is great for a claw grip and is very comfortable to use during long gaming marathons. It has a sleek RGB strip on the bottom of the mouse, which can be customized inside the SteelSeries Engine.

This mouse has a great overall performance with a precise sensor that has a wide enough CPI range that should be suitable for everyone. Its click latency is also very low, and the mouse feels responsive. You can easily customize its performance inside the software as well. It's also quite lightweight, even if it doesn't have a honeycomb pattern to reduce its weight.

Unfortunately, its rubberized cable is quite stiff and creates drag when moving it around, which might be bothersome for some. Additionally, the side buttons sit fairly flush to the mouse's body and aren't the easiest to click. Nevertheless, if you're on a limited budget but can pay a bit extra to get an overall better-performing mouse, this is a great option.

The best budget gaming mouse for FPS that we've tested so far is the Razer Viper Mini. It's very similar to the high-end wireless Razer Viper Ultimate, but it has a smaller body and is much more affordable. It has a very low-profile body that is great for fingertip users who want a precise and quick mouse for flick shots.

The mouse is well-built and very lightweight, even without a honeycomb pattern. It might not have the latest Razer sensor, but its performance is still amazing. It has very good feet that slide well, and the click latency is very low, so the mouse feels very responsive. FPS players will also appreciate the new Razer cable that feels lightweight and doesn't create drag when moving the mouse.

Unfortunately, if you have larger hands, controlling this mouse is only comfortable if you use a fingertip grip, or else you should look at a larger mouse. Also, its CPI range isn't as large as some other recent Razer products, although 8500 should be more than enough. On the upside, it features full RGB lighting, and it's customizable in the Synapse Software. Overall, its shape and performance make it one of the best budget gaming mouse for FPS.