Trying to find gaming accessories on a budget can be quite difficult. With the ever-growing popularity of computer gaming, being able to add quality products to your arsenal without breaking the bank is tough. But don't lose hope; it's possible to find gaming products at an affordable price and get great performance out of them. You might not get full RGB lighting or a wireless design when looking for the best gaming mouse on a budget, but if you just want a gaming mouse that'll suit your needs without breaking the bank, there are a few options.
We've tested over 90 mice, and these are our recommendations for the best cheap mice for gaming. Also, check out our best gaming mice and best wireless gaming mice articles. If you want a standard mouse for everyday use, check out our picks for the best mice overall.
The best cheap gaming mouse that we've tested is the Logitech G300s. This wired-only ambidextrous model feels comfortable and well-built. It's especially well-suited for any hand-sizes using a claw grip. It comes with good PFTE feet that glide smoothly, despite a slight scratching sound when using on a wooden surface. It’s also fairly lightweight, and despite its low price, it performs very well.
It has a very low click latency and an extremely consistent CPI whether you’re moving it quickly or slowly. However, the CPI range is quite limited, and you can only adjust it by steps of 250, which isn’t very precise. The polling rate is easily adjustable and goes high enough to give you very smooth cursor movements. It also comes with fantastic companion software that’s compatible with both Windows and macOS and gives you tons of customization options while also allowing you to save your favorite settings to the onboard memory.
Unfortunately, the rubber cable is quite stiff and may create drag on your desk. There aren’t any side buttons, but at least you can remap all of the top buttons within the customization software. Also, it isn’t recommended for larger hands using a palm grip, and small hands may find it hard to reach all the buttons with a fingertip grip. Nevertheless, this is a great gaming mouse that offers very good value for the price.
The best cheap gaming mouse for MMOs that we've tested is the Redragon M908. It’s a wired-only model that’s surprisingly well-built for the price, with good PTFE feet that glide very well. It also feels amazingly comfortable, though it has an unusual shape that’s rather short and bulky, making it better-suited for medium to large hands using a palm or a claw grip.
It has excellent overall performance with a high maximum polling rate and a wide CPI range that adjustable by increments of 100, though the high CPI variation means it's rather inconsistent. The side panel has plenty of buttons, and it comes with a total of 20 programmable inputs, which should be enough to satisfy most MMO gamers. It comes with great companion software that offers a good amount of customization and the possibility to save your preferred settings to the onboard memory.
Unfortunately, it isn’t suitable for smaller hands using any grip type, and the braided cable feels very rigid and keeps a lot of kinks from the packaging. Also, the click latency is only decent, but most people won’t notice any delay when using it for casual gaming. That said, this is a great mouse that performs very well, with plenty of buttons and a very small price tag, making it the best cheap gaming mouse for MMOs that we’ve tested.
If you want something with more customization options, get the Logitech G600 MMO Gaming mouse. It's more expensive than the Redragon M908, but it has a third main button that sits under your ring finger and allows you to access a second layer of commands. You can customize all the programmable inputs through Logitech's excellent G HUB software, which is fully compatible with both Windows and macOS, which is great if you're an Apple user and don't want to lose out on customization options. While its click latency is quite a bit lower than the Redragon, unfortunately, the max CPI isn't as high, though it's still likely sensitive enough for most people.
If you want to save a few bucks and still have an outstanding MMO mouse, go with the Redragon; however, if you're looking for an MMO option with more programmable inputs, get the Logitech.
The best budget gaming mouse that we've tested is the SteelSeries Rival 3. This wired gaming mouse is made of good quality plastic that feels sturdy and solid. It's also quite comfortable to use, though it is best suited for a claw or fingertip grip. While it's not light enough to be considered a true ultra-light gaming model, it's still very light, especially if you use a bungee to remove the weight of the cable.
Click latency is very low, and even competitive gamers shouldn't notice any delay while playing. It also has a wide and easily adjustable CPI range and a high maximum polling rate that should give you smooth cursor movements. There's RGB lighting around the bottom and on the rear logo and a total of six programmable buttons. The exceptional companion software, SteelSeries Engine 3, allows you to customize every aspect, and it's fully compatible with both Windows and macOS.
Unfortunately, it's not the best choice for MMO gaming, as it has only two side buttons, and they're positioned fairly flush to the body, making them a bit difficult to press. Also, the cable is pretty stiff and creates drag when moved around. The wheel also has a very low profile, which may make it more difficult to scroll, but on the other hand, easier to click. Overall, if you're on a budget but can spare a few more dollars for a mouse with better performance, this is a great option.
The best budget gaming mouse for ultra-light gaming that we've tested 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.
It's 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 it feels very responsive. FPS players will also appreciate the new Razer cable that feels light and flexible and doesn't create drag when moving.
Unfortunately, if you have larger hands, it may not be suitable for you unless you use a fingertip grip. Also, the CPI range isn't as wide as some other recent Razer mice, but it should still be more than enough for most people. Overall, its shape and performance make it one of the best budget gaming mouse for FPS.
12/18/2020: Moved the Cooler Master MM710 to Notable Mentions.
10/27/2020: Updated text for clarity and structure, no changes in product picks.
08/28/2020: Replaced Anker High Precision Gaming Mouse with Logitech G300s as 'Best Cheap Gaming Mouse'. Removed Anker Gaming Mouse and added Redragon M908 as 'Best Cheap MMO Mouse'.
04/30/2020: Changed the Logitech G203 for the Razer Viper Mini.
02/27/2020: Moved the Logitech G502 Hero to notable mentions, made the SteelSeries Rival 3 'Best Budget Gaming Mouse'.
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best mice for gaming cheap for most people. We factor in the price (a cheaper mouse wins over a pricier one if the difference isn't worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability (no mice that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).
If you would like to do the work of choosing yourself, here is the list of all our mice reviews. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. While no mouse is perfect for every use, most mice are great enough to please almost everyone, and the differences are often not noticeable unless you really look for them.