The 6 Best Cheap Gaming Mice - Spring 2020
Mouse Reviews

The Anker High Precision Gaming Mouse is the best cheap gaming mouse that we've tested to date. This wired mouse feels surprisingly well-built considering its low price point, and its slanted right-handed design should be comfortable for most people even during extending gaming marathons. It features both a thumb and pinky rest and is well-suited for both palm or claw grips by anyone except those with small hands.

The click latency of this mouse is great, and should be low enough that even competitive gamers won't notice any lag or delay. While its max CPI isn't quite as high as some more expensive options, it can still go up to 10,000 CPI, which should be more than sensitive enough for the majority of people. It has five additional buttons on the left side of the mouse, which are all programmable. You can also program every other button on the mouse, including the L/R tilt on the mouse wheel.

Unfortunately, the cable attached to the mouse is quite stiff and maintains a lot of kinks from the packaging. The mouse is also fairly heavy, even when you remove the six optional weights, so fans of ultralight gaming mice will likely want to look elsewhere. Also, while the mouse has RGB lighting, the lights aren't very uniform, and some are noticeably brighter than others. Overall, however, this mouse offers great price-to-performance ratio, and is a great option if you want a cheap mouse that still performs very well.

If you're able to spend a bit more, go with the SteelSeries Rival 3, as it's the best budget gaming mouse that we've tested so far. This straightforward mouse has a standard non-descript all-black design, with two programmable RGB zones: a strip along the bottom, and the logo on the back. There are two additional programmable buttons on the left side of the mouse, and it's comfortable to use with a claw grip for any hand size.

While its max CPI isn't nearly as high as some more expensive gaming mice, it's likely still high enough for most people, and we measured one of the lowest CPI errors that we've seen so far. While its 14 ms click latency isn't the lowest, it's unlikely most people will notice any lag or delay issues, even during competitive gameplay. Unfortunately, its mouse wheel and side buttons are quite low-profile, and both side buttons begin flush with the body of the mouse, so they may be difficult to press if your thumb doesn't rest in the proper position.

Every button on this mouse can be reprogrammed, which is nice, and its companion software is fully compatible with both Windows as well as with macOS. You can also use the software to adjust the RGB lights, as well as the CPI and polling rate. Overall, while this mouse may not perform quite as well as more expensive options, it's still a great mouse for its price.

The best budget gaming mouse for FPS that we've tested so far is the Logitech G203. It's a very similar mouse to the SteelSeries Rival 3 but has a slightly different shape that's better suited for fans of a fingertip grip, though everyone except people with extra-large hands should find it well-suited for a claw grip as well. This wired mouse feels very well-made and has a straightforward and simple black design with a small strip of RGB lighting around the back, as well as an RGB logo. It's decently comfortable, though it's a bit on the smaller side.

The performance of this mouse is excellent, with a very low click latency and a fairly wide, adjustable CPI range. While its max CPI isn't as high as some more expensive options, it likely will get more than high enough for most people. There are two additional buttons on the left side, and all six available buttons can be reprogrammed within Logitech's great G HUB software. You can also set a button to be the 'G-Shift' button, giving you an extra layer of mapped buttons as long as it's being pressed.

Unfortunately, the cable is only decent, and its rubber coating creates some drag on your desk and may get snagged. If you'd rather not have to worry about a wire at all, check out the wireless Logitech G305, which is very similar and is among one of the best wireless gaming mice we've tested to date, though it's a bit more expensive. Overall, the G203 is a great wired gaming mouse for FPS if you enjoy its smaller, more straightforward design.

The best budget gaming mouse for MMO games we've reviewed is the Logitech G600 MMO Gaming. It has a 12-button side panel, which is common for dedicated MMO mice, but it also has a third main-click button right under the ring finger, which can be used to easily trigger a new set of keybindings. This allows you to program even more abilities or spells in your games.

The mouse has very low click latency and is very well-built. While it's very comfortable to use, its body is very wide and is best suited for a palm grip or claw grip. Using a fingertip grip with this mouse isn't recommended as you can easily accidentally click the ring finger button. On the upside, it's compatible with macOS, so it can be used on games downloadable on Mac computers.

Unfortunately, people with smaller hands might want to look elsewhere, as the wide body of the mouse might not be the best option for them. It also has a fairly rigid braided cable that keeps a lot of kinks from its packaging. All in all, at this price point, this is one of the best gaming mice on a budget, especially if you're really into MMO games.