The Best Lightweight Mouse - Fall 2021 Mice Reviews

Weighing only 45 grams, the Finalmouse Starlight-12 Small is the lightest mouse we've tested. It has a honeycomb body with an embossed filigree design and two side buttons on the left. It feels exceptionally well-built and has a low-profile, ambidextrous shape well-suited for smaller hands using any grip type. The top shell is made of magnesium alloy and is very sturdy. However, the underside is made of plastic to allow the wireless signal to escape.

You can connect it wired or wirelessly with its receiver, and it has a rechargeable battery. Its CPI range isn't as wide as most other high-end gaming mice, but it will likely be sufficient for most gamers. It also has a polling rate of 1000Hz, a very low lift-off distance, and good click latency. Its mouse feet glide very smoothly on mousepads or directly on desks, and its paracord-like charging cable is lightweight and flexible.

Unfortunately, it's a very small mouse that isn't well-suited for larger hand sizes. Also, there isn't any software for customization, there are only four default CPI settings, and the charging cable uses an older Micro-USB connection rather than the newer USB-C. Furthermore, because Finalmouse only releases its mice in drops, at this moment, you can only purchase this mouse through third-party resellers, and it can be very expensive. Nevertheless, this is an exceptional gaming mouse and the lightest mouse we've tested.

The Glorious Model O is the best lightweight mouse for gaming that we've tested. At 67g without its cable, it falls roughly in the middle among the lightest mice we've tested, but it's the sum of its parts that makes it our best pick. It has a plastic honeycomb body that feels very sturdy and a comfortable ambidextrous shape that's well-suited for all grip types and most hand sizes.

It also has a very lightweight and flexible cable and PTFE mouse feet that glide very smoothly despite their sharp edges. Performance-wise, it has great click latency, a very low lift-off distance, a wide CPI range, and a very consistent sensor. It also has customization software that allows you to adjust the RGB lighting, change sensor settings, and remap all buttons, including the scroll wheel and DPI switching button.

Unfortunately, the software is only compatible with Windows, you can only adjust the CPI by increments of 100, and its relatively large body makes it unsuitable for small hands. However, there's a smaller version with similar performance, the Glorious Model O-, which is ideal for small hands using any grip type. Altogether, the Glorious Model O has well-balanced features and is one of the best gaming mice we've tested, making it a great choice for any gamer who prefers a lightweight mouse.

The best lightweight gaming mouse with a more ergonomic shape that we've tested is the Cooler Master MM720. Weighing only 54g without its cable, it's extremely light, with a honeycomb cutout pattern on the top and sides of the mouse. It has a right-handed shape with a groove on the right side for your ring finger.

It's well-suited for palm and claw grips, although people with larger hands may feel like the mouse is too small to grip comfortably. It has customizable RGB backlighting, and you can reprogram all of its buttons, as well as set a Combo Mode that gives you a second layer of controls for as long as you hold the scroll wheel button. Performance-wise, it has a very low lift-off distance, an adjustable CPI within a wide range, and very low click latency.

Unfortunately, the sensor is quite inconsistent, and it undershoots the set CPI more during quick mouse movements than slow ones. Also, the plastic it's made of doesn't feel very sturdy, and it creaks if you press it hard enough; however, this shouldn't be an issue during regular use. All in all, this is a fantastic choice if you're looking for an ultra-light gaming mouse with a more ergonomic shape.

The best lightweight mouse for travel that we've tested is the Microsoft Arc Mouse. At 82g, it's quite light, and you can collapse it flat from its arc shape so that it fits more easily into laptop bags. The ambidextrous shape is ideal for a palm or claw grip, although it's likely too small for extra-large hands to use comfortably using a palm grip.

Instead of using a traditional on/off switch, you turn it on or off by snapping it into its arced or flat position. It uses two AAA batteries, and you can pair it to your device via Bluetooth. You can remap a few buttons, like swapping the left and right click for left-handed users, and you can set the three-finger click gesture to perform a wide range of actions through the Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Center.

Unfortunately, while it's partially compatible with macOS, you can't remap any buttons, and the three-finger click isn't supported. Also, its plastic mouse feet don't provide the best gliding experience. Nevertheless, if you're looking for a lightweight mouse that doesn't take up much space in your laptop bag, this is a good choice.

If you're on a budget, the best lightweight mouse that we've tested is the Razer Viper Mini. It shares the same ambidextrous design as the original Razer Viper, but it's much smaller, which helps reduce its weight to 61g instead of the original's 69g. Its small form lends itself well to a fingertip grip for any hand size, although smaller hands may be comfortable with other grip types, too.

There are two buttons on its left side, and all of its buttons can be reprogrammed. You can even set a HyperShift button, which gives you a second layer of controls for as long as you hold it. It has RGB backlighting in its logo and a strip along the bottom of the mouse. The feet are very good quality and provide a smooth gliding experience, and its paracord-like cable is very flexible. Performance-wise, it has very low latency, a fairly wide CPI range, and a CPI you can adjust in increments of 100.

Unfortunately, its sensor is inconsistent, and it overshoots the set CPI more during slow movements than fast ones. Also, its minimum lift-off distance is higher than some other options, so the sensor may track some of your movements when you reposition the mouse. Nonetheless, this is still an excellent choice if you're on a budget but an amazing ultra-light gaming mouse.