
Not every good gaming mouse costs more than $100. There are plenty of perfectly capable options that you can find for an absolute steal, like our favorite budget gaming mouse, the SteelSeries Rival 3 Gen 2, with its reliable performance and durable build for under $50. Here are five of the best budget gaming mice money can buy right now.
TL;DR – These Are the Best Budget Gaming Mice:
These mice all nail the basics, delivering accurate tracking, a comfortable grip, dependable controls, and a reliable connection. You may miss out on features like saving profiles, RGB lighting, or rechargeable batteries, but those are hardly a sacrifice considering the savings. Instead, you can put that extra dough toward other peripherals like a nice gaming keyboard or headset.
1. SteelSeries Rival 3 Gen 2
Best Budget Gaming Mouse
The wired version of the SteelSeries Rival 3 Gen 2 is our budget King: For less than $50 you get a fast, accurate mouse that stands up to more expensive devices in multiplayer matches. As we explain in our review, it's well-built, its clicks are bouncy, its tasteful RGB lighting is fully customizable, and while we wouldn't recommend it in palm grip it's comfortable for both claw and fingertip grippers. The Gen 2 is a step up on the original, adding slicker feet and a cord that's harder to tangle.
The wireless version performs just as well: its connection is stable in both Bluetooth and 2.4GHz modes and its sensor is slightly more powerful than the wired version, tracking your movements precisely. If you pop two AAA batteries in you can get a whopping 450 hours of battery life on Bluetooth, falling to a still-respectable 100 hours on 2.4G Ghz and a 1,000Hz polling rate. For casual single-player games, you can drop the polling rate to extend its life.
The big drawback of the wireless version is its weight: more than 100g with two AAA batteries, or around 95g with one. For those used to lighter mice, it might feel clunky. It's also more expensive and lacks RGB. For those reasons, the wired version is the one we'd recommend for most people.

2. Logitech G305 Lightspeed
Best Budget Wireless Gaming Mouse
If you’re on the hunt for a cheap yet reliable wireless gaming mouse, our testing of the Logitech G305 Lightspeed has proven it's the best option in that category. It just can’t be beat when it comes to performance versus price. For around $40, it’ll connect to your gaming PC or gaming laptop using a 2.4GHz wireless dongle. Even though it’s wireless, the Lightspeed tech ensures an ultrafast 1ms response time. Battery life shouldn’t be a concern either with it managing 250 hours of continuous play before you need to change the single AA battery.
The Logitech G305 Lightspeed comes packing a HERO optical sensor with an impressive 12,000 DPI sensitivity, 400 IPS precision, and up to 40G of acceleration. That means this mouse can track your speediest movements with incredible accuracy, giving you a leg up in FPS games. The six programmable buttons also mean you can customize the mouse to games or activities you’re performing, and t’s also super durable and compact.
3. Razer DeathAdder V3
Best Budget Ergonomic Gaming Mouse
The Razer DeathAdder V3's ergonomic design and tall dome shape, which provides extra support for resting your palm, is wildly comfortable. However, the bulkier build might not be the best for smaller hands. At least the matte finish and special finger ledge make this mouse suitable for various grip styles. All the buttons are easy to reach, while the low 59g weight and PTFE skates allow it to move at high speeds.
The Razer DeathAdder V3 is comfortable, but it also has the performance chops you want. The Focus Pro 30K Sensor is capable of some accurate, fast tracking and can handle accelerations up to 70G and speeds up to 750 inches per second; it’s probably overkill for most. An 8,000Hz polling rate means a quick response time and the optical switches are super dependable. You can also store up to five profiles on the mouse, so you can adjust the six programmable buttons to the perfect settings for all your favorite games.
4. Roccat Burst Pro
Best Ultra-Cheap Budget Mouse
You don't expect much mouse for $20/£15. But the Roccat Burst Core – the cheaper version of the excellent Roccat Burst Pro – is deceptively capable.
It is lightweight and comfortable, with a crowd-pleasing shape that fits hands of most sizes and grips. Its sensor won't win awards but it feels snappy, and its two thumb buttons are perfectly positioned. You even get customizable RGB in the scroll wheel.
At this price, compromise is inevitable. The left and right clicks feel and sound rattly, the cord never lies perfectly straight and, when I first took it out of the box, one the two feet on the bottom actually fell off.
But the clicks, while mushy, are reliable. They've never failed to register and I can spam them with no problems. And after I hastily stuck the mouse foot back on and whispered a prayer, it didn't fall off again and it glided fine across my mousepad. That feels like a low bar to clear – but then again, this is a low, low price.
5. Glorious Model O Eternal
Best Budget Ultra-Lightweight Gaming Mouse
It's obvious just from looking at the Glorious Model O Eternal where the weight has been trimmed: Its top and bottom are pocked with honeycomb holes, its bright RGB lighting leaking in to saturate the whole of its hump. It's a bold look, and not for everyone – but even if you don't like the design, you'll love how it feels in your hand.
At 55g, this is one of the lightest budget mice you can buy, and moving around your mousepad is effortless. The shell is surprisingly sturdy: despite the holes it feels solid in the hand and doesn't creak or bend under pressure. Just maybe don't eat cookies above it.
The side buttons are too small, the Glorious app is limited, and the cable feels cheap, but everything else is wonderful. The left and right clicks are crisp and reliable and the scroll wheel is one of the best I've ever used. Its sensor isn't top of the range but it's good enough for most gamers, and it'll serve you well whatever type of game you play. Best of all, you can regularly find it on offer for $30 or less. That's an absolute steal.
What to Look for in a Budget Gaming Mouse
When grabbing a budget gaming mouse over their more expensive counterparts, you’ll probably have to sacrifice a few features, whether that’s extra programmable buttons, a lower DPI sensitivity, or wireless functionality. One thing you should never settle for is subpar performance, and all of our picks are ready to game. But if you’re looking to branch out on your own when purchasing an affordable gaming mouse, we discuss what to seek out below to ensure the mouse is up to snuff.
To start, you want an comfortable mouse that feels great in hand. Some people grip with their fingertips, while others use a claw or palm grip, so the shape of the mouse is important. For left-handers, you’ll have a far more limited pool and often be stuck with ambidextrous options, but there are a good amount of ergonomic right-handed mice.
Next, you need to decide on wired versus wireless. These days, the differences between the two are negligible, though the price will increase to drop the wire. You’ll have to consider battery life and weight as well when going wireless. A lighter mouse allows quicker and more free movements, while a heavier option adds precision.
The DPI of a mouse is important, and you want an option that lets you switch between sensitivities. If you want to cover your bases for all games, a setting between 400 to 3,600 should be good, and almost every gaming mouse – cheap or expensive – should cover that range.
Beyond that, you’ll want the typical basic controls and maybe a few more inputs that you can also assign macros to perform different functions. A dedicated DPI button comes in handy for those who want to switch from speedy movements to more precise ones, while those into MOBA and MMO games could use a few extra programmable buttons on the side of the mouse.
Other features like RGB lighting can be a cool addition but unnecessary when trying to save. Overall, you want a mouse that fits into your budget and works well with the games you play.
Best Budget Gaming Mouse FAQ
How to Choose a Budget Gaming Mouse
The first and most important thing about choosing the right mouse for you is its shape. For the most part, mice come in exactly two shapes: ambidextrous or ergonomic. While it might seem like a simple choice that all right-handed users should pick an ergonomic shape while left-handed are left with whatever is ambidextrous, the way you hold the mouse is just as important too.
To that end, there are also two primary types of mouse grip: palm and claw. For the former palm grip technique, you'll want a mouse with a tall back that can support your hand, as well as some level of pinky and ring finger support. Claw grippers, on the other hand, should look for a mouse that's relatively short and has a small footprint.
Is it worth buying a cheap gaming mouse?
In this day and age, you really don't have to sacrifice a lot when you're trying to save a buck on a gaming mouse. Many of the cheap options out there offer a high level of DPI and polling rate to keep up with even the best premium gaming mice. That said, not all mice are built equal; some offer more buttons with others are ergonomically designed for a certain handiness (usually for right-handed users), so there are a few things to consider when buying something more affordable.
How much should you spend on a budget gaming mouse?
Although some of the best gaming mice brands have a budget option these days that offer decent quality, that doesn't mean you should buy just any cheap option. Although there are sometimes discounts that drop the price of some good wired mice down near $20, you'll usually want to spend a little bit more to get something you won't be disappointed in. The best budget mice tend to cost anywhere between $30 and $60.
Should you buy a PC controller instead of a mouse?
Honestly, it's completely up to you and your preferences, but some games are more . Most PC games support the use of PC controllers, and it can be cheaper than buying both a mouse and keyboard. It's also worth noting that if you already have an Xbox or PS5 controller, you should be able to connect that to your PC via a Bluetooth adapter.
Additional contributions by Danielle Abraham, a tech freelance writer based in Los Angeles who spends her free time creating videos and geeking out over music history.