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Aug 17, 2023

Best Wired Mouse: 6 Reliable Choices for 2023

Many of the best mice seem to be going wireless these days, but there’s still

Many of the best mice seem to be going wireless these days, but there's still something to be said for their wired counterparts. For one, you’ll never need to worry about recharging or digging through the junk drawer to find a battery, and that also means the mouse will be lighter for quicker movements. A good wireless gaming mouse has almost no latency thanks to the 2.4GHz dongle they often come with, though interference is always possible. When you’ve got a direct link to your computer with a wired option, zero latency is almost guaranteed. Going wired is also often less expensive, and those mice offer plug-in-play simplicity, so being tethered to your computer isn't all that bad.

We’ve done our research, bringing you the best wired mice you can buy. Some options deliver exceptional tracking and an excess of programmable buttons to take down opponents in games. Others tone down features to save money while still offering solid performance for everyday use at work. Of course, we didn't forget about the mouse's shape, ensuring the ultimate comfort and ergonomics for hours of mousing around. Take a look at our favorites below.

Sensor: HERO 25K optical | Sensitivity: 25,600 DPI | Shape: Right-handed | Buttons: 13 | Connection: USB-A | Weight: 89g

Logitech's G502 X lineup of mice all excel in performance and ergonomics, from the wireless G502 X Plus to the wired alternative, the G502 X. With this wired model, you get an adjustable 25,600 DPI sensor that's accurate up to 400 inches per second, which far exceeds anything an average user could need; gamer or not. When you add in the optical-mechanical switches for quick, precise actuation, you’re guaranteed a solid experience no matter what you’re doing.

You’ll be comfortable holding the G502 X for long hours at work or during marathon gaming sessions thanks to the soft sculpted curves that almost engulf your thumb and support the rest of your hand. 13 programmable controls let you fully customize it to your needs and the scroll wheel offers a free spin mode to quickly and silently navigate webpages, among other things. Even with all this functionality, the mouse is lightweight with a long, flexible cable that stays out of the way.

Sensor: TrueMove Core optical | Sensitivity: 8,500 DPI | Shape: Right-handed | Buttons: 6 | Connection: USB-A | Weight: 77g

The SteelSeries Rival 3 may be one of the best budget gaming mice you can buy, but it also works as a great everyday mouse. For $30—though it's often on sale for much less—you get a lightweight, durable controller with six programmable buttons, including dual thumb buttons, a clickable scroll wheel, and a DPI button. SteelSeries’ software makes it simple to assign macros and shortcuts to those buttons, along with adjusting the three zones of RGB lighting.

Performance-wise, the Rival 3 doesn't disappoint whether you’re annihilating the competition in shooters or drawing precise lines in Photoshop. That's in large part thanks to the TrueMove Core optical sensor with its adjustable DPI of up to 8,500 and a 1,000Hz polling rate for some phenomenal tracking and responsiveness. You also get SteelSeries propriety switches rated for 60 million clicks and a low click latency further cementing this mouse as a highly-capable, affordable option.

Sensor: Optical | Sensitivity: 1,000 DPI | Shape: Ambidextrous | Buttons: 3 | Connection: USB-A | Weight: 90g

If you want to take things back to basics, the Logitech M100 will be your new best friend. For $10, you get an uncomplicated mouse with just three buttons: a left click, a right click, and a clickable scroll wheel. You won't be able to program those buttons, as there are no software customizations whatsoever. The optical sensor also has an unadjustable 1000 DPI tracking and a low polling rate, so it's not ideal for gaming. Though for your average usage, it should suffice.

The Logitech M100 is lightweight and feels sturdy in hand, with an ambidextrous shape that makes it suitable for right and left-handed users. However, the mouse is best for individuals with smaller hands or those who prefer to use a claw grip, as it's quite compact. But it's hard to resist an option that just simply plugs into your computer via USB, working flawlessly and reliably without you needing to lift a finger.

Sensor: TrueMove Air optical | Sensitivity: 18,000 DPI | Shape: Right-handed | Buttons: 9 | Connection: USB-A | Weight: 85g

For a mouse packed full of features ready to take on every game from FPS and Battle Royales to MOBA and MMO, grab the Steel Series Rival 5. With it comes nine programmable buttons, including a two-way control just above the Back and Forward buttons, which you can toggle up or down to perform different actions. Configuring all those buttons is made simple using Steelseries' software, though you can only store one profile on the mouse itself.

The Rival 5 uses a TrueMove Air optical sensor along with water and dust-resistant Golden Micro switches for quick and accurate movements every time. A lightweight but durable design with C-shaped skates and flexible cable ensures smooth gliding. And given it's one of the best gaming mice, it's sure to include a healthy dose of customizable RGB lighting with a zone in the scroll wheel, the SteelSeries logo, and two RGB strips on each side of the palm rest.

Sensor: PixArt PAW3389PRO-MS optical | Sensitivity: 16,000 DPI | Shape: Right-handed | Buttons: 5 | Connection: USB-A | Weight: 140g

Microsoft's IntelliMouse lineup of ergonomic, versatile mice has been around since the 90s, and the revamped version of the original, the Pro IntelliMouse, keeps with the tradition. Your palms will rest comfortably on its soft, sculpted curve, while textured side buttons help ensure a firm grip when needed. The braided fabric cable is a little stiff but shouldn't hinder your movements, and the quality materials used in the build make the $60 price tag more digestible.

Now, the Pro IntelliMouse isn't as customizable as the gaming mice on this list, but there are still three programmable buttons to which you can assign macros. The PixArt sensor is no slouch either, hitting up to 16,000 DPI with accuracy up to 400 inches per second for insane responsiveness that's sure to be a boon in workflows, editing, and games. Rounding out this solid all-rounder are Omoron switches for reliable, satisfying clicks.

Sensor: FOCUS+ 26K optical | Sensitivity: 26,000 DPI | Shape: Right-handed | Buttons: 11 | Connection: USB-A | Weight: 101g

The Razer Basilisk V3 is one beast of a mouse that you’ll enjoy using, whether you’re sniping in FPS or making precise edits to an image in Photoshop. It's a slightly toned-down version of the wireless Basilisk V3 Pro. However, the mouse is still insanely capable with adjustable 26,000 DPI tracking, 650 inches per second accuracy, and 50G acceleration for all the speed and responsiveness you could want. The 11 programmable buttons can be assigned macros or secondary functions using Razer's intuitive software, and it's even possible to save five profiles on the mouse.

Those specs are bound to impress, but the Razer Basilisk V3 also feels great in hand, with its ergonomic shape, thumb rest, soft textured finish, easy-to-reach buttons, and smooth gliding PTFE skates. A more unique feature of the mouse is the scroll wheel offering a free spin mode to run through content quickly and a tactile mode for more precision, while a smart-reel mode automatically adjusts the scroll depending on what you’re doing. Since it is a gaming mouse first and foremost, you’ll also get 11 zones of fully customizable RGB lighting.

There are several features that are key to finding the best mouse for you. We go over them below, and they include:

If you’re working long hours or partaking in some marathon gaming sessions, the last thing you want is an uncomfortable mouse. It's important to find an option with sculpted curves to help guide your hands into an ergonomic position to alleviate any pressure or stress.

Another major factor is the size of your hand. When the mouse is too large, you may struggle to reach buttons, or it’ll be hard to hold on to. However, those same issues can occur in individuals with larger hands who use a smaller mouse. How you grip the mouse also comes into play here. Do you tend to take a typical palm grip, or are you a claw or fingertip gripper? You may want to to consider a smaller mouse with more textured surfaces, making it easier to keep a hold of.

You need to consider the mouse's weight as well. Wired mice tend to stray to the lighter side, as there's no battery. The lightweight allows the mouse to move quicker and more freely, which in gaming is helpful for having fast reactions. However, you do lose out on the precision that comes from using a heavier mouse.

For your typical office work, a scroll wheel along with a left and right click should suffice. In gaming, you want at least a few more inputs that you can also assign macros to perform different functions in a game quickly. And it honestly doesn't hurt to program buttons for everyday use, like making it simpler to copy and paste. A dedicated DPI button comes in handy for those who want to switch from speedy movements to more precise ones. For those looking to use the mouse for MOBA and MMO games, you could use a few extra controls on the side of the mouse, making it easier to cycle through weapons or abilities and assign more complex commands.

DPI, or dots per inch tells you how fast your mouse cursor can move across your display, so the higher the DPI, the quicker your mouse moves. Now, a high DPI isn't always a good thing or necessary. It truly depends on what you’re doing. If you have a high res display or are playing games where speed is important, you might want a mouse with a higher DPI above 10,000. But for better accuracy and precision, a lower DPI can be more beneficial. Luckily, most mice, especially current gaming mice, let you adjust the DPI with many offering buttons to do it on the fly.

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Danielle Abraham is a freelance writer and unpaid music historian.