Some laptop and tablet manufacturers might tell you that the best mouse is a stylus, but we just don’t agree. There’s nothing quite like using a mouse to navigate your PC. No matter whether you’re a PC or Mac user, a trackpad or touchscreen just isn’t the same. This is because the best mice, unlike trackpads, aren’t limited to the space between your keyboard and the edge of the laptop – they can be as precise or as unruly as you’d like.
However, even if you already have a mouse, we promise that our carefully curated recommendations will blow everything else out of the water. Before you make up your mind on which mouse to buy, you should sit down and think about what you actually need your mouse to do. Is your current mouse constantly buggy? Are you thinking about upgrading to a wireless mouse? Or, are you looking for one of the best gaming mice?
Don’t worry, whatever you need from your new mouse, the best mice will give you comfortable and accurate command of your cursor. And, now that we’ve seen all the best mice from the top manufacturers at Computex 2018, now is the best time to buy a mouse – and that’s why we made this list. Not only will the mice on this list be more reliable than the mice you might’ve used in the past, but each mouse has unique qualities that can only be found in the modern mouse market. Plus, all of the mice on this list have been tested and ranked personally by us here at TechRadar.
1. Logitech MX Master 2S
Productivity embodied
DPI: 4,000 | Interface: Bluetooth and 2.4GHz wireless | Buttons: 7 | Ergonomic: Right-handed | Features: Scrolling wheel, Customizable buttons, Thumb wheel, ergonomic build
We know, we know, you took one look at the price of this mouse and scoffed – but bear with us. The Logitech MX Master 2S is one of the best mice you can buy today, especially if you need to get some work done. While most mice in this price range appeal to gamers with ridiculous button setups and obnoxious lighting, the Logitech MX Master 2S is created for one thing, and one thing only: productivity. Trust us, you might not think you need a high-end wireless mouse for your day-to-day office work, but once you use this mouse, with its ergonomic grip and buttons and dials you can program for anything – you’ll never want to go back.
Read the full review: Logitech MX Master 2S
2. Logitech MX Anywhere 2
Versatile and feature-packed without going overboard
DPI: 1,600 | Interface: Bluetooth and 2.4GHz wireless (pairs with up to three devices) | Buttons: 6 | Ergonomic: Right-handed | Features: Scrolling wheel, Logitech Darkfield Laser Tracking, Unifying receiver, Easy-Switch tech, gesture function
Smaller than Logitech’s flagship, the MX Master, the Logitech MX Anywhere 2 is the ideal travel mouse. It can connect with up to three distinct devices with 2.4GHZ wireless technology or with Bluetooth, making it obvious why this mouse is renowned for having quick setup and surprisingly long battery life. Capable of extremely quick charging, in just 4 minutes the MX Anywhere 2 charges enough for an entire day.
- After finding a great mouse, get the best keyboard
3. Microsoft Classic IntelliMouse
The legend returns
DPI: 3200 | Interface: Wired | Buttons: 5 | Ergonomic: Right-handed | Features: Classic design, Programmable buttons, Subdued white lighting
In a time where all of our peripherals are either being shoved full of extraneous lighting or morphed into odd shapes, the Microsoft Classic IntelliMouse is here to remind us of simpler days. Inspired by its namesake, the Microsoft Classic Intellimouse modernizes the classic design with an aesthetic white lighting effect. It also beefs up the sensor, allowing users to ramp up the DPI to 3,200. It’s not wireless, and it’s hardly made for gaming, but if you need the best mouse to help you get some work done, you can’t do much better than this.
Read the full review: Microsoft Classic IntelliMouse
4. Anker Vertical Ergonomic Optical Mouse
It looks weird, but it feels pretty good
DPI: 1000 | Interface: USB | Buttons: 5 | Ergonomic: Vertical | Features: No
Judging by the mouthful of a name, Anker’s mouse is defined by its vertical orientation. Though it looks and feels somewhat sideways at first, the Anker Vertical Ergonomic Optical Mouse is only off-putting until you start to wonder how you ever lived without it. It’s built a little more cheaply than other ergonomic mice, but it’s ultimately an inexpensive means of preventing RSI.
5. Apple Magic Mouse 2
As ever, Apple thinks different
DPI: 1300 | Interface: Bluetooth | Buttons: 0 | Ergonomic: Ambidextrous | Features: Multi-touch
When it isn’t busy making luxury smartphones you can unlock with your face, Apple is hard at work constructing one of the world’s weirdest computer mice. If you were doing a double-take looking at the specs, you saw right: the Magic Mouse 2 has zero buttons and endless fashion appeal. It’s also controlled by gestures, giving it all the allure of a trackpad as well as a mouse.
6. Logitech Triathlon M270
A mouse designed for multi-taskers
DPI: 1000 | Interface: Bluetooth (pairs with up to three devices) | Buttons: 8 | Ergonomic: Right-handed | Features: 24-month battery life on one-AA battery, Sculpted design, Free spinning scroll wheel, Easy-switch tech, Logitech Options Software
Like the MX Master, the Triathlon M270 can pair with up to three devices using Bluetooth. What’s more, it uses the same free-spinning scroll wheel featured on the MX Master, letting you zip through documents or webpages. Logitech promises up to 24 months of use before the on one AA battery. The only drawback? Bluetooth makes for lower latency than a wired mouse.
7. Logitech MX Ergo Wireless
Making 2018 feel like the new 1991
DPI: 512 – 2048 | Interface: Bluetooth and 2.4GHz wireless | Buttons: 8 | Ergonomic: Right-handed | Features: Trackball, USB dongle, Logitech ‘Flow’ software compatibility for use with up to three PCs simultaneously, micro USB charging, precision mode
The third trackball mouse Logitech has put out since 2008, the MX Ergo Wireless is an anomaly in an industry that is otherwise crowded with optical laser mice. As such, it’s certain to charm those who haven’t quite moved on to the gesture-based desktop trackpads of the present. With the option to lay it flat or use it at a 20-degree angle, this mouse is uniquely satisfying.
Read the full review: Logitech MX Ergo Wireless
8. Logitech M330 Silent Plus
It's as quiet as a....
DPI: 1,000 | Interface: 2.4GHz wireless | Buttons: 3 | Ergonomic: Right-handed | Features: Quiet buttons, 10-meter wireless connectivity, 2 x AA batteries (claimed 24-month battery life)
The seventh best mouse on our list is seen but not heard. Because it’s unusually compact as well as silent, it’s the kind of mouse that’s ideally used atop an airplane tray next to a snoozing neighbor. Just slip it in your laptop bag when the flight touches down and, weighing less than a quarter of a pound, you won’t have to worry about any additional strain on your back.
9. Microsoft Bluetooth Mobile Mouse 3600
It's cheap! It's cheerful! It lasts forever!
DPI: 1000 | Interface: Bluetooth | Buttons: 2 | Ergonomic: Ambidextrous | Features: No
The Surface Precision Mouse that released back in October 2017 might be tempting, but once most frugal readers look at the price tag, they’ll turn their heads in another direction, where they can take in the Bluetooth Mobile Mouse 3600. This paragon of budget is one of the cheapest and most reliable wireless mice you can buy today, and what’s better, it’s from a name you can trust.
10. Razer DeathAdder Chroma
When plain old death isn't enough
DPI: 10,000 | Interface: USB | Buttons: 5 | Ergonomic: Right-handed | Features: lighting effects
Razer products aren’t for everyone. Specifically, they appeal to an audience that enjoys the svelte industrial design of an Apple gadget, but with a gamer-centric slant. That’s especially the case with the DeathAdder Chroma, a mouse that comes with 16.8 million LED-backlit color options out of the box, along with a hyper-accurate 10,000 DPI sensor.
Read the full review: Razer DeathAdder Chroma
Gabe Carey has also contributed to this article