Sleight of Hand: Top 5 Gaming Mice Under $50

The Patriot Viper V570 is a rare mouse today based on a laser, rather than optical, Avago ADNS-9800 sensor with a resolution of 12000 DPI. The laser is less picky than optics on the surface, which allows you to use any rug: soft fabric, hard plastic, translucent glass, or no carpet at all. Fortunately, ceramic, and not Teflon, mouse legs are not at all afraid of erasing.

The manufacturer positions the Viper V570 as a universal solution for shooters and MMORPGs. For fans of the first genre of games, there is a dedicated “sniper” button, which, when held, reduces DPI to a minimum of 400 for accurate aiming. And for fans of the second genre, as many as nine additional customizable buttons have been added for quick casting of spells.

Under a couple of main keys are switches from the Swiss company Omron with a resource of 5+ million clicks and a very short Zero Delay travel. A set of weights with a total weight of 34 grams is hidden under the lid. Moreover, they are distributed along the entire length of the mouse, which allows you to customize not only the weight, but also the center of gravity.

Due to the large length of 13+ cm, the mouse is more suitable for a palm grip than a finger or claw grip. And for a girl or a child, it can generally be large. But thanks to the soft-touch coating, the mouse will certainly not slip out of your hands. In addition to the black and red version of the Patriot Viper V570, there is an all-black Blackout Edition, both with RGB lighting.

The Canyon Puncher GM-20 is a gaming mouse made according to the latest technological trend for abundant perforations. This was done for several reasons. Firstly, the weight of the mouse is reduced and, as a result, hand fatigue. Secondly, the palm breathes, sweats less and the mouse does not slip out in the heat of intense multiplayer battles.

Thirdly, RGB diodes shine through the perforation more beautifully. Moreover, the holes in the Puncher GM-20 are not made in the form of identical circles or hexagons, like in other mice, but in the form of triangles, rhombuses and trapezoids of different sizes. The white version of the mouse will look especially beautiful when paired with a MacBook or iMac, because support for the macOS operating system is also announced (popular games are also ported for it).

The Puncher GM-20 is based on the Pixart 3360 optical sensor with a resolution of 1000 to 12000 DPI. You can adjust in steps of 200 DPI both through Canyon proprietary software and a dedicated button on top of the mouse. Thanks to this, it is convenient to change the cursor movement speed, for example, in shooters for more accurate aiming from a sniper rifle.

Two more customizable buttons are located on the side, under the thumb of the right hand. So, despite the generally symmetrical shape, the Puncher GM-20 is unlikely to be comfortable for left-handers. Under a pair of main keys are microswitches for 10 million clicks. The weight of the mouse is only 65 grams, excluding cable. The wire itself is soft and pliable, without annoying memory effect.

Bloody X5 Pro is the flagship mouse of A4Tech's gaming sub-brand. Made clearly under the palm grip, as it has a large length of 13 centimeters and a weight of more than 100 grams. The top of the mouse is made of a practical matte plastic that does not scratch, peel or collect fingerprints.

The sidewalls are made of hard rubber with fine perforations for a more secure grip. Two additional programmable keys are located on the left, under the thumb of the right hand. And the shape of the mouse itself is asymmetric, exclusively for right-handers. Let the legs be made of non-100% Teflon, but a spare kit is immediately provided. The braided cable is a bit stiff.

The sensor of the Bloody X5 Pro is the pre-top Pixart 3389 with a resolution of 16 thousand DPI. There is also a slightly cheaper version of the X5 Max mouse with Pixart 3332 at 10k DPI. There are no other differences between the models. Microswitches under a pair of main keys made by Huano. There are no pre and post-travel buttons, only a small side-travel, which is an excellent result.

There are four configuration buttons on the bottom, eliminating the need for PC software. With their help, you can adjust the resolution, the polling rate up to 2000 Hz (delay is negligible 0.5 seconds), and the height of separation from the playing surface (from 1.5 to 3 mm). The latter is uncommon even in significantly more expensive mice.

Vertux Mustang is a 10000 DPI Pixart 3325 wireless gaming mouse. Thanks to the high polling rate of 1000 Hz, it works equally fast both over the radio and over the USB cable. A stable connection is provided by an external USB radio module with a long 1.8 m cable, which can be placed on the table, near the mouse. It also acts as a charging station.

Also on the docking station are indicators of the battery level and the selected sensor resolution. Connects the docking station to the contacts on the bottom of the mouse. If it is discharged right during a virtual battle, you can always connect the supplied cable and continue playing. And in your spare time put on the charging station. Charges from zero to one hundred percent in 5 hours.

A full charge of a lithium-polymer battery with a capacity of 500 mAh is enough for almost 170 hours of active use, that is, for a whole week. The built-in battery adds weight to the mouse - 114 grams. Therefore, it is perhaps more suitable for multiplayer shooters, where you need to clearly control the aim, than for MOBA games, where the speed of moving the cursor across the screen is important.

The body shape of the Vertux Mustang is slightly asymmetrical, with two customizable buttons on the left sidewall. Two more additional keys are on top. Implemented decorative RGB backlighting of the mouse and docking station, which is configured through Vertux proprietary software. The radio signal reception range is up to 9 meters, so that the mouse can be used not only with a desktop PC and laptop, but also with a smart TV.

Dream Machines DM6 Holey Duo is a "featherweight champion" (less than 80 grams without cable), as the manufacturing company itself calls this wireless mouse, originally from Poland. Abundant perforation not only reduces the weight of the structure, but also allows the palm to breathe freely. The mouse is quite long, almost 13 cm, and clearly asymmetric, especially under the right hand.

Under the hood is a 16k DPI Pixart 3335 sensor, Huano Blue mechanical microswitches for 20+ million clicks, a Huano White Dot scroll wheel encoder, and unnamed switches under the extra side keys for 3+ million clicks. Illumination is the bare minimum — just a wheel.

Comes with replacement legs. They are a little small, so it is recommended to use the mouse paired with a carpet, and not on a bare table. There is also a 2.4GHz USB radio for synchronizing the mouse with a desktop PC or laptop. The built-in lithium battery weighs little and allows you not to spend money on disposable batteries.

A soft fabric-braided cable is needed to work with the mouse while charging, as well as to bring the radio module closer to the user in order to avoid communication problems from external interference. Dream Machines proprietary software allows you to find out the remaining battery percentage and adjust, among other things, the height of the mouse off the surface. The minimum value is only 1 mm, which cyber-athletes will clearly appreciate.