The best gaming mice with programmable buttons

Over the past couple of years, we have tested quite a lot of gaming mice for a wide variety of tastes and budgets. And even after that, SteelSeries Rival 3 managed to impress. Perhaps this is one of the best gaming controllers in the under $50 category. Like other mice from the Danish manufacturer, it uses the proprietary TrueMove sensor. In this particular case, TrueMove Core with an impressive 8500 DPI sensitivity and a maximum acceleration of 35G. Purely in terms of numbers, this is one of the most serious sensors in the sub-$50 category, and in reality it does not let us down: during the entire testing period, we were unable to cause the cursor to stall. It’s not for nothing that SteelSeries boasts of “true tracking” and even says that the sensor’s capabilities exceed the needs of most players.

Now about ergonomics. The slight convexity on the back provides good support, and the length of the mouse is suitable for almost any grip type. The mouse is not too heavy, but not too light, suitable for both left-handers and right-handers. True, left-handers will be left without a couple of additional buttons on the left side. 77 grams of weight are optimally distributed across the body and axles, creating a feeling of proper balance. I took it in my hand and it was as if it had always been there - my hand didn’t strain at all. Well, the most important thing is that, unlike previous versions of Rival, the third reincarnation does not have such slippery sides. And in general, the ergonomic impression is more pleasant than that of the SteelSeries Rival 110.

Other advantages of the SteelSeries Rival 3 include reinforced main switches with a resource of 60 million clicks, excellent build quality and a wheel, as well as proprietary software with a bunch of settings and a couple of unique features. In particular, it allows you to make the RGB lighting of the mouse not just a decoration, but a useful tool. For example, blink when receiving messages in Discord or signal that the character in the game has little health and my friend is about to die. Unlike the same SteelSeries Rival 110, the LEDs are hidden along the body, under the wheel and under the company logo, so visual signals are visible even when the hand completely covers the mouse along with the logo. Definitely, three independent backlight zones are better than one.

Razer has such a tradition that as soon as a mouse or keyboard hits the top sales list, the manufacturer immediately releases a pack of modifications, in fact launching the next series. But with the Cobra mice, the situation turned out to be somewhat different - Razer decided to make a simple, affordable and at the same time high-quality mouse, which would embody all the company’s developments in recent years (note: Razer Focus sensor, Speedflex cable, Chroma RGB backlight, etc. )

So, the Razer Cobra is a classic mouse for gamers with a wired connection, a symmetrical body, programmable buttons and RGB lighting. It turned out to be damn light (58 grams) and quite easy to use. In the latter case, it is worth noting the flexible cable, which does not cling to anything, and the well-gliding Teflon sole. A fairly accurate and high-quality Razer optical sensor with a maximum resolution of 8500 DPI, a speed of 300 IPS and a peak acceleration of 35G is installed inside the mouse. As befits a modern gaming device, the Razer Cobra has programmable side buttons and built-in memory for one profile, and Razer optical switches with a resource of 90 million clicks are used as switches.

Overall, Razer succeeded, if not a miracle, then something close to it. The mouse performs well in combat, the buttons are sensitive to pressing and, judging by the declared resource, will survive more than one hundred rollers, the optical characteristics of the sensor cover the needs of 99% of players and cost less than $50, which is not at all in the spirit of the current Razer. If you suddenly think that all this is not enough (especially by Razer’s standards), then we advise you to pay attention to the Cobra Pro modification with multi-connection and a more serious Focus Pro sensor with a maximum resolution of 30K DPI.

Xtrfy M42 is a gaming mouse from a relatively young brand originally from Sweden. When designing its products, Xtrfy works closely with renowned esports athletes. Thanks to this, the products are truly ergonomic. Thus, the M42 mouse is equipped with two options for the top panel: flat for holding with fingers and with a hump for a claw grip.

Three more additional buttons are responsible for switching RGB lighting, Hertz and sensor resolution. By the way, about the sensor: this is the pre-flagship PixArt 3389 with a resolution from 400 to 16000 DPI. The sensor and switches of the two main keys are Omron, capable of withstanding at least 20 million clicks.

In general, the shape of the case is symmetrical, that is, it is equally suitable for both right-handers and left-handers. Except that a couple of additional side buttons (on Huano microphones with a resource of 5 million clicks) are located only on one side. The main material is matte or, more precisely, semi-matte plastic. And only the wide legs are made of abrasion-resistant Teflon.

Abundant perforation of the case makes the Xtrfy M42 one of the lightest mice in the world - only 59 grams, excluding cable. The wire is called EZcord, it is wrapped in a soft nylon braid and, lo and behold, it straightens easily. In addition, the perforation intensively ventilates the palm during hot battles in multiplayer games.

HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 is an ultra-light (5-button gaming mouse with an upgraded optical sensor, durable button switches, built-in memory, as well as a lightweight and flexible HyperFlex 2 USB cable. Despite the official price of $60, it is like most gaming gadgets from HyperX fully claims to be a full-fledged eSports device. For comparison, ultra-light and high-precision manipulators are now asking at least $100–150.

Under the hood, Haste 2 features a new HyperX 26K sensor that provides sensitivity levels of up to 26,000 dpi, acceleration up to 50 G and speeds up to 650 ips. The response sensitivity of the USB connection is an impressive 8000 Hz, this figure is 2 to 4 times higher than the polling rate of the first generation Haste mice. Thanks to these factors, HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 allows you to aim more accurately and react faster to the actions of your opponents in Apex Legends, Fortnite, Battlefield, Counter-Strike and other dynamic online shooters. Otherwise, the device stands out for its ergonomics, build quality, connection options and customization options.

Unlike the original model with perforation, in the second integration of Pulsefire Haste the user returned to the classic hollow body, however, due to competent rebalancing of the elements, the weight of the mouse decreased from 59 to 53 grams. The body itself is symmetrical, you can control it with both your left and right hands. Although, the side buttons are still oriented for the right hand, so keep that in mind. Our own switches with a resource of 100 million clicks are now used as push-button switches. For comparison, the first model used TTC Golden switches with a resource of 60 million clicks. Overall, HyperX turned out to be an excellent sequel without any obvious flaws or weaknesses.

Asus ROG Keris Wireless AimPoint is a high-precision modification of the ROG Keris sniper mouse with an upgraded ROG AimPoint optical sensor, a combined connection and programmable buttons with built-in memory. It is part of the ROG enthusiast line of products, belongs to the upper price segment and, according to the manufacturer, was created together with professional eSports athletes to ensure maximum accuracy while shooting.

A key feature of ROG Keris Wireless AimPoint was the new AimPoint optical sensor (36K DPI, 50G, 650 ips), which Asus began to actively implement in 2022. It's virtually impossible to disrupt or throw out, which is critical for any competitive online shooter where even a tiny mistake or momentary lapse of concentration can cost the entire team victory. Also worth noting is the well-balanced 75-gram body with replaceable Teflon legs and a fairly high hump, which is easy to control with both a finger and a claw grip. As is customary in the ROG series, the case is decorated with three-zone Asus Aura Sync lighting.

Otherwise, ROG Keris fully complies with the high level of quality set by Asus ROG mice in 2022 - 2023. The main buttons are made of durable, abrasion-resistant PBT plastic. In addition to programmable buttons, the user also has access to durable ROG mechanical microswitches with an increased click life of up to 70 million. Moreover, if necessary, the button switches can be replaced independently. Also worth noting is the flexible and convenient braided cable and the dedicated ROG SpeedNova radio with reduced input latency. When connected wirelessly, the built-in battery holds a charge for about 5 days.