When it comes to gaming, you wouldn’t want to test your luck with any run-of-the-mill mouse. Of course, a portion of your performance depends on a good mouse to complete your gaming skills. However, gaming accessories are expensive and that includes mouse. That’s why, we’ve been careful to compile a list of gaming mice that are affordable and deliver consistent performance under the $100 budget.
So, if you are looking to buy a gaming mouse this holiday season, have a look at the compilation below. These mice are touted to have the right balance of specs, performance, and price. And to help you pick a better one, we are including the wireless as well as wired options.
What are we waiting for? Let’s get started. But before that,
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1. Logitech G604 Lightspeed
- Type: Wireless
If you love playing games from the Battle Royale gaming genres and are willing to spend around $100, the Logitech G604 Lightspeed mouse is the one for you. This is one of the best wireless gaming mice out there. It gives a solid performance, thanks to the 15K Hero Processor and the Dual-Mode hyper-fast scroll wheel.
The latter can be pushed in two directions, thus enhancing your gaming experience. And that’s not all. You can lock the scroll wheel or keep it unlocked if you want to fly through huge gaming maps and the likes. As mentioned above, this mouse delivers impressive performance, and the maximum DPI of 16,000 adds to its feature set.
The G604 Lightspeed sports six thumb buttons (Woah, right?). Plus, it comes with dedicated DPI switches.
The battery life is also not disappointing, and on a single charge, you should get around 240 gaming hours. In short, the G604 Lightspeed will get you a great performance, and the cool design and solid grip are the icings on the cake.
However, it’s not without limitations. For one, there no RGB lighting in this one.
2. Razer DeathAdder V2
- Type: Wired
Another gaming mouse with a DPI of 20,000 is the Razer DeathAdder V2. The mouse packs a custom 5G optical sensor, which provides accuracy of 650 IPS (inches per second) and can handle accelerations up to 50g seamlessly. It’s priced almost similar to the one above and delivers a great performance. Another highlight of this mouse is the design, which is ergonomic and comfortable to hold even when you play for long periods of time.
The DeathAdder V2 comes with plenty of programmable buttons. Apart from the primary button (in total eight), it also sports two side buttons. The best part is that the design feels natural and fits comfortably into the palm of your hands. And well, the buttons are not obtrusive. No wonder this design is quite popular among gamers.
Unlike the Logitech mouse above, the DeathAdder is a wired mouse. Also, you can take advantage of the optical sensor if you fear the infamous double-click issue. It has a solid build, and for the price, it will last you a long time.
3. Razer Basilisk v2
- Type: Wired
If you have been in the gaming arena for the past few years, you must already know about Razer’s Basilisk lineup. This mouse was known for its solid performance, and this year’s Basilisk v2 is no different. With this variant, Razer has fixed the issues that were plaguing its previous version. It’s powered by a new sensor, cool grips on the side, and a comfortable overall grip.
The Basilisk v2 boasts of the Razer Focus+ optical sensor, seen in the DeathAdder and the Viper Ultimate. This sensor pushes the DPI to 20,000 and 650 IPS. In short, it translates into smooth and fast-tracking. The acceleration is still the same at 50g.
Other than that, it sports an ergonomic design, and the textured scroll wheel is the cherry on top.
Above all, you get to experiment and play with a cool array of colors. Yes, the Basilisk v2 comes with RGB lighting and supports 16.8 million colors, and customized as per your preference.
And that’s not the only thing that can be customized. For instance, Razer lets you program the landing and lift-off distances as per your requirement. All the buttons can be remapped and programmed as per your convenience. Now, that’s cool.
Though the Basilisk V2 is priced a little more than its counterparts, it’s safe to say that it bundles the right array of features. If you are looking to build up some serious gaming chops with convenient buttons, this one won’t be a bad choice.
4. Corsair M65 RGB Elite
- Type: Wired
Another mouse that combines great ergonomic design with an impressive performance is Corsair’s M65 RGB Elite. It costs less than its counterparts above and yet bundles an excellent performance. It’s a right-handed mouse and brings home a beautiful design. For one, it’s one of the few mice with a dedicated sniper button. Yes, you read that right. If you play games like Call of Duty or eSports games like Apex Legends, you can’t go wrong with this.
The M65 RGB Elite is rated at 18,000 DPI, and the best part is that you can easily switch between different levels. In fact, if you know your way around the iCUE software, you’ll be able to adjust the DPI one step at a time. Indigenous, right?
Another highlight of this mouse is its lightweight nature. It lets you add or remove weights, and at its lightest, it weighs a mere 115 grams. Like the Basilisk v2, it’s an RGB mouse and has 2 lighting zones, which can be customized again using the said software.
Do note that Corsair’s switches tend to wear out sooner, which results in misclicks or double clicks.
Finally, Corsairs’ customer support is great and has been backed by several users as part of their reviews.
5. Logitech G502 Hero
- Type: Wired
The Logitech G502 Hero is perhaps one of the most popular mice out there. The pricing hits the sweet spot along with an array of useful features. For one, like the M65 RGB Elite, it also boasts of customizable weight. However, here you can make the mouse heftier since you can add up to five weights weighing 3.6 grams each. Other than that, it can track up to 16,000 DPI.
While it’s considerably less than the one above, it’s the tradeoff you have to make for the price. On the upside, it boasts of impressive performance and is backed by an array of responsive buttons. Quite a few users have vouched for the performance of this mouse.
The G502 Hero sports a sharp and cool design and is sure to boost your gaming rig’s looks. At the same time, it’s comfortable to hold, and the generous thumb rest is the cherry on the cake.
There are 11 buttons in total, which includes two thumb buttons. The highlight of this mouse is its switches, which promise a life of 50 million clicks. However, they tend to wear out soon, which results in double-clicks and misclicks.
6. SteelSeries Rival 110 Gaming Mouse
- Type: Wired
The SteelSeries Rival 110 makes for a good pick if you’re looking for a modestly-priced gaming mouse. It bundles a good DPI range, and its responsive mechanical switches deliver consistent and solid performance. Though it doesn’t sport a sharp design like the ones above, it’s nearly ambidextrous design makes it easy to hold.
We call it ‘nearly’ ambidextrous because of its side buttons on the left, which is difficult to reach with the left hand. On the upside, you get textured grips on the sides.
However, the low price means you will have to lose out on some features, and in this case, it’s the weights. The Rival 110 doesn’t have the option to add or remove weights, and you will have to make do with the mouse’s default weight.
7. SteelSeries Rival 3
- Type: Wired
If the older Rival 110 falls short of your expectations, you should look at the newly launched SteelSeries Rival 3. The new wired gaming mouse bundles a new sensor named the TrueMove Core optical that can track up to 8,500 DPI and IPS up to 300 inches per second. Compared to the ones above, the number is quite less. However, note that it’s a pretty good bargain for the price. At the same time, the build is solid.
It doesn’t pack a bevy of buttons and has about six-buttons and bundles proprietary switches under the hood. The company claims that the switches can last up to 60 million clicks, which are higher than those brought by the Logitech mice.
More importantly, the SteelSeries Rival 3 is lightweight. It also bundles RGB lighting. And guess what, you can also customize them to some extent.
Do note that this may not be the right mouse for you if you have a palm grip.
Let the Games Begin
These were some of the mice you can get as low as $100. If your budget is a little low, see for something like the Basilisk V2 or the Corsair M65 RGB Elite. They bundle the right set of features and have an affordable price tag.
Last updated on 02 February, 2022
The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.
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