The best mouse of 2018: 10 top computer mice compared
Some laptop and tablet makers want you to think that the best mouse is a finger tap or a stylus, but we don’t agree. There’s nothing quite like using a mouse to navigate your PC. Regardless of whether you’re a PC or Mac user, a trackpad or touchscreen just isn’t the same. The best mice aren’t limited to a tiny space on your laptop chassis, so they can be as precise as you need them to be.
However, even if you already have a mouse, we guarantee that our picks here will blow everything else out of the water. Before you choose which to purchase though, you need to consider what you actually need. 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?
Whatever you need to do, the best mouse will offer a comfortable and reliable desktop experience. The best mice on this list aren’t just more reliable than your everyday pointing device, each mouse here has unique qualities that can only be found in peripherals. Plus, we’ve personally used and reviewed all of the mice on this list, so you can be confident that you’ll only find the best mice on the market.
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
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
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
Yeah, this mouse looks weird and its name kind of looks like some annoying tongue twister, but the Anker Vertical Ergonomic Optical mouse is only off putting until you get your hands on it. From the moment you start using this mouse, you’ll know it’s the one of the best mice around. While it’s built a little more cheaply than other ergonomic mice, it’s an affordable way to prevent RSI.
When Apple isn’t occupying itself by building luxury smartphones that you can unlock with your face, it was hard at work crafting one of the strangest mice we’ve ever used. If you found yourself doing a double take when reading the specs, you saw right – the Magic Mouse 2 lacks buttons completely. However, it makes up for this apparent oversight with sheer aesthetic appeal. This mouse is completely controlled by gestures, giving it all the benefits of a trackpad as well as a mouse.
Like the MX Master, the Triathlon M720 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.
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
This is one of the best mice if you’re looking for something that’s seen and not heard. Because the Logitech M330 Silent Plus is so compact and silent, it’s the perfect mouse for using on an airplane tray next to a sleeping neighbor. Just slip it into your laptop bag when the flight touches down, and weighing less than a quarter of a pound, you won’t even notice the added bulk.
Sure, the Microsoft Surface Precision Mouse that came out late last year is tempting, but sometimes you just need a cheap, reliable mouse that you can throw in your laptop bag without a care in the world. That’s where the Bluetooth Mobile Mouse 3600 comes in. This may be the best mouse for anyone looking for an inexpensive pointing device that won’t let them down – it’s one of the most reliable wireless mice you can buy today, and it’s from a brand you can trust.
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
