Best budget mouse 2022: point-and-click on the savings

Consider adding the best cheap mouse to your rig if you’re on a budget but still looking for something that can deliver excellent performance. You need a quality mouse no matter your setup and you don’t want to end up with something that frustrates you.

Sure, you may have received one with your system, but it won’t compare in terms of performance or features to the best budget mice. And, if you’re using a laptop, you might find yourself very limited by sticking with the trackpad. It’s no wonder that there are so many mice on the market since many users will grab one soon after investing in a new PC or laptop.

It’s no wonder either, since it’s one of the main ways that we interact with our computers besides a keyboard so having something that’s a joy to use is an important and easy upgrade. Additionally, many come with ergonomic designs and features that make using them better or at least more fun like customizable buttons and LED backlights.

No matter if you want to remap your entire mouse with macros for your favorite esports game or are just looking for something that’s comfortable in your palm after hours of use, you’ll find that the best budget mouse can rival the best mouse you’ll find.

So, if you’re looking to upgrade your mouse, but not looking to spend a fortune, these are some of the best mice for office use, creative tasks, and everything in between that won’t break the bank. We’ve even got a few of the best wireless mouse for a more clutter-free experience and some of the best gaming mouse so you can squeeze in a bit of fun for cheap.

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Microsoft Classic IntelliMouse

(Image credit: Microsoft)

1. Microsoft Classic IntelliMouse

This budget mouse is all business

Average Amazon review:

☆

Specifications

DPI:

3200

Interface:

Wired

Buttons:

Ergonomic:

Right-handed

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Reasons to buy

Classic design

Responsive

Programmable buttons

Reasons to avoid

–

Not wireless

–

Not great for gaming

When the Microsoft IntelliMouse was introduced in 1996, it has a groundbreaking peripheral for its ergonomics, its then-high DPI, and the introduction of the ubiquitous mousewheel. With 2019’s Classic IntelliMouse, Microsoft kept it simple with a classy five-button design that still fits comfortably in your hand—assuming you are right-handed, of course.

Microsoft’s Classic IntelliMouse features a five-button design with 3200 DPI and a soft white lighting effect that gives it a modern feel while still sticking to its core brand identity as a modern enterprise peripheral.

Unlike its earlier predecessors, the wire-bound Classic IntelliMouse is hardly the best budget mouse for gaming or portability, but for everyday home or office use, its form factor and relatively high DPI will make it feel far superior to many standard mice out there. And for the price, it knows what it is and it does it very, very well.

Read the full review here: Microsoft Classic IntelliMouse review (opens in new tab)

Logitech G203 Prodigy

(Image credit: Logitech)

2. Logitech G203 Prodigy

The best budget mouse for gaming

Specifications

DPI:

8000

Interface:

Wired

Buttons:

Ergonomic:

Right-handed

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Reasons to buy

Comfortable design

Semi-Ambidextrous

Very affordable for a gaming mouse

Reasons to avoid

–

Not wireless

–

Slightly older sensors

–

underwhelming design

Logitech is synonymous with computer peripherals and they’ve been putting out quality products at affordable prices for almost 40 years. While not as robust as some high-end gaming mice from Razer, Corsair, or HyperX, the Logitech G203 Prodigy is a quality gaming mouse directed at the more cost-conscious PC gamer.

That doesn’t mean that the G203 Prodigy scrimps on the kind of features gamers expect from their mice. It has 8000 DPI and six programmable buttons which is more than enough for all but the semi-pro esports gamer contingent. The ergonomic design of the mouse is ambidextrous, though lefties will not be able to easily access the mouse’s two side buttons.

Its sensors aren’t the newest in Logitech’s arsenal, either, but they are more than capable of providing the average gamer with the responsiveness they need, putting it in contention for the best budget mouse for gaming that you’re likely to find. It is wired, so portability is an issue, but if you’ve got a gaming rig at home and you’re looking for an affordable gaming mouse that will get the job done, the Logitech G203 Prodigy just might be it.

Read the full review here: Logitech G203 Prodigy (opens in new tab)

Razer DeathAdder Elite

(Image credit: Razer)

3. Razer DeathAdder Elite

Scoring headshots on the cheap

Average Amazon review:

☆

Specifications

DPI:

16000

Interface:

Wired

Buttons:

Ergonomic:

Right-handed

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Reasons to buy

High polling rate

Highly responsive

Comfortable design

Reasons to avoid

–

Fewer buttons than similar models

–

Not Wireless

Razer has been the go-to maker of dedicated gaming peripherals for many years, and it’s easy to see why. Their gaming mice have sleek, ergonomic designs, customizable LED backlighting, and nearly as many buttons as their keyboards. For a budget gaming mouse, the Razer DeathAdder Elite is well within this tradition and is aimed squarely at the FPS crowd.

With 16000 DPI and an exceptionally-high polling rate—the mouse state and position is updated at 1000 Hz, or 1000 times a second—this is a gaming mouse that is designed for precision control. That makes it perfect for FPS gamers where the slightest delay in responsiveness could mean the difference between a match-ending headshot and a potentially disasterous near-miss.

Its seven programmable buttons will likely be plenty for most gamers, but for the truly hardcore, this might seem rather limited, especially for a Razer gaming mouse. But considering that the Razer DeathAdder Elite packs some seriously high-end specs into a comfortable and affordable package, it is in contention for the best budget mouse for gamers who need precision control at a reasonable price point.

Logitech M330 Silent Plus

(Image credit: Logitech)

4. Logitech M330 Silent Plus

Small, portable, and right to the point

Average Amazon review:

☆

Specifications

DPI:

1000

Interface:

2.4GHz wireless

Buttons:

Ergonomic:

Right-handed

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Reasons to buy

Super quiet operation

Compact

Wireless

Reasons to avoid

–

No Bluetooth connectivity

–

Very few buttons

Logitech has been in the vanguard of the wireless mouse revolution over the last numbers of years and the Logitech M330 Silent Plus is a ideal distillation of the core design. With a focus on portability and a quiet mouseprint, the M330 Silent Plus is a great laptop mouse for when silent operation is desired.

Its specs are rather standard for an everyday general use mouse: it has 1000 DPI, three buttons, and ergonomic design. Its major selling point is that it is wireless and that it makes next to no noise while you’re using it. No one wants to be that person making the distracting zush-zush, clickity-click, and clack-clap noises in a school library or local coffee shop and this mouse is made specifically to save you from the irritated scorn of the person one table over.

It most certainly wasn’t made for gamers, however, and while the compact size and silent operation possibly make it the best budget mouse for students and the mobile workforce, even a freelancer will recognize the lack of features that comparable mice offer. For the price though, it’s hard to beat if you just need something that points, clicks, and stays as quiet as a mouse while you work.

Microsoft Bluetooth Mobile Mouse 3600

(Image credit: Microsoft)

5. Microsoft Bluetooth Mobile Mouse 3600

Compact and cheap

Average Amazon review:

☆

Specifications

DPI:

1000

Interface:

Bluetooth

Buttons:

Ergonomic:

Ambidextrous

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Reasons to buy

Very affordable

Comfortable for Lefties

Perfect for laptops

Reasons to avoid

–

Smaller than you’re probably used to

–

No frills, basic functionality

While most mice nowadays slap extra buttons on the every practical side of the mouse, at the end of the day the left and right mouse buttons end up doing about 95% of the work even on the most elite gaming mice.

If you’re just looking for a wireless mouse that you can throw in your bag with a laptop for years to come, the Microsoft Bluetooth Mobile Mouse 3600 can’t be beat. It has 1000 DPI, only two mouse buttons and a mousewheel, and an ergonomic, ambidextrous design that everyone will find comfortable to use.

The biggest selling point for the Bluetooth Mobile Mouse 3600 is right in its name: it uses built-in Bluetooth technology rather than your standard wireless radio connection. This frees the mouse from the tyranny of the tiny USB dongle, making it a top contender for the best budget mouse for anyone who needs portability, durability, and simplicity.