The Corsair Sabre V2 Pro is one of the best gaming mice you can buy. Lightweight yet sturdy, the Sabre V2 Pro is built well and is comfortable for long gaming sessions. It’s biggest selling point is its 8,000Hz polling rate over wired and wireless connections, and 33,000 DPI — more than plenty to give you a competitive advantage.

Alongside all this, you also get web-based companion software that makes customization a walk in the park. The best part is that the Sabre V2 Pro does all this without breaking the bank, making it a great alternative to expensive flagships from the likes of Razer. But the mouse isn’t perfect, as battery life isn’t the strongest, and there’s no dedicated DPI button.

For the complete breakdown, read my full Corsair Sabre V2 Pro review.

Corsair Sabre V2 Pro review: Specs

Corsair Sabre V2 Pro review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? An ultralight gaming mouse with 33,000 DPI and 8,000Hz polling
• Who is it for? Competitive gamers and FPS players
• How much does it cost? The Corsair Sabre V2 Pro is available for $99 / £89
• What do we like? The ultralight yet sturdy design, excellent gaming performance, web-based software, and competitive price
• What don’t we like? The poor battery life and absence of a dedicated DPI switch

Corsair Sabre V2 Pro review: The ups

The Corsair Sabre V2 Pro is ultralight and comfortable, and it boasts powerful gaming performance across a range of genres.

Ultralight yet sturdy

Ultralight mice are all the rage today. They require less physical force to move and stop, which increases agility and results in faster cursor speeds, and even proves less fatiguing during long gaming sessions. As a competitive gaming mouse, the Corsair Sabre V2 Pro is extremely light — one of the lightest mice I’ve tested, in fact. It weighs just 1.26oz, so it’s lighter than the Keychron M3 Mini V2 8K ($69, 1.94oz), the Keychron M3 Mini 4K Metal ($99, 2.25oz) and the phenomenal Razer Viper V4 Pro ($159, 1.72oz).

What I love about the Sabre V2 Pro is that even though it’s as light as a feather, it’s still extremely sturdy, and it feels substantial under my palm. It’s made of high-quality plastic that looks and feels premium, and its skates effortlessly glide across most surfaces. Corsair happily includes spare skates in the box just in case the originals wear down. Also included in the box are pieces of anti-slip grip tape, which can be stuck to the mouse for additional grip.

Speaking of, the Sabre V2 Pro on its own feels very grippy. I didn’t feel like my fingers were slipping at any point during testing. The mouse measures 4.69 x 2.46 x 1.5 inches and I found it suitable for my medium-sized hands — although if you’ve got big hands, you may find the mouse a tad small (unless you’re a claw gripper). A chunkier mouse like the Fnatic x Lamzu Maya X 8K ($119) or the Keychron M6 8K ($69) may be more suitable, if that’s the case.

Excellent gaming performance

The Corsair Sabre V2 Pro is a gaming mouse, and a good one at that. Packing a maximum of 33,000 DPI and 8,000Hz polling over wired and 2.4GHz wireless connections, the Sabre V2 Pro is an excellent choice for esports and FPS gamers. The polling rate can be dropped down to 1,000Hz using the mouse’s companion software (more on that shortly) if battery life is a concern (more on that later, too).

As I always do when testing gaming mice, I played a variety of games including Counter-Strike 2 and Cyberpunk 2077 on our testing lab’s gaming rig — and on the MSI Crosshair 16 HX E14W laptop too, which I was testing alongside the mouse. I kicked things off with Counter-Strike 2. Thanks to 8,000Hz polling, I didn’t notice any latency issues or input lag, and all my actions were instantaneously registered.

The 33,000 DPI is the real star here. Being able to swap between a low DPI of around 400 when aiming my sniper rifle at a target in the distance, and a high DPI of 8,000 or more when engaging in close-quarters combat gave me a competitive advantage. With the DPI set to 400, I was able to slow down my movements which helped me accurately aim at my target and execute headshots, especially when stealthily infiltrating enemy camps in Cyberpunk 2077.

Alongside rapid polling and DPI, you also get angle snapping which can be enabled via Corsair Web Hub. In a nutshell, angle snapping smooths out mouse movements to ensure a straight line, thereby eliminating any jitters caused by hand shake. This helps you keep your cursor at head-level at all times which is useful in competitive games like Counter-Strike 2. I managed to take out a row of players as my cursor movements were stabilized and my crosshairs moved in a straighter line than they would if I didn’t have angle snapping toggled.

Web-based companion software

I love it when gadgets are accompanied by web-based software for customization as it negates the need for downloading proprietary apps or bloatware. The Corsair Sabre V2 Pro is compatible with Corsair Web Hub which enables you to remap buttons, assign different DPI values to the five stages, adjust polling rate and lift height, and enable angle snapping.

Corsair Web Hub sports a clean interface and user-friendly design, with no unnecessary or intrusive ads or pop-ups. All you need to do is plug in your mouse using the included USB-C cable and launch Corsair Web Hub in Google Chrome, Edge, or other browser, and you’re good to go.

Competitively priced

You don’t need to spend hundreds on a competent, competitive mouse, and the Corsair Sabre V2 Pro proves it. The mouse has a retail price of $99 / £89 at Amazon, and I’ve seen it drop to $62 / £59 in the past, so it’s worth keeping an eye out during sales events. Even at its retail price, the Sabre V2 Pro is cheaper than other esports mice, like the Razer Viper V4 Pro ($159) and the Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike ($179).

If you think the Sabre V2 Pro is out of your budget, both the Keychron M3 Mini V2 8K and the Keychron M6 8K cost $69 each. But Corsair’s offering is worth the extra spend if you want 33,000 DPI packed into an ultralight body.

Corsair Sabre V2 Pro review: The downs

There isn’t a lot wrong with the Corsair Sabre V2 Pro but it’s worth noting that when polling at 8,000Hz, battery life doesn’t last as long, and there’s no dedicated DPI button.

Short battery life

The Corsair Sabre V2 Pro isn’t winning any awards when it comes to battery life, which can best be described as mediocre. Over 1,000Hz polling, you can get up to 70 hours between charges, which doesn’t sound too bad. But switch to 8,000Hz polling, and battery life drops to a measly 16 hours. After eight or so hours of playing, the battery had dropped to 45%, on course to die after the stated time.

This isn’t unexpected as 8KHz polling is a drain on both your system and the device, and you’ll find this with the best gaming keyboards, too. If you want longer runtime, I’d recommend the Keychron M6 8K (35 hours) or the Keychron M3 Mini V2 8K (40 hours). The Razer Viper V4 Pro can also last up to 40 hours between charges but of course, it costs a lot more.

No onboard DPI switch

My biggest gripe with the Corsair Sabre V2 Pro is its lack of an onboard DPI switch. I’ve tested my fair share of mice — I always appreciate having a button on the mouse itself to quickly swap between different DPI values as in-game situations change. Unfortunately, doing so on the fly on the Sabre V2 Pro isn’t possible. To change the DPI, you’ll need to either launch the web-based companion software every time, or long-press the right-click and back button (located on the mouse’s left edge) for three seconds.

While the latter is simple enough to do, it’s time consuming and unnecessary, in my opinion, and it could have been made easier by simply pressing a dedicated DPI button. If you’re competing in an esports tournament, or playing competitively otherwise, you wouldn’t want to lose precious seconds, would you? This, on its own, stops me from outright recommending the Sabre V2 Pro.

If you want a gaming mouse that makes it easier to swap between DPI stages, I’d recommend the Keychron M6 8K, the Keychron M3 Mini V2 8K or the Fnatic x Lamzu Maya X 8K. The Razer Viper V4 Pro would be my personal top choice, but it costs nearly $60 more than the Sabre V2 Pro.

Corsair Sabre V2 Pro review: Verdict

If you’ve got a budget of $100 and want a powerful mouse, the Corsair Sabre V2 Pro is the answer. The mouse is ridiculously light and comfortable, and it glides effortlessly across surfaces. It’s built very well, and it’s accompanied by user-friendly web-based companion software. With 33,000 DPI and 8,000Hz polling at your disposal, the Sabre V2 Pro gives you a competitive edge in FPS and esports.

Few things in life are perfect, though, and the Sabre V2 Pro isn’t one of them. Its battery life isn’t the strongest, lasting just 16 hours when polling at 8,000Hz, and there’s no dedicated DPI button, so you have to fiddle with click combinations to change it on the fly.

If neither of those feel like dealbreakers, then the Sabre V2 Pro could be perfect for you. It’s sleek, comfortable and powerful, and it makes even the worst Counter-Strike 2 player (like myself) look half competent.

No loud design that draws unnecessary eyeballs to your desk. No flashy, garish RGB. Just pure precision and performance: that’s what the Razer Viper V4 Pro stands for. This is one of the best gaming mice for esports players seeking speed above all else. The Viper V4 Pro packs industry-leading 50,000 DPI as well as 8,000Hz polling to deliver phenomenal performance in FPS titles.

Customization is quick and easy via Razer Synapse, and the mouse itself is lightweight, sturdy and comfortable. I’ve had a thoroughly enjoyable time testing the Viper V4 Pro, and if you can afford it, this is the mouse to get for competitive gaming.

For the complete breakdown, read my full Razer Viper V4 Pro review.

Razer Viper V4 Pro review: Specs

Razer Viper V4 Pro review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A right-handed gaming mouse with 50,000 DPI and 8,000Hz polling
• Who is it for? Esports and competitive gamers who value precision above all else
• How much does it cost? $159 / £159
• What do we like? The lightweight design, responsive and phenomenal gaming performance, long battery life, and user-friendly software
• What don’t we like? The loud clicks… but that’s about it

Razer Viper V4 Pro review: The ups

From its lightweight design and industry-leading specs, to its powerful gaming performance and user-friendly companion software, the Razer Viper V4 Pro doesn’t give you much to complain about.

Light as a feather

At the time of writing, the Viper V4 Pro is Razer’s most recent mouse to join the lightweight, sub-50g club. The mouse weighs just 49g or 1.72oz so it doesn’t feel like it’s weighing down your bag when you’re traveling with it. Because the mouse is so light, it requires less physical effort to move, stop and change direction. That also means your hand and wrist don’t feel fatigued during long gaming sessions, making the Viper V4 Pro a great choice for competitive players.

I’ve tested plenty of mice in my time, and the Viper V4 Pro is one of the lightest rodents I’ve used. It’s even lighter than the Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike ($179, 2.15oz), our top pick for the best gaming mice. The Viper V4 Pro trumps other ultra-lightweight mice too, such as the Keychron M3 Mini V2 8K ($69, 1.94oz) and the NZXT Lift Elite Wireless ($79, 2.01oz).

But just because the Viper V4 Pro is as light as a feather doesn’t mean it isn’t sturdy. Made of high-quality plastic, the Viper V4 Pro feels grippy to hold straight out of the box. Razer happily includes anti-slip grip tape in the box that you can stick to the mouse for more grip. The rodent measures 5 x 2.51 x 1.57 inches and feels substantial to hold for those with medium-sized hands — like I do. Both claw and palm grips work with the Viper V4 Pro, too, making it a versatile pick.

Industry-leading specs

How much is too much DPI? Certainly not 50,000, according to Razer. That’s right: the Razer Viper V4 Pro boasts a maximum DPI of 50,000. That’s a lot, and at the time of writing, it’s industry-leading. We haven’t tested any other mice that beat the Viper V4 Pro. The Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike comes close with its 44,000 DPI, though. I’d say both are overkill because who really needs that much speed? It’s there if you do, of course.

Changing the DPI is extremely easy. The Viper V4 Pro has a DPI button located on its underside, and by pressing it, you can cycle through 400, 800, 1600, 3200 and 6400 DPI by default. These can be customized via Razer Synapse (more on that shortly). I appreciate being able to adjust the DPI on the fly, as not being able to do so was one of my biggest gripes with the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 ($159).

Aiding the Viper V4 Pro’s gaming prowess is its 8,000Hz polling rate which you can get over both wired and 2.4GHz wireless connections. The mouse is accompanied by a dome-shaped dongle which needs to be plugged into your machine with a USB-C cable. It’s fitted with three LED indicators which are color-coded to indicate the polling rate, connection stability, and battery level. There’s no Bluetooth but the lack of it on an esports mouse isn’t a major drawback.

Phenomenal gaming performance

In theory, the Razer Viper V4 Pro sounds incredible, but does it perform as well in real-world use? Hell yeah, it does. I’ll preface this by saying that I’m not a professional esports player, but even I felt like the Viper V4 Pro gave me a competitive advantage in every game I played. Counter-Strike 2? Walk in the park. Cyberpunk 2077? Easy as pie. The Viper V4 Pro never once let me down throughout my testing.

I kicked things off by playing a few rounds of Counter-Strike 2. Admittedly, I’ve never been great at the game, but the Viper V4 Pro ensured I performed to the best of my ability. 8,000Hz polling meant that I didn’t experience any latency issues and all of my commands were instantaneously registered.

What I love about the Viper V4 Pro is its adaptive polling rate which, once enabled through Razer Synapse, boosts the polling up to 8KHz when gaming and drops it back to 1KHz when you’re doing non-gaming things on your computer. This helps preserve the mouse’s 180-hour battery, and it worked as intended in my testing.

So, how about that 50,000 DPI, eh? It is the headline feature, after all. I can’t see myself using such high DPI but it might be beneficial for some. Personally, I find DPI around the 10,000 mark more than sufficient for snappy movements. In Counter-Strike 2 and Cyberpunk 2077, anytime I was engaging in close-quarters combat, I upped the DPI to 10,000 (after assigning it via Razer Synapse). This made my movements snappy and rapid, and I was able to quickly cut down big groups of enemies with my knife.

Being able to change the DPI on the fly came in clutch when I went from heated combat to stealthy gameplay. Infiltrating heavily-guarded bases in Cyberpunk 2077 and Hitman felt like a walk in the park, thanks to a low DPI of 500 enabling me to execute precise headshots with my silenced pistol. It was especially useful when aiming at just one target surrounded by several other NPCs. Similarly, using a long-range sniper rifle to do the same felt effortless.

Last but not least, the Viper V4 Pro’s optical switches feel amazing to press. Razer says they require 12% lighter actuation compared to the ones you’ll find in the Viper V3 Pro ($149) so they’re easier (and less fatiguing) to activate or spam-click. I love how much tactile feedback they provide as well.

Long battery life

The cherry on top of the cake is the Razer Viper V4 Pro’s long battery life. Razer says that the mouse can last 180 hours (1,000Hz polling) or 45 hours (8,000Hz polling). Because 8,000Hz polling is a drain on not just system resources but also the mouse, adaptive polling rate is highly beneficial as it helps make the Viper V4 Pro last as long as possible.

Thanks to this, the Viper V4 Pro upstages its competitors. The Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike is rated for 90 hours; the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 is rated for 95 hours; and the Keychron M3 Mini V2 8K can last up to 140 hours. I couldn’t kill the Viper V4 Pro entirely in my testing, but after three hours of gaming with 8KHz polling enabled and another three working over 1,000Hz, the battery had dipped by only 8%. If it’s long battery life you’re after, the Viper V4 Pro is the way to go.

User-friendly companion software

To customize the Razer Viper V4 Pro, you’ll need to download Razer Synapse 4 on either Windows or macOS. It’s your one-stop shop for personalizing most Razer peripherals. The software sports a clean interface and is easy to navigate.

It allows you to assign different DPI values to the Viper V4 Pro’s DPI button, adjust the polling rate and toggle adaptive polling, remap the buttons, and customize lift-off distance. It’s worth taking a few minutes and familiarizing yourself with the different settings so that you can take advantage of everything the Viper V4 Pro has to offer.

Razer Viper V4 Pro review: The downs

There isn’t a lot wrong with the Razer Viper V4 Pro, but its loud clicks and steep price may not be for everyone.

Loud clicks won’t be for everyone

The second thing I noticed about the Razer Viper V4 Pro after its lightweight design was the sound its left- and right-buttons make when pressed. And boy, are they loud. My colleagues instantly noticed it too, and said that the loud sound wasn’t their cup of tea.

This is all to say that if you prefer a quiet mouse, like the SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2, the Viper V4 Pro might not be for you — although given how powerful it is, it’s a compromise I’d be willing to make.

Expensive (but worth it for esports players)

This is more of a pre-purchase consideration rather than an outright flaw: the Razer Viper V4 Pro isn’t for the budget conscious. The mouse retails for $159 / £159 at Amazon so it’s on the pricey side of things. Esports mice, however, are usually expensive and the Viper V4 Pro isn’t beyond the pale here.

The Viper V4 Pro costs the same as the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 ($159) and is slightly cheaper than the Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike ($179). But if you aren’t fussed about 50,000 DPI, there are plenty of sub-$100 alternatives available. The Keychron M3 Mini V2 8K ($69) packs 8,000Hz polling and 30,000 DPI; the NZXT Lift Elite Wireless ($79) maxes out at 26,000 DPI; and the Keychron M6 8K ($69) combines ergonomic benefits with powerful gaming features.

Unless you’re a competitive and professional esports player, there’s little reason to splash out on the Viper V4 Pro. But if you want a mouse that’s at the top of its game, few are better than Razer’s flagship model.

Razer Viper V4 Pro review: Verdict

I can’t recall the last time I had so much fun testing a mouse. The Razer Viper V4 Pro sets a new gold standard for gaming mice with its 50,000 DPI and 8,000Hz polling rate. It’s excellent for FPS titles as well as RPGs, and class-leading battery life goes a long way to justify its premium price tag.

The Viper V4 Pro is extremely light and comfortable too, and it sports a low-key, minimalist design that doesn’t draw eyeballs to your desk… though the loud clicks might. Its optical switches provide great tactile feedback when pressed, and user-friendly companion software makes customization quick and easy.

Though casual gamers are unlikely to benefit from features like the 50,000 DPI, competitive gamers looking for a fast, light and capable mouse should look no further than the Viper V4 Pro. It’s simply phenomenal.

Mice aren't particularly exciting. Some might even argue that these rodents that help us do our work or even excel at gaming are boring. You aren't entirely wrong in thinking that. I've tested my fair share of the best mice, and more often than not, they look the same or have the same or similar features. There isn't much that's exciting about rodents.

But what if I told you that I've just tested a mouse that actually does something different? That low-key revolutionizes the world of productivity mice? "That's not possible," I hear you mumble under your breath, but it's true. The Logitech Signature Comfort Plus M850L is unlike any other mouse I've tested, and after having used it for a week, I can't go back to traditional mice.

So, what makes the M850L unique? It's got a built-in cushioned palm rest, for starters, and that alone makes it worth the asking price — and it isn't too much, either. The M850L is available for just $49. Forty. Nine. Dollars. And for that money, it feels like the endgame of budget productivity mice. But is the palm rest a gimmick or a stroke of genius? I'm here to answer that question (spoiler alert: it's the latter).

It ain't vertical or a trackball, but it's still super ergonomic

When we talk about ergonomic mice, trackball and vertical rodents spring to mind. The Lenovo Go Wireless Vertical and the Logitech Ergo M575 are great examples of ergonomics done right. The Logitech Signature Comfort Plus M850L doesn't feature a trackball, and it isn't vertical, and yet, it's extremely comfortable. That's thanks to its shape and the aforementioned cushioned palm rest.

The M850L sports a contoured shape with rubber grips running along its length. These rubber grips are soft, so your thumb feels comfortable. The contoured shape also enables your hand to sit more naturally on the mouse. Then you've got the palm rest located behind the left and right click buttons. It's made of durable and squishy material and it's designed to provide some ergonomic relief by reducing pressure on the main part of your palm.

Though I was skeptical when I attended the press briefing, it took just under an hour for me to come around when I started testing the M850L. If you were given a choice between a soft, down feather pillow and a hard rocky surface, you'd choose the former to rest your head on, right? That's what the M850L's palm rest feels like, and I'd choose it over a traditional mouse any day.

Nothing short of a productivity beast

Alongside delivering all-day comfort, the Logitech Signature Comfort Plus M850L is a beast for productivity. If you need a mouse that will enable you to work for hours on end without disturbing your co-workers, and you want to maximize your productivity, this is the one to get.

The M850L is a speedy pointer — as productivity mice go, at least. You can swap between two customizable levels of DPI (up to 4,000) depending on the task you're doing. Its left- and right-click buttons are fitted with silent microswitches designed to reduce noise by up to 90%, so you don't need to worry about disturbing your co-workers.

What I love about the M850L is that Logitech has brought over a vaunted feature from its pricier work-first mice, and that's the SmartWheel. Powered by this technology, the M850L's scroll wheel automatically switches between tactile (ratchet) and super-fast (free-spin) modes based on how fast you're spinning it. This is a game-changer for productivity, as you don't need to waste seconds on manually changing the mode.

Best part? It doesn't break the bank

Given just how excellent the mouse is, you might be thinking the Logitech Signature Comfort Plus M850L is pricey. That couldn't be further from the truth. The M850L is one of the cheapest mice I've ever tested, and you can buy it in Off-White, Graphite or Black for just $49 / £49 at Amazon.

To give you a point of reference, here in the U.K. where I'm based, a cappuccino costs £4, so you can get about 10 coffees for the same price as the M850L. Given the joy coffee brings some people — including myself — I'm confident that the M850L will bring you just as much happiness if not more, especially if you're a sedentary worker.

As someone who spends up to eight hours a day, five days a week, at a desk, I can't overstate the importance of an ergonomic mouse. The M850L is a competent and comfortable mouse, and I love its cushioned palm rest so much that I now wish every productivity-oriented mouse had one. And it's earned the M850L a permanent spot on my desk.

More from Tom's Guide

• ‘The endgame of budget productivity mice’: I tested the $49 Logitech M850L and its built-in cushioned palm rest delivers unparalleled comfort
• The best wireless mouse in 2026 — tested and reviewed
• Do not buy that 8,000Hz polling rate gaming mouse — I'm not wasting my money again

Few manufacturers are better than Logitech when it comes to creating comfortable productivity gadgets, and the Swiss-American giant has done it once again. The Logitech Signature Comfort Plus M850L is unlike any other Logi mouse as it features a built-in cushioned palm rest that delivers all-day comfort.

The M850L is a beast for productivity, thanks to its speed-adaptive smart scroll wheel, quiet clicks, and extensive customization capabilities. But it isn’t perfect — few things in life are. The mouse uses disposable batteries and doesn’t come with a 2.4GHz receiver. Are either of those dealbreakers? Not at all, given that the mouse costs just $49.

To find out if this is the best mouse for you, read my full Logitech Signature Comfort Plus M850L review.

Logitech Signature Comfort Plus M850L review: Specs

Logitech Signature Comfort Plus M850L review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A right-handed rodent and Logitech’s first mouse with an integrated palm cushion
• Who is it for? For sedentary workers needing a comfortable mouse
• How much does it cost? The Logitech Signature Comfort Plus M850L is available for just $49 / £49
• What do we like? Its built-in cushioned palm rest, overall comfort, user-friendly companion software, quiet clicks, and speed-adaptive scroll wheel
• What don’t we like? It uses disposable batteries and doesn’t come with a 2.4GHz receiver

Logitech Signature Comfort Plus M850L review: The ups

From its eco-friendly design, built-in cushioned palm rest, quiet clicks and speed-adaptive scroll wheel, the Logitech Signature Comfort Plus M850L is perhaps the best budget productivity mouse you can buy today.

Low-key and eco-friendly design

The Logitech Signature Comfort Plus M850L is a productivity-oriented mouse for the office, and it’s designed as such. It sports a minimalist, low-key design that doesn’t draw eyeballs to your desk thanks to the lack of any flashy RGB or lighting. The mouse is available in three colors: Graphite, Black, and Off-White. I tested the Graphite model which is covered in a couple shades of light and dark gray, and it looks fantastic.

Measuring 4.79 x 2.92 x 1.74 inches, the M850L is ideal for those with small- or medium-sized hands. It weighs 3.8 ounces so it’s got a bit of heft to it, which is nice — it makes the mouse feel sturdy and substantial when your hand is cupping it. The textured surface that runs along the length of the body gives your thumb a good grip over the mouse. I’ll discuss the overall comfort in the following section.

The M850L feels extremely well-built, and you can tell that the plastic it utilizes is of high quality. I also like that the Graphite and Black models are made of 63% recycled material (49% on the Off-White version), and the mouse comes in paper packaging derived from FSC-certified forests.

All-day comfort

The Logitech Signature Comfort Plus M850L is a mighty comfortable mouse, and before diving into the overall comfort factor, I want to talk about its headline feature. This is Logitech’s first mouse to feature a built-in palm cushion, located right behind the left- and right-click buttons.

The M850L’s palm cushion is made of durable, squishy material. It’s designed to provide some ergonomic relief by reducing pressure on the main bit of your palm — and it works wonders. After two whole days of using the M850L, I didn’t feel any discomfort. Combined with the soft rubber grips that my thumb rested on, and the contoured shape which enabled my hand to sit more naturally on the mouse, the M850L is a killer rodent for the office.

A productivity beast

The Logitech Signature Comfort Plus M850L is a beast for productivity. It has a maximum DPI of 4,000 which is adjustable via the button located between the left- and right-click ones. Though this isn’t anything special for gaming , it’s more than enough for those who want a speedy work-first pointer — after all, this isn’t a gaming mouse. Polling-wise, I didn’t notice any input lag or latency issues over Bluetooth, which will max out at 125Hz. This won't be enough for competitive gaming, and with no 2.4G connection as standard (unless you buy the receiver), there's no option for rapid poll rates out the box. Again, though, this isn't a gaming mouse, so I can forgive it. For a budget productivity/gaming mouse, check out the Keychron M6 8K ($69), which polls at up to 8K.

Thanks to two PTFE skates on the mouse’s underside, the M850L glides effortlessly across most surfaces — including plastic, glass and rubber desk mats. One of the things I love most about the M850L is its silent microswitches designed to reduce noise by up to 90%. This means that your coworkers won’t be disturbed by your clicking the mouse’s buttons — and neither will you, and this can help maintain your concentration on the task at hand.

I haven’t even talked about the best part yet, though, and that’s the M850L’s SmartWheel. Logi’s SmartWheel technology isn’t brand new, per se, and it’s found primarily on the brand’s productivity mice — and I love it. The scroll wheel on the M850L is speed-adaptive, which means that it automatically switches between two scrolling modes based on how fast you’re spinning it. You don’t need to manually switch between tactile (ratchet) and super-fast (free-spin) scrolling, like you need to on the Razer Pro Click Mini ($79).

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed using the M850L’s SmartWheel. I deal with many lengthy spreadsheets at work, so being able to go from the top to the bottom of a Google Sheet speedily and within seconds is a boon. Similarly, scrolling through hundreds of unread messages on Slack channels is a walk in the park too. And when I need to, I can simply stop the scroll wheel from spinning to stop at a particular section. Easy as pie.

User-friendly companion software

Much like many other Logitech office peripherals, the Logitech Signature Comfort Plus M850L is compatible with Logi Options+. This is perhaps one of my favorite software suites as it’s extremely user-friendly and intuitive, and it sports a clean interface with no intrusive pop-ups or ads. Logi Options+ is also compatible with both Windows and macOS, unlike the Windows-only app for the similarly priced Lenovo Go Wireless Vertical ($49).

Logi Options+ enables you to customize the M850L effortlessly and extensively. You can remap the six buttons, assign Gestures to the DPI button, such as media controls and app navigation, and assign app-specific functions too. For instance, you can customize the side buttons to adjust the volume in Spotify, copy/paste in Microsoft Word, or undo/redo in Adobe Photoshop. I find the last especially useful as I do a lot of editing in Photoshop.

In addition to all of this, you can also toggle Flow which lets you move the mouse cursor from one computer to another. Naturally, you’ll need to install Logi Options+ on both machines to get this working. I did this with my MacBook Air M2 and the Geekom GeekBook X14 Pro, and it worked like a charm. I was able to copy text on my MacBook and then paste it in a Google Docs window on the Geekom. This negates the need to swap Bluetooth sources every time.

Competitively priced

Last but certainly not least, the Logitech Signature Comfort Plus M850L is a very affordable mouse, making it perfect for office workers on a budget. It retails for just $49 / £49 at Amazon — or you can grab the Combo with the MK880 keyboard for $99 at Amazon U.S. / £99 at Currys U.K. Again, really affordable.

The M850L is slightly pricier than the ESR MagMouse ($34) but you’re getting unparalleled comfort and an overall better package. Other similarly priced mice include the Keychron M7 ($49) but that’s predominantly a gaming mouse, and the M850L’s build quality feels more top-notch. The M850L is also arguably better than the productivity-oriented Razer Pro Click Mini which features a noisy (therefore, annoying) scroll wheel.

Logitech Signature Comfort Plus M850L review: The downs

It’s hard to fault the Logitech Signature Comfort Plus M850L, and the only real downsides to this mouse are that it uses disposable batteries and doesn’t come with a 2.4GHz receiver.

Uses disposable batteries

I probably sound like a broken record at this point to those who have read my previously published mice reviews, but I’m here to talk about my dislike for disposable batteries again. The Logitech Signature Comfort Plus M850L utilizes a disposable AA battery, and that might be a dealbreaker for the environmentally conscious.

Disposable batteries are tricky to recycle and they create massive amounts of single-use waste. The upside, for those who wish to see it, is that the M850L can last up to 24 months on one such battery. If you want a mouse with a built-in rechargeable battery instead, I’d recommend the Keychron M7, or splurging more on the Logitech Lift ($69) and the Logitech MX Master 4 ($119).

Logi Bolt USB receiver sold separately

Unlike the Logitech MX Master 4, the Logitech Signature Comfort Plus M850L doesn’t come with a Logi Bolt USB receiver. If you want to use the mouse with a dongle plugged in, you’ll need to buy it separately. It isn’t too expensive, available for just $14 / £11 at Amazon.

For those who own multiple Logi products, the Bolt receiver is a great investment as it enables you to connect multiple keyboards and mice to your computer without needing separate dongles. It could also allow for higher poll rates than Bluetooth. It's a shame not to see it included as standard.

Logitech Signature Comfort Plus M850L review: Verdict

They don’t make sub-$50 mice better than this. The Logitech Signature Comfort Plus M850L feels like a no-brainer if you have a sedentary job. Its standout feature, the integrated cushioned palm rest, genuinely enhances long-term comfort, as does its contoured shape and soft rubber grips for your thumb.

Combine this with quiet clicks, Logi’s excellent SmartWheel speed-adaptive scrolling, smooth tracking, and extensive customization via Logi Options+, and you’ve got yourself a winning package.

Though the use of disposable batteries and exclusion of a 2.4GHz receiver in the box are a little disappointing, neither drawback is a dealbreaker. For office or remote workers seeking a reliable, comfortable and feature-rich rodent on a budget, the M850L is unbeatable value for money.

The best gaming mice come in all shapes and sizes: honeycomb, standard, you name it. The Cherry XTRFY M64 Wireless hopes to join the big leagues but just falls short. It’s a lovely-looking mouse, sporting a minimalist design, and it’s mighty comfortable too. With 26,000 DPI and 1,000Hz polling to boot, it boasts great gaming performance too.

So what’s the problem? The M64 Wireless isn’t without its flaws, and given its price, those flaws feel jarring. Surprisingly, there’s no companion software for customizing the mouse, and the lack of Bluetooth may be disappointing for some. The mouse also features an awkwardly-placed USB-C port that limits wired use.

For the complete breakdown, read my full Cherry XTRFY M64 Wireless review.

Cherry XTRFY M64 Wireless review: Specs

Cherry XTRFY M64 Wireless review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A right-handed mouse with 26,000 DPI and 1,000Hz polling
• Who is it for? Casual gamers
• How much does it cost? The Cherry XTRFY M64 Wireless is available for $99 / £84
• What do we like? The low-key design, comfort level, variable 26,000 DPI, and great gaming performance
• What don’t we like? The lack of Bluetooth and companion software, and the awkwardly-placed USB-C port

Cherry XTRFY M64 Wireless review: The ups

The Cherry XTRFY M64 Wireless sports a lovely, minimalist and comfortable design, and its 26,000 DPI and 1,000Hz polling make it great for gaming.

Simplistic, low-key design

I’ll be honest: I’m not usually a fan of flashy mice that feature loud RGB lighting. I also don’t like honeycomb mice as the design is divisive and I don’t like being able to see dust collect on the insides. Case in point: the SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 ($109). The Cherry XTRFY M64 Wireless, then, is the antithesis of the Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2.

The M64 Wireless sports a simplistic, low-key design which makes it fit right into the office as well as most gaming setups. It’s available in Black, White and Blue colors. I tested the Black model with teal accents, and I love the look. The teal adds a nice pop of color without drawing too much attention to the mouse, and the teal strip under the scroll wheel looks lovely.

Comfortable and ergonomic

The Cherry XTRFY M64 Wireless is a very comfortable and ergonomic mouse. It’s designed for right-handed folks (sorry to my left-handed brethren), and it fits my hand like a glove. The mouse measures 4.72 x 2.67 x 1.53 inches so it’s well-suited for small- and medium-sized hands. My medium-sized hand had no issues cradling the M64 Wireless, and I found the matte finish provided a good grip on it too.

This is quite a light mouse too, weighing just 1.87oz. It’s lighter than the 2.39oz SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2, the 2.75oz Keychron M6 8K ($69), and the 2.32oz Glorious Model D2 ($99). Though it’s light as a feather, the rubber strips on the M64 Wireless’ underside provide a sturdy grip on most surfaces. They also help it glide easily and without any friction.

Having used the M64 Wireless for the better part of a week, I can confidently say that it’s extremely comfortable. My hand and wrist didn’t feel fatigued even after using the mouse for a long gaming session.

Great gaming performance

What good is a comfortable mouse that isn’t great for gaming? Thankfully, the Cherry XTRFY M64 Wireless packs performance in spades, and it’s well-suited for casual gaming. It boasts a maximum DPI of 26,000 which is adjustable in four levels via the button on the mouse’s underside. You also get 1,000Hz polling over wired and 2.4GHz wireless connections.

To test the M64 Wireless, I played Cyberpunk 2077 and Counter-Strike 2 on our testing rig. Being able to adjust the DPI on the fly was very handy as I could drop it down to 400 for slow-mo movements, or increase it to 26,000 for ultra-fast movements. When I was in close-quarters combat in either game, I opted for a high DPI as I could then move and attack quickly, especially when surrounded by multiple enemies at once. This enabled me to change directions speedily and attack NPCs with, say, my knife — or whatever weapon I had equipped.

But when it came to using a big weapon like a sniper rifle to take out targets at a distance, I dropped the DPI by pressing the designated button. This helped me slow down my movements and I could aim better. When there multiple NPCs standing together and I needed to take out just one target, I was able to fine-tune my movements and execute a precise headshot, move to the next enemy, rinse and repeat. They never saw me coming.

In addition to variable DPI, the M64 Wireless packs a 1,000Hz polling rate too, which negates latency issues and input lag. 1,000Hz polling is enough for casual players, but if you’re a competitive gamer who partakes in high-refresh-rate gaming, you may want to consider a 4,000Hz mouse like the SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2, or an 8,000Hz mouse like the Keychron M6 8K.

Cherry XTRFY M64 Wireless review: The downs

Unfortunately, the Cherry XTRFY M64 Wireless doesn’t feature Bluetooth or companion software, and the awkwardly-placed USB-C port makes it difficult to use the mouse wired.

No Bluetooth

Surprisingly, the Cherry XTRFY M64 Wireless doesn’t feature Bluetooth. Now, I’ve used and tested my fair share of mice, and this is probably the first time I’ve seen a wireless mouse not pack in Bluetooth connectivity. Cherry advertises this as a competitive gaming mouse so I can kinda see why there’s no Bluetooth. Polling over Bluetooth is, more often than not, limited to 125Hz, so realistically, no gamer would be using it.

But does that justify its absence? Not entirely. We’ve seen similarly priced mice, like the SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2, feature Bluetooth connectivity. It’s nice for those who work or play across systems. The only way to connect the M64 Wireless wirelessly is by using the included 2.4GHz dongle… but there’s no slot on the mouse’s body to slot the dongle into, so be careful you don’t lose it!

Awkwardly-placed port

In addition to wireless connectivity, the Cherry XTRFY M64 Wireless can be used wired too, thanks to the included USB-C cable. But what’s frustrating is the USB-C port’s location on the mouse’s body. For some reason, Cherry decided to put it alongside the right-hand edge of the mouse.

To say it’s awkward and makes the mouse practically unusable as your hand keeps pressing against it would be an understatement. What gives, Cherry? I suppose the silver lining here is that Cherry didn’t decide to place it on the mouse’s underside (looking at you, Apple Magic Mouse).

If you want a great mouse with port placement that makes sense, I’d recommend the SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2, the Keychron M6 8K or the Keychron M7 ($49). All are excellent alternatives and they feature tri-mode connectivity.

No companion software

Another thing that surprises me about the Cherry XTRFY M64 Wireless is its lack of companion software. Sure, you can change the DPI, debounce time and polling rate via the buttons on the top and the mouse’s underside, but to not have any form of companion software for further customization is disappointing.

I’d have liked to have been able to assign custom values to the DPI and polling rate buttons, instead of the set of four (each) preloaded ones.

Expensive for what’s on offer

Last but not least, the Cherry XTRFY M64 Wireless is an expensive mouse. Its pros simply fail to outweigh the cons. The lack of companion software and Bluetooth, as well as an awkwardly placed port make it difficult to justify the M64 Wireless’ premium price. It retails for $99 / £84 at Amazon — that’s quite a bit!

Thing is, mice have come leaps and bounds in recent years, and you’ve got brands like Keychron making fantastic mice for less than $70 — case in point, the Keychron M6 8K and the Keychron M7. The M6 8K even offers 8,000Hz polling while the M64 Wireless tops out at 1,000Hz. If the M64 Wireless was a little cheaper, it would have been a different story. But as things stand, I find it difficult to recommend it outright when it faces such fierce competition.

Cherry XTRFY M64 Wireless review: Verdict

The Cherry XTRFY M64 Wireless isn’t without its compromises. There’s no Bluetooth so wireless connectivity is limited to 2.4GHz. The lack of companion software means you can’t customize the buttons and their respective functions. And don’t get me started on the placement of the USB-C port.

But this doesn’t mean that the M64 Wireless is all bad. For the price, you get a comfortable and minimalistically designed mouse that’s a joy to use. 26,000 DPI and 1,000Hz polling also make it great for casual gaming.

Unfortunately, those strengths just don’t make up for the M64 Wireless’ weaknesses, and when the mouse faces such fierce competition from the likes of Keychron, it’s difficult to recommend it at its retail price.

SteelSeries is one of the biggest names in the world of gaming peripherals, and it knows how to make a good mouse. The SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 is a refresh of the first-gen Aerox 3, and it introduces some handy upgrades. The rodent boasts 26,000 DPI and a 4,000Hz wireless polling rate, both of which give you a competitive advantage in FPS titles.

In addition to the solid gaming performance, you also get up to 200 hours of battery life and a feature-rich companion app. The mouse itself is mighty comfortable and lightweight, although the honeycomb design might not please everyone. Oh, and there’s no place on the mouse to stash the dongle away.

Could this be the best gaming mouse for you? Read my full SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 review to find out.

SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 review: Specs

SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A right-handed mouse with 26,000 DPI and 4,000Hz polling
• Who is it for? Competitive players and productivity users seeking a lightweight mouse
• How much does it cost? The SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 is available for $109 / £99
• What do we like? The lightweight and comfortable design, great gaming performance, feature-rich software, and long battery life
• What don’t we like? The honeycomb design and lack of onboard dongle storage

SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 review: The ups

From its lightweight, comfortable design and feature-rich software, to its fantastic gaming performance, the SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 is an outstanding rodent.

Lightweight and comfortable

The SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 is, of course, the successor to the first-gen model, and while not much has changed in terms of the shape of the mouse, SteelSeries has introduced three new colors. You can now get the mouse in flashy Magenta Haze (the model I tested). I’m not a massive fan of the Magenta Haze as it’s very loud and draws attention to itself, and looks tacky to me when the RGB is enabled, but that’s just my opinion, and you might like that. For those who prefer more low-key mice, the Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 comes in Shadow (black) and Ghost (white) too.

Looks aside, the Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 is mighty comfortable. It weighs only 2.39oz, just like the previous iteration, and joins the likes of the Glorious Model D2 ($99) and the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 ($159) in the sub-3oz club. Despite being so light, the mouse feels premium and solid to hold. Tapping it with my fingernails revealed no hollow-sounding parts.

Having used the Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 for a few full days, I can confirm that it’s extremely comfortable as my hands never felt fatigued… as long as you’re right-handed, of course. The mouse is 4.75 x 2.28 x 0.85 inches so it’s well-suited for small- and medium-sized hands. My medium hand had no problem cradling the mouse.

Great gaming performance

If you’re buying a mouse designed for competitive gaming, comfort means nothing if the rodent has lackluster features. Thankfully, the SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 packs bags of performance under the hood. Equipped with the TrueMove 26K sensor, the Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 boasts a maximum DPI of 26,000 — up from 18,000 on the Gen 1. The onboard DPI selector, located between the right- and left-click buttons, lets you swap between five different values, and these can be customized via the companion software (more on this soon).

Having 26,000 DPI at your disposal means you can adjust the mouse’s sensitivity to your liking — bump it all the way up for ultra-responsive gameplay in Counter-Strike 2, or drop it to 500 for precise movement when taking headshots in Cyberpunk 2077. Being able to do so on-the-fly is a big advantage too, as you don’t have to dive into the software every time. That’s something that’s missing from the pricier Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2, so this is a win for SteelSeries in my book.

Alongside this, you also get 4,000Hz polling (up from 1,000Hz on the Gen 1) when using the 2.4GHz dongle. 4KHz polling is excellent for competitive, high-refresh-rate gaming, but it will naturally have a detrimental effect on the mouse’s battery life (more on this shortly). The Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 performed formidably across the board, regardless of the game I played.

First of all, I didn’t notice any latency issues or input lag thanks to the 4,000Hz polling rate. The mouse’s buttons and scroll wheel were highly responsive in my testing. In Cyberpunk 2077, I opted for a high DPI of around 15,000 when I was in close-quarter combat and surrounded by enemies. The high DPI enabled me to change directions quickly to punch down and slice NPCs with my knife.

When I needed to fine-tune my movements, I dropped the DPI to 500. In both Counter-Strike 2 and Cyberpunk 2077, this helped me aim better with my sniper rifle. Aiming at one particular target when said target was surrounded by other NPCs was a piece of cake, as slowing down helped me aim more accurately. I could then execute precise headshots. Great success.

Long battery life

The SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 has received an upgrade in the battery life department too. While the first-gen model could last 80 hours over 2.4GHz, the Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 can last 120 hours over 2.4GHz (1,000Hz polling). If you bump the polling up to 4,000Hz, though, the battery drops significantly to 35 hours only. Bluetooth battery numbers remain the same, with both the first-gen and second-gen mice delivering 200 hours.

This is longer battery life than some of the competition. The Glorious Model D2, for instance, has a 110-hour 2.4GHz battery life — although you get 210 hours over Bluetooth — while the Keychron M3 Mini 4K Metal ($99) is rated for 135 hours over 2.4GHz.

I couldn’t drain the entire battery in my testing, but after around 15 hours of using the mouse with 4,000Hz polling over 2.4GHz, the battery had dropped to 60%. If you want to conserve the Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2’s battery life for longer, I’d recommend using the mouse over Bluetooth when you aren’t gaming competitively.

Feature-rich software

The SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 utilizes the SteelSeries GG software, on Windows or macOS, for extensive customization — and it’s a delight. The software is clean and intuitive to use, and everything is well signposted. I love how many customization options the Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 offers. You can remap the buttons, assign custom DPI values to the DPI button, choose power saving settings, adjust the lift-off distance, and choose different polling rates.

I also adore the RGB customization, via Prism within SteelSeries GG. There are three different RGB zones on the Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 whose effects, colors, hue, saturation, brightness and speed can be adjusted individually. It’s all very easy to do. I have no complaints.

SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 review: The downs

The SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 has a few drawbacks, including the divisive honeycomb design and the lack of onboard dongle storage.

Honeycomb… why?

This might be a personal thing but I’ve never been a fan of honeycomb mice. I understand that the honeycomb, holey design reduces weight without sacrificing structural integrity, and can help with heat dissipation, but many modern mice sporting traditional designs do both of those things just as well, if not better.

The Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2’s honeycomb design extends to the left- and right-click buttons too, so when I was using a claw grip, my fingernails were getting caught in the holes, which I didn’t find particularly comfortable. I also personally don’t like that I can see dust and debris getting caught inside. Yuck.

If you’re turned off by the honeycomb design as much as I am, I’d recommend the Lemokey G1 ($64) or the Keychron M3 Mini V2 8K ($69). They’re also cheaper than the Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 while offering higher DPI and 8,000Hz polling.

No onboard dongle storage

I sound like a broken record anytime I talk about mice not having slots on their bodies to store their accompanying dongles. I’ve been complaining about this for years now, and it’s sad to see that the SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 suffers from the same issue. It comes with a USB-C 2.4GHz dongle which can’t be stored on its person. What if you’re a competitive gamer who travels a lot for tournaments? You wouldn’t want to lose the dongle in your backpack or forget it at home, would you?

This problem isn’t limited to the Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2, of course. We’ve seen lack of onboard dongle storage on the Turtle Beach Pure Air ($99), the Glorious Model O 2 ($99), and the Keychron M3 Mini V2 8K. If this is important to you, I’d recommend the Lemokey G1 — it even has faster 8,000Hz polling!

SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 review: Verdict

If you’re on the lookout for a mouse that bridges the gap between entry- and pro-level mice, the SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 is an excellent choice. It’s lightweight and comfortable, and is ideal for all-day use with its long battery life. Gaming performance is 10/10 across the board, thanks to the mouse’s 26,000 DPI and 4,000Hz polling rate. The detailed companion software makes customization a walk in the park too.

But is the honeycomb design enough to break the deal? And what about the lack of onboard dongle storage? While both of these, in my opinion, are noteworthy drawbacks, they shouldn’t stop you from buying the mouse altogether. The Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 is a great upgrade over the first-gen model, and it gives you very little to complain about otherwise.

A new standard of competitive PC gaming has arrived, and the Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike wireless gaming mouse is here to introduce you to it. It's not due to a bold new design or improved polling rate, either. It's all to do with haptics.

Wait, haptics in a gaming mouse made for esports? Surely that would completely disrupt a winning shot if you feel a buzz in your fingers or palm just for immersion, like a PS5 DualSense controller. That was my initial thinking, but Logitech G is using haptics the smart way — with the sole purpose of delivering faster clicks.

With its world-first Haptic Inductive Trigger System (HITS), replacing traditional gaming mouse switches with a combination of real-time haptics tech and inductive analog sensing, the Pro X2 Superstrike's mouse buttons can be customized to adjust actuation points. That, along with Rapid Trigger support, makes for blazing-fast click speeds that you feel in control of.

Throw in its ultra-high 44,000 maximum DPI, 8,000Hz polling rate and premium, lightweight build (taking cues from the excellent Pro X Superlight 2), and this becomes the best gaming mouse you can grab today. Well, if you're willing to spend top dollar for it. It's also worth remembering that this is made for top-level esports players, so more casual competitive gamers may not see huge benefits from using it.

Is the Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike the gaming mouse for you? Let's dive in.

Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike: Cheatsheet

• What is it? A wireless gaming mouse with real-time haptic feedback, made for competitive gameplay.
• Who is it for? Esports players, competitive enthusiasts and anyone looking for faster clicks.
• How much does it cost? It's a pricey one. The Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike is available for $179 in the U.S. and £159 in the U.K.
• What do we like? The customizable haptic triggers in the mouse buttons feel and perform excellently, pro-level specs across the board, lightweight and comfy design, onboard dongle storage and the companion app for fine-tuning.
• What don’t we like? Not a lot, but it's a premium purchase, there's no onboard DPI selector and not everyone will make full use of its features.

Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike: Specs

Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike: The ups

The Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike fires off on all cylinders, from its classic, lightweight design for smooth gliding to its 44,000 DPI and 8,000Hz polling rate. Oh, and it's newfound haptics tech, no less. More importantly, it says a lot that an actual professional Rainbow Six Siege esports player, Davey "Freq" Hendriks, said, "when I’m getting faster response times, there’s no point going back,” when I asked about using the all-new mouse over others.

HITS for faster clicks

First, let's address the scared elephant in the room (they're definitely afraid of mice, after all). The Pro X2 Superstrike is the first to come with Logitech G's haptic tech, which is dubbed HITS. Thankfully, I can confirm that this isn't a gimmick.

The left and right mouse buttons use haptic triggers in place of the usual microswitches found in gaming mice, including the Pro X Superlight 2's hybrid optical/mechanical switches. The result is a pronounced "click" sensation that we're all used to, but one that I feel more in control of — even if it's subtle.

Don't worry, this isn't pure haptics. The mouse buttons will still physically go down when clicking, but it's the haptics that you'll feel, and even hear. For example, when the Pro X2 Superstrike isn't turned on (or the haptics are switched off), the mouse buttons won't have any "click" when pressing down on them. Switched on, however, and you'll immediately notice a click that feels like any other mouse.

Essentially, it feels as natural as ever, but I'm a huge fan of the precise, tactile sensation of each click and the subtle yet noticeable sound it makes. It's what you'd want in a gaming mouse, but Logitech G takes it a step further by allowing for faster click speeds and extended levels of customization (more on this later).

As Logitech claims, the Pro X2 Superstrike delivers up to a 30ms latency drop in click speed, which is a huge claim. For pro-level gameplay (and more casual), that's the difference between landing a winning shot against an opponent first in games like Counter-Strike, Overwatch, Valorant and plenty more.

This is due to the precise nature of HITS, along with the inclusion of Rapid Trigger, which is generally found in the best gaming keyboards. The latter allows the register of a click to activate and reset instantly, delivering faster repeated clicks.

I put this to the test using CPS Test, comparing it to the click speed of my usual daily driver, the NZXT Lift Elite Wireless. I also tried using my MacBook Air M3's Force Touch trackpad, which also uses haptic feedback.

Even after using the Pro X2 Superstrike for over a week, I've seen a substantial gain in CPS over the NXT gaming mouse and even the MacBook's trackpad. Apply that to competitive gameplay, and I'm just over a full click faster than the competition (if they have the same CPS as my NZXT score, that is).

It's the fastest I've ever clicked before, and while I'm impressed with my 10.2 CPS, when put in the hands of an esports gamer, I've seen it achieve 11.0+ CPS. Still, while it's made for tournament-level gameplay, the Pro X2 Superstrike even manages to improve click speeds of casuals like me. And that's a huge advantage to have.

Tried-and-true design

Think the Pro X2 Superstrike looks familiar? It should, as it borrows the same design as Logitech G's other gaming mouse used in esports: The Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2. Like many, we're huge fans of that build, so Logitech rightfully decided not to mess with the formula.

For context, Logitech brought in 40 pro and non-pro gamers to gather real-time data when developing the Pro X2 Superstrike, and this test group was happy with the symmetrical shape of its predecessors. "We kept the shape because people love the shape," a Logitech rep told me, and I'm happy they did.

So, same minimalist yet sophisticated design, no RGB lighting (except for a small LED light to show its battery life on top) and identical PTFE feet for smooth, low-friction surface gliding. Plus, you'll find optional grip tape in the box if you need more friction.

It's not completely the same, as the Pro X2 Superstrike (4.72 x 2.57 x 1.53 inches) is slightly smaller than the Pro X Superlight 2 (4.92 x 2.5 x 1.57 inches). It's also a very tiny bit heavier at 2.15 ounces (61g) over the Superlight's 2.11 ounces (60g), but that hardly makes a difference. What you're getting is a lightweight gaming mouse that offers the same sturdy and premium feel.

Otherwise, the mouse comes with five buttons, including left- and right-click buttons, two thumb buttons placed on the left side and a clickable scroll wheel. These are all mappable with different macros and actions, including in specific games and apps, which is the icing on the cake. I will say the thumb buttons don't feel as premium, but they work as intended and aren't too big to accidentally press, either.

Pro-level performance

Putting its design and features together delivers gaming performance that's hard to beat, whether that be for competitive play or single-player action. It also helps that it boasts a maximum dots-per-inch (DPI) of 44,000, which is one of the highest I've seen in a gaming mouse, along with up to an 8,000Hz polling rate.

When playing as Junkrat in Overwatch (my go-to character for the chaos), I was effortlessly launching bombs in precise directions post-haste, causing a rain of explosives exactly when and where I wanted. But even playing as Ana, the medic sniper, I was dropping health (and KOs) with pinpoint accuracy, and I was able to snap my reticle where it needed to be to give high-mobility characters like Doomfist or Genji health boosts.

The same applied to other competitive shooters, like Counter-Strike, while peeping around corners or locking on for a headshot, and more single-player driven games. Just as I'm on a trend of playing classics, it was great to quickly nail vital hits in bullet time mode in Max Payne 3, as I had more accurate, swifter movements when aiming at thugs when falling slowly — taking everyone out in one swoop.

I'm sure esports players can take this to the next level, but considering the Superlight 2 comes with a 32,000 DPI and 4,000Hz polling rate, the Keychron M3 Mini V2 8K with up to 30,000 DPI and 8,000Hz polling and the NZXT Light Elite Wireless at 26,000 DPI and 8,000Hz polling, this still pushes gaming mice to new limits.

Being able to adjust DPI, polling rate and plenty more to suit my game of choice is also a boon to have. Speaking of...

Customization perks

Like other Logitech G devices, the Pro X2 Superstrike comes with a reliable, intuitive companion app that makes it easy to completely customize your clicking experience on the fly. But this time, more than ever before.

As usual, the Logitech G Hub app lets you adjust DPI and polling rate, remap buttons, customize specific profiles (which saves up to five profiles on board) and check the battery life of the mouse. What's more, it's compatible with both Windows and macOS systems.

But with HITS comes a new level of configurations. For both the left and right mouse buttons, you can easily adjust the actuation point of a click, which is a game-changer in controlling a "click" to your liking. With 10 levels of actuation, you can have a short click with minimal travel distance, which is perfect for those rapid-fire shots when playing Overwatch, or a longer click for a controlled, precise blast for something more long-range in The Finals or Valorant.

There's also Rapid Trigger sensitivity adjustment with five levels to choose from, so I could find the right level of speedy clicks that work for my level of gameplay. Finally, you can also adjust click haptics, so you can have a subtle, weaker-feeling click or a super strong, pronounced one. Or, with any of these configurations, something in between! The customization is in your hands.

It's all done through an easy-to-use slider system, and I found each change offers a noticeable difference, no matter how incremental it is. And yes, you can turn haptics and Rapid Trigger off, with the former feeling very off without any feedback.

Never lose that dongle!

This is a quick shoutout to Logitech G for still including onboard dongle storage right on the underside of the mouse. It means I'll never lose track of the 2.4GHz USB-A dongle (which also comes with a USB-C connector) when it's not in my laptop or PC.

Just like the Pro X Superlight 2, it has a compartment right under the sensor that uses magnets to hold a plastic cover. It's a simple yet effective design, and it doesn't budge unless I interact with it. That's miles better than the NZXT Lift Elite Wireless, Glorious Model O 2 and the SteelSeries Aerox 3 we've tested.

Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike: The downs

Honestly, as far as wireless gaming mice go, it's hard to pinpoint any major downsides for the Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike. Like its Superlight 2 predecessor, though, it's a pricey rodent, and don't expect any onboard DPI selector.

A pricey rodent

The price of the Pro X2 Superstrike is a double-edged sword. On one side, it's actually the same price as the Pro X Superlight 2 at $179 / £159, which means you're getting upgraded HITS and Rapid Trigger in a near-identical, winning design. But on the other hand, that's still quite a pricey venture.

Recently, we've tested many gaming mice that are well below $100, and that includes Keychron M3 Mini V2 8K ($69 / £74), NZXT Lift Elite Wireless ($79 / £74) and Redragon M916 ($44 / £45). These all come with pro-level gaming performance and specs, so the Pro X2 Superstrike's cost is steeper than most. Oh, and you'll find these will come with a DPI selector button to easily switch between DPI levels, unlike the Superstrike.

But, just like the Logitech MX Master 4, you get what you pay for, and this is a premium mouse at the top of its game.

Casual gamers, beware

As you might have guessed, I'm a huge fan of the HITS tech on the Pro X2 Superstrike and the faster clicks I gain from it. But let it be known that Logitech G's pro-level gaming mouse is made for competitive tournaments and geared toward esports players, so you may not find a clear benefit from the speedier clicks it offers.

For casual gamers, there are plenty of other gaming mice that offer high specs across the board and are considerably more affordable. For competitive play, don't expect this to be a cheat sheet to win a match; I've still lost plenty of times in a quickdraw in games like Valorant.

When it comes down to it, it's about a gamer's own reaction speeds and prowess in a game. But that's not to take away from the Pro X2 Superstrike, as it still closes the gap to perform faster clicks on a gaming mouse with excellent performance.

Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike: Verdict

These days, it's hard to find evolution in devices that are being fine-tuned to the highest degree, but the Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike has hit a new gold standard for competitive gameplay. And that's thanks to its surprising use of haptics.

Its HITS technology brings a new level of control in the otherwise simple "click" of a mouse, delivering the fastest, most customizable clicks I've ever seen. And it's just as lightweight, precise and speedy as its renowned Pro X Superlight 2 sibling, just with a higher DPI and polling rate for accurate, fast-rate tracking.

Right now, it's the best gaming mouse I've used, and I'll continue to use it as my main driver to help me master and gain more control over clicks, all while making full use of its other pro-level customization perks. Is it expensive? Yes, but this mouse aims to be your go-to gaming equipment to bag even more wins.

The king of mice has regenerated once more — all hail the new king. The Logitech MX Master 4 is the latest installment in Logi’s perennially popular line of premium productivity mice. It succeeds the Logitech MX Master 3S, a mouse I also reviewed, own and still use (3S in the office, 4 at home — I’m utterly spoiled).

So, is the Master 4 a worthy successor? Well, let’s get this straight early on. The 4 is an evolution, not a revolution of the 3S. And that kind of makes sense. The MX Master 3S was near perfect, so it’d be hard to totally rethink the formula without spoiling the brew.

The new model still brings some notable upgrades, though. The outer material has been changed from a rubberized to a hard plastic finish (which, in my eyes, is a positive), there’s now haptic feedback (which is slightly gimmicky) and there’s a control-ring-button-pad-thingy (I’ll explain below) to replace the slightly finicky gesture controls of the 3S.

Should newcomers buy it over the 3S? I think so. Should 3S owners upgrade? Potentially — but it depends on whether they have a specific grievance with the former model. Is the MX Master 4 nevertheless one of the best wireless mice out there? Absolutely.

Find out more in my full Logitech MX Master 4 review.

Logitech MX Master 4 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A premium all-rounder mouse for productivity and casual gaming
• What does it cost? A pretty penny: $119 / £119
• What’s good? Stellar performance, premium construction, bags of customization and decent battery life
• What’s not? Some upgrades are divisive, the haptics feel pointless and it’s somewhat pricey (but you get what you pay for)

Logitech MX Master 4 review: Specs

Logitech MX Master 4 review: The ups

As I mentioned up top, this is an evolution, not a revolution of the 3S, and that’s a good thing. Core performance is still, therefore, excellent, and a few choice upgrades could make it worth upgrading from the previous model.

New plastic finish

I’ll start with the updates to the MX Master 4 versus its predecessor. The first and most obvious are the new outer construction material and revised finish. The MX Master 3S used a rubberized material with a smooth finish, and it was lovely — soft to the touch, premium-feeling and -looking, with attractive geometric patterns.

The 4, by contrast, employs a hard plastic, which is noticeably less comfortable in hand than the softer rubber, although I can live with it. I think the plastic looks a little less premium, too, although there are some attractive design touches to the finish that help make up for it: the frosted effect on the left and right buttons; the super-fine texturing applied to the upper palm section. In short, it might not be quite as nice looking, but it still looks damn good.

Primarily, though, the new material is a win for longevity. Rubber goes sticky after a while, and it won’t take you long to find plentiful reports online of users experiencing their older MX Masters going tacky or developing holes. Admittedly, these problems are almost always after years of service. But after around 18 months of use, my MX Master 3S does have a slight tackiness to the rubber, so to me, the plastic is definitely an improvement.

As an additional benefit, the new plastics use 54% (graphite) and 48% (pale gray) recycled material, which is a big improvement on the 27% recycled material in the 3S.

Revised touch pad

Next up is the new touch pad located in the thumb recess, which replaces the previous gesture control pad in the MX Master 3S. Personally, the new pad is a big improvement in daily use. I always found the gesture controls a little finicky: I often couldn’t remember individual gestures, so I’d have to open Logi Options+ and check what I’d assigned; even when I could remember, it was difficult to reliably hit the gesture I wanted each time. I often found myself accidentally making gestures when I didn’t want to, especially during intense use when gaming.

The new touch pad is a lot easier to use. It’s basically just a button that opens an on-screen control ring with various assigned commands around the ring — you use the cursor to select which command you’d like.

You can customize the control ring to assign what you want using the Options+ app, and everything you’ve assigned is always shown on screen when you press the button, so no forgetting what’s what, and you can reliably select exactly what you want. I find it really useful for quickly switching between my frequently used apps, and it’s replaced some of my regular keyboard shortcuts, like lock screen.

Admittedly, I find myself accidentally hitting the control ring more than the gestures pad during intense gameplay, but thankfully, you can adjust the sensitivity up or downwards — the latter helping avoid those accidental presses.

A monster for productivity

Now, onto the familiar positives of the MX Master formula. One of the major boons of the Master 3S was its customizability, and that’s only changed for the better with the 4. The new model received an extra thumb button, while the new touch pad and control ring have eight assignable commands versus the four gestures of the 3S’ pad.

Gestures aren’t gone, though, because you can assign mouse movement gestures to a thumb button, giving you five further gesture controls. The end result is a whole heap more control at your thumb- and fingertips.

Honestly, this mouse is a total wizard for productivity. As I mentioned earlier, I have all my most-used commands assigned to the basic map, allowing me to flick between apps with ease. However, you can use the Logi Options+ app to set custom maps for individual apps, too, providing effectively endless customization options.

The mouse also has three connectivity channels, one 2.4G and two Bluetooth, so you can flick between different profiles, each with their own maps.

Up to 8K DPI

The MX Master 4 uses the same high-precision sensor as its predecessor. Maximum sensitivity has received no boost from the 3S, topping out at 8,000 DPI. Alright, that won’t satisfy elite gamers used to the best gaming mice hitting 20,000 DPI, but this isn’t a dedicated gaming mouse.

8,000 DPI is more than enough for productivity and the majority of casual gaming, allowing for rapid movement across the screen. You can assign a quick toggle button to switch between two preset sensitivity levels. I have the mouse set at around 3,000 DPI for both work and gaming, with a lower ~1,000 DPI preset to give me some finer control when required, particularly when photo editing in Lightroom or using marksman weapons when gaming, where the high-precision sensor proves, well… very precise!

On that note: I’ve used the MX Master 4 for plenty of gaming, playing first-person shooters like Counter-Strike 2, Hell Let Loose and Izonso; RPGs like Kingdom Come Deliverance 2; and strategy games like Total War Rome II. No complaints with the Master 4’s performance here. Its PTFE sliders and precision sensor work on any surface with ease, while 2.4G connectivity results in lag-free gaming (although Logitech doesn’t specify a poll rate).

Fantastic ergos

Just like its predecessors, the MX Master 4 feels fantastic in hand. I have a type of immuno-arthritis, which affects (among other joints) my wrists and fingers. I’ve historically been a user of vertical mice like the Contour Unimouse, but the MX Master 4 (like the 3S) has given me no problems either.

The 4’s chunky, sculpted back, downward curvature and thumb recess all help keep your hand and wrist in a comfortable position, relieving pressure in use. I’ve experienced no hand or wrist pain when using the mouse.

Then there are the left- and right-click buttons, which are nice and long, allowing you to keep your fingers outstretched and comfortable. The side buttons, meanwhile, are all sensibly placed to minimize movement, so no awkward stretches are required to hit them.

Beautiful scroll wheel(s)

Making a return on the 4 is the beautiful milled aluminum main scroll wheel from the Master 3S and Logitech Anywhere 3S. The main wheel can be toggled between ratcheted and smooth/infinite scrolling, which is super handy during work. When you need to slowly and accurately navigate a page, ratcheted works great; then, when you suddenly need to blast through 500 lines of a spreadsheet, simply toggle to infinite scroll and you’re away.

There’s also a second scroll wheel, as on the 3S, which is located at the top of the thumb recess, allowing horizontal navigation of wide pages. I find this particularly useful for navigating fatter spreadsheets, where all the columns won’t fit on my screen at once.

Strong battery life

The MX Master 4 features a larger 650mAh battery than its 500mAh predecessor. The reason why I haven’t listed this alongside the “upgrades” above, though, is because the Master 4 is more power hungry than the 3S thanks to the new haptic feedback, so the bigger battery is simply taking up the slack.

As such, rated battery life on the 4 is the same as the 3S, according to Logitech, at 70 hours. For me, that’s plenty. Using the mouse solidly for work, I can easily get two working weeks of charge. However, in reality, I’ve been able to stretch it much further to three or four weeks, as I’m never using my mouse solidly for eight hours a day. With the MX Master 3S, I was able to get around four working weeks, which tallies.

Naturally, use the mouse more in the evenings for casual use or gaming, and it’ll deplete faster. I’ve been gaming pretty heavily recently to test the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite and Audeze Maxwell 2 gaming headsets, and I have only needed to charge after around a week and a half. Still pretty good, if you ask me.

Very quiet clicking

Like its predecessor, the MX Master 4 features quiet clicking, making it great for working alongside others. Truthfully, quiet clicking is slightly redundant for me. I test a lot of the best mechanical keyboards, so I’m always typing on something much noisier than the mouse anyway. My colleagues type on noisy mechs in the office, while my wife types on an equally noisy mech at home. Wherever I work, there’s a cacophony of keycap clatter.

However, I appreciate that many people will relish a quiet-clicking mouse, as it’s less liable to disturb their coworkers. And the MX Master 4 will suit those folks just fine. That said, the Master 4 isn’t appreciably quieter than the 3S, so if you’d like to save some cash and this is a priority feature, the earlier model may well suffice

Logitech MX Master 4 review: The downs

Don’t get me wrong: none of the MX Master 4’s negatives are dealbreakers. But there are a few slightly frustrating niggles and/or divisive features that you may want to consider before buying.

A little pricey

The MX Master 4 costs $119 / £119, so it isn’t cheap. That’s the same U.K. list price as the Master 3S when it launched, but a $20 hike in the States.

I wouldn’t call this a con, per se. MX Masters are, in my opinion, the best all-around productivity mice on the market, and they’re premium products at that. There’s a reason everyone falls in love with their MX Master — they’re fantastic. The Master 4 offers the most features of any member of the lineup before it. So yeah, it costs money. But you get what you pay for.

What’s more, you can look at the MX Master 4’s price another way: its MSRP has caused the Master 3S’ to drop, and the old model is now cheaper than ever. And there’s the rub. Many of you dear readers will be just fine with the 3S, especially if you’re on a budget. In fact, as I’ll cover below, many of you may even prefer the older model. If that describes you, then you can definitely save a few bucks with the MX Master 3S and still come away very happy.

Divisive updates

As I’ve touched on a few times throughout this review, some of the Master 4’s updates are divisive. As part of my research for this review, I took a look at user experience reports online, and two major features cropped up — both of which I totally get.

The first is the increased size and weight of the MX Master 4 over its predecessor. It’s several millimetres higher and wider than the 3S (although about the same depth), and nine grams (0.3 ounces) heavier.

The added weight is tiny and simply not noticeable to me, so I wouldn’t let it bother you. I’m skeptical of anyone saying they can feel a 0.3-ounce difference — placebo. Besides, I’m no fan of superlight mice anyway — I like my mouse to feel planted.

My hands are fairly large, so the increased sizing hasn’t bothered me, but I can see how this may affect those with smaller hands, though. The MX Master 3S isn’t small. If that’s about as large a mouse as you can handle, the 4 may just tip things over the edge.

The other divisive feature is, of course, the materials and finish. I won’t dwell too long on this, as I already covered it above, but if you’re a fan of soft-touch rubber, on the MX Master 3S or another mouse, the hard materials of the 4 may feel harsh and uncomfortable. Although, as I’ve already said, the benefit of the 4’s construction is longevity. It simply depends on your priorities.

Slightly gimmicky haptic feedback

My final soft con is the haptic feedback, which I feel is slightly gimmicky. Now I’m not too proud to admit that I like it. Haptic feels good! And it’s cool that you can adjust the levels of feedback to suit your preference and/or extend battery life.

But in reality, placed where it is — exclusively on the touch pad — it doesn’t serve much purpose. While I like the touch pad, it’s still one of my least-used features of the mouse, coming only behind the horizontal scroll wheel. So I don’t get much benefit from haptics there.

As I said, haptic feedback is a neat thing in itself, and I like it being there, but I certainly wouldn’t recommend buying this mouse because of it.

Logitech MX Master 4 review: Verdict

Alright. As I see it, there are two questions to answer here. The first is: should you buy this mouse as a newcomer to the line? To that I answer: yes, absolutely.

The MX Master 4 is the finest mouse on the market, in my opinion. It’s excellent for productivity and gaming, it’s comfortable and highly customizable and I believe the new plastic finish will give the Master 4 more longevity than its forebears, making it better value for money. If you’re on a budget or find any of the specific cons of the Master 4 particularly unappealing, then the MX Master 3S is still a fantastic mouse. But otherwise, if you can stretch to the 4, I would recommend you do so.

The second question is, of course: should you upgrade from the Master 3S? Nah. Like I said, the 4 is an evolution, not a revolution — the formula wasn’t broken and, as such, wasn’t fixed, which is a good thing. But that means that the new features, while lovely to have, simply aren’t justification enough to upgrade from an already stellar predecessor.

Regardless, we have a new king, ladies and gents. All hail the Logitech MX Master 4.

After having just tried the world's first wireless gaming mouse with real-time haptic technology, it's safe to say that I've seen the next big step in competitive gaming — and it comes in the form of the Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike.

Now, I'm a huge fan of competitive gaming, but I would never stand a chance against the outstanding capabilities of an esports athlete. These champs are on another level of accuracy, speed and reflexes, whether that be in Counter-Strike or League of Legends. Well, Logitech G's Pro X2 Superstrike took me a step closer to tasting pro-level gaming performance.

From the outside, this looks like a gaming mouse we're all familiar with from Logitech G. In fact, you'll find it shares a very strong resemblance to the popular Pro X Superlight 2. But after one click, you'll quickly discover that the new haptics tech under the hood plays a pivotal role in making this esports-geared mouse stand out from the best gaming mice today.

After taking the Pro X2 Superstrike for a test drive over at Logitech's labs in Switzerland, I can already tell this wireless gaming mouse will be a game-changer in not just the esports space, but in competitive gaming as a whole.

'HITS' right

First things first. This isn't the same type of haptics you may be thinking of, like in, say, a PS5 DualSense controller. It's not used for immersion in gaming. Think of it more like the Force Touch trackpad on a MacBook, but with more to it.

The Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike uses a Haptic Inductive Trigger System (HITS) for both mouse buttons. However, it blends inductive analog sensing and real-time haptic feedback, meaning you can still press down, but haptics will change how the click feels.

The goal? Faster click speeds, as you're able to adjust the actuation point and rapid trigger reset, along with the strength of the haptic click feel. For esports players, that's a vital factor in gaining the upper hand or losing to the competition; in a first-person shooter like Counter-Strike, the faster a click is registered, the sooner you hit an opponent before they do.

More impressively, HITS also reduces click latency by 30ms compared to other gaming mice that use traditional microswitches. That may not mean much for casual players, but in the competitive scene, especially at a pro level, that's a huge difference in speeds.

At first, I was skeptical of trying out haptics in a gaming mouse. Would clicks feel off from the switches we're used to? Does it leave more room for technical errors? Will it drastically impact battery life? But immediately after using it, along with tweaking its haptic settings via the Logitech G Hub, my worries were put to rest.

Not only does this feel like a regular, satisfying click, but I could sense and literally see the level of control I had in reaching the mouse button's actuation point. It's an eye-opening sensation, one that I never realized on my usual NZXT Lift Elite Wireless — and that's a great gaming mouse.

Logitech G has clearly done the legwork to make sure this PC peripheral was made for pro-level competitive play. So much so, in fact, that Logitech gathered real-time data from 40 pro and non-pro gamers to develop the Pro X2 Superstrike. At Logitech headquarters, Thadeous Cooper, Head of Design by Collaboration, told me that the team collected 2.22 terabytes of data to "understand pros." That's a lot of data.

But seeing the mouse in action helped me better understand how HITS is elevating the performance of clicks for esports players and, more impressively, for more casual gamers like myself.

Control that 'clicks'

Internally, the Pro X2 Superstrike is dubbed "Quickstrike" by Logitech G, and I can see why. With haptics onboard, the mouse achieves a 10% increase in CPS (clicks per second), and in competitive matches that last 30 minutes or more, like in League of Legends, that leaves room for more actions to be taken.

Even without a test, I could've told you that my CPS isn't very high, especially when compared to the blistering speeds of an esports player. Without the Pro X2 Superstrike's HITS and rapid trigger tech, I would get an average of 7.8 CPS in CPS Test over a 10-second period (that's a rank of a "Rabbit" with three out of five stars, according to the test).

With the features of the Pro X2 Superstrike turned on, though, I boosted my CPS to an incredibly satisfying 9.0 CPS. Alright, truth be told, it took me a couple of tries to reach that speed, but I was still over my average in each test. With the Superstrike, I was getting a better feel of where the actuation point was, sticking to a mid-point in the click so I wasn't reaching the bottom — shaving off precious milliseconds.

Logitech's G Hub also helps visualize the pressure you use when pressing down on the mouse buttons. I could see (and feel) when I was approaching the actuation point of a registered click, and if this wasn't to my liking, I could always adjust so that the "click" was right at the top of the button. But everyone has different playstyles and games they play, which makes the Pro X2 Superstrike's customization options a huge perk.

In my brief time with the mouse, I was already seeing improvements in my CPS. I would like to think I'm fast, but seeing Logitech's scoreboard of esports players reach 11 CPS and above grounded me. However, it also showed that the Superstrike was benefiting the CPS of these pro-level gamers, too.

At headquarters, Rainbow Six Siege esports player Davey "Freq" Hendriks talked about using the Superstrike, and how it didn't take him long to adjust to an all-new gaming mouse to use in tournaments. I asked whether he would go back to previous pro-level mice: “No. When I’m getting faster response times, there’s no point going back.” I mean, if a bona fide esports player is saying this is the mouse he'll continue using, I'd say that speaks volumes.

It was fascinating to see the strides Logitech G has taken to improve the potential of a gaming mouse, even if it's just to do with a simple click. But these "small" upgrades see massive gains that are instrumental for esports, and it aids more casual players to reach the heights of the pros.

Reaching the pros

There's still plenty to test on the Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike, but I'm already convinced this wireless gaming mouse will change the landscape of competitive gaming, thanks to it incorporating real-time haptics.

When it was collecting data from players for the mouse, a Logitech rep stated that "an 18-year-old Fortnite player said he felt like he was 14 again." This player was talking about their click and reaction speeds, which is funny, as here I am trying to grasp what I had in my 20s...

But it shows that there's still room for gaming technology geared for esports to grow, and Logitech G is taking a bold step forward in the right direction.

The Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike is available to pre-order now in the U.S., priced at $179 / £159, and will be on shelves soon. Stay tuned for a full review of the mouse, and in the meantime, I'll be trying to bump up that CPS.

More from Tom's Guide

• ‘Like a Logitech MX Master 4 but a lot cheaper’: the Keychron M6 8K is now my favorite productivity and gaming mouse
• I finally nailed my keyboard and mouse setup with the 8BitDo Retro 87 and MX Master 4
• I’ve been testing a $400 mouse — here are 3 things I love and 2 things I hate

If you’re on the market for one of the best mice, there’s no dearth of options, and Keychron’s M6 8K has just proven that you don’t need to spend a lot to get the premium features of the Logitech MX Master 4. I’m positive that this rodent will be on my desk for a long, long time.

The M6 8K is a beast of a mouse. It’s ergonomic and features a thumb rest for maximum comfort, and it comes with two scroll wheels to maximize your productivity.

Designed for sedentary workers as well as gamers, the M6 8K packs 8,000Hz polling as well as 26,000 DPI to give you a competitive advantage in FPS titles and RPGs. Though its battery life is slightly underwhelming and there’s no left-handed variant, it’s still a very easy mouse to recommend.

Should you buy this mouse? I really can’t see why not. For the complete breakdown, read my full Keychron M6 8K review.

Keychron M6 8K review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? An ergonomic mouse with a thumb rest, tilt wheel and thumb wheel
• Who is it for? For people with sedentary jobs and gamers, too
• How much does it cost? The Keychron M6 8K is available for $69 / £59
• What do we like? The ergonomic design, two scroll wheels, 8K polling and 26,000 DPI for gaming, and competitive price tag
• What don’t we like? The underwhelming battery life and lack of a left-handed version

Keychron M6 8K review: Specs

Keychron M6 8K review: The ups

From its highly ergonomic design for right-handed people and dual scrolling wheels to its powerful gaming performance, the Keychron M6 8K is an all-rounder — and it doesn’t break the bank, either.

Ergonomic design for all-day use

Story time. The other day, Tom’s Guide’s reviews editor picked up the Logitech MX Master 4 for review. Needless to say, I was envious. The MX Master 4 is highly ergonomic and few mice come close to its productivity prowess.

That’s when I spotted the Keychron M6 8K on our testing shelf, and I immediately picked it up. Unboxing it quickly revealed that it looks and feels like an MX Master 4 — and shortly after using it for a couple of hours, I knew this was going to be my daily driver.

First things first, the M6 8K sports a right-handed ergonomic design, with a thumb rest located on the right-hand side. It measures 4.8 x 3 x 2 inches, which is perfect for me and my medium-sized hands, as well as palm and claw grips. The thumb rest provides some relief when using the M6 8K for long periods of time.

I also like that there’s a bit of height to the mouse, unlike the Keychron M7 ($49). It feels like the M6 8K was sculpted for my hands — fitting like a glove to my grip. The ABS plastic and matte finish are soft to touch too, adding to the mouse’s comfort factor.

Though the M6 8K is lightweight at just 2.8 ounces, it doesn’t feel poorly built or like it would fall apart after years of use. Teflon/PTFE skates located on the mouse’s underside give it a good grip on most surfaces, such as plastic, wood, and glass — enabling the M6 8K to move without any friction or resistance. Overall, this is a superbly built and designed mouse, and you wouldn’t think it costs just $69 / £59 at Amazon.

Scrollin’ both ways

One of the reasons why mice like the Logitech MX Master 4 and the Logitech MX Master 3S are considered beasts for productivity is because they feature dual scrolling wheels. For the first time on a Keychron mouse, so does the Keychron M6 8K. You get your standard wheel located between the left- and right-click buttons, and it doubles as a tilt wheel.

The tilt wheel can be clicked left or right for horizontal scrolling. As someone who deals with lots of massive spreadsheets, the tilt wheel feels like a boon. Horizontally scrolling to get from column A to column J has never felt easier, and it has increased my productivity.

The scroll wheel’s feel can also be swapped between tactile and infinite. I found the tactile setting best for reading through articles and zooming in and out of an in-game map, or sorting out my very cluttered inventory in games like Baldur’s Gate 3. On the other hand, the infinite scrolling wheel works exceptionally well when browsing lengthy pages or when you need to get from row 1 to row 800 on a spreadsheet.

Then you’ve got a metallic thumb wheel located above the thumb rest. With a pleasant weighting to it, it acts as a horizontal scroller, enabling you to make quick work of breezing through wide spreadsheets or scrolling through in-game inventories and weapon radial dials.

A gaming powerhouse

If you need a mouse that’s great for productivity and even better for gaming, look no further than the Keychron M6 8K. Featuring 8,000Hz polling over a wired connection and 1,000Hz over 2.4GHz wireless, the M6 8K is a force to be reckoned with in FPS titles and RPGs. I tested the mouse both ways and never once experienced latency issues or missed inputs. Every button press and scroll of the wheel was registered instantaneously.

The M6 8K’s high 26,000 DPI is a big selling point, and it works exceptionally well. A button located on the mouse’s underside lets you swap between different DPI levels, and these can be assigned via the Keychron Engine software (more on that soon). Being able to adjust the DPI on the fly meant that I could quickly adjust my play style depending on the situation at hand.

Using a sniper rifle in Cyberpunk 2077 to take out enemies in the distance? Drop the DPI to 500 for slower movements and precise aiming. In close-quarters combat while wielding a knife in Counter-Strike 2? Increase the DPI to 12,000 for quicker, snappier movements to take down a horde of enemies. Even the pricier Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 ($159) doesn’t feature an onboard DPI selector. At the press of a button, I was able to gain an edge in first-person titles — even though I’m not a competitive gamer!

You also get Angle Snapping, which can be enabled via the companion software. Angle Snapping, in a nutshell, smooths out mouse movements to ensure a straight line — eliminating any jitters. If you want to keep your cursor at head-level at all times in, say, Counter-Strike 2 or Valorant, it’s worth enabling Angle Snapping as it ensures that your hand’s minute, natural movements don’t impact your cursor’s movement.

Easy-peasy customization

Unlike many other Keychron peripherals, which utilize the web-based Keychron Launcher for customization, you’ll need to download Keychron Engine on either Windows or macOS to customize the Keychron M6 8K.

The software is easy to use with a clean interface, and it’s your one-stop shop for adjusting the M6 8K’s many settings. Here, you can remap the buttons, adjust the sensitivity between 100 and 26,000, assign different DPI levels to the onboard DPI button, swap the polling rate between 125Hz to 8,000Hz, and record macros.

The lift-off distance (LOD) can also be customized. The LOD determines the vertical height at which the mouse’s sensor stops tracking movement after being lifted from a surface. Being able to adjust this is a big advantage, as gamers will want a short LOD to ensure the mouse doesn’t keep functioning past it, which would result in unintended movements.

Upstaging its rivals

When I first read the Keychron M6 8K’s specs, I thought this mouse cost upwards of $100. After all, you get 8,000Hz polling, 26,000 DPI, all packed into a highly ergonomic body. That couldn’t be further from the truth. The M6 8K is available for $69 / £59 at Amazon, making it one of the cheapest rodents offering 8K polling right now. If you don’t need 8K polling, the 1K polling model costs even less at $39!

This is why the M6 8K is a great alternative to the much pricier Logitech MX Master 4 ($119) and its predecessor, the Logitech MX Master 3S ($99). It’s also cheaper than other 8K mice, such as the Fnatic x Lamzu Maya 8K ($119) and the Glorious Model D2 Pro ($129). The M6 8K is priced similarly to the Keychron M3 Mini V2 8K ($69), but this mouse doesn’t feature a thumb rest, which limits its ergonomic capabilities.

Keychron M6 8K review: The downs

The Keychron M6 8K is great, but there are a couple of things to note before you purchase. Its battery life isn’t outstanding, and there’s no left-handed variant.

Runnin’ out of juice

I think it says a lot about a product when I can come up with just two flaws. The only front the Keychron M6 8K falls short on is battery life, which can be described as "underwhelming" at best. Keychron says the mouse should last 80 hours between charges when polling is set to 1,000Hz.

Sounds decent enough, but when you look at the M6 8K’s competition, you quickly realize that it isn’t particularly great. In fact, it’s outdone by its own stablemates. The Keychron M3 Mini V2 8K is rated at 140 hours, while the Keychron M3 Mini 4K Metal ($99) can last up to 135 hours.

The Fnatic x Lamzu Maya 8K, on the other hand, costs more than the M6 8K while having the same 80-hour rating, and a mouse like the Lofree Touch ($69) can last a whopping four weeks.

Though it looks and feels like a Logitech MX Master 3S or Logitech MX Master 4, Logitech advertises up to 70 days of battery life each — but again, they’re both pricier than the M6 8K. I, personally, don’t particularly mind the underwhelming battery life, but it’s worth taking into consideration before you buy it.

Sorry to my left-handed brethren

Another ergonomic dream of a mouse — another letdown for lefties. As a worthy, cheap alternative to the Logitech MX Master 4 which also doesn’t come in a left-handed design, I feel like Keychron missed a trick with the Keychron M6 8K. We’ve also seen this with other ergonomic mice, such as the Keychron M7.

If you’re left-handed, I’d recommend an ambidextrous or symmetrical mouse, such as the Razer Pro Click Mini ($79), the Cherry M68 ($99) and the Fnatic X Lamzu Maya 8K. If you want an ergonomic mouse for work and don’t mind the lack of 8K polling, the Logitech Lift ($69) is an excellent choice.

Keychron M6 8K review: Verdict

As ergonomic mice go, I can think of very few that are better than the Keychron M6 8K. In true Keychron fashion, the mouse is cheap and very cheerful, serving as a great alternative to the popular Logitech MX Master 4. It features two scroll wheels which are versatile and increase your productivity, and the inclusion of a thumb rest means you don’t feel fatigued after a long day of work.

…Or play. The M6 8K is a powerful mouse for gaming, featuring an 8,000Hz polling rate, which negates latency issues. You also get a maximum of 26,000 DPI, adjustable on the fly via a button located on the mouse’s underside. The addition of Angle Snapping as well as customizable lift-off distance help the M6 8K stand out in a crowded market.

If you don’t mind the short-ish battery life, the M6 8K could be your next mouse. Personally? It has replaced my old mouse, and I don’t see myself leaving the M6 8K for a long time. It’s my new favorite rodent.

2025 was a great year for keyboards and mice, and while the dust settles on a tidal wave of amazing peripherals, I wanted to point out a pair of products I fell in love with that have made their way onto my desk for this year.

The mouse and keyboard combo (unless you’re solely a laptop user) is an inherently personal thing — how do you like your clicks? Your clacks? Your scrolls?

Mine changes depending on the day, but I have found myself returning to a peculiar combo: 8BitDo’s Retro 87 Mechanical Keyboard and Logitech’s MX Master 4. It’s a bit like peanut butter and jelly, and it just works — even if the odd couple do look a bit, well, odd together.

Getting it done

I should preface this by saying I’m using these with a Mac (an M3 MacBook Air, in fact), with both connected via Bluetooth just because I tend to shake things up regularly with an ever-rotating carousel of keyboards.

I also wouldn’t use these for gaming - I have SteelSeries, Logitech, and Keychron models for those (it’s not a problem until I admit it).

For work, though, these two are ideal companions - here’s why.

A clicking clack

The Retro 87 mechanical keyboard, in this sumptuous Xbox theming, feels like a relic of a bygone era - not just because of the retro in its name, but it feels like the kind of thing Microsoft would’ve released for the original Xbox console.

It’s not necessarily new in 2025, with other colorways and variants, but just look at how darn cool those arrow keys look!

None of this would matter if the Retro 87 wasn’t a great keyboard in its own right, and its combination of ‘clicky’ keys, a membrane over the keys, and a volume dial that could be spotted in the current season of Stranger Things all combine for a surprisingly comfortable typing experience - even though there are no adjustable angles.

A nice touch is that the keys light up when pressed, but with a slight delay that makes it feel even more fun to just look down at the bright green keycaps.

There are even some huge programmable keys for those moments where you just need to feel like you’re hitting the buzzer at the end of the course on Gladiators, except you can have it activate just about anything instead of a firework show.

While I’m using it on Mac (and occasionally on PC), on Windows you can use the dedicated Xbox button to open the Game Bar which is a nice touch.

My only real gripe is that the included mouse (which also has a handy charging stand) is a little too small for me - but that brings us nicely to…

A new Master

I’ve used Logitech MX Master mice since I began working in this industry in 2019. I went from the MX Master 3 to the MX Master 3S with its quieter clicks, and would have been quite satisfied sticking with that for another few years.

Still, after several leaks, the MX Master 4 was announced earlier this year, and it’s every bit as good as I was hoping. While I feared it would push some kind of AI functionality with its new button, it remains programmable for just about anything.

When used in conjunction with the Action Wheel, which lets you customize a radial menu of shortcuts that can range from a Google Search, to window management on the Mac and just about anything else, it’s a productivity dream.

The scroll wheels are as responsive as they’ve ever been, and haptic feedback is a subtle change that’s most keenly felt (literally) when doing something like snapping to a grid in Photoshop or using the aforementioned Action Wheel.

I also appreciate that it’s much less slippery than its predecessors, with Logitech saying it took feedback on board about how easily prior models were stained and degraded over time.

Odd bedfellows

Positioning a cutting-edge productivity mouse next to a retro-themed gaming keyboard might make for an odd visual choice, but it’s impossible not to feel like it’s a combo that just works for me.

I’ll inevitably switch things up again in the new year, but go on, try it — you might just like it.

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After using the Contour RollerMouse Red Wireless for a couple of weeks, I can say with complete certainty that it relieves aches and pains. I always experience strain in my arms and neck after a long week of typing away at my computer, but the best mouse can put that to rest.

Almost everyone knows that if you work at a computer all day, it’s worth investing in the best setup you can to be as productive as possible. The Contour RollerMouse is quite the investment, but after a thorough testing process, it’s an investment I would recommend making. So I’ve put together a list of what I like and what I don’t like to help you decide if this mouse is right for you.

WHAT I LIKE

Increased comfort all day

As the Contour name suggests, the mouse is perfectly shaped to support your wrists and hands, effectively reducing strain on your arms all the way up to your neck.

I went back to my regular mouse after testing, and within half an hour, I was reaching for the RollerMouse again. I was experiencing aches in my forearms that just weren’t there when I was using the RollerMouse.

Because of the positioning of the roller, any movements when using the mouse are extremely slight, and it means once you get into your most comfortable position on the memory foam wrist rest, you’re pretty much set up for the day.

Customization

I’m pretty picky when it comes to cursor speed settings, and the customizable DPI was more than enough for me. You can adjust within a range of 600 to 2400 DPI by clicking the cursor speed button.

You’re able to click the mouse by pressing down on the roller bar, and there are five levels of click resistance to choose from for this. You can also turn this setting off, but I found it useful as I didn’t need to go back to the button panel every time I wanted to click.

Great battery life

You can get a couple of months of usage from the RollerMouse without needing to charge it. The 2000mAh capacity is big enough to house about three months of power, but not so big that it makes the unit super heavy.

I was able to view the remaining battery life on my macOS settings, which isn’t always possible with keyboards and mice. When it does run out of juice, it takes around six hours to recharge, but it can also be used while it is charging, so there’s no need to stop working.

WHAT I DON’T LIKE

Precise control is difficult

I would avoid this mouse if you do a lot of intricate work, such as in Photoshop, because it is very difficult to get precise control.

The mouse is fine, brilliant even, for navigating spreadsheets and working through documents, but where you need a steady hand and control, things can get a little tricky. More confidence with the mouse is something that comes with time, but after trying out a bunch of the sensitivity settings, I still couldn’t achieve the precision I needed in Photoshop.

Expensive

I noted at the start that this is an investment that will be totally worth it for some people. If muscle strain from working at your desk all day is something you struggle with, then this could be the answer. But $400 for a mouse? I’m not entirely sold.

Some vertical mice can help to relieve some of the strain caused by repetitive movements of office work for a fraction of the price. For example, another mouse I use to fight muscle aches is the Seenda MOU-302 Vertical Wireless Mouse, and it costs just $27.

The pros certainly outweigh the cons for me, but is this mouse the one for you? You can find out more about my testing experience by reading this full Contour RollerMouse Red Wireless review.

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Looking for your next wireless mouse to blaze through endless spreadsheets, documents, websites and more? HP may have just the peripheral for your PC, and it comes with a battery-free design that still claims to have a one-month battery life. How is that possible? Let me tell you.

As part of its fall launch, HP has unveiled its Ultra-Fast Scroll Wireless Mouse 785M. It's the "world's first" battery-less wireless mouse, as it uses a supercapacitor instead of a regular battery to deliver a full month of charge. Plus, it can be juiced up to full in as little as three minutes.

The HP Ultra-Fast Scroll Wireless Mouse 785M is available right now on HP's website, with prices at $79. Aiming to take on the likes of the recent productivity mice, like the Logitech MX Master 4, here's a look at what you can expect from HP's Ultra-Fast Scroll mouse.

Scroll away

HP's new ergonomic mouse is designed to rapidly scroll through pages with its dual-metal magnetic scroll wheels. Alongside the traditional wheel is a horizontal scroll wheel at the side. Scroll speeds are also customizable, so you can make them as fast or controlled as needed.

Along with its wheels to scroll at "hyper speed" in multiple directions, the Ultra-Fast Scroll Wireless Mouse also comes with six programmable buttons that can be configured to your liking via the HP Accessory Center, and with its up to 6000 DPI (Dots Per Inch) and multi-surface tracking, it aims to make navigating around a PC a breeze.

Its battery (or lack thereof) is a highlight, as despite being "battery-free", its supercapacitor offers a complete charge in just three minutes. This is aimed to last a month, not unlike other popular productivity mice like the Logitech MX Master 3S (and likely the recent Logitech MX Master 4).

What's more, it can simultaneously connect wirelessly to up to three devices via its 2.4GHz and Bluetooth connectivity, which makes work setups with multiple devices much easier to manage.

Compatible with Windows 11, macOS, Chrome OS, iOS and Android devices, the HP Ultra-Fast Scroll Wireless Mouse aims to take on its competition by being the mouse with all the scrolls, and battery life you won't have to worry about (except for those three minutes of charging per month).

We can't wait to get hands-on with the HP Ultra-Fast Scroll Wireless Mouse 785M, but in the meantime, check out the best mouse you can grab right now.

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If you’ve watched any YouTuber worth their salt talk about handy peripherals in the last few years, there’s a very good chance you’ve heard all about the Logitech MX Master 3.

The mouse is an absolute workhorse for creative tasks, and it’s gained new functionality in the years since its launch, too. Logi Options now enables additional tweaks for it, and the company released an MX Master 3S version that makes clicking much quieter.

Still, with much of the design debuting in 2019 (the before times), I jumped at the chance to go hands-on (or should that be hand-on) with the newly revealed MX Master 4. And already, this mouse is looking to make it into my shopping basket — despite one minor flaw.

Here are my first impressions of the Logitech MX Master 4, and whether it continues to be the “Master” of mice.

No, it’s not an AI button

Let’s jump right into the big new feature right off the bat, because I know some were a little nervous when the mouse leaked a few months back. No, the new button isn’t an AI button.

Or at least, it’s not by default. You see, Logitech realized that it struck productivity gold with the Actions Ring from its Logi Options software, letting you pull up contextual dial-like menus within a whole host of apps.

Now, the button on the left side of the mouse opens the Action Ring. I have mine mapped to a couple of folders I often dip in and out of, but you can also assign just about anything, including automations.

The fact that it works on a per-app basis means you’re essentially getting a whole bunch of programmable inputs just a click-and-flick away.

It’s pretty open-ended, too, so you can pop whatever you want on that button. Want to open your AI chatbot of choice? That’s an option, or you can flick back to your desktop, have it operate as a keyboard shortcut and more.

Even if you use it just the same way you’d use your existing MX Master 3 or 3S, one thing you’ll notice is Logitech’s big push: haptic feedback.

If that gives you visions of your mouse buzzing away on your desk, fear not — it’s the kind of feature I don’t know if I want to be without now. Snapping to Photoshop grids feels much smoother now, I can feel the mouse react (Adobe already has a plugin available for the new hardware) and I’m excited to see which other apps offer something similar.

Logitech gives you the choice between Subtle, Low, Medium and High options, with the caveat that the latter will eat into your battery life a little more.

It Ain’t Broke

Elsewhere, there are subtle changes. There’s a new material on the MX Master 4, which Logitech says will last longer, not changing texture or color over time, while the “hidden” button on the “wing” of the MX Master 3 and 3S has moved under the horizontal scrollwheel.

Both of those scrollwheels feel just as useful as they ever have been, and there’s a dongle or Bluetooth as connectivity options (our sample is the Mac-specific version, which only has the latter, sadly).

Still, much of the magic comes from Logi Options. The app has become more stable on Mac in recent years (the Apple Silicon transition was a rough one for this particular user), but now it packs a whole host of tricks. Moving between computers, even swapping files between them, still feels magical, and the option to switch between multiple devices on the mouse can now be baked into the Action Rings.

One Problem

All in all, it’s supremely customizable for just about any use — unless you’re left-handed.

Sadly, Logitech isn’t offering a left-handed version of the MX Master 4, just as it didn’t for the MX Master 3 or 3S. That’s a shame, especially because some might say it’s as easy as mirroring the existing design. Still, if you’re a leftie, you’re out of luck, which is a shame.

That said, even the best mouse (especially our list of the best gaming mice) has this problem in common. We’d hope to see more left-handed editions arrive soon, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.

In any case, I’m loath to send back the MX Master 4, although I’d imagine I’ll immediately be ordering one all for myself. And to the MX Master 3 and 3S, thank you for your service over the last few years. You have my respect, and you’ve earned a nice, long rest.

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Nobody likes the thought of a mouse infestation in their home. And since the cold spell marks the start of ‘peak rodent season’, you’ll probably want to know how to safeguard your house, and what you need to buy to prevent mice from entering your space.

Not only are such rodents notoriously hard to get rid of, but they can potentially damage your property and structure. And in our bid to remove the things that attract rats and mice to your home in the first place, there are also plenty of misconceptions to be aware of.

We asked the pest experts to shed light on a few common myths about mice, and whether these are actually true or if they're nothing more than an old wives' tale.

Myth 1: Trap mice with cheese

Perhaps the most common myth is that mice can be trapped with cheese. But is this really true? “Mice in the home are very common, but along with this can come some absolute myths and misconceptions,” states Ed Dolshun, the VP of Business Development and Technical Director from Catchmaster.

“Easily the top one is putting cheese into your rodent traps or glue boards. This might always work in cartoons, but in real life, mice are attracted to high-protein and high-fat food. You will always be better off putting some peanut butter into your traps to lure mice in.”

If in doubt, however, always call a pest control company who will advise on the best methods. “The application of cheese as bait, for example, will leave little consequence, and a false assumption that you only have one mouse can make someone miss the seriousness of an infestation,” adds Tony King, pest control expert, owner and manager of The Pied Piper.

“Understanding behavior is important. Mice are more motivated by security and convenience than by specific food items. They like to move along walls and corners and find places that provide warmth, shelter, and easy access to food and water.”

What’s more, avoid leaving out specific foods that attract mice to your kitchen, or else they’ll be back for more! “Unsealed cereal boxes, rice, pasta, and other grains can be very attractive to mice,” says John Stewart, pest prevention specialist at Pelsis Group. “These foods are high in carbohydrates, providing mice with a good energy source.”

Myth 2: Borrow a cat to catch the mouse

Another common myth is to borrow a friend or neighbor’s cat to search for the mouse. I’ve certainly been advised to do this in the past by friends who swear by this method. But, what do the experts have to say?

“I am also shocked that folks believe bringing a cat into the home can be a way to solve a mouse problem,” states Dolshun. “Of course it is possible for a cat to catch a mouse or two, but this just is not a real control method. There are so many places that a cat just will not be able to reach.”

If you suspect a mouse infestation, always seek professional advice from a pest control company — and don’t just rely on your feline friends!

Myth 3: Mice will die outside

We often assume that mice will go outside and die, after being poisoned — and not inside the home. However, while this might seem reassuring, experts say this isn’t always the case.

“Unfortunately, rodent baits result in the mouse dying inside your walls, attics, or in their own nests. You might not see them right away, but you'll eventually smell them,” states Jacob Cohn, A.C.E., COO & Associate Certified Entomologist at Arrow Termite & Pest Control. “And if you believe that mice are all over your house/yard, typically, mice won't travel much more than 15-30 feet from their nest.”

Similarly, mice are not just visible during the night either, and can strike during daylight (unfortunately). “Some are of the opinion that mice are strictly nocturnal,” adds King. “But where there is food available in homes, they will also eat day and night. The truth is that such myths can lead to ineffective pest control measures. Preventive measures and proper protocols focus on making your home unsuitable for mice.”

How to safeguard your home from mice

So, what are the best methods you can take to protect your home from rodents this peak season? “The best first step is to seal even the smallest cracks that mice can squeeze through—anything larger than a dime,” advises Jeff Schumacher, owner of All-Safe Pest & Termite.

“Use caulk, steel wool, or metal mesh to seal holes and cracks. Make sure dry goods are stored in sealed containers and avoid leaving pet food out overnight. Keep cardboard and paper off the floor and clean up all food crumbs as quickly as possible.

“Outside, neatly trim any plants near your home's foundation and declutter any storage areas or sheds. Regularly inspect these areas for pest activity so issues can be addressed promptly. If you're seeing repeated activity, a pest control professional can help you identify entry points and hidden nests and provide long-term solutions”.

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As the temperatures drop, this also marks the start of ‘peak rodent season’. The time when mice are in search of warmth, shelter and food — preferably within our homes.

Not only can this lead to an unwanted infestation, but rodents are known to carry and spread a host of diseases, as well as potentially damage your property and structure. That’s why it’s important to first remove the things that attract rats and mice to your home, and put preventative measures in place.

But, while it’s all well and good knowing what you need to buy to prevent mice in my home, what happens once you actually catch a mouse? In fact, this is probably everybody’s dilemma (and my worst nightmare). I ask pest control experts what the best methods are to safely dispose of a mouse — dead or alive. Here’s what they recommend you should do.

Take safety precautions

Before you do anything, always put on protective gloves before handling a mouse trap or mice. “In safely disposing of a dead mouse from a trap, I always recommend that you wear disposable gloves to avoid direct contact with the rodent as they could be carrying bacteria or parasites.” advises Tony King, pest control expert, owner of The Pied Piper.

“My top recommendation is to act quickly, both when disposing of a deceased mouse or releasing a live one, as holding them in the trap for too long can attract other pests or create unpleasant odors.” Also, keep pets and children well away from the trap while you work.

How can I safely dispose of a dead mouse in traditional traps?

Traditional mouse traps are used in most homes to catch mice, and there are two types. Snap traps that work by using a quick-trigger mechanism that closes shut over a mouse’s head, and self-resetting traps, which are similar to the snap trap, but are considered more sanitary to handle.

“Using gloves and tongs (or a shovel), pick the mouse up gently and place it into the first plastic bag (if you used a glue trap, try to avoid pulling the animal off by hand),” recommends Jason Napolski, owner of A-Tex Pest Management.

“Put the trap and mouse into a bag together. Twist and seal that inner bag, then place it into the second bag and seal that one too (double-bagging reduces odor and leakage).

"Put the double-bagged carcass into an outdoor trash container that animals can’t get into or follow your local guidance if your municipality has special rules for animal carcasses. If you’re unsure about local requirements, many areas accept double-bagged small carcasses in regular trash, but some towns ask you to call animal control.”

In addition, ensure all surfaces where the mouse was caught are properly sanitized. “Disinfect the area where the trapped rodent was caught with bleach/water,” adds Cohn. “Once the mouse has been disposed of, make sure to sanitize any soiled objects, including nesting materials you might find, feces, or food it may have come in contact with.”

How can I safely dispose of a live mouse if I use humane traps?

If you’re dealing with a live mouse caught in a humane trap, you’ll need to take extra precautions. “The most secure way to dispose of a live mouse is to release it at least a mile from your house in a wooded or grassy area where it has access to shelter,” advises King.

“The best places to release a live mouse are away from residential neighborhoods, farmland, or other homes where it could become someone else’s problem. Parks, wooded trails, and fields are ideal because they offer food and cover from predators. Just make sure you’re allowed to release animals in that location, as some municipalities have specific regulations about wildlife relocation.”

Again, using gloves, you can release the rodent into the area. “Place the trap on the ground where you want the mouse to go, open the door or lid away from you, step back several feet, and give the animal space to leave on its own,” advises Cohn. “Avoid tipping or shaking the trap, which can injure the mouse. If it doesn’t exit right away, leave the trap in place for 10–15 minutes and distance yourself from it. Never force a mouse out with your hands.”

“After the release, clean the trap with soap and hot water, then disinfect with a diluted bleach solution. Let the trap dry completely before reuse. Wash your hands thoroughly when finished and launder clothes that handle the trap.”

In addition, don’t release the animal onto someone else’s property. However, if you’re unsure about which areas are suitable, your local animal control or wildlife rehab center can advise or even take the rodent for you.

How do you know if you have mice?

If you’re uncertain of pest activity, these are the 7 telltale signs you have mice in your home. However, what if you haven’t yet seen a mouse or any warning signs of droppings?

“Homeowners might hear skittering when mice are on the move or faint gnawing noises coming from cluttered, dark, and hidden spaces, particularly during the night when they’re more likely to be active,” states Baldwin.

"If you’re still hearing this after trying to get rid of mice, then you may still have a problem. Another common sign your methods haven’t worked could be finding droppings or seeing tracks in certain areas of the home, such as cupboards, along walls, attics or draws, or the smell of urine each time you enter the space. You may come across possessions, boxes, furniture, walls or insulation that have visual signs that it’s been chewed or destroyed too.

"Lastly, mice often create nests from shredded paper, pieces of fabric or old plant material by piling them together. If you notice small piles like this around your home, and see that there are tracks or droppings close by, then it’s a sign that you still have a mouse infestation.”

If in doubt, always seek professional advice from a reputable pest control company.

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After a record-hot summer, experts are warning that rodent numbers are on the rise as we hit the fall and winter months.

According to home insurance experts at Quotezone, a combination of warm weather and food waste can create the ideal conditions for rodents to breed. "Early intervention can prevent costly repairs and ensure the home remains safe and insurable," says Greg Wilson, home insurance expert and CEO at Quotezone.

"Incidents that arise due to wear and tear will not likely be covered and leave owners vulnerable, making it crucial to do property checks now, before the darker evenings arrive."

It's certainly true that prevention is always preferable to having to rid your home of a rat infestation. Not only is it disgusting to find rodents in your home, but they also pose major health risks and can cause significant damage to your home if left to run rampant.

Here are five steps recommended by experts to prepare your home for a surge in rodent numbers this fall and winter.

1. Seal entry points

Rats can enter your home through the tightest of gaps. And once they're in, they'll start to make themselves at home fast.

"Use steel wool, wire mesh, or caulk to close any gaps, cracks, and holes in walls, foundations, and around doors and windows," says Wilson.

You should also check gaps around entry steps and airbricks, which are some of the most common entry points for vermin.

2. Reduce outdoor attractions

Even if they don't make their way inside, rats can be a real nuisance in your yard. They can pose threats to pets and other welcome animals that visit your garden.

"They pose significant health risks to humans and pets too," says Wilson, "due to the various illnesses they carry which can be passed on through their droppings, urine, or even a bite."

To keep rats out of your yard, the first thing you should consider is the trash which could inadvertently attract them.

"Avoid leaving rotting food in compost, clear garden debris where rats can nest, and trim back any trees or shrubs so branches don’t touch the house," says Quotezone.

3. Use deterrents

While traps can often be a necessary last resort, you can use a host of natural remedies to repel rodents from your yard.

This can include essential oils, which can repel rats using certain odors.

"Natural deterrents like peppermint oil, ammonia, or ultrasonic devices all work well to help keep rats away," says Wilson.

4. Don't let your cleanliness slip

It can be a nuisance to stay on top of your dirty dishes, or taking out the trash, but higher levels of rodents will require you to step up your cleanliness around the house.

"Kitchens, pantries and food storage should be kept clean and free of any crumbs or spills," says Quotezone, "and food should be kept in airtight containers."

5. Check water sources

Rats need water, just like us. And if your drains or gutters start to develop any other sources of nourishment for rats, you could be creating the perfect environment for them to thrive.

"Ensure gutters and drains are clean," says Quotezone, "and fix any leaking taps or pipes. Rats are attracted to standing water."

Standing water can also attract other pests such as mosquitoes, so if there are any areas of your yard which are susceptible to stagnant water, you should address the cause immediately.

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• 7 things that attract rats and mice to your home

Like a lot of people, I have a sedentary office job, which means I spend most of my day sitting down and remaining stationary at my desk. This also means that I spend nearly eight hours, five days a week, with a keyboard and a mouse. Both of these peripherals help me do a good job and make my dough for the day.

Over the years, I've come to realize that the importance of having the best mouse can't be overstated — whether that's for gaming or for work. And in my current role as a reviews writer, I have tested my fair share of computing rodents, but there are always some mice I keep going back to, some that have become my daily drivers.

So what makes a mouse "perfect" in my eyes? Well, it needs to have three features that I believe aren't talked about enough and are often overlooked by shoppers. Let me take you through them and make buying a new mouse easier.

An ergonomic design

One of the most important features — if not the most important — I look for when judging whether a mouse is good or not is its ergonomics. You can get traditional mice, like the Keychron M3 Mini V2 8K, or you can get a rodent with an ergonomic design, like the Anker 2.4G Wireless Vertical Ergonomic.

There are a few variations of "ergonomic mice," such as trackball mice and vertical ones. Vertical mice allow your hand and wrist to rest in a more upright position, which is similar to your hand's natural resting position, and this reduces pressure in your wrist and arm, which can help circumvent RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury). The inside of the mouse has a groove that provides support for your thumb, too.

Or you can get a trackball mouse, like the Logitech Ergo M575. A trackball mouse usually sits at an angle between that of a vertical mouse and a traditional one, and not having to move your wrist every time you want to shift your cursor is a blessing in disguise. It aids in maintaining wrist and hand health, just like a vertical mouse. I'd recommend an ergonomically designed mouse over any other any day.

Onboard dongle storage

Okay, this may not be on everyone's list of priorities when they're buying a mouse, but hear me out.

Many mice come with 2.4GHz dongles for wireless connectivity, and you need to plug these dongles into your PC to use the mouse. All is fine as long as you aren't taking the mouse traveling with you, and the dongle stays plugged in all the time.

But what happens when you're someone who's constantly traveling to meet clients or working on the go? Where do you stash your mouse's dongle? Surely putting it in your bag's pocket isn't the most secure, and the chances of it getting lost are high.

That's why some mice come with a slot on their bodies for you to store the dongle. This negates the chances of it getting lost in the kerfuffle and gives you some peace of mind (as many brands don't offer replacements for lost dongles). I believe this is a very important but overlooked feature — and the absence of which leads me to knock a point off when I'm reviewing mice.

Scroll wheel functionality

The last feature on this list pertains to scroll wheel functionality. Many mice don't give you a lot of flexibility while scrolling, but some do. For instance, the Cherry XTRFY M50 Wireless has a 4D tilt wheel, enabling you to move it side-to-side for horizontal scrolling.

Not only is this beneficial to navigate spreadsheets at work, but it's handy in games too, making quick work of scrolling through chunky in-game menus or inventories.

Also, a mouse like the Razer Pro Click Mini comes with an infinite scrolling function. The free-spin mode on this mouse comes in clutch when dealing with a long spreadsheet, as you can scroll from the top of a spreadsheet to the bottom in an instant.

If you're someone who deals with many spreadsheets or is part of many Slack or Teams chats and channels, having a mouse with a versatile scroll wheel is a necessity. It'll change how you work, trust me.

My top mice recommendations...

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• Do not buy that 8,000Hz polling rate gaming mouse — I'm not wasting my money again
• The best mouse in 2025 — our 9 top picks
• I test mice for a living — this is the one I couldn’t work without

Keychron is a reputable brand that creates some of the best gaming mice, and the Keychron M3 Mini V2 8K is no different. Succeeding the M3 Mini, it improves on the 1K and 4K variants by introducing 8K and up to 30,000 DPI, giving gamers a competitive advantage. Comfortable to use for long periods of time and built very well, this is a fantastic mouse for right-handed folks — I say that as there’s no left-handed version, sadly.

Adding to the M3 Mini V2 8K’s appeal is its web-based companion software that makes customization oh-so easy. Also, the mouse is very cheap, retailing for just under $70, making it the cheapest 8K mouse out there (so far).

To find out if it’s the right mouse for you, read my full Keychron M3 Mini V2 8K review.

Keychron M3 Mini V2 8K review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A wireless mouse with 8,000Hz polling and up to 30,000 DPI
• Who is it for? For competitive gamers on a budget
• How much does it cost? Not a lot! The Keychron M3 Mini V2 8K is available for $69 / £74
• What do we like? The fantastic gaming performance, great build quality, user-friendly web-based companion software and low price point
• What don’t we like? There’s no left-handed version or onboard dongle storage

Keychron M3 Mini V2 8K review: Specs

Keychron M3 Mini V2 8K review: The ups

From its sturdy build quality to its 8,000Hz polling and 30,000 DPI, the Keychron M3 Mini V2 8K is a powerful little rodent.

Good build quality

The Keychron M3 Mini V2 8K, like the 1K and 4K variants, is made entirely of ABS plastic — but that doesn’t mean Keychron has compromised on the mouse’s quality. The plastic used feels high quality, and the mouse’s glossy texture feels nice and cool under my hand. I also like that the M3 Mini V2 8K features textured sections on either edge, offering decent levels of grip.

Because the M3 Mini V2 8K is made of plastic, it’s lightweight too, weighing just 1.94oz. That figure makes it lighter than the NZXT Lift Elite Wireless (2.01oz, $74). Again, just because the mouse is light doesn’t mean it isn’t great to handle. I found its rubber feet grippy on most surfaces, including plastic and wood. Keychron has also ensured that the 8K variant tracks on glass (which the 4K and 1K variants didn’t), so you can use the M3 Mini V2 8K practically anywhere.

Wireless 8,000Hz polling

As the name suggests, the Keychron M3 Mini V2 8K features 8,000Hz polling, making it a fantastic mouse for competitive gaming. Having tested the mouse at 8,000Hz, I didn’t notice any input lag or missed inputs. All of my button presses were registered instantaneously, and not once did I notice the cursor lag or stutter.

What’s even better is that you can achieve 8K polling over the included 2.4GHz dongle. Most mice require you to connect the rodents via a wire to the computer to achieve such high polling, but not the M3 Mini V2 8K. Thanks to this, you can move the mouse around freely without any cables interfering.

Another thing I appreciate is that the M3 Mini V2 8K doesn’t utilize a silly-looking dongle. I criticized the Keychron M3 Mini 4K Metal ($99) for its impractical, keyboard-shaped dongle, which you needed to plug into your computer via a USB-C cable. Thankfully, Keychron has decided against using a similar design for the M3 Mini V2 8K, and it’s much smaller now — like a standard USB-A dongle that can be plugged into your computer directly and doesn’t require a separate cable.

Great gaming performance

Aiding the M3 Mini V2 8K’s competitive nature is the mouse’s high DPI, adjustable up to 30,000. While overkill for most casual players, having such high DPI can result in ultra-responsive gameplay, depending on the title you’re playing. There’s a dedicated DPI button located on the M3 Mini V2 8K’s underside that lets you select one of five levels (and these can be assigned via web-based companion software).

Being able to adjust the DPI on the fly meant I didn’t have to dive into software every time I wanted to change it, which I had to on the pricier Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 ($159). I found it extremely handy in games like Hitman, Counter-Strike 2 and Lies of P. I appreciated the ability to swap to a lower DPI of around 500 when I wanted more control over my movements in the first two games, especially while aiming with a sniper rifle. It enabled me to line up my shots accurately and with pinpoint precision.

Then, when I was in close-quarters combat with enemies in Hitman and Lies of P, I swapped to a DPI of 12,000 or slightly higher so that my movements were quicker and snappier. In Lies of P, I could quickly chop down enemies with successive sword attacks, which was extremely handy as some foes can easily deplete 80% of your health in a single attack.

You can also toggle angle snapping via the companion software, and this smooths out your mouse movements to ensure a straight line, eliminating any jitters. Angle snapping is essentially useful in tactical shooter games to keep your cursor at head-level at all times, enabling quick one-tap kills. In my testing, this worked like a charm as my hand’s natural, small movements didn’t add any wobble.

Web-based companion software

One thing I’ve always loved about Keychron’s keyboards is that you don’t need to install third-party software onto your laptop — you can use the web-based Keychron Launcher to customize the decks. Keychron has now added mouse compatibility to the web-based app so you can personalize the Keychron M3 Mini V2 8K by simply opening the website in Google Chrome or any other browser.

Using Keychron Launcher, you can customize the M3 Mini V2 8K’s polling rate, five levels of DPI adjustment, remap its buttons and save up to five custom profiles onto the mouse’s memory. It’s easy to do and takes the hassle out of customization — and saves you from downloading bloatware onto your machine.

Competitively priced

One of the best things about Keychron’s mice is that they’re usually competitively priced and affordable, and that’s no different for the Keychron M3 Mini V2 8K. The mouse retails for $69 / £74, so it’s priced similarly to the 1,000Hz and 4,000Hz models. It’s also cheaper than the all-metal variant, the Keychron M3 Mini 4K Metal ($99).

There are other 8,000Hz mice out there that cost nearly as little as the M3 Mini V2 8K, such as the NZXT Lift Elite Wireless ($74), which I noted was the cheapest 8K mouse available on the market. Keychron’s offering has upstaged NZXT’s — and the former features Bluetooth connectivity too, which the latter doesn’t, making it the better choice of the two.

Keychron M3 Mini V2 8K review: The downs

There isn’t a lot wrong with the Keychron M3 Mini V2 8K, but it’s important to note that, unfortunately, there’s no left-handed version or onboard dongle storage.

No left-handed version

Alas, there’s no left-handed version of the Keychron M3 Mini V2 8K as it’s designed with right-handed folks (such as myself) in mind. The side buttons are placed along the mouse’s left-hand edge. This is an extremely common occurrence when I review mice, as there aren’t many that are designed for left-handed people.

If you need a left-handed gaming mouse, you’ll have to spend more on the likes of the Logitech G Pro Wireless ($150) or the Razer Naga ($99), but you’ll be limited to 1,000Hz polling and lower DPI. I feel like this is a missed opportunity for Keychron, as the brand could have made gaming peripherals more accessible.

No onboard dongle storage

While the Keychron M3 Mini V2 8K has a traditional dongle, there’s no place to store it. Some mice have a slot on their bodies to slot the dongle into, but not the M3 Mini V2 8K. You’ll need to be careful where you store it lest you lose it, as Keychron, at the time of writing, does not sell spare ones.

Keychron M3 Mini V2 8K review: Verdict

As wireless gaming mice go, the Keychron M3 Mini V2 8K is one of the best. Not only do you get 8,000Hz polling, you get it over a wireless 2.4GHz connection, so you don’t have to deal with an annoying cable. Alongside this, you get up to 30,000 DPI and angle snapping, both of which let you fine-tune your movements.

Speaking of, the M3 Mini V2 8K is compatible with the web-based Keychron Launcher, so you don’t need to worry about downloading bloatware onto your machine. The mouse itself is built well and is comfortable to use — as long as you’re right-handed, as there’s no version for lefties.

If you’re on a budget but want pure, unadulterated performance, I can’t recommend the M3 Mini V2 8K enough. Even if you’re happy to spend more, why not save a little and still get a mouse that doesn’t compromise on quality?

Nobody likes the thought of a mice infestation, but the colder months are peak season for rodents to frequent our homes. Known as overwintering pests, they tend to creep inside through gaps, holes and crevices to seek warmth and food.

Trouble is, once pests find their way into your home, it can be difficult to get rid of them. What’s more, they can carry and spread a host of diseases which can affect your family's health, as well as cause potential damage to your property. That’s why it’s important to put preventative measures in place to help best deal with the pest problem.

But, as well as removing the things that attract rats and mice to your home, what items can you buy to prevent such pests this fall? Luckily, I asked pest control experts what is needed to stop mice in their tracks, and keep them far away. Here’s what they recommend to buy right now.

1. Mouse traps

Perhaps the most obvious item you can buy if mice are in your home are mouse traps. And there are various types, both lethal and non-lethal, that are approved by pest control experts.

Snap traps — Typically, snap traps work by using a quick-trigger mechanism that closes shut over a mouse’s head. The mice are attracted to the snap trap because it’s set with bait, like peanut butter, and placed in the areas mice will run over in their travels. In this way, the mouse is trapped instantly without having to needlessly suffer. But you will need to dispose of the dead mouse.

Self-resetting traps — These work much the same as a traditional snap trap, but are more sanitary to handle. “Self-resetting automatic traps are the number one way to go,” Blair Calder, Founder and President of Automatic Trap Company, says.

“They are safe, efficient, hands-off, protect kids and pets as well as the environment - and highly efficient. Best of all, instead of poison - they usually use a peanut butter and jelly scented lure that is long-lasting so you don't need to touch it often like you do a snap trap. The self-resetting trap is much more sanitary to humans.”

Live mouse traps — If you're squeamish, live mouse traps are a more popular option. "Trapping mice in a way that keeps them alive until you can release them back into the wild feels more humane to some homeowners," Daniel Baldwin, Board Certified Entomologist at Hawx Pest Control, says. "This is usually a small box with a door that shuts immediately once a mouse has entered, allowing homeowners to then release them without causing any harm."

2. Caulk or foam sealant

Another key preventative measure is to block all entry points into your home. You'll want to make it difficult for pests to creep in.

"Inspect all exterior walls, foundations, and vents to ensure they are sealed and in good condition," advises Baldwin. "Remember, mice can enter in the smallest of holes and gaps, so be sure to fill any cracks or holes you find with caulk or foam.

What's more, don’t forget to inspect and seal holes inside your garage structure: “Many people overlook the garage, where most people keep their trash bins,” adds Calder. “Mice love to hide out in the garage and wait for an opportunity to come into your home. While they wait, they can also do thousands of dollars of damage to your car engine where it is warm and they like to nest.”

3. Invest in airtight food jars

Considering that mice will come back if there is a constant supply of food, it’s essential that food is stored correctly to prevent rodents from getting access to it.

“Store food such as bread, pasta and rice in airtight containers and ensure that they’re placed in cupboards when they’re not in use,” warns Baldwin. “Use a trash can that has a tight-fitting lid that prevents them from breaking into any food waste that you’ve thrown out.”

Alongside keeping them away from tasty treats, remember to keep all surfaces clean, crumb-free and sanitized. “Aside from exclusion and trapping, the best thing you can do is practice proper storage and sanitation,” agrees Jacob Cohn. COO & Associate Certified Entomologist at Arrow Termite & Pest Control.

“Exclusion helps keep mice out and lets them know they won't find shelter here. The only thing left is to avoid giving them reasons to want in. Keep food sealed, crumbs and trash cleaned up, and keep attractive food sources away from them. If they can't find food or shelter in your home, they'll move on to the next spot.”

For more tips, check out these 5 foods that attract mice to your kitchen — tips from a pest expert.

4. Try peppermint oil

Alternatively, you can repel mice with scents. Strong essential oils such as peppermint are known to be overwhelming for such pests, and will keep them at bay.

“The use of peppermint oil in homes is likely to be a favored choice for those who are looking for a non-toxic, eco-friendly method of deterring pests such as rodents from the home," agrees Baldwin. "The scent of peppermint is strong and is often disliked by certain pests, which can deter them from living in areas where it’s present.

Homeowners can dilute a few drops of peppermint oil with water in a spray bottle and apply to the areas where you have seen pests, such as behind cupboards and appliances or cracks within walls. While it won’t get rid of rodents completely, it can act as a temporary measure to deter them from entering your home.”

Of course, if you suspect mice in your home, peppermint alone won’t be effective, especially if you’re dealing with an infestation.

“If DIY methods and tips to prevent rodents aren't working for you, and you’re continuing to suffer with an infestation, then it might be time to call a professional pest control expert to find the root cause of the issue,” advises Baldwin. “A professional will be able to provide recommendations and the best course of action to remove them as quickly as possible.”

How do you know if you have mice?

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• 7 places mice like to hide and what to look out for
• 5 common mistakes to avoid when getting rid of mice
• Check out these 7 plants that keep mice and rats from invading your home

I've been writing about PCs for decades, and building them since I was a kid. As a child of the '90s, that means I have over thirty years of experience pointing and clicking, so I've developed some strong feelings about what I love in a computer mouse. I don't know about you, but as I've entered my 40s, I've developed a keen appreciation for a good trackball mouse.

Don't get me wrong, a flat or vertical mouse is easier and faster to get to grips with. But I've come to feel that whipping the cursor around with quick snaps of the wrist is for PC game freaks and hotshots with healthy joints, whereas true computing connoisseurs (as well as the old and busted) come to appreciate the subtle strengths of a good trackball mouse.

Personally, I've really come to prize a good trackball over a vertical or flat mouse, in large part because my mousing hand has come to resemble a claw after decades of continuous use.

When I started exploring the wide world of trackballs, my colleague Anthony Spadafora turned me on to Elecom. This Japanese hardware company has been making computer mice since the '80s, so I was a little embarrassed I'd never heard of them before now.

After testing and reviewing a few of their mice over the past year and change, I'm even more embarrassed because I wish I'd been using Elecom mice for ages. While the company doesn't make a lot of expensive, premium mice for gaming or content creation, what it does sell is a plethora of affordable mice that would make for excellent ergonomic workhorses in your next PC build.

To show you what I mean, I wanted to quickly highlight two of the enduring strengths of Elecom mice that I've noticed since falling in love with the brand: durable design and good software support. Pair these with the remarkable affordability (almost nothing this company sells costs more than $100), and you start to see why I think folks need to stop sleeping on Elecom mice.

Durable, ergonomic designs

Elecom mice all share a similar no-nonsense aesthetic that I've come to really appreciate because it helps them subtly blend in wherever you're using them.

I have the Elecom Huge trackball mouse on my desk and it blends seamlessly with my work PC, for example, while the palmable Elecom Relacon trackball is sitting on my coffee table just waiting for me to fire up my living room PC.

These two Elecom mice look significantly different and serve different functions, yet despite their significant size disparity, they both feel comfortable in my hand. I especially appreciate the company's attention to details that feel ergonomic, like the sculpted edges of the Elecom Huge and the contoured grip of the Relacon.

These design details can feel a little cheap because they're constructed out of plastic, but I've been using both of these mice daily for months and haven't noticed a single incident of rattling or flexing.

In fact, I feel like all the Elecom mice I've used to date have felt surprisingly durable given their light weight and low price. It's getting to the point where Elecom is going to become my de facto go-to company for buying new productivity mice, no matter what PC or laptop I'm outfitting.

Smart, no-nonsense software

The other big thing that's really endeared me to Elecom is the company's excellent Elecom Mouse Assistant software.

The app is completely free, and while it can feel a little old-school to use, once you get the hang of it, I love how functional it is and how much you can customize your mouse to suit your needs.

You can, of course, use it to re-assign any of the buttons or wheels on an Elecom mouse, for Windows or Mac, but there's more. Not only can you bind shortcuts to buttons, you can create specific profiles that will activate when you launch specific apps. So you could have your Elecom EX-G Pro mouse buttons do one set of actions in Photoshop and a different set of actions in Premiere, for example.

It's a remarkably robust piece of free software that makes Elecom mice more useful than they would be otherwise, which is more than I can say for the bloatware that comes with a lot of PC peripherals these days.

Factor in the fact that Elecom mice have proven reliably affordable, durable, and comfortable every time I've used one, and you start to see why Elecom has become my favorite mouse maker in 2025.

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When the summer months roll around, rats are at their happiest. There's an abundance of food and plenty of shelter available, both inside and out. But while you may think you've done enough to keep rats away from your home, experts warn that they have an abundance of tricks up their sleeve to gain access to your home, and all its creature comforts.

"It only takes a gap the width of a biro (just over 12mm) for a rat to squeeze through." says John Stewart, technical training manager at Pest-Stop, "and once inside, they can cause extensive damage by chewing through wiring, pipes and insulation, leading to fire risks, flooding and long-term structural issues."

Here's how he recommends homeowners protect themselves from rodents this summer.

Know your common access points

A rat's journey inside your home will often start in small structural faults, so Stewart recommends you inspect the exterior of your property for even the smallest of entry points.

External steps

"Start with the external steps," Stewart advises. "Poorly maintained pointing around the front or rear steps often allows rats to access the subfloor or cavity walls, creating a pathway into lofts and roof spaces."

Damaged airbricks

But while poorly maintained steps are easily fixed, there are some gaps in your home which are there by design. "Damaged airbricks and missing weephole covers are another common weakness," says Stewart. "These gaps allow rats to slip into walls and under floors with ease."

Repairing these faults can often be quick and easy, but it's important to do it before rats gain access. Once they're in, evicting them is much more of an ordeal.

Don't forget your garage

More from Tom's Guide

• 7 ways to pest-proof your home before you go on vacation
• Keep rats and mice away from your home with this simple $1 item
• 7 things that attract rats and mice to your home

It’s always unnerving when faced with a pest problem, especially when you’ve spotted the telltale signs you have mice around your home.

Not only can mice be a nuisance, causing damage to your property by chewing away at woodwork or pipes, but such pests can quickly multiply.

That’s why it’s so important to learn how to get rid of mice, and prevent them from coming back.

But if you don’t want an infestation on your hands, experts recommend this simple, non-toxic hack that could keep rodents out of your yard.

What’s more, you could easily find this in your kitchen cupboards, and it’s far cheaper than expensive pest control call-outs.

Sprinkle dried mint

Mint is a refreshing addition to many tasty dishes, teas or even cocktails. But while we enjoy the menthol aroma, mice, on the other hand, find the smell overwhelming.

According to pest experts, sprinkling dried mint around your yard is a natural repellent — and could prevent mice from coming near your home.

“Sprinkling your garden with mint can work as a mild to low deterrent for most rodents because it overwhelms your sensitive noses,” states Ed Dolshun is the VP of Business Development and Technical Director from Catchmaster.

“Rodents rely heavily on scent, mostly to find food sources. It is important to note though, that this may work best with dried peppermint as opposed to spearmint because there are higher levels of menthol properties in the dried peppermint.”

How to use dried mint in your yard

So how do you put mint to good use in your yard?

“To apply dried mint, simply scatter it around the perimeter of garden beds, near entry points, or anywhere you’ve noticed rodent activity,” advises Sara Rubens, certified garden coach and founder of SeedtoSanctuary.com.

“You can also tuck it into small mesh sachets or cheesecloth bags and place them in garden corners, raised beds, or even near compost bins. For best results, refresh the dried mint regularly—especially after rain or heavy watering, since moisture can reduce its effectiveness.”

Interestingly, mint is not the only natural, cooking ingredient that repels mice or other pests. “A top tip when using mint for pest control is to pair it with other deterrents, like garlic spray or crushed red pepper flakes, for a more comprehensive, multi-sensory barrier,” adds Rubens.

Also, if you're growing mint, keep it in containers—mint spreads aggressively and can take over your garden if planted directly in the soil."

Top tips to prevent mice in your home

Of course, mint is not mighty enough to banish rodents forever, and you’ll need to put preventative measures in place by eliminating the things that attract rats and mice to your home.

Firstly, go around your home and yard to inspect for any holes, small gaps and other entry points that mice could dwell or enter.

Mice can fit through spaces as small as ¼ inch, so it’s important to check around the perimeter of your home

Also, remove any food sources or feeding spots near your home, such as pet food and water bowls. Keep your outdoor spaces clean and tidy, and be sure to clear piles of lumber in your yard.

Additionally, steel wool makes a simple yet effective barrier to seal any potential entry points for unwanted pests. This can be bought for as little as $1 in your local homeware store or you can buy in bulk online.

“I would also like to add that mint alone will not stop a truly determined rodent, " agrees Dolshun. “If you are dealing with a heavy rodent problem, this would not be my first suggestion.

“My top tip would be to first take on behavior based control. Make sure that you have gotten rid of any non-organic food sources that might be attracting rodents.

Debris and clutter that could provide shelter and nesting sites for rodents should be removed. At this point is when you can assess if using mint would be a viable option, or if you may need to go the route of placing blue boards or bait traps around the garden area.”

Just be sure not to make these common mistakes when getting rid of mice.

More from Tom's Guide

• Banish mosquitoes from your home with one natural ingredient
• And 5 ways to tell the difference between mice or rats in your home
• Plus, 7 places mice hide and what to look for

Since starting this job and spending most of my day locked in at the computer, I‘ve made adjustments to make sure I’m as comfortable as possible. These include a walking treadmill, a comfortable chair and an adjustable desk. But I had never considered that my idea of the best wireless mouse may need to change, too.

The Seenday MOU-302 is a vertical mouse that supports your wrist and forearm to reduce muscular strain. It’s incredibly cheap and is very quiet, so it fits right into an office setting. The two-month battery life is impressive, and the music control knob is the mouse addition you never knew you needed.

However, there are only three levels of DPI adjustment, which means this is not the direction to go if you want a mouse that can cope with gaming, too. The thumb rest grip is also redundant, and the USB dongle doesn’t sit securely inside the mouse.

To find out more about how I got on, you can read my full Seenda MOU-302 Vertical Wireless Mouse review.

Seenda MOU-302 Vertical Wireless Mouse: Specs

Seenda MOU-302 Vertical Wireless Mouse: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A vertical wireless mouse to support your wrist while you work.
• Who is it for? Anyone who works at an office job or finds themselves sitting at a computer for long periods of time.
• How much does it cost? The Seenda MOU-302 Vertical Wireless Mouse is available at Amazon U.S. for $27 and at Amazon U.K. for £27.
• What do we like? It is comfortable to use, has a great two-month battery life and you can control your music from the mouse.
• What don’t we like? There are only three DPI levels, no left-handed version is available and the thumb rest grip isn’t effective.

Seenda MOU-302 Vertical Wireless Mouse: The ups

Having never used a vertical mouse before, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how comfortable the Seenda MOU-302 Vertical Wireless Mouse is to use for extended periods of time.

Keeps wrist straight

The design of this mouse is ergonomic and upright, supporting your wrist and forearm. With a traditional mouse, your hand has to twist, and this can cause the muscles and tendons in your wrist to strain, leading to long-term health effects like RSI. With the Seenda Mou-302, I could feel the difference from my usual CadMouse Pro, and my hand positioning felt far more natural.

The mouse is set at a 61-degree angle, and the tilt means that your fingers can still rest comfortably without slipping down. I could feel the difference after using it for just a day, and this is not an issue I had noticed before. Now, when I use a normal mouse, I question all of my life choices.

Music control knob

The top of the mouse has a circular knob for controlling music. I love to curate a mean playlist and am constantly listening to the newest music releases while testing the best headphones, so I adore this feature. It meant I could easily crank the volume on tracks I love, and turn it down when I needed to focus.

It works by pressing down on the button to play and pause, and then turning the toggle to adjust the volume, and there is no lag to the controls. The knob doesn’t get in the way either, but is conveniently positioned to move with your thumb and forefinger.

Good battery

The battery life of the Seenda Vertical Wireless Mouse is an impressive two months. After using it every day for the last three weeks, it still has 89% charge remaining. The mouse is rechargeable with a USB-C, so no need for wasteful disposable batteries, and can still be used even when it is charging.

Very quiet

Sometimes the click-clacking of office keyboards and mice can prove annoying and very distracting, so I love that the left and right click buttons are completely silent. The scroll is also silent, which is refreshing from the clicking scroll I was used to.

That being said, the back and forward controls on the left side of the mouse do make a noise when clicked, but I used these controls far less often, so it didn’t make much of a difference.

Seenda MOU-302 Vertical Wireless Mouse: The downs

While the Seenda MOU-302 Vertical Wireless Mouse is generally lovely to use, there are a few issues that stick out to me.

Slippy thumb rest

The mouse has a thumb rest on the left side, and this has ridges for your thumb to grip. On the top and bottom of the grip, there are buttons that you can use to toggle backwards and forwards between pages.

Because of the positioning of these buttons, my thumb kept slipping, and I accidentally pressed them a couple of times. This was super frustrating as it usually happened when I was in the middle of reading something, changing the page and breaking my flow.

USB is loose

There is a 2.4G wireless USB dongle that is housed in the base of the mouse, but it isn't very secure. It wobbles around as the mouse is moved. Obviously, if you are using the mouse with the dongle plugged in, this isn’t an issue, but I was using the mouse with Bluetooth and was very aware of the shaky dongle.

That being said, there are quite a few mice out there that don’t have anywhere to store wireless dongles. I can’t begin to tell you how many times I have lost dongles. The fact that the Seenda mouse has somewhere to store it is great, but it could come loose.

Three levels of DPI

The mouse only has three levels of DPI, and while the range is fine for a productivity and casual gaming mouse, it won’t suit serious gamers who will need higher sensitivity levels.

The three DPI levels are 1000/1600/2400, whereas our favorite ergonomic mouse, the Logitech MX Vertical, has a DPI of 400-4,000 that can be set in increments of 50 DPI, allowing you to fine-tune your DPI precisely. However, the Logitech is a lot more expensive at $99.

No left-handed version

Lefties are completely left out by Seenda in the design of the MOU-302 Vertical Wireless Mouse. There is no left-handed version of this mouse, and because of the vertical design, it’s not like you can just remap the buttons and make do.

If you want a left-handed vertical mouse, check out the Contour Unimouse, which can be purchased in left-handed guise.

Seenda MOU-302 Vertical Wireless Mouse: Verdict

I would recommend the Seenda MOU-302 Vertical Wireless Mouse as a cheap and cheerful option for anyone who is working at their computer constantly. The mouse offers great wrist and forearm support, and is an addition to my workday that I never realised I needed.

The mouse has its caveats, though. This won’t be the best choice for gaming as there is very limited DPI adjustment. The lack of a left-handed model is an oversight, as even lefties need good wrist support, and the thumb grip could be better positioned so as not to accidentally hit the buttons on the side.

But the positives definitely outweigh the negatives. The long battery life means I don't have to worry about running out of juice, and I love being able to control my music’s volume from the mouse. This is a feature I used more than I realized I would, and now I don’t think I’ll be able to go back to a normal mouse.

Roughly a decade ago my career as a journalist took a turn when I started noticing sharp, shooting pains in my hands and wrists after a day at the computer.

Thus began my quest for a pain-free workspace, and in the years since I've switched out basically every element of my PC for a more ergonomic option.

I bought an Uplift V2 standing desk to replace my old particle board shell, for example, got my hands on a more ergonomic Mavix M9 chair and invested in a decent laptop stand for working more comfortably on the road.

These were easy switches to make, and they've paid off in terms of productivity and pain relief. But one of the harder decisions to make was how to replace my trusty ol' Microsoft IntelliMouse.

I loved that thing, but when my hand started cramping after a few hours of resting on its flat, rounded shell I knew I had to try something else. So I started buying and testing all sorts of mouse replacements: ergonomic vertical mice, trackball mice, trackpads and even a Wacom tablet.

Many have been great, but recently the folks at Elecom sent us the most comfortable trackball I've ever used and I'm not sure I'll ever be able to give it up.

Elecom's extra-large trackball has been a huge relief

I'm talking about the Elecom Huge Trackball Mouse, which I'm just going to call the Elecom Huge from here on out because it's a great name.

This beast of a trackball mouse comes in either wireless or wired varieties, and Elecom was nice enough to send us a wireless model to test out. After using it for weeks of work, I have to say the extra-large trackball and wide, sloped chassis are the most comfortable of any mouse I've ever used.

Of course, a big reason for that might be that my hands seem to be a bit on the larger side compared to most folks. That became acutely clear to me when I started reviewing laptops and peripherals here at Tom's Guide, because I quickly realized my hands feel a little too cramped on most tech gear.

Lots of folks love 13-inch laptops like the MacBook Air M4, for example, and I'm fond of it too, but the keyboard on a 13-inch laptop is just too small for me to comfortably type on. A comfy keyboard is one of the top things I look for when buying a laptop, so I tend to buy larger notebooks like the MacBook Air 15-inch M4.

So while most trackball mice are good enough for me, they cause my hand to cramp up the same way any normal-sized mouse would because my paw is too big to comfortably to grip the device.

But with the Elecom Huge, I feel like I've finally found a trackball mouse built for my massive mitts.

The number one thing I love about this mouse is how comfortable it feels to use for hours at a time. The extra-large trackball and wide chassis don't force me to contort my hand to use them, and the rubber padding where the wrist rests helps support my wrist during marathon mousing sessions.

The Elecom Huge is highly useful, too thanks to its eight programmable buttons and scroll wheel. You can customize its functions to your liking using the free (and good) Elecom Mouse Assistant software, and you can flip between three DPI settings (500, 1,000 and 1,500) to fine-tune how it feels to whip the mouse cursor around.

Admittedly, the contoured buttons took me a little getting used to, especially the small thin ones that rest beneath your ring and pinky fingers.

Even after a few weeks of use I still sometimes mix them up or hit one by accident, though that probably has more to do with user error than poor design.

Bottom line

If it's not clear yet, I really like the Elecom Huge and think it might be the best trackball mouse I've ever used.

But again, I bet a big reason for that is that my hands typically feel too large to comfortably use most PC peripherals, so this extra-large input device probably isn't a great choice for everyone.

While researching it, for example, I stumbled across reviews from some users that criticized the Elecom Huge for not providing enough support to their hands or wrists. So if you're on the fence about whether to get one yourself, I recommend doing what you can to try it out before you buy.

But for $50 (or $55 if you buy through Amazon) I think it's not the worst product to take a flier on, especially if (like me) you've been suffering from hand and wrist pain due to feeling uncomfortably cramped by your current mouse.

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Having the best gaming mouse in your arsenal is a near-necessity if you’re a competitive player. The Glorious Model D2 Pro hopes to earn a spot amongst the best of the best, but it just misses out. I’ve tested its siblings — the Glorious Model D2 and the Glorious Model O2 — and I’d say both are better than the Model D2 Pro.

Don’t get me wrong: the mouse boasts 4,000Hz (wireless) or 8,000Hz (wired) polling and a maximum DPI of 26,000, lending you an edge. It also utilizes user-friendly companion software for quick and easy customization.

But the Model D2 Pro isn’t the cheapest mouse, and for the money, it looks and feels a little tacky. Its battery life is also short, and there’s no left-handed variant or onboard dongle storage. While I haven’t rated the Model D2 very highly either, I’d still recommend it over the Model D2 Pro because, at the end of the day, it doesn’t feel very “pro” and your money could be better spent elsewhere — even on the Model O2, really.

For the complete breakdown, read my full Glorious Model D2 Pro review.

Glorious Model D2 Pro review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A wireless gaming mouse for both casual and competitive gaming
• Who is it for? For professional gamers who need 8,000Hz polling and high DPI
• How much does it cost? The Glorious Model D2 Pro costs $129 / £119
• What do we like? It’s very lightweight and great for competitive gaming, and user-friendly software makes customization easy
• What don’t we like? It looks cheap, there’s no left-handed version or onboard dongle storage and the battery life is short

Glorious Model D2 Pro review: Specs

Glorious Model D2 Pro review: The ups

The Glorious Model D2 Pro is lightweight and (fairly) comfortable, and offers up to 8,000Hz polling for competitive gaming.

Lightweight and comfortable

Much like its cheaper family members, the Glorious Model D2 ($99) and the Glorious Model O2 ($99), both of which I personally reviewed for Tom’s Guide, the Glorious Model D2 Pro is a very lightweight mouse, weighing just 2.25oz. In fact, it’s even lighter than the two aforementioned rodents: the Model D2 weighs 2.32oz while the Model O2 weighs 2.39oz.

The Model D2 Pro is a comfortable mouse, too. It measures 5 x 2.63 x 1.65 inches, so it’s great for those with medium-sized hands like mine. As Glorious claims, the mouse is comfy to use with either a palm or claw grip — both work well for me. I also like how wide the left- and right-click buttons are, as they give my fingers enough room to spread out as and when needed.

Overall, the Model D2 Pro is fairly comfortable, but I wish its textured body felt softer under my touch, although I’ll discuss that in detail later.

(Up to) 8,000Hz polling

There are two models of the Glorious Model D2 Pro available, both of which boast different polling rates. The 1,000Hz model, which is good for casual gaming, costs $99, while the 4,000Hz-8,000Hz model costs $129 / £119, making it ideal for competitive gamers and esports players.

Not everyone necessarily needs 8K polling. But if you’re an aspiring or established professional, or a highly competitive player, the Model D2 Pro’s 8,000Hz polling will ensure there are zero latency issues, giving you a potential edge.

Great for competitive gaming

The Glorious Model D2 Pro’s 8,000Hz polling rate means latency issues are a thing of the past, and I didn’t notice any in my testing. The Model D2 Pro utilizes the Glorious BAMF 2.0 sensor to deliver a maximum DPI of 26,000 — the same as the Model O2 and the Model D2. The excellent Fnatic x Lamzu Maya 8K ($119), for comparison, has a maximum DPI of 30,000. But let’s be honest, 26,000 is still plenty.

Located right behind the left- and right-click buttons is a dedicated DPI button which lets you cycle through four presets (as opposed to six on the Model D2). I love a good DPI button as it lets me quickly swap between a low and high DPI, depending on the game, without having to dive into the companion software.

I played a few games to test the Model D2 Pro and it reigned supreme throughout. When using a sniper rifle in Counter-Strike 2 or aiming at an assassination target surrounded by bodyguards in Hitman, I dropped to a low DPI of 400 to fine-tune my movements. Slowing down helped me aim more accurately, and I could execute precise headshots.

Pressing the button thrice right after taking headshots let me achieve a higher DPI of 10,000. In Hitman, I could then sprint towards the bodyguards as they drew their guns and shoot them with my rifle, taking several out within a matter of mere seconds.

The Model D2 Pro’s textured scroll wheel is also highly responsive, making quick work of scrolling through large, crowded inventories in titles like Baldur’s Gate 3 (yes, I’m a hoarder who picks up every single item). Overall, the Model D2 Pro is a fantastic mouse for both competitive and casual gaming.

User-friendly software

You’ll need to use Glorious Core software on your Windows machine to customize the Glorious Model D2 Pro. While the mouse works well on macOS machines, the software isn’t available on Apple devices (yet). Glorious Core is a no-frills software that sports a clean UI, and it makes customizing the Model D2 Pro very easy.

Here, I could quickly set two different polling rates for wired (up to 8,000Hz) and wireless (up to 4,000Hz), assign different values to the dedicated DPI button, adjust the advanced debounce settings and more. The Model D2 Pro’s internal memory can also store up to three custom profiles.

Glorious Model D2 Pro review: The downs

Unfortunately, the Glorious Model D2 Pro looks cheap, has no onboard dongle storage or left-handed model and its battery life is short, too.

No left-handed model

If you’ve followed my coverage of mice at Tom’s Guide, you’ll know that it always frustrates me when a mouse doesn’t have a left-handed variant. Even though I myself am not left-handed, my job is to ensure you’re spending your money well. Just like the Glorious Model D2, the Glorious Model D2 Pro is designed for right-handed folks only thanks to the placement of the side buttons.

Left-handed people are limited in choice, unfortunately. I recommend picking up the Razer Viper 8KHz ($57), which features, as the name suggests, 8,000Hz polling and buttons along the mouse’s right-hand edge.

No onboard dongle storage

Controversial opinion: I believe that any mouse that comes with a 2.4GHz dongle should have a slot on its body to store the dongle when you’re traveling or not using the mouse. You don’t want to lose it, as more often than not brands don’t sell replacements. The Glorious Model D2 Pro suffers from this issue, just like the cheaper Glorious Model D2.

The Model D2 Pro’s dongle needs to be plugged into your laptop or computer via a USB-C cable to achieve 4,000Hz polling over a wireless connection. The dongle is bigger than the ones I’ve seen on most other mice, so I can understand that, realistically, Glorious wouldn’t have been able to slot it into the mouse. Still annoying, though.

Looks cheap

I’m no stranger to lackluster mice, having tested the likes of the Cherry XTRFY M50 ($69) and the Lemokey G1’s ($64), and there’s nothing wrong with a minimalist design — in fact, I prefer it over honeycomb/perforated mice. The Glorious Model D2 Pro also sports a no-frills design, but it looks and feels cheap, and that’s not what you want from a mouse costing $129.

The plastic used in the Model D2 Pro construction doesn’t scream “pro” to me, as it isn’t soft to touch. My ideal mouse is the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 ($159), but I also appreciate that it’s $30 pricier than the Model D2 Pro. I’d recommend the Fnatic x Lamzu Maya 8K ($119) for its soft shell design and fantastic performance.

Short battery life

Gaming with 4,000Hz or 8,000Hz polling can be a drain on system resources and a device’s battery life, so chances are you’ll use the Glorious Model D2 Pro while plugged in. But what if you want to play wirelessly? 4K polling can be achieved over a 2.4GHz wireless connection, of course.

The bad news is that the Model D2 Pro’s battery life is fairly (and annoyingly) short. When using the mouse with the polling rate set to 1,000Hz, a single charge yields 80 hours of play time. This drastically drops to a measly 35 hours when playing over 4,000Hz. There’s also no warning lights when the battery is about to die, so the mouse might turn off in the middle of an important boss fight. Frustrating, infuriating, all the synonyms.

If you want longer battery life, it’s worth spending some extra money on the Cherry M68 Pro ($139), whose battery life can last up to 90 hours at 1,000Hz and, in our testing, “drained incredibly slowly.” Or, if you want to save some money, the Lemokey G1’s battery life when using 8,000Hz polling is better than the Model D2 Pro’s at 40 hours.

Glorious Model D2 Pro review: Verdict

The Glorious Model D2 Pro is a good gaming mouse if you’re right-handed and not short on money. It boasts 4,000Hz polling over a 2.4GHz dongle and 8,000Hz over a wired connection. It’s got a maximum DPI of 26,000, too, giving you an edge in competitive gaming. Also, customizing the mouse is a walk in the park, thanks to the user-friendly companion software.

However, the mouse doesn’t come cheap, and there’s no left-handed version. I’m also not a fan of the cheap-looking and cheap-feeling plastic used in its construction. The battery life isn’t anything to write home about either.

I believe mice like the Fnatic x Lamzu Maya 8K and the Cherry M68 Pro offer better value for money. The Model D2 Pro faces fierce competition and, alas, doesn’t do enough to taste glory.

The ESR MagMouse is a productivity mouse with a difference. It’s designed for people on the go, thanks to a magnetic base that can attach to, well, anything ferrous, pretty much anywhere.

As someone who changes their work environment from an office to a cramped commuter train frequently, I’m always looking for ways to save space and juggle everything a little easier. Finding the best mouse to take everywhere with me is half the battle.

That’s where the MagMouse comes in. It offers a virtually silent working experience and is incredibly comfortable with a four-way scroll to make working with spreadsheets so much easier. The built-in charging cable and dongle storage also means there’s less to carry around.

However, the mouse makes a beeping noise constantly. And while it’s not a loud beep, it’s enough to distract you when you’re trying to concentrate.

You can find out more about how I got on in my full ESR MagMouse review below.

ESR MagMouse review: Specs

ESR MagMouse review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A wireless mouse with a magnetic base
• Who is it for? Anyone looking for a portable and compact mouse solution
• How much does it cost? The ESR MagMouse is available for $35 at Amazon U.S.
• What do we like? It is compact and comfortable to use, has quiet clicks and has good battery life
• What don’t we like? There is a really annoying faint beeping sound whenever you click or move the mouse, which can be very irritating

ESR MagMouse review: The ups

The ESR MagMouse has been a great addition to my hybrid working setup with its compact design and quiet clicks.

Quiet clicks

While the mouse does make a low-level beeping sound (more on that later), the clicks and scroll are virtually silent. The clicks sound very cushioned and aren’t “clacky” at all.

The dampened sound of the mouse meant I wasn’t disrupting anyone when I was using the mouse with constant clicking. It is perfect for working literally anywhere.

Compact and portable

The ESR MagMouse is small in size, measuring only 107.5 x 64 x 38.9 mm and weighing 75g/2.4 ounces. It takes up hardly any space in my bag and its light weight means it isn’t awkward to carry either.

To make it even easier to take on the go, the mouse is magnetic. It will attach to any magnetic surface (yes, I tried it on my fridge), which also makes it great for easy storage.

When moving around, it’s useful that the mouse can attach to the back of my laptop using a magnetic pad that sticks to the back. This meant I didn’t have to juggle the mouse separately and could just attach it and go.

It has a magnetic strength of 600g/1.3lbs, so there was no worry of the mouse coming loose, and the pad has two magnetic pins that lock it more securely into place.

To further save space, the 2.4GHz dongle that comes with the mouse slots into a bottom compartment. This also meant I wasn’t misplacing it when I wasn't using the dongle.

Four-way scrolling

The scroll wheel moves vertically but also offers the ability to scroll horizontally. It is very responsive, with just the right level of sensitivity. And — as with the clicks — it makes next to no sound during use.

I got a lot of use out of the four-way scroll feature as I’m constantly navigating spreadsheets and playing with image edits in Photoshop. It’s annoying to have to use the on-screen scroll bar to move across the columns, so I appreciate the ESR MagMouse saving me the trouble.

The contoured shape of the mouse and silicone on the sides also meant the mouse was comfortable to hold when using these functions.

Battery and charging

The ESR MagMouse had more than enough battery to get me through a week of work. At the end of a full eight-hour workday, I still had 100% battery. The mouse is rechargeable, which is welcome as it negates any need for disposable batteries, unlike the Razer Pro Click Mini ($79).

As well as housing its own dongle, the MagMouse features a built-in USB-C charging cable tucked underneath. It’s short, but pops out when you need to plug it into your PC’s USB port for a recharge. I wasn’t able to use the mouse while it was charging since the cable is so short, but only charging for a minute gives four hours of charge!

A full charge is rated to last 80 days, and that only takes 45 minutes to achieve. There are mice out there with a far longer battery life, if that is something that is important to you. The Logitech Signature AI Edition M750 ($49), for example, is a powerful mouse with a rated battery life of 24 months.

ESR MagMouse review: The downs

While the ESR MagMouse delivers everything it promises with ease, there are a few minor caveats that got under my skin.

The incessant beep

There is nothing worse than being sat in near silence getting work done and you notice a beep. And not just any beep — one with an irregular pattern and quiet enough that you can’t quite tell where it’s coming from.

So, after I spent an embarrassingly long time looking for the beep, I found it was in fact the mouse. And every time I scrolled, clicked or moved the mouse slightly, sure enough, it would beep at me.

As you can hear in the above audio clip, the sound is actually pretty quiet, it’s just that I was sitting in silence when I noticed it, so I put headphones on and it was all fine. But it’s one of those things that once you know it’s there, it will bug you all the time.

Need to stick magnet to laptop

While I like that the ESR MagMouse can stick to any magnetic surface, to get it to attach to my laptop, you need to stick the magnetic pad to the lid. The pad is reusable and residue-free, so it can be moved between devices, but it’s not an elegant solution.

Although the base is thin, I noticed when taking my laptop in and out of my bag that it would snag on the odd thing, which, like the beeping, is hard to ignore once you know it’s happening regularly. This does obviously depend on your bag and whatever else you choose to carry in there, though.

No left-handed model

Unfortunately, the ESR MagMouse doesn’t have a left-handed model. Lefties are left out a lot of the time when it comes to productivity mice, but there are some other great options.

You could pick up the Corsair M55 RGB Pro ($40) or the Logitech Signature M650 ($39), which is a similar shape to the MagMouse but made for lefties.

ESR MagMouse review: Verdict

The design of the ESR MagMouse is incredibly innovative and saves space and weight in my work bag with a compact and light design. It is also extremely easy to carry as it simply snaps onto the bag of my laptop with the magnetic attachment.

While the incessant beeping isn’t entirely a deal breaker since it is quiet enough to ignore, I found it annoying enough to mention here as a warning. If, unlike me, you’re able to get past it, you’ll find a lot to like about the ESR MagMouse.

It’s a comfortable and portable accessory with solid battery life and a unique way of carrying one less thing around with you. Just beware you’re not going to be able to slide your laptop in and out of any laptop sleeves with quite the same flourish once you’ve got that pad attached.

SteelSeries is well known for making powerful gaming peripherals, and the SteelSeries Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2 is one of them. Succeeding the five-year-old Rival 3, the second-gen model improves on its predecessor by introducing better PTFE skates, extra software features and improved battery life.

The Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2 is great for casual gaming, thanks to 1,000Hz polling and 18,000 DPI. These specs won’t impress pros, but they should satisfy the majority of players. The mouse is extremely comfortable for long periods of time, too — as long as you’re right-handed.

Is this the best gaming mouse for you? Read my full SteelSeries Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2 review to find out.

SteelSeries Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A wireless gaming mouse that improves on its predecessor
• Who is it for? For casual gamers on a budget
• How much does it cost? The SteelSeries Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2 is available for $59 / £54
• What do we like? Its performance in casual gaming, comfortable and sturdy design, long battery life and user-friendly companion software
• What don’t we like? It’s not suitable for pros, its side buttons are very thin and there’s no left-handed version

SteelSeries Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2 review: Specs

SteelSeries Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2 review: The ups

The SteelSeries Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2 is a comfortable mouse that’s great for casual gaming, and its user-friendly companion software makes customization easy.

Comfortable for long sessions

The SteelSeries Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2 sports a lovely, minimalist design. While not much has changed in terms of its design philosophy since the first-gen model, the mouse now comes in four colorways: Black, White, Aqua and Lavender. I tested the Lavender model, which looks really pretty.

You can tell the mouse is sturdy, too, thanks to the high-quality plastic used in its construction. Its underside features three PTFE skates, which reduce friction and enable the mouse to glide effortlessly across various surfaces, such as wood, plastic and glass.

Measuring 4.74 x 2.63 x 1.5 inches, it’s well suited for those with medium or large hands. The mouse weighs 3.73oz with two batteries inserted, which may not be light enough for most gamers. Good news is that the mouse can run on one battery, bringing its weight down to 3.35oz. I personally don’t mind the Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2 being slightly heavy, but if that’s a concern, I’d recommend the Redragon M916 ($44) which weighs 1.7oz.

Regardless, I found the Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2 very comfortable, having used it for a four-hour gaming stint and eight-hour work day. Its matte finish makes it feel premium and look more expensive than it actually is, and it feels soft under my hand. Both palm and claw grips work well with it, and its left- and right-click buttons are wide enough for your fingers to splay.

Great for casual gaming

The SteelSeries Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2 is a great mouse for casual gaming. The mouse utilizes the same TrueMove Air sensor found in its predecessor to deliver a maximum DPI of 18,000 and a 1,000Hz polling rate — hence why I said it’s good for casual gaming, as these should suffice the majority of players. The 1,000Hz polling rate performs well in most titles, as I didn’t experience any input lag or missed inputs in my testing.

I’m not a competitive gamer by any means, so a maximum DPI of 18,000 works well for me and contributes well enough to responsive and fast gameplay. I also appreciate being able to swap between different DPIs via the dedicated button located behind the scroll wheel. The RGB indicator under the scroll wheel lights up when you press the DPI button, providing a visual aid that lets you know what level of DPI you’ve selected.

Even some pricier mice, like the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 ($159), don’t feature an onboard DPI selector, so the Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2 wins some brownie points here.

The DPI levels are also fully customizable via the mouse’s companion software (more on that soon). In close-quarters combat in Hitman and Lies of P, I selected a high DPI of 10,000 so I could quickly turn around or change camera angles when surrounded by enemies. I could then accurately gauge their positions and see if an enemy was coming charging towards me. My knife in Hitman and saber in Lies of P made quick work of the hordes of enemies, too, giving me an edge.

I then opted for a lower DPI, around 400 to 500, when facing off sluggish, large bosses in Lies of P, as they took up most of my laptop’s screen. This also proved handy in Hitman and Counter-Strike 2 when I was very far away from enemies and wanted to use my sniper rifle to execute stealthy headshots. Having a low DPI let me fine-tune my movements and aim extremely precisely.

In Hitman, when my assassination target was surrounded by bodyguards or other NPCs, I didn’t have to bother taking them down as I could pinpoint where I wanted my gun’s bullet to make contact.

Long battery life

For a gaming mouse that costs less than $60, the SteelSeries Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2 boasts fantastic battery life. Not having any flashy RGB lighting contributes to this, of course. Two non-rechargeable batteries are included in the mouse’s box, and like I mentioned up top, the Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2 can run on either one or two batteries. SteelSeries doesn’t specify how long the mouse can run on a single battery, but two batteries should yield 200 hours of juice over 2.4GHz or 400 hours over Bluetooth.

I’m usually not a fan of disposable batteries as they’re harder to recycle effectively, so it’s good to know that you can use rechargeable ones with the Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2 if environmental impact is a concern.

User-friendly companion software

To customize the SteelSeries Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2, you’ll need to download SteelSeries GG on your Windows 11 machine or SteelSeries GG Engine on your macOS laptop. I tested both apps, and both feature clean user interfaces and are straightforward to use. You can use either app to customize the Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2’s keybindings, adjust its DPI levels and record macros.

There are a few extra goodies here, too. You can toggle High-Efficiency Mode, which is a super-low power setting, or Bluetooth Smoothing, which essentially reduces jitters over slower connections. There’s also a Wireless Stability Enhancement toggle, in case you’re using the mouse around several other wireless devices.

Inexpensive

The SteelSeries Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2 is a great mouse for casual gaming, and it’s got the price to match. The Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2 retails for $59 / £54 at Amazon, making it one of the cheapest gaming mice on the market. It’s priced similarly to the Keychron M7 ($49) and the Redragon M916 ($44), and is a fantastic option if you want a mouse that fits into your existing SteelSeries ecosystem.

SteelSeries Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2 review: The downs

The SteelSeries Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2 is a superb mouse, but it isn’t meant for competitive players, its side buttons are very thin and there’s no left-handed version.

Not for the pros

As I mentioned up top, the SteelSeries Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2 is a great mouse for casual gaming, and I’ve loved using it. However, it isn’t meant for competitive players or esports pros. That’s because of its maximum DPI and polling rate, both of which fall short when it comes to providing a competitive edge.

Pro gamers will want both of these key features to be higher, as the Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2’s DPI is limited to just 18,000 and its polling rate clocks in at just 1,000Hz. Now, these numbers aren’t bad at all for casual players, but pros may like 4,000Hz or even 8,000Hz polling to ensure missed inputs are non-existent. It’s worth saving up and investing in a mouse like the NZXT Lift Elite Wireless ($79) or the Fnatic x Lamzu Maya 8K ($119) instead.

Very thin side buttons

One of my gripes with the NZXT Lift Elite Wireless was its pair of wide side buttons that were also quite sensitive, so I kept misclicking them. Well, the SteelSeries Rivel 3 Wireless Gen 2 has the opposite problem. Its side buttons are too thin, and my thumb didn’t fall naturally on them.

This proved frustrating while working and in games. I couldn’t time throwing grenades in Counter-Strike 2 well and missed a few opportunities to take down groups of enemies.

No left-handed version

If I had a nickel for every time I tested a mouse that didn’t have a left-handed version… well, I’d have a lot of nickels. The SteelSeries Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2, much like its rivals, is made for right-handed folks, thanks to the placement of its side buttons.

Unfortunately, there aren’t many ergonomic alternatives available for lefties. I’d recommend grabbing an ambidextrous mouse instead, like the Roccat Kova Aimo ($50), the Corsair M55 RGB Pro ($40) or the BenQ Zowie FK1 ($69).

SteelSeries Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2 review: Verdict

If you want a wireless mouse for casual gaming and don’t want to spend a whole lot of money on it, then the SteelSeries Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2 could be for you. Retailing for just under $60 / £55, the Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2’s 18,000 DPI and 1,000Hz polling perform well in most casual gaming titles. The mouse is extremely comfortable, too, and its long battery life is the cherry on top.

Like I’ve said throughout the review, its specs won’t impress competitive players who might want 8,000Hz polling and 32,000 DPI. Also, the Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2’s side buttons are a little too thin for my liking, and there’s no left-handed version.

As long as you don’t mind these shortcomings, you’ll be happy with SteelSeries’ latest offering. The Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2 is a cheap and cheerful mouse for most people.

The best gaming mice don’t always come cheap, but the NZXT Lift Elite Wireless offers a budget solution for those who want premium features. Costing just under $80, this is a powerful mouse, boasting 8,000Hz polling and 26,000 DPI for competitive gaming. It’s extremely comfortable for long periods of time, and user-friendly companion software makes customization a cinch.

But it suffers from a very common problem, like other gaming mice: there’s no left-handed version. Also, while it’s wireless, there’s no Bluetooth connectivity, and the oversized side buttons may lead to misclicks.

For the complete breakdown, read my full NZXT Lift Elite Wireless review.

NZXT Lift Elite Wireless review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A wireless gaming mouse boasting 8K polling and max 26,000 DPI
• Who is it for? For gamers who want a premium mouse at a non-premium price
• How much does it cost? The NZXT Lift Elite Wireless is available for $79 / £74
• What do we like? It’s lightweight but sturdy, features 8,000Hz polling and a max DPI of 26,000, making it great for gaming, and the companion software is very user-friendly
• What don’t we like? There’s no left-handed version, the oversized side buttons lead to misclicks and there’s no Bluetooth

NZXT Lift Elite Wireless review: Specs

NZXT Lift Elite Wireless review: The ups

From its lightweight yet sturdy body to its 8,000Hz polling and 26,000 DPI, the NZXT Lift Elite Wireless is a powerful rodent.

Lightweight yet sturdy

Many gaming brands utilize honeycomb or perforated designs to scrape some weight off gaming mice. I often describe these designs as divisive because they aren’t everyone’s cup of tea — especially if you’re trypophobic.

Good news is that the NZXT Lift Elite Wireless sports a traditional, full-bodied design, but that doesn’t make it heavy. The mouse weighs 2.01oz, which is actually lighter than the perforated Keychron M3 Mini 4K Metal (2.25oz, $99) and the SteelSeries Aerox 5 (2.6oz, $139).

But its lightweight design doesn’t deter from its sturdiness. The Lift Elite Wireless’ plastic chassis feels solid. I didn’t hear any creaking (or squeaking, since it’s a mouse) when I squeezed it as hard as I could, so it should stand the test of time.

Comfortable for long periods

The NZXT Lift Elite Wireless measures 4.68 x 2.39 x 1.51 inches, so it may be slightly small for those with bigger hands. As someone with medium-sized hands, I found the mouse extremely comfortable to hold and use, even for long periods of gaming and working. I’d recommend a longer mouse if you have bigger hands, like the Keychron M7 ($49).

I also appreciate that NZXT doesn’t call this mouse “ergonomic” (as there’s no thumb rest), unlike some brands (looking at you, Cherry XTRFY M50 Wireless).

NZXT says that both the claw and fingertip grip should work fine with this mouse, and they both do. I’m more of a palm grip gal and found that comfortable, too. The left- and right-click buttons are wide enough for your fingers to splay as much as you want. If you want an even better grip, two pieces of grip tape are included in the box. Hundreds of small bumps on the textured sides help you grip the mouse better, too.

Great for gaming

The NZXT Lift Elite Wireless can handle any game you can think of, whether that’s an open-world RPG or an FPS title. The mouse utilizes PixArt PAW3395 sensor to deliver a maximum of 26,000 DPI and either 4,000Hz (2.4G) or 8,000Hz polling, making it a powerful mouse for competitive gaming. I tested the mouse by playing games at both 4,000Hz and 8,000Hz polling, and not once did I notice any input lag or missed inputs.

If you want an even higher DPI, like 32,000, the Cooler Master MM720 ($46) may be more your speed. 26,000 DPI is still excellent for ultra-responsive gameplay. To swap between different DPI values, simply click the bright purple button on the mouse’s underside. You can also customize the five assigned values via NZXT CAM (more on that in a second).

I really appreciate being able to adjust the DPI on the fly, as the absence of one was one of my primary criticisms of the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 ($159). I used the DPI button a lot in Counter-Strike 2 and Hitman. I set the DPI to 10,000 when I was in close-quarters combat in the latter. I was able to chop down enemies easily and quickly with my knife, even when I was surrounded by several of them — overwhelmed, even. But the Lift Elite Wireless made quick work of it.

When I needed to execute precise headshots in the games, I swapped to a low DPI of 400. I have naturally shaky hands, and wielding a sniper rifle and aiming at an enemy’s head in Counter-Strike 2 requires steadiness. Using such a low DPI ensured that my movements were extremely precise. I was able to line up shots perfectly and with ease.

I also like the textured scroll wheel with its spacious gaps, which makes going through busy weapon inventories easy. It takes some effort to press the clickable scroll wheel, which I appreciate, as that means you won’t accidentally click it without meaning to.

User-friendly companion software

You’ll need to download NZXT CAM on your Windows machine to customize the NZXT Lift Elite Wireless mouse. I recently used it to customize the NZXT Function Elite MiniTKL ($199) keyboard, and I found the software extremely clean and intuitive to use. Like I mentioned earlier, this is where you can adjust the five DPI values.

You can also remap four of the six buttons, record macros, choose one of six polling rates, and adjust the lift-off height. There are also five customizable profiles that you can save to the Lift Elite Wireless’ onboard memory.

Competitively priced

The NZXT Lift Elite Wireless can be best described as a midrange mouse, retailing for $79 / £74 at Amazon, and we’ve also seen it drop to $59 in the past. It offers the aforementioned powerful features at a competitive price, especially if you can’t afford pricier rodents, like the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 or the Razer Viper V3 ($159). The Lift Elite Wireless is priced similarly to the Cherry XTRFY M50 Wireless ($69) and the Fantech Aria XD7 ($78).

When we reviewed the Fnatic x Lamzu Maya 8K ($119), we noted that, at the time of writing, it was the cheapest 8K mouse available on the market. Well, Fnatic’s offering has just been dethroned by NZXT’s — now, the Lift Elite Wireless is the cheapest way to get 8,000Hz polling.

NZXT Lift Elite Wireless review: The downs

There isn’t a lot wrong with the NZXT Lift Elite Wireless, but there’s no left-handed version, the oversized side buttons lead to misclicks, and there’s no Bluetooth connectivity.

No left-handed version

My left-handed comrades are left out once again. The NZXT Lift Elite Wireless is suitable for right-handed folks because of the placement of the side buttons, but there’s no left-handed version — much like nearly every other gaming mouse I’ve tested. Of course, lefties can still try using this mouse, but I can’t imagine it would be very comfortable.

If you do want a left-handed gaming mouse, I’d recommend an ambidextrous mouse, like the Roccat Kova Aimo ($50), the Corsair M55 RGB Pro ($40) or the BenQ Zowie FK1 ($69). Unfortunately, there aren’t many options to choose from.

Oversized side buttons

There are two buttons located along the NZXT Lift Elite Wireless’ left edge, and I found them easy to reach with my thumb. But what’s a little frustrating is that the buttons are quite big and sensitive, so I kept clicking them unintentionally.

For instance, I had remapped one of the side buttons to throw a grenade in Counter-Strike 2 — and guess what happened when I very unintentionally clicked it while in hiding? I gave away my position and my character instantly got shot down by enemies.

This also happened while working, where clicking the buttons navigated to either the next or previous browser page, breaking my flow of work.

No Bluetooth

The NZXT Lift Elite Wireless sacrifices Bluetooth connectivity to retain an active 2.4GHz channel and a USB-C port for wired play. This may be frustrating for some players who want to use the mouse on the go or while traveling — especially because you can’t slot the dongle into the mouse so you must remember to keep it safe.

If you want Bluetooth connectivity, the Glorious Model O 2 ($99), the Redragon M916 Pro ($44) and the Fnatic x Lamzu Maya 8K are fantastic alternatives. All three are extremely lightweight — lighter than the Lift Elite Wireless, actually — and boast powerful specs for both casual and competitive gaming.

NZXT Lift Elite Wireless review: Verdict

As wireless gaming mice go, the NZXT Lift Elite Wireless is one of the best you can buy right now — and it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg either. For under $80, you’re getting 8,000Hz polling that negates missed inputs, and max 26,000 DPI for ultra-responsive gameplay. The mouse is also very comfortable to use for long periods of time… as long as you’re not left-handed.

Is there anything wrong with it? Nothing too major, really. There’s no Bluetooth connectivity, which might be an issue for some folks, and in my testing, the oversized side buttons were so sensitive that I accidentally clicked them a few times.

But if you want premium gaming features and don’t want to burn a hole in your pocket on the likes of the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2, I can’t think of a better mouse than the Lift Elite Wireless. It has quickly become my favorite rodent.

Nobody likes the thought of dealing with a pest problem, especially when you’ve spotted the telltale signs you have mice.

As the weather warms up, this also marks the peak of the breeding season for mice and rats. Since pests are always in search of warmth, sources of food and shelter, rodents can easily make their way into your property through holes and cracks.

But if you don’t want to spend a fortune on pest control call-outs, there is a simple, and cheaper hack that could keep rodents out — and this costs as little as $1.

Super steel wool

According to experts, all you need is steel wool.

Although we might often clean with this handy scourer, this non-toxic material can be used to block any entry points and gaps around the home, preventing rodents from getting inside.

In addition, while rodents are known to chew through just about anything, this is the one material that they can’t sink their teeth into.

"Mice can squeeze through the tiniest gaps, but one material they can't chew through is steel wool," says Chris Hutton, storage expert at Adam Selfstore to the Express.

“Just pack gaps around pipes or skirting boards with steel wool and seal with caulk for extra protection."

Not only can rats and mice become a nuisance, but they can cause serious damage to your property by chewing on woodwork, electrical cables or gas and water pipes.

Steel wool makes a simple yet effective barrier to seal any potential entry points for unwanted pests. This can be bought for as little as $1 in your local homeware store or you can buy in bulk online.

Simply go around your home and yard looking for any entry points that could invite rodents in. These could include holes or gaps in brickwork, baseboards, around pipes and vent openings.

Then tightly fill with steel wool, sealing any small holes in your foundation, siding, and doorway. If you want extra protection, you can also use caulk or strong adhesive.

In addition, you could also use weather-stripping such as Foam Insulation Tape, Weather Stripping Door Seal Strip as a barrier around doorways. The more difficult you make it for rodents to enter your property, the less likely they will return.

Alternatively, essential oils such as peppermint, lavender or citronella are known to repel rodents too.

So if you don’t want to attract rats and mice to your home this season, this simple steel wool hack might keep them out for good.

More from Tom's Guide

• How to get rid of mice in your home
• 5 foods that attract mice to your kitchen
• 7 things that attract rats and mice to your home

Mouse infestations develop surprisingly fast once these small rodents establish themselves in your living space. Your home offers ideal conditions for these unwanted guests: abundant food, cozy shelter, and countless places to hide.

Without prompt intervention, mice cause significant damage by contaminating food supplies, chewing through belongings, and potentially spreading harmful diseases.

Taking swift action is essential to prevent a small mouse problem from becoming a major infestation. And with a few targeted changes and consistent upkeep, you can reclaim your space and keep it mouse-free for good.

Here's five steps you can take to get rid of mice in your home.

Now you've learned the five proven steps to get rid of mice in your home, why not take a look at our other useful guides?

Consider making your outdoor space more wildlife-friendly with 7 tips for attracting more hummingbirds into your yard and this simple hack will keep your bird bath clean and algae free. And don't miss how to revive a dying houseplant.

I've been playing PC games since I was a kid, but until recently I never felt great doing so on a TV.

It's not that I don't love dragging a computer into the living room—my apartment is so small that ease of access could be considered a selling point of the floor plan.

As part of my work here at Tom's Guide I get to review some of the best gaming laptops you can buy, too, so I often have a chance to plop one down on the coffee table and play a bit of Cyberpunk 2077 on the big screen.

But even though I love my LG C1 OLED TV, I've never loved the experience of navigating Windows 11 on a big 65-inch screen that's ten feet away. Either I have to awkwardly lean forward to use a mouse and keyboard on the coffee table, or I have to balance a laptop or lap tray on my couch.

It's doable, but enough of a hassle that I didn't take advantage of all that PC gaming on the big screen has to offer—until now.

Elecom Relacon to the rescue

See, the folks at Elecom recently sent me a couple of trackballs to test and since I'm also reviewing the 2025 Corsair Vengeance i8300 desktop, I figured I'd give their handheld Relacom wireless trackball mouse a shot.

It's a selfish mission, because Corsair make some of the best gaming PCs on the market and I wanted to do my hands-on testing from the comfort of the couch. So when Elecom sent over a Relacom with the 2.4 Ghz wireless dongle, I couldn't resist.

This little 4-ounce optical mouse looks like nothing so much as a TV remote, but there's a bright red trackball on top. It sits up near the front of the mouse in easy reach of your thumb, and below it two buttons stick out of the front of the device.

In my hand it sort of feels like one half of an Xbox Series X controller, except the triggers are the left and right mouse buttons. The chassis is cheap plastic and the trackball rattles a bit in the frame, so it doesn't feel quite as sturdy as your average game console controller.

But I've been using it for weeks now and the Relacon has yet to bend, flex or otherwise feel flimsy in my big mitts.

I've come to really love using this thing over a cheaper wireless trackball mouse because it's a lot more comfortable and easy to use on the couch.

Normally, I'd have to plop a trackball on the coffee table or couch arm to fiddle with Windows or play something like Civilization VII on my TV. But with the Relacon I can just plug the USB-A dongle into the PC, kick back and mouse around however I feel most comfortable.

The ten buttons are reassignable via the free (and good) Elecom Mouse Assistant software, and the three DPI settings (500, 1,000 and 1,500) give me some latitude for customizing the speed of the mouse cursor to feel comfortable on the big screen.

And while I haven't had a chance yet to really see how good the battery life is, I have to imagine this cheap handheld mouse can go for years on the included pair of AAA batteries. I'll update this article if I encounter any unwelcome surprises down the road, but after weeks of use I think the Relacon might be the best wireless mouse I've tried yet for PC gaming on the couch.

More from Tom's Guide

• Nvidia's DLSS is a game-changer for PC gaming - here's how it works
• I just tested Doom: The Dark Ages on an RTX 5090 PC — and I’m still in shock
• 5 hidden features on Steam I wish I knew about sooner

The Cherry XTRFY M50 Wireless is one of the best gaming mice today — but what qualifies it as such? Firstly, it’s an extremely comfortable mouse (as long as you’re right-handed) suited to both palm and claw grips. It boasts fantastic specs, with a maximum DPI of 12,000 that’s suitable for most casual gaming titles, and a 1,000Hz polling rate that negates the possibility of input lag.

Perhaps the cherry on top of the cake (see what I did there?) is its price. The M50 Wireless costs less than $70, so it certainly won’t break the bank. It also boasts long battery life and comes with user-friendly software. But sadly, there’s no left-handed version, and the lack of 4,000Hz/8,000Hz polling means competitive gamers may want to consider other options.

For the complete breakdown, read my full Cherry XTRFY M50 Wireless review.

Cherry XTRFY M50 Wireless review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A wireless gaming mouse from German gaming giant Cherry
• Who is it for? For casual gamers looking for a cheap wireless mouse
• How much does it cost? Not a lot. The Cherry XTRFY M50 Wireless is available for $69 / £48
• What do we like? The comfortable and low-key design, performance in casual gaming, user-friendly companion software and long battery life
• What don’t we like? There’s no left-handed version and it isn’t for competitive players

Cherry XTRFY M50 Wireless review: Specs

Cherry XTRFY M50 Wireless review: The ups

From its low-key, comfortable design to its (casual) gaming performance, the Cherry XTRFY M50 Wireless is a powerful mouse.

Low-key design

Many gaming mice sport honeycomb or perforated designs, which may not be everyone’s cup of tea — like the Glorious Model O 2 ($99) and the Keychron M3 Mini 4K Metal ($99). Not the Cherry XTRFY M50 Wireless.

This mouse is very minimalist, sporting either an all-black or all-white design, with a strip of RGB lighting wrapping around its lower half. By default, the RGB strip glows red, but it can be customized via the companion software (more on that soon).

There aren’t a lot of buttons on the mouse’s body either — just five. I really like the textured scroll wheel, which is comfortable to use. It’s also a 4D tilt wheel, so you can move it side-to-side for horizontal scrolling. I found myself using it a lot when going through spreadsheets for work, and it comes in handy navigating chunky in-game menus or inventories, too.

Ergonomic and comfortable

The Cherry XTRFY M50 Wireless is one of the most comfortable mice I’ve used, thanks to its right-handed symmetrical design. Cherry says the mouse sports an ergonomic design, but to be frank, it doesn’t have a thumb rest or any striking ergonomic features per se — but like I said, it’s still mighty comfy. I prefer using a palm grip that was perfect for this mouse, as my hand fell almost naturally, but the claw grip also feels great.

Its plastic shell feels soft to touch, and all of the buttons give good tactile feedback when pressed. I also appreciate how wide the left- and right-click buttons are, as they gave my fingers some wiggle room.

The mouse measures 4.8 x 2.48 x 1.53 inches, so it’s a good size for those with small- or medium-sized hands. I belong to the latter category and felt very comfortable throughout the testing period. I’d recommend a slightly longer mouse, like the Keychron M7 ($49) if you have bigger hands.

I also appreciate that, unlike the Cherry M68 ($99), the USB-C charging port is located on the M50 Wireless’ front bumper so you can use the mouse just as comfortably while it’s charging. Overall, I think Cherry has nailed the design.

Great for (casual) gaming

For a cheap mouse, the Cherry XTRFY M50 Wireless is great for casual gaming, especially FPS titles and RPGs. The mouse utilizes the Pixart 3311 sensor, which delivers a maximum of 12,000 DPI and a 1,000Hz polling rate.

I say casual gaming exactly for these two reasons: competitive gamers will want either 4,000Hz or 8,000Hz polling, and they’ll also want a maximum DPI of 26,000 or even 32,000. I’ll discuss both of these factors in detail later, but let’s focus on the things the M50 Wireless does right for now.

Located behind the scroll wheel and between the left- and right-click buttons is the dedicated DPI button. Pressing this lets you cycle through five different levels, and these can be customized via the companion software. Say you want to be super quick in close-quarters combat in Hitman or Counter-Strike 2. A higher DPI will help you move quicker.

To test this out, I set the DPI to 10,000 in Hitman. When I was surrounded by several enemies, it came in clutch. I could quickly turn around and slash them with my knife. With one of the best gaming keyboards under my hand, I could then quickly swap between weapons and equip a gun, and rapidly shoot down enemies.

On the other hand, if you want to make very precise movements while wielding a sniper rifle from a distance, swapping to a lower DPI can help. For example, I opted for a low DPI of 300 in Hitman when such a situation arose.

Taking a headshot when your target is far away and surrounded by other NPCs is always tricky, but aiming with a heavy sniper rifle proved effortless thanks to the M50 Wireless — I was able to line up the shot perfectly.

User-friendly companion software

If you own any other Cherry peripherals, like a keyboard, you’ll be familiar with the Cherry Utility software. For those who don’t, this app serves as the main hub for customizing Cherry mice and keyboards. Alas, it isn’t available on macOS machines, so while you can still use the Cherry XTRFY M50 Wireless with your MacBook, you’ll need access to a Windows machine to personalize the mouse.

The software is extremely easy to use thanks to its clean interface and clear signposting. You can choose from four different RGB effects, record macros, remap buttons, update the M50 Wireless’ firmware, assign five DPI values to the button, choose polling rate and save five different profiles to the mouse’s internal memory.

Long battery life

If you want a mouse that will keep going and going, the good news is that the Cherry XTRFY M50 Wireless boasts long battery life. According to Cherry, the mouse’s 500mAh rechargeable battery should last you up to 100 hours when using the 2.4GHz dongle — depending on settings and gaming style, of course.

That is a lot — it’s almost comparable to pricier mice. For instance, the Glorious Model D2 ($99) can last up to 110 hours. It’s also better than the Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless ($50), whose battery life is rated at 60 hours.

I plan on using this mouse long-term so I will update this review with the testing figures as and when I have them.

Cherry XTRFY M50 Wireless review: The downs

Sadly, there’s no left-handed version and competitive gamers may want to consider other premium mice with 4,000Hz or 8,000Hz polling.

No left-handed version

If I had a nickel for every time I tested a mouse that was made only for right-handed folks… Well, I’d have a lot of nickels. Most mice — gaming or productivity oriented — aren’t designed for left-handed folks due to the placement of the side buttons. Since there are no side buttons on the Cherry XTRFY M50 Wireless’ right edge, it can’t be used by lefties. Not comfortably, at least.

This isn’t an uncommon practice though, as many gaming mice, like the Glorious Model D2 or the Redragon M916 ($44), sport right-handed designs only. If you do want a left-handed gaming mouse, I’d recommend the Roccat Kova Aimo ($50).

Not for competitive gamers

Like I said up top, the Cherry XTRFY M50 Wireless should satisfy most casual gamers. The reason why it isn’t ideal for competitive gamers or professional esports players is because of its polling rate and maximum DPI.

Players who need an edge will want a maximum DPI of 26,000 or even 32,000 for ultra-responsive gameplay, and perhaps a polling rate of 4,000Hz or 8,000Hz for zero latency issues. But it’s also worth asking yourself, “Do I even need 8,000Hz?”

Good news is that you don’t need to spend a fortune on, say, the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 ($159) to get these premium features. Budget options include the Keychron M3 Mini 4K Metal, the Redragon M916 and the Fnatic x Lamzu Maya 8K ($119). All three are fantastic mice with high DPI values and polling rates up to 8,000Hz.

Cherry XTRFY M50 Wireless review: Verdict

As I said earlier, I plan on using the Cherry XTRFY M50 Wireless as my daily driver at work thanks to just how comfortable I’ve found it. It’s perfect for those with small- or medium-sized hands, and its low-key design with minimal RGB lighting helps it blend into most environments.

The M50 Wireless really impressed me with its strong gaming performance — in casual titles, at least. Its customizable maximum 12,000 DPI and 1,000Hz polling are fantastic and work as intended. I love how user-friendly the companion software is, too.

If you’re right-handed and aren’t a competitive gamer — and don’t mind the Windows-only software — I highly recommend the M50 Wireless. I know this mouse will remain on my desk for a while.

Gaming tech giant Glorious is well-known for creating great keyboards and mice that give you the edge, but the Glorious Model D2 has left me with mixed feelings. There are a lot of things this mouse gets right. You get 26,000 DPI and a 1,000Hz polling rate, both of which give you an edge in FPS games and RPGs. User-friendly software makes customization a walk in the park.

The mouse itself is very comfortable, too — for right-handed people, at least. Sadly, there’s no left-handed version, and trypophobes beware: the perforated design may not please you. And while you get a 2.4GHz dongle for wireless connectivity, there’s no slot on the mouse to store it.

Is it the best wireless gaming mouse for you? Read my full Glorious Model D2 review to find out.

Glorious Model D2 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A super lightweight gaming mouse with a right-handed ergonomic design
• Who is it for? For gamers needing a lightweight mouse
• How much does it cost? The Glorious Model D2 is available for $99 / £89
• What do we like? The lightweight yet sturdy build, comfortable design, user-friendly companion software and great gaming performance
• What don’t we like? No left-handed version, no onboard dongle storage and the divisive design

Glorious Model D2 review: Specs

Glorious Model D2 review: The ups

From its lightweight yet sturdy design to its 26,000 DPI and 1,000Hz that deliver fantastic gaming performance, the Glorious Model D2 gets a lot right.

Light as a feather

If you’re looking for a lightweight gaming mouse, they rarely come lighter than the Glorious Model D2. This mouse weighs just 2.32oz. That’s lighter than the Glorious Model O2 ($99), which weighs 2.39oz, but slightly heavier than the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 ($159), which weighs 2.11oz.

But don’t let that fool you into believing the mouse isn’t sturdy. It’s made of high-quality plastic that feels pleasant to touch. The Model D2 is also fitted with PTFE skates — a low friction, hydrophobic material that’s resistant to wear and chemicals. These help the mouse glide effortlessly across a variety of surfaces, such as glass, wood and plastic.

Ergonomic and comfortable

The Glorious Model D2 is a very comfortable mouse, sporting a right-handed ergonomic design. It measures 5 x 2.6 x 1.7 inches, so, for someone with medium-sized hands like me, it’s just the right size. The mouse can be used with either a palm or claw grip, according to Glorious, and both were comfortable in my testing.

The left- and right-click buttons are wide enough for my fingers to comfortably sit on, and pressing anywhere registers the command. The side buttons, located on the left edge of the mouse, give good tactile feedback, too.

Overall, the Model D2 is extremely comfortable, for right-handed people at least.

Great for gaming

The Glorious Model D2 is a fantastic mouse for FPS games and RPGs. The mouse utilizes the Glorious BAMF 2.0 Sensor, which delivers a maximum DPI of 26,000. The 1,000Hz polling rate negates any latency issues, too. If you want 8K polling, you’ll have to spend extra on the likes of the Fnatic x Lamzu Maya 8K ($119), but you don’t always need that high a polling rate. 1,000Hz should suffice for most players.

There’s a dedicated DPI button between the left- and right-click buttons, which lets you cycle between six presets. I appreciate this as it lets you quickly swap between a low or high DPI on the fly, depending on the game you’re playing. For instance, in Counter-Strike 2, I swapped to a lower DPI (400) when using a sniper rifle so I could slow down my movement to aim more accurately.

But in a fast-paced scenario, such as being surrounded by enemies in Hitman, I pressed the button to switch to a higher DPI (10,000) so that I could quickly turn and slash enemies with my knife. Taking headshots in quick succession was easy as pie, thanks to the lightning-fast DPI. With my silencer pistol equipped and the Model D2 at hand, Agent 47 became unstoppable.

The Model D2 fares well in games that require precise mouse control, such as Baldur’s Gate 3. Being able to rapidly click where you want your character to move is made easy by the crisp optical switches.

User-friendly companion software

If you want to customize the Glorious Model D2, you’ll need to download Glorious Core 2.1 on either a Windows or macOS machine. When I reviewed the Model O2, I marked it down for its Windows-only companion software, so it’s nice to see that a macOS version is available now.

The software is very easy to use, and this is where you can change the RGB lighting, remap the six buttons, adjust the DPI and polling rate, and update the mouse’s firmware. The Model D2’s memory can store up to three custom profiles, so you can set one for work and for playing RPGs and FPS titles, for example.

Glorious Model D2 review: The downs

While the Glorious Model D2 does a lot of things right, it has a few shortcomings. Its design won’t please everyone, it doesn’t come with a dongle slot, and there’s no left-handed variant.

Divisive design

The Glorious Model D2’s design is divisive, to say the least. It sports a perforated honeycomb design that may not be for everyone. I, personally, am not a fan of honeycomb mice because I don’t like the fact that you can see dust and grime build up over time. If you’re trypophobic, I’d recommend avoiding the Model D2.

There are similarly priced alternatives with solid designs out there, like the Fnatic x Lamzu Maya 8K, the Keychron M7 ($49) and the Keychron M3 Mini 4K Metal ($99).

No left-handed version

To my left-handed comrades, I hate to break it to you, but there’s no left-handed variant of the Glorious Model D2, which may make you consider other options. There are no thumb buttons on the right side of the mouse, as is the case with all other mice Glorious has to offer.

This seems like a missed opportunity to me. If you’re a leftie and need a left-handed gaming mouse, consider the Roccat Kova Aimo ($50).

No slot for dongle

You’d be surprised by how many mice I test that come with 2.4GHz dongles for wireless connectivity but without anywhere to store them on their body. And yes, it’s very easy to lose the dongle and not always the easiest to find a replacement. The Glorious Model D2 suffers from the same problem, just like the Model O2.

Mice that are half the price, like the Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless ($50) and the Logitech G305 ($60), have slots on their underside where you can store their dongles. I wish the Model D2 did, too. I can see not doing so for weight-saving reasons, but I’d rather take a slightly heavier build with dongle storage than none at all.

Glorious Model D2 review: Verdict

The Glorious Model D2 isn’t the best gaming mouse I’ve tried, but it isn’t the worst either. It boasts 26,000 DPI and 1,000Hz polling, which make it great for RPGs and FPS titles. It fared very well in my testing, and I found its right-handed ergonomic design very comfortable. Its companion software is intuitive and straightforward to use, making customization a breeze.

But it isn’t the most aesthetically pleasing design — especially if you don’t like perforated mice. I’m also not sold on the fact that there isn’t a left-handed version of the mouse. Oh, there’s no slot to stash the 2.4GHz dongle into either.

At the end of the day, the Model D2 is a middle-of-the-road mouse that will impress some and leave others feeling short-changed.

If you’ve always wondered why your computer mouse doesn’t produce an aroma, then you’ll be delighted to know that Asus is about to release a “Fragrance Mouse” sometime this spring.

Okay, you’ve probably never considered the existence of a mouse that produces scents, but if you’re into quirky tech or enjoy pleasant smells, this peripheral could be one of the best mice for you.

How the Fragrance Mouse works

As The Verge reports, Asus actually announced two fragrance devices at CES 2025: this mouse and the equally scent-producing Asus Adol 14 Air Fragrance Edition laptop.

The latter is only being released in China, but according to Asus, the mouse should arrive in late April or early May. It’s a shame we’re not getting this aromatic combo outside of China, but perhaps that will change.

There's a compartment on the underside that holds a refillable vial that you can fill with whichever aromatic oils you want. Asus says you can remove the vial to wash it and refill it with different scents.

The mouse also produces lighting from the underside, which sounds like a nice touch.

So how is it as a mouse?

The Fragrance Mouse itself has the standard features you’d want in one of the best wireless mice. It has a scroll wheel and two buttons in a fairly ergonomic chassis, which you can get in “Iridescent White” or “Rose Clay.”

The mouse supports wireless connectivity over Bluetooth, but you can also connect directly to your computer via the 2.4GHz wireless USB dongle.

You can adjust the DPI from 1200, 1600 and 2400, which is pretty good for most users. A single AA battery powers the mouse. Asus claims the mouse has a 10-million click lifespan and that the peripheral’s switches have a low-noise design for “almost silent” mouse clicks.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tried 9 different trackball mice
• You can customize your Mac mouse pointer
• Apple's next Magic Mouse will reportedly fix its biggest design blunder

Here at Tom's Guide we've been hard at work all week reviewing tech, from some of the best soundbars through to the one of the best smartwatches for Android: the latest OnePlus Watch 3. I even got my hands (literally) on a manual coffee grinder from Wacaco, so every day has been arm day this week. Thankfully, almost everything we've reviewed this week has earned a decent score, which makes me happy — firstly, because we love great tech here; but also because testing cruddy gear isn't usually the most enjoyable experience.

I'm Pete Wolinski, reviews editor here at Tom's Guide. Me and my team of tech experts review tech products all day every day, thoroughly testing them to find out whether they're worth the money, or whether you should avoid them altogether. Maybe you'll see something here you've been eyeing up, and our analysis can help you make your decision. We'll link full reviews to everything we cover here so you can get the full lowdown.

Without further ado, here is what the Tom's Guide reviewing team tested this week.

What Tom's Guide tested this week: Highlights

Sony HT-S2000 ★★★★½

As someone who watches way too much TV and plays a lot of video games, I need a sound system that makes me feel like the Avengers are fighting in my living room. My TV’s speakers can be described as ‘okay’ at best, so my solution? Hooking up the Sony HT-S2000 to my 43-inch screen, and when I tell you this soundbar blew me away, I mean it. With Dolby Atmos support, it felt like I was back in the theatre, watching Top Gun: Maverick again and hearing jets like they were whoosh-ing right past me.

For $499, and sometimes down to $298 (like, right now), the 3.1-channel HT-S2000 comes with a built-in subwoofer for booming bass. But dialogues sounds crystal-clear too, as I found while watching Interstellar — and yes, I did cry when Cooper was listening to his children’s messages. And the HT-S2000 played a big role in that, ensuring I heard Cooper’s soft cries clearly as Hans Zimmer’s brilliant OST reached its crescendo. Also, with three bass levels and dedicated Night and Voice Modes, you can customize the kind of sound you want. I love heavy bass, so I turned the bass up to max which made explosions and loud sound effects sound mind-blowing — even when you aren’t watching Atmos content.

If you can’t afford the likes of the Sonos Arc Ultra, the HT-S2000 is a superb alternative that doesn’t break the bank. It has completely transformed the way I consume media — how am I supposed to go back to my TV’s built-in speakers now?!

By Nikita Achanta — Check out Nikita’s full Sony HT-S2000 review.

OnePlus Watch 3 ★★★★½

The first OnePlus Watch was a bit of a mess, and the OnePlus Watch 2 managed to turn things around for the company’s wearables. And now the OnePlus Watch 3 has arrived to deliver the last little bit of refinement needed to make this one of the best smartwatches you can buy.

Compatible with any Android phone, the OnePlus Watch 3 offers users a handsome steel/titanium design, a big and bright display and all kinds of workout and sleep tracking options, and all for a below average price. Where the watch excels is its battery life, which can last between five and 12 days depending on how heavily you use it. The ability to track your heart health or take an overall picture of your wellbeing with the 60-second check-in feature are novel features that other smartwatches don’t offer.

Other than this being a non-starter for iPhone users, the OnePlus Watch 3 may not be a good choice for users who want a more compact wearable, or one with cellular connectivity. Other than picking one of two colors, the 46.6mm WiFi version is the only one that’s available. The lack of sleep apnea, fall detection or crash detection, features found on rival smartwatches, may also be a deal-breaker, but OnePlus has at least announced sleep apnea detection is on the way pending regulatory approval.

Most smartphone brands also make smartwatches these days. But the OnePlus Watch 3 has a lot going for it that could make going outside your usual ecosystem the smartest option for you.

By Richard Priday — Read Richard's full OnePlus Watch 3 review.

Corsair M75 (Mac) ★★★★½

MacBooks have been my daily driver at work and at home since 2013, and I’m no stranger to the (small) world of Apple gaming. With Apple finally bringing AAA titles to its lineup, it’s only fitting that there be a minimalist-looking gaming mouse to go with the just-as-elegant MacBook/iMac, right? Enter the Corsair M75 for Mac.

Retaining many of the features as the original M75, the Mac variant comes in a stunning Glacier Blue colorway — or in white, for all the boring people out there. I only kid, of course, but the Glacier Blue does look like a beaut. The mouse’s prowess lies in its 26,000 DPI which can be changed on the fly with the button on its underside. And the 1,000Hz polling rate ensures you don’t encounter any latency issues in the likes of Counter-Strike 2 or Lies of P. Also, you can enable angle snapping via iCUE: vertical movements are negated if you move your mouse horizontally, so chances of under or over-shooting a target are minimized. This is a solid peripheral that has potential to be the best wireless gaming mouse for Mac.

The M75 (Mac) is fitted with responsive optical switches too, and the mouse itself is mighty comfortable, with wide buttons and a matte-finish body that feels soft in my hand. Oh also, the buttons on the side? They’re magnetic so you can swap them out with the extras in the box, depending on the texture you want. I loved testing the M75 (Mac) so much that it’s become part of my home office.

By Nikita Achanta — Read Nikita’s full Corsair M75 (Mac) review.

Deezer ★★★★

\Amongst the ever-widening breadth of music streamers, Deezer feels like one of the more interesting ones. I, for one, wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I did, given it lacks the incredibly hi-res streaming capabilities of the likes of Tidal and Qobuz, my current most used musical companions.

What I found was a platform that oozes character and style, with a color scheme and design that speaks to my inner clubber and gig-goer. It’s brash, neon purple, and has a personality that’s all its own when you look at it next to the likes of Spotify and Apple Music.

My Deezer highlight are the social features. Sharing playlists and listening to music with your friends is great fun, and then there are the extra music quizzes that test your knowledge compared to the rest of the Deezer userbase. It’s loads and loads of fun, and really gives Deezer something over the competition.

Look, I’m not going to say that I’ve switched from my personal favorite streamers — the streaming quality is good, not incredible, and the library isn’t as big as my chosen options. But I did think about it, and I have my eye on Deezer to see what kind of updates it might bring to the table.

By Tammy Rogers — Read Tammy’s full Deezer review.

Wacaco Exagrind ★★★★

I gotta admit, I didn't have particularly high hopes for the Wacaco Exagrind. See, I'm one of those espresso nerds who has invested a great deal of his time and money into coffee gear — lucky that I get to test some of the best espresso machines and best coffee grinders around then, huh. As such, I know that a coffee grinder is the single most important piece of kit in your brewing arsenal, and that good ones often don't come cheap.

Now, the Wacaco Exagrind is cheap, or at least affordable — as far as premium hand coffee grinders go anyway. At $119, it's lower mid range versus the benchmarks in this arena: the Commandante C40 ($329) and the 1Zpresso K-Ultra ($259). For that price, I was expecting middling espresso performance and a grinder that's better suited to brew methods with cruder grind requirements: pour over or French press. How wrong I was.

The Exagrind isn't perfect. I'll start by saying that. It showed a little inconsistency in our grind tests, but nothing major, and its spread of grind sizes was more or less in the region it should've been. It also demonstrated a bit of retention and some static/clumping, too. But again nothing major.

In absolutely everything I threw at it, though, the Exagrind held its own. Espresso, Turkish coffee, French Press, Chemex, V60, Aeropress: the little Exagrind's 38mm steel conical burrs produced the goods. It features easy and very precise adjustment, excellent build quality, and is small and light enough to take on your travels (which I did). It was also perfect for use with certain Wacaco espresso makers, particularly the Nanopresso, whose portafilter basket lines up precisely with the Exagrind's grounds chamber. Sure, if you want the best of the best, you'll need to spend a little more, but if you want a totally capable and versatile hand grinder that'll suit almost every style of coffee you can imagine, and you don't want to break the bank, the Exagrind is a solid choice.

By Pete Wolinski — Read Pete's full Wacaco Exagrind review.

Also tested

More from Tom's Guide

• 5 reasons to buy the iPhone 16e — and 3 reasons to skip
• I just tried this USB-C dongle that brings the headphone jack back to your phone — and it makes my music sound way better
• A new feature is cropping up on several new smart TVs — and you’ll want to turn it off immediately

The Corsair M75, alongside the K65 Plus keyboard, has received the Cupertino treatment as the Mac-specific variant comes in a stunning new design that helps it fit right into your existing Apple ecosystem. It retains many of the base model’s features while introducing two new colorways, and performance that’s hard to beat.

This is one of the best wireless gaming mice (a lot of) money can buy right now. In exchange, you get a 1,000Hz poll rate and maximum 26,000 DPI sensitivity, making for great gaming performance across several genres. The detailed iCUE software allows for in-depth customization while being user-friendly, and the mouse itself is very comfortable to use.

For the complete breakdown, read my full Corsair M75 (Mac) review.

Corsair M75 (Mac) review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A wireless gaming mouse with swappable magnetic side buttons
• Who is it for? Gamers on macOS
• How much does it cost? The Corsair M75 (Mac) is available for $129
• What do we like? The lovely, minimalist design with low-key branding, comfortable body, 26,000 DPI that delivers excellent gaming performance, and detailed companion software
• What don’t we like? Polling is limited to 1,000Hz only

Corsair M75 (Mac) review: Specs

Corsair M75 (Mac) review: The ups

From its lovely and comfortable design to its 26,000 DPI and fantastic gaming performance, the Corsair M75 (Mac) is a must-have for macOS gamers.

Lovely design

If you’re looking for a gaming mouse that would fit right into your existing Apple ecosystem, I can’t think of a better one than the Corsair M75 (Mac), if we’re going purely based on looks.

This Mac reiteration of the M75 sports a minimalist design with two translucent strips running along the length of the mouse and a Corsair logo on the rear part illuminated in the color of your choice. There’s no other loud RGB lighting. Considering how simple yet elegant iMacs and MacBooks look, I believe this was the right decision by Corsair.

The mouse comes in Glacier Blue or white colorways. I tested the Glacier Blue model which looks lovely. It’s nice to touch too, with the left- and right-click buttons and body made of high-quality plastic that feels soft under my fingertips. The lightly textured sides provide additional grip too, and if you don’t like the stock side buttons, they can be swapped out with the textured ones included in the box. These are magnetic so they’re easily replaceable.

Overall, the M75’s design is practical and it’s clear that Corsair has crafted it thoughtfully.

Comfortable for long hours

For people who like playing games or tend to work for long periods, the Corsair M75 (Mac) is a mighty comfortable mouse. Measuring 5 x 2.6 x 1.6 inches, it’s ideal for those with medium-sized hands like me and would be suited to those with large hands too. I was able to use this mouse for an eight-hour workday and a separate three-hour gaming session without feeling any tension in my hands.

The M75 is fitted with optical switches with a 100-million clicks guarantee, and they don’t require a lot of force to register a command, so I could quickly swap between pressing either the left- or right-click button. They give good tactile feedback when pressed, as do the clickable scroll wheel and two buttons on each side.

Of course, the M75 isn’t as comfortable as ergonomic mice that have thumb rests or angled designs, like the Keychron M7 ($49) or the Logitech G502 X ($80), but even with its traditional design, the M75 is still a winner in the comfort department.

Great gaming performance

As Apple starts bringing AAA games to its Mac lineup, it’s only fitting that manufacturers like Corsair introduce a mouse specifically designed to help Mac users perform, and the M75 (Mac) is just that.

Equipped with the Corsair Marksman sensor that delivers a maximum DPI of 26,000, the M75 is great for casual gaming. There’s a dedicated DPI selector on the mouse’s underside that lets you swap between five settings — which can be customized in the iCUE software — and this also changes the light that shines through the logo, allowing for easy identification.

To put the M75 through its paces, I played a few games on my personal MacBook Pro M1: Lies of P, Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Resident Evil Village. The game library on macOS is still limited, but hey, at least the future looks bright. The M75 performed well across the board, with no latency issues, and all my movements and button clicks registered quickly and accurately. In Resident Evil Village, I could completely rely on the mouse to make quick U-turns when surprised by enemies from behind, and quickly attack them with my knife.

You can also enable angle snapping via iCUE. Essentially, enabling angle snapping smoothens out your mouse movements to ensure a straight line. For instance, any vertical movements are negated if you move your mouse horizontally, so chances of under or over-shooting a target are minimized. I found this handy in Tomb Raider where I could accurately aim at a target and execute headshots with my bow.

The two PTFE skates on the mouse’s underside help it effortlessly glide across wooden, glass and plastic surfaces too, but they are grippy enough that you don’t knock it about unintentionally. This also helps when making quick snappy movements. Overall, the M75 fits right into the Apple gaming ecosystem — it’s a must-have.

Detailed companion software

iCUE, the hub for all things Corsair, is free to download on macOS devices and it’s very user-friendly.

You can use it to update the Corsair M75’s firmware, remap its buttons, assign different DPI values to the button, and customize the lighting to your heart’s content. You can also enable angle snapping which I talked about earlier, as this is disabled by default, and you can customize lift height (height at which the mouse sensor stops tracking movement).

Adjustable lift height is something that’s missing from even pricier mice, like the SteelSeries Aerox 5 ($139), so it’s good to see that you can adjust the M75’s.

Corsair M75 (Mac) review: The downs

Neither of the Corsair M75’s (Mac) flaws are really ‘flaws,’ per se. Its high price point and limited 1,000Hz polling rate are pre-purchase conditions.

How many hertz?

This might be less of a flaw and more of a pre-purchase condition: what polling rate do you need?

The Corsair M75 (Mac) has a polling rate of 1,000Hz only. Now, this is very common with many gaming mice we’ve tested, but if you’re a competitive gamer, you might want to push your mouse to 4,000Hz or even 8,000Hz to reduce latency as much as possible. Unfortunately, the M75 doesn't let you do that. The 1,000Hz polling rate should suffice for most gamers, especially those on macOS. I didn’t have any issues with it.

We’ve seen cheaper and similarly priced mice offer higher polling rates, such as the Fnatic x Lamzu Maya 8K ($119), the Cherry M68 Pro ($139) and the Lemokey G1 ($64). But of course, while these work with macOS machines, they aren’t specifically designed for them and are intended for competitive gamers on Windows which, let’s face it, is where competitive eSports gaming requiring 4K or 8K poll rates actually happens.

Expensive

The Mac-exclusive variant of the Corsair M75 is on the pricier side of things. Priced at $129 at Apple U.S., it costs the same as the standard Windows version. It’s also available in the U.S. only, but if you’re in the U.K., you can grab the base model for £119 at Amazon, and it’ll work just as well with your macOS machine — but you’ll miss out on the gorgeous Glacier Blue colorway.

If you’re on a budget but still want a gaming mouse that performs well with macOS machines, I’d recommend the Keychron M7 or the Fnatic x Lamzu Maya 8K. We hold both mice in high regard and their performance won’t let you down.

Corsair M75 (Mac) review: Verdict

As gaming mice for Macs go, the Corsair M75 is hard to beat. Not only does it look stunning in its icy cool Glacier Blue colorway, but it’s extremely comfortable too, enabling you to play, work or both for long periods. The 1,000Hz polling rate will suffice for most games currently available for macOS machines, and its 26,000 DPI lets you tailor the sensitivity of your movements. Enable angle snapping via the user-friendly iCUE software, and you’ll be executing back-to-back headshots in no time.

There isn’t much wrong with the M75. As mentioned, you don’t get 8,000Hz polling which we’ve seen even in cheaper mice, and the mouse is on the pricer side. Regardless, if you want a minimalist mouse that goes with your just-as-minimalist-looking MacBook or iMac, I can’t think of a better mouse to recommend than the M75.

Architects and designers who work with 3D models will want a comfortable, ergonomic mouse when they’re working long hours — and the 3Dconnexion CadMouse Pro Wireless is just that. This mouse is extremely comfortable thanks to its angled shape, and its concave buttons are easy to click, too. The mouse is designed minimalistically and built really well, and it comes with detailed companion software.

What stops it, then, from being the best mouse? A few things. There’s no dongle compartment or onboard DPI selector so you’ll be relying heavily on the companion software. Its body is prone to getting shiny, and there’s a steep learning curve, too.

For the complete breakdown, read my full 3Dconnexion CadMouse Pro Wireless review.

3Dconnexion CadMouse Pro Wireless review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? An ergonomic mouse designed for computer-aided design software
• Who is it for? For architects and designers who work with 3D models
• How much does it cost? The 3Dconnexion CadMouse Pro Wireless is available for $119 / £99
• What do we like? It’s extremely comfortable, looks fantastic, is built well and has seven customizable buttons
• What don’t we like? There’s a steep learning curve, there’s no dongle compartment or onboard DPI selector and it catches fingerprints quickly

3Dconnexion CadMouse Pro Wireless review: Specs

3Dconnexion CadMouse Pro Wireless review: The ups

From the 3Dconnexion CadMouse Pro Wireless’ ergonomic design that makes it very comfortable to use to its detailed companion software, this mouse is a winner.

Very comfortable

I’ve used a lot of ergonomic mice in my time at Tom’s Guide. I use the Anker 2.4G Wireless Vertical Ergonomic ($25) at home and the Microsoft Surface Precision ($99) in the office. Both have ergonomic designs and are very comfortable — but the Surface Precision’s constant lagging has been a consistent issue since I reviewed it. Enter the 3Dconnexion CadMouse Pro Wireless, which is much more comfortable than Microsoft's offering.

The CadMouse Pro Wireless has an angled shape where your thumb naturally rests on a slight slope, creating a more natural hand posture. 3Dconnexion says this design reduces muscle and tendon discomfort, and I’m inclined to agree. I used the mouse for six straight hours and felt no pain or discomfort. The mouse itself is quite wide, measuring 5 x 2.9 x 1.7 inches, which means I could rest my palm comfortably (I have medium-sized hands, FYI).

Many ergonomic mice I’ve used are designed for right-handed folks with no left-handed version available. Thankfully, the CadMouse Pro Wireless comes in both left- and right-handed orientations. Plus, you can get a compact model that’s slightly smaller. Nobody left behind, hooray!

Great build and design

Looking for a productivity mouse to use in the office? The 3Dconnexion CadMouse Pro Wireless fits right in with its minimalist matte black design. The branding is low-key with the brand’s logo adorning the rear end of the mouse and its underside. There is no garish RGB lighting — just two tiny LEDs on the bottom, indicating the connection mode.

While the mouse weighs 4.94 ounces, making it sound bulky, it’s anything but. Its matte black finish makes it appear sleek. Three PTFE skates on its underside help it glide effortlessly across wooden, plastic and glass surfaces, making it a joy to use. It’s made of high-quality plastic, so you know you’re getting your money’s worth.

A button for everything

The 3Dconnexion CadMouse Pro Wireless sports seven buttons in total, including the clickable scroll wheel. Now, this mouse is designed to be used with computer-aided design (CAD) software that’s used by architects, designers and artists who create 3D models. So in software like SketchUp or Solid Edge, this mouse would work very well — and that’s thanks to the middle button.

The middle button, sitting between the left- and right-click buttons, is perhaps my favorite. It’s designed to execute specific functions in over 235 different applications (you can view the full list here). I tested it out with Google Earth where holding the middle button lets you zoom and center the model detail behind the mouse cursor. For artists, designers, coders and other professionals, this could be very handy, thanks to how many apps the CadMouse Pro Wireless is compatible with.

The buttons themselves are concave and wide enough for my fingers to comfortably rest on and press. Overall, this mouse is great for productivity while offering heaps of comfort.

Detailed companion software

If you want to unlock the 3Dconnexion CadMouse Pro Wireless’ full potential, you’ll need to download the 3DxWare 10 software on Windows, macOS or Linux. If this is your first time using a CAD-specific mouse, the software will take you through a detailed tutorial showing you all the tips and tricks. You’ll also be able to change DPI, assign macros to buttons, remap buttons and more.

The software is easy to use, but it might take a while to get your hand around all the settings. You can also assign advanced features and commands to the buttons, and adjust axis speed, toggle navigation modes, set center of rotation and tailor application-specific settings. Take your time to tinker with the settings and adjust them accordingly — the app has been designed with designers and 3D artists in mind, so it’s there to speed up your workflow.

3Dconnexion CadMouse Pro Wireless review: The downs

While the 3Dconnexion CadMouse Pro Wireless does a few things right, I can’t overlook the steep learning curve, the fact that my fingerprints are very visible, the lack of a DPI selector and that there’s no onboard dongle storage.

Steep learning curve

The middle button’s placement on the 3Dconnexion CadMouse Pro Wireless may frustrate some people as it’s not something you find on most mice. In my testing, I found that my index finger rested on the left-click button and the middle finger on the middle, while my ring finger rested on the narrow right-click button. It took me a while to get used to spreading my fingers a bit more and using my index and middle fingers to left and right click, as I would on other mice, as the middle button doesn’t have any use in non-CAD applications.

Fingerprint magnet

While the 3Dconnexion CadMouse Pro Wireless looks fantastic, its body is a fingerprint magnet. An hour into testing, I noticed the buttons had become shiny, as had the curved part where my palm rested. As a bit of a germaphobe, I didn’t like this one bit and it might not appeal to others either. At least my Microsoft Surface Precision mouse wasn’t a fingerprint magnet!

No dongle compartment

This might seem like a small complaint but you’d be surprised how easy it is to lose a device’s accompanying 2.4GHz dongle. Keeping with that train of thought, the 3Dconnexion CadMouse Pro Wireless doesn’t have a specific slot on its body for the dongle. This is frustrating because it means you need to keep a close eye on the dongle or leave it plugged into your laptop. Even the very cheap Anker 2.4G Wireless Vertical Ergonomic has an onboard compartment — surely a mouse costing $119 / £99 should have one too? The mouse does come with its own carry case, though, so you could always store the dongle there.

No onboard DPI selector

The 3Dconnexion CadMouse Pro Wireless has a maximum DPI of 7,200 but you can’t change it on the fly. Cheaper mice, like the Anker 2.4G Wireless Vertical Ergonomic, have a dedicated button that lets you swap between DPIs as and when needed, but the CadMouse Pro Wireless doesn’t — neither does the Logitech MX Anywhere 3S ($79). To adjust the CadMouse Pro Wireless’ DPI, you’ll have to dive into the software. For me, this was very frustrating as I couldn’t download third-party software onto my work laptop, and the default DPI was too low for me, making the mouse very slow.

3Dconnexion CadMouse Pro Wireless review: Verdict

As ergonomic mice go, the 3Dconnexion CadMouse Pro Wireless is right up there. Thanks to its angled shape and wide, concave buttons, this mouse is very comfortable to use for long hours. It comes with seven customizable buttons and a dedicated middle-click button for use in CAD software. The mouse is sturdy and its minimalist design makes it fit for the office.

However, the middle-click button poses a steep learning curve. Also, there’s no dedicated button on the mouse to change the DPI, and there isn’t any slot for the 2.4GHz dongle either. It’s also worth noting that the CadMouse Pro Wireless’ body is prone to getting shiny with fingerprints. The Logitech MX Master 3S costs the same and is a better choice as it provides lots of custom buttons, per-app remapping, and it can be remapped to have a DPI selector. And it isn’t a fingerprint magnet.

It’s a decent mouse if all you care about is its CAD capabilities, but apart from that, there isn’t much else to redeem the CadMouse Pro Wireless.

In the last day, there’s been a flurry of reports suggesting that Apple has taken leave of its creative instincts and will be equipping the next Magic Mouse with voice controls.

Thankfully, however, as 9to5Mac has concluded, this seems to have more to do with the perils of machine translation than Apple’s actual plans.

It all started with a post on Naver by the prolific leaker yeux1122. It’s written in Korean, but running it through Google Translate brings up this:

“Apple's design team has been working on prototype versions of the accessory in recent months to better fit the modern design. (*Ergonomic design for modern computing that combines touch screens, voice commands, and hand gestures)”.

But at the very top of the page, it actually credits Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman for the insights, and here’s where some sites writing this up have got the wrong end of the stick. Gurman’s original text from mid-December reads:

“Apple’s design team has been prototyping versions of the accessory in recent months, aiming to devise something that better fits the modern era. In a computing world now infused with touch screens, voice commands and hand gestures, the mouse isn’t as crucial as it once was.”

In other words, Gurman is writing that the mouse isn’t as important as it once was thanks to voice controls, not that it’s going to accommodate them.

Indeed, Gurman acknowledged the reports later, agreeing that “the rumor making the rounds today is just an incorrect back-and-forth translation” of the aforementioned line. But in the same thread of posts on X, he did concede that voice controls aren’t necessarily off the table.

“Voice control in the new Magic Mouse I wrote about this month makes sense in light of AI — and the fact that Apple is on a decade-plus cycle,” he wrote. But then added that from what he’s heard, the “big focus is [on] ergonomics and gestures” with a relocated USB-C port.

I’m still dubious though. Putting voice controls on a mouse is like adding a stylus to your Apple Watch: it’s just adding a frustrating layer of extra complexity for no reason at all.

Don’t speak

I can think of precisely three instances where I regularly use voice controls:

• Asking Alexa to turn off my bedroom light to prevent a toe-stubbing incident on the bed.
• Setting a timer on my watch so that my lunch doesn’t burn (I tend to wander too much around the house for a fixed alarm to work).
• Dictating the name of a show I’m looking for into the Apple TV remote to avoid awkwardly typing it out using the trackpad.

What do all these instances have in common? I only do them because there’s nothing more reliable to hand. And, frankly, almost anything is more reliable than voice controls.

If I’m using an Apple Magic Mouse, there’s simply no way I’m thinking of using voice controls, because I have a brilliant, accurate and reliable navigation method literally at my fingertips. A mouse and keyboard never serenade you with Bryan Adams when you’ve asked for Ryan Adams, or make shopping lists because a character on a TV show you’re watching is called Alicia. This is why forcibly removing Cortana was always the first thing I did when installing Windows afresh, and presumably, I wasn’t alone, given Cortana is no more.

And I suspect this wider apathy towards using voice for anything important is why Amazon is reportedly planning to monetize Alexa with a smarter version. Nobody wants to use voice controls for shopping, and opening up my “to do” and “shopping” lists on the Alexa app demonstrates why. I don’t intentionally use either function and yet they somehow contain things like “Dog bosch”, “five huxley cream” and “put the laundry light on in America”.

Siri is seen as less useful than Alexa, so why would Apple add something so unreliable to the simple, reliable mouse — a tool that has simplified computer tasks for over 50 years?

Hopefully, it doesn't. Until it gets over its reliability problem, I and millions of others will only use voice controls as an absolute last resort. Any attempt to add it to my mouse will be a waste of perfectly good plastic that will be roundly ignored.

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Whether you’re hosting festive gatherings or going on vacation, the last thing you want are rodents to ruin your holidays. In addition, the colder temperatures can leave homes vulnerable to pest infestations this time of year.

That’s why it’s so important to rodent-proof your home, especially before you go away for the holidays. Essentially, this will leave an open house for unwanted pests to roam freely — and you don't want the grim task of getting rid of rats quickly on your return.

So, if you want a pest-free holiday, be sure to do these quick preventative measures — with expert tips.

1. Mind the gaps

Did you know that rodents can squeeze into openings as small as a dime? And since rodents are primarily in search of shelter and food, they will sneak in at any opportunity.

Go around your home and check the perimeter for any entry points they could come through, sealing up cracks and crevices to keep them out. “Rodents can squeeze through openings as small as a quarter inch. Inspect your home’s exterior, including around pipes, vents, and foundation cracks,” states Laura Dillard, Research Director on Tomcat and specialist in pesticide product development.

“Seal gaps with materials like steel wool combined with caulk or metal flashing to prevent chewing. Pay special attention to areas around doors and windows—adding weather stripping can block these common entryways.”

Also be sure to check the garage, foundation, roofs, roof soffits, vents, and areas around the HVAC system. The more difficult you make it for rodents to enter your property, the less likely they will return.

You might need to know these 7 places mice like to hide and what to look out for and take action.

2. Store away your festive treats

The festive season is a time for sharing delicious food and treats, but just don’t make it inviting for rodents too! One of the main things rats and mice need is consistent food sources to sustain them. Always clean up rogue crumbs, and store and seal holiday treats in tamper-proof, glass or metal containers, making it hard for rodents to chew through.

“Rodents are attracted to easily accessible food, including crumbs, pet food, birdseed, and improperly stored pantry items,” says Dillard. “Store all food in airtight containers made of glass or metal, as rodents can chew through plastic. Clean up spills promptly and take out trash regularly. Avoid leaving pet food or water bowls out overnight, and if you feed birds, place feeders far from your home and clean up any spilled seed.”

Overall, it’s essential to maintain good sanitation, and know how to clean every room in your home, including regular sweeping with the best vacuum cleaners and mopping floors.

3. Clear the clutter and vacation-proof your home

After you’ve opened up your gifts, don’t stash away any cardboard package or leave boxes lying around. Mice are especially drawn to cardboard storage boxes where they can build cozy nests that are unlikely to get disturbed for long periods of time.

“Rodents also seek out nesting materials like paper, fabric, and insulation. Indoors, keep storage areas organized and avoid leaving piles of newspapers, cardboard, or clothing in basements and attics. Outdoors, trim vegetation near your home, remove debris piles, and store firewood at least 20 feet from your home and elevated off the ground.”

Additionally, if you’re traveling, secure trash bins and set traps in high-risk areas to deter pests while you’re away. Ensure all garbage cans and recyclable bins inside and outside your home are completely sealed with tight-fitting lids — these can offer both sustenance and shelter to mice. Plus, never leave individual garbage bags outdoors, in your garage or basement — especially those with any food waste. Again, this will invite rats and mice to have their own holiday feast!

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The Magic Mouse is arguably one of Apple’s biggest design blunders. It doesn’t matter what you think of the mouse and all the things it can do, we can all agree that the charging port placement is mind-numbingly stupid. Thankfully, that might be changing at some point in the next few years.

Writing in his Power On Newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that Apple has been working on a “full overhaul” of the Magic Mouse. This design will apparently “better fit the modern era” and address “longstanding complaints," In other words, this new mouse may put the charging port somewhere a little more sensible — and not on the underside of the mouse.

Gurman notes that other complaints include the fact the Magic Mouse isn’t ergonomic or comfortable. Hopefully Apple will deal with those complaints as well. Arguably that’s a bigger issue to contend with, since users will be able to appreciate a comfortable design every day.

The downside is that Gurman doesn’t expect the new Magic Mouse to arrive at any point in the next 12-18 months. He notes that the new mouse is still in the prototype stage, and there could potentially be months or years of development needed before it’s ready to be released.

So despite the fact the current Magic Mouse design just hit its 15th birthday, and the charging port blunder happened 9 years ago, there’s apparently still life left in the thing. In fact, Apple only just released a new version of the Magic Mouse, swapping out the Lighting port for USB-C. Not that it made any difference to the functionality or overall design.

Gurman doesn’t offer any other details about what this new Magic Mouse will have in store — likely because Apple doesn’t have a finished design yet. Let’s just hope that it can fix all the problems of the current Magic Mouse and not produce any new ones along the way.

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Do you sit at a desk for eight or more hours a day and experience discomfort in your hands? Me too. That’s why you need a vertical mouse as it’s more comfortable than a traditional mouse. How about the Lenovo Go Wireless Vertical?

This mouse is mighty comfortable, thanks to the vertical design which reduces pressure in your wrist and arm — and it can help prevent repetitive strain injuries (RSI). Its USB-A dongle can be stored inside the device itself, and three of the six buttons are fully programmable via the user-friendly companion software. The Go Wireless Vertical is far from perfect though. It’s sure to draw eyeballs to your desk because of its unique/divisive design as most of its body is made of UV-coated cork. There’s no Bluetooth connectivity either, and the mouse uses disposable batteries.

Could this be the best mouse for those with wrist pain? For all the details and what it was like to use as my daily driver, read my full Lenovo Go Wireless Vertical review.

Lenovo Go Wireless Vertical review: Specs

Lenovo Go Wireless Vertical review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A wireless vertical ergonomic mouse
• Who is it for? For right-handed people who want a comfortable mouse for work
• How much does it cost? The Lenovo Go Wireless Vertical is available for $49 / £50
• What do we like? It’s very comfortable, comes with onboard dongle storage, and the companion software is easy to use
• What don’t we like? There’s no Bluetooth, it has a divisive design, and it uses disposable batteries

Lenovo Go Wireless Vertical review: The ups

From being very comfortable and easy to get used to, to its dongle slot and intuitive companion software, the Lenovo Go Wireless Vertical checks a lot of boxes.

Very comfortable

Given its design, the Lenovo Go Wireless Vertical is more comfortable than traditional mice, as it’s sculpted in a way that keeps your wrist in a more natural position than typical mice. This reduces pressure in your wrist and arm, which can help circumvent RSI. If you have small- or medium-sized hands, the side of your wrist probably won’t make contact with the desk, which can provide relief to those with a sensitive nerve or suffering from carpal tunnel.

The inside of the mouse has a groove which provides support for your thumb. This also means that your thumb can easily access the next page and previous page buttons. Having these at my disposal definitely made me feel more productive as I don’t necessarily have to move the cursor to navigate web pages.

If this is the first time you’re using a vertical mouse, you’ll be pleased to know that it doesn’t take too long to get used to it. You’ll find that it feels more natural and once you get the hang of it, you won’t want to go back to traditional mice for work (vertical mice aren’t ideal for gaming, though, especially games that require aiming, as the vertical position tends to result in less accurate fine cursor movement).

After using this mouse for several consecutive hours, I felt no discomfort at all. As someone who has a sedentary job — working at a desk for long hours — I really value mice like the Go Wireless Vertical.

Onboard dongle storage

The Lenovo Go Wireless Vertical uses a USB-A dongle to connect to your device. If you lose it, you won’t be able to use the mouse anymore. You’d be surprised by how many premium mice I test that don’t have a dongle compartment — I’m talking about expensive mice, like the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 ($159) and the Turtle Beach Pure Air ($99). This is why I really appreciate the Go Wireless Vertical having space to store the dongle inside its body. Simply pop open the plastic shell to reveal the battery and the dongle slot. It’s simple yet effective.

Easy-to-use software

If you own Lenovo gear already, you’ll be familiar with Lenovo Go Central. If you don’t, this software is your one-stop-shop for customizing all Lenovo peripherals. Sorry macOS users (myself included), this software is available to download on Windows only. I tested the software on a Windows 11 laptop and PC users will be pleased to hear that it works like a charm.

Three of the six buttons on the mouse are programmable, and you can even assign “productivity” functions to them, such as copy and paste or even calculator. Another handy feature of the software is that you can link every other Lenovo peripheral, like a keyboard or another mouse, to the Go Wireless Vertical’s USB-A receiver. That way, you’ll need to plug just one in to control your devices.

Lenovo Go Wireless Vertical review: The downs

Alas, the Lenovo Go Wireless Vertical isn’t perfect. There’s no Bluetooth, the design might not be to everyone’s liking, and I wish it had a rechargeable battery.

No Bluetooth

The Lenovo Go Wireless Vertical supports one connectivity method only, so you’ll need to plug in the included dongle every time you want to use the mouse. It’s a USB-A dongle too, which means if you’re using a MacBook Air M2 (like me) or an iPad Air, you’ll need to get a USB-A to USB-C adapter.

No Bluetooth connectivity also means that you can’t switch between devices if you work across a few. You won’t have this issue with the best wireless mice, like the Razer Pro Click Mini ($79) and Logitech MX Master 3S ($99), which can connect to multiple devices simultaneously.

Divisive design

Want to look at your mouse and be reminded of a bottle of wine every time? The Lenovo Go Wireless Vertical does not look like a regular mouse. As soon as I took it out of the box, I was struck by its design and the mouse even got a few raised eyebrows from my coworkers. The feature that will draw the most eyeballs to the Go Wireless Vertical though is the UV-coated cork that covers most of its body. This material is meant to be resistant to liquids and easy to clean, according to Lenovo. But its the combination of the UV-coated cork and cheap plastic black shell that throws me off. The design can be best described as divisive as even after hours of using it, I wasn’t sold, but it might tickle your fancy.

If you want a traditional looking mouse instead, I highly recommend the Anker 2.4G Wireless Vertical Ergonomic ($25) which is currently my daily driver. The Logitech Ergo M575 ($49) is worth considering too, especially if you like trackball mice.

Uses disposable batteries

The Lenovo Go Wireless Vertical, like the aforementioned Anker and Logitech mice, uses AA batteries. Unlike rechargeable batteries, disposable batteries are hard to recycle and create more waste, which may be a turn off for some. This is more of a pre-purchase consideration than a con.

According to Lenovo, a single AA battery should last you up to 18 months — depending on usage conditions. If you want an ergonomic mouse with rechargeable batteries, you’ll have to loosen the purse strings for a mouse like the Logitech MX Master 3S or the Logitech Lift ($69) instead.

Lenovo Go Wireless Vertical review: Verdict

The Lenovo Go Wireless is a decent mouse if all you care about is comfort. I’ve enjoyed using this mouse and I didn’t feel any pain in my wrists or arms even after several consecutive hours. That’s thanks to its vertical design which also ensures the bottom of your wrist isn’t rubbing against your desk. There’s no Bluetooth connectivity, but you get a USB-A dongle which you can pair other Lenovo peripherals with, and it can be stored inside the mouse itself. The user-friendly Lenovo Go Central software (Windows only) lets you quickly customize three of the six buttons.

However, the lack of Bluetooth connectivity and use of disposable batteries may be a turn off for some. The mouse isn’t the most attractive either as the cork-covered body may not be everyone’s cup of tea. There are more simple-looking vertical and ergonomic mice available for the same price — or cheaper.

Overall, I’d recommend the Go Wireless Vertical to those who want a comfortable mouse with a bit of pizzazz. But if not, I’d look elsewhere.

I won’t lie, the M4 Mac mini is incredibly exciting to me. I’ve been on the mini PC hype for a while now for their size and capability — falling in love with the Geekom Megamini G1 as a slick games console replacement.

The last bastion is what I use atop my desk. Currently, I’ve got an M3 Pro MacBook Pro connected to the Ugreen Revodok Max 213. But it looks very cluttered and the prospect of stripping all this out for a 5 x 5-inch square puck makes for the clean setup of my dreams.

But there’s a problem. You see, Apple’s design team have been mostly bang on with its hardware creation. Mostly…except for putting a port on the underside of the Magic Mouse. I mean why put something so important as this in a position where you won’t be able to use it!?

And now, in a split second shot during Apple’s mini keynote about the Mac mini, I can see the Cupertino crew’s at it again with the power button being squished under the corner of this aluminum box. Yes, I realize this may sound like nitpicking on another level — a level equivalent to me trying to argue a 5+ year-old coupon is still valid at the local Walmart.

However, there are some valid concerns here that are making me rethink whether I should buy it or opt for one of the other best mini PCs you can snag.

Form over function

With any design decision, you have to achieve both of these in equal measure — something that looks good but isn’t there just for the looks. Apple is usually good at this tightrope balance with clean, functional hardware like the MacBook Pro and Apple Watch Ultra 2. Sometimes there’s a little wobble (looking at you, randomly placed Camera Control button that makes vertical shooting tricky), but on the main hand, the team nails it.

Putting the USB-C port directly in the center of the base of the Magic Mouse is an example of Apple falling off this tightrope. With literally any other wireless mouse, plugging in a cable to charge it doesn’t directly impact your ability to use it — but in the vein of keeping things clean, you physically can’t use the Magic Mouse while it’s charging.

And as for the Mac Mini, while the power button isn’t at least directly on the center of the underside (off on one of the corners that is slightly raised), the super low profile 2-inch height of this machine means you will have to wiggle your thumb underneath and lift the machine a little to power it on.

I get this sounds like the mother of first-world problems, but think about how mini PCs are integrated into setups. You’ve seen the kind of magic that my writer Anthony Spadafora gets up to right?

The prime use of a mini PC is to hide it as effectively as possible for a clean af setup. This means two things: memorizing its position and a little feeling around guesswork to hit the power button. For that use case, putting it in such a precarious position will make it next-level difficult to feel for that switch.

In both of these circumstances, form has absolutely taken over function.

What’s the fix?

Well, for both the Magic Mouse and Mac mini, it’s kind of easy. I know you’ve probably read hundreds of versions of this rant over the last couple days, so let's do something different and entertain Apple’s fancy of wanting to hide buttons and ports.

For the Magic Mouse, Qi wireless charging is right there. There are a ton of new mice that sport it and completely eliminate the need for a visible charging socket. The easiest option would be to raise the touch surface slightly on the mouse and add a USB-C port to the front, but moving to wireless charging would be the Apple way to do it.

Whereas for the Mac mini, while the primary fix is always going to be “put the button on the front,” let’s think like Apple and look at the AirPods 4 for a second. The case for these buds has completely eliminated the need for a physical button, and in its place is a touch sensitive button area. Is it annoying? A little. But at least it’s in a logical place where your finger will go when pairing these little blighters.

Popping a touch sensitive button upon the front, side or back of the Mac mini (preferably with a raised ridge around it so I can feel for it when hidden into my setup) is immeasurably better than trying to stash a physical switch out of sight.

But in the immediate, I have one request going forward: please stop putting crucial interaction elements of your design in hard-to-reach, nonsensical places!

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Having one of the best gaming mice is pivotal to any serious gamer, especially those trying to rank up in Valorant, Counter Strike 2 or League of Legends. A mouse needs to have the perfect grip, a reliable sensor, a handful of useful features, and some good quality plastic in order to be used by professionals and casual players alike, and crucial in finding the right mouse for you.

Most mice, besides ultra-budget options, have similar sensors which do not differ all too much — while new sensors are constantly being added to the latest mice, even the most seasoned mouse enthusiast will struggle to notice the difference between the Pixart 3395 on the Fantech Aria XD7 and the Hero 2 sensor on the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2.

One of the basics of the mouse is the Polling Rate, and finding the right polling rate for you is an important choice. However, while mice with the highest polling rates tend to cost the most, you may find very little tangible advantage.

What is a polling rate?

The polling rate of a mouse, measured in frequency (Hz), is essentially the amount of times that a mouse's sensor reports the position of the mouse to your computer. A low polling rate means that the mouse updates its own position less frequently, which will translate to a less accurate depiction of your cursor or crosshair on screen.

Practically speaking, anything below 1,000Hz is not highly recommended on modern equipment — mice that are 500Hz or below tend to lead to lack of responsiveness, and can sometimes lead to poor accuracy. It is common that using a wireless mouse in Bluetooth mode will reduce polling rate to 125Hz or lower, which should be avoided at all costs.

How high does it need to be?

The elephant in the room is whether you should just go for the highest polling rate commercially available, which right now is 8,000Hz. I have reviewed a couple of mice recently which support 8k polling, namely the Cherry M68 and the Fnatic x Lamzu Maya 8K, and both of them made it into my go-to favorites. Interestingly, the fact they support 8k polling was a con against them.

Why is that, you ask?

8k caused me more issues than it was worth. While the requirement to have a dongle unit attached via a cable to my PC was a minor annoyance, more significant were performance impacts that the 8k mouse had on my beefy gaming PC. The simple fact is a lot of games are not built with 8k polling rates in mind, and can't keep up with the rate at which your mouse position is updated.

Take the Fnatic X Lamzu Maya 8K — I loved the comfortable grip and the low weight of the mouse, and I am glad that it was less expensive compared to other 8k mice. But, the fact that the mouse supported 8k was not really a concern for me — I mostly just stuck to 1,000 or 4,000Hz to improve battery life as well as prevent annoying stuttering in some of my less-optimized games. It's cheaper than the Cherry M68 Pro by $20, so is a much easier recommendation to make.

For the professionals...

An interesting resource I appreciate are the Professional eSport player gear lists, provided by ProSettings. On their CS2 gear list, you can see that not many players have made the jump to 8k yet — 4k and below appear much more popular.

I can definitely see the appeal in competitive players opting for a 4k compatible mouse, a middle ground between the more pricey 8k and the standard 1k. While there are plenty of dedicated 4k mice out there, I would recommend the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 as the best mouse for those looking to get a competitive edge in their games — it is one of our all-time favorites.

You don't need to spend big to get a professional product, though. Some of the cheapest mice I have reviewed ended up being some of the best. Take the Redragon M916 Pro ($44) for instance— for less than $50, you can get a 4k polling rate compatible mouse that will serve the competitive-minded perfectly well.

For most people

If I'm being really honest, most people will do absolutely fine on a 1,000Hz polling rate mouse — whether you are playing at a professional level or are trying your best to improve at the game, the benefits of a rate higher than 1,000Hz are minimal.

Of course, if you like the look of an 8k polling rate mouse, switching to a 1,000Hz version is usually as simple as unplugging the 8k dongle, or toggling a setting in the mouse's companion app. Ultimately, the most important thing about a mouse is how it feels to use, and this should be your priority when choosing a mouse, too.

The Fantech Aria XD7 is one such mouse, and a great choice for those looking for a budget option for competitive gaming. It is remarkably lightweight, in part due to the honeycomb case design — although understandably this can be a little divisive. Regardless of looks, I was really impressed by how comfortable and effective this mouse was, and how it brushed shoulders with big name mice at double the asking price.

Mice like these really go to show that yu don't have to spend big to get the best performance, or win more games. Pick what is comfortable, and work on your skill!

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The Fnatic X Lamzu Maya 8K — and its big brother, the Maya X 8K — are purpose-built to knock Logitech off its perch in the world of professional gaming mice. Look at any player equipment lists and you’ll see them dominated by the likes of the Logitech G Pro X Lightspeed 2 ($159). For $40 less, with arguably an improvement in performance, the Maya offers an affordable entryway into the world of the very best gaming mice that you can buy today.

Supporting up to an 8,000Hz polling rate in an ultra-lightweight case, this wireless mouse feels great to use. The Maya 8K already boasts some users in the professional gaming space, and getting a feel for the performance, it is easy to see why. There's a lot to love with the Maya 8K, even if you’re not planning on winning any tournaments anytime soon.

Read on for my full Fnatic X Lamzu Maya 8K / Maya X 8K review.

Editor's NoteThis review covers both versions of the Fnatic limited edition of the Maya 8K mouse. It is also available as a non-limited edition model, directly from Lamzu, for the same price.

Fnatic x Lamzu Maya 8K / Maya X 8K: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? A limited edition gaming mouse collab from Fnatic and Lamzu
• Who is it for? High performance, competitive-minded gamers
• What does it cost? Both versions of the mouse are available for $119 from Amazon
• What do we like? The mouse has a great shape and feels great to use, with customizable polling rates of up to 8,000Hz
• What don’t we like? Nothing major— the included charging cable makes the mouse difficult to use while charging, and the companion app runs slowly

Fnatic x Lamzu Maya 8K / Maya X 8K: Specs

Fnatic x Lamzu Maya 8K / Maya X 8K: The ups

With an incredibly comfortable, symmetrical design, the Maya 8K excels with some of the clickiest and responsive switches I’ve used. All of this is supported by extreme polling rates that will cover all of the bases for high performance gaming.

Build quality

The Maya 8K certainly feels like a premium quality mouse, with a plastic case that feels great in hand. The casing is well-crafted and beautiful, although the Fnatic edition features the brand’s trademark bright orange color, which won’t be for everyone. Lamzu offers some more subtle colors on its website store, including gray, white and black.

Despite its low weight, the mouse doesn’t feel like it lacks substance. At 1.58 and 1.65 ounces respectively, the Maya and Maya X both weigh less than similar mice like the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 ($159) at 2.1 ounces, and the Cherry M68 Pro ($139) at 1.94 ounces. Some of this weight is saved by the lack of a bottom to the case, with the internals being exposed — this isn’t my favorite approach as it raises some eyebrows about how prone to damage the mouse functions are, but is more subtle than the weight saving honeycomb designs seen on the Fantech Aria XD7 ($78), for example.

Thanks to the low weight, along with some well-spaced and generally excellent mouse skates, the mouse moves effortlessly around my mousepad with little to no friction or weight to hold it back. Pairing this mouse with one of the best gaming mousepads, the SteelSeries QcK ($14) led to some of the smoothest mouse movements I have ever come across, and worked a dream in my recent League of Legends ranked matches.

Grip

The Maya 8K exhibits a comfortable symmetrical grip, similar to the Pro X Superlight. While not particularly ergonomic, the mouse is still remarkably comfortable to hold due to the rounded shape of the casing. The 1.5 inch height of the mouse is a sweet spot common to a lot of mice, supporting my palm while using it. Meanwhile, the width of the Maya X was perfect for my hands, and I didn’t need to awkwardly bend my fingers to rest them comfortably as with the Turtle Beach Kone XP Air ($129).

The mouse buttons have a concave ergonomic shape, which keeps my finger well-rested in the correct position. The mouse button surface flares outwards a little at the end, giving it a wider area which can come in handy for palm grip.

Lately, I have gravitated towards a claw grip and this feels great on the Maya X 8K. I found the smaller Maya a little too small for my hands, but it’ll be well suited to anyone with smaller hands. The Maya X is almost exactly the same size as the Cherry M68 ($99), which I also found incredibly comfortable for quickfire rounds or marathon MMO sessions alike.

Sensor

Inside the Maya is the Pixart 3950, which (unlike the Cherry M68 Pro’s Pixart 3395) supports a few choice features alongside the 8,000hz polling rate. This includes a lower lift-off distance (or LOD) at just 0.7mm, making your mouse movements predictable and more stable, particularly when playing on a low sensitivity. This is a lower LOD than other mice provide, and although it's a miniscule boost to accuracy, it's still an improvement over more expensive alternatives like the M68 Pro. The mouse also supports up to 30,000 DPI — beyond enough for even the highest sensitivity players.

The massive 8K polling rate probably won’t be useful to everyone. Most professional players in Valorant and CS2 stick to a maximum of 4K, due to the diminishing returns of a high polling rate, as well as the performance demand such extreme rates put on computers. Fortunately, the mouse supports switching to 4K via the companion app, so you can self-limit the performance. It does beg the question why such a high rate is a selling point of the mouse when there is little advantage to using it, but having the option to bump it up to 8K helps future-proof the Maya.

Switches

The Maya 8K uses Omron optical switches for the mouse buttons, foregoing the commonplace mechanical switch approach seen in rivals. The buttons are tactile and clickier than ever despite using a light sensor, and feature a nice bounce that makes those vital shots all the more satisfying to pull off in succession. In Valorant, I found my button presses to feel more responsive than other mice I have used, easily beating my old reliable Razer Deathadder V2.

The mouse also comes with two thumb buttons. They are much more rounded than the blocky buttons on the Cherry M68, but less rounded than those on the Logitech Superlight. Regardless, my thumb was able to reach the buttons easily, and they were almost as responsive as the main mouse buttons, meaning you can rely on them for important keybinds and tasks.

Battery

The battery life is decent for a mouse of this quality and performance — Lamzu says in its marketing material that the mouse can last for up to 80 hours at a 1,000Hz polling rate. I found I had to charge the mouse slightly more frequently, as I opted to use the mouse at 4K and enabled the ‘high power’ mode in the companion app settings, in order to get the most out of it.

Value

One of the strongest aspects of the Maya 8K is its low price versus similarly-specced peers. With top end, esports-grade gaming mice like the Razer Viper V3 ($159) and the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 ($159) coming in at $50 more, the Maya 8K is a very affordable way of reaching the practical ceiling of what is possible on a gaming mouse today.

This is the cheapest 8K mouse available on the market, although most people might want to opt instead for the 4K version. Named the Fnatic x Lamzu Thorn, this is available for just $99 on Amazon, saving you $20 for a feature that many people realistically won’t end up taking advantage of.

Fnatic x Lamzu Maya 8K / Maya X 8K: The downs

There isn’t much to dislike about the Maya 8K, besides a few annoyances regarding the app, and using the wired connection.

Companion App

The Lamzu Crystal Wireless app allows you to customize and adjust varying settings on the mouse. There are options to enable ripple control, motion smoothing and angle snapping, all of which apply effects to the mouse sensor in order to remove irregularities. You can also fully rebind the various mouse keys and create macros.

While all of these features are great to have, I had my fair share of troubles with the app during testing. The main problem was performance — making changes to my settings and navigating the app was very slow and laggy, just as bad as the Cooler Master software for the MM720 ($46) mouse. It’s also ugly, contrasting the beautiful design of the mouse itself. Some may instead prefer the approach taken by the Cherry M68, where all of the features are accessible via onboard shortcuts — great for those put off by the more janky companion apps out there.

Wired connection

Unlike the Cherry M68, the included cable can be plugged into the mouse to charge while in use — unfortunately, the cable has a strange shape that makes it less than optimal for this. The USB-C end of the cable is at a 45 degree angle, meaning the cable causes significant drag and interference when moving the mouse around. I am not sure why this was done as it seems to have little to no benefit. It also means the 8K dongle accessory cannot easily sit flat to my desk, so I was left confused as to why a simple braided cable wasn’t used instead.

Fnatic x Lamzu Maya 8K / Maya X 8K: Verdict

The Fnatic special edition of the Lamzu Maya 8K is one of the best gaming mice you can get today thanks to the incredible performance, plus a very competitive price. While its 8K polling rate won’t be useful to everyone, the Maya covers all bases to be a solid option for those looking for the highest end gear for their competitive career, or if you're a more casual gamer looking for your next long-term mouse.

Thanks to its comfortable grip and solid design, and the option of a larger size option for my medium-large sized hands, I can safely say that the Maya X is my new go-to mouse for desktop gaming, and a sign of the times that even the mighty Logitech may no longer be safe on its perch atop the peak of gaming mice.

Apple just released the latest version of the iOS 18.1 beta which finally brings Apple Intelligence to iPhones, and apparently, the code suggests some new Mac accessories are also on the way. We're expecting Apple to reveal new M4-powered Macs next week, including MacBooks, iMacs and a redesigned Mac mini, and it looks like we might get a new Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad to go along with them.

The updated accessories were spotted by Aaron Perris on X (via 9to5Mac) in the release candidate version of iOS 18.1 which has reference to a Magic Mouse 2, Magic Trackpad 2 and a Magic Keyboard. 

The update might be minor, unless Apple surprises us, as the tech giant already refers to the current mouse and trackpad as version 2.

What we can see from the snippets of code posted by Perris reveal a new .USB ending on the code. This heavily indicates that Apple is going to introduce new Magic accessories with a USB-C connection. A not-unsurprising move by Cupertino as it's been slowly moving away from the Lightning port in favor USB-C to meet international standards. 

The folks over at 9to5Mac took a slightly deeper look and found that updated accessories will use current icons for the ".usb" variants, which indicates that we shouldn't expect a big redesign for the models.

That said, the Magic Mouse 2 and Magic Trackpad 2 have been functionally the same since 2015 when they were introduced. The Magic Keyboard last saw an update in 2021 when Apple introduced the first M-chip with the M1 iMac. 

With the iOS 18.1 release candidate, Apple also issued the release candidate version of macOS15.1, which includes extensions for the new M4 chip. Currently, that chip is only on the iPad Pro released in May of this year.

More than likely, Apple will reveal the updated Magic accessories alongside the new M4 Mac devices.

More from Tom's Guide

• Apple reportedly '2 years behind' on AI with Apple Intelligence — here's why
• 'I can hear sounds I never knew we're there' — my friend with hearing loss just tried the hearing aid feature on AirPods Pro 2
• Snapdragon 8 Elite unveiled — here's how Android phones could blow away the iPhone 16

Editor's Note: This review covers both the regular (Black, blue) and 'Pro' versions (Black, white) of the M68 mouse, which use the same overall design. The key differences in performance will be explained throughout the review.

The Cherry M68 ($99), and the 8K polling rate version, the Cherry M68 Pro ($139) should be considered among the best gaming mice you can get right now, particularly if you’re a fan of the high-performance design of the Logitech G Pro X Lightspeed 2 ($159), but are in the market for an alternative, cheaper option. 

With a comfortable symmetrical design and wonderfully tactile buttons, gaming on the M68 is as responsive as you can really get on a gaming mouse, thanks to the solid Pixart 3395 sensor and clicky Huano switches. My most intense gaming sessions were handled well, surpassing many other mid-range gaming mice I have used, such as the close rival, the Fantech Aria XD7 ($78).

For $99, the M68 is a steal. The Pro version boasts an incredibly high polling rate of 8,000hz, also allowing for 4k, 2k, and 1k rates, and a slightly bigger battery life marketed at 90 hours — but for this you will have to fork over an extra $40. I find it hard to recommend this for most people, but it remains an option for those demanding the highest performance available on a wireless mouse today.

Read on for my full Cherry M68 review.

Cherry M68 / M68 Pro review: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? A high performance gaming mouse.
• Who is it for? Hardcore gamers who can get the most out of the 8k polling rate, or those who want an alternative to the Logitech G Pro X.
• What does it cost? $99 is a sweet price tag for the regular version, although this gets bumped up to a more dubious $139 if you opt for the 8K polling rate Pro edition.
• What do we like? The mouse looks and feels premium, and the performance is one of the best available.
• What don’t we like? Not a whole lot, although the Pro edition of the mouse is pricey, and a little unnecessary.

Cherry M68 / M68 Pro review: Specs

Cherry M68 / M68 Pro review: The ups

I enjoyed every moment of using the M68, from its comfortable shape to the best in class performance. It worked great for me across both competitive games and day-to-day desktop use, with a well-built case and long lasting battery that makes it ideal for marathon gaming sessions or intense LAN parties alike. 

Build

Utilizing a symmetrical shape, the M68 doesn’t specifically offer any ergonomic advantages, but the symmetrical shape was ideal for me. It feels really good in my hand, with a well balanced but very low weight that keeps my movements swift and accurate, allowing for a variety of grips with ease. I prefer a palm grip, and the 4.9 inch length of the mouse along with the very low front end was perfect for my medium-sized hands. A very slight curve towards the middle provides enough comfort for my thumb, and this is rounded off by spot-on placement of the two thumb buttons, allowing for easy access to additional keybinds.

The only weakness to the build is the location of the charging port. Due to the ultra low front of the mouse, the M68 forgoes the usual front-facing charging port allowing for use whilst charging. You can technically use the M68 while using the side-facing charging port, but it was very tricky to get used to — it's worth pointing out that it limits the polling rate to 1,000hz on the Pro version, too. The rubber cover keeps the mouse looking sleek while not in use, but removing this can be quite a pain as well. All in all, it's a badly implemented element of the mouse, but isn't enough to sour my overall appreciation for the build quality.

Performance

The M68 performed excellently in any game I could throw at it, with my comfortable palm grip working seamlessly with the responsive sensor. It worked perfectly in picking up all motions with no errors, gliding across my mousepad freely thanks to the low weight and large mouse skates. It made playing FPS games a dream — there was a notable increase in my accuracy over my usual go-to mouse, the Razer Deathadder V2 ($70), and I was quickly hitting AWP shots in Counter Strike 2 without needing much time to get used to the feel of the M68.

My medium-sized hands were able to hold the mouse comfortably, with my fingers naturally resting in the subtly grooved left and right mouse buttons. There is little travel time on each click, and the left and right mouse clicks have satisfying feedback thanks to well-tuned Huano switches. The mouse is capable of some of the lowest click latency on the market, according to Cherry’s marketing, and this certainly holds up from what I have seen of it — spamming my rifle to farm creeps as Vindicta in Deadlock felt very snappy.

Onboard customization

There is no companion software to speak of for the M68, which is a massive plus for those sick of installing bloated companion apps to access the essentials. Using various mouse button combinations, and utilizing the 4 stage switch underneath the mouse, you can freely toggle between different settings. An example of this is that by holding down the left and right mouse buttons, along with both thumb buttons, you can toggle lift-off distance between 1 and 2mm.

A well-placed indicator light on the side of the mouse flashes various colors to confirm options. It’s small enough to not be noticeable, and remains off most of the time. I vastly prefer this to already-good onboard adjustments to the Endgame Gear XM1r ($49), as that involved some level of guesswork to assume that the settings I wanted to enable were turned on properly due to the lack of visual cues.

Battery

I should note that the two versions of this mouse have slightly different battery lives, with the M68 marketed with a 75 hour lifespan, with the Pro clocking in at 90. The battery drained incredibly slowly, even with the “Pro Gaming” mode turned on and using either mouse at maximum polling rate — the 350mAh battery performed surprisingly well, and is one of the best batteries I have come across on a wireless mouse.

Cherry M68 / M68 Pro review: The downs

With the performance on both the M68 and Pro variants being so strong, it's hard to find much to criticize. The main frustration I had is with the slightly shoddy plastic case, and the gimmick of an 8,000hz polling rate that, at best, you won’t be able to make full use of. Both of these are more buying considerations than outright cons, for an otherwise stellar mouse.

Polling Rate

Despite the lack of the 8K polling rate, the standard version of the M68 holds up well in performance, with the same sensor and build. I found it hard to notice any real difference between the two versions of the mouse while playing on a 144hz monitor, as both felt accurate and smooth and my gameplay was as good using both mice.

I would hesitate to recommend the M68 Pro for this reason — you are spending $40 extra for a mouse that really doesn’t exhibit any noticeable performance increases. Professional gamers overwhelmingly use 1,000hz rates, so I don’t think there is any reason to spend big on an upgrade. That being said, the mouse is still the cheapest 8k mouse I have seen — the Razer Viper V3 Pro comes in at a ridiculous $157 by comparison.

Even if you do opt for the Pro, it is worth noting that 8,000hz polling rates can lead to performance issues in some poorly optimized games, and an increased load on your CPU. In Counter Strike 2, where every frame matters, I limited myself to a 2,000hz polling rate for a slight boost over 1,000hz. I did appreciate that you can set the mouse to 1k, 2k and 4k using the onboard controls, although it is hard to recommend this for anything below a semi-pro gamer.

Visual design

To get the obvious comparison out of the way, the M68 is incredibly similar in looks to the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2. Most of my issues boil down to personal preference — I find the “Cherry Xtrfy” logo a little too wordy, particularly compared to the relatively straightforward “G” on the Pro X. I would have preferred something closer to the Fantech Aria XD7 ($78), with a slightly improved plastic texture and the ability to switch out the back cover to a honeycomb. This being said, it is a remarkably well done imitation of a great mouse design.

This makes the relatively poor casing of the M68 a bigger disappointment, with a smooth plastic that attracts a pretty gross amount of sweat and grease —  I don’t get particularly sweaty palms, but the shiny black plastic will show any imperfection clearly. I found myself having to clean the mouse much more than I normally would with other mice.

Cherry M68 / M68 Pro review: Verdict

Remarkable in its stand-alone capability, powerful performance and overall great build, the M68 is an impressive mouse that sets a high bar for the mid to high range of gaming mice. Compared to other Logitech G Pro X Lightspeed-alikes, the M68 is my new go-to favorite.

It is a shame about the strange charging port — this sacrifice was made to keep the front as low as possible, but as someone who doesn’t play at a professional level I happily sacrifice the small advantage this provides for the convenience of using my mouse while it is charging. The pretty gross plastic finish is another downside, but I appreciate this is something a lot of mice with a similar finish possess.

The M68 is an easy recommendation for those looking for a high performance mouse that feels great to use. A small word of advice: save your money and avoid the Pro version, 8,000hz is not going to help you hit those headshots.

A wired take on the Turtle Beach Pure Air ($99), the Turtle Beach Pure SEL ($39) gives you the same Kone case while slashing the price by over half. This leaves you with a capable gaming mouse that’s loaded with enough features to keep any gamer happy, without being too much of a money sink.

If this sounds pretty good so far, I’m afraid you will quickly begin to notice cost saving measures which really hurt the Pure SEL, especially compared to the best cheap gaming mice we’ve tested. Its semi-transparent case isn’t the best look, and the plastics used feel closer to a $20 mouse in terms of quality. More unforgivable are the rubberized cable, undermining the admirably low weight and slick PTFE skates.

With that being said, there's still something to appreciate about how many aspects of the Pure Air have been translated into a budget variant, helping this mouse remain in line for consideration if you’re after a gaming mouse without breaking the bank.

Find out more in my full Turtle Beach Pure SEL review.

Turtle Beach Pure SEL review: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? A gaming mouse which is one of the cheapest in Turtle Beach’s Kone design lineup.
• Who is it for? Gamers on a budget, who don’t mind a wired mouse.
• What does it cost? The mouse is very affordable, at just $39, or £34 in the UK.
• What do we like? It’s one of the cheapest ways to get your hands on a member of the Kone lineup, if you’re already a fan of the shape, and the low weight and good skates make for strong performance in games. 
• What don’t we like? Too much was sacrificed for the budget price tag — a plastic cable rather than braided and inconsistent sensor significantly impacted my performance.

Turtle Beach Pure SEL review: Specs

Turtle Beach Pure SEL review: The ups

For the most part, the Pure SEL is a capable mouse with a comfortable ergonomic design, with enough going for it that you should at least consider it, especially given its low price. Fantastic integration with Turtle Beach’s companion app really gives the mouse a needed boost in performance.

Ergonomic design

The case design features the distinctive Kone shape, previously used by Roccat prior to their takeover by Turtle Beach in 2019. If you’ve used any of Roccat’s Kone mice, you know what to expect here — a concave thumb grip on the left side of the mouse, with a rounded back that angles to the right, providing support for your palm. 

I really wasn’t a fan of the ergonomic design of the Turtle Beach Kone XP Air ($129), but while the grip is still not as comfortable as other mice I have reviewed, I found the Kone shape easier to get used to on the Pure SEL thanks to the absence of the Kone XP Air’s frustrating additional thumb button. The subtle ergonomic support made long sessions of Europa Universalis IV comfortable, with the mouse being a decent size for my medium sized hands in palm grip.

The ergonomics shaping actually does the Pure SEL some favors visually, too — the curve on the side looks pretty sleek and has a simple but clean texture to assist grip. It looks almost exactly like the pricier Pure Air or the Kone XP Air, but with a minimalist style. The lighting design isn’t garish as the Kone XP Air, and the shape isn’t overly-stylised for gamers. Thanks to this, the Pure SEL doesn’t look out of place at the office, if you're a fan of the grip.

Performance

The Pure SEL performed well in most games, with a 1,000Hz polling rate and low response times. This means that (for the most part) my mouse movements were accurate and responsive, working well in fast-paced FPS titles like Ultrakill. Zooming in and out of the map of a grand strategy game such as Europa Universalis was smooth thanks to a very easy-to-roll mouse wheel.

The impressively smooth glide of the PTFE skates — there are four corner skates and a donut skate around the sensor — combined with the low 1.7-ounce weight allow for quick movements in competitive settings. I loved the similar four corner approach taken by the Logitech G305 Lightspeed ($39), and the decrease in friction was noticeable and appreciated during frantic game-deciding shootouts in Counter Strike 2 using the Pure SEL.

Companion App

Turtle Beach’s companion app, Swarm II, offers a comprehensive and easily navigable array of settings. Impressively, the options available on the Pure SEL are the same as more expensive offerings from Turtle Beach, such as the Kone XP Air. 

Notable inclusions are an adjustable debounce time between 2 and 10ms, changing how frequently button presses can be detected, and the ability to toggle angle snapping on or off. While these features are all fairly common on even the cheapest gaming mice, they’re still great to have at your disposal. Some mice I have reviewed recently, like the Logitech G305, do not have these features.

I was also particularly impressed by the per-game macro bindings available. The software contains a long list of games of which you are able to bind specific actions to buttons, such as having a mouse button act as the “spot” key in Battlefield 4. As this list is preloaded, you can set up binds for games without having to have the game owned or installed. Sadly, many releases from the last 5+ years are missing, but there are still enough here for most gamers to find some use.

The software is also remarkably easy to use, with a panel layout which clearly displays all available settings in sensible fashion. The software can be a little heavy on resources and slow, but these are minor complaints, and it’s an otherwise well-polished app.

Turtle Beach Pure SEL review: The downs

Unfortunately, the Pure SEL falls victim to some significant flaws that make it hard to recommend outright. Problems with the overall build quality are rounded off by a lackluster design which makes the Pure SEL difficult to love.

Cable drag

The USB-A cable holds the mouse back considerably, with the low quality rubber cable causing drag and negating the movement benefits of the mouse’s low weight. This isn’t always an issue on wired mice — braided cables can effectively reduce friction against your desk or mousepad, something that similarly cheap mice like the Endgame Gear XM1r ($49) or the Cooler Master MM720 ($46) possess. If you’re a fan of the mouse but hate the cable too, there isn’t any choice besides forking over an extra $60 for the Pure Air.

Build

The Pure SEL feels insubstantial, both in the overall build and specifically the feedback of the buttons. Expect a deeper, hollow sound than most other mice when using the Pure SEL — indicative of the poorer quality switches used versus the Pure Air. The Air boasts responsive optical switches, too, while the cheaper mechanical switches here in the Pure SEL feel sluggish.

The thumb buttons were also some of the worst positioned I have seen, sitting much higher than my thumb and facing an upwards angle. Quickly accessing them during games was difficult, diminishing their usefulness for extra quick binds. I couldn’t rely on them in fast-paced competitive games, so for me their utility was limited to a push-to-talk bind only, but even then I was disappointed by how shallow the press was.

Appearance

The appearance of the mouse is serviceable, but the cheap plastic lets it down — it doesn’t feel great to the touch, and I would prefer a matte finish over the slightly transparent casing. The black color is reminiscent of a more classic mouse design like the Endgame Gear XM1r, but the white version has an unappealing milky finish, looking much duller in tone than the mouse’s bright marketing images suggest, thanks to the black internal parts. I much prefer the appearance of the black mouse because of this, but of course the visual appeal will be subjective.

The lighting won’t be for everyone either. This is restricted to the Turtle Beach logo, with no markings or lights on the surface. It comes through blurry and undefined, although the advantages are that reducing the brightness to zero in Swarm II will leave no outlines or embossments showing on the case itself, allowing you to fully hide the Turtle Beach logo. I wish being able to hide manufacturer’s logos was a more common feature, so props to the Pure SEL for that one.

Turtle Beach Pure SEL review: Verdict

The Pure SEL exists to serve as a cheaper alternative to the Turtle Beach Pure Air, and to that extent it succeeds. In fact, not only is it the cheapest entry in Turtle Beach’s Kone mouse lineup, it’s one of the cheapest wired gaming mice available altogether. 

However, a mere $10 extra can vastly increase the quality of your mouse you’ll get, with great options like the Endgame Gear XM1r providing much improved build quality, and an arguably more comfortable design. For just $5 more, you can get your hands on one of the best wireless budget mice, the Redragon M916 Pro, offering additional gaming features such as ripple control and angle snapping on top of a high perform 4,000hz polling rate — plus, you can ditch the wire for an agility-enhancing wireless connection.

You might find something to love about the ergonomic design, and maybe the semi-transparent appearance is your thing. Unfortunately, the below average aspects of the build, along with the lackluster visual design, means that this is a mouse I can only fully recommend if the Kone ergonomic shape is what you're looking for.

While Logitech has put out some of the best gaming mice we have reviewed, the Logitech G305 Lightspeed feels like a missed opportunity for what could have been a killer budget mouse.

At first glance, there is a lot to like about the G305 — an eclectic mix of colors and the classic egg shell case are great aspects of the mouse’s design. The plastic all feels great to the touch, and the PTFE skates are some of the best I’ve used, gliding effortlessly across my mousepad.

Sadly, you will be left underwhelmed at best by the lack of versatility. With a required AA battery (thankfully included) as well as only supporting wireless connections via a 2.4G dongle, you would be hard pressed to find a more restrictive gaming mouse for this price. I would have loved to see the components that I liked with a standard level of connectivity and features, akin to that of the cheaper Keychron M7 ($49) or Redragon M916 Pro ($44).

Overall, it's difficult to fully recommend the G305 as your next wireless gaming mouse, but I won’t hold it against you if you are lured in by the fun color schemes.

Read on for my full Logitech G305 Lightspeed review.

Logitech G305 Lightspeed review: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? A budget wireless gaming mouse
• Who is it for? Those who want some color to spice up their next gaming mouse, and are looking for the best quality at this price
• What does it cost? The MSRP is $59/£59, but as the time of writing it's on sale for $39 at Logitech and $37 at Amazon
• What do we like? The quality of the build is great, and it performs well in games
• What don’t we like? Powered by an AA battery and reliant on a USB dongle, the mouse feels restricted while plenty of cheaper alternatives simply offer more

Logitech G305 Lightspeed review: Specs

Logitech G305 Lightspeed review: The ups

The G305 has enough going for it for it to be worth considering if you need an affordable gaming mouse. The quality of the mouse’s construction is one of the best you can get at the $50 price point, and it performs admirably across any game I tested it on.

Build