5 best gaming mice under $100
Undoubtedly, you can drag the rink in Dota 2 or CSGO by manipulating the simplest office mouse. But firstly, a budget mouse has a high probability of a sensor breakdown (accidental movement or vice versa freezing of the cursor) at the most crucial moment of a multiplayer battle. And secondly, it can quickly tire the wrist, which in the long run is fraught with chronic joint disease. Therefore, now the trend is predominantly ultra-light mice (60 - 80 g), which is achieved by abundant perforation of the case. Moreover, the difference between a wired and a wireless mouse is now an insignificant 10 g. However, many Old Believers, on the contrary, prefer mice that are heavier - 100+ g. Avago laser sensors are almost completely replaced by Pixart optical ones. If you are right-handed, then you are free to choose between a symmetrical or asymmetrical mouse shape. Lefties will have to be content with purely symmetrical ones. The golden mean, perhaps, can be called the price range up to $100. There is already a premium electronic filling (high-precision sensors and wear-resistant switches), but there is still no overpayment for a famous brand.
AQIRYS T.G.A. Wired - Dress Up Game
Reasons to buy: Pixart 3389 sensor at 16'000 DPI, interchangeable panels in three colors, weights for weight adjustment, pads under the keys to change the click depth.
Reasons not to buy: The white fabric cable can get dirty easily.
AQIRYS T.G.A. Wired is an inconspicuous at first glance gaming mouse, lightened by perforation like many other contemporaries, in fact, it has the widest customization options for the needs of a particular user. And we are talking not only about software sensitivity adjustment (the pre-flagship Pixart 3389 sensor is used for 16 thousand DPI), but also about the possibility of physical change.
So, the kit comes with several variants of cases at once: white, black and pink, with and without perforation. By default, the mouse weighs only 65 grams, but if desired, the mass and center of gravity can be adjusted by adding metal weights. And if the weights are found in many other mice, then pads of different thicknesses for the two main keys to change the click depth have not been used anywhere before.
Form at AQIRYS T.G.A. Wired is almost completely symmetrical, if you do not take into account two additional programmable keys on one side only. Kailh's switches can withstand over 80 million clicks, and the cable is soft, pliable, and wrapped in white fabric, which is likely to get dirty easily. In addition to the Wired version of the mouse, there is a wireless AQIRYS T.G.A. with a replaceable panel is no longer pink, but blue.
Mionix Naos Pro - for the big palm
Reasons to buy: Pixart 3370 sensor at 19'000 DPI, ergonomic finger grips, weight 102 grams, switch life 80 million clicks, 100% Teflon feet.
Reasons not to buy: If you prefer light mice.
Mionix Naos Pro is a rather large (13 cm long) and heavy (102 g) gaming mouse. Light mice are better suited for MOBA (Dota 2, League of Legends) and RTS (Warcraft 3, Starcraft 2) esports games, where you need to quickly move the cursor around the screen. Whereas heavy "rodents" are a priority for shooters (CSGO, PUBG, Quake 3 Arena), where you need to accurately control the sight.
The Naos Pro case is very wide (8 cm), as it has protrusions for the thumb on the right and for the ring and little fingers on the left. This improves the grip of the mouse and makes the cloth mat less dirty. But if you are a supporter of narrow mice, then take a closer look at the asymmetric Mionix Castor Pro or the symmetrical Avior Pro with a similar electronic filling. The latter is theoretically suitable even for left-handers, if you do not take into account additional buttons on only one sidewall.
"Under the hood" is a 19,000 dpi Pixart 3370 optical sensor. Initially, it was designed as an energy-efficient solution for wireless mice, but due to the high resolution and the complete absence of annoying acceleration, it began to appear in wired manipulators. Switches under the two main keys can withstand up to 80 million operations, and the legs are made of 100% Teflon without impurities, resistant to abrasion.
Xtrfy M4 Wireless - adapts to the user's hand
Reasons to buy: Pixart 3370 sensor at 19'000 DPI, wireless adapter, two interchangeable backs, adjustable center of gravity, the ability to print a new case.
Reasons not to buy: Not suitable for lefties.
The Xtrfy M4 Wireless is a gaming wireless mouse from a rapidly growing brand from Sweden. Thanks to the abundant perforation of the body, it weighs only 71 grams, which is even lighter than many wired manipulators. By analogy with the "tailed" version of the M4 (which weighs only 2 g less), it is made asymmetrical. Two additional customizable keys are located only on one side, under the thumb of the right hand.
Based on the flagship Pixart 3370 sensor, which has not only a high resolution of 19 thousand DPI, but also reduced power consumption, which is especially true for Wireless mice. The creation of Xtrfy does not need constant replacement of AA batteries, as it is equipped with a rechargeable lithium battery. One charge lasts up to 75 hours, but only if the RGB backlight is turned off.
The built-in battery also plays the role of the center of gravity, which can be adjusted to suit you using the supplied screwdriver. There are also two interchangeable backs to choose from: flat and humped, for those who like the palm or claw grip of the mouse. And on the official Xtrfy website, you can download a drawing to print a case of any color on a 3D printer. The manufacturer itself sells the M4 Wireless only in black and white.
Dream Machines DM6 Holley Trio - three connection options
Reasons to buy: Pixart 3370 sensor at 19'000 DPI, connects via USB cable, radio adapter or Bluetooth, breathable perforated body.
Reasons not to buy: The legs are slightly flimsy.
Dream Machines DM6 Holley Trio is the long-awaited update of the flagship mouse of the Polish brand, the money for the development and production of which was raised through crowdfunding on Kickstarter. The main improvement compared to the DM6 Holley Duo was in the sensor: the no longer young Pixart 3335 was replaced by the latest 3370, and the resolution increased from 16 to 19 thousand DPI.
Another know-how was the third connection option: Bluetooth was added to the USB cable and 2.4 GHz radio adapter. This connection option is relevant for laptops so as not to take up a scarce USB port, and smart TVs to use a mouse instead of a remote control. But the Bluetooth interface limits the mouse polling rate to just 125 Hz, while the radio module and cable give as much as 1000 Hz, which is critical in demanding esports games.
Otherwise, Trio repeats the good old Duo. The same body perforated on all sides to reduce the weight of the mouse and ventilate the palm. The same Huano microswitches with a resource of 20 million clicks under the main keys and unknown switches for 3 million clicks under the side buttons. A built-in battery and an extension cable for moving the radio module closer to the user are included.
Cooler Master MM731 - ultra-light weight
Reasons to buy: Pixart 3370 sensor at 19'000 DPI, connected via USB cable, radio adapter or Bluetooth, optical-mechanical microswitches.
Reasons not to buy: If you prefer heavy mice.
The Cooler Master MM731 is one of the lightest, if not the world's record-breaking, wireless mouse for gamers. Including the built-in battery, but excluding the detachable cable, it weighs only 59 grams. Switches are used optical-mechanical for 70 million clicks. They do not work when the electrical contact closes, but when the light beam is interrupted, that is, many times faster than classical mechanical ones.
A single battery charge lasts up to 72 hours via a 2.4GHz radio adapter, or up to 190 hours via Bluetooth. Such a big difference is achieved by a different polling rate: 1000 Hz versus only 125. Moreover, the mouse can continue to be used right during charging. RGB lighting is de jure present, but de facto limited to a small Cooler Master logo.
You can customize the glow and program the side keys in the proprietary MasterPlus + application. In the same place, it is proposed to update the mouse firmware, which, if not necessary, is certainly highly desirable in the case of flagship models (for example, to eliminate the inadequate behavior of the sensor). In addition to the MM731, Cooler Master is already preparing an even more functional mouse - MM831 with Qi wireless charging support.
