Top Gaming Mice for 2020: Comparing the HyperX Pulsefire Raid, Basilisk V2, G502 Hero, and More

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The HyperX Pulsefire Raid may have an excessive number of thumb buttons, making it difficult to differentiate between them. The low-cost-feeling textured plastic of our recommended price range option can creak under heavy grip pressure. However, for its price range of $30 to $40, it doesn't feel flimsy or uncomfortable to use like many other cheap mice. The Basilisk V2 offers customizable RGB lighting on the Razer logo and scroll wheel, although the logo is completely blocked by your palm when holding the mouse. It is slightly lighter than the G502 Hero and does not come with any accessories for customization. In Synapse 3, you can customize the behavior of all the buttons on the Basilisk V2.

If you're looking for the ultimate PC gaming setup, we have a variety of recommendations. Check out our range of guides below for advice on everything from laptops to gaming chairs. The Dark Core RGB Pro is an impressive addition to Corsair's lineup and is the best wireless mouse we've tried recently. It is surprisingly ergonomic and remains comfortable even after hours of gaming or working. It is comparable to the excellent Roccat Kain 120 AIMO in terms of comfort. The optional 'wing' for resting your pinky finger is a nice addition.

You can customize the lighting on the Dark Core RGB Pro, although you will need to install additional software for advanced lighting effects. The Basilisk V2 has a scroll wheel with a grippy texture and crisp left, right, and down-clicks. The best part is that you can customize the wheel's resistance using a dial on the bottom of the mouse.

The G502 Hero may have too many buttons that can interfere with a comfortable grip for some people. Our testers found the Basilisk V2, which has a similar number of buttons, to be more comfortable for a wider range of hand sizes and grips. The G502 Hero's metallic scroll wheel, while sturdy, is difficult to grip for tilt-clicks. If you frequently use this function, consider opting for the Basilisk V2 instead.

You can customize all of the buttons on our recommended pick, except for the scroll wheel toggle. In the Logitech G Hub software, you can also customize the RGB lighting. The G502 Hero is comfortable for most hand sizes and grip styles, and it offers plenty of buttons, excellent build quality, and adjustable weights. Overall, simple corded mice like the SteelSeries Rival 110 or wireless options like the Logitech G305 will serve you better than many of the cheap, non-gaming mice on the market.

We also recommend considering offerings from Cooler Master, Corsair, and Razer if you're looking for alternatives. Your body wasn't designed to continuously move a piece of plastic side to side all week.

Kimber Streams is a senior staff writer at Wirecutter and has been covering laptops, gaming gear, keyboards, storage, and more since 2014. In that time, they have tested hundreds of laptops, thousands of peripherals, and built many mechanical keyboards for their personal collection. The Razer Naga Pro is comfortable and offers three customizable thumb grips with different button layouts for those who prefer more thumb buttons. However, the Basilisk Ultimate is still more comfortable, with easier to differentiate and press thumb buttons, as well as a customizable scroll wheel. While the Cooler Master MM711 is the smallest and lightest mouse we tested, it can be difficult to clean due to its unique honeycomb design. The Corsair Nightsword RGB had mushy side buttons that were difficult to click and the thumb rest got in the way of those buttons.

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