Although it targets Surface owners who want a little more functionality than the standard touchpad, the Surface Mouse is equally capable on any system you choose. It’s elegant, streamlined, ergonomic, and, most importantly, lasts up to a year on two AAA batteries.

Even though it’s a Microsoft product, the Surface Mouse is compatible with Windows 10 and Windows 8.1, MacOS, and Android. It uses Microsoft’s own “BlueTrack” technology for the low-energy Bluetooth connection.

The scroll wheel and mouse switches are rated for thousands of hours of use and an enormous number of actions. The Surface Mouse also ships with a one-year warranty, so you’re covered if you face any short-term problems. The Microsoft Surface Mouse is not packed with loads of extra features, but that’s the point of a minimalistic mouse!

If you spend a lot of time computing and want to minimize long-lasting effects like carpal tunnel syndrome, an ergonomic mouse is ideal.

The MX Vertical’s design is a level above any of its competitors with a look that resembles a sculpted piece of cloud, perfectly molded to fit your hand. This design relieves physiological stress, potentially minimizing fatigue and the risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Logitech MX Vertical is one of the most comfortable and intuitive mice we’ve ever used despite its unique, on-the-side design. It considers wrist position, so it’s designed in a way that that feels more natural. This means you’ll be less likely to have carpal tunnel complications down the line.

The Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 1850 is an economical, no-frills mouse. It doesn’t have many customizable aspects like click force, but at under $20, it’s a great budget buy.

One unique feature of this mouse is that it has an ambidextrous design to use it — and benefit from the grip — whether you’re right-handed or left-handed. It’s compact, too, so you can easily throw it in a backpack or briefcase. You can store the included nano-transceiver inside the mouse when it’s not in use, and it’s barely noticeable when plugged into a USB-A port.

The Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 1850 comes with an AA battery that will last for about six months of everyday use before you’ll need to replace it. If something goes wrong with the mouse, you can take advantage of its three-year warranty. This budget-friendly mouse works with Windows 10, MacOS, and Android. 

There are two types of trackball mice: Mice that put the trackball on the side and mice that put it in the center. The Kensington Expert wireless mouse fits in the latter category with a large trackball in the center and a scroll ring around it. Navigating is easier with a larger trackball, and the design is ambidextrous.

The Logitech M720 Triathlon is perfect for large hands. It’s a full-size mouse with a generous bump in the rear, providing enough material to rest comfortably in your palm. Outside of the fact that it’s large, the M720 is a great mouse. It comes with an optical sensor, eight remappable buttons, and up to two years of battery life with a single AA battery.

It comes with unique features, too. The standout is Flow, which allows you to seamlessly use the mouse across computers and operating systems. It’s a software/hardware hybrid feature, allowing you to not only move the mouse between screens, but also move text, images, and files across them. Additionally, you can switch the scroll wheel between precision and speed modes — slowing down or speeding up the scrolling speed — and scroll horizontally by tilting the wheel to the side.

Like most Logitech peripherals, the M720 Triathlon connects through Logitech’s Unifying receiver that allows you to connect up to six accessories at once. It also supports Bluetooth, but you shouldn’t need to use it. Out of the box, the M720 works natively with Windows, MacOS, Chrome OS, Linux, and iPadOS.

There are multiple excellent ambidextrous mice on this list, including the Kensington Expert, Microsoft Surface Mouse, and Logitech MX Anywhere 2S. So, we’re using this slot to recommend something a little different. The Razer Viper Ultimate is undoubtedly a gaming mouse, fit with a 20,000-DPI sensor and weighing just 74 grams. It’s also a comfortable mouse regardless of your dominant hand, with two customizable thumb buttons on either side.

The Viper Ultimate can last up to 70 hours on a full charge, and you have a few different charging options. The recessed micro USB port allows you to charge the mouse while using it in wired mode, or you can purchase the mouse with a dock. In addition to cable-free charging, the dock provides a convenient spot for the USB receiver, bypassing any issues with connectivity.

Although the Viper Ultimate is built for gamers, Razer offers the mouse in a few different colors, and you can turn off the RGB lighting through the Razer Synapse software.

The Logitech MX Master 3 is an updated version of the 2S version we recommend as our top pick. However, the two mice are almost identical. They both feature the same Darkfield sensor, the same number of buttons, and a similar design and size. The 2S even is better in a few areas, with a higher polling rate and slightly lower latency. That said, the MX Master 3 has a key advantage: USB-C for charging.

That makes plugging in the charging cable easier, but also introduces fast charging. You can extend the life of your MX Master 3 by three hours with a one-minute charge. On a full charge, the mouse can last up to 70 hours.

Like Logitech’s previous flagship, the MX Master 3 comes with all the bells and whistles. It features Logitech Flow for transferring between screens, application-specific shortcuts, and a dedicated gesture button to quickly switch between windows. The MX Master 3 is the best wireless mouse made better. It’s just a shame its price is so notably higher.

Wireless mice come in so many different shapes, styles, and designs, and the selection can be overwhelming if you’re in the market for a new mouse. Whatever your preferences are for your next mouse, there are a few key things to consider when choosing a wireless mouse, including battery life, tracking accuracy, latency or speed, grip, and the number of buttons or dials for added control and flexibility.

Battery life on wireless mice vary greatly, and most modern mice last between a few months to even a few years on a single charge, or replaceable batteries. While older mice may rely on replaceable batteries — like the AA variety that you can conveniently pick up if your battery dies — a lot of newer ones have internal lithium-ion rechargeable batteries. Rechargeable internal batteries are not only better for the environment, as they result in less waste, but can save you money in the long run since you won’t have to keep buying new batteries.

When choosing a mouse with a rechargeable battery, it’s important to note what type of connector or cable is used to recharge. Some older mice may rely on the aging micro USB standard, while more modern ones use USB-C. Some of Apple’s first-party mice use a Lightning connector. Depending on what devices you have in your ecosystem, you may have to carry yet another cable just to charge your wireless mouse for travel.

Aside from rechargeable batteries, another benefit with a more modern mouse is that the cable that you use to recharge your mouse can also transform your wireless peripheral into a wired one. This is not only useful when you need to work on a project when the battery runs out, but a wired mouse can also help to reduce any lag or latency in use.

Optical LED mouse are often cheaper than their laser counterparts while still offering accurate and reliable tracking. The main difference is that LED mice work best on a flat, uniform surface, such as a fabric-covered mouse pad. Laser mice offer more versatility and can work on a number of different surfaces that prove challenging for LED mice. While laser mice are more accurate, they can be over-sensitive in certain environments.

Mouse sensitivity is measured in dots per inch, or DPI. The greater the DPI, the higher the sensitivity. Higher sensitivity means that you can move the pointer further distances on your screen with less hand movement. This can be useful if you use multiple high resolution monitors, or for moving quickly in certain games. However, high-end professional gamers tend to use lower sensitivities — sub 1,000 DPI, and some considerably so — as it improves accuracy.

More advanced mice will allow you to adjust the DPI, sensitivity, and pointer acceleration through software, and these settings are often found in the Control Panel on your PC, or in a bespoke application. Be sure to download the latest software and drivers available for your model. An adjustable DPI through software will ensure that you have the best mouse for different types of games and applications.

Most modern wireless mice will rely on Bluetooth to connect to your PC or Mac. However, some office or gaming mouse can also ship with their own wireless adapters. The adapter plugs into your computer’s USB port, and the mouse communicates with the adapter using radio frequency in the 2.4GHz spectrum.

Logitech is one manufacturer that uses its own adapter, though many of the company’s products give you the option to switch between Bluetooth or using its proprietary adapter. The adapter allows a number of Logitech peripherals to connect simultaneously, and the advantage of using the adapter is that speeds and accuracy can be improved while latency is minimized.

When it comes to input, latency is a measurement of lag. In recent years, wireless mice have improved on latency, so you’ll experience less lag when you move the mouse to when that motion is reflected on your computer screen. For general applications, latency isn’t as important, but a mouse that lags is not ideal for gaming. With modern advancements, latency is almost non-existent on wireless mice, and performance is generally on par with wired solutions.

Most mice will come standard with two buttons and some even come with a scroll wheel. Having a scroll wheel can be useful if you’re scrolling through websites, large PDF files, or long documents, and it’s a standard feature of many office mice.

Gaming mice come with additional buttons on the top or sides that can be remapped to trigger specific controls or actions. These can be useful if you’re working in specific applications, as the buttons can be configured as shortcuts. If you don’t have a complex workflow, having too many buttons can cause unnecessary confusion and frustration, especially if they trigger an unintended action when pressed.