The best cheap wireless mice of 2023

Computers are expensive, but accessories like a wireless mouse don’t have to be. While a nice tablet is going to run you more than $500, and a good laptop or desktop can cost upwards of $2,000, the trackpad or touchpad doesn’t always cut it, and that’s why $30 or less for a mouse can make all the difference. You can trade imprecise, inconsistent, and just plain limiting for something superior that packs in the laptop bag or hangs out on your work desk. If you don’t have a lot of specific features in mind—if all you want is a few working buttons, smooth movement, and a comfortable fit in your hand—a cheap wireless mouse is the way to go. At this price point, it’s rare to get some of the more expensive features like high DPI (the measurement of how precise a mouse’s movement is), many extra programmable buttons, or LED lights that can sync up with your games or movies played on the computer. But you can get a large number of reasonably priced mice—many from preeminent mouse brand Logitech—that do exactly what you need them to do, and do it well. Here are our picks for the best cheap wireless mice.

How we chose the best cheap wireless mice

Cheap is relative, but for the purposes of this list, we made it clear: Every one of our mice was available for $30 or less at the time of publication. There’s a whole world of high-quality wireless mice above that price point, but to us, that feels “cheap” enough to justify the tag.

Once we made our cut-off, we scoured customer and expert reviews—as well as personal testimonials from friends, coworkers, and family—to figure out which wireless mice seemed to garner the more rapturous responses. Once we had our master list, we broke the mice up into what they did best. Is it comfortable to hold? Does it pack and travel well alongside one of our picks for best cheap gaming laptops? Does it have the customization required for gaming? Our best overall and lowest-cost mice went into the overall and budget categories, respectively. The value winner is a mouse that gives you more than you expect for its low price. However, overall, all of these cheap mice will outperform their price and truly are the best cheap wireless mice.

The best cheap wireless mice: Reviews & Recommendations

Nice mice, nice price, less wire, less cost to acquire. That’s what you’re looking for. That’s what we’ve got. These are the best cheap wireless mice on the market today.

Best overall: Logitech M705 Marathon

Specs

• Weight: 4.76 ounces
• Buttons: left, right, scroll wheel, forward and back button on left side (all buttons programmable)
• Battery Life: 3 years
• Battery Type: 2 AA

Pros

• Long battery life
• Extra buttons
• Programmable buttons
• Quality construction

Cons

• Most expensive of our suggestions
• A bit big for small hands

The best of the cheapest is the Logitech M705 Marathon. Unlike some true budget options, this ergonomic mouse includes two extra buttons on the thumb side that can be programmed to perform any functions you want. The scroll wheel has two modes; the second one is designed for quickly zipping down web pages. The mouse runs on 2 AA batteries (we recommend rechargeables), which will last around three years—an incredibly long time for a battery-powered mouse. The side panels of the mouse have a rubberized grip, making holding the mouse easy. However, compared to some other cheap wireless mice, the size is a bit large, so if you have small hands, this may not be your best option.

All five buttons—the left and right, the scroll wheel, and the forward and back button on the side—are programmable. This can come in especially handy when gaming, but the forward and back buttons can also increase your productivity by opening your most common programs or performing specific tasks within software you often use.

This mouse is compatible with all the major operating systems: Windows, Mac, and Chromebook. The connection is via a USB wireless connection, which can receive signals from up to five 2.4GHz wireless devices. However, this mouse cannot connect via Bluetooth. The radius of the signal allows for use up to 33 feet away.

If you want an excellent cheap wireless mouse with a few extra features that other cheap options don’t have, you want the Logitech M705 Marathon, our pick for best overall cheap wireless mouse from a company that makes some of the best mice regardless of price.

Best ergonomic: TECKNET Wireless Mouse

Specs

• Weight: 3 ounces
• Buttons: left, right, scroll wheel, forward, back, DPI changer
• Battery Life: 2 years
• Battery Type: 2 AAA

Pros

• 5 DPI settings
• Ergonomic design
• Forward and back buttons on thumb side
• Rubber grip

Cons

• Buttons are not programmable
• Purple color is gaudy

A comfortable, versatile cheap wireless mouse with a loud purple color, the TECKNET Wireless Mouse offers a ton of options in an inexpensive, if not particularly attractive, body. If performance and feel matter more to you that looks, the TECKNET offers six buttons, including a back and forward button on the thumb side and a button to adjust the mouse’s DPI setting (a measurement of the mouse’s precision) through five different options: 800, 1200, 1600, 2000, and 2600. The higher the DPI, the more slowly but more precisely the mouse icon on the screen—or the game character—will move, though the speed can be adjusted in operating system or game settings.

The ergonomic design of the TECKNET is its best feature. It’s a very comfortable mouse to hold, and is a nice middle size, comfortable for hands both big and small (though too big for elementary school-aged kids, perhaps). The sort of design featured on the TECKNET has been shown to reuse hand and forearm strain by up to 30%, which is especially important if you’re going to use it for long gaming sessions.

Overall, if you can get over the color, the TECKNET is a great-feeling cheap wireless mouse with a ton of little bonus features that make it the best ergonomic cheap wireless mouse on the market.

Best keyboard and mouse: Amazon Basics 2.4GHz Wireless Computer Keyboard and Mouse Combo

Specs

• Weight: 1.17 pounds
• Buttons: left, right, scroll wheel
• Battery Life: 3 years
• Battery Type: 4 AAA batteries (2 in each device)

Pros

• Both a mouse and a keyboard for less than $30
• Keyboard is compact yet comfortable
• Keyboard includes a number pad
• Mouse features side grips

Cons

• Mouse buttons are stiff
• Printing on keys of keyboard rubs off quickly

Believe it or not, Amazon’s house brand offers a mouse and keyboard combo for under $30. That alone is enough to recommend this set, as none of its competitors do. The connection, as with most of our offerings, is via a USB receiver. The keyboard is light and has good range, meaning you can sit on your couch with it in your lap, or at the other end of a table from your display for a work presentation, and still type to your heart’s content. The keyboard is full, with function keys, a number pad, arrow keys, and more, but the design is slightly more compact than a wired keyboard. Careful, though; the printing on the keys will rub off with use.

The mouse is bare-bones, with a somewhat stiff click, but has good range. It’s a bit small, so if you have larger hands you may feel like you need something with more heft. The scroll wheel may start to have issues after many months of heavy use. This is, unfortunately, a common issue with cheap wireless mice.

However, there’s simply no other combo deal like this Amazon Essentials Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo. That’s why it’s the best cheap wireless keyboard and mouse.

Best small: Logitech M187 Mini

Specs

• Weight: 2.3 ounces
• Buttons: left, right, scroll wheel
• Battery Life: 6 months
• Battery Type: 1 AAA

Pros

• Small and compact
• Light
• Springy buttons
• Strong construction

Cons

• Best for specific hand sizes
• Battery doesn’t last as long as larger mice that use two batteries

Logitech is the preeminent name in mice. They have mice from cheap to very expensive, with tons of different features and specialties. Knowing that there are people out there who prefer a very small mouse—either because it’s much easier to transport or because they have small hands—they designed the M187 Wireless Mini Mouse.

This mouse is small. Seriously small. Unless you are very, very sure you want a mini mouse, don’t order it, it will feel too small if you’re used to a regular-sized mouse. The entirety of the mouse can fit inside an adult’s palm, meaning you use it with your fingers more than your hand. It can cause hand strain, as your palm has very little space to rest on.

This mouse is incompatible with Logitech Universal Receivers that you might have from other Logitech products; you have to use the included USB receiver.

While there are drawbacks to getting a mouse down to this size, if you’ve got small hands, want a mouse the perfect size for an elementary school kid, or need a mouse that is the most portable possible, the M187 Wireless Mini Mouse is the best small cheap wireless mouse.

Best for gaming: Redragon M656 Gainer

Specs

• Weight: 5.3 ounces
• Buttons: left, right, scroll wheel, forward, back, two top DPI change buttons (all programmable)
• Battery Life: 3-6 months
• Battery Type: 1 AA

Pros

• Full gamer mouse features for under $30
• Selectable DPI modes up to 4000
• Ergonomic design
• Seven programmable buttons

Cons

• Short battery life, even in ECO mode
• Gamer styling is a bit much

Gaming mice are not for everyone. They tend to have a “Mountain Dew drinker”-adjacent style that doesn’t resonate with everyone. But for features, they can’t be beat. PC gamers like having tons of programmable buttons, and the Redragon M656 Gainer has seven. They like having many options for DPI, selectable for different game genres. The Gainer has 5 with a maximum of 4000 DPI. While most gamers prefer a wired mouse to minimize lag, wireless mice are more responsive than they’ve ever been, and the Gainer achieves great results via its 2.4 GHz USB connection, with range up to 33 feet (10 meters).

The Gainer even features red LED styling for those who like that kind of effect. This feature does tend to drain the battery, which is the Gainer’s biggest weakness. There’s an ECO mode that turns off the LEDs, giving you about twice the battery life, but it’s still one of the bigger drainers on our list.

The ergonomic design of the Gainer ensures that even after long gaming sessions, your hand, forearm, and elbow won’t suffer. Because of the large number of features for a nearly unbelievable price, the Redragon M656 Gainer is the best cheap wireless mouse for gaming that we could find.

Best Bluetooth: Logitech M240 Silent

Specs

• Weight: 2.6 ounces
• Buttons: left, right, scroll wheel
• Battery Life: 18 months
• Battery Type: 1 AAA

Pros

• Bluetooth connectivity
• Great battery life for a single AAA
• Very, very quiet clicks
• Smooth movement

Cons

• No bonus buttons
• Non-ergonomic design

It’s quite difficult to find a Bluetooth mouse under $30. The technology is simply more expensive to manufacture than USB receiver wireless mice. However, there is one, and it’s a pretty good one.

Logitech produces high-quality products, and the M240 Silent is no exception. This simple but stylish mouse has a great look and feel. The body is non-ergonomic, which can be a drawback, but ergonomic mice are hand-specific in their design, so if you’re a lefty a standard design can be a good thing. Despite using Bluetooth, the battery drain is really low, giving you a year and a half of regular use off of one AAA battery.

Bluetooth is the big draw. Bluetooth allows two main benefits: you don’t have to occupy a USB slot, and you can connect with devices that otherwise don’t have ports and rely exclusively on Bluetooth, such as an iPad or Android tablet. To be honest, Bluetooth can be a finicky technology, and I’ve experienced more connection drops and hiccups with Bluetooth than with USB receivers, but it’s much easier to connect multiple devices through Bluetooth than USB.

The other big feature of the M240 Silent is its namesake: Silent clicks. This mouse is 90% quieter than standard mice, with the same physical feel. This is perfect for a mouse that you want to bring to a cafe or a co-working space, since you can avoid feeling self-conscious about your clicks echoing through the room.

WIthout a lot of options for Bluetooth mice under $30, it’s nice that what is available is good quality and attractive. Therefore, it’s easy to say that the Logitech M240 Silent is the best cheap Bluetooth wireless mouse.

Best value: HP X3000 G3

Specs

• Weight: 3.84 ounces
• Buttons: left, right, scroll wheel
• Battery Life: 15 months
• Battery Type: 1 AA

Pros

• Great responsiveness
• 1600 DPI precision; more than other non-gaming mice
• Adjustable height
• Subtle blue LED

Cons

• No additional buttons
• Somewhat small

HP delivers a quality wireless mouse at an extremely reasonable price with its X3000 G3. This height-adjustable mouse has only three buttons, but the buttons are all very responsible and have a nice give and click. The movement of this mouse is smooth, and the 1600 DPI precision is 60% more precise than most of the non-gaming mice on this list. There’s a subtle blue LED in the center of the top of the mouse, giving it a nice bit of style without becoming gaudy.

The side grips are especially nice on the X3000 G3, with a nice non-stick but non-slip grip. The size of the mouse is a bit small, perhaps too small for adults with large hands, but it’s appropriate for most people and junior high or high school students.

The standard USB receiver has really good range, offering up to 15m (49 feet) if there’s no interfering structures. HP products are known for their good “feel,” and the glide and hefty construction of the X3000 G3 give it an aura of quality, with result backing that aura up.

Overall, this is an unpretentious, attractive, simple-yet-highly-functional choice that falls at the lower end of our “cheap” price spectrum, making the HP X3000 G3 our choice for the best value cheap wireless mouse.

Best budget: Logitech M170

Specs

• Weight: 2 ounces
• Buttons: left, right, scroll wheel
• Battery Life: 12 months
• Battery Type: 1 AA

Pros

• Very cheap
• Reliable wireless range
• Comfortable, if loud, clicks
• Responsive scroll wheel

Cons

• No advanced features
• Might be too small for larger hands

Are you the one who scoffs at value and wants bottom dollar? Do you say, “Twenty bucks? I’ll give you about half that!” Well, welcome to our budget recommendation, a mouse you can buy for barely more than the sugarbomb coffee shop drink you’ll sip while using it, the M170. This mouse … is a mouse. Three buttons (left/right/scroll wheel) non-programmable. USB 2.4GHz wireless connection. Retail batteries are needed after about a year of use (1 AA is included). No filler, but is it killer? Yeah!

The M170 has a smooth glide and a good grip. It’s a standard 1000 DPI. It’s not quite as comfortable to hold as the TECKNET Wireless Mouse, but it moves a bit smoother, especially its scroll wheel. Its clicks are somewhat loud compared to the M240 Silent, but it’s a bit smaller than everything but the M187 Mini, so it packs up for on-the-go use better. And really, that’s what a mouse like this is for. You don’t necessarily want the M170 as your home mouse for a desktop, but as a budget option for the laptop that can be used for a long time? The M170 is perfect. After all, trackpads on laptops are the worst. The on-board options for laptops are simply NOT IT. And you need something small that does the job better, like the M170, to slip into your laptop bag or backpack. If your laptop is going on a surface with any extra space, you’d much, much—and did I mention much—rather use the M170. That’s where it shines.

If you need a highly portable on-the-go upgrade over your laptop’s laughably awful trackpad, the M170 is the best budget cheap wireless mouse.

Things to consider when choosing a cheap wireless mouse

Size might be the most important thing when choosing your cheap wireless mouse. All of these wireless mice are relatively bare bones in terms of features, but some are a little bigger and some smaller, which can mean a lot when it comes to taking up space in a bag or fitting your hand size.

Only one of our models features Bluetooth. Bluetooth is a built-in wireless connectivity protocol that doesn’t require a receiver to be connected to a USB port on your computer. This frees up one of your USB ports and also means that you can connect the mouse to certain Bluetooth-enabled devices that do not have USB ports.

If you’re a gamer, you want a higher level of control, and our gaming mouse recommendation gives that. Gaming mice have a high number of programmable extra buttons as well, plus a large number of precision modes for different game genres, such as real-time strategy or first-person shooter.

However, price isn’t really a concern. While you could go with our lowest-cost options (around $10), $30 isn’t a huge jump. So buy any of these cheap wireless mice with confidence. If you have no qualms about going over $30 for your wireless mice needs, how about looking at our list of the best wireless mice?

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best cheap mice

Even if you already have a mouse you like, having a cheap wireless mouse available allows you more options when you take your laptop on trips. Packing the wireless mouse and receiver is much easier than worrying about a tangle of wires. At the prices offered, these mice aren’t a huge investment. While you can spend more than $100 to get a top-of-the-line mouse, unless you need very specific features or high-level performance for photo editing or gaming, all of these mice will give you everything you need. To that end, we can heartily recommend you buy one of our best cheap wireless mice of 2023.

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.