Best gadgets for Gaming: Tech Awards 2021 Editor's Choice Results (Part 4)
Best Wired Ultralight Gaming Mouse
Best Wired Ultralight Gaming Mouse
2020 was a good year for mice. Brands decided en masse to make their own ultralight gaming mice, which means you're pretty spoilt for choice if you're looking for a more nimble tool to aim with. This is a highly competitive field, and brands like Ducky, HyperX, and G-Wolves have proven that they are capable of creating solid mice that can challenge established contenders like Razer. All these mice share many common features too – most of them weigh less than 70g and feature super flexible paracord-style cables. Tracking is flawless across the board, which means the winner will be decided based on things like shape, comfort, build quality, and how good the switches feel.
This time however, we're not limiting ourselves to mice released in 2020. We've made space for select 2019 contenders that weren't competing in last year's awards, still remain extremely competitive in 2020 and are their respective brand's flagship wired offerings even today.
Nominees:
- Cooler Master MM720
- Ducky Feather
- G-Wolves Hati S
- Glorious Model O-
- HyperX Pulsefire Haste
- Logitech G203 LightSync
- Razer Viper Mini
- Zygen NP-01
And the winner is...
The best overall wired ultralight gaming mouse is the Razer Viper Mini because of its combination of solid fundamentals and innovation. It has a safe, ambidextrous shape that works with most grip styles, and it has achieved a weight of just 61g without needing a honeycomb shell. Build quality is excellent, and the large mouse feet glide smoothly right out of the box. The Viper Mini has checked all the right boxes, and you also get an attractive underglow around the base of the mouse. Other than the Cooler Master MM720, it is also the only mouse of the lot to utilise optical switches, which offer improved durability because they don't rely on metal contacts to register a switch press.
Above all, the Viper Mini doesn't suffer from any of the flaws that plague some of the other mice, such as less-than-stellar build quality and lacklustre switch feel. Its shape lends itself well to precise aim too, unlike something like the Cooler Master MM720.
Finally, it is among the most affordable mice out there at just $69. The Viper Mini simply offers great bang for your buck, and together with its polished design and easy-to-use software, it manages to edge out the fierce competition nipping at its heels.
Cooler Master MM720 |
Ducky Feather |
G-Wolves Hati S |
Glorious Model O- |
HyperX Pulsefire Haste |
Logitech G203 LightSync |
Razer Viper Mini |
Zygen NP-01 |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Design | 8.0 | 8.5 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 9.5 | 8.5 |
User-friendliness | 8.5 | 7.0 | 8.5 | 9.0 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 9.0 | 9.0 |
Features | 8.0 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 8.5 | 8.5 |
Performance | 8.0 | 9.0 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 8.5 |
Value | 7.5 | 8.5 | 9.0 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 8.5 |
Overall | 8.0 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 9.0 | 8.5 |
Price | S$99 | S$89 | US$69.90 (~S$92) | S$79 | S$79 | S$59 | S$69 | S$89 |
*Note: Prices and ratings listed are accurate at the time of individual product evaluation.
For more information on how the nominees fared in detail and thus helping us pick our winner, check out the full reviews and articles listed in the References below.