Gaming

Best ultra-light mouse 2019: 10 lightweight gaming mice for FPS gaming


All of the top options tried and tested by Digital Foundry.

There’s a new type of gaming mouse on the market: the ultra-light. These lightweight mice use honeycomb designs and other measures to cut mass wherever possible, making for a more manoeuvrable mouse that’s easier to aim. Following the first releases by specialists like Glorious and Finalmouse, many bigger brands have now made ultra-light mice of their own with new sizes, shapes and features. Some of these mice even forgo the holey look, with internal modifications to bring weight down and an intact outer shell. After extensive testing of every ultra-light mouse in FPS games like Apex Legends and CSGO, we’re ready to make our recommendations. Here are the ten best ultra-light gaming mice in 2019.

Note: for the purposes of this article, we consider an ultra-light mouse as any mouse that weighs 80 grams or below – although the lightest mice often weigh considerably less. Both honeycomb and traditional body gaming mice are eligible for inclusion. For comparison’s sake, most standard mice weigh at least 100 grams; the popular Logitech G502 weighs over 120 grams.

For more on ultra-light gaming mice, check out our article on why ultra-light honeycomb mice are the next big thing in PC gaming gear. If you prefer a heavier mouse, check out our full list of contenders for the title of best gaming mouse 2019.

Without further ado, here are the ten best ultra-light gaming mice for 2019:

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Best ultra-light mouse 2019

  1. Glorious Model O
  2. Cooler Master MM710
  3. Razer Viper Ultimate
  4. Xtrfy M4
  5. Roccat Kone Pure Ultra
  6. Logitech G Pro Wireless
  7. G-Wolves Skoll
  8. Glorious Model O-
  9. Endgame Gear XM1
  10. Finalmouse Ultralight 2

Here’s how the mice rank in terms of weight alone, plus some other key specifications – such as the sensor on board and dimensions. We’ve also classified the designs in two dimensions: “honeycomb” or “traditional” based on whether they have external holes and “ambidextrous” or “ergonomic” based on whether the left and right sides of the mouse are similar shapes. Symmetric mice are the only viable option for left-handers, but many right-handers prefer this style as well.

Mouse Weight Sensor Design Dimensions
Finalmouse Ultralight 2 50 grams PMW 3360 Honeycomb, ambidextrous 116x54x36mm
Cooler Master MM710 52 grams PMW 3389 Honeycomb, ambidextrous 116x64x38mm
Glorious Model O- 58 grams PMW 3360 Honeycomb, ambidextrous 120x63x36mm
Roccat Kone Pure Ultra 66 grams PMW 3361 Traditional, ergonomic 115x70x39mm
G-Wolves Skoll 66 grams PMW 3360 Honeycomb, ergonomic 125x68x42mm
Xtrfy M4 66 grams PMW 3389 Honeycomb, ergonomic 120x68x39mm
Glorious Model O 67 grams PMW 3360 Honeycomb, ambidextrous 128x66x37mm
Endgame Gear XM1 70 grams PMW 3389 Traditional, ambidextrous 122x66x38mm
Razer Viper Ultimate 74 grams Razer Focus+ Traditional, ergonomic 127x66x38mm
Logitech G Pro Wireless 80 grams Hero 16K Traditional, ambidextrous 125x64x40mm

1. Glorious Model O

modelo

67 grams • PMW 3360 sensor • ambidextrous honeycomb design • 128x66x37mm • RGB

The Glorious Model O remains our pick for the best gaming mouse on the market, thanks to a clever design that combines a range of modern trends: a weight-saving honeycomb design, an extremely flexible “shoelace” cable, a modern PMW 3360 optical sensor and RGB lighting. It also ranks highly as it’s an extremely affordable ultra-light, costing around £45 in the UK and $50 in the US. That’s for the matte coating in black or white; a glossy coat is available for a small premium. The Model O is an excellent ultra-light for gamers with medium to large hands.

2. Cooler Master MM710

mm710

52 grams • PMW 3389 sensor • ambidextrous honeycomb design • 116x64x38mm • no RGB

The MM710 is another strong option, with a unique stubby design and the lightest weight on a widely available mouse – the Finalmouse Ultralight 2 is lighter, but was only on sale for a limited time. The tall hump at the rear of the MM710 makes it a clever choice for claw and fingertip grip players, fitting naturally into the bottom of the palm to provide extra comfort and control that isn’t possible with a flatter mouse. The MM710 doesn’t include RGB lighting of any kind, a rare choice in 2019 that does allow for small savings in weight and cost. The short but wide dimensions make this a great selection for gamers with almost any hand size.

3. Razer Viper Ultimate

viper

74 grams • Razer Focus+ sensor • traditional ambidextrous design • 127x66x38mm • RGB

The Razer Viper Ultimate is a surprisingly light wireless mouse, given its long 70 hour battery life and non-ventilated design with RGB lighting. The mouse uses optical mouse switches, previously used in Razer’s opto-mechanical keyboards, removing the need for a de-bounce delay and therefore speeding up clicks by a few milliseconds. The Focus+ sensor is also intriguing, promising improved responsiveness through syncing the sensor’s reporting to the computer’s polling rate. Behind all of this technobabble though, there’s a very performant gaming mouse with a comfortable shape and top sensor- albeit at a very steep price, exceeding even that of our other wireless option, the Logitech G Pro Wireless. There is also a wired version, the standard Viper, which costs significantly less and weighs in at an even lighter 69g.

4. Xtrfy M4

m4

66 grams • PMW 3389 sensor • ergonomic honeycomb design • 120x68x39mm • RGB

Xtrfy’s Project 4 mouse was announced in the wake of the Model O, promising a mouse that’s “light yet top-performing and durable… with a right-handed, ergonomic shape.” A few months later, that’s exactly what has been delivered, with a right-handed design that curls into the base of your thumb to make the mouse easy to grip and a honeycomb pattern to keep the weight low. The cable, scroll wheel, buttons and sensor are all solid, so if you like the shape and size you’re sorted. The mouse is also one of the best-looking ultra-lights on the market, with RGB lighting, a light-up Xtrfy logo inside and a choice of five colours – black, white, blue, pink and ‘retro’ beige.

Professional Counter-Strike players like Grayhound Gaming’s DickStacy rate the mouse highly, with particular praise for its shape, weight and glide, but the M4 has yet to see use at a professional level despite Xtrfy’s sponsorship of at least two CSGO squads.

5. Roccat Kone Pure Ultra

pure

66 grams • PMW 3381 sensor • traditional ergonomic design • 115x70x39mm • RGB

The Roccat Kone Pure Ultra is the most normal-looking ultra-light on this list, with a traditional shell in an ergonomic right-handed shape that suits palm or claw grips. Despite its appearance, the Pure Ultra ranks alongside honeycomb designs like the Xtrfy M4 in terms of overall weight, with considerable savings having been made inside while keeping gaming mice staples like RGB lighting and an accurate optical sensor. The Pure Ultra comes with a soft touch matte finish which is very comfortable to use. If you hate the look of holey mice, whether through genuine trypophobia or just preferentially, this is the ultra-light for you.

6. Logitech G Pro Wireless

gpw

80 grams • Hero 16K sensor • traditional ambidextrous design • 125x64x40mm • RGB

The G Pro Wireless was one of the first mice to reach the 80g threshold, which is doubly impressive given that most wireless mice are significantly heavier than their wired counterparts. The low weight is achieved through the power-efficient Hero sensor (allowing a small battery), plus a thin and relatively small body that nonetheless suits all but the largest hand sizes, particularly in claw or fingertip grips. Its symmetric shape works well for both left and right-handers, and even includes side buttons that can be installed on either the left or right. This is one of the most popular mice for esports, thanks to its low weight and reliable operation.

7. G-Wolves Skoll

skoll
Image credit: Optimum Tech (YouTube)

66 grams • PMW 3360 sensor • ergonomic honeycomb design • 125x68x42mm • RGB

Like the Xtrfy M4, the Skoll uses an ergonomic shape in combination with a super-flexible cable, modern optical sensor and honeycomb design. The Skoll is a larger option, making it a better fit for those with bigger hands, and also isn’t as pronounced in its asymmetry as the M4. The Skoll’s shape mimics that of the Zowie EC, so it’s a great choice if you’re a fan of these mice but want something lighter with a more modern sensor. The Skoll also looks great, with a range of colour options including a very attractive grey. We’ve linked to Amazon’s stock below, but if you’re willing to wait a little longer for shipping, the best prices – including bundles with mouse feet or true paracorded cables – can be found at distributor X-Ray Pad, which ships globally.

8. Glorious Model O-

minus

58 grams • PMW 3360 sensor • honeycomb design • 120x63x36mm • RGB

The Model O Minus is a simple scaled-down version of the Glorious Model O, with its smaller dimensions allowing it to hit a lower weight for even faster flicks. Internally, it’s the same – same reliable 3360 sensor, same RGB lighting, same excellent “shoelace” cable and the same supremely comfortable shape, just reproduced at a smaller scale. If you have smaller hands or simply want one of the lightest gaming mice on the market to use with claw or fingertip grips, this is a solid choice. As well as being smaller and lighter than the original Model O, the Minus also costs slightly less, keeping value for money high.

9. Endgame Gear XM1

xm1

70 grams • PMW 3389 sensor • traditional design • 122x66x38mm • no RGB

The Endgame Gear XM1’s unique claim to fame is having extremely fast click response time, less than 1ms, but we didn’t notice a difference in normal gameplay. Instead, we mostly appreciated its high-end PixArt 3389 sensor, super thin PTFE mouse feet and its complete absence of RGB lighting. The only real issue with this mouse is its lack of a paracord-like mouse cable, which may make the DM1 FPS or Glorious Model O better options.

10. Finalmouse Ultralight 2

ul2

50 grams • PMW 3360 sensor • honeycomb design • 116x54x36mm • no RGB

The Finalmouse Ultralight 2 is no longer being produced, but it’s still possible to find some units for sale online. The mouse is worth mentioning in a discussion of the best ultra-light mice, thanks to its low weight, unique look and comfortable shape. While the frame is small, skins provided in the box allow you to build up the mouse in different dimensions – so you can make the rear hump taller, the grip width thicker and so on. It’s an intriguing system that works well in practice and allows this incredibly light mouse to be used with a wide range of hand sizes and grip styles. A unique choice, for sure.

Frequently asked questions

How to measure hand size for a gaming mouse

Your hand size will determine how comfortable a given mouse is to use. Most ultra-light mice will be perfectly usable for the vast majority of hand sizes, but if you have particularly large or small hands then opting for a matching mouse may offer the best results. To find your hand size, keep your fingers together and measure from the tip of your longest finger to your wrist.

  • Small hands: Less than 170mm (6.7″)
  • Medium hands: Between 170 and 195mm (6.7″ – 7.7″)
  • Large hands: More than 195mm (7.7″)

You can also measure your hand’s width from the bottom of your hand, across your knuckles and past your thumb. You can compare these two hand measurements, length and width, with a mouse that you’re considering. A mouse that is about 60 per cent in both dimensions should be suitable for your hand size.

For example, my hand size is 200mm x 100mm, so I personally look for mice that are around 120mm x 60mm. Different grip styles can also influence your ideal mouse size; claw and fingertip grips will hover around the 60 per cent mark, while palm grips are flatter and therefore mice that are closer to 70 per cent of your hand size will feel more comfortable.

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Won’t dirt get in the holes?

I don’t think it matters. I’ve been testing ultra-light mice since May 2019 and I can’t see any visible dust or dirt in even my oldest mice. I also haven’t noticed any change in performance over time. If I do, I will update this article accordingly.

Furthermore, there aren’t really any components under the holes that would be affected by dirt – just a PCB and potentially RGB lighting, with moving elements like button switches generally covered up. I wouldn’t advise eating messy foods or spilling drinks onto an ultra-light mouse, but I wouldn’t recommend that with any other kind of computer peripheral either. If you’re concerned about this, consider traditional full-body mice like the Roccat Kone Pure Ultra, Endgame Gear XM1 or Logitech G Pro Wireless.

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Are ultra-light mice worth it?

Yes, I’d say so. You’ll see the greatest benefits to a lighter mouse in fast-paced FPS and battle royale games where aiming quickly and accurately is of paramount importance. Outside of these games, all of the medium to large ultra-light mice I’ve tested have been perfectly comfortable for general computer use as well.

Most importantly, while there are very expensive ultra-light mice – think of the rare Finalmouse Ultralight 2 and premium Logitech G Pro Wireless – there are also plenty of more affordable options around the £45/$50 mark. Many retailers will accept returns within a certain time window if the mouse is in a saleable condition, so if this is the case for you then it’s well worth trying out one of the ultra-lights we’ve highlighted just to see how you get on.

What do you think of the rankings and which ultra-light is your favourite? Let us know – and iIf there’s an ultra-light mouse you think we missed, why not let us know on Twitter @wsjudd or @digitalfoundry? We’ll be keeping a close eye on the comments too.





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