The search for a tilt wheel gaming mouse
TL;DR: I'm looking for an entry-level/midrange gaming mouse with a tilt wheel (and side buttons). any comment, recommendation and advice would be more than welcome :)
Hi r/MouseReview! For the last couple of weeks I've been looking for a mouse with a tilt wheel function, and compiled a list of options in order to find myself a new mouse. I want this thread to also be a good starting point for future tilt wheel lovers looking for their next mouse.
Currently I'm using the Logitech m560, and recently after its side buttons started malfunctioning, I've figured that it's high time for an upgrade.
Generally, I've been searching for an entry-level/midrange gaming mouse for daily use, mostly for gaming, work and browsing.
Hardware: a gaming laptop.
Games: I'm playing mostly non-competitive games (though I do play them sometimes), mostly third-person single-player RPGs and rougelikes, and some multiplayer FPSs.
As of Work, it includes mostly coding, for which I really just need a mouse for the browsing part of it. It is important to me though that the mouse will be comfortable for this as well.
Hand preference: I'm right handed and would like to try an ergonomic design, though I have no problem with a symmetric mouse if it's comfortable.
Budget: an arbitrary sum of 55$ - though I am flexible about it.
Hand size: 19cm x 10.5cm (I wasn't sure if I was supposed to measure from the wrist or the end of the palm, might be 18cm x 10.5cm).
Grip: I think it's palm grip or a very relaxed fingertip grip. Tbh I'm not entirely sure what my grip is, as my m560 is relatively small so for me the palm itself can't really touch the mouse unless I claw it. What I can say for certain about my grip is that I'm most comfortable when my fingers are completely resting on the mouse/slightly above it, while the scroll wheel is in line with my index finger's distal phalanx (which I think is the name for the top third of the finger?). I mostly use my wrist for moving the mouse (but I also move my arm when playing).
Weight: I would like it to be relatively light so it won't strain my hand after hours of use, but I'm not looking for those ultra lightweight FPS mice.
Sensitivity: as of my understanding, most mice from reputable companies have wide sensitivity ranges, so I think any quality mouse will do. I'm not particularly looking for extraordinarily high sensitivity.
Connectivity: technically I have no preference, but as the wired options are usually significantly cheaper (and lighter), I tend to prefer them. That being said, I have seen people saying that wireless is better for laptops, so I wanted to ask you beautiful people for your thoughts on the issue. I also dislike mice with regular one-use batteries, so rechargeable is preferred among the wireless options.
Additional characteristics: looking for an entry-level/midrange gaming mouse with a tilt wheel (I sometimes saw it referred to as 4-way or 4-directional wheel) and few side buttons, preferably with not too many other features (for example no MMO/MOBA mouse side buttons, RGB and super high DPI are not a priority and there's no need for other bells and whistles).
Why a tilt wheel? Well, after using the m560 for quite a while, I've found it hard to come back. For me at least it offers a lot of utility for and requires minimal effort, making it too hard for me to give up on.
The significant downside, of course, is that not many gaming mice have this niche, mostly productivity-oriented feature.
In the first few days of my search for my next mouse, I barely managed to find anything, and I didn't seem to be the only one: many single-comment threads are scattered across the sub with people asking for suggestions for mice with this feature.
After a while, thanks mostly to this sub, I managed to compile a short list of mice that met most of my requirements:
Razer Basilisk series (specifically V2, ultimate, V3 and V3 Pro) – tbh probably my favorites out of the bunch. After compiling the list I centered most of my research around them. The specs seem amazing relative to the price, the reviews are very positive, I really like their design and they fit perfectly with my requirements. That being said, I fear that they might be a bit uncomfortable as I don't really know what my grip is (although reviews I watched said they are all pretty comfortable for most). I managed to find most of the options within my budget, except for the V3 Pro, as unsurprisingly yoinking that cable takes the affordability right with it. I have been trying to find deals on both it and the Ultimate, and I wanted to know, as per your experience, if you think that their wirelessness is indeed necessary for a laptop. Technically I'm not specifically looking for an RGB, so even taking the V2 is a pretty good option for me.
Razer Mamba Elite – seems pretty much straight to the point, though I found the Basilisk V3 with a lower price tag almost everywhere.
Razer Naga – seems nice but has a bit “too much” for my taste. Pricing is a bit all over the place, but I still prefer the Basilisks over it.
Razer Pro Click and Click Pro Mini – probably the most similar to my measly m560, but I'd lie if I'd say I didn't want to really "feel" the upgrade and buy a gaming mouse. Plus, more importantly, the prices tend to be less friendly and exceed my budget.
Logitech G502 series – Probably the most frequent to appear in the search. Looks perfect for my needs and seems very attractive with the price tag for the older generations of the series, and even for some newer ones. I do have to point out, though, that after some research I noticed that in online comparisons between Razer's Basilisks and this series, the Basilisks almost always come up on top. Plus, I really dislike it when Logitech's tilt wheel registers when pressing the scroll wheel for M3, and I've read that this happens in most of the companies' models. On first glance I thought that the G502 models might be a little too much for me with their extra buttons, but this amazing review by u/Buzz_Buzz_Buzz_ changed my mind a bit. I managed to find the original model for less than 20 bucks, and even then wireless Lightspeed and the newer wired G502x are usually sold at very comfortable prices.
Logitech G604 – I think that the feature I like the least in this option is the amount of side buttons, which I fear might make using them a chore. Aside from that, I'm not sure about the shape as I have seen that it was weird for some, and the fact that it uses an AA battery is also a downside for me. Other than that, it seems like a good option, especially for a wireless, as the prices are quite low.
Logitech G903 and G900 – On paper they seem pretty fitting for my needs, but I had a hard time finding either of them online. They were mostly either partially working or with ridiculously high price tags.
Steelseries rival 500 – similar issue with the last pair – its age made it hard to find. Although it is a MMO/MOBA mouse, its layout seems more intuitive and easier to learn compared to other mice of this sort.
Roccat Kone series (specifically XTD, EMP, XP and XP Air) – the XTD and EMP suffer from the same fate as the previous mice on the list, the XP Air is out of my budget, but the XP seems fine. It has a lot of buttons, and although the layout seems a bit uncomfortable, the EasyShift thumb paddle is pretty elegant (though, again, might be too much for me). In addition to that, neither the RGB nor the “Minecraft mouse” selling points are really for me.
HyperX Pulsefire Raid – raised my interest after reading this detailed and helpful review by u/Kaytwo_TTV. It also has more buttons than I'm looking for, but it seems rather fine. It's a bit hard to find online as well, but in contrast to the previous mice with this issue, when I did manage to find it for sale it was at a bargain price well within my budget.
EVGA X17 and X20 – seems like a good but heavy option, with a fair price point and surprisingly high availability. The sniper button though is in a weird position. Main drawback for me is the weight.
In addition to all of these, after some digging I found this beautiful list which at least for me is pretty hard to comprehend. As my knowledge on the mice world is very limited, it was hard to try and research all of them, though I do think that most of the mice that are worth it are already in the original list. If I'm wrong please correct me and add your own suggestions, it would be greatly appreciated.
Some sidenotes: This is my first time buying an actual mouse, and I'm not sure what's the optimal way of doing it. As I am looking for a budget option, I've opted to mostly searching on Ebay. Is this a smart choice? Is it generally safe to buy pre-owned mice, or should I strive to snag a new/open box product? I don't live in the US nor in the EU, so I feel like I don't have many options. I also fear that if I buy third-party, I won't be able to return the mouse in case it won't fit my grip. I'm generally worried about my grip, as I feel I don't really have a way to test it on other mice.
I've also heard of people avoiding Razer products, and heard that the software is pretty crappy. Is this something I should seriously be worried about (Or rather, is this something I have the luxury to worry about, considering my budget)? For perspective, I'm coming from the horrid SetPoint software, and I don't really care about profiles, on-board memory or RGB.
To be completely honest, if you think there's a great option (budget and performance wise) without the tilt wheel, I'll consider trying to get used to it and make do.
In conclusion: I've searched for tilt wheel options across the web, probably with the Razer Basilisk series and the Logitech G502 series as my top contenders. What are your suggestions for the best mouse in this scenario? I'd be very thankful for any comment, recommendation and advice.
Thanks for reading!