If you spend a lot of time toiling on a work desk, chances are, you spend most of that time on a computer. That’s how modern work gets done, after all. When you spend that much time sitting in an office chair in front of a PC, the overall quality of your mouse, along with your keyboard, can have a significant effect on your overall experience. That’s a big reason why majority of people use a wireless mouse for desk work these days, as it spares you from the hassle of having to deal with wires that can get tangled, bunched up, or just wreak havoc on the rest of your setup. Most wireless mice today also strike a good balance of affordability and reliability, so much so that the convenience of going wireless just absolutely outweighs any upside their wired counterparts can offer.
The best wireless mouse for desk work doesn’t quite have the same requirements as those for a gaming mouse. For the most part, a wireless mouse won’t need the same level of sensitivity, polling rate, or latency times as a gaming peripheral, making the category more suited for wireless use. Wireless mice also don’t need a plethora of additional buttons and controls that’s become quite popular with their gaming counterparts, since most people can simply use keyboard shortcuts for assigning macros and custom actions with no dent on productivity.
What goes into the best wireless mouse? For some people, it’s a matter of ergonomics. How good does it feel in hand? Does it leave zero strain on your wrists and small joints? For others, it’s all about battery life – the longer, the better. Some people prioritize tracking versatility, as in its ability to work on the kind of desk surfaces you frequently find yourself on. Those who take their wireless mouse on the go will probably put a premium on portability, too, even if it will, occasionally, come at the expense of better ergonomics.
These are the best wireless mice for desk work.
Amazon Basics 2.4GHz Wireless Optical Mouse
Pros
- Very affordable
- Tracks well on everything but glass
- Keeps thing simple
Cons
- Too small for bigger hands
- Very plain looks
Does Amazon’s dirt cheap wireless mouse really deserve a spot in the list? We think so, if for nothing else other than its combination of affordability and reliability. It keeps to the basics (no extra buttons) and does all the basic things well, so you can easily navigate through your OS and software apps, while being compact and light enough for use on the go, although it might feel a tad too small for those with bigger hands. The optical sensor works accurately enough on most surfaces we tried it on, only really giving us trouble on a glass tabletop, while offering a stable 2.4GHz wireless connection. Do note, there’s no Bluetooth support, so you’ll need to have the dongle at all times, which is probably the biggest sticking point. It’s plug-and-play on Windows machines, too, while running on two AAA batteries, so you can just swap in a fresh batch when it runs out after a few weeks or months, depending on your use.
Logitech M235S
Pros
- Useful left and right clicks on the scroll wheel
- Very portable
- Good ergonomics in hand
Cons
- Too small for bigger hands
If you want to stick to the lower end of the price range, but want a little better ergonomics than Amazon’s basic wireless mouse has to offer, you might like this one from Logitech. Coming in with a shapelier profile, this one should offer a better fit in hand, while not being too clumsy to use even for bigger hands. We’d still recommend something else if your hands are bigger, but this will definitely do in a pinch. There are no side buttons, which we like since we end up pressing some of those accidentally more than a few times, although they added left and right clicks of the scroll wheel, which are so useful when navigating web pages or working through a giant spreadsheet. It also uses just a single AA battery, which can last it a good few months on normal use, while offering 1,000 DPI for good tracking on most surfaces.
Microsoft Modern Mobile Mouse
Pros
- Shape encourages neutral hand position
- Very slim and lightweight
- Premium build
Cons
- No extra controls
If you prefer a Bluetooth wireless mouse over using a 2.4GHz dongle, Microsoft’s travel mouse should make an interesting proposition. There’s no 2.4GHz dongle included, which isn’t an issue considering how ubiquitous Bluetooth connectivity is, while the streamlined shape and lightweight size make it ideal for use on the go. It is a little too slim for its own good, though, making it an even tougher mouse to use for those with larger hands (yes, it’s slimmer than the previous two in the list), although the neutral hand position it requires might make it a little more tolerable for more comfortable (it’s just an easier working angle). Build quality is excellent (it feels really solid), while it also offers some app-specific adjustability using the Microsoft’s Mouse and Keyboard Center for customization. You can even adjust the sensitivity from 400 to 1800 DPI, which is not something commonly available in basic mouse peripherals.
Logitech M720 Triathlon
Pros
- Very comfortable, even for bigger hands
- Connects with up to three devices at a time
- Programmable buttons, adjustable scroll wheel
Cons
- Not ambidextrous
- Doesn’t track well on glass
This has to be the best wireless mouse you can get at the $50 or less price point. It’s pretty unbeatable actually. We love the shape, which fits both bigger and smaller hands well, along with the grippy exterior that moves comfortably well in hand, making it one of the most universally ergonomic mouse peripherals you can use. It’s also a highly customizable mouse. The scroll wheel, for instance, can be set to either smooth scrolling or click-to-click scrolling, depending on your preference, while three buttons on the side can be programmed to run any macro or perform any action of your choosing. It can also connect to three devices at a time, allowing you to switch among them with a single button push, with support for Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS, Android, and iPadOS. The mouse supports Bluetooth and also comes with a 2.4GHz dongle.
Lenovo Go Wireless Vertical Mouse
Pros
- Promotes comfortable hand angle
- Cork material feels good in hand
- Affordable for a vertical mouse
Cons
- No Bluetooth support
- Side thumb buttons are placed too high
Want a vertical wireless mouse at a budget-friendlier price? Lenovo’s got you covered with this affordable vertical mouse, which puts your hand in a 57-degree handshake angle, promoting effort-free wrist movement for a very natural feel. There are six programmable buttons, so you get plenty of customization options, while three sensitivity settings from 800 to 2400 DPI (yes, it goes up to 2400) let you adjust how it tracks on the fly (just press the DPI switch button). Some might not be comfortable with the fact that the side buttons are situated at the top of the grip (you have to stretch your thumb to press it), but we actually like it since it eliminates accidental presses, although your own mileage may vary. We also appreciate the integrated cork on the body, which gives it a unique look and a comfortable feel in hand. It runs on a single AA battery rated for around a year of use and uses a 2.4GHz dongle for wireless connectivity.
Logitech MX Anywhere 3S
Pros
- Feature-packed for a travel mouse
- 8,000 DPI allows it to track on glass
- Quiet operation
- Programmable
Cons
- Too small for bigger hands
If you want a smaller wireless mouse with a full complement of features, you should definitely look at this travel model from Logitech. Like many travel mice, this is great for users with smaller hands, but won’t be that comfortable for those with larger hands, making everything from gripping it to pressing the side buttons a lot more challenging. It has adjustable sensitivity up to 8,000 DPI, which allows you to really fine tune the tracking to your liking, while the scroll wheel enables you to spin it at a pace of 1,000 lines per second for ultra-fast scrolling action. You can also switch the scroll wheel between smooth and ratcheting functions, so you’re not stuck with the fast-scrolling action on every app you use (sometimes, you just don’t need it). Other features include the ability to switch among three devices, quiet clicking sound, full tracking even on glass, and a rechargeable battery that should last it around two months of use.
Razer Pro Click Mini
Pros
- Compact enough for travel, but not too small
- Feature-packed and programmable
- Pairs with up to four devices at a time
Cons
- Non-ergonomic design
- Windows-only software
While Razer is best known for their gaming peripherals, they actually do have wireless mouse models designed specifically for desk work. This one is the smaller of those releases and works great as a laptop companion if you need to take a mouse along. It’s a little bigger than most other travel mice, so it’s a little better to use for average- to large-sized hands, although the non-optimized ergonomics means it’s not going to be the most comfortable peripheral for anyone. What it does well, though, is offer a generous set of features, including two thumb buttons on the left side, a rocker switch on the scroll wheel it can click left and right), two scroll modes (smooth and ratcheting), and four PTFE feet that allow it to effortlessly glide on any surface (yes, it even works on glass). The mouse can connect either via Bluetooth or a 2.4GHz dongle, with the ability to pair with up to four devices at a time (button to switch at the bottom). Oh yeah, the switches are quiet, but the scroll wheel is unfortunately quite noisy.
Logitech MX Master 3S
Pros
- Works on all surfaces, even the glossiest ones
- Feature-packed and programmable
- Unique horizonal scroll wheel
- Ergonomically-designed for average hands or bigger
Cons
- Hard-to-use for smaller hands
If you like your wireless mouse with plenty of bells and whistles, then you’ll love this feature-packed model. First up, it has a bigger size that makes it suited for users with average-sized hands or larger, but mostly unsuited for those with smaller grips and fingers. It’s ergonomic, though, with a soft-touch coating that gives it a really great feel for those whose hands fit snugly around its body. Do you like scroll wheels? This wireless mouse has two of them – the usual one on top of the mouse and another one on the side that’s meant for horizontal scrolling, which should be extremely useful when working through a massive spreadsheet with tons of columns. It also has all the usual Logitech mouse features, such as dual side thumb buttons, two scroll modes, programmable controls, and the ability to pair with up to three devices, as well as adjustable sensitivity up to 8,000 DPI. This uses a rechargeable battery rated at around two months of operation between charges.
