Wired vs Wireless Mouse: Which is the better option for gaming?

The wired vs wireless mouse debate is one of the longest-running in the community. On one hand, gamers want the lowest latency, which can only be provided by a wired mouse. On the other, the convenience of a wireless mouse cannot be beaten. A mouse acts as the window into the gaming world, so you must make the right decision. Which is the better option for gaming? Wired or wireless?

Well, a wired mouse is generally better, but there's more to it than you realize. I have had experience with both kinds and, in this article, I'll walk you through the pros and cons of either. The end result depends on your preferences, so make sure to jot down what you want to see in your gaming mouse.

Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinions.

Wired vs wireless Mouse: Which is better for you?

A lot of people would agree that a wired mouse is better than wireless, but the important question is better in what exactly? That's where a couple of factors come in. Here's how these factors affect the wired vs wireless mouse debate:

Latency, interference, and stability

A Razer wired mouse specs (Image via Gamers' Clinic)

Latency is best described as the time taken for a signal to reach point A to B. In this case, it's the time taken for the electronic signal of a mouse click to go from your mouse to your computer. Remember the string can telephones that we used when we were kids? The string acted as a carrier through which the sound waves traveled, and it traveled fast.

A wired mouse works in a similar manner. A solid string or a wire is the fastest way of sending a signal. So naturally, a wired mouse offers the fastest connection with the lowest latency. The latency of a wireless connection is often quite a bit more than that of a typical wired mouse, but it won't matter much to an average gamer who plays story-based games or casual games.

If you are a competitive FPS player who plays COD, Battlefield, Apex Legends, or any other FPS games, you need the lowest possible latency. A delay of a few milliseconds, and you can miss the kill shot. The same goes for turn-based MMO games. On top of that, a wired connection is extremely stable (unless your cat has a habit of scratching wires incessantly).

The stability of wired mice is usually not seen in wireless mice. Even a metallic sheet between the mouse and the wireless dongle can cause interference. A large object between the mouse and its sensor can throw the stability out of the window entirely. In this case, a wired mouse easily wins the wired vs wireless mouse debate.

Convenience and freedom of movement

A wireless mouse is a lot more convenient. It's easy to carry in your laptop bag, and there's no chance of tangling wires. Also, when you are making fast mouse movements while playing a game, the wire of a wired mouse may dangle around and distract you.

This is one major reason why some users prefer a wireless mouse. A wireless mouse wins the wired vs wireless mouse debate in this aspect. You are free to move it around, and some wireless mice even have the option for dual connection, which allows you to switch between two host devices pretty easily.

Connectivity

Wired vs wireless mouse (Image via Gamers' Clinic)

With a wired mouse, you typically plug in the mouse and it just works without needing any drivers or software. The same cannot be said for a wireless mouse. A wireless connection is established via either a 2.4GHz wireless protocol or Bluetooth. If you connect with 2.4GHz wireless protocol, you will need to connect using a dongle, and if you lose the dongle, you will need to find another.

This is why the wired mouse secures another win in the wired vs wireless mouse debate. Without a dongle, the 2.4GHz wireless connection can't be established. For a Bluetooth connection, you will need to pair the two devices first. You will have none of this hassle with a wired connection.

Battery life

Wireless mouse with batteries (Image via Gamers' Clinic)

A wired mouse has no battery, but a wireless mouse does. Some wireless mice come with rechargeable batteries that last a long time. But the battery of a gaming wireless mouse will require frequent recharges, so keep that in mind. Due to the convenience of not needing to be recharged, the wired mouse wins the wired vs wireless mouse debate in this category.

Price

Wired gaming mice are easy to manufacture, so they cost less than their wireless counterparts. You can essentially buy a gaming wired mouse for the price of an ordinary wireless mouse. It's another win for the wired mouse in the wired vs wireless mouse debate.

What are the pros and cons of a wired mouse?

Pros

They are simple plug-and-play devices.
The biggest pro is a faster and low latency connection.
Wired connections are very stable.
There's no battery needed.
Wired mice are lighter.
Generally, they are cheaper.

Cons

Too many wires may clutter your desk
Cable drag is a major issue.
No multi-device connection with wired mice.

What are the pros and cons of a wireless mouse?

Pros

Wireless mice are portable.
They clean up desk setups.
Wireless mice feature multi-device connections.
They have much higher ranges than wired mice.

Cons

High latency is a problem.
Connecting wireless mice to setups can be a headache.
Batteries need to be regularly charged

Wired vs wireless Mouse: Which is the better option for gaming?

The wired vs wireless mouse comparison reveals wired to be the technologically favored option. If you are a competitive gamer who needs the lowest latency and the desk clutter doesn't bother you, you should opt for a wired mouse.

However, these days wireless mice have gotten competitive in their offerings and could be a solid alternative to their wired alternatives. Companies like Logitech have introduced charge-as-you-go technologies, allowing gamers to charge up their mice on the desk mats ⎯ eliminating charging downtime.

Thus, the debate boils down to your budget. If you have the extra cash, splurge it on a better wireless device. However, cash-strapped users can still stick to good ol' wired mice.

Check out more on gaming mice on Sportskeeda:

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