My last wired mouse was a Logitech G203, a staple of the budget gaming mouse market that remains as popular as ever despite its advanced age, for good reason. It’s relatively light, fits most hands like a glove, packs nicely gliding feet, offers excellent performance thanks to its tad antique but still quite performant optical sensor, and sports a very affordable price.

But newer budget gaming models have made the G203 more or less obsolete. A case in point is the Logitech G305, the mouse I replaced my G203 with about five years ago.

The G305 is better than the G203 in every regard. You can get it for about the same price as the G203, since it’s constantly on sale, it packs a much better sensor, has a mammoth battery life thanks to using regular AAA batteries, and performs as well as any wired mouse on the market thanks to Logitech’s LIGHTSPEED Wireless technology.

The key spec here is the price. Back in the 2010s, budget gaming mice were limited to wired models because the tech used in wireless gaming mice was too expensive to create a truly affordable wireless mouse for gamers.

But nowadays, when low-latency wireless tech is widespread and inexpensive, the market features a number of affordable options that pack tons of bang for your buck. For instance, I bought the G305 for about the same price I had paid for the G203. I think the G305 was about $3 more expensive, but I don’t have the receipts to directly compare the prices.

Chinese brands such as Royal Kludge (RK M30), Ajazz (AJ139 G Pro), Zaopin (Z2), Attack Shark (X3), and others have made significant strides in the last decade as well. These days, they offer some impressive gaming mice that cost about the same as the affordable wired options from Razer and the gang.

Even household brands have low-cost wireless models on offer. The aforementioned Logitech G305, SteelSeries Rival 3, and Keychron M3 all offer excellent performance for under $40, provided you’re patient and wait for a sale.

The budget office mouse market, on the other hand, has been dominated by inexpensive Bluetooth mice for longer than a decade. If you need a wireless mouse for work, you can choose between dozens of inexpensive models from brands such as Logitech, HP, Lenovo, or Microsoft.

As long as you aren’t gunning for a high-end productivity rodent like the Logitech MX Master 3S, you can get a fantastic wireless mouse for less than $30 that you can even use for some light gaming.

Wireless Gaming Mice Are as Performant as Wired Mice

Latency-wise, unless you have superhuman reaction time, you won’t notice the difference between a wireless and wired mouse. For years, wireless gaming mice have offered near-instantaneous click latency comparable to that of their wired counterparts. These days, you won’t see an esports pro gamer dealing frags with a wired model.

Even budget gaming rodents boast impressive responsiveness, as long as you read reviews and don’t opt for a model with known issues. If you maintain vigilance and choose a well-regarded budget offering, you won’t notice the added latency introduced by its wireless dongle compared to pricier models.

When it comes to sensor performance, even economy optical sensors have been more than sufficient for everyone sans pros for years. Mouse sensor technology has advanced to the point where high-end gaming mice compete on weight, polling rate, battery life, and shape rather than on which mouse has the beefier sensor.

Honestly, I cannot tell the difference in latency and sensor performance between the G203, G305, and the Xlite V3. They all perform well, but only the Xlite V3 offers that delectable feeling of aiming directly with your hand, thanks to its weight of only 51 grams and silky-smooth skates.

When discussing Bluetooth office mice, it's worth noting that they often exhibit a certain amount of lag compared to wired models. But the latency is low enough not to impede your everyday workflow.

I can notice the added latency of my MX Master 3S over my wireless gaming mice, but I adapt to it after about 10 minutes and can even game with it in a pinch, as long as the game in question isn’t a fast-paced multiplayer shooter.

Wireless Mice Have Offered Solid Battery Life for a While Now

Unless you’re using a 4,000Hz or 8,000Hz polling rate, most wireless mice sport pretty good battery life, including many ultralight gaming mice. My Pulsar Xlite V3 can work for about 10 days before needing a recharge. Even once its LED starts glowing red, I don’t have to hook it to a cable right away. I can game for about a few hours before the mouse pointer stops moving.

The Logitech G305 is miles better in this regard. Thanks to using AAA batteries, it can last for months before needing a battery replacement.

Then there's the Logitech MX Master 3S. Despite using it for at least six hours every day, I don’t remember the last time I charged it. On average, its battery provides me with about one and a half months of usage before begging for more juice. I don’t know about you, but that’s mighty fine for my needs.

The best part is that I can use my wireless rodents even when they’re charging. I’ve got a long and lean USB-C cable hooked up to my desktop PC I top up the mice with, allowing me to use them while charging when in a pinch. But their battery life is so good that I’ve only used the Pulsar once while it was hooked to the cable.

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Back in the day, the wire was the only option if you wanted the best gaming experience. But the wireless connection technology has improved at warp speeds, with modern high-end gaming mice having as low latency as the best wired models. The price of admission has seen an equivalent drop, allowing PC gamers on a budget to enjoy cable-free gaming. As far as I’m concerned, the Logitech G203 was my last wired mouse. My mice have been cable-free for years, and I don’t see that changing—ever.