Wired vs Wireless Gaming Mouse: Is wired better than a wireless mouse?

Last updated on November 11th, 2022 at 03:03 pm

Estimated Read Time: 6 mins

At some point in our life we all have thought that wireless gaming mice will replace the wired gaming mouse, but we might not be at that point now, but we have high hopes to eliminate cables from our life and get the freedom of using our mouse from a distance, but right now we have to differentiate between wired and wireless mouse and discuss pros and cons of wired and wireless mouse, so you can make a good decision before buying a gaming mouse.

I have written this post to make it easy for you to buy a mouse whether you like gaming or you just like to use a computer casually.

What is the difference between a wired gaming mouse and a wireless gaming mouse?

The main difference between a wired and wireless gaming mouse is the cord that connects a computer with a mouse. A wired mouse has a cord with USB 3.0 to connect it to a PC, whereas a wireless mouse uses Bluetooth or Radiofrequency to connect with the PC and share the cursor position with the CPU.

How wired mouse work?

The wired mouse uses a cord that connects the mouse to the computer using USB 3.0. It is generally thought to be more precise and consistent because it is directly attached to the computer. A wired mouse has less latency than a wireless mouse.

The most obvious advantage of wired over wireless gaming mouse is the power because it draws power from the host device with the help of a wire.  

How wireless mouse work?

A Wireless mouse uses a wireless connection with the host computer to send and receive data. It is thought to be less accurate and may have some latency, however; with the advancement of technology wireless technology is becoming more and more accurate and we might see wireless technology being dominant in the future.

The major advantage of a wireless mouse over a wired mouse is portability and compatibility because it can be attached to any device which has a specific wireless connection and can be carried around easily and doesn’t require any cable management.

Types of wireless gaming mouse

Wireless technology is changing very fast, and many huge brands are investing in this technology because the era demands to make things wireless. Therefore, we have 2 types of wireless technologies mostly used in wireless mice nowadays.

1. Bluetooth

Bluetooth wireless mouse is a no match with today’s wired mouse as it has some latency issues, however; it has some advantages over a wired mouse as it can transmit signal within the range of 33 feet and has no interference with other radio frequency devices.

2. RF Mouse

Another widely used wireless mouse is RF Mouse (Radio Frequency mouse). It is a newer technology and has the capabilities to compete with a wired mouse, as it has less latency as compared to a Bluetooth mouse, but it requires a USB dongle to use it.

The RF mouse can communicate with the host device with the help of an RF transmitter to send and receive signals and track the cursor’s whereabouts on the screen.

Wireless Gaming Mouse Categories	Frequency	Distance Covered(Range)
RF Mouse	2.4 GHz	100 to 150 ft
Bluetooth mouse	2.4 GHz	33 ft

Wireless vs Wired gaming Mouse comparison

The latency of an RF mouse is approximately equal to a wired mouse. Therefore, we can compete for a wireless mouse with a wired mouse in many different cases as discussed in the table below.

Wireless Gaming Mouse	Wired Gaming Mouse
Latency (Polling Rate)
Wireless mice show some latency as compared to a wired mouse, However RF mice can reduce latency in many new models. Wireless mice also cause interference in the signal, causing lag, less smooth movement, and difficulty in registering clicks. The polling rate AKA the registered rate of a wireless mouse is usually less than a wired mouse.	Wired mouse doesn’t show any latency, because they are directly connected to the computer, making them immune to interference. Wired mice have usually a high polling rate, ranging from 125 Hz to 8000 Hz
Mouse DPI (Dots per inch)
Bluetooth mice can’t handle high DPI, however; the DPI of an RF mouse is mostly equal to the DPI of a wired mouse.	The wired mouse has a high DPI, their DPI can go up to 16000 DPI which is higher than required to play games.
Accuracy
With the advancement in technology, wireless mice are achieving very good accuracy, but the accuracy of wireless mice is not as good as that of wired mice.	Wired mice are known for good accuracy.
Portability
The Wireless mouse has the highest portability. They can be moved from place to place without worrying about wire damage. Wireless mouse usually has a USB dongle socket built into their shells.	Wired mice have low portability, taking them from place to place is very difficult because the wire can get damaged if not handled properly. A wired mouse usually gets tangled with other peripheral’s wires.
Power
Wireless mice consume the most power. They have a battery built into them; it must be charged periodically.	Wired mice consume less power. They don’t require a battery because they consume power from a host computer.
Compatibility
Wireless mice don’t require a pre-installed driver to function. You can connect a Bluetooth wireless mouse with the computer with the help of a built-in Bluetooth receiver, but it is not possible for an RF mouse because it requires a dongle to connect with the computer	Wired Mice require a driver pre-installed to function.
Connection
Wireless mice connect with Bluetooth or RF transmitters to send and receive signals.	Wired mice require a cable to send and receive signals from a computer.
Reliability
Wireless mice are not reliable because Their battery can be dead in the middle of gaming.	Wired mice are more reliable because They don’t require an external battery; therefore, they can be used longer.
Durability
Wireless mice are durable because there is no wire attached to them, but you can’t use wireless mice without an external or internal signal transmitter.	Wired mice are durable, you can use a wired mouse without an external signal transmitter. The USB port is required to use a wireless mouse, but the wire can get damaged.
Range
Wireless mice have the highest range. They can be used within a range of 33 ft to 150 ft, depending on the technology you are using. RF mouse has the highest range as compared to Bluetooth mouse.	The wired mouse has less range because its range is tied to the length of the cable attached to the mouse.
Cost
Wireless mice are a little costly.	Wired mice are less expensive than wireless mice.

What are the pros and cons of a wired and wireless gaming mouse?

Not everything is perfect, therefore, I have created a small list of the pros and cons of wireless and wired mice.

Pros and cons of a wired gaming mouse

Pros and cons of wireless gaming mouse

Advantages

Disadvantages

Wireless mice are portable, they can be carried around easily as compared to a wired mouse. The range of wireless mice is far greater, it can vary from 33 ft to 150 ft. Wireless mice are highly manageable because there are no wires attached to a wireless mouse. If a Bluetooth dongle of a wireless mouse is lost, you can directly connect it with a computer’s built-in Bluetooth or order another from the manufacturer. They don’t require a mouse driver to install, therefore they are plug-and-play devices.

The Wireless mouse has some latency, especially when used from a range. They have low durability and require a charge every often. The polling rate and DPI counts of a wireless mouse are far lesser than a wired mouse except for a few exceptions. Wireless mice an often costlier than wired mice. Wireless mice have very low reliability because they require an external battery to power them, if the battery dies you must charge it again, however; a wireless mouse battery can sustain a charge for as high as 50 hours. Wireless mice may cause interference when using Bluetooth technology, causing lag, skipping inputs, and not being able to register a click. RF mouse requires a dongle to connect to the computer

Is wired better than a wireless mouse for gaming?

The best mouse for gaming depends on your needs, a wireless mouse can provide a tangled free clean environment, and a wired mouse can provide a constant power supply without worrying about the remaining charge.

The majority of gamers prefer wired mice over wireless mice when it comes to gaming, especially in fast-paced games like Risk of rain 2, CSGO, Fortnite, PUBG, etc. The reason behind it is that a wired mouse has little to no lag and most wired mice are now overpowered with a polling rate of 8000 Hz and DPI counts of 16000 DPI (That can be adjusted easily).

We have also seen some wireless mice that are as competitive as a wired mice when it comes to gaming. In the past wireless mouse had very high latency but now thanks to RF technology, wireless mice are comparable with wired mice.

Some pros use wireless mice for gaming because they are now providing all the specs that a wired mouse has but without a cable and high battery life.  

However, the wired mouse is preferred when it comes to gaming because they provide low latency without any interference, and you don’t ever have to worry about charging it.