7 Best Mouse for Graphic Design

After working as a professional graphic designer for 8 years, I can authoritatively say that getting the best mouse for graphic design can save time and highly affect the output quality of your work.

Many beginners make the mistake of considering their printers, graphic tablets, or desks and chairs. Immediately after your computer or monitor, the mouse is the next important consideration you cannot afford to ignore.

In this article, I will explain my favorite mice and why I consider them to be the best. I will also show you the factors you need to consider when choosing the best mouse for graphic designers.

Top Mouse Recommendations for Graphic Design

  1. Logitech MX Master 3: Best For Professionals
  2. Apple Magic Mouse: Best for MacBooks
  3. Logitech MX Vertical: Best vertical mouse
  4. Anker 2.4G Wireless Mouse: Best Budget
  5. ELECOM Left-Handed Mouse: Best for Left-Handed Users
  6. Microsoft Classic: Best wired mouse

Logitech MX Master 3: Best For Professionals

  1. Bluetooth & USB Unifying
  2. Gesture button
  3. USB-C quick charging
  4. Programmable wheel button
  5. Laser-guided mouse.

Logitech has made a huge leap in the gaming & design industry by introducing this mouse. It is not just one of the best mice but also the most “awesome” mouse ever designed. The design makes it perfect for both lefties and righties.

This mouse boasts a whopping 40-hour battery life, which can be extended up to 80 hours when you use it in its low-power mode. However, Logitech claims that it needs 24 hours to charge completely, which is long! The MX Master 3 is fitted with a Bluetooth Unifying Receiver, which means that you can connect multiple devices using this single receiver without any hassle.

This mouse contains a 3-D tracking sensor, which ensures you get lag-free movements and a great response time. It has 4000 dots-per-inch (DPI), which means that it will always accurately track your movements.

The MX Master 3 comes with an array of features like a programmable wheel button, hyper-fast scrolling, and much more. It has two thumb buttons on each side, which can be programmed according to your needs. The design is flawless, and the mouse is lightweight too. You will love its aluminum unibody frame, which makes it look very attractive indeed.

Pros

  • Ergonomically designed for long hours
  • Accurate tracking with high precision thanks to a 4000 DPI sensor
  • Both Bluetooth and USB connectivity allows versatile connectivity
  • Allows customisation with programmable buttons and a wheel
  • USB quick charging and over 80 hours battery life in low power mode
  • Easy navigation thanks to the Ultrafast scroll wheel

Cons

  • More expensive compared to a standard Mouse
  • Long recharge time up to 24 hours
  • Heavy and bulky limiting comfortable use
  • Only supports Right-handed usage

Apple Magic Mouse: Best For Mac

  • Compatibility: Mac and iPad
  • Ambidextrous Ergonomic Design
  • 1300 DPi
  • Wireless and Bluetooth Interface
  • 2 customizable buttons

When you buy a Mac, you get an Apple Magic Mouse free of charge. This mouse is the best of its kind, and that is why it is in the limelight.

The designer can only use the mouse with a Mac, which is one reason you should buy a Mac if you are looking for an awesome computer.

It has no batteries or recharging issues to deal with, which makes it extremely reliable. The Apple Magic Mouse is self-charged, so you don’t have to worry about charging it ever again.

This not only makes it highly reliable but also saves you time as well. It has some useful gestures that make scrolling up/down or left/right very easy.

You can customize the buttons on this mouse, and you can configure them according to your needs. It has been specially designed for right-handed users but can be used by lefties as well.

The Multi-Touch surface allows you to perform simple gestures such as swiping between web pages and scrolling through documents.

Pros

  • Seamless MACOS integration
  • Allows Sleek scroll and navigation touch gestures
    Modern minimal design
  • Allows button customisations
  • Self charging capability without having to connect it.

Cons

  • Limited to MACOS only
  • Low 1300 DPI sensors make the mouse less precise
  • Not ergonomically designed for log hours of usage
  • Price: Expensive compared to other wireless mice with similar features.

Logitech MX Vertical: Best vertical mouse

  1. Compatible with: Mac, Windows PC, Chrome OS, and Linux
  2. Right-handed Ergonomic Design
  3. 4000 DPI High Precision sensor
  4. Wireless, Bluetooth and USB Interface
  5. 6 Buttons with 4 of them customizable

This mouse was specially designed for right-handed users who often suffer from wrist pain while using a normal mouse. The vertical design reduces your wrist movements, which helps in reducing the pain caused by the daily use of a regular mouse.

The Logitech MX Vertical has the same features as the previous ones from this brand. It contains a 3-D tracking sensor, which is an industry standard, and its performance is as excellent as ever before.

You can use up to four buttons at a time, track at an impressive speed of 4000 dots per inch, and customize them to suit your needs.

It also contains Bluetooth so that you can connect it to multiple devices without any hassle. Cross-computer control—a game-changing function that can seamlessly navigate three computers and use Logitech FLOW to copy and paste text, images, and files from one to another.

Pros

  • Unique Vertical orientation to reduce staring and fatigue
  • The 4000 DPI sensor allows smooth tracking and precision.
  •  Logitech FLOW.allows usage across different devices or computers
  • Features 4 customisable buttons
  • Compatible with Mac, Windows, Chrome OS, and Linux systems.
  • USB-C rechargeable battery means you do not have to keep buying batteries

Cons

  • Designed specifically for Right-Handed users.
  • Takes time to get used due to the vertical orientation
  • Expensive

Anker 2.4G Wireless: Best Budget

  1. Wireless, Ergonomic Design
  2. 800 / 1200 /1600 DPI Sensor
  3. 5 Buttons for Laptop

This is a wonderful mouse for right-handed users who spend many hours working on their computers every day. It has been specially designed to reduce wrist fatigue, which is so common for people nowadays.

It is a very easy-to-use mouse. The mouse contains a Nano receiver, which gives you total wireless freedom from all the wires that generally bind you down.

It can produce an incredible speed of up to 4000 DPI, or dots per inch, which makes it extremely useful. It also has a unique gravity sensor that can automatically adjust its sensitivity as per your hand’s movements.

Features: Wireless Bluetooth mouse, 5 programmable buttons, and optical mouse tracking.

Pros

  • Affordable price range
  • Ergonomic vertical design for comfort
  • Allows 800, 1200, 1600 DPI sensor options that you can set as per your needs
  • Allows Wireless connection
  • Easy plug and play set up

Cons

  • Not made with very powerful materials
  • Few customisable buttons
  • Does not have bluetooth connection supported

ELECOM: Best for Left-Handed users

Features: a scroll wheel, an optical guide, and six extra programmable buttons.

The ELECOM left-handed mouse is the perfect product for left-handed users who want to upgrade their mouse. It is extremely useful, and it can help you reduce the strain on your wrist while you work on your computer.

This mouse has a sliding switch that makes it extremely easy for you to change the buttons as per your requirements. It has a DPI (dots-per-inch) sensor of around 9300, which allows you to perform tasks at lightning speed.

You can use this wireless optical mouse with both Windows-based PCs and Macs because it doesn’t contain any software or drivers.

Pros

  • Made for Left-Handed usage
  • Very high 9300 DPI sensor for maximum precision and speed.
  • 6 customisable keys available
  • Some Ergonomically designed features such as Thumb-control trackball and tilt scroll wheel are available for easy use.
  • Allows wireless connection for both Windows and MACOS

Cons

  • Best for specifically left handed users
  • More features like the trackball require extra caution when in use 
  • Steep learning curve
  • Overall bulky build.

Microsoft Classic: Best wired mouse

  • Wired (USB) mouse with left/right-click and middle-click buttons.
  • Unique Blue Track Technology with laser precision and powered through USB.
  • You will have a gesture button, thumbwheel, and scroll wheel options on the mouse.
  • Overall DPI: 3200 max

After a necessary upgrade, the Microsoft Classic is a premium-level mouse you can buy. It takes the spot for the best-wired mouse in our review.

The mouse will have no problem navigating over many surface types, including very smooth desk surfaces, thanks to its unique Blue Track Technology.

If you are installing the mouse and a keyboard on your Microsoft or Windows device, the same software will be universally used, saving you a lot of time and technicalities.

Microsoft Classic and keyboards will allow you to set your shortcut button keys easily using the Mouse and Keyboard Center app. Shortcuts are invaluable to graphic designers in the sense that they save you a lot of time. If you are looking for an affordable and reliable wired mouse, the Microsoft Classic is a perfect pick.

Pros

  • Reliable wired design
  • Ergonomic and lightweight design for long hours of use
  • Smooth tracking and precision thanks to BlueTrack Technology
  • Easy customisation although using third party apps like Mouse and Keyboard Center app.
  • Affordable price range

Cons

  • Limited wired connection
  • Low 3200 DPI sensor features poor precision and tracking.
  • Power customisation for complex tasks
    Primarily made for PC users only

Choosing a Mouse for Graphic Designers

Best Mouse For Graphic Design

Wired or Wireless

A wireless mouse seems neat and without cables all over the working area. I prefer a wireless mouse; however, if you go for this option, you need to consider the other parts, like batteries you have to keep buying in the lifetime of the mouse usage.

In terms of effectiveness as a graphic design mouse, this does not play a part, but hey, a comfortable working space can influence your output.

Customizable Buttons

The availability of customizable buttons helps speed up your workflow by creating common functions for the additional keys on the mouse. You can program these buttons to your most common tasks, saving you loads of time.

Ergonomic design

The ergonomic design means making the tool fit the needs of the targeted user, instead of having the user adjust it to fit the tool. In this case, a graphic designer needs a mouse that is designed with the usual needs of a graphic designer in mind.

There are many advantages of using a mouse with an ergonomic design, but for a graphic designer, reduced wrist pressure and how comfortably it fits in the hand are very important. A good example is if you are left-handed, you need a mouse that caters to that from the box.

Conclusion

All the products listed above are amazing in their way, and you will love them as well. If you have trouble with your hand while using the computer for extended hours, it is recommended that you choose a vertical mouse instead of a regular one; in our case, the Logitech MX Master 3 is also cost-friendly. This will help you reduce wrist fatigue in no time at all! All the best!

Our Top 3 recommendations

Best Overall

MX Master 3

Ergonomic mouse with 4000 DPI precision, ultrafast scrolling, programmable buttons, Bluetooth/USB connectivity, and exceptional battery life. Ideal for professionals needing versatility, customization, and comfort for extended use.

Best For Mac

Apple Magic Mouse

Minimalist, self-charging mouse with multi-touch gestures, customizable buttons, and seamless macOS/iPadOS integration. Designed for Mac users but lacks ergonomic support and compatibility with non-Apple devices.

Best Budget

Anker 2.4G Wireless

Anker 2.4 is an Affordable vertical mouse with ergonomic design, adjustable DPI, five buttons, and wireless connectivity. Reduces wrist strain, perfect for casual users prioritizing comfort and functionality on a budget.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Can a mouse be replaced by a graphics tablet?

    The simple answer is yes, you can replace a mouse with a graphics tablet. However, a mouse is more comfortable and useful if you are working as an artist or graphic designer.

  2. Are vertical mice any good for graphic design?

    A vertical mouse is ergonomically designed for easy and comfortable usage. They are set at a very comfortable and user-friendly tilt angle for the best user experience.

  3. Is it possible to use MX Master 3 while charging?

    It is not advisable to use the MX Master 3 as it charges. This is because it can highly affect your mouse battery life in the future. We recommend charging it for at least a minute and then using it. With this short charge time, it will still work for close to 3 hours.

  4. What is the best DPi for a good Graphic Design Mouse?

    For a good graphic design mouse, we recommend anywhere from 1000 dpi and above.

  5. Is Magic Mouse good for Illustrator and Photoshop?

    Yes, Magic Mouse is good for both Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop on a MAC. However, it is very expensive and you can still get cheaper and more customizable options in the market.

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