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From vertical mice to trackballs, you can find a slew of ergonomic approaches to mousing comfort. The common aim: minimizing the threat of repetitive strain injuries you may incur from using a mouse and keyboard for many hours each day.
With so many shapes, sizes, and features, picking an ergonomic mouse can be a bit tricky. That's where our expertise comes in. This guide lists our top recommended models based on extensive testing and rigorous editorial standards. (PCMag, established in 1982, has been testing and reviewing PC peripherals for decades.) The five-star-rated Logitech MX Master 3S is our top ergonomic mouse pick for most people, but we stand behind all the others, too. After discussing the pros and cons of each one, we'll explain everything you need to know to choose the best ergonomic mouse for your needs.
Our Top Tested Picks
Logitech MX Master 3S Wireless Mouse
Microsoft Bluetooth Ergonomic Wireless Mouse
Lenovo Go Wireless Vertical Mouse
Kensington Pro Fit Ergo TB550 Trackball
Microsoft Adaptive Mouse
Contour Unimouse
QuadraClicks RBT
Goldtouch Semi-Vertical Wireless Mouse
Logitech Lift
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Best Conventional Ergonomic Mouse
Logitech MX Master 3S Wireless Mouse
- Remarkable comfort and battery life
- Perfectly precise electromagnetic scroll wheel
- Ultra-customizable for different apps
- Works with multiple devices and operating systems
- Lefties need not apply
- No place to store the USB dongle
- Fans of tactile clicks may prefer the older version
Silent buttons and an 8,000dpi sensor bring Logitech's flagship MX Master 3S Wireless Mouse just one or two clicks from perfection.
Best Budget Ergonomic Mouse
Microsoft Bluetooth Ergonomic Wireless Mouse
- Comfortable grip
- Metal scroll wheel
- Multi-device pairing
- Good battery life
- Reasonably priced
- No DPI presets
- Requires disposable AAA batteries
With strong battery life, multi-device pairing, and an attractive design, the Microsoft Bluetooth Ergonomic Mouse sets a strong baseline for productivity mice.
Best Vertical Ergonomic Mouse
Lenovo Go Wireless Vertical Mouse
- Corkboard material is comfortable
- Stylish, compact modern design
- Vertical grip is comfortable for long periods of use
- DPI button
- Built-in dongle storage
- Expensive given build quality
- Lacks rechargeable battery
- Needs dongle to pair to any device
The Lenovo Go Wireless Vertical Mouse is about as stylish as it is comfortable, but some missing features keep it from being the ergonomic mouse it should be.
Best Ergonomic Thumb-Style Trackball
Kensington Pro Fit Ergo TB550 Trackball
- Comfortable to use
- Excellent build quality
- Plenty of functionality
- 128-bit AES encryption
- Takes some getting used to
- No left-handed option
The Kensington Pro Fit Ergo TB550 Trackball is an excellent, affordable choice for improving office-computing ergonomics, and well worth its potentially steep learning curve.
Best Ergonomic Mouse for Accessibility
Microsoft Adaptive Mouse
- Inclusive design philosophy
- Highly compact
- Ambidextrous body design
- Can be augmented by many 3D-printed accessories
- Needs accessories to work as intended
- 3D printed accessories are pricey
- Microsoft Accessory Center is Windows-exclusive
For those who may need it, the Microsoft Adaptive Mouse is a highly noteworthy achievement in accessibility and productivity for computer mice, particularly when paired with Microsoft's Adaptive Hub and its accessories.
Best Ergonomic Mouse for Wrist Angle Adjustments
Contour Unimouse
- Three programmable main buttons.
- Very customizable thumb rest and mouse orientation angle.
- Pricey.
- Flimsy build quality makes mouse unsteady at some angles.
- Cumbersome software utility.
- Currently available only in right-handed version.
The Contour Unimouse has oodles of customization options for its clicking surface and its dedicated thumb rest, but frustrating software and flimsy-feeling finishes limit its appeal.
Best Ergonomic Mouse for Gaming
QuadraClicks RBT
- Innovative, comfortable design
- Fast, responsive sensor
- Unique ergonomics
- Can be reimbursed by some health insurance plans
- Expensive
- Software is Windows-only
- Takes some getting used to
The QuadraClicks RBT, a rare ergonomic mouse built for gaming, is a pricey-but-promising tool for reducing wear and tear on your most important weapon: your hands.
Best Ergonomic Mouse for Lefties
Goldtouch Semi-Vertical Wireless Mouse
- Comfortable ergonomic shape
- Detachable hand rest
- Strong battery life
- Left-handed model available
- Vertical mice are hard to use accurately
- Low max DPI
Goldtouch's lefty-friendly Semi-Vertical Wireless Mouse puts ergonomics first, with a chassis at a less drastic angle than most of its kind.
Best Ergonomic Mouse for Long Battery Life
Logitech Lift
- Handsome, compact vertical design
- Available in version for lefties
- Rated 24-month battery life on one AA cell
- Can seamlessly swap connections among up to three devices
- Compatible with macOS
- Not comfortable for larger hands
- Shallow switches offer little feedback
The design-forward Logitech Lift is an affordable, versatile vertical mouse with an ergonomic bent, but its compact size won't please users with larger hands.
Choosing a Vertical Mouse: How to Flip Your Grip
The design that comes to mind when most of us hear the words "ergonomic mouse" is vertical. The shape is basically a conventional mouse turned 90 degrees, or the base of a mouse with a second sideways one on top of it, letting you grip the device without twisting your wrist. Think of a handshake clasp instead of holding the mouse with your palm down.
Naturally, a vertical mouse's click panels and face buttons are rotated or placed on the side, where they're accessible with the same finger motions you'd make using a standard mouse. Turning the mouse to meet your hand, rather than turning your hand to grip the mouse, removes strain on your arm and lets you use a more natural wrist motion to move laterally.
The downside to a vertical mouse can be its degree of accuracy. The shape moves your hand higher up the body and further away from the mouse sensor, changing the correlation between how you move your hand and the path of the cursor. Even after a few days' adjustment to a vertical mouse, it can take a bit more time to line up the pointer with a small icon. That may go away over time, but it's a significant change for which you should be ready.
Nevertheless, a vertical mouse will be the best ergonomic option for most users. It mitigates the musculoskeletal issues caused by overuse of a standard mouse while retaining most of the experience of using one. For gamers and creative pros who may not be able to use one all the time, the answer may be having two mice—a vertical model for everyday use and a curved, palm-supporting conventional mouse for gaming or occasional precision work.
Trackballs: Minimizing Certain Movements
Perhaps the oldest alternatives to a traditional mouse, trackballs have had a cult following for decades. Instead of moving the mouse around to maneuver the cursor, a trackball detects the movement of a sphere mounted in a housing with buttons—mice used to use rolling balls instead of optical sensors—to mirror a standard mouse's inputs.
You operate a trackball with very little arm movement and no real "grip," instead simply resting your hand on the device. This can reduce the risk of repetitive strain injuries (RSIs), musculoskeletal disorders caused by holding an unnatural position too long or repeating a motion over and over again. Typing on a keyboard and using a mouse have both been known to cause RSIs after years of daily computer use; these ailments tend to manifest initially as pain, weakness, or numbness in your fingers and wrists.
Trackballs are designed to reduce or eliminate movements that have been known to cause these injuries or aggravate them in people who already suffer from RSIs. There is no ironclad proof that they can actually prevent RSIs, but they've proven more comfortable for people who already experience pain when using a standard mouse.
You'll find two main types of trackballs, thumb-operated and finger-operated. As with ergonomic keyboards, the two versions offer a sliding scale of familiarity (how easy it is for new users to convert) versus ergonomic benefit. Thumb-operated trackballs, like the ones on this list, are shaped like standard mice, which makes them more approachable. However, it's been noted that prolonged use of a thumb trackball has the potential to damage specific muscles in your thumb over time. Finger-operated trackballs may require a longer adjustment period but do not put any additional strain on your digits. [This comes down to individual physiology, too; the editor of this story has used a thumb-control Microsoft Trackball Optical daily for more than 15 years with no apparent ill effects.—Ed.]
Both styles are an acquired taste; you need to try a trackball to know whether or not it'll work for you. People tend to figure out pretty quickly whether they prefer twirling a trackball to pushing and pulling a standard mouse. We recommend finding a shop where you might be able to try before buying, or at least making sure you can return an online purchase if it isn't a good fit.
Standard Mice: Are They Good for Your Hands?
If you don't currently suffer from RSI symptoms, you may not want to deal with the tradeoffs of a specialized ergonomic mouse, such as an adjustment period or reduced fine accuracy. In this case, you can still do yourself a solid and buy a mouse with a comfortable, supportive shape. Conventional mice come in all shapes and sizes, and whether one feels good in your hand is perhaps the most important part of your buying decision.
If possible, buy a mouse fitted to your dominant hand. Unfortunately, left-handed mice aren't as common as those shaped for righties, but you should still be able to pick from a modest set of specialty options or, failing that, choose a well-shaped ambidextrous mouse.
Beyond that, ergo-positive traits vary from mouse to mouse. Certain features imply more support, such as a "thumb wing" or rest for your opposable digit, but having one doesn't guarantee comfort. Some companies definitely skew toward different hand shapes; gaming mouse maker Corsair, for instance, offers many well-shaped mice including some for users with large hands. Read our reviews for specific information about different shapes, as our experts discuss how each mouse fits your hand.
So, Which Ergonomic Mouse Should I Buy?
Now that we've described the different kinds of ergonomic mice, you hopefully have an idea of which you want to try. This roundup offers a rundown of the best we've tested; if you want to know more about the universal rules for picking a great pointing device, check out our overall guide to the best computer mice. Looking for a top keyboard? We have an explainer for that, too. And don't miss our guide to setting up a complete ergonomic home office.
