When it comes to buying a mouse for your PC or laptop, aesthetics ought to be a secondary, even tertiary concern; ergonomic design and comfort should be your top considerations. While it might be tempting to blow all your budget on a fancy graphics card or a swanky PC case, hold back just a little bit for a nice, smooth, mouse that won’t cause you CTS.

Of course, some of the top-shelf, high end mice go up to $90, even $100, a pop, but there are budget options that, while not exactly the best of the best, offer great value-for-money because of their “premium” features on the cheap. We scoured the market and found the top 3 best ergonomic mouse for under $30.

That’s right, for around the same price of a Collector’s Edition copy of Final Fantasy XV, you can get a mouse that looks, feels, and clicks like a hundred dollar piece without shelling out that amount. Here’s our top picks:

HAVIT Ergonomic Wireless Mouse

If you’re a big fan of small, compact mice, the HAVIT is your guy: a vertical mouse with a diminutive profile, ergonomic design that reduces finger fatigue, hand cramps, and relieving symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, the HAVIT is the perfect companion for laptop users.

And I’m not kidding around about the “compact” stuff: the HAVIT is only 2.4 inches tall and 102 grams, making it the ideal mouse for people on the go, just toss it into your laptop bag and you’ll barely remember that it’s there. Despite the small size and the budget price tag, the HAVIT doesn’t look nor feel cheap: it has a coated matte black finish that’s smooth to the touch and easy on the eyes.

As the name suggests, the HAVIT is wireless; it connects to your computer using a 2.4GHz frequency transmitter and a nano-USB receiver that you plug into your device’s port. It also has a nifty storage compartment for your receiver, in case you’re one of those people who misplaces small items on a regular basis (like me!).

Functionally, the Havit is pretty meaty for something that costs less than a night out at the movies: it has 6 buttons for standard tasks like forward and back buttons for web browsing, a ratchet scroll, and a handy DPI switch that lets you shift between 800/1200/1600 dpi sensitivity, in case you want to go from work to videogames at the touch of a button.

In terms of ergonomics, ease-of-use, and comfort, there’s not a lot of mice out there on par with the Havit; it really is just the most comfortable mouse I’ve ever used in my life. On the box, it says that the mouse is optimized for medium to large hands (whatever that means), but it still fit my fairly-small-but-not-Donald-Trump-small hands like a glove. It’s a godsend for anyone with CTS or intense wrist pain.

Havit is a relative newcomer to the computer accessory scene, but if they keep releasing products like this mouse, they’re going to take over the world very soon. 10/10 would recommend for people on the go or for people who love working on their laptops.

Price: $14.99

See it on Amazon

 

MOJO Silent Vertical Mouse

“USB receivers?! What is this, the Dark Ages?!”, you might say when you heard about the Havit. But fear not, we have something for those people who think that “wireless” means absolutely nothing between the mouse and their computer. The MOJO Silent Vertical Mouse works seamlessly via Bluetooth, making it a truly wireless experience.

Here’s a small problem, though: the Mojo is optimized for use with PC, so Apple and Android devices might have a hard time connecting. Sad, I know. BUT, it does ship with two AAA batteries that give you around 6 months of usage before needing replacement, so that’s good.

The Mojo Silent Vertical Mouse comes in a handshake design that minimizes CTS symptoms, wrist and finger fatigue, as well as ensuring that your hand is positioned in the most comfortable position possible, perfect for those people who sit in front of their computer for hours on end. Our reviewers found that a week’s worth of usage of the Mojo resulted in them having significantly less pain and less fatigue on their hands and wrists.

It has a smooth, matte finish that repels fingerprints. As the name suggests, all of the 6 standard buttons on the Mojo SILENT Vertical Mouse make virtually no sound when clicked, ideal for shared work spaces or if you just hate the constant click-click-click of a mouse. I personally don’t mind, but there are apparently a large number of people out there who can’t stand it. Well, here’s a device for you!

Price: $25.99

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J-Tech Digital V628 Ergonomic Mouse

With its great usability, affordability, ergonomic design, and functionality, the J-Tech Digital V628 Ergonomic Mouse might just be the best ergonomic mouse under $30 in the market today. At 5.8 inches tall and 4 inches deep, the J-Tech Digital V628 fits hands a little better than most mice out there, even for people with small hands like me.

Its extra bulk, despite being noticeable, is one of the device’s best features: it gives you a solid grip that minimizes finger fatigue, and is large enough to be comfortable when rested on. It also has a rubber palm rest that helps cushion your wrist while keeping your wrist straight during usage. Not a fan of palm rests? No problem! The rubber palm rest is removable.

The side buttons of the J-Tech Digital V628 are large enough to allow you access without straining your fingers too much. The buttons are also placed strategically: 2 buttons on the right side for clicking, with a scroll wheel in between, and back-and-forth buttons on the opposite side where your thumbs rest. It’s really purposefully designed to give you the easiest, most comfortable click out there.

On the right side of the J-Tech are two giant buttons for left and right clicking, with a scroll wheel nestled between the two. On the left side you’ll find a conveniently located back and forth button where your thumb rests to make cycling between webpages or documents a breeze.

A couple of drawbacks, however: first, it’s not ambidextrous. Left-handed people might not be able to use this if they can’t transition to right-hand usage. Secondly, while I personally had no trouble, we’ve had reports that the J-Tech Digital V628’s size is a little difficult to handle for other people with small hands, so this might be an issue.

Price: $28.99

See it on Amazon