A mouse may seem like a small consideration for your workstation setup. But after you’ve addressed the crucial ergonomics — raising your monitor to eye-level, using the right keyboard and taking frequent breaks throughout your workdays — it’s a good idea to make sure the mouse you use is comfortable as well. People dealing with conditions like carpal tunnel and wrist pain may be interested in finding the best ergonomic mouse for them. Vertical and semi-vertical designs turn your palm towards your midline instead of downwards, creating a handshake position that may feel more natural. Others employ a trackball to minimize the work your shoulder has to do in a day. I tested out more than 20 highly regarded ergonomic mice to come up with recommendations for vertical, semi-vertical, trackball and more, along with advice about the merits of the different ergonomic designs.
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Best ergonomic mouse for 2025
Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget Best ergonomic mouse overall (semi vertical) Goldtouch Semi-Vertical Mouse (Wired) Connection: Wired USB-A or 2.4Ghz wireless dongle models available | Power: Wired model or 2 x AAA batteries wireless model | DPI options: 1,000, 1,500, 2,000 and 2,500 | Weight: 110-130g w/o flange, 150-170g with flange | Number of buttons: 6 | Extra buttons: Forward, backward, DPI, scroll I really enjoyed using the Goldtouch Semi-Vertical mouse and it is probably the one I had plugged in the longest, just because I liked it. It’s one of the few non-gaming mice I encountered with adjustable weights. I took two of the four 5g discs out to make it around 120 grams and that, combined with the easy glide, made moving it feel effortless. The cursor movement is precise at all four DPI settings and the light-up Goldtouch logo on the side turns different colors depending on which speed you’ve selected (red is low, blue is medium, green is medium-fast, and purple is fast) which is far easier to discern than most mice that rely on a series of flashes to indicate speed. It has a soft-touch, rubberized exterior with smooth metallic plastic buttons that are easy to click. As a semi-vertical mouse, it puts your hand in a natural, 60-degree tilt position that, to me, feels more comfortable than the straight-up-and-down of a fully vertical mouse. My medium-sized hand can fully palm the exterior with some distance left between the tips of my fingers and the ends of the mouse buttons, so slightly larger hands should still have room. There aren’t a ton of extra buttons, just left, right, scroll, DPI and forward and back browser buttons (that aren’t programmable). The scroll button accurately adjusts between a slow line-by-line crawl and a page-swallowing speed run, depending on how fast you turn it. Maybe it’s just the review unit I got, but the wheel occasionally made the faintest squeak, though that’s starting to fade. The clicks are audible, but not annoying and the lift-off distance is just right. When you need to reposition the mouse, tilting it slightly to glide on its right edge doesn’t result in errant cursor movement. The Goldtouch Semi-Vertical comes with an optional flange that attaches firmly with magnets. It adds a little weight but the mouse still glides admirably. The addition allows you to rest the heel of your palm so it moves along with you as you mouse. This is great for preventing any bending of your wrist as you move your whole arm instead. I didn’t use the flange other than to test it, as moving my whole arm just aggravates my shoulder tension. Goldtouch claims that the flange also adds a little extra length to support up to eight-inch-long hands. I tested the wired mouse but Goldtouch also offers wireless versions and, in a rare nod to our sinister-handed kinfolk, wireless left-handed mice as well. All three of those models require a USB-A port so if you don’t have one available and don’t want to buy an adapter, you can try Perrix’s Perimice 819 for a similar semi-vertical design. It’s a little smaller, so medium and large hands will use more of a fingertip grip. But it glides easily, has precise movement, a rechargeable battery and connects via Bluetooth or wirelessly with either a USB-C or USB-A dongle. Plus, it’s an ergonomic bargain at $35. Pros Solidly built
Adjustable weights
Smooth glide
Semi-vertical design is extra comfortable
Removable flange glides easily Cons No programmable buttons
Faint squeak from the scroll wheel $75 at Amazon
J-Tech Digital Best budget ergonomic vertical mouse (vertical) J-Tech Digital V638 Connection: 2.4Ghz wireless dongle | Power: Rechargeable battery | DPI options: 800, 1,200, 1,600 or 3,200 | Weight: 120g w/o flange, 140g with flange | Number of buttons: 7 | Extra buttons: Forward, backward, scroll click, DPI, RGB (programmable) The J-Tech Digital V638 feels a lot more premium than its $30 price tag would suggest. It has a comfortable vertical design, a rechargeable battery, a clickable scroll button and even some (optional) RGB lights to keep things interesting. The exterior is a rubberized plastic with a satiny feel. It has a wider grip than many vertical mice, which results in less of a pinching motion when you click buttons, which may feel more natural for some. Palming the mouse and moving it around feels smooth and precise. There’s a slight protrusion between where your middle and ring finger rest that sort of reminds me of a flight-sim joystick. When you’re fully gripping the mouse, which is the most relaxed approach, the buttons are easy to click. But if your hand is backed off a little and using more of a fingertip grip, the buttons feel a little stiff towards the back. In practice, this just reminded me to reposition my hand for a better grip. The RGB lights are fun, glowing and pulsing in different patterns and colors, which can be changed by clicking the button just below the thumb rest. But if an onerous deadline has you feeling particularly unfestive, pressing and holding the button will shut down the glow entirely. Pressing the scroll wheel enables a left click and the scrolling itself is smooth with just the faintest ratchet as it turns. The other buttons are page forward and back browser controls, and while they’re programmable, it requires a third party software; J-Tech recommends X-Mouse Button Control. A flange is also included and again attaches magnetically. The connection doesn’t feel as firm as the Goldtouch flange, but it’s not in danger of flying off. It’s unfortunately textured with curving lines, which feels uncomfortable, and the added drag with the accessory attached is noticeable. But the V638 is a relatively cheap yet solidly built option that I'd call the best budget ergonomic mouse. Pros Great value
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