How we chose

We chose four mice with 12-button side grids from the makers' own pages and left out any spec the page did not list. We did not test them. Weights and battery ratings are the makers' claims, and Corsair's and Razer's pages give different weights in places, so we avoid comparing them.

The number of programmable buttons also varies by source. We quote the maker's own figure for each mouse.

What a thumb grid does

An MMO or MOBA mouse puts a grid of buttons under your thumb. Each can hold a skill, a macro or a keybind, so you press one button instead of reaching for the number row. The best grids have buttons you can tell apart by feel.

Some grids can slide. Corsair's Scimitar line has a key slider you can move forward or back, and the RGB Elite slides 8 mm. That helps with different hand sizes.

12 side buttonsmapped in software
An MMO thumb grid. Twelve side buttons sit under the thumb. Each one can hold a skill, a macro or a keybind, so you press one button instead of reaching for the number row.
Editorial photograph of a compact gaming mouse on a desk mat next to a keyboard
Side buttons need a mouse that fits your hand and grip.

Wired or wireless

Wireless frees your desk, but MMO mice are heavier than esports mice and many need AA batteries or a charge. The Naga V2 HyperSpeed uses one AA and the Scimitar Elite Wireless lists up to 150 hours. Wired mice never run out of power, which suits long raid nights.

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Size, weight and grip

MMO mice are larger than esports mice because the thumb grid needs room. Most suit palm and relaxed claw grips, and few suit fingertip. Weight is often higher too, and the Redragon adds a weight-tuning cartridge, so read the weight on the listing. Check the length against your hand before you commit, since a thumb grid you can't reach is no use.

See our grip types guide for how to measure your hand and match a shape.

Setting up the buttons

Start with your most-used skills on the middle of the grid, keep the corner buttons for rare actions, and keep the numbers in the same order as your game. Most mice use software to store layouts, so save a profile per game. Test the buttons first with the Keyboard Tester, which logs the keys your mouse sends if you map buttons to keys.