I switched to vertical gaming mice a few years ago when my wrist pain started becoming a problem. I didn’t want to risk carpal tunnel, so I made the change. At first, it felt strange—it took me about a week to get used to—but since then I’ve never looked back. I even use a vertical mouse for gaming, and my performance is just as good as with a regular mouse.

The main issue for years was polling rate. Most vertical mice only offered 125Hz, which adds noticeable input lag compared to standard gaming mice with 1000Hz or higher. For a long time, there simply weren’t proper vertical gaming mice that could handle competitive play.

That is finally changing. After digging through Amazon, AliExpress, and other stores, I found several promising vertical mice designed for gaming. And even more exciting, two big releases are arriving in April 2025. Keychron is launching the Keychron M5 Vertical, a wireless model with an impressive 8000Hz polling rate, PixArt 3950 sensor, and tri-mode connectivity for just $69. Meanwhile, Razer announced the Razer Pro Click V2 Vertical Edition, equipped with their Focus Pro 30K sensor, glass tracking, and up to 1000Hz polling rate for $119. Both options are real game changers for vertical mouse fans.

Here’s a quick overview of the best vertical gaming mice available right now:

Keychron M5 Vertical – 100–30,000 DPI, 8000Hz (wired/2.4GHz), 95g, Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C, 600 mAh battery, $69. A true gaming-grade vertical mouse.

Razer Pro Click V2 Vertical Edition – Razer Focus Pro 30K sensor, 100–30,000 DPI, 1000Hz (wired/2.4GHz), 149g, up to 6 months battery life, $119.99. Balanced between gaming and productivity.

ZELOTES C-18 – 11 buttons, PixArt 3325 sensor, 10,000 DPI, 125–1000Hz polling rate, medium size, $29.99. Heavy but great value.

GXT 144 Rexx – 250–10,000 DPI, 1000Hz polling rate, 6 buttons with macro software, $44.99. Older (2019) and harder to find, but still solid.

Logitech MX Vertical – Popular but limited to 125Hz, bulky, and not great for small hands. More of a productivity mouse than a gaming one.

ProtoArc EM11 NL – Budget wireless model with 125Hz dongle or 250Hz Bluetooth. Works for office use, but not recommended for gaming.

If you want true esports-level performance, you might consider an ergonomic (not vertical) mouse like the Keychron M6 with up to 4000Hz polling, but for vertical mice, the future looks brighter than ever. The combination of high polling rates and gaming-grade PixArt sensors means we finally have options that balance ergonomics with competitive gaming performance.

I’ll be reviewing the Keychron M5 soon, and I’m also planning a detailed comparison between the Keychron M5, Logitech MX Vertical, and Razer Pro Click V2 Vertical Edition. If you’re curious about vertical gaming mice and care about both comfort and speed, these next-gen releases are worth keeping on your radar.

I switched to vertical gaming mice a few years ago when my wrist pain started becoming a problem. I didn’t want to risk carpal tunnel, so I made the change. At first, it felt strange—it took me about a week to get used to—but since then I’ve never looked back. I even use a vertical mouse for gaming, and my performance is just as good as with a regular mouse.

The main issue for years was polling rate. Most vertical mice only offered 125Hz, which adds noticeable input lag compared to standard gaming mice with 1000Hz or higher. For a long time, there simply weren’t proper vertical gaming mice that could handle competitive play.

That is finally changing. After digging through Amazon, AliExpress, and other stores, I found several promising vertical mice designed for gaming. And even more exciting, two big releases are arriving in April 2025. Keychron is launching the Keychron M5 Vertical, a wireless model with an impressive 8000Hz polling rate, PixArt 3950 sensor, and tri-mode connectivity for just $69. Meanwhile, Razer announced the Razer Pro Click V2 Vertical Edition, equipped with their Focus Pro 30K sensor, glass tracking, and up to 1000Hz polling rate for $119. Both options are real game changers for vertical mouse fans.

Here’s a quick overview of the best vertical gaming mice available right now:

Keychron M5 Vertical – 100–30,000 DPI, 8000Hz (wired/2.4GHz), 95g, Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C, 600 mAh battery, $69. A true gaming-grade vertical mouse.

Razer Pro Click V2 Vertical Edition – Razer Focus Pro 30K sensor, 100–30,000 DPI, 1000Hz (wired/2.4GHz), 149g, up to 6 months battery life, $119.99. Balanced between gaming and productivity.

ZELOTES C-18 – 11 buttons, PixArt 3325 sensor, 10,000 DPI, 125–1000Hz polling rate, medium size, $29.99. Heavy but great value.

GXT 144 Rexx – 250–10,000 DPI, 1000Hz polling rate, 6 buttons with macro software, $44.99. Older (2019) and harder to find, but still solid.

Logitech MX Vertical – Popular but limited to 125Hz, bulky, and not great for small hands. More of a productivity mouse than a gaming one.

ProtoArc EM11 NL – Budget wireless model with 125Hz dongle or 250Hz Bluetooth. Works for office use, but not recommended for gaming.

If you want true esports-level performance, you might consider an ergonomic (not vertical) mouse like the Keychron M6 with up to 4000Hz polling, but for vertical mice, the future looks brighter than ever. The combination of high polling rates and gaming-grade PixArt sensors means we finally have options that balance ergonomics with competitive gaming performance.

I’ll be reviewing the Keychron M5 soon, and I’m also planning a detailed comparison between the Keychron M5, Logitech MX Vertical, and Razer Pro Click V2 Vertical Edition. If you’re curious about vertical gaming mice and care about both comfort and speed, these next-gen releases are worth keeping on your radar.