The best wireless mice for gaming typically require one AA battery. You may think that there isn’t much difference between one kind of AA battery and another, but you’d be mistaken.
The best type of battery for a wireless mouse is a lithium battery. Generally, batteries should be long-lasting, lightweight, leak-free, and reliable. Such qualities eliminate the annoyance of batteries dying frequently and set up gamers for success.
Please keep reading to discover the best batteries to use in your wireless gaming mouse.
Should I Use Alkaline Batteries for a Wireless Mouse?
You could use alkaline batteries for a wireless mouse, as they’re usually sufficient for everyday electronics and less expensive than others. However, serious gamers will benefit from using lithium batteries in their wireless mice.
Alkaline and lithium batteries are made differently and with different materials, making them perform differently. Yet, the extra cost associated with lithium batteries comes with some perks:
- They last longer. If you frequently use the device that the battery is going in and changing the battery is inconvenient, a lithium battery is a better choice. For gamers who use their wireless mice regularly and hate changing the battery, it may be worth the extra expense to splurge on lithium.
- They’re lighter. Lithium batteries are also more lightweight than their alkaline counterparts, making gaming easier.
- They work in all temperatures. Some alkaline batteries are sensitive to temperature and don’t work as well in certain extreme temperature conditions, but lithium batteries rarely have this problem.
- Rechargeable lithium batteries have efficient charging. Most rechargeable lithium batteries can fully charge in under three hours.
- The 5 Best Batteries for Wireless Mice
Here are my five recommendations for batteries to use in your wireless mouse. Note: All links are to Amazon:
1. Energizer Ultimate Lithium AA Batteries
These batteries are extremely long-lasting and lightweight, which are essential qualities in a battery for a wireless mouse, especially for gamers. You want to be able to quickly perform the functions your game requires, and that is more difficult when you’re dragging around a heavy mouse weighed down by the battery inside.
They’re also leak-free, so you don’t risk ruining your wireless mouse with battery leakage. This is important, as some wireless mice can come with a hefty price tag.
2. EBL Lithium AA Batteries
These batteries have a constant discharge and are long-lasting. They also pass numerous safety tests that test the quality of the cells. They’re small and light while maintaining high power density.
3. Rayovac AA Alkaline Batteries
These are alkaline batteries, so they aren’t as long-lasting or lightweight as the lithium options on this list, but they’re more affordable and equally reliable. The Rayovac brand is known for having the least number of duds in their battery packages and offers a variety of bulk options. If you prefer buying in bulk to save money (and ensure that you always have batteries on hand), these are a good choice.
4. Deleepow Rechargeable AA Lithium Batteries
The best rechargeable option is from Deleepow. These batteries are long-lasting, and they recharge quickly in under two hours. They come with a charger with an LCD screen that clearly indicates when the batteries are done recharging. The batteries can be recharged in 1,500 cycles, so you’ll avoid spending money on new batteries, and you’ll reduce your waste.
5. Procell Alkaline AA Batteries by Duracell
As far as alkaline batteries go, these are relatively long-lasting in low-voltage devices, which most wireless mice are. They’re also the most affordable batteries on this list, so if cost is an issue, these are the batteries for you. Plus, various bulk options with a long shelf-life are available, so buying in bulk makes sense.
The following table outlines the pros and cons of each of these batteries to help you determine which one is best for you:
| Type of Battery | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Energizer Ultimate Lithium AA Battery | *Long-lasting *Lightweight *Leakproof *Performs well in extreme temperatures *Last up to 20 years in the package | *Expensive *Risk of overheating *Not rechargeable |
| EBL Lithium AA Batteries | *Constant volt discharge rate *Lightweight *High performance in a variety of temperatures | *Expensive *Not rechargeable |
| Rayovac AA Alkaline Batteries | *Bulk options *More affordable than others *Reliable brand | *Alkaline batteries are not as long-lasting or lightweight as lithium *Not rechargeable |
| Deleepow Rechargeable Lithium AA Batteries | *Rechargeable *Comes with a charger with an *LCD screen *Long-lasting *Quick to charge | *Rechargeable batteries are sometimes less reliable than non-rechargeable options *Expensive due to added cost of charger |
| Procell Alkaline AA Batteries by Duracell | *More affordable *Bulk options | *Not as long-lasting *Heavier than lithium batteries *Not rechargeable |
With these batteries, you’ll be able to enjoy the perks of a wireless mouse without the annoyance of frequent battery-changing or extra weight in your mouse.
How Long Do Batteries Last in a Wireless Mouse?
How long batteries last in a wireless mouse depends on how often the mouse is being used. Even those who use their mice for several hours a day should not be replacing their batteries more than every six months.
The more you use your wireless mouse, the more you drain the battery, and the more frequently you’ll need to change it. However, mice don’t use that much power, and even if you’re using your mouse for several hours a day, you shouldn’t be changing the battery that often.
Typically, once every six months is a normal amount to be changing the battery in your mouse. If your battery is dying more frequently than that, you should consider changing what kind of battery you’re using.
You can also minimize how often you need to change your battery by doing what you can to preserve the battery life. The best way to do this is to ensure that your mouse is turned off when you’re done using it, so the mouse isn’t tricked into believing that you’re still actively using it and therefore draining the battery.
Rechargeable Mouse vs. Battery Mouse: Which Is Better?
Rechargeable mice have their benefits, but battery-powered mice are considered the better option. Many prefer a battery mouse because the annoyance and inconvenience of having to charge the mouse every 2-3 weeks are eliminated.
The reason for getting a wireless mouse is to remove the aggravation and necessity of cords, so a rechargeable wireless mouse doesn’t make much sense. If you don’t mind needing to use a charging cord every 2-3 weeks, you’ll enjoy the following benefits:
- They’re more environmentally friendly. You won’t be throwing away batteries or wasting energy, since you’ll be using a charging cord instead of a battery.
- You won’t need to worry about having batteries on hand. There’s nothing worse than your battery-powered mouse dying and not having a replacement. With a rechargeable mouse, you’ll need to take the time to recharge it, but at least you won’t need to make a run to the store to buy more batteries.
- You won’t have the expense of buying batteries. Depending on what kind of battery you get, they can get somewhat pricey. A rechargeable wireless mouse allows you to enjoy the benefits of a wireless mouse without the cost of new batteries.
However, even with these perks, a rechargeable wireless mouse may not be the best choice for serious gamers. Having to recharge every 2-3 weeks is certainly more annoying than changing a battery every six months.
Conclusion
The best batteries for a wireless mouse are lightweight, reliable, and long-lasting, so you don’t need to replace the battery frequently. This typically means splurging on more-expensive lithium batteries from a reliable brand, such as Energizer.
For more, check out Can I Use Water to Clean My Laptop Screen? (With Two Alternatives).
Jim James is a published author and expert on the outdoors and survivalism. Through avid research and hands-on experience, he has gained expertise on a wide variety of topics. His time spent at college taught him to become really good at figuring out answers to common problems. Often through extensive trial and error, Jim has continued to learn and increase his knowledge of a vast array of topics related to firearms, hunting, fishing, medical topics, cooking, games/gaming, and other subjects too numerous to name.
Jim has been teaching people a wide variety of survivalism topics for over five years and has a lifetime of experience fishing, camping, general survivalism, and anything in nature. In fact, while growing up, he often spent more time on the water than on land! He has degrees in History, Anthropology, and Music from the University of Southern Mississippi. He extensively studied Southern History, nutrition, geopolitics, the Cold War, and nuclear policy strategies and safety as well as numerous other topics related to the content on survivalfreedom.com.