Corsair M55 RGB Pro gaming mouse review

Ambidextrous mice are the diplomats of hardware; it’s all about striking a balance. The best left-handed mouse for gaming won’t suit right-handed users by necessity, for instance, so serving both audiences is a tricky business. Luckily for Corsair, the wired M55 RGB Pro (costing a reasonable $39.99) manages it.

This isn’t Corsair’s first rodeo when it comes to ambidextrous mice, of course, and the company makes some of the pointers on our best gaming mouse overall list. It had a go in 2015 with the Katar, a bulky vision in gray that’s long-since been pulled from shelves. That’s no bad thing, so far as I’m concerned. The M55 stands head-and-shoulders above it in almost every way. To start with, it has a far superior CPI count of 12,400 compared to its predecessor’s 8,000. Secondly, it drops the Katar’s Darth Vader-esque grill for a black design that has more in common with the Corsair Harpoon. It’s understated. Chic.

The M55 RGB Pro is comfortable underhand, too. Although its tear-drop shape may feel strange to those who haven’t used an ambidextrous mouse before, you quickly become used to it. The matte shell is also pleasantly grippy, boasting a rough surface that gives an improved sense of control. The side grips don’t impress quite as much, but I suppose that’s where the M55’s lower cost becomes apparent—these are made of a rubber that feels like cheap plastic. They do the job, though. What’s more, they’re definitely the outlier. This is an affordable mouse that masquerades as something more premium.

In other news, it’s considerately designed. The right-hand side buttons will be disabled if you’re using it right-handed and vice versa, so there’s no danger of accidentally hitting something you shouldn’t. Similarly, changing from right to left-handed mode is as easy as holding down the same programmable buttons. When combined with an extremely smooth glide thanks to its 86g weight and varying CPI settings from 200-12,400 (which can be individually customised in Corsair’s iCue software, by the way) there’s a lot of value to be had here. 

In fact, one of the few criticisms I can level at the M55 RBG Pro would be a slight stiffness to its click action. This mouse will serve you well, but it’s Omron switches are very slightly resistant—a colleague described it as “spongey”. In addition, I found the scroll wheel harder to reach with my fingertip grip than it should have been. But that’s it; for the most part, the M55 is comfortable and responsive for everything from twitch-shooters like Apex Legends to action-adventure games. While it didn’t give me anything to rave about, it didn’t disappoint either.

And hey, I can excuse a few gripes because we aren’t rolling in options for ambidextrous or left-handed gaming mice. It’s arguably better than the competition, and noticeably cheaper as well (at least when compared to the bulky Roccat Kova). Is this the best gaming mouse available right now? No, but the M55 RGB Pro is a solid bet nonetheless. If you want an ambidextrous mouse that’ll deliver the goods without breaking the bank, this is it.