Atif Qazi
Modern mice are very customizable. They come with features that give users the ability to make tweaks and fully “own” their device. From things like setting the RGB color profile to assigning functions and actions to the programmable buttons, having a customizable mouse makes things efficient.
However, it is important to point out that if a mouse does NOT have memory built-in, then it will have no means of saving your assigned RGB or programmable button profile.
In other words, your RGB and key profile will ONLY work when the mouse is connected to a PC with its software installed. Once you take the mouse to a different system, it will lose all of its profiles.
Some mice may even lose all the user-assigned settings with EVERY PC restart making customization a hassle.
To reap the full benefits of a mice’s customization features without needing to repeat the settings on every new computer, or at worst with every restart, you’ll need to choose the best mouse with onboard memory.
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So What is Onboard Memory?
Onboard memory for PC mice, as the name suggests, is a storage drive built into the mouse for saving user-defined settings.
Now unlike normal storage drives that can offer GBs and TBs of storage capacity, the storage chip on mice with built-in memory only has a few kilobytes to a few megabytes of capacity.
This is sufficient to save the keys and the RGB lighting profiles.
Onboard memory allows the mice to save the settings so that you can use your defined settings on a different PC without needing to install its software.
Some of the settings that you can assign to the mouse include:
- DPI settings: With a press of a particular button, you can change the DPI sensitivity of your mouse. That way you can lower the DPI in situations where precision matters (designing) and increase the DPI in situations where fast reflexes matter (like FPS gaming)
- Macros/Commands to Programmable Buttons: You can also assign simple commands or macros to a button. This could be as simple as mimicking the “copy/paste” function or as complex as analyzing a data set in excel.
- Lighting Settings: If you have an RGB mouse (mouse gaming mice are RGB), you can assign your preferred color settings to it.
And Then You Have Multiple Profiles
Multiple profiles allow you to switch between different sets of customized aforementioned customized settings. That way you can have one setting on the mouse for one particular game or software and you can assign a different profile for a different game or software.
And you can switch between them on the fly again with a press of a button.
Mice with onboard memory often allow for 5 or more unique profiles to be customized.
And finally, you have some high-end mice that even allow for saving your profile on the cloud server so that you can access your customized settings on any device or PC.
So What is The Best Mouse with Onboard Memory?
The best mouse with onboard memory for you depends on your needs and the type of work you wish to perform.
Mice with onboard memory can be generalized into three categories:
- First-Person Shooter (FPS) Gaming Mouse
- Role Playing Game (RPG) Gaming Mouse
- Professional Work Mouse
FPS mice with onboard memory do not have as many programmable buttons as RPG mice with onboard memory. Also, unlike the RPG mice, they do not have programmable buttons located on the right-thumb position. Instead, they have all the buttons scattered across their surface and the sides. They are also much lighter as they are intended for quick reflexes.
FPS Mouse | Ambidextrous | 8 Programmable Buttons | Wired 
Onboard Memory
69.8g
RPG gaming mice have a plethora of programmable buttons so that you can assign multiple skills and actions to them. Their hallmark feature is the programmable buttons on the right thumb side for easy access to your skills and actions in the game. They are also heavier as compared to FPS as they are not really intended for as quick reflexes.
There have been several iterations of this mouse over the years. While the earlier models have gone obsolete. The current models include the following:
And finally, you have the mice that are made for productivity and work. While any of the mice listed above can also be used for work (particularly the RPG mice with their several programmable buttons). The dedicated work mice have a few useful features up their sleeves. The most popular of the work/productivity mice series is the Logitech MX Master series. The most current iteration is the Logitech MX Master 3S. Compared to the MX Master 3, the newer 3S features a higher DPI as well as quieter keys, but the hallmark feature of MX Master mice includes: And of course, they have programmable buttons which can be assigned using the software included.
Work Mouse | 7 Programmable Buttons | Wireless Work-related mice often have robust software for improving productivity for the most popular applications out there. For instance, the Logi Options+ software included with the MX Master mice, have popular profiles for software like Adobe Suite, Office Suite, etc. built-in.
Onboard Memory
141g
On the Fly Profile Switching: No
Can Mouse Settings and Profile be Carried-Over to Another PC?
Most certainly. Many mice with onboard memory allow you to carry your settings, profiles, and customization onto another PC without any issue.
There are certain functions on some mice that do not carry over, such as lighting customization or some special dedicated functions depending upon the mouse you have, but in most cases, the important part of the profile such as DPI settings, key assignments, and macros are carried over.
Tweaking the Settings
It should be noted that while you can carry over the profile and settings to another system/PC that does not have the software if you want to tweak the settings, you will need to install the dedicated software for your mouse.
Enabling Onboard Memory on Logitech GHub
There are many Logitech mice out there that have onboard memory for custom profile creation.
However, if you have a Logitech mouse running with the Logitech G Hub software, you will first need to toggle the ON-BOARD MEMORY MODE to ON before saving your profile.
It is unfortunate that this function does not come enabled by default and thus many customers are left confused as to why the mouse does not save their profiles.
Here is a video that details the process:
Saving Custom Profiles
With several mouse models, the onboard storage can be used for saving everything from key profiles, to lighting customization options and DPI settings.
However, on others, you can only save lighting and DPI settings, excluding macros. Furthermore, there are others that only allow the saving of macros and key customization but not the DPI lighting settings. Hence you have to be careful with what you choose.
Again, this all depends on how the manufacturer decides to roll out this feature and the model you end up purchasing.
But you have to understand that assigning and saving the profiles onto the mouse, requires you to have the right software installed on your PC in the first place.
Once you have the mouse, download its associated program to get started. All mice have their specific software.
Next, you’ll need to connect the mouse to the computer and once it’s detected in the program, create your customizations and save them in the onboard storage. You may have to overwrite existing settings.
Different brands have different customization software. Some of them are listed below:
- Logitech: Logitech GHub (For Gaming Mice), Logi Options+ (For Work Mice)
- Razer: Razer Synapse
- SteelSeries: SteelSeries Engine
- Roccat: Roccat Swarm
- Corsair: iCUE
Also Read: Best Mouse for Any Surface
How to Locate, Save, and Backup Mouse Profiles?
Creating custom profiles takes a lot of time. Hence, if you are making changes to your PC like reformatting it, then it may be best to create a backup of the profiles.
The way to save the profiles depends upon the mouse and the software associated with it.
For instance, if you are using the Logitech GHub, you can find the profiles in the following location:
C:\Users\XXX\AppData\Local\LGHUB\settings.json
If you are using Corsair iCUE software, this software has built-in functionality for exporting profiles.
If you are using Razer Synapse, then you will have the least of the worry since it saves all the profiles on the cloud. Hence, you can always retrieve them anywhere and anytime.
If you are using SteelSeries Engine, you can try finding the profile in the following location:
C:\ProgramData\SteelSeries\SteelSeries Engine 3\db
Hence, the location of your mice’s profiles or whether you can back them up or not depends upon the software and the mouse.
Final Words
If want a mouse whereby you can save your key profiles and carry them around with you, then you need a mouse with memory. In this article, we looked at some of the best mouse with onboard memory.
Mice with onboard memory are generally expensive and thus are recommended for power users and gamers.
Razer Naga Pro is not the same as a Corsair Scimitar Pro RGB
Ok I was told that the Deathadder V2 has onboard memory in other places as well but when I contacted razor they told me otherwise. I have til he Deathadder V2 and I used the software to program that side buttons because they would be very useful to me in a game on ps4 but when ever I plug the mouse up to my ps4 the side buttons never work. I was also told that an mouse that have onboard memory the programmable buttons will work on ps4 so if this is the case why won’t it work?