Member-only story
My Favorite Razer Mouse
As I write this, Razer is about to launch a big new wireless mouse — which I think might be a mistake.
They sent out marketing emails and images the other day for something new and exciting coming out on February 2nd. Based on the sheer amount of hype in and around the hardcore mouse community, not to mention all the teases drip fed to them on Reddit, it’s probably a wireless version of the Viper Mini.
However, leaks from the announcement seem to indicate that not only will multiple Viper Mini Wireless models launch, but also that at least one of them will have comically massive holes in it and an eye-watering price well above even the flagship mouse norm. Most high end mice are sitting around $150 right now, but Razer is likely going to push this new model even higher…possibly into the $300 range.
That’s absurd. The Viper Mini was an excellent budget wired mouse that offered great tracking and optical switches — a part usually reserved for higher end stuff. I was hopeful that the Viper Mini Wireless would retain the budget pricing of its predecessor, and although that model still might be coming, it sure seems like Razer is trying to capitalize on fan hype and make a huge profit off of salivating early adopters.
It’s all a grand shame, because they had a perfect template to follow in what is also my personal favorite Razer mouse: The Orochi V2. I love it even more now than I did in my original review almost two years ago.
The Razer Orochi V2 is a fully exceptional budget wireless mouse, selling for around $69 when not on discount (official site here) and available in a few different colors. Its tracking performance and mechanical buttons aren’t quite in line with the top tier stuff in Razer’s newer flagships, but it still works so well that you’d need measuring equipment to notice its “flaws.”
And best of all, for me personally, are its brilliant ergonomics and long battery life.
I wasn’t asked by Razer to write this nor compensated by them in any way…and as this is also a secret rant about one of their upcoming products, that should be more than apparent.
