Razer has been on a winning streak when it comes to gaming mice with excellent products like the Razer Basilisk Ultimate which I said was the best mouse I’d ever used. So when Razer asked if I’d like to review the new Razer Viper Ultimate, I was excited to see what the hype was all about.
The Viper Ultimate shares almost exactly the same tech that powers the Basilisk Ultimate. It has the same insane 20,000 dpi Focus+ sensor, HyperSpeed wireless and Optical mouse switches. However, it loses the excellent adjustable scroll wheel, it has only one zone of Razer Chroma lighting and fewer buttons.
Razer Viper Ultimate Review
The Viper Ultimate is essentially the same mouse as the Razer Viper only wireless. It’s an ambidextrous design with a perfectly symmetrical profile on both sides making it great for both left and right-handers. Each side has an identical pair of buttons and a textured rubber grip that feels really good to hold. The buttons are quite slim but not too hard to press.
The shell of the mouse is a smooth matte plastic that is both durable and light. The Viper Ultimate is noticeably smaller in the hand with my fingers sticking off the front end by a little bit. It’s also quite light at 74g; a whole 26g lighter than the Basilisk Ultimate. I prefer the greater heft and fit of the Basilisk Ultimate because I’ve got rather long fingers. You might find it perfect and it’s smaller size makes it a great mouse for using on the road.
The Viper sacrifices a few things to achieve its featherweight status. The most obvious being extra buttons and literally all the RGB lighting. The lighting on the Basilisk Ultimate is one of the best I’ve seen on a mouse and my favourite. In comparison, the Viper Ultimate looks rather plain and betrays its hefty price tag.
Power and performance
The two main buttons are the same excellent optical switches that Razer uses across their range. They are clicky and responsive. The Scroll Wheel that sits in between them, however, is not the greatest. It’s functional but loses the ability to adjust the resistance like you can on the Basilisk Ultimate. I didn’t like the default resistance. It’s a bit tiring on the forearm especially in web browsing where you scroll a lot. I wish Razer had retained the adjustable scroll wheel. I’d choose another mouse if your day involves a lot of scrolling.
Underneath the mouse is the similar 100% PTFE glide feet that, um, glide really well across different surfaces. I never felt the mouse sticking or dragging and they don’t pick up dirt easily. Also at the bottom are the cubbyhole for the USB dongle, the power and DPI switches. There’s also the connector ports for the excellent Razer Charging Dock.
Not that you’ll need to charge too often. The Viper Ultimate is rated at 70 hours on a charge with the lighting off. I’ve been using it consistently for 3 hours each day for the last three weeks and I’ve only once left it on its charging dock for a reasonable amount of time. A handy thing is that the Viper Ultimate will automatically go into sleep mode if it doesn’t detect any motion. How long before it sleeps can be set in the Razer Synapse app.
Pinpoint accuracy
As I mentioned, most of the Viper Ultimate’s internals are similar to the Razer Basilisk Ultimate. You have the same Focus+ optical sensor that goes up to 20,000 DPI with a 99.6% resolution accuracy and 650 inches per second tracking. Realistically, it’s only the hardest core gamers who will use the mouse at the highest DPI. My sweet spot is 800 – 1600 DPI is and I suspect will be the same for most people.
Changing the DPI is pretty easy and can be done in two ways. First, the mouse already has some presets in onboard memory which you can cycle through using the DPI switch underneath the mouse. A light indicator lets you know which one you’re using. Alternatively, you could use the Razer Synapse app to adjust the different DPI settings to your preference and then save them to the mouse. The Viper Ultimate can store up to four profiles and one stored in Razer cloud.
Precision Gaming
Now, to be a true gaming mouse, the Viper Ultimate has to have minimal or no lag. I’m happy to report that there is none. Zip, zero, nada. Razer’s new HyperSpeed wireless is very impressive. The company claims it is 25% faster than other wireless mice and though I can’t prove it, I can say that the Viper Ultimate is extremely responsive. I’ve never felt even the slightest hint of lag. The 2.4 GHz wireless connection is delivered via a teensy-weensy dongle that you can plug into your USB port or into the Razer Dock; saving some precious ports.
In gaming, this meant instantaneous response to my every click and flick that was much smoother than my wired Razer Wolverine TE controller. If you play high-speed first-person shooters like Overwatch or Apex Legends, you’ll love the lightness and responsiveness of this mouse. Interestingly, the Viper Ultimate will work with Xbox One consoles, so there’s that too.
The Viper Ultimate also has 8 programmable buttons however it doesn’t have the excellent HyperShift functionality which basically doubles the functionality of all your buttons. Think of it as a Shift key for your mouse. But honestly, I really have no need for more than six mouse buttons let alone 20. If you are a MOBA player where a ton of buttons and macros make sense, the Viper Ultimate won’t be the best choice here.
Verdict
The Razer Viper Ultimate is a great wireless mouse especially for left-handers who aren’t usually catered for in this spectrum of the market. It’s got a solid build that isn’t much of a looker but is light and grippy. The build quality is top-notch and the performance is impeccable. Its smaller size makes it great for laptop owners and people on the go a lot.
Gamers will love the fast HyperSpeed wireless that saves them from dealing with tangled wires that get in the way. Battery life is great and that charging dock will never get old. But at a whopping $260, the Viper Ultimate becomes a really hard proposition. It costs twice as much as its wired sibling, the standard Razer Viper. I really don’t think that’s worth it for going wireless.
However, if you absolutely need a wireless gaming mouse that performs better than anything else, is ambidextrous and has a great battery, then the Razer Viper Ultimate is the best you can get right now.
The Razer Viper Ultimate was provided to PowerUp! by Razer Australia for the purpose of this review.
PowerUp! Reviews
Product Name: Razer Viper Ultimate
Product Description: Wireless gaming mouse
Offer price: 256.95
Currency: AU$
Availability: LimitedAvailability
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Exceptional sensor and wireless performance is on par with wired mice
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Reliable all week battery life
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Ambidextrous design is great for both left & right handers but not as comfortable
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Very expensive
