Of course, Razer’s Wireless Deathadder is excellent

The Deathadder really cemented Razer as a games company that understood the industry and its target market. It wasn’t their first mouse – that was Boomslang, which was first released in 1999 under the name Kärna, before being renamed with the Razer logo a few years later. And although it had its fans, it was also an unusual shape for its time – and the built-in Agilent sensors took some getting used to.

Similarly, Razer’s Diamondback, Copperhead, and Krait mice found fans in the corners of the internet. But it was the Deathadder in 2006 that became Razer’s first big hit, a right-handed ergonomic mouse built with the similar styles of Microsoft’s hugely popular Intellimouse 3.0 optical offering. The Deathadder loved it because it offered higher quality materials, RGB flash lighting, and a proven shape – and it could actually be bought, a key factor since Microsoft had taken its preferred gaming mice out of production by then.

The Deathadder has received several iterations over the years, adding new sensors, new lighting, a left-handed version and, more recently, a small Deathadder. But the only thing missing was something that had brought Razer to almost everything else: wireless.

The wireless sensor is the same internal hyperspeed sensor that Razer used in the Viper Ultimate, Razer’s bang for the buck in an ultra-light wireless gaming mouse. This is without a doubt still one of the best mice out there, with the only real caveat that it’s on the small side. So if you prefer heavier, larger mice that fit in your hand?

This is where the deathadder comes in.

The Deathadder V2 Pro – as it is officially called – has a maximum battery life of 70 hours, provided all RGB lighting is deactivated. It’s programmable and customizable through the same Razer Synapse software suite that allows you to still log in as a guest and save settings in the mouse profile so you can easily delete the software.

Razer uses its own optical switches for faster actuation time – although in my experience they don’t really have any faster response times. The main difference you’ll notice is the sound and feel: Razer’s optical switches have a softer, duller sound than the higher “click” you’d get from mice with Omron or Huano switches.

The left and right clicks have good pressure even without this mechanical click. Razer’s mouse wheels are also well balanced. There’s a good amount of stiffness between steps of the mouse wheel, but the wheel itself is still light and doesn’t feel stiff at all. This is of great help in those rare games where you might want to use Mouse 3. Because of the quieter clicks, the wireless deathadder should fit into any office environment without disturbing your managers or employees.

Razer has also learned from previous experiences. The mouse feet on the wireless Deathadder have rounded edges and are slightly thicker and wider, which is always good for longevity. The sensor is the same as the latest Razer wireless mice, so there aren’t any issues with competitive game performance, lift-off distance, or delays due to wireless lag. One thing I noticed was that it was a bit faster than my Viper Ultimate on waking up from hibernation – although I don’t know if that improvement was made at the software / firmware level. That was never a deal breaker with my Viper Ultimate, as it only occurs when you haven’t used the mouse in a while (and you can always adjust the amount of time before turning the mouse off). Still, every improvement is nice to see.

The materials for Razer’s mice have turned out really well, and the wireless deathadder naturally inherits that expertise. There is a rubber coating in the lower half of the sides for grip, while the main part of the mouse is made of matte plastic with a very fine texture. It sits comfortably in the hand and shouldn’t have any concerns during the hot months (as did my Viper Ultimate, which has very similar materials, although it isn’t as heavily textured on the matte plastic).

The only real problem with the Deathadder V2 Pro is of course the price. It sells for $ 224.95 through the Razer store and most Australian retailers at the time of writing. Fortunately, there are some great sales periods just around the corner. And while there are definitely cheaper deals out there – especially if you enjoy trying out less flashy brands – you can’t really replace the feeling of having that Law Mouse for your hand. The Deathadder V2 Pro doesn’t come with the $ 89.95 remote charging dock like the Viper Ultimate, although I think most people would like to just wire-charge when they need it.

More than 10 million Deathadder mice have been sold over the years, so it’s not hard to see why Razer hasn’t fundamentally changed the design over the years. Now there is a wireless version. And of course, it’s excellent, of course: it has the same great shape, design, and internals previously tested on legions of mice in combat. And that’s exactly everything anyone who has tried and loved a Deathadder would want: the same as before, but just a little better.