Image: Razer
For the last few years mouse makers have been punching a bunch of holes in their designs to make them lighter, like that one car salesman on The Simpsons selling a car with “speed holes.” But it’s become a definite niche for ultra-twitchy gamers, and Razer isn’t one to shirk a trend. The Viper Mini Signature Edition combines a new magnesium alloy chassis (the same kind used in high-end laptops) with a holey hexagonal “exoskeleton” to make a 49-gram little monster.
The mouse has plenty of bells and whistles. We’re talking a 30,000 DPI sensor, third-gen optical primary switches rated for up to 90 million clicks, and Razer’s proprietary HyperSpeed wireless (sans Bluetooth, because l33t gamers can’t stand the latency). In wireless mode it’s good for up to 60 hours, and you can plug it in to a USB Type C cord when that runs short.
Razer
Razer
Razer
But that being said, there are a few omissions as well. There’s no dock charger, no tilt on the scroll wheel, and it uses the standard five-button shooter configuration. There’s only room for one saved profile in the mouse’s local memory, and perhaps most shockingly, Razer’s RGB lighting is nowhere to be seen. All that must have been necessary to cut in order to make the mouse so light. 49 grams isn’t the lightest on the market, even among wireless models. But it beats Razer’s previous best, the Viper V2 Pro, by almost 10 grams.
The Viper Mini Signature Edition comes with a surprising amount of add-ons. including a set of grip tape stickers, a set of feet in both PTFE (the same stuff that goes inside non-stick pans) and Gorilla Glass, and a microfiber cleaning cloth. You’ll need it: Razer recommends cleaning the mouse at least once a month, since its guts are on display and you’re constantly fondling it with your gross human sausage fingers. Good thing it comes with a three year warranty, a new best for Razer.
Razer
Razer
Razer
How much will you need to pay for this ultralight luxury? Two hundred and eighty American greenbacks. It’s 319.99 euro, if you’re wondering. You can buy it from Razer’s website starting on February 11th.
Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer
Michael is a former graphic designer who’s been building and tweaking desktop computers for longer than he cares to admit. His interests include folk music, football, science fiction, and salsa verde, in no particular order.
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