We’ll have to get our hands on one to see if these holes affect overall comfort as much as they do weight. scanner
Almost since the day it was released a few years ago, two things about Razer Viper Mini Gaming Mouse: It was so popular thanks to its great feature set for its sub-$50 price tag that everyone and their brother wanted a wireless version.
Today, Razer finally pulled the wraps off its answer to all those requests: Razer Viper Mini Signature Edition. What Razer has created is one of the most intriguing mice released in years, but it may not be for everyone.
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Even the internals are clearly designed to look premium, which makes sense considering how clear they are. scanner
The first thing you’ll notice is that the weight-loss perforated shell is used to the max here. While there are no holes on the side panels or parts of the main buttons where your fingers rest, the entire back of the mouse is mostly a hole.
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This, along with the switch from standard plastic to magnesium alloy, allowed Razer to reduce the model’s weight to just 49 grams, down from the original Mini’s 61 grams, even with the battery and additional hardware required for wireless operation.
The white and yellow feet use standard PTFE, while the black feet are made from Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and should provide a smoother glide. scanner
On top of being the lightest mouse Razer has ever made, the new Viper Mini Signature Edition also comes packed with Razer 4000 Hz Wireless HyperPolling Dongle And an extra set of mouse feet made of Corning Gorilla Glass 3 items.
More regular packages include two sets of sticky mouse grips, a charging cable, a second set of PTFE feet, and two alcohol prep pads to swap out all those sticky feet and grips.
The overall package speaks to a premium buying experience, and therein lies the rub: the price.
A box that looks like something a Swiss watch might come with should give you a hint that this mouse isn’t going to come cheap. scanner
Even at launch, the Viper Mini retailed for about $50 or less, a fraction of the $200 or so starting price of leading mice like The Razer Viper V2 Pro or G Pro X Superlight from Logitech It was launched in recent years. In the months that followed, it was common to find the Viper Mini for $35 or less. Therefore, many of the most vocal of purists may have expected the wireless version of the mouse to be a similarly budget-friendly alternative to the Viper V2 Pro. it’s not. It’s $280.
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On the other hand, asking a price for this mouse enough to buy about eight of its wired predecessors might sound crazy. But, Razer clearly positions it not as a standard wireless update to an existing wired mouse, but instead as an entirely new category of premium mouse that just so happens to exploit the very popular shape of the Viper Mini.
Basically, it might look like a small, albeit very burrowing, rattlesnake, but it’s not… it’s nothing new. Don’t be surprised if we see Signature Edition versions of the full-size Viper and other Razer mice if that endeavor works out well.
It remains to be seen how Razer’s most premium mouse will sit with fans. There’s likely to be some outrage, but I have a strong suspicion that Razer will have no problem selling every single unit it has, especially since the company doesn’t treat it as a regular release. Instead, you make “drops”. Anyone who thought, “They use magnesium, just like Finalmouse” when they heard them read the information above should be familiar with the drops. They are timed, and out of stock packages usually sell out quickly to help ship small-batch products.
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While Razer hasn’t shared expected production volumes, its use of drops certainly indicates supplies are lower than the usual flagship release. If you want to take a shot at grabbing one, the first drop is currently scheduled for 8am PST February 11th, exclusively at Razer.com. There will almost certainly be more drops to come, but we don’t know how long you might have to wait for the next one.
Keep your eyes on ZDNET for more coverage of the Razer Viper Mini Signature Edition.