Latest news with #DeathAdder

Geek Culture

Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse

Where some traditions die out over time, others have shaped the core identity of a product iteration since the beginning, and in the case of gaming peripheral giant Razer, its offerings are always categorised into different nomenclature, with its series of mice taking after various snake species and offering a specific expertise. The modular side panels of the Naga lineup, for instance, keep MMO – short for multiplayer massive online (games) – players in mind, while its Basilisk counterpart is rooted in customisation and ergonomic comfort. For fans of the first-person shooter (FPS) genre or esports enthusiasts, there's no more familiar presence than the DeathAdder. Like its reptilian namesake, the mouse is built to be fast, precise, and deadly, having cemented its reputation as an esports darling over the years. The latest addition to the family, the Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro, continues to do what it does best, making an already competent powerhouse even better with incremental yet effective upgrades. It can be difficult to tell it apart from the previous generations, though, as unlike the industry norm of adorning gaming paraphernalia with RGB lighting, the rodent takes after its predecessor's no-frills design, which its Viper V3 Pro cousin also adopts. The body is entirely black, featuring a ridged scroll wheel sitting between the two clickers, with two more flanking the left side. The lack of side buttons on the other end makes the DeathAdder V4 Pro strictly for right-handed use, but that's no different from previous versions. Similarly, the power-button-cum-DPI-switch retains its placement at the base, alongside the Focus Pro 45K second-generation optical sensor that marks an upgrade from the Focus Pro 30K. At 56 grams (and 57 grams for the white iteration, attributed to the paint job ), it's the lightest member in the lineup to date. To put things into perspective, 56 grams comes up to around the mass of a tennis ball, as listed by the International Tennis Federation, or a little under three alkaline AA batteries. In comparison, its predecessor tipped the scales at 63 grams, and the featherlight body certainly translates when held – just the slightest of effort is enough to lift the mouse off a surface. Part of that is attributed to the removal of bells and whistles like RGB, as mentioned earlier, which can add heft to extra weight and drain battery life. A product of the fat-trimming process, the plastic chassis gives off a less-than-premium impression and is highly susceptible to oil residue, especially for users who favour a palm grip. The solid build serves as compensation, with the gentle slope making for a comfortable fit in the hand and accommodating different grip preferences, particularly the palm and claw styles. As someone who switches between the claw and fingertip grip, it was observed that the latter worked well on the DeathAdder V4 Pro, too. These minute refinements may seem excessive, but those of the competitive spirit will know that every detail matters. Like before, the polling rate tops out at an impressive 8,000Hz, reducing the delay from data transmission per second from one millisecond at 1,000 Hz to one-eighth of a millisecond, leading to theoretically faster speeds. Even if the casual player likely won't reap the full benefits, it's still nice to have the option to toggle between six default settings: 125Hz, 500Hz, 1,000Hz (standard), 2,000Hz, 4,000Hz, and 8,000Hz. Credit goes to a redesigned dongle for the lightning-fast response, now sporting a hemisphere-shaped form factor instead of the traditional trapezium look. Marking the most significant revamp in Razer's ecosystem in over a decade, the HyperSpeed Wireless Gen-2 dongle offers added stability with a wider base, integrated LED indicators for connectivity and battery status, and stronger, more reliable signal transmission – or so the company claims. While it isn't quite possible to verify the last point, the lighted-up indicators are a welcome addition that reveals the connection status, battery life, and polling rate at a glance, denoted by a corresponding colour (red means poor connectivity or low battery, blue means a 500Hz polling rate, and the like). On the flip side, the same issue of inconvenience continues to persist, as the dongle makes the DeathAdder V4 Pro cumbersome to lug around in specific scenarios, such as travelling, especially with its bigger footprint. More useful to both the general crowd and enthusiasts are the deep customisation choices, including DPI Sensitivity Matcher, 1 DPI Adjustment, Smart Tracking, and Dynamic Sensitivity. None of these are new to Razer veterans, but for the uninitiated, here's what to expect: the first auto-calibrates the mouse to match the performance and sensitivity of other mice via Razer's Synapse app, an intuitive, speedy process that eliminates the manual effort needed to replicate the feel of an existing setup. As for 1 DPI Adjustment, the feature allows DPI – or dots per inch, in which a higher number denotes a higher mouse sensitivity – increments of one, bringing even more surgical precision and versatility than the previous intervals of 50. Smart Tracking, meanwhile, maintains a consistent lift-off distance across different surfaces for greater accuracy, and the max DPI count has been raised to 45,000, although there's barely any use for it. Dynamic Sensitivity continues to be a gem, allowing users to customise how their DPI responds with three preset curves or create their own for extended individual control. Fans of the FPS genre or fast-paced titles will appreciate the Jump profile that instantly shifts to high sensitivity during quick flicks, enabling 180-degree turns in one motion instead of the usual two full swipes when the mouse sensitivity is set to a DPI of 800 or less – ideal for more precise aim to land headshots. The improvement isn't the most noticeable, but Dynamic Sensitivity does work its magic, with wrist and cursor movement proving smooth, sharp, and less laborious. The other two available presets are Classic, which increases sensitivity ratio continuously with faster movement speed, and Natural, which goes from low to high sensitivity naturally over a shorter period. All of these are customisable in the company's Synapse software, extending even to a dedicated Mouse Rotation feature that adjusts the mouse orientation of unique-angled setups to an optimal horizontal swiping angle. In play, expect nothing but a smooth, snappy performance, complete with accurate tracking, clean flicks, and crisp clicks. Those unused to ultralight mice may be thrown off by the increased twitchiness, but once that's down to a pat, the difference between basic movements like gliding, jumping, or shooting while strafing feels sharper and more natural. Putting the Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro through its paces in Apex Legends and Overwatch 2 proved enjoyable (a feat in itself, considering how frustrating Overwatch 2 matches can be), with the side buttons delivering firm, responsive feedback. Left and right-clicking, albeit louder than preferred, saw no signs of latency, bringing a satisfying touch to aiming down sights (ADS), sniping, and rapid, consecutive clicking. An optical scroll wheel – the company's first for an esports mouse – further adds to the experience with a consistent, tactile feel, alongside anti-ghosting technology tailored for weapon switching, inventory management, and zooming in various games. Packing up to 150 hours of battery at a standard 1,000Hz polling rate, the Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro is the master of power efficiency. Not once over a full week-and-a-half of use was charging needed, with a 39 percent dip after around 80 hours coming in as a fairly accurate estimation of its projected lifespan on a single charge. It's a significant step-up from the 90 hours of before, now capped at a still-impressive 22 hours when bumped up to 8,000Hz, versus 17 hours on its predecessor. At S$259, the investment can be a little steep for casual gamers who are content with run-of-the-mill functionality. Those seeking the paragon of competitive or esports experiences, however, will find plenty of reasons to commit to the Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro, from razor-sharp (hah) performance and detailed customisation to a beefy battery life. It's as they say, go hard or go home. Summary Living up to its reptilian namesake, the Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro strikes fast and hard at the competition with a complementary blend of tailor-made features and no major flaws. Aesthetics - 7/10 Build Quality - 9/10 Performance - 9.5/10 Value - 8.5/10 Geek Satisfaction - 9.5/10 Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth's theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia's greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really. Esports gaming mouse Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro Review