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Check out this Razer Viper Mini Signature Edition review to get a sneak peek into the inner workings of a performance gaming mouse.
Weighing in at only 49 grams, the Razer Viper Mini wireless gaming mouse has a small, feather-light frame that houses powerful hardware. Going over the features of the signature edition of the Razer Viper Mini gives us an idea of how this mouse performs in real life.
Content Breakdown
Razer Viper Mini Signature Edition review: A high-end gaming mouse that will make an impression
Razer has a catalog of gaming hardware that includes laptops, consoles, headsets, keyboards, and mice. The company has a reputation for creating quality products across every price range. This brings us to the Viper Mini Signature Edition; a high-end wireless mouse that introduces itself by making a dent-like impression on your wallet.
A mouse with a steep price and the word ‘Signature’ in the product name ought to have plenty going for it. For starters, the Viper Mini looks like it has a solid, durable build and minimal lag that gives you a decisive edge during gameplay.
We start with the design and build of this 49-gram mini-mouse.
Build and design
The marketing images of the Viper Mini Signature Edition make for a memorable sales pitch. At a glance, this wireless mouse is a mix of mesh, rounded edges, and curved surfaces. Together, these design choices create a rugged aesthetic that would fit perfectly in some post-apocalyptic universe. The prominent mesh exoskeleton is the glue that brings the whole look together, creating a thing of dark and edgy beauty.
You should find yourself face to face with a mouse that resembles the weird, bare-bones battle cars from Mad Max.
[Read what others are saying about this gaming mouse]
Build quality
Magnesium alloy makes up much of the top surface of the Viper Mini wireless mouse. This material is lighter and more durable than the plastic shells on most mice. It also helps that the gaming mouse has a honeycomb design that limits the weight of the device. The bottom panel and side buttons are solid plastic that should feel familiar to the touch.
Here are more design elements that inform the usability of this performance gaming mouse:
1. Concave surfaces that allow for a comfortable, secure grip
The left-click and right-click buttons look like little, shallow troughs for the fingers. This design choice allows your fingers to nestle inside the buttons, reducing the chance of slippage during fast-paced gameplay.
You get the same concave surface with the left side of the mouse, right where your thumb should rest. The right side curves inwards as well, creating a small ‘ditch’ for the rest of your fingers.
2. Mouse size and grip
As the name suggests, the Viper Mini has a low and compact form factor. This makes our signature Mini-mouse a good fit for people with smaller hands. Size is not a limitation for users with larger hands though, because the mouse allows for a comfortable finger grip.
Most users will use a finger grip with the Viper Mini, and they’ll have less contact with the mesh on the lower part of the mouse. Smaller hands that favor a palm grip will barely notice the honeycomb texture of the mouse.
As a bonus for parting with a few hundred bucks, the signature edition of the Viper Mini wireless mouse comes with two sets of grip tape.
3. Buttons and scroll wheel
The top buttons are textured magnesium strips that sit on optical switches. They have a decent amount of play, which allows for a pleasant dip when you click on them.
These buttons also have wiggle room for some lateral movement, and time will tell if this design choice increases or reduces the lifespan of the mouse. Lastly, the two metal buttons give a little resistance and you’ll notice a moderate level of sound as you use them. The side buttons are plastic, with a softer, more silent feel when you click on them.
This brings us to the aluminum wheel, which is firm enough to offer just enough resistance to engage your fingers. You should find scrolling and clicking on the wheel to be a pleasant experience.
4. Mouse feet
The Razer Viper Mini signature edition ships with two extra sets of mouse feet. There’s a set of replacement Teflon feet, just in case you want to replace the ones that are already on the mouse. You also get a set of gorilla glass feet, which are smoother and more durable.
5. Cleaning/dust removal
Mice with solid shells are easier to clean than their counterparts with honeycomb designs. Holes on a mouse create more places for dust and dirt to settle, so it’s a good thing that the Viper Mini ships with cleaning supplies. Still, you’ll need to source your own little dust blower that can reach the nooks and corners of the mouse.
Note that the Razer Viper Mini Signature edition is a right-handed mouse and that there’s no left-handed version of the mouse. Luckily, the companion software for the mouse allows you to program the top buttons to suit a left-handed user. However, there’s nothing to be done about the buttons on the side of the mouse.
Razer Viper Mini Signature Edition review: Connectivity
You can connect the Viper Mini directly to the computer via the USB-C slot at the front of the mouse. Alternatively, you can use the wireless dongle that ships with the mouse to connect to your gaming rig. Razer pairs the mouse and the dongle before shipping, which frees users from the hassle of pairing and device setup.
Companion software: Synapse 3
Razer’s Synapse software provides a user interface that helps you adjust the settings of the wireless Viper Mini. The software lets you save your custom settings to the onboard memory of the mouse. Here are some of the most common tasks that users perform with Synapse:
- Customize mouse buttons
- Adjust the polling speed
- Increase or decrease the DPI (sensor sensitivity) setting
Razer Viper Mini Signature Edition review: Performance
Like most Razer gaming rodents, the Viper Mini wireless mouse works great with fast-action, high-frame-rate game titles.
The mouse has near-zero input lag, thanks to a powerful precision sensor and a polling rate that can reach speeds of 4,000Hz. It’s worth mentioning that ultra-high polling rates can weigh down processors with lower specs. It’s also worth noting that a polling rate of 1,000Hz is plenty fast, no matter what demanding, high-speed game titles you play.
Charging and battery life
The Razer Viper Mini wireless mouse promises approximately 60 hours of game time. Yet this number only holds if you moderate the demands you put on the mouse. For example, setting the mouse polling speed to 4,000Hz will drain the battery after a few hours of intensive gaming. In contrast, connecting the mouse with a USB cable pretty much keeps the battery from discharging.
This brings us to the matter of recharging the battery of the Viper Mini signature edition. The mouse has a 2C charge rating, which means that it only takes 90 minutes to bring the battery to a full charge. On a good day, the mouse battery can gain a full charge in just under an hour.
Pros
- Low lag
- High polling speeds and sensor sensitivity create perfect synchronization between the mouse and the screen
- Lightweight build
- Tough, durable, magnesium-alloy exterior
- Three-year warranty to back the quality of the mouse
Cons
- Expensive
- The mouse’s honeycomb design is not for everyone
- Using the wireless polling dongle at 4K speeds quickly drains the mouse battery
Razer Viper Mini Signature Edition review verdict: A collector’s item that’s a sign of good things to come
This Razer Viper Mini Signature Edition review reveals a mouse that delivers a good user experience for heavy gamers.
The signature edition of the Viper Mini has extremely low lag and polling speeds that allow for responsive gameplay. Split-second reactions reflect beautifully as the mouse, processor, and screen move as one to help you hit that sniper a millisecond before they pull the trigger.
Only the eye-watering price of the signature edition will give you pause. The good news is that this wireless mini-mouse is a statement piece that launches the era of the wireless Razer Viper Mini mouse. We expect the models that follow to be less expensive, but with less power than the signature edition. These are the tradeoffs we make as we balance price and performance. Click here to learn more about the Viper.
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