Razer DeathAdder

[Frederik S]

[page=Introduction & Package]
Introduction

Razer has always been known to produce some of the best mice and sensors on the market. They established their reputation with the Razer Diamondback series mice, which are some of the best performing mice aimed at medium to high sensitivity gamers. Razer's slogan has always been "For Gamers. By Gamers". It says it all in my opinion.

Today I will be taking a look at the new Razer DeathAdder, which uses a very interesting optical sensor. The special thing is that it's constructed like an ordinary optical sensor but uses the infrared spectrum to "read" the surface. This should eliminate color sensitivity and provide excellent tracking on all surfaces.

It isn't only the sensor that is brand new, the design and ergonomics of the DeathAdder are also brand new.

Let's see how this mix of new technology and ergonomics perform.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Razer/Barracuda-HP1/images/razerlogo.jpg

The Package

The Razer DeathAdder comes in a cardboard box, decorated with the usual Razer logos and such. On the package it reads 3rd generation infrared sensor and the DPI-rating of the sensor, it seems that Razer has made a radical shift with the DeathAdder, sacrificing DPI in order to get better responsiveness. The change from laser sensor to an infrared sensor means that the DeathAdder "only" has 1800 DPI, but I doubt that anyone can feel a difference of 200 DPI.

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Both the front and the back of the package are filled with specifications. On the back you can read all about the specifications of the mouse.

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The side of the package is filled with "Razer guys" thoughts about the mouse and a specification comparison between the DeathAdder and a standard mouse.

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This mouse comes with a very small bundle of some quick start guides and small getting started guide.

[page=Closer Examination]
Closer Examination
Razer has moved on from their original small ergonomic shape to something pretty similar to that of the Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer 3.0 (IME 3.0) or the Microsoft Habu. It's clear that Razer has spend a lot of time on the design. Everything from the buttons and the layout to the positioning of the sensor is well thought out. The design of the mouse is quite special, the area where your palm rests has a matte finish whereas the rest of the mouse is made of plain glossy plastic. Because the top has a matte finish it really stands out and creates a nice two tone effect.

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A thing that I really like about the new generation Razer mice is the side buttons, they are some of the best buttons I have tried, only rivaled by those used by Logitech on their old MX-series line of mice. Considering how awful the sides buttons were on the Diamondback and the Viper these are a real revolution.

The placement of the side buttons is similar to that of the IME 3.0 / Habu. They are placed so that they are comfortable to use if you like to rest your entire palm on the top of the mouse. If you only use your finger tips to move the mouse these might be a bit hard to reach especially if you have a small hand. The placement of the side buttons is a nice compromise.

The scroll-wheel is made of clear rubber and feels firm, it has small dents so that you can use it to change weapons and stuff like that in games without being afraid of scrolling past the weapon you wanted.

As with all Razer mice, the DeathAdder has some blue lights. On top of the mouse there is a big Razer logo constantly flashing in a bright blue color.

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It's just like with the old Copperhead where the logo on top flashes constantly, this little design feature draws a lot of attention.

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The DeathAdder is the perfect example of how to place a sensor on a mouse. It's aligned in the center of the mouse making the mouse responsive yet controllable. Another welcome design change on the bottom of the mouse is the placement and size of the polyurethane Teflon feet. They are placed at the very edges of the mouse providing a balanced glide and making it less likely that the mouse will wobble when moving it. The Teflon used as feet on the DeathAdder feels just like QPAD Glidz or the feet on a Logitech G5/G7. The soft compound Teflon makes the gliding experience good on almost every mat on the market today.

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Compared to mice such as the IME 3.0 and the Microsoft Habu it's a bit smaller, but still bigger than the old Razer mice.

[page=Drivers]
Drivers
Razer's drivers have always been known to be some of the best because they enable the user to tweak every aspect of the mouse. Some of the things that makes a Razer driver stand out from the crowd is the fact that you can control acceleration. Besides from that you can control the horizontal sensitivity and vertical sensitivity separately. Another good feature is the on-the-fly sensitivity control which means that you can alter the sensitivity in-game without having to exit the program and adjust the Windows sensitivity setting. The Razer drivers have all the features you need and then some you might need, depending on your style of play or the game you play.

The standard control window in the driver is quite simple. It houses all of the every day things, and the stuff you change on a regular basis.

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The button assignment is nice and relatively simple with the Razer driver suite. Every button on the mouse can be assigned to a lot of different things right from the standard Windows button 4/5 (Back / Forward) to macros and advanced functions where one button can act as both on-the-fly sensitivity button and some other function or keyboard bind.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Razer/DeathAdder/images/advancedsensbigsmall.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Razer/DeathAdder/images/advancedsensbig.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Razer/DeathAdder/images/lightbigsmall.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Razer/DeathAdder/images/lightbig.jpg)

Besides from controlling the master sensitivity you can also control the polling rate of the mouse and the DPI setting of the sensor. It is best to leave the DPI settings at the standard value and then instead use a relatively lower sensitivity because then you will avoid some negative acceleration. The only scenario where a DPI change is necessary is when you can't get the sensitivity down to the level you want. This is highly unlikely to be the case with the Razer DeathAdder because the driver offers two sensitivity controls each capable of taking the sensitivity down to 5% of its original value. I tried doing this and I had to use almost 16x30cm to make the cursor go from one edge of the screen to the other (using 1280x1024 resolution and with zero windows acceleration via both the Razer driver and the Razer acceleration removal tool), so the driver level implementation of the sensitivity control is enough to get the sensitivity down to the extreme.

Another unusual feature implemented in the driver is the light control which allows the user to disable all or one of the internal lights.

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On this advanced driver tab you can control the on-the-fly behavior scroll-speed and double click speed.

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As with almost any driver today, Razer lets the user control both the Windows sensitivity and a master sensitivity. Besides that you have full control of the Windows acceleration from the Razer driver. This is nice because then you won't have to install a 3rd party acceleration remover such as the Razor acceleration remover or the CPL mousefix.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Razer/DeathAdder/images/xysensbigsmall.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Razer/DeathAdder/images/xysensbig.jpg)

Above you can see probably the least used driver control in the Razer driver, the separate X-axis and Y-axis control. This is only used by a minority of gamers because it makes the mouse feel less balanced.

Overall I really like the Razer drivers, they have an intuitive graphical user interface and are feature rich compared to those made by other mouse producers.

[page=Performance & Comfort]
Performance
It's really hard to test the performance of a mouse unbiased because there isn't any real benchmark. What I have tried to do is play a variety of games that use different input methods and require different types of mouse movement. I have tested the mouse at 1800 DPI with the polling rate of 1000 Hz, so that negative acceleration should be minimal.

Since I play for Copenhagen-eSports Battlefield 2 (BF2) team I decided to give it a go. BF2 requires a lot of fast mouse movements because I use a quite low sensitivity. I started off by adjusting the master sensitivity so that the mouse was just as "slow" as my old IME 3.0 ingame. To my surprise it didn't take long before I was completely accustomed to the DeathAdder. The switch from a 400 DPI mouse to 1800 DPI was a breeze because I was able to obtain the same sensitivity just by lowering the master sensitivity.

One thing I noticed right from the beginning was how accurate the mouse was. There was absolutely no sign of negative acceleration in-game, whereas my old IME 3.0 used to stall a bit when making 180 degrees turns. This helped my game a bit because I was able to make precise turns and other quick movements. The absolute accuracy where you aim slowly was just like with my IME 3.0, no skipping or jittering of the crosshair.

This mouse is the first one I have ever had where I couldn't get it to stall in-game. This means that Razer has successfully made a infrared sensor that can cope with extreme acceleration and provide excellent tracking even at high speeds.

After the low sensitivity test I tried BF2 while using a much higher sensitivity. The mouse performed really good and I couldn't really feel the difference between the Habu and the DeathAdder at high sensitivity.

I also tested the DeathAdder in Counter Strike Source (CS:S) and here the performance was really good both while gaming with low and high sensitivity. I used one of the side buttons as "Last Weapon Used" and that was quite nice because the side buttons of the DeathAdder are firm and responsive.


Overall I think the DeathAdder outperforms any mouse on the market today when it comes to tracking.

Comfort
The DeathAdder has the same shape as the IME 3.0 it's just a bit shorter. Even though it's a bit shorter than my old mouse there is no loss of comfort while using the mouse. It's still big enough so that your palm rests nicely on top of it. The side and main buttons have a nice firm feel to them and the side buttons are placed so that anyone with a regular sized hand can get a comfortable experience with the mouse. I have used the mouse for a week now and I must say that it's extremely comfortable compared to the old Razer mice. The size and weight of the mouse feels balanced and makes this mouse one of the best on the market.

[page=Durability & Conclusion]
Durability
Every aspect of the mouse feels durable, even the buttons seem sturdy. The only thing that I'm a bit worried about is the topcoat of the main buttons. It is made of an anti friction coat that has a semi soft feel to it. This will probably disappear or get scratched over time like it does on the Copperhead or Diamondback, this is only a minor thing because it doesn't hurt the general performance of the mouse.

Besides that if you compare the durability of the top coat to any other used on mice today it's just as good if not better, therefore I have decided not to include it as a con because it's something that can't be improved upon by any mouse manufacturer today.

The general build quality of the mouse seems very good, I couldn't find any real problem areas or weak points in the design.

Value & Conclusion
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<td>
The Razer DeathAdder costs $ 59.95 at the Razer Store, you can buy it directly from Razer here Razer (http://www.razerzone.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=43)
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Performance, at both low and high sensitivity
Price performance ratio
Design
Drivers
Weight
Ergonomics
Build quality
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Nothing!
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<tr><th>10</th>
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I'm really impressed with the Razer DeathAdder, the performance of it is unrivaled. The fact that it performs so well given any circumstances is very special, it is hard to find such a versatile mouse. This mouse definitely brings something new to the mouse scene, while performing excellent in both high and low sensitivity scenarios. The DeathAdder represents to me the perfect combination of form and function: a state of the art infrared sensor combined with a super ergonomic shape. Another thing that makes this mouse a bit special is the design, it looks really good compared to other gaming mice, the two tone color scheme makes it look quite stylish.<br />
Overall this mouse is the best I have ever tried. It's simply the best mouse on the market today, outperforming the IME 3.0 at low sensitivity and the Copperhead at high sensitivity. Taken into account that it only costs $ 59.95 I think it's safe to say that this mouse delivers an unrivaled price/performance ratio even though it's a bit expensive. It's probably the best thing that has come out of Razer over the last two years, since the Diamondback.
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[drade]

i really like dont to do this but you made an error in this "it ishard" on your conclusion....need to space.... a 10/10 I dont see that much...I have the dimandback and I love it....good review.

[newtekie1]

I had this mouse, I had to give it away, I really don't think it deserves a 10/10, but then again that is the reviews opinion and I respect that.

I had trouble with the mouse not tracking properly on the surface I was using, I hate using mouse pads and have a wood desk. This was actually the first mouse I have ever had a problem with as the wood grain is very light, but for some reason the Deathadder just couldn't handle it.

On top of that there are really only 2 buttons that you would want to program, yeah you can program the right, left, and middle click, but why would you want to? That leaves only really the two side buttons to program for other functions in games.

Plus there is no side scroll, which I have fallen in love with on other mice like the Intellimouse Explorer.

And don't you think making the statement that this is the best mouse on the market today is a little bold? As is the statement that it give an unriveled price/performance ratio, especially when there are mice like the Logitech G5 available for $45, and the G5 has a weight system, a better tracking engine, and drivers that are arguably just as good as the Razer drivers?

And no cons? I listed at least two. Three if you count the tracking problems, but most people probably won't experience that. Plus it is expensive, I have seen that listed as a con in a lot of reviews around here, and it is a good con, especially when there is rivalling products that are cheaper.

The conclusions in this review come off a little fanboyish to me, be be honest. Maybe it is just me, but I really have a hard time accepting those conclusions, especially when it seems that the mouse wasn't compared to its direct and biggest competition in the form of the G5.

[Frederik S]

To be honest the G5 is really a lousy mouse when it comes to gaming, the laser engine stalls at both low and medium sensitivity. The fact that the DeathAdder doesn't function well on your particular type desk is something I can't incorporate into my review because it's hardly representative of the performance of the mouse, just because fx a G5 or Copperhead doesn't work on my desk, doesn't mean that the tracking of the mouse is poor, or that the optical engine is lousy.

When making a review I try to be as precise as possible I have tested this mouse on all of the 15 mouse mats I have and my standard wooden desk, tracking was really good on all of these surfaced.

A tracking problem with one special type of desk is hardly a problem at all, all mice have a failing point, one instance where performance isn't optimal or it simply fails.The side scroll is a somewhat use full feature but I don't think that it's a good benchmark for a mouse since it for most people have no real value.

I think that the DeathAdder delivers an excellent price performance ratio because of its unique tracking performance at both high and low sensitvity and the general quality of the mouse and software.

The weight cartridge system in the G5 isn't use full at all for a gamer or a normal user because weight is something you want to keep at a minimum at all times according to several ergonomics books. The strain on the muscles is proportional with the weight of the mouse because added weight means added friction. When you have a heavy mouse and do the same tasks over and over again you become more prone to muscle fatigue and problems with wrist and elbow because the work literally damages your joints. A small weight change is real easy to get used to, it took me about 1 hour to get used to the DeathAdder after changing from my IME 3.0.

[OnBoard]

So the sides are slippery shiny plastic? And top is frippy rubber (where it serves no purpose. Hate my current mouses slippery feel (Microsoft Laser Mouse 6000, yes it's cheap but I used even cheaper optical one for gaming before :P). Not that I have swetty palms, but 3h BF2142 session would be impossible, if I hadn't taped the sides, to give more grip. Won't ever buy any mouse with slippery sides (or buttons), even though I like this mouse not counting all around slippery feel. Habu has some rubber skirts on sides, was my other choice for first laser mouse, but went for the cheap one, stupid me.

Seems like a great mouse (too exspensive for me) but if it's slippery, it's a no go even for future years :/

Oh and I play with just my fingers, wrist resting on silicone thingy.

[petepete]

This mouse should not get a higher rank than the 518. Period. I mean come on CPL counter-strike players recommend the good old 518 over any razer...

edit: I agree with #3, this mouse definitely should not get 10. if so then the 518 should be perfect as well

[newtekie1]

I have never had a problem with the G5 of G7 laser engine stalling on lower sensitvities and I use the whole range in 400DPI increments when gaming.

I didn't say my problems with the Deathadder on my surface should be incorporated into the review, I even said it probably won't affect many people. However, there certainly were cons to the mouse that should have been included in the review, to say the mouse it 100% flawless is, quite honestly, ridiculous and something I would expect from a razer fanboy and not a legitimate reviewer.

"Cons: Nothing!" is something no reviewer should ever say. I pointed out 2 cons right of the bat with the mouse, it is far from perfect. You even pointed a con out in your review:

It is made of an anti friction coat that has a semi soft feel to it. This will probably disappear or get scratched over time like it does on the Copperhead or Diamondback

that sure does sound like a con to me.

On top of that, I still think your very bold statement that the $60 DeathAdder provided the best price to performance isn't called for. The G5 still offers amazing performance at the $45 price range, even if it is slightly worse than the DeathAdder, it is also 25% cheaper.

You talk about having a balanced feel, but then disregard the weight system of the G5 as being useless. What feels balanced varies from person to person, I prefer a slightly heavier mouse, some prefer a very light mouse, others prefer a middle ground.

[Frederik S]

When it comes to the surface it's hard to make one that lasts, and since a slightly warn surface doesn't hurt the performance of the mouse I regard that as a minor fault. The way I see it a durability con is only when it damages the general performance of the mouse in this case the performance of the mouse will be on pair with a new one it just won't look as cool with a tiny scratch.

When it comes to benching this mouse against the MX518 I would say they perform about the same but for a low sensitvity gamer he would have to over clock the USB port in order to get a mouse with zero negative acceleration, manually which isn't that easy. Razer provides a driver that lets the user setup up everything right from USB clock frequency to dpi ans such, besides from that you can store the profiles in the embedded memory that the mouse has. Besides the obvious the DeathAdder works on more surfaces than the MX518 because is uses the infrared spectrum. The MX-518 is a good and cheap mouse, but it lacks a driver where you can tweak it for both hardcore low and high sensitvity gamers.

It has come to my attention that the lift off distance of the DeathAdder can vary a lot, on the mats that I tested it on it was close to 4mm which is relatively good (roughly the same as with a IME 3.0/1.1 or MX-518), but there has been some reports on Razer blue print that the lift off height can go all the way up to 1cm on black and hard mats such as the Icemat, this is of course a major con but Razer has already said that their engineers are looking into the problem, I will make an update on this matter tomorrow when I have contacted Razer.

[newtekie1]

I don't care how minor it is, it is still a fault. When a product uses looks as a selling factor, and it is obvious that Razer products do exact that, when the looks are going to or might deteriorate over time, that is a huge con to a lot of people. It doesn't matter if it will affect the performance of the mouse or not.

[petepete]

No you don't need to overclock the USB to take off negative acceleration. It's called CPL Mousefix. Pro gamers use it on the 518. It goes into your registry.

also: it does have a driver that helps greatly for low sens and high sens, its called SetPoint. you can change your dpi in the click of plus or minus sign up and down of the scroll bar.. Just because the deathadder looks better doesn't mean it is. All pros use the 518 over razers

[KennyT772]

I do not find this mouse worthy of a 10/10. two programable buttons, right handed only, egonomics that have been around for years, and then the topcoat con does not equate to a perfect mouse. hell it took years for razor to fix the near unusable side buttons on their mice.

the g5 weight system has its uses. a light mouse has the tendency to be imprecise and a heavy mouse is straining on the hand after extended use. i have always liked heavier mice while others like light ones. it has its uses and makes for a larger customer base.

[petepete]

Agree with #3 and #11, not worth 10/10. period.

[Frederik S]

The only way to get rid of the stalling and negative acceleration on a MX518 is to manually overclock the USB port. CPL mousefix does not remove negative acceleration, it resolves the issue with positive acceleration generated by windows, please read about the stuff before you claim to know everything about it.

The topcoat of the DeathAdder is just as durable as any other coat/finish that Logitech uses, the surface of a mouse will always be warn down over time, and that is why it isn't a good benchmark, especially not when it doesn't impair the performance of the mouse.

[newtekie1]

The hard plastic coating on the Logitech mice and many other mice, almost never wear down, so please take your own advice and do a little research before you "claim to know everything about it". I have a MX700 that I used as my main gaming mouse for 5 years and the finish still looks as good today as they did the day I bought the mouse. There is no signs of wear on the top of the mouse. However, the Razer coating is known to start to show signs of wear after a year of use or less. The plastic buttons are much more durable than Razer's anti-slip coating they use.

You are correct, it doesn't affect mouse performance. However, seeing as how about a quarter of your review was dedicated to how the mouse looks, and it is clear that Razer uses looks as a selling point, anytihng that is going to negatively affect how the mouse looks is a huge con and not something that can just be thrown in the review real quick and then ignored later on.

And I don't care how you have to get rid of the negative acceleration on the MX518, if the person knows enough to see the affects of negative acceleration they know enough to overclock the USB ports, but I still don't see how that is even an issue with this review.

A 10/10 says the mouse is perfect in every way. It means if the reader went out and bought this mouse they would never ask for more. It means there are absolutely no cons at all with the mouse. Clearly that is not the case, and hence I believe this mouse doesn't deserve a 10/10. It is not perfect, there are cons to the mouse. Whether they affect performance or not, they are cons.

[Frederik S]

Well my MX510 plastic changed color after about a years use so did the coating on my G5 and IME 3.0. The coating that Razer uses is just as durable / weak as the stuff used on Logitech / Microsoft mice. There will always be some wear and tear on the surfaces on a mouse, the Razer surface isn't any different than any other mouse coating on the market when it comes to durability.

The negative acceleration is a serious problem, almost every low sensitvity gamer that takes gaming seriously will tell you that it's hard to get rid off. To alter the USB polling rate is really really hard, you have to boot your PC into safe mode and then alter a couple of strings in the registry, to some specific value which I don't remember. Even then there is the chance that some of your other peripherals won't work because you can't OC one USB port at a time, you have to do it on all.

The main reason why this mouse gains such an extravagant score is simply due to the performance of the sensor, it's simply far better than any other sensor on the market. So is are the buttons and drivers of the mouse.

[newtekie1]

First of all, it really isn't that hard to change the USB polling rate, you make it seem like it is brain surgery to do. You boot into safe mode, run a program, set what polling rate you want, and then reboot. No hand editing of anything is required. It really is very simple and any "gamer" should be able to handle it.

As for the plastic, I sit at my work computer 8 or more hours a day, I have had my G7 for over a year now, no discoloration of any kind is present, and my MX700 I used before that lasted 5 years and there is really only very slight discoloration in the right click button and I put that mouse through hell, including a failed paint job that had to be removed with paint thinner.

Performance of the mouse is just on aspect, and being(arguably) the best on the market doesn't make it deserve a 10/10. If performance is the sole factor you are judging the mouse on I wonder why it takes up less than a third of your review. Seems like you are just wasting your breath the rest of the time if nothing else matters.

As for the buttons being better than anything on the market, are you serious? The mouse only really has 2 programmable buttons! No way is that enough for a lot of serious gamers. I have a feeling you are just grasping at staws to try and defend your bogus score now.

The drivers are a personal preference, personally don't think they are better than anything on the market, but hey you wrote the review and you do, so I understand that.

However, that still leave my main point. A 10/10 score means perfection, it means there is absolutely no place where this mouse could be improved upon, and means there is absolutely no cons at all to having the mouse. Obviously that is not the case. I along with others have pointed out a few cons the mouse has, regardless of how important you think they are, they are still cons, and any good review should point them out and not just ignore them because they feel they aren't important.

[Frederik S]

I have to disagree a 10/10 only means that the mouse is the best on the market today, otherwise no product will ever receive a perfect score, since every product no matter how good can be improved upon. I have mentioned the con I just think it's such a small one that it isn't something that deteriorates the quality/value of mouse and therefore can be dismissed.

[newtekie1]

So when something better comes out, what does it get? An 11/10 since it is now better? Rarely is anything given a 10/10 because rarely is anything perfect. 10/10 doesn't mean the best on the market, it means perfection. That is what people who read reviews think.

I have mentioned the con I just think it's such a small one that it isn't something that deteriorates the quality/value of mouse and therefore can be dismissed.

There is more than just one con, and NO CON CAN BE DISMISSED! What kind of reviewer says, "Well I didn't think the con was important so I dismissed it"? I don't care if you think it is important or not, it is your job to give people the pros and cons of this mouse, and you have failed to do that, you have ignored several cons and instead of informing people about them you just write "Cons: Nothing!". How helpful of a review is it if you aren't actually informing people about the bad aspects of the mouse? Most people that read reviews don't want to just re-read the same stuff they can read on Razer's site, they want to know what problems or imperfections the mouse has.

And yes, I think poor durability is something that deteriorates the quality/value of the mouse. I would expect the coating on a $60 mouse to last more than a year, especially one that I bought because I wanted one, that not only performed nicely, but looked good too. The worst part is that you actually put "Build Quality" in the Pros section! Yeah, the screws might not fall out, but the mouse is going to look like crap in a year because of the poor coating quality.

[KennyT772]

i have read several reviews of mice lately and if anything razer and logitech are behind. ive seen mice with 4000dpi sensors and even ones with programable buttons independent of drivers. i see nothing new in this mouse other then a new version, which razer seems to pump out every 3 months. the price is way high for a normal lazer based mouse, and theres nothings special about it other then the blue leds. im sorry but some lights will not sell me a mouse. compare this mouse to the mx revolution and see how it fairs. i would gladly drop an extra $20 to get that mouse over this. not to mention the g5 was released middle of last year. and the mx518? over 2 years ago. i would sure as hell hope this mouse is better then the older competition, however compared to other current mice it is not.

[Thermopylae_480]

Yes, it is very important to include cons, if they exist. The thing that separates an advertisement from a review is the objectivity and capability to point out flaws in a product. A product may still be extremely excellent even with its flaws, but it is still important that those flaws be addressed. A flaw, seemingly small to a reviewer, may be of dire consequence to a reader, and should be addressed even if it detracts from the quality of the product.

[petepete]

not worth 10/10 with no cons either what a great review!

[newtekie1]

not worth 10/10 with no cons either what a great <strike>review</strike> advertisement!

Fix'd

[EastCoasthandle]

DeathAdder or the Habu? I'm still not sure. Which of the 2 are heavier? I have big hands and can't deal with mouse that has no weight. Can someone please help me?

[newtekie1]

Out of the two I would get the DeathAdder. The sensor placement on the Habu really does make it off balanced feeling to me.

[Frederik S]

Well the Habu is a bit heavier and a bit longer. From an ergonomic point of view you should probably go with the Habu if you have really big hands. If I were you I would try the two mice in a shop and then deside from there.

[Lazzer408]

Has anyone ever knoticed that the closer the eye is to the top of the mouse the more finger tip control you have? I hate mice with the eye all the way at the back because I tend to rock my thumb and fingers for more accurate aim and if the eye is in the back the crosshairs actually move backwards. It feels like I'd have to move my whole arm back and forth to get the crosshair to move right. Try it you'll see what I mean. It also looks like that razor comes with yet another startup utility/driver to consume resources. Hmmm. I need a new mouse though. I guess I can buy one then take it back when it sucks. :)

[Frederik S]

Well the Razer driver consumes 2MB of memory, which is average. The sensor placement is good with the DeathAdder because it's in the center of the mouse.

[Chewy]

I have this mouse and it works GREAT with my new Icemat gaming surface, best feel/smoothness/control I ve ever used... but than again this is my 1st real gaming mouse, (had a mx1000 before) and the control/feel I get is nothing short of spectacular.

[TwystedMonkey]

Ummm I have owned a Deathadder for about 6 months now and I actually agree with the 10/10. All of you guys who keep saying its not worth it kinda irritate me because you are obviously Logitech fanboys and thats your own perogative BUT the mouse got a 10/10 deal with it. The logic that just because the DA got a perfect review the 518 deserves one to is immature to the point where its kinda sad. Its like listening to elementary school students argue over which superhero is better. Its a moot point. I am not gonna say anything REALLY bad about Logitech mice I have used 2 of them over the years and been fairly happy with there performance but call me superficial when it came to getting a gaming mouse I found there's ugly. That and when I atcually when into the store and held one in my hand it was uncomfortable. So I know its been a long time since this mouse came out and that more than likely know will care a lick about this anymore I just wanted to add my two cents. A good review and I share his opinion but maybe instead of bitching about the fact that you don't just ask questions and attempt to understand it.

[Chewy]

Yeh the mouse works flawlessly, you know what your buying when you buy it.. 2 buttons. Its a very comfortable mouse especially if your used to Logitech mice, some razor fanatics prefer the feel of finger mice like the Copperhead.

One problem I have sometimes had with mine but not anymore was the right clicker being to sensitive and clicking twice closing a IE tab.. but that hasent happened in a long time since someone pointed out that razor mice can do that.. weird eh ohwell that an extra perk for gaming with Razor mice, nicely sensitive to press.

[ginbong]

Hi, I have been using a Microsoft Wheel Mouse Optical 1.1A for over 4years now on a wooden smooth surface. I am currently looking for a "gaming" mouse and i had my eyes on the Razer DeathAdder or the Lachesis.

I originally was looking at the Microsoft Habu and some Logitech's but gimmicks like weight distribution is meant for motorsport racing and not for PC mouses in my opinion because i like my mouse to be light and i need fast flicking movements to track running enemies. :laugh:

Anyway, i am a FPS player with a medium sized hand i suppose, right-handed and a FPS player with very low sensitivity (1.5 in CSS), i like to semi-claw grip the mouse but my palm is slightly touching the back of the mouse too. i hope that helps you understand how i play. I live in Australia and these mouses aren't just lying around in department stores. Specialty shops sell them online. So I have no chance to have a try before buying.

Now i came across this review of xsreviews on the Lachesis http://www.xsreviews.co.uk/reviews/peripherals/razer-lachesis/4/

He stated that there is a problem with the tracking on soft-mats when he presses the trigger to shoot and the mouse digs into the mat ever so slightly and has irregular cursor movements making it hard for the second bullet to hit.

So i am asking your opinions on which mouse should i pick up instead, i am not interested in profiles as i will be using one sensitivity throughout a game like CSS or any other shooter. But the Lachesis' problem stated by xsreviews could be a problem on a soft-mat.

Do you think if i bought the Razer Destructor plastic hard-mat that problem with the Lachesis will be eliminated? And do i really need 4000DPI? I am a low res gamer after-all... Do you think the 1800DPI and right-handed ergonomics of the DeathAdder would suite me better?..

Sorry for the very long reply, but i wanted to give as much information as possible so you can understand the situation i am in.

Thanks to anyone who replies :D

[imperialreign]

Hi, I have been using a Microsoft Wheel Mouse Optical 1.1A for over 4years now on a wooden smooth surface. I am currently looking for a "gaming" mouse and i had my eyes on the Razer DeathAdder or the Lachesis.

I originally was looking at the Microsoft Habu and some Logitech's but gimmicks like weight distribution is meant for motorsport racing and not for PC mouses in my opinion because i like my mouse to be light and i need fast flicking movements to track running enemies. :laugh:

Anyway, i am a FPS player with a medium sized hand i suppose, right-handed and a FPS player with very low sensitivity (1.5 in CSS), i like to semi-claw grip the mouse but my palm is slightly touching the back of the mouse too. i hope that helps you understand how i play. I live in Australia and these mouses aren't just lying around in department stores. Specialty shops sell them online. So I have no chance to have a try before buying.

Now i came across this review of xsreviews on the Lachesis http://www.xsreviews.co.uk/reviews/peripherals/razer-lachesis/4/

He stated that there is a problem with the tracking on soft-mats when he presses the trigger to shoot and the mouse digs into the mat ever so slightly and has irregular cursor movements making it hard for the second bullet to hit.

So i am asking your opinions on which mouse should i pick up instead, i am not interested in profiles as i will be using one sensitivity throughout a game like CSS or any other shooter. But the Lachesis' problem stated by xsreviews could be a problem on a soft-mat.

Do you think if i bought the Razer Destructor plastic hard-mat that problem with the Lachesis will be eliminated? And do i really need 4000DPI? I am a low res gamer after-all... Do you think the 1800DPI and right-handed ergonomics of the DeathAdder would suite me better?..

Sorry for the very long reply, but i wanted to give as much information as possible so you can understand the situation i am in.

Thanks to anyone who replies :D



just my take on it, but, considering what a gaming mouse is designed for - in performance, precision and sensitivity - I'd personally recommend using a hard mousing surface with a gaming mouse to begin with. Cloth is fine for everyday use, but when once takes into account how your mouse movement can be a little more 'forceful' when gaming, you don't really want your mouse pad to give to much - you'd either be pressing into it, or could potentially shift the mouse pad which would throw you off.

Most of the hard surface mouse pads stay put really well, and don't slide around the desk easy. Plus, the teflon feet of the mouse will slide across the surface of a gaming mat with very little resistance.

As to the DPI and polling rate settings - each gamer typically has their own settings. the higher the DPI and polling rate, the more precise the mouse becomes, meaning you have to move the mouse less to achieve a certain amount of movement on screen. Most of those settings, though, will have very little effect or are even noticeable unless you're in game.

Being able to adjust the DPI, though, can prove useful with older games. I've had experiences before where having my DeathAdder set to 1800 DPI will result in a jittery or choppy movement on screen. In newer titles, it'll allow for very precise control.

Although, a gaming mouse is so different to a conventional optical mouse in it's sensitivity and all, that it'll take some time to get used to.


As to the ergonomics of the DeathAdder - it just fit. I tend to game with my palm fully rested on the back of the mouse, and my fingers lay across the front buttons, and I tend to use middle section of my fingers to actually click the buttons, instead of my fingertips. But, I found the DeathAdder to be comofortable enough, that my middle finger rests across the scroll wheel - meaning I have 3 fingers laying over the top of the mouse, instead of just two. Very comfortable mouse, even for my large hands, so comfortable you kinda forget it's there . . .

I couldn't tell you how the Lachesis is though, as I haven't had a chance to use one yet

[ginbong]

thanks for the reply, im still not convinced though..

i would like some feedback on lachesis users too :)

btw DPI does not mean accuracy... the sensor is accurate on 400 or 4000DPI, it just means the higher your DPI setting is, the less mouse movement you need to cover a certain distance and it is related also to your resolution.. DPI is almost like sensitivity.. i hope you understand my explanation. you try searching for articles about "DPI"

i read that on countless other myth busting articles and also on tomshardware
www.fragyou.net/?page_id=24

[imperialreign]

thanks for the reply, im still not convinced though..

i would like some feedback on lachesis users too :)

btw DPI does not mean accuracy... the sensor is accurate on 400 or 4000DPI, it just means the higher your DPI setting is, the less mouse movement you need to cover a certain distance and it is related also to your resolution.. DPI is almost like sensitivity.. i hope you understand my explanation. you try searching for articles about "DPI"

i read that on countless other myth busting articles and also on tomshardware
www.fragyou.net/?page_id=24

I never said accurate - precision and accuracy are two different things (although similar in definition) . . .

to quote myself from my previous post:

As to the DPI and polling rate settings - each gamer typically has their own settings. the higher the DPI and polling rate, the more precise the mouse becomes, meaning you have to move the mouse less to achieve a certain amount of movement on screen.