Review: Razer DeathAdder V2 Pro

Possibly the most recognizable name when it comes to gaming mice, the name DeathAdder immediately rings a bell for PC gamers. Razer has sold over ten million units of this product line which has seen thirty different models over the course of the brand’s life. The brand is also tied to several eSports Championships in recent years. Razer obviously has a lot to live up to with the latest DeathAdder V2 Pro. Razer has unleashed the truest version of the DeathAdder that’s loaded with tech while keeping the all important famous design.

What does the DeathAdder V2 Pro do that other models have not? For one, this newest version is wireless and complimented with Razer’s HyperSpeed Wireless technology. This is an ultra-low latency wireless connection that focuses on 1-to-1 movement that’s equal to a wired connection. Razer states that this is 25% faster than any other wireless gaming technology. With minute details and testing, it’s probably the case. Is the mouse responsive? Absolutely. Razer further achieves the fast connection with Adaptive Frequency Technology that scans multiple frequencies every millisecond and eliminates the bad ones. This will ensure response even in data-saturated environments, so if there’s a lot going on in your vicinity, the DeathAdder V2 Pro won’t bat an eye.

With the focus remaining on speed, Razer has added the second generation of the Razer Optical Mouse Switches to the DeathAdder V2 Pro. This means actuation at the speed of light. Razer released these infrared switches a few years ago, but the second generation of the switches on this mouse mean a more tactile feel. The two main mouse buttons don’t feel springy, but rather responsive and boast a louder click. The lack of a debounce delay means unintentional double clicks will literally never happen. Couple that with a response time of 0.2 milliseconds per click, which is three times as fast as the rest of the industry. These switches are also rated at seventy million clicks, so no worries about them ever giving out.

Finishing off the focus on speed and accuracy is the inclusion of the Razer Focus+ Optical Sensor that’s rated up to 20,000 DPI and 650 IPS. This allows for a 99.6% resolution accuracy and partly in thanks to the company Pixart, even more technology is used to boost the speed and accuracy. Smart Tracking, Asymmetric Cut-Off and Motion Sync all allow for the pinpoint precision out of the box. Where older sensors need to be manually calibrated, the Smart Tracking allows for automatic calibration to any surface. The Asymmetric Cut-Off allows the sensor to be as low as possible and set its landing distance for better registration. Finally, the Motion Sync allows the signals to sync at the exact intervals that your PC extracts information allowing for instant tracking.

The mouse in the Razer line that stands closest to the DeathAdder V2 Pro is theBasilisk Ultimate. It comes down to the design you prefer, but what is under the hood on both mice is closely similar. The Basilisk is more smooth on its exterior with a designated groove for your thumb and good rubber gripping on both sides of the mouse. Where I think the DeathAdder V2 Pro hurts the most is its exterior composition. This is likely due to the fact that it weighs only 88g, but the size of mouse is large and allows for the complete feel of a lightweight gaming mouse. It’s not tiny. At 2.4 in x 1.7 in, this mouse is perfect for those of us who have big hands.

On the exterior, the plastic doesn’t feel as durable and sleek as the Basilisk Ultimate. It’s more rugged and dry but in true DeathAdder fashion, the two mouse buttons include that finger valley that allows for complete symmetry and simulates better control of your clicks. There’s rubber gripping on both the inside rest and outside of the mouse, but it lacks the quality of the Basilisk. Two additional buttons sit above your thumb and they feel even more clicky than the main mouse buttons. The rest are finished off with two DPI buttons and the scroll wheel. Again, the profile button is located underneath the mouse, so attempting to change on the fly will force you to stop what you’re doing and change it. This also lacks the RGB of the Basilisk Ultimate with just having the Razer logo adjustable that sits on the hand rest.

The DeathAdder V2 Pro supports both HyperSpeed Wireless and a traditional Bluetooth connection. It also includes five on-board memory profiles and is compatible with the Razer Mouse Dock Chroma, which is the charger that’s included with the Basilisk Ultimate and the Viper Ultimate. The base is not included with this, however, but Razer is offering abundleright now for both which ends up being cheaper than any of the other two mice, so that’s a plus. The battery life for the DeathAdder V2 Pro can achieve up to 120 hours. This is just on Bluetooth, however. you may expect up to 70 hours with HyperSpeed Wireless and it shouldn’t be too affected by the RGB option on it. The big thing is that this mouse does include the Razer Speedflex cable and it will let you use the mouse while it charges, where as some other mice don’t have that option. Having this mouse for almost two weeks, I haven’t gone through a full charge yet. I currently sit at about 39% left on the battery and I’ve used this on average for about 2 hours per day.

Closing Comments:

The DeathAdder V2 Pro is the culmination of every excellent mouse technology Razer has. The result is the best and most complete version of a DeathAdder mouse to date. Overall, I like the dedicated DeathAdder design combined with the lightweight feel, but it’s clear some corners were cut to trim as much fat as Razer could. Sitting in the same ballpark as the Viper Ultimate and Basilisk Ultimate, its outer materials and skipping RGB lack in comparison. But this should truly appeal to those people who bought one of the ten million DeathAdder’s sold in Razer’s history. The mouse retails for $129.99, so it’s cheaper than the other two. This traditional design with the best of today’s tech should make it a must for fans of the DeathAdder.