Razer, a 9to5Toys favorite, just introduced its latest mouse: the Razer Viper. This mouse packs a feature that nothing else on the market does yet, optical switches. Yes, optical mice have been around for a while, but until now, the laser was only used for tracking. Now, Razer has brought optics to the actual mouse click, giving you “up to triple your current actuation speed”. That’s not the only trick that the Razer Viper has up its sleeve, however, so keep reading to find out more.
The Razer Viper is the first to offer optical mouse switches
The biggest feature of the Razer Viper is that it is the first to feature Razer’s Optical Mouse Switches. These are Razer’s fastest switches yet, and offer three times the actuation speed of a traditional mechanical mouse switch. Normally, the switch sends an electrical signal via a metallic contact, which creates a sort of “bouncing effect” since every time the contact is pressed, the switch is actuated. In order to tell your current mouse not to click a dozen times, there’s a “debounce delay” that is used, which results in a slower response time on each click.
The Razer Optical Switched used in the Viper, however, is entirely different. There’s no physical contact required to send the signal. An infrared light beam passes through a shutter to send the electrical signal to the computer. This means there’s no debounce delay, and no multiple clicks registered. Because of this, Razer has removed nearly all of the input lag and delay found in normal mice.
Each switch is built to last up to 70,000,000 clicks. That’s right, 70 million. This means that the Viper’s Optical Mouse Switches are designed to withstand even the most intense gaming matches, be it competitive or just friendly wagers.
Light as a feather
The Razer Viper is also the company’s lightest mouse to date. It weighs in at just 69 grams. To put that into perspective, AirPods weigh 46 grams (each pod is 4 grams, and the case is 38 grams). That’s right. This mouse weighs just a little bit more than a set of AirPods, making it perfect for quick movements. Razer didn’t stop there, however. This mouse also features the new Speedflex Cable. This is a low-drag cable covering, allowing gamers to experience less friction and snagging when using their mouse.
The sensor also got an upgrade to Razer’s acclaimed 5G Optical Sensor. This gives you up to 16,000 DPI natively, with a 99.4% resolution accuracy. There’s onboard storage so you can use your personal settings even when not hooked up to your own computer.
Pricing and availability
You can get the Razer Viper starting today at Amazon or direct for $79.99 shipped.
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