“The Razer Viper V2 Pro sheds some features I liked to make room for some new ones.”
- Lightweight design
- Buttons can be remapped wirelessly
- Incredible battery life
- Handsome silhouette
- USB Type-C connectivity
- Free foam grip tape
- No longer fully ambidextrous
- Price tag is hard to swallow
- No RGB
- Polling rate isn't as high as I'd expect
The perfect gaming mouse doesn’t exist as we see companies crank out updated versions of the same thing like clockwork. However, Razer’s latest mouse release sheds some of the skin off of one of its most popular mice, the Viper. That’s an interesting proposition.
What we have in our hands today is the Viper V2 Pro, and while it has gotten rid of quite a few features, it makes up for it with some fine additions.
On the outside, the new Viper V2 Pro looks like any other Viper. But the V2 Pro features a load of new features, including a weight of just 59g, a DPI of 30,000, new optical switches, and a beast of a battery — all for $150. That’s a hefty price tag, but Razer may have stuffed in just enough new elements to make this worthy of the price.
Design and comfort
When I took the Viper V2 Pro out of the package, the first thing that I noticed was how well its 59g weight is distributed. I also got the impression that the Viper V2 has one thing on its mind: Winning matches. However, winning comes at a cost for the new Viper V2 Pro. While eliminating some extra weight from the mouse, Razer was also forced to strip out a number of features, including RGB lighting, right side buttons, and one button on the bottom that used to control the toggles for power and DPI.
The lack of a right-side button means the Viper V2 Pro is no longer fully ambidextrous. That’s a shame for left-handed folks.
Razer does, as always, include the usual foam grip tape. That’s always appreciated.
While some sacrifices were made, Razer made significant upgrades to help ease the pain. The sensor has been upgraded from the Focus+ to the new Focus Pro 30K optical sensor, along with new optical switches that improve tactility and a longer lifecycle. Razer also upgraded the battery on the Viper V2 Pro to last longer while weighing less than its predecessors, and it finally supports USB-C charging.
Razer was completely transparent with the release of the new Viper by mentioning that the white version is one gram heavier than the black version. The Viper V2 Pro I received came in white, and I’m sure if I were blindfolded, I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.
The finish on the Viper V2 Pro is fantastic; it has the same coarse texture some PBT keycaps have. I’m here for it.
Sensors and switches
Underneath the mouse, you’ll find the pre-installed PTFE feet, a DPI/power button, and the Focus Pro 30K optical sensor. I’m a really big fan of this sensor — it performed really well in-game (more on that later). Even though I’m not a stickler for lift-off distance, I never experienced any stuttering or tracking issues. On top of that, the battery life is incredible; after five days of use, I’m at 82% of battery left. And that’s even while exclusively using the 2.4GHz dongle.
After five days of use on the 2.4GHz dongle, I’m still at 82% battery.
As mentioned earlier, Razer upgraded the switches on the new Viper and by doing so, I can now click these things 90 million times (assuming I live to see that day) and enjoy a more mellow sound profile. The same can’t be said about the side buttons because there’s an audible difference between the forward and back button.
The forward button sounds muted, whereas the back button almost sounds like a muffled clicky switch, which is a bit strange for someone who loves side buttons. Did this affect performance? No, but was it weird? Yes.
The scroll wheel isn’t anything to write home about either. Even though it’s notched, it sounds dry and scratchy.
Gaming experience
Since the Viper V2 Pro is all about winning, I wanted to try a popular eSports game that I’ve never played before: Valorant. It is a very competitive game, so I wanted to take some time to remap some controls and tune the Viper’s DPI. However, with the DPI button located underneath the mouse, changing was a bit annoying.
While you can wirelessly remap the inputs on the mouse, I had already set the back button to sensitivity clutch (sniper mode) and the forward to mute my mic.
On a more positive note, the Viper V2 feels ready to go right out of the box. The pre-installed PTFE feet are good enough but can benefit from a break-in period. I had zero issues with tracking on my desk mat and the somewhat coarse texture on the shell provided some extra grip.
The new Viper finds itself bumping heads with its older sibling, the Viper 8KHz Ultralight, which features a polling rate of 8,000Hz, whereas this one has a measly 1,000Hz. Personally, I don’t invest too much into the polling rate, but I know many gamers who do.
Our take
Overall, the Razer Viper V2 Pro is a great mouse and despite some changes to the Viper’s design, the performance and craftsmanship help lessen the blow. However, since this is a new version of the Viper, I would’ve liked to have seen the 8,000Hz polling rate, especially for $150. Still, this mouse is excellent; the ability to remap keys wirelessly, economical battery life, lightweight design, and 30,000 DPI sensor makes this mouse a strong competitor on the market.
Are there alternatives?
With its MSRP of $150, there are more than enough options. For starters, there’s the Logitech G Pro X Superlight for $145 and that comes with a DPI of 25,000 and a weight of 63g. If you want more buttons, for the same price MSRP, you can pick up the Asus ROG Spatha X.
The Spatha X features a maximum DPI of 19,000, 12 buttons, and hot swap sockets but a scale-breaking weight of 168g. Then, of course, if you’re looking at buying a Viper, but the price tag isn’t right for you, there’s the Razer Viper Ultimate, which still packs a punch with its DPI of 20,000, ambidextrous design, RGB, and a reasonable weight of 74g.
How long will it last?
The Razer Viper V2 Pro has a warranty of 2 years, and thanks to its upgraded internals, I can almost assure you that this mouse will perform like day one for years.
Should you buy it?
Yes, but there are some caveats. The Razer Viper V2 Pro is an awe-inspiring mouse that is worth looking at if you’re a previous-gen Viper owner looking for some more kick. However, for $150, there are lots of other mice on the market to consider with some of the features the Viper V2 Pro ditches.
