I tend to be an overly thorough shopper on Amazon. For this purchase, I looked at hundreds of user reviews, dozens of mice, and looked at many pages of expert opinions and benchmark tests. It is honestly kind of a headache to deal with every time I buy something, but I do end up being well informed. My criteria were high value to cost ratio, improved ergonomics from a basic style mouse, excellent performance and at least 2 extra buttons with actual usable placement. I've had the Viper Mini for 7-8 months.
First off, I really hesitated getting this because of the "Mini" moniker. In reality, this mouse is a bit longer and taller than the crap Amazon Basics mouse my work provided me, which I needed to replace. So when they say mini, they mean smaller than a full size Razer Viper, but not small compared to your average regular mouse. One big thing that stood out to me is that this mouse is the _only_ one in Rocket Jump Ninja's top 10 list even _remotely_ near the $20 price range. I believe the next cheapest is at least $60. RJN seems to be utterly _obsessed_ with computer mice. He has tried more than I will ever use in my lifetime. There were plenty of other factors leading me to this mouse, but RJN placing it in the top 10, among limited production run pro mice with honeycomb shells for weight efficiency that you can't even get anymore, and mice costing over $100, is certainly a ringing endorsement.
Right out of the box, you'll be treated to a noticeable increase in smoothness and responsiveness thanks to the DPI options and polling rate compared to an average office mouse, and even impressive compared to previous gaming mice I have owned. I was pleasantly surprised by the Synapse software, really expecting to get the normal bloated pack-in software offering, but it is clean, does not appear to hog resources, and makes changing DPI levels, setting macros, and creating RGB color patters very very easy. After getting a good spread of DPI levels set up, I mostly cared about the macros. It is like magic. Try to spot something you do multiple times per day and set up a mouse macro for it. You'll impress yourself and maybe your friends (though lets face it, if you are reading this kind of review we probably don't have any friends to impress in person anyway).
Oddly, when I use different mice, like my kids' gaming mouse, or my wife's Apple Magic Mouse, they immediately feel frustratingly sluggish and unresponsive. I am not a DPI freak because frankly jacking up my sensitivity only makes me victim to my own occasionally spastic fine motor skills, so I have to assume the polling rate allows me to comfortably use higher DPI settings than usual or something. Obviously, the Magic Mouse at least is capable of matching these levels of sensitivity, so I have to assume that the Viper Mini has acclimated me to more responsive settings than the average folk. I don't know that this conveys me any particular benefit, in gaming or otherwise, but it was interesting to note for I usually find others' mice to be too sensitive, if anything.
I also have noticed that the dull ache of wrist fatigue, which I used to get after long hours of work or cowardly skulking in the bushes of Tarkov with a basic mouse, have not happened in a long time, and I fully credit the ergonomics of the Viper Mini with that, because otherwise my setup is identical. I am also glad this didn't come with a removeable tray of small weights to change around. I found those to be completely useless in 2 previous mice, and I am glad the trend is moving toward lightweight.
If there was one thing I would change, it would be to trade the 2 side buttons for 1 large red side button with crosshairs marked on it, because at the end of the day beneath all the trappings, I am naught but a simple manchild enamored of cheap and tasteless pleasures. That and I personally don't make use of 2 extra side buttons. One dangerous weaponized one always under my thumb would be fine. However, that is just a gross preference of mine, and certainly not a knock against the Viper Mini.
Bottom line, as long as this mouse remains at or near this price, I won't be bothering with basic mice at all, when for just a bit more I could have an excellent mouse. Likewise, it is hard to see spending more for a gaming mouse with more features, unless I want a different form factor or buttons for some specific thing. I don't think you can go wrong with the Viper Mini, and if you do, at least you aren't out a ton of money.
| Brand | Razer |
|---|---|
| Series | Viper Mini |
| Item model number | RZ01-03250100-R3U1 |
| Hardware Platform | PC |
| Item Weight | 3.04 ounces |
| Product Dimensions | 4.66 x 2.42 x 1.51 inches |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 4.66 x 2.42 x 1.51 inches |
| Color | Classic Black |
| Power Source | Corded Electric |
| Manufacturer | Razer |
| ASIN | B084RPZD6T |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Date First Available | March 4, 2020 |
