Articles by Ozzie Mejia

Sports

Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro mouse review: Serious bite

It can be tough to find a good gaming mouse, especially one that matches performance and comfort. As it turns out, the right mix is here from the folks at Razer. One might expect a Razer product to be visually dazzling, but the Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro forgoes some of the signature Razer razzle dazzle in favor of both comfort and sheer performance. The Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro is a lightweight piece of work. The box comes with the 56 gram (1.97 oz.) mouse equipped with the Razer Optical Mouse Switch Gen-4 and a True 8000Hz Wired/Wireless Polling dongle with USB-C-to-A cable. It's an easy plug-and-play accessory, though there are a few optional features that can be found through Razer's proprietary Synapse software. While one might expect the company's signature RBG flair, this mouse actually doesn't use it. Visually, it's a simple black design, simple almost to the point of boredom. With that said, Razer's focus is less on what the mouse looks like and more on how well it functions. It's going to be hard to go back to other mouse products, simply because the DeathAdder V4 Pro feels so good on my hand and my fingertip grip. The ergonomic design is ideal for longer gaming sessions and, with that said, this is definitely built for those. In terms of performance, the mouse's sensitivity can be changed with the press of a button, allowing owners to go between 400/800/1600/3200/6400 DPI (dots-per-inch) with a few clicks. However, the button's placement isn't ideal, sitting along the bottom and also doubling as the mouse's power button. It is worth noting that while I haven't typically been the biggest fan of Razer Synapse, it does prove to be the most ideal way to manage the DeathAdder V4 Pro's polling rate. The software menu makes it easy to take the polling rate from as low as 125Hz all the way up to 8000Hz. On top of that, the software does allow for a smart polling rate switcher, changing the mouse's DPI automatically when games are running at full-screen. Anytime the system does not detect a game running, the polling rate drops down to 1000Hz by default. The dongle makes it easy to read the polling rate with its three LED design, which quickly shows connection quality, battery level, and polling rate. The DeathAdder V4 Pro's performance is top-notch. I'll use it as a standard mouse with the default 1000Hz polling rate when playing run-of-the-mill games like Hearthstone, Keeper, or Hades 2. There's always the occasional shooter worth playing, whether it's Battlefield 6, Marvel Rivals, or the more classic Team Fortress 2, and this is where it's worth turning the polling rate up a little higher. There are two extra side buttons, which help with a few more functions and it's possible to set multiple profiles based on different games through Synapse. Even when turned up as high as 8000Hz, the battery life on the mouse lasted a few days before needing a recharge. Outside of that, using it as a more standard mouse, it has lasted me several weeks before requiring a charge. All of that leads to one of the best features of this mouse, which is that even when charging and working as a wired mouse, it can still run with its 8000Hz polling rate even while connected. That gives it a leg up against many of its competitors and makes it an ideal mouse, something I concluded as I watched my kill count go slightly higher. Higher kill count aside, I'd call the Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro a winner simply based on comfort alone. The clicks sound hollow, the optical scroll wheel is responsive (though durability ultimately remains to be seen), the battery life is outstanding, the dongle is easy to use and has a nice dome design to it, and the fact that the mouse's key maximum polling rate feature can be used in both wired and wireless modes make this an outstanding piece of work. It's a little bit pricey at $169.99, but those who can afford it are likely to be satisfied by what they get. This review is based on a unit issued by the manufacturer. The Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro esports gaming mouse is available now for $169.99 USD.