A mouse ahead of its time thanks to its 8000 hz polling rate, a surprise for all PCs.
The world of computer mice is going through one of its best moments. After years of offering the same product with ephemeral improvements and awkward shapes, manufacturers have put the batteries. The cables have improved, being more robust and obstructing the player less. The shapes have been adapted, with each brand focusing on one type of grip. New technologies such as lag-free wireless mice have completely changed the way we understand this peripheral. Companies like Glorious have debuted with juicy offerings like the Model 0. The sensors have been standardized, all offering performance that would have been unthinkable years ago. It is precisely in this last aspect that Razer tries to innovate with its new Viper 8K, the first mouse in history with a polling rate of 8000 Hz. Will this be the next big advance in the market?
Frills aside
Before going on to talk about what makes this mouse truly unique, it is convenient to review its most common characteristics. Among them, a shape that will already be very familiar to family members of the brand, lacking real differences compared to the latest Razer Viper models. The shape is ideal for users using a finger or claw grip, but for those who prefer a more “paunchy” mouse it may be too flat. Models like the Logitech G Pro Wireless are better suited for the latter. However, it is a mouse that is pleasant to the touch, easy to grip and with curves where they should be.
This model for now comes exclusively with cable, fortunately one of the good ones, covered in hard fabric and heavy but not immovable. We hadn’t used a wired mouse for a while, and we noticed a noticeable difference compared to models from half a decade ago. Unlike those mice of yesteryear with this cable, it is difficult for it to intrude on our gameplay regardless of the vertiginous movements we make. The cable is about two meters long, ideal for most gamers. It should be mentioned that due to the heavy weight of the cable, it is advisable to have some type of fastening of it so that it does not get caught on the edge of the table.
The switches used by Razer on the mouse buttons are, in our opinion, some of the best in the industry. Comparing with other mice that we have, they offer a more consistent response and their coating is solid enough not to deform as other mice usually do. When you click, you click. Little to improve in this regard, perhaps we would like the side buttons to be somewhat longer. The wheel is incredibly accurate but lacks high-speed modes like some Logitech mice have.
Aesthetically, the mouse follows the line that Razer has adopted lately, creating products that are decidedly Razer if we activate their most glamorous functions but capable of going unnoticed in a professional environment if we decide to deactivate them. Of course, if we need it, we will always have the fully customizable RGB that is already synonymous with the brand. Under the mouse we find some white PTFE feet that facilitate the glide perfectly without having changed perceptibly in our time testing them.
Hertz ahead of its time
Let’s talk about what makes this mouse stand out: the sensor. This is the typical high-end sensor that we are used to in today’s best mice. With up to 20k DPI that most gamers will never use, tremendously accurate and impossible to mistake for prodigious movements. Where innovation is introduced is with a polling rate of up to eight thousand Hertz. We expected this innovation like May water but we must say that the practical reality is far from our fantasies. On our 144 Hz screen and with a 5600X CPU we noticed a marked reduction in the fluidity of the gameplay when using this functionality. In games like Valorant, Counter Strike: Global Offensive or Rainbow Six: Siege we cannot even decide if 8K improves our gameplay because the loss of stability in the frames (which manifests itself differently in each game) far outweighs any possible benefit. .
It is true that throughout this review we have changed our CPU from a 6700K. With the CPU improvement we have noticed less disruption in the gameplay which indicates that perhaps these setbacks will disappear in the future. Perhaps with more frames possible natively on the screen, they will be reduced, but what is certain is that if this is the case, the number of users who could enjoy the key feature of this mouse is currently limited to the highest spectrum of player in terms of to budget.
Does all of this mean that the Viper 8K is a bad option? Absolutely. The Razer Viper 8K is a great mouse if you don’t want or can afford a wireless mouse. The quality of the materials and parts used, the good flexibility and apparent durability of the cable, the great sensor … make it one of the best wired mice on the market. With a much lower price than wireless options with similar features and the possibility of the 8K becoming popular with professional gamers in the future, we recommend the Viper 8K to anyone looking for a high-end wired mouse. Just don’t buy it from yourself just for the extraordinary polling rate.
THE BEST
- Sexy and daring shape
- Excellent buttons and apparent durability
- One of the best mouse cables we’ve tested
WORST
- Some games problems with 8k Hz
- Only offered with cable
