If you’re a professional or even an occasional gamer you probably own at least one Razer device. Best known for its high-performance mouses, the ‘for-gamers, by-gamers’ company has just added DeathAdder 2013 to its arsenal.
Unlike other mouses, Razer DeathAdder is ergonomically designed for a right-hand grip. Apologies to left-handed gamers, but most games, especially first person shooters, are designed with the right-handed player in mind with the left-hand being used to control movement and secondary commands. The curves of the mouse allow your hand and fingers to grip it naturally and comfortably, which is a huge bonus for those all-night marathon sessions when other mouses would cause your hand to cramp up. Thanks to the design, my reflexes remained as quick as ever even after hours of use.
The other main feature of DeathAdder is its lethal accuracy and lightning fast tracking speed. Boasting a 6400 dpi optical sensor which enables speeds of up to 200 inches per second and 50g acceleration, the mouse obeys every command almost instantly and gives you instantaneous reaction times.
I took the DeathAdder for a spin by playing Team Fortress 2, the massively popular first-person shooter from Valve Games. The speed and responsiveness of the mouse was a welcome advantage, as it enabled me to track the movement of my enemies and line up shots with great accuracy. In a game where every second is crucial, DeathAdder certainly made its mark.
For slower paced games like the real-time strategy Command and Conquer 4, DeathAdder once again scored high points thanks to its programmable side buttons easily accessible by thumb. You can program up to five separate commands on the side buttons, lessening your dependence on the keyboard and a decided advantage during large-scale battles where quickly issuing commands is the key to victory.
In addition to its sleek looks, including improved rubber grips at the side for enhanced control, DeathAdder also features something called the Razer Synapse 2.0, which automatically syncs your mouse to a cloud server every time you log on to a game. This means you don’t have to waste time keying in your preferred settings and user options each time you log on, the mouse does it for you.
DeathAdder is fully compatible with both PC and Mac computers as long as you have a USB port. It works on Windows XP and higher systems, while for the Mac it functions on OS X 10.6 and above. You’ll need a working Internet connection to activate your Razer Synapse service, but other than that you can plug and play straight away.
In Kathmandu, Razer DeathAdder is available from Shizuku Tech, an electronics store beside Madan Smarak Higher Secondary School in Pulchok. At Rs 7,499 a piece after taxes, it will empty many wallets but it’s definitely a worthwhile investment for us hardcore gamers.
Yantrick’s verdict: Razer DeathAdder is one of the best, if not the best gaming mouse available in the market today. Its ergonomic design and nimble optical sensor are a welcome addition to every virtual warrior’s armoury.
www.razerzone.com