Razer Viper v2 Pro Review

Razer Viper V2 Pro Intro

Razer's latest third-generation optical switches, designed to handle 90 million clicks, are featured on the two main buttons, ensuring minimal latency and preventing accidental double-clicking. Additionally, the Viper V2 Pro boasts an impressive battery life of at least 80 hours, thanks to enhancements in wireless technology and the removal of RGB lighting. The PAW3950, also known as the Focus Pro 30K sensor, is the result of Razer's collaboration with PixArt. This sensor can reach up to 30,000 CPI and offers better compatibility with various surfaces, including glass, alongside a reduced lift-off distance compared to earlier models. In terms of design, the Viper V2 Pro has shed some features, including side buttons on the right and inbuilt side grips, leading to a lighter weight of only 58 g for the white version and 57 g for the black. This reworked shell structure contributes to the mouse's sleek profile. Originally established in 1998, Razer is a US-based company that specializes in peripherals and gaming gear. The V2 Pro is an upgrade of the 2019 Viper Ultimate, bringing significant improvements throughout. Customization options are available through Razer Synapse, allowing gamers to tweak settings that can be stored in the on-board memory for use without needing the software.

Specifications

Mouse Dimensions Overview

For a complete overview of all the measurements collected, you can check this sheet created by a respected member of the community. Measurements that feature two decimal places were recorded using a caliper, while those with one decimal place were taken with a ruler. The term "Front height" refers to the space between the base and the main buttons. This table presents the dimensions of the Razer Viper V2 Pro along with various other ambidextrous mice.

Razer Viper V2 Pro

Packaging Contents

In the sturdy box, you’ll discover a pre-cut set of grip tape for the main buttons and sides, a quick start guide, a wireless extender, a full-speed wireless dongle, and a USB Type-C to Type-A charging cable, with the mouse being the centerpiece of it all.

Weight Reduction

The Viper V2 Pro surpasses the Logitech G Pro X Superlight at 63 g and the HyperX Pulsefire Haste Wireless at 60 g, which features a hex-shell design. An impressive 17 g lighter than the previous Viper Ultimate in black, the Viper V2 Pro achieves this reduction without any visible holes. It does this by eliminating the right side buttons and the rubber side grips, showcasing remarkable engineering. My scale reads around 58 g (+/- 1 g), which is 1 g less than Razer's stated weight for the white version; the black version is also claimed to be 1 g lighter.

Cable Performance

The cable measures 1.80 m in length. It supports the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle, providing shielding similar to a high-speed wired mouse. You can use the Viper V2 Pro as if it were a wired mouse, with hardly any noticeable difference in handling compared to a fully wired option. While this cable isn't as flexible as the latest ASUS ROG or Glorious options, it does show a marked improvement over older, stiffer Razer cables. However, it lacks an anchor at the mouse-end, which means it might come loose during use, though that's not very likely due to how securely it connects. The Viper V2 Pro includes a soft and flexible braided USB Type-A to Type-C charging cable.

When traveling, the extender helps to secure the dongle, as the mouse doesn't have a built-in storage space for it. To minimize distance between the dongle and mouse, you can utilize the wireless extender. Additionally, the charging cable doubles as an extension cable when connected to the wireless extender.

Feet Design and Performance

The size and shape of the feet have changed compared to earlier Viper models. The ring surrounding the sensor helps maintain consistent CPI when vertical pressure is applied. Glide is excellent with these feet, which are made of non-dyed PTFE (Teflon) and feature slightly rounded edges.

Shape Evolution

The Viper V2 Pro features a design that is simple and elegant, managing to handle well during gameplay. The main buttons have deep comfort grooves, which are the only notable design elements that stand out. The sides curve inwards horizontally but remain mostly straight vertically, keeping the overall profile low. The front of the mouse flares out only slightly from the center, while the rear has a noticeable width. Interestingly, the shape remains unchanged from previous Viper models, lacking aggressive curves and even Razer's signature front flare. However, the design is no longer fully symmetrical; left-handed users will find themselves without side buttons as the mouse now only has them on one side. These side buttons also protrude slightly instead of being recessed into the shell, and the inbuilt rubber grips have been removed, resulting in smooth and unbroken sides. In summary, the Viper V2 Pro presents a unique combination of continuity in shape while introducing several physical differences from its predecessors.

The Viper V2 Pro is a medium-sized mouse that fits a variety of hand sizes, featuring a barely pronounced hump. For those with smaller hands, it might offer enough palm support, but it’s mainly designed for claw or fingertip grip. Speaking from experience, my hands are 19 cm long and 10 cm wide, and I found that the Viper V2 Pro felt really comfortable when using a claw grip.

Sensor Performance Metrics

The specifications reveal that the Focus Pro 30K (PixArt PAW3950) can achieve a maximum tracking speed of 750 IPS, or 19.05 m/s, with a remarkable capability of up to 30,000 CPI. The Razer Viper V2 Pro comes with five pre-defined CPI steps right out of the box: 400, 800, 1600, 3200, and 6400. This impressive sensor is what powers the mouse, ensuring top performance in gaming scenarios.

CPI Measurement Accuracy

In this test, I'm checking if nominal and actual CPI match. Ideally, these two should be as close as possible, but it's impossible to achieve a perfect match every time. There are various factors that can cause the nominal CPI to not align with the actual CPI, such as firmware issues, sensor mounting height not meeting specs, the thickness of the mouse feet, and the type of mousing surface used, among others. "CPI" stands for counts per inch, which indicates how many counts the mouse registers when moved exactly one inch. However, keep in mind that the variance can differ slightly between different units, so your experience may vary.

As you can see, the overall result is excellent, with deviation being exclusively positive, highly consistent, and very low. I've focused my testing on the four most common CPI steps: 400, 800, 1600, and 3200.

Motion Delay Evaluation

The Logitech G403 serves as the control subject for this test, featuring the PixArt PMW3366 sensor, which displays no noticeable smoothing throughout its entire CPI range. It's important to mention that the G403 is tested first, giving it a slight advantage. The main focus of this evaluation is to minimize sensor smoothing, which is the process of averaging motion data over multiple frames to decrease jitter at higher CPI settings, ultimately leading to increased motion delay. This test won't account for other forms of input delay; it solely targets "motion delay," which includes all types of sensor lag. Since there's no precise method to measure motion delay absolutely, comparisons will be made against the G403 to determine how much smoothing exists in other devices.

To determine the presence of any smoothing, I'm starting with the observation that neither xCounts plot displays any visible "kinks." These plots were created at 30,000 CPI and 1600 CPI. This absence of kinks indicates a strong likelihood that smoothing is not an issue. The minimal SPI timing jitter is attributed to sensor-level MotionSync.

To confirm that there's no smoothing throughout the entire CPI range, I found that there is no motion delay differential at either CPI step. The sensor with less motion delay is indicated by the line further to the left. I'm examining xSum plots created at 1600 and 30,000 CPI to assess motion delay.

Impressive is the fact that not much changes when switching to wireless.

I can measure a wireless motion delay of at most 1 ms, keeping in mind the motion delay differential in wired mode established above. Once again, 1600 and 30,000 CPI are tested.

The behavior could be seen no matter which firmware was used. After unplugging and plugging the mouse back in, the shift behavior returned once more. Interestingly, I managed to restore the intended (non-shift) motion purely by chance. However, I cannot pinpoint what causes the peculiar shift. This oddity only appears when the included full-speed dongle is used at 1000 Hz in wireless mode. A noticeable delay in motion begins after a random moment (t=60 ms in the first plot, t=6 ms in the second one), marking the shift. Please note that the xSum plots above were collected with the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle set to 1000 Hz.

Speed-Related Accuracy Variance Management

When discussing "acceleration," what people often refer to is speed-related accuracy variance (SRAV for short). The key point is that it's not about the mouse itself having a fixed level of positive or negative acceleration. Instead, it’s about how the cursor doesn’t move the same distance when the mouse is shifted the same physical distance at varying speeds. To illustrate this, compare it with a control model known for its low SRAV, which in this case is the G403. The plot clearly shows that there is no noticeable displacement between the two cursor paths, confirming that SRAV is indeed very low.

Optimal Movement Speed

The sensor has shown no signs of malfunctioning, and I've only reached a modest speed of 5 m/s, which fits within the advertised PCS range. Perfect Control Speed (or PCS for short) refers to the highest speed at which you can move the mouse and its sensor without any issues.

Polling Rate Connection

Testing polling-rate stability at the endpoint (the USB) has to suffice here, as I can't measure every part of the entire end-to-end signal chain individually. In the case of wireless mice, there’s an additional device involved that must be synchronized with the mouse and USB: the wireless dongle/wireless receiver. For wired mice, polling rate stability is simply about the wired connection between the mouse (SPI communication) and USB.

I'm unable to detect any periodic off-period polls that would suggest a desynchronization drift. The absence of these polls indicates that the systems may be in sync. Any desynchronization drift accumulated over time would show at least one 2 ms report. I'm testing to see if SPI, wireless, and USB communication are synchronized.

I'm looking at the differences in performance when using the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle instead of the standard full-speed version; the plots show a noticeable variation. Interestingly, Razer has claimed that both 125 and 500 Hz are functioning correctly, even if they don't appear to be. In reality, 500 Hz is reportedly quicker than several 1000 Hz setups, something I've been able to confirm. When examining the individual polling rates in wireless mode, running the Viper V2 Pro at a lower polling rate can actually help improve battery life. Out of the polling rates available (125, 500, and 1000 Hz), only 1000 Hz appears to be performing well. Now, I’m testing the overall stability of these polling rates.

Jitter Analysis

At maximum CPI, the jitter levels are high enough that noticeable cursor movement happens even when stationary, suggesting that there's likely no sensor lens movement. Moving on, at 30,000 CPI, jitter becomes extremely pronounced, which aligns with expectations for a sensor without any smoothing. At 15,000 CPI, significant jitter is evident. However, at 1600 CPI, no jitter is noticeable. Therefore, this test serves to highlight potential problems with angle snapping (the non-native straightening of linear motion) and jitter, as well as any lens rattle from the sensor. As you can see, there are no issues with angle snapping detected.

Build Durability

Accidental clicks when slamming the mouse down are non-existent. Applying lateral pressure shows some minor creaking, yet the shell remains sturdy without flexing. Squeezing the sides can activate the side buttons, but it takes a good amount of force to do so. Overall, the build quality is impressive, and there's no rattle when shaking the mouse.

Button Performance

The Viper V2 Pro uses a pair of Razer Optical Gen-3 (90 M) switches. The button stiffness is medium, ensuring a solid feel. Lateral button movement is minimal, and you really have to push it to notice. Even though the two main buttons sound different, they have a more consistent response compared to many other optical switch designs. There is some pre and post-travel, but the button response remains firm and snappy. Overall, the main buttons on the Viper V2 Pro are quite impressive.

A set of surface-mounted switches (white plunger) from CF (ChangFeng) is used for these. Actuation is easily achievable by rolling one's thumb across, thanks to the very good button size and placement. The pressure point is even throughout the entire surface. While they do sound a bit hollow, pre and post-travel are minimized, leading to a firm and satisfying actuation. Side buttons are excellent.

If you press and hold the button, it switches the mouse on or off, which functions effectively. A quick press will cycle through the selected CPI levels. Underneath the mouse, there sits a single button.

Scroll Wheel Performance

The middle click of the scroll wheel needs a medium to high amount of force to activate. It employs a tactile switch that appears to be unbranded. The encoder, sourced from Kailh (gray, black core), stands at a height of 12 mm. Scrolling up, while a bit noisy, offers fantastic tactility with distinct steps, avoiding overly stiff movement. Overall, the scroll wheel is truly impressive.

Surface Quality

All in all, the materials used are very good. Cleaning may take some time, but there are no signs of wear after you do. It doesn't easily attract fingerprints, dirt, or anything similar. The grip is decent, and the Viper V2 Pro has a slightly roughened matte surface.

Disassembly Process

The top shell can be easily removed by sliding a credit card in at the sides. The screws, which are Torx T6, are the main hurdle you’ll face. They can be found beneath the front and rear skates. Disassembling the Viper V2 Pro is straightforward.

The Bluetooth feature of the MCU is not utilized. The MCU itself is a Nordic nRF52840, and you can find its datasheet here. The production date for the side-button PCB was the eighth week of 2022. On the main PCB, there’s a fuel gauge IC visible. Securing the PCB is quite minimal, with just one screw along with a clip on the right side, making it both packed and ultra-thin. The battery is positioned on a plastic assembly at the back of the shell, similar to the Pulsar Xlite Wireless V2. The side buttons are attached to a post and linked to the main PCB via a ribbon cable. Overall, the internal design is impressively efficient.

Noteworthy flaws are absent in the PCB's general quality and soldering.

Software Integration

Razer Central, the main software suite, allows users to install extra optional modules like Chroma Studio, Chroma Connect, or the advanced macro editor. This is where Synapse, Razer's modular software, is integrated. The Viper V2 Pro works seamlessly with Synapse 3, ensuring compatibility.

The profile management feature is available as well. Next, the "Power" tab allows users to configure the idle time (in minutes) before the mouse goes into sleep mode and to check the battery status percentage that triggers Low Power mode. When Low Power mode is activated, it reduces the maximum tracking speed from 750 IPS (19.05 m/s) to 550 IPS (13.97 m/s) and the maximum acceleration drops from 70G to 40G. Moving on, "Calibration" lets you tweak the lift-off distance with three presets (low, medium, high) and also gives the option for asymmetric cut-off settings. The "Performance" tab is where you can modify the CPI across five levels, ranging from 100 to 30,000 CPI in 50 CPI increments. You can also set the polling rate to either 125, 500, or 1000 Hz. Finally, the first tab, "Customize," features button remapping, including a HyperShift function that provides a second layer of button mappings accessible by pressing a dedicated shift button. All settings can be found across these four tabs.

The most convenient way to stop these processes is by using a recent Razer mouse firmware updater. Even if Synapse is configured not to launch with Windows, several processes remain active, consuming a total of 197 MB of RAM after the application is closed. When running, Synapse occupies about 388 MB of RAM on my system, and this usage remains consistent whether it's minimized to the taskbar or system tray. Notably, all setting adjustments are instantly applied and stored in the on-board memory, meaning you don't have to keep the software running or installed all the time.

Battery Life Performance

Expected battery life may actually be closer to 100 hours of typical use. The battery indicator has shown a decrease of 5% for every five hours of operation. This percentage-based battery life indicator is reliable and precise, boasting single-digit accuracy. Razer claims a maximum battery life of up to 80 hours, which applies to continuous use at a polling rate of 1000 Hz.

The Viper V2 Pro goes into sleep mode after a specified time, which you can adjust in Synapse. To wake it from this rest state, simply move the mouse; clicking a button won't do the trick. If the mouse is idle for a brief moment, it will automatically enter this low-power state.

The battery, with a capacity of 300 mAh, was examined for charging speed. During the constant current phase, I recorded the charging speed at approximately 0.160 A using the provided USB Type-A to Type-C charging cable.

Conclusion

The Viper V2 Pro, despite being lighter at 57 g compared to the Viper Ultimate's 74 g, sacrifices some features to achieve this. The loss of RGB lighting, built-in side grips, and an additional set of side buttons on the right means it’s no longer a symmetrical design, but just ambidextrous. To help with the grip issue, Razer includes a grip tape with the Viper V2 Pro. However, the Viper Ultimate remains a top pick even two and a half years after its release, putting the new model in a tough spot since any upgrades appear minimal. The Viper V2 Pro’s weight reduction may not be seen as an enhancement by everyone, especially since it even outperforms the Logitech G Pro X Superlight in this aspect. Overall, the build quality of my Viper V2 Pro is impressive; there’s minimal creaking, the shell feels sturdy, and while I can activate the side buttons by squeezing, it requires a lot of force to do so.

The Focus Pro 30K sensor, debuting in the Viper V2 Pro, demonstrates enhanced surface compatibility, especially on glass. In terms of performance, it has been almost perfect during my tests. The CPI deviation is minimal, with low motion delay and stable polling overall. However, I did notice a couple of strange occurrences: both 125 and 500 Hz presented some oddities in the plots. Razer explained that this is due to a unique implementation aiming for significantly lower motion delay, particularly in comparison to other 500 Hz setups, a statement I can back up. Additionally, I observed an unusual shift at 1000 Hz in wireless mode, where motion delay unexpectedly increases by about 1 ms after a certain threshold. Interestingly, this issue doesn't show up when using Razer's HyperPolling Wireless Dongle at 1000 Hz, and it unpredictably appears and disappears without clear reasoning. Given that Razer struggles to replicate this issue, it might be limited to my specific configuration. Overall, the next major step forward is indeed the sensor.

Starting from the end, the Viper V2 Pro's long battery life is quite impressive, with Razer claiming up to 80 hours at a 1000 Hz polling rate. However, my experience suggests it can actually reach around 100 hours, which is remarkable given its small 300 mAh battery. Unfortunately, to achieve a lighter design, the charging dock compatibility was sacrificed. Now, only USB Type-C charging is supported, but the good news is that the cable is much more flexible compared to older Razer options. While it may not match the recent ASUS ROG or Glorious Wireless charging cables in terms of comfort, the Viper V2 Pro can still be used while plugged in without feeling too constricted. Charging speed is relatively slow at just 0.160 A, but this choice helps prioritize the impressive battery capacity. Overall, I think this is a reasonable trade-off for such an extended battery life.

The feet remain unchanged in shape and continue to glide smoothly as always. The scroll wheel is impressively good, offering clear steps and excellent tactility, though scrolling upwards can be a bit loud for my taste. The side buttons perform well, featuring minimal pre and post-travel, but the feedback can feel a bit hollow. On the other hand, the optical switches have made significant strides, achieving some of the lowest latency seen in any 1000 Hz wireless mouse. They’ve been upgraded to third-generation Razer optical switches for the main buttons, which provide a sharper and more defined response than the second-generation ones, and are much less mushy compared to the first generation. Despite still feeling different from mechanical switches, Razer is getting closer with each new generation. Overall, the enhancements to the buttons are subtle but notable, making for an improved gaming experience in Counter-Strike 2.

Certainly! Here's the text rewritten as requested: The Viper V2 Pro's compatibility with Razer Synapse is a key point. I would much rather have a setup similar to Logitech's Onboard Memory Manager, which lets you configure all essential settings without the need for a massive software installation. Even though you can uninstall Synapse after storing most settings on the Viper V2 Pro, the experience is marred by the persistent RAM usage. It’s frustrating that several services, which take up a significant amount of memory, continue to run even when Synapse is set not to auto-start or isn't running at all. Overall, while my time with Synapse has been mostly stable and free from bugs, the resource consumption remains higher than I would like.

The price has been a hot topic of discussion already, especially considering that $30 for the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle alone isn't exactly a steal. However, the ability to elevate the Viper V2 Pro above all other 1000 Hz mice, including the Viper Ultimate, is a significant advantage, even though the Viper V2 Pro can't utilize 4000 Hz polling right out of the box. As a result of using the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle, the Viper V2 Pro achieves the lowest motion delay and click latency of any wireless mouse available. This is the first time 4000 Hz wireless polling is possible with the Viper V2 Pro. At the time of writing, it's one of the few Razer wireless mice that are compatible with the dongle. However, there's a trade-off: the battery life drops to around 24 hours (30 hours based on my testing). Despite this downside, the Viper V2 Pro stands out in the competitive market of gaming mice.

The achievement of the Viper V2 Pro, especially when paired with the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle, pushes the limits of wireless gaming mice. It's an impressive mouse that stands out in its category. However, for $149.99, I would have expected at least a replacement set of mouse feet, which even some $60 wireless options provide. As an enthusiast mouse, the Viper V2 Pro is designed for a niche audience that prioritizes the best performance and lightest weight. This focus on a specific market means manufacturers tend to set higher prices. While some may argue that $150 is a steep price for a mouse that lacks certain features compared to its predecessor, the Viper Ultimate remains available for those who desire those extras. Despite being priced $20 more than the DeathAdder V2 Pro from a year and a half ago, the increase isn’t too surprising given the rising costs of shipping and parts. It's noteworthy that the Viper V2 Pro retails for the same price as the Viper Ultimate did back in 2019, but without the charging dock. Overall, while opinions may vary regarding the price tag, the Viper V2 Pro does offer excellent performance, making it deserving of our Editor's Choice recognition.