Razer has released its latest high-end competitive gaming mouse, the DeathAdder V4 Pro. This entry continues the trend of improving the brand’s already robust gaming mouse offering with more customisation and features than even I know what to do with.
Maintaining a similar design to its predecessor, it offers a familiar feel for veteran DeathAdder users, as well as a natural feel for those who are only taking the Razer plunge now. Having dipped my toes in the competitive shooter space again, here’s what I can tell you.
What Am I Looking At?
The DeathAdder V4 Pro is Razer’s first mouse to feature HyperSpeed Wireless Gen 2, a brand new wireless architecture that improves power efficiency and reduces latency. It is also the first mouse to come with the new weighted hemispherical dongle, which houses a longer antenna and enables up to 8,000Hz polling rates.
The mouse also features a triple optical setup, ranging from the scroll wheel, sensor, and mouse switches. All three advertise improved durability, performance, and accuracy, with Gen 4 mouse switches in particular, which Razer says are capable of 100 million clicks throughout their lifecycle.
The DeathAdder V4 Pro house also features a reinforced body for added durability that prevents creaking and is lighter, with this black colourway now weighing just 56g.
What’s Good About It?
From the outside, there’s hardly any noticeable change when compared to the Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro, which is great if you’re looking for an upgrade and don’t want the growing pains of reacquainting yourself with a new shape. The most noticeable external change is the wider distance between the side buttons, which feels more natural for my thumb and allows me to differentiate the two more easily.
Flipping it over, this latest iteration features two wider skates that encompass the north and south portions of the mouse, like the Viper V3 Pro, rather than the single line its predecessor had. Pair this with its reduced weight, and the DeathAdder V4 Pro just glides across the mouse pad.
The biggest improvements to the mouse were reserved for the internals. Bowing to public demand and criticism, the DeathAdder V4 Pro now has an optical scroll wheel that feels more precise and responsive with every flick, while also eliminating ghost inputs. Though I cannot test its reliability and longevity, Razer claims that it will last 3.3x longer, thanks to the absence of any physical contact points.
Speaking of longevity, the mouse lives up to its advertised 150 hours of battery life and then some if you manage it well. Further, in the rare instances I needed to plug the mouse in, I found out that it only required around an hour or so to reach full charge.
The Focus Pro 45K Optical Sensor Gen 2 is also impressive when it comes to tracking at extreme speeds. In the few times I decided to test the 45,000 DPI out, I was still able to find and keep track of the cursor, in-game or otherwise. Admittedly, outside of beating other brands in a cockfight, there’s no reason for someone to use such an extreme setting, but the option is there for the few people who do need it. The same logic applies to the 8,000Hz polling rate.
Moving on, I was initially weirded out by the hemispherical dongle, but ultimately found it quite endearing. Not only does it remove the RGB from the mouse (a pro or con depending on who you ask), but it also manages to extend its longevity, and it also transforms the would-be light show into actual useful pieces of information.
Its synergy with Razer Synapse is also greatly improved. With it, you have free rein over customising the device to your heart’s content, such as adjusting how you orient the mouse, cut-off distance, dynamic sensitivity, and more. This single addition might be reason enough for people to actually keep the Synapse app rather than disregarding it as bloatware.
What’s The Catch?
Despite my praises, it’s not without flaws. And when it comes to a device that is so close to being perfect, you are more than likely to notice any faults, no matter how small. One such example is the mouse clicks: though they are satisfying, they can get extremely loud and pingy—to the point they feel hollow—when you’re repeatedly clicking on them. Additionally, there were rare instances where the right click was not registering when clicked at a certain angle, reminiscent of the Razer Pro Click V2.
Fortunately, the mouse’s battery lasts a long time because having it constantly plugged in would have been an absolute pain. The included cable is quite heavy and stiff, and I am essentially fighting against it whenever I am using the mouse — a rare moment when a mouse can be too light for its own good.
The biggest deal-breaker of all has to be its asking price. The aforementioned perks are impressive and unique to this mouse alone, but this may be entirely impractical as an option, even for the competitive-enjoying consumer. To set the record straight, if you are a competitive gamer but have the DeathAdder V3 Pro, you can hold off from buying this, as they are incredibly similar.
If, by any chance, you are seriously considering buying this for professional-level gaming reasons, you are largely buying it to take advantage of the new Synapse customisation, increased DPI and polling, and improved sensors—all of which you won’t feel immediately, if at all.
Should I Buy It?
When all is said and done, the Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro is a phenomenal mouse that is just shy of perfection. If you are in the market for a highly customisable and competitive gaming mouse, you’ll be glad to know that this mouse might be for you.
You simply can’t go wrong with incredibly flexible and customisable software, a 150-hour battery life, and an ergonomic design that can still support gamers with larger hands. Add that to an incredibly lightweight build, and you perhaps have one of the better gaming mice available on the market.
It is important to note, however, that if you already own the Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro, getting this mouse might instead prove pointless, because aside from a handful of differences, the two are basically identical. Furthermore, if you are making the jump, you’ll have to consider the RM799 price tag.
