Razer DeathAdder V2 review: a pro-level, premium gaming mouse

Welcome to T3’s Razer DeathAdder V2 review. The updated version of Razer’s popular DeathAdder makes it on to our best gaming mouse list because, well, it’s pretty awesome. I’ve had the chance to play with it over the last few days and now it’s time to tell you all about it.

The DeathAdder V2 is the sort of mouse that rounds out a great gaming rig. Place it alongside the best gaming keyboards, best gaming chairs, best gaming monitors and the best gaming headsets and you’ll be the envy of any streamer.

For my quick rundown on the DeathAdder V2 I’ll just tell you that the old DeathAdder was one of the best gaming mice ever, and this updated version is even better. Razer’s software and hardware mix together in the V2 to make something truly stellar – though you do have to pay for that.

Exciting news for any gamer who was thinking of buying the DeathAdder V2 is the fact that it has won the Best Gaming Mouse award at the T3 Awards 2021. Another huge reason to consider this rodent as your next upgrade.

Razer DeathAdder V2 Review: Design and Setup

The Razer DeathAdder V2 looks an awful lot like its predecessor, but that’s no bad thing. It’s a classic look with clean lines and satisfying curves. The mouse buttons are indented to cradle your fingers and flare out to give you plenty of room while the rubber grips on the side are understated but effective. Razer’s pretty proud of the ergonomics at play here and from my experience, they should be.

It looks big for a mouse in its weight class, sitting comfortably as a lightweight at 82g, but that’s largely a bit of an illusion. Its footprint is roughly the same as the HyperX Pulsefire, though that mouse isn’t quite as tall. That flared front end makes the V2 wider there and the raised shell gives it a larger profile. It’s actual dimensions measure 127 x 61.7 x 42.7 (LxWxH).

To round out the aesthetics, the lights on the DeathAdder V2 are sharp and crisp. Powered by Razer Chroma (and customisable through Razer Synapse), the wheel and logo on the shell both look great. I don’t know quite what it is, but the illumination here feels crisper than on other mice I’ve used. It uses a braided Speedflex cable.

It has eight buttons that you can configure in Synapse for your ideal setup. That’s your front two, two on the side, the scroller with two DPI buttons behind it and on the bottom of the mouse, there’s a button to let you cycle through up to 5 different profiles for when you have different configurations for different uses.

Setup is as simple as plugging the mouse in, and it automatically launches the Synapse install. Other mice tend to make you go to the website, so that’s good, but at the same time there are a lot of different options to choose from on your first install, not all of which are applicable and I feel like that could have been clearer.  

Razer DeathAdder V2Review: Performance and Features

Razer Synapse is the first thing we should talk about here, it's almost too deep. Of course, it’s not just software for managing the DeathAdder V2, it’s designed to plug in and manage all your Razer devices, but that can make things a little confusing. I pressed the wrong button at one point and ended up spending 5 minutes trying to work out how to manage the lighting again.

But you can set up all your buttons however you like, and create up to 5 profiles that the mouse’s on-board memory will remember. You can set your DPI, polling rate, manage the lighting and even customise your tracking.

In terms of features, well, like most of Razer’s mice it’s built to specifications that I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to fully take advantage of. The 2000 DPI that the Focus+ sensor is capable of is, to me, an unusable speed, though it will excite the hardcore pros out there. It also has a max speed of 650 IPS and an acceleration of 50g, with a polling rate of 1000Hz.

Razer says their optical mouse switch provides a ridiculous response time of 0.2ms. I say it like because that isn’t a metric of time that I am capable of perceiving – but the DeathAdder V2 is quick.

In use, I had two different experiences with the V2. For gaming it was incredible; I sat for long sessions in a bunch of genres, though I think its greatest strength is FPS. It was supremely comfortable throughout.

For general use, however, day to day browsing and work could be a bit irritating. There’s a coarseness to the shell that is great for preventing slipping when you’re hand is glued to it, shooting down some corridor, but in slower more occasional use I never really got used to it. It might be a sensory quirk of mine, but after a day I found myself using the mouse for gaming only.

Razer DeathAdder V2 Review: Price and Verdict

The Razer DeathAdder V2 is not a cheap mouse at $69.99/£69.99 but is probably the best Razer mouse you can get under $/£100. It is also the best mouse you can get for that price anywhere else. The issue Razer has is that their mice are so ridiculously stacked in terms of tech that even this, one of their mid-range mice, feels like something for pros.  

Honestly, I can’t tell you that you won’t be happy with the DeathAdder V2. It’s just brilliant, but there are some very good mice that come cheaper. The question you need to ask yourself is whether or not you need some of these stats. If you’re desperate for that 0.2ms response time or need 20000 DPI, then go for it.

On its own merits though, despite the coarse shell which is clever and great for gaming, but not my cup of tea for other uses, the DeathAdder V2 is an incredible mouse that you’ll struggle to outperform at this price range.

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