Gone are the days of a PC mouse being a simple peripheral to point and click with.
Essentially, that’s still what they do, but these days when a gaming hardware manufacturer such as Razer builds mouse, they deliver a device that makes a simple ‘point-and-clicker’ obsolete.
Nothing says that more than Razer’s latest Naga Pro – an elite wireless gaming mouse with three swappable side plates that give users up to 20 programmable buttons. That’s all in reach of your right hand.
Is that one button too many for the average gamer? Does it live up to its name by being utilised to its fullest for the pro gamers of the UAE? Check out our review of the Razer Naga Pro below.
And, if you’re after one of the slickest portable powerhouses around, check out our review of the Razer Blade Stealth 13 ultrabook right here.
Design
At first, finding the right position to place a hand on the Razer Naga Pro was fiddly, purely because of how buttons are laid out. But once we, erm, get to grips with it, we find they’re placed in optimal positions. It even has a rubber grip at either side for added comfort and control. It’s largely a “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” situation, as the Naga Pro borrows heavily from its previous Naga Trinity. In fact, the only real differences are its bigger size (a plus for gamers with bigger hands…), slightly heavier weight and it’s cord-less.
Weight is hardly an issue, thanks to its 100 percent PTFE mouse feet which means it glides seamlessly on any surface – mouse pad or not.
Razer loves mechanical switches, but so do most gamers. Every click is concise, with a 0.2ms reaction time, which not only makes that difference in games like Valorant or Call of Duty, but it simply feels good to use.
So, that’s the mouse, how about the three swappable plates that are specifically designed for either Massive Online Battle Arenas (MOBAs), Massively Multiplier Online (MMOs) or FPS games? They absolutely change the way we play for the better – if we were professional gamers.
Sadly, we’re not, but more on that later. There’s the 12-button plate for MMO/RTS games, the six-button plate for Battle Royale/MOBAs, and the two-button plate for FPS games – all easily swappable thanks to a magnetic snap.
Performance
How beautiful a cursor can look and feel on a screen. Razer’s Focus+ 20,000 DPI optical sensor may be going above and beyond what any average user would need, but for the likes of pro gamers and designers, every pixel counts – and the Naga Pro knows that all too well. Along with its optical mouse switch for, as Razer puts it, instant actuations, its clicks also have a durability of 70 million clicks. We’re nowhere close to that, but we ca vouch for it.
Another big feature is three modes of connection, including Bluetooth, Speedflex wired connection and, the very best, HyperSpeed Wireless. While miniscule, it’s about 0.1ms quicker in mouse movements than in its wired mode – that means no lag on a wireless mouse, and that’s a winner in our books.
As for the plates? Having a basic keyboard in the palm in your hand and be tricky at first, but once we were causing speedy mayhem in Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn or remapping the ultimate key to our thumb in Overwatch, we understood the Naga Pro is the step in the right direction for how games can be played. However, is it essential? Not for the average joe like us. Especially at a $150 (around Dhs550) price point. As for pros? We can see it definitely progressing their skills.
Functionality
Razer Synapse is the easiest way to essentially fully customize the Naga Pro. We could change its colour scheme using Razer Chroma lighting, adjust power management and DPI, along with plenty of remapping. We could make a completely personal mouse, even for specific games or programmes on other machines, as it saves up to five different profiles in the mouse.
It means you can take it on the go, really. Thanks to its 150-hour battery life in wireless mode, which checks out as we were using it for around 12 hours a day, we barely needed to charge it during our two-week period with it.
The Bottom Line
The Razer Naga Pro gaming mouse certainly lives up to its name as a ‘pro’. We couldn’t find anything to fault it with. However, its incredible performance, customisability and functionality comes as a price compared to other gaming mice, especially if you’ll hardly use all three plates or its incredible pixel-perfect accuracy. If you do, or have the dirhams to dish out, the Razer Naga Pro could quickly become your favourite mouse.
Key Facts:
Razer HyperSpeed Wireless
Three swappable side plates for personalized button configurations (up to 20 programmable buttons for extended controls)
20K DPI Optical Sensor
Razer Optical Mouse Switch
HyperSpeed Wireless/Bluetooth/Speedflex wired
Time Out receives products on loan for review. Time Out’s product reviews are not influenced by external sources.
