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Jan 20, 2011

Razer Deathadder 3500

Razer Deathadder 3500 High Precision 3.5G Infrared Gaming Mouse

"Best Mouse Ever"

This is the upgraded version of the Razer DeathAdder. 3500 DPI instead of 1800 DPI. This is the main difference, although I believe the newer version has a gold plated USB connector and obviously different drivers for each model. Either way both models are identical in physical shape.

The arc of the mouse is by far the most comfortable I've ever used, in that it actually follows the curve of one's hand how it instinctively would grab a mouse. It is also a right handed mouse, sorry southpaws, which adds to the comfort and control of the mouse. I can't say I know what the mouse grip is made out of, but it is completely slip resistant and oil resistant/absorbent. The sides of the mouse are a hard plastic and between the teflon feet and light weight of the mouse there is almost no resistance to movement.

I upgraded from a Logitech Revolution wireless mouse and wireless mice, while convenient, can't compete with the accuracy and precision that a wired mouse provides. My old wireless mouse would lag and skip across the screen and often when closing a program it would accidentally close the window behind it as well, which I never quite figured out why it did that (I'm guessing radio interference?). With the DeathAdder, I have not had that problem once and every click I make is exactly where I expect it to be.

I played with a Logitech G9 and MX518 as well as the Razer Salmosa, which all felt like solid and accurate mice, but they lacked the feel the DeathAdder has. The technical specs are important, but it doesn't really matter how accurate a mouse is if it still isn't comfortable to use. In short, I'm pretty happy I went this way. However, the Razer Salmosa was a close second, but it just seemed like a simple version of the original 3G DeathAdder.

As for gaming I haven't had a whole lot of chances to test it out yet. I've played a bit of Left for Dead with it and after some getting used to and tweaking the settings (independent X and Y sensitivity, button assignemnt, acceleration, etc.) it is way easier to shoot hoards of zombies in the head. I also have played a bit of Fallout, and while the mouse is definately smoother, I can't say it has affected gameplay all that much. I've tried this mouse on my desktop and laptop (Vista and 7 respectively) and both operating systems seem to run the Razer software perfectly fine. Windows recognized the mouse immediately and it works fine with the windows drivers, but I highly recommend downloading the latest Razer drivers for maximum performance. The level of adjustment this mouse offers is wasted otherwise.

Other thoughts:
The blue lights on the mouse wheel and the glowing DeathAdder logo are pretty cool. I can see them becoming annoying after a while, but they are easy enough to turn off in the settings.

The DPI and Polling rates can be lowered from the 3500DPI and 1000ms if desired, but I only notice a decrease in accuracy and performance so I'm not sure why you would.

My only real complaint is the "On-The-Fly" sensitivity switch is on the bottom of the mouse. I'm not sure how on the fly that is if I'm playing a game, which is the only time I would need to use that feature. Ultimately, it's not that big of a deal, but it is kind of false advertising in my opinion.

I can't stress enough how form fitting this mouse is, not to mention that is looks pretty cool at the same time. Something about it just feels "right." Granted it took me a couple days to get used to it, but now I don't think I could go back. If you already have a Logitech G9 (or something similar) I can't say I'd tell you to go replace it right now, but if you are looking for an upgrade this is the way to go.

 

Product Features and Technical Details

Product Features

  • Ergonomic Right-Handed Design
  • 3500dpi Razer Precision 3.5G infrared sensor
  • 1000Hz Ultrapolling / 1ms response
  • 7 Foot Lightweight, Braided Fiber Cable
  • Gold-plated USB Connector

Technical Details

  • Brand Name: Razer
  • Model: RZ01-00151400-R3U1
  • Color Name: Black
  • Width: 6.40 inches
  • Height: 2.79 inches
  • Weight: 0.95 pounds

 



 

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