Gaming

Enjoyable to use basic mouse with not-so-basic price tag

The Razer Abyssus V2 gaming mouse is light and small, and glides very easily. PHOTO: RAZER

The Razer Abyssus V2 gaming mouse is the successor to the original Abyssus, which was launched in late 2009.

The Abyssus has always been the cheapest mouse in the Razer range. It is a back-to-basics device with no extra features. The V2 costs $79.90 which, although cheaper than the rest of its Razer brethren, is not exactly budget.

So, how does the V2 stack up against its predecessor? It has a similar ambidextrous profile as the original Abyssus, with a gently sloped back and mouse buttons that flare up at the sides. The arch on the V2 is also higher, which fits better in my hand.

Both mice are very, very light, with the V2 weighing just 80g. (In comparison, the Razer Deathadder Chroma is 105g.) This featherweight feel may not be for everyone, but I find it makes the mouse a lot easier to use than its heavier cousins.

The original had two switches on the underside of the mouse, one to toggle the dots per inch (DPI) setting and the other to change the polling rate, or the rate at which the mouse reports its position to the computer. Now, the DPI switch is just behind the mouse wheel, making it easier to change the DPI while in-game - a definite improvement.

Body-wise, the V2's feet are larger and look more robust, and its sides have textured rubber grips, which make it very comfortable to hold.

  • TECH SPECS

  • PRICE: $79.90

    SENSOR: 5,000 DPI optical sensor

    GRAPHICS: 2 x Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 8GB GDDR5

    DIMENSIONS: 117mm(L)x64mm(W)x38mm(H)


    RATING

    FEATURES: 3/5

    DESIGN: 5/5

    PERFORMANCE: 4/5

    VALUE FOR MONEY: 3/5

    OVERALL: 4/5

Like the original, the V2's cable is also rubber-coated, instead of braided, like in many high-end mice.

The blue backlights have been upgraded to three colours: green, teal and blue. While the Abyssus has not joined the Chroma stable yet - Razer products with RGB lighting - the softly breathing lights give a nice aesthetic punch.

The V2 is a very good basic mouse, and is very enjoyable to use. I like that it is light and small, as it glides very easily. It tracks accurately, and the rubber-coated cable was flexible enough that the mouse did not travel by itself when left untouched.

The mouse's left and right clicks are robust and sharp, but the scroll wheel click feels a little mushy. Also, oddly enough, the scroll wheel made a clicking noise when I pushed it from side to side, although the V2 is not supposed to have side scroll wheel function.

• Verdict: The Abyssus V2 is a lightweight mouse that is enjoyable to use, but I am not sure that such a basic device justifies a relatively steep price tag.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on September 07, 2016, with the headline Enjoyable to use basic mouse with not-so-basic price tag. Subscribe