The Razer Abyssus was a solid gaming mouse but now, I’ve tried the Razer Imperator, and I can say this mouse is a very nice mouse. In fact it remedies many of the minor niggles I had with the Abyssus. Please bear in mind that the Imperator is a USD$80 mouse(about RM260ish) and is off a different class from the Abyssus.
The first thing I noticed when I opened the box was that the imperator was a much larger mouse. Carrying it on my hand, it felt a lot more heavier(has a bit of weight) than the Abyssus, which is how I like my mice. The design looks sleek and attractive. Good first impression.
I personally don’t like ergonomic design(ergonomic design of any mouse for that matter). It looks good, but it forced me to hold the mouse the way it wants to be held(it’s not as bad as some other mice). But after 2 weeks, I can say that I’ve got used to it. The top half of the mouse is ruberised giving you excellent grip. Perfectly fine and comfortable once you get used to it.
The Imperator doesn’t have a wonky mouse wheel unlike cheaper mice. The mouse wheel on the Imperator is well built and lasts. No squeaky noise on this mice. In fact the entire mouse is quite well built except for the side mouse button 4 and 5. It’s a thin button that doesn’t quite feel sturdy like other mice buttons(as well as their older Razer mice).
However the thinness of the button has its advantages as well. The positioning of these buttons, just above your thumb makes it impossible to accidently click these button. Pretty smart. On top of that, these button can be adjusted to be more to the front or back(the mouse has an adjustable button below it).
Adjusting DPI on the Imperator is a lot more on the fly. The DPI adjustment button are located on top(I’ve been using it for a long time and you can’t accidently press these buttons), just behind the mouse wheel. Two buttons, one to increase the DPI and another to decrease it. The Razer Imperator has what Razer calls Synapse(on board memory) that allows users to customise their sensitivy settings. The Imperator allows you to customise five different sensitivy settings(using the DPI adjustment buttons you can change) using the drivers available on their website.
I liked the way DPI settings can be changed on the Imperator as it was very convenient when I needed to make smaller mouse movement for 3D design work, I could change it with ease. The technical aspect of the Razer Imperator is highly impressive. Specifications below(click on image to view bigger image):
What’s not listed in the specification is the lift off height of the Imperator. For the uninitiated, that's the height the mouse can be lifted up before the sensors stop accepting mouse inputs. This allows users to use the mouse by lifting it(so you don’t need to make big sweeping movements).
The shorter the height the better. The Imperator’s lift off height is very good. You could lift the mouse like a regular mouse without worrying about the cursor moving due to the sensor picking up movement when the mouse if lifted. I was very impressed by this.
The Razer Imperator does its highly impressive technical spec justice. The level of customisation and quality offered in this package is amazing. The only down side to the offering is the thin side buttons does not quite feel like it’s up to the level of build the rest of the mouse is.
Pros:
- Has a bit more weight
- Ergonomic design(for right hander)
- Conveniently placed 4th and 5th mouse button
- 4th and 5th button can be readjusted
- High sensitivity(up to 5600dpi)
- On the fly dpi adjustments much easier.
- You can customize different levels of dpi to move up or down
- Very low lift off height = great for those that want to move their mouse by lifting it
Cons:
- Mouse button 4 and 5 doesn’t feel very solid. It’s a little thin.
- If you are used to non ergonomic designed mouse, may take a while to get used to this. Designed for right hander's.
- If you like the Razer symbol to be illuminated all the time, the new breathing effect may not tickle your fancy much
Rating: 8/10
MSRP: USD$79.99
Hey i am tempted to buy!!
ReplyDeleteIs there a trade in program where I can trade in my Deathadder in for one of these?
ReplyDeleteCan't find it in Low Yat...
ReplyDeleteThe adjustable side buttons are great for my big long fingers :-)
ReplyDeleteRazer is pushing some boundaries, yes they have gimic mouse (naga, mumba and that tiny little thing) but they're doing something different.
ReplyDeleteI don't know any mouse company that really does that.
Real innovation isn't always the easiest road, but you get there.
This mouse is only for .. what about the lefties??
ReplyDeleteSeriously, 5600 dpi? I wonder who would need that. Razer is so full of shit nowadays. They're producing new mice without bothering to fix their old ones.
ReplyDeleteI loathe whenever i see people talk about "there's a lot of work put into it, it's high quality, it can last long, bla bla bla" when it comes to razer.
Just look at the deathadder. The shape is exactly the same as the intellimouse 3.0. And this Imperator looks exactly like the logitech mx518. Compare both mice if you dont believe me.
I'll say it again. Mice really come down to whichever one you are comfortable with. I review this one based on its own merits. The tech specs mean nothing if they 'way' you use it doesn't take advantage of it(for instance the low lift off distance).
ReplyDelete