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Gaming Mouse Final Thoughts
The Razer Orochi (RZ01-00300100-R3U1) is one awesome mouse. It is important to realize that the Orochi is meant to be a mobile gaming mouse, and it is. When wired, the Orochi functions just like any of Razer's latest gaming mice. When in wireless "super-portable" mode, the Razer Orochi boasts 2000 DPI, 8ms response time, Bluetooth tracking up to eight meters away, and long battery life, Razer almost hits a home run. I still feel that the 8ms response time can be lowered, and while the Orochi Configurator software has all the necessary functionality, it can be fine-tuned to act faster and allow modification during wireless mode.
The presentation of the Razer Orochi is perfect. The lighting and aesthetics work together to form one great mouse, packaging is eye-catching. The Orochi is also well built, and extremely comfortable to use. I was surprised to find long hours of gaming do-able with very little stress on my hands.
One thing I have yet to mentioned about the Razer Orochi is its price. The Orochi can be found on Newegg.com for $69.99, even though it's listed as $79.99 on the Razer website. For some people it seems ridiculous to spend any more than $50 on a mouse. It is true that there are many decent options out there that are less than $80, but for mobile gaming, there is yet to be real competition.
Razer Orochi Conclusion
Razer has always been ahead of the curve in terms of technological innovation, creating different types of enthusiast mice suitable for different audiences. In the similar way the Razer Naga targets MMORPG players, the Razer Orochi targets gamers with a laptop as their primary system. By design, the Orochi doesn't seem to make the best mouse for desktops. The super short USB cable makes wired gaming uncomfortable. Running on batteries in wireless mode doesn't seem convenient since most desktop wireless mice have built in rechargeable batteries. The lack of a Bluetooth USB receiver also requires many systems to be upgraded by purchasing some sort of wireless card. For laptops however things work exactly the right way. Most gaming-grade laptops have integrated Bluetooth. Batteries was a smart touch, as charging off a laptop USB port would be ridiculous, eating away at your limited battery life. Razer clearly made choices to optimize the experience for mobile gaming.
The performance of the Razer Orochi is nothing ground braking, especially not in wireless mode. Wired mode Orochi is comparable to any high-end mice, with 1ms response time, 1000Hz polling rate, and 4000DPI. The top of the line Microsoft SideWinder X8 happens to only offer 500Hz polling, while other brands such as Roccat cap it at 3200DPI for this price range. This may seem pretty good(which it is), but once the wire is plucked out the Razer Orochi suffers a significant drop in performance, where as full-sized desktop mice such as the Razer Mamba and Microsoft SideWinder suffer no such loss. By no means is the wireless performance bad, as there is no existing mice that size and battery life that can take on the Orochi. The reduction in polling rate and DPI really won't matter for 90% of the gaming population, but 8ms response time is where it hurts. It's not enough to be immediately noticeable, but once mouse movement becomes intense the delay can be felt. The Orochi may not be the best choice if top-end wireless performance is a must.
In terms of appearance, the Razer Orochi offers plenty of style. Razer sticks to its black theme, emphasizing key components with blue lighting. The free pouch that comes with each mouse is just the right size and matches in color. There really is no negatives to the Orochi's aesthetic, especially since it feels so comfortable and happens to be symmetrical.
Style isn't the only thing Razer is famous for, quality is too, and the Orochi is built extremely well. Every component functions smoothly and parts show no signs of deficiency. Only top end mice can survive hardcore usage for years. High end gaming mice tend to have a life expectancy of about 9 million clicks. Attempts to use a normal mice in such fashion and it is destined to become squeaky and die. However I must point out that Razer does not provide additional padding/feet for the mice, and after some use, the bottom will get scratched and irreplaceable. Microsoft on the other hand often give buyers a set of removable and interchangeable mouse feet. Razer should either consider including a set of mouse feet in their next product, or use a different material so that scratches don't occur so easily.
The functionality of the Razer Orochi is perfect on the hardware level but not the best on the software and driver level. I feel sometimes Razer emphasizes too heavily on design and hardware specifications and fail to realize the "operating system" of the mouse is just as important. The level of customization that the Razer Orochi is capable of is incredible. From custom DPI on-the-fly adjustments to advanced macro management, the Orochi just has so much functionality. But not allowing any of that to be usable in wireless mode just doesn't make sense.
Overall the Razer Orochi performs well, but we hit it hard since most of our comparisons are against full-fledged gaming mice that never considered mobility. The loss of performance from switching out of wired mode is enough to knock the Razer Orochi off the top for wireless performance, and at $80 there are many wireless alternatives that offer a better deal. But the Razer Orochi stands out for its mobile capabilities. The Orochi comes at half the size of any standard mouse and has a month-long battery life that no other mice can compete against. Value-wise, the dollar per performance you get for the Orochi is lower than other wireless gaming mice, but you gain the option to carry this mouse with your laptop without worrying about cables or batteries (laptop and mouse).
In conclusion the Razer Orochi performs well, but is costly for its wireless capabilities. It targets a specific audience that treasure gaming on the go, not necessarily offering the top performance for them. The Orochi will save laptops a USB port and valuable battery power while fully allowing users to enjoy competitive gaming. For those owning a laptop and want to take advantage of mobile gaming, definitely consider adding the Razer Orochi to your arsenal.
Pros:
+ Extremely comfortable, even for long hours of gaming
+ As customizable as any full-sized mouse
+ Very little sacrifice to go from wired to wireless mode
+ 9 Programmable buttons
+ Real on-the-fly DPI adjustments
+ For left or right-handed use
+ Long battery life
+ Small and portable
+ Macro and profile system
+ Comes with travel pouch and batteries
Cons:
- No Bluetooth no wireless mode
- No configuration in wireless mode (sensitivity buttons still work)
- Teflon feet seems to wear out extremely fast
- 8ms response time in wireless mode isn't the best
- Difficult to clean
- Lag when waking up from sleep and starting configurator software
Ratings:
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Performance: 8.75
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Appearance: 9.75
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Construction: 9.50
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Functionality: 8.50
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Value: 7.25
Final Score: 8.75 out of 10.
Quality Recognition: Benchmark Reviews Silver Tachometer Award.
Questions? Comments? Benchmark Reviews really wants your feedback. We invite you to leave your remarks in our Discussion Forum.
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