DeathAdder Elite a Speedy Gonzales

DeathAdder Elite a Speedy Gonzales

All gamers who love the wide, flat profile of Razer's iconic DeathAdder mouse, this one is for you.

The DeathAdder Elite is the latest incarnation of the mouse, which was originally launched in 2006.

While the DeathAdder line has seen incremental improvements like the DeathAdder 3500 (2009) and the DeathAdder Black Edition (2011), the latest upgrade is the biggest to date.

The regular DeathAdder Chroma has a 10,000 DPI (dots-per-inch) sensor with up to 300 IPS (inches-per-second) acceleration.

In the Elite, this has been beefed up to a 16,000 DPI one, with 450 IPS acceleration.

What this translates to is a mouse with more fine-grained control and greater precision, and that can track at higher speeds.

Granted, it is not often that someone is going to play at the maximum 16,000 DPI, or move the mouse at 450 inches per second.

Still, it is good to see Razer pushing the limits of what a mouse can do, and it is nice to know that the options are there.

When I used the mouse to play a first-person-shooter, I found the tracking experience near-identical to that of the DeathAdder Chroma, which is to say: very good.

The bigger difference for me between DeathAdder Elite and the regular version of the mouse is that the Elite is equipped with new mechanical mouse switches that Razer designed and produced in collaboration with Omron.

According to Razer, the switches have been optimised for the fastest response times.

When I used the Elite, each press was met with sharp, distinct tactile feedback that I found very satisfying when spamming left and right clicks in-game.

The DeathAdder Elite is not just different on the inside, but also on the outside as well.

The distinctions are subtle, but are a definite step up.

The rubber texture on the scroll wheel has been upgraded from shallow horizontal lines to more heavily protruding nubs, for better grip.

Also, there are finally DPI up and down buttons sitting just behind the wheel for on-the-fly sensitivity adjustment - a small adjustment that has been a surprisingly long time coming.

Aside from that, though, the bodies of the regular Chroma and Elite are very similar.

The both weigh 105g, which is on the lighter side for a mouse, especially one of that size.

The DeathAdder Elite still has two large thumb buttons, and rubber grips on both sides of the body.

It maintains the distinctive DeathAdder shape, with a gently arched back and wide, flared buttons.

The DeathAdder Elite is retailing for $109.90, the same price as the regular Chroma.

As the Elite has Chroma lighting as well, anyone looking to get a DeathAdder should spring for the Elite version.

Verdict: The Elite is a substantial upgrade to the DeathAdder line, with a new sensor and switches, and it will appeal to both DeathAdder fans and new users alike.

TECH SPECS

PRICE: $109.90

SENSOR: 16,000 dpi optical sensor

ACCELERATION: Up to 450 IPS

WEIGHT: 105g

RATING

FEATURES: 4/5

DESIGN: 5/5

PERFORMANCE: 5/5

VALUE FOR MONEY: 5/5

OVERALL: 5/5

lting@sph.com.sg


This article was first published on Feb 01, 2017.
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