Razer Basilisk V3 Review
A stellar gaming pointer with an unusual mouse wheel
Verdict
The Razer Basilisk V3 is a cracking choice for anyone looking to beef up their setup with a gaming mouse that’s powerful, comfortable to use and offers all sorts of bright lighting. It’s brilliant as both a handy daily driver in the office by day and also during those high-intensity battles by night. Just watch out for an odd scroll wheel that has the potential to have a mind of its own.
Pros
- 26.000 DPI sensor feels incredible
- Super comfortable
- Plenty of RGB backlighting
Cons
- Scroll wheel can have a mind of its own
- Cheap-feeling scroll wheel
- Synapse 3 is feeling a little bloated
Availability
- UKRRP: £69.99
- USARRP: $69.99
- EuropeRRP: €78.99
Key Features
- 26,000 DPI sensorYou’ll find a rather powerful sensor that’s perfect for competitive gaming
- Chroma RGB lightingThere are 11 different configurable lighting zones that work with Razer Synapse 3
- Wired connectionThe Basilisk V3 makes use of a latency-free wired connection to ensure optimum performance whilst gaming
Introduction
They say all good things come in threes, and that definitely looks to be the case with Razer’s latest gaming mouse, the Basilisk V3.
The headline changes on this new model is the boost to a 26,000 DPI sensor, plenty more RGB lighting, and a whole new scroll wheel.
But do these upgrades really improve the overall gaming mouse, or are they just a bunch of gimmicks to justify the cost?
Design
- Comfortable shape with plenty of padding
- Tactile and nicely clicky mouse buttons
- Cheaper-feeling scroll wheel
In hand, the Razer Basilisk V3 feels exactly like the V2, with an incredibly comfortable contoured shape that’s great for right-handers. There’s also plenty of rubberised padding on both sides of the mouse to make it even more pleasant.
There’s been a slight 10g increase in weight over the V2, with the Basilisk coming in at 101g. But, to be honest, it still feels incredibly light, which will translate to snappy performance in some games.
The 11 programmable mouse buttons all feel relatively tactile to the touch, with a DPI clutch on the left-hand side being a rather handy feature. My only issue, as with the previous generation, is that the button to switch profiles lives on the underside of the mouse. If you’re a gamer who loves to make on-the-fly changes, this could become a bit of a pain.
Apart from the sensor, the other area to have seen significant improvement on the Basilisk V3 is the scroll wheel. The actual wheel itself is a tilt wheel, which adds a little bit more functionality. However, in contrast to the rest of the mouse, it feels a little cheap, with quite pronounced resistance on the scroll. Something smoother, or even a ratchet scroll, would have felt nicer.
As for the Basilisk V3’s gliding ability, its PTFE pads will ensure it’s marvellous to use when making those sweeping movements across your desk, although why they’ve only been included on three sides of the mouse is puzzling. A braided USB-A cable also ensures a zero-latency connection, so you can’t blame this mouse on any of your FPS deaths.
Performance
- The 26,000 DPI sensor is brilliant
- DPI clutch is a massive bonus
- Smart Reel does seem a little odd
I have to say, the Basilisk V3 is one of the best gaming mice I’ve used in recent times – and I’ve used a few. This is largely thanks to its ludicrously high sensitivity, with 26,000 DPI under the hood.
Even with a slightly higher weight at 101g by contrast to a lot of other competitive mice such as Razer’s own Viper 8K and the Asus ROG Gladius III, the Basilisk V3 feels rather nimble in the grounds of CS:GO and a few rounds of Apex Legends.
The fact it also comes with a DPI clutch, unlike Asus’ candidate, is a bonus in those FPS games – especially since it allows you to aim more precisely. If you’re heavy-handed, like me, it can definitely improve your game. Unlike the previous-gen, though, this isn’t removable.
That ergonomic shape is also a big help when you spend hours gaming; your hands don’t feel strained by using the Basilisk V3. The oodles of textured rubberised padding certainly makes it one of the more comfortable and more forgiving mice out there.
The Basilisk V3’s scroll wheel has been upgraded with a couple of neat tricks besides the usual tilt. With this new version, Razer is offering a scroll wheel reminiscent of more office-grade mice such as Logitech’s MX Master 3 with two options: Tactile, for traditional and more measured inputs; or Free Spin, which removes any form of resistance.
I stuck with Tactile for most of my playtime and daily use, but did switch to Free Spin when skimming large documents or selecting a song in my 1800 song Spotify playlist (I’m usually more organised, honest). However, what if you can’t decide between the two? Well, Razer’s new wheel also features Smart Reel, an automatic mode that switches between the two options. This makes an audible click when it switches modes, but I found it switches more than I’d like. As such, I’d rather stick with changing things manually.
I get the impression that Razer is selling the Basilisk V3 as a ludicrously powerful office/gaming hybrid mouse, which does seem a little odd. For its main purpose of gaming, though, it feels brilliant in hand with plenty of features that gamers are sure to appreciate.
Software and lighting
- 11 lighting zones is plenty
- Chroma lighting performs admirably
- Synapse 3 is still the best in the business
Razer has always impressed most in the areas of software and lighting, and I’m pleased to report that with the Basilisk V3, it’s business as usual.
For fans of RGB lighting, Razer has drastically increased the number of zones to a total of 11. The headline change is the inclusion of an underglow section around the bottom edge of the mouse to offer a sense of synergy between peripherals.
Synapse offers plenty of customisation for the usual host of mapping buttons with interesting functions and funky presets for lighting alongside the traditional.
There’s also the ability to boost the DPI from the out-of-the-box 19,000 all the way up to the 26,000 advertised. However, the downside is that with all the third-party additions, it’s beginning to feel somewhat bloated – and it can take an age to load sometimes.
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Should you buy it?
You want a comfortable and powerful mouse:
The Razer Basilisk V3 is a fantastic option for those wanting a capable, super-comfortable all-rounder with plenty of sensitivity.
You want something wireless:
For the price of the Basilisk V3, you could pick up a decent wireless gaming mouse – although with lower DPI. It’s a trade-off between performance and connectivity here.
Final thoughts
The Razer Basilisk V3 impresses with its overall feel and super-comfortable shape, and its 26,000 DPI sensor probably makes it one of the most powerful options on the market. The Synapse software is pretty good, too – and a £10 price drop on the last-gen model is also a plus.
What’s most interesting, though, is that scroll wheel – which is both a blessing and a curse. The option of two different modes is handy, but also puzzling; I can’t see many folk in the office forking out on what is a gaming mouse. Otherwise, Smart Reel is a nice idea – but it’s more likely to be a hindrance than a help in the short term.
How we test
We use every mouse we test for at least a week. During that time, we’ll check it for ease of use and put it through its paces by playing a variety of different genres, including FPS, strategy and and MOBAs.
We also check each mouse’s software to see how easy it is to customise and set up.
Used as main mouse for over a week.
Tested performance on a variety of games.
Tested the battery life.
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FAQs
Yes.
The Basilisk V3 features an out-of-the-box sensitivity of 19,000 that can be boosted to 26,000 through the software.
Yes, Razer Synapse 3.
Full specs
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
