Razer Orochi V2 Review

Introduction

The Razer Orochi V2 is a gaming mouse that has cut the cord and shrunk down to the size of a pea.

Razer has at least packed its small rodent with an 18,000 DPI sensor, given it dual wireless connectivity, and a whole set of features that gamers will love.

The most eye-catching feature here is its customisable top plate, allowing you to choose from various different designs to add a bit of personalisation. But is that enough to make it the best gaming mouse you can buy?

Price and availability

For the Orochi V2, Razer has opted for something a little more reasonably priced, given its feature set and smaller stature, with it coming in at £69.99/$69.99/€79.99.

When it comes to wireless compact mice, this could be seen as being a tad pricey, but you are getting some top-line specs to somewhat justify the cost.

The Razer Orochi V2 is available at various retailers, but if you purchase through the Razer Customs programme, you’ll be able to equip the mouse with a personalised design on the faceplate. This will cost £89.99/$89.99/€99.99 in total.

Design

• Sleek, eggshell-like shape
• Remarkably tiny stature
• Symmetrical, but not ambidextrous

On the design front, simplicity is key to the Razer Orochi V2’s beauty. There’s a notable lack of Razer’s signature aggressive curves and sharp edges that adorn its Basilisk and Viper mice, opting instead for this sleeker, eggshell-like shape. It just goes to prove that you don’t necessarily need to go for a ‘gamer’ look to please the crowds.

The fact that the Orochi V2 is so dinky by comparison to other gaming mice is pretty startling. I’m no stranger to small mice, but I can’t help feel for those used to something a little more contoured in shape – moving to the Orochi V2 might take a some getting used to.

It’s nicely light, with a weight of 60g without a battery and up to 75g with one. The buttons feel firm and tactile to the touch, but Razer’s tiny rodent is let down by that stature. For those with smaller hands, it’s great, but since there are no additional side pods or the like bundled in, those with average or slightly bigger hands might be better off looking for a full-size wireless option.

With that being said, the Orochi V2 is symmetrical, making a change to some of the more specifically sculpted mice I’ve used in the past, but it isn’t ambidextrous – button placement still signals a preference for right handers. This means it can be used with any grip, meaning Razer has well and truly built a mouse with ergonomics in mind. However, to make the Orochi V2 even more comfortable, it would have been nice to see some rubber side grips, similar to those included on the company’s ambidextrous eSports powerhouse, the Viper 8K.

Where the Orochi V2 differs from a lot of other mice is that it’s possible to customise the top plate to give this rodent an entirely new look. If the standard textured-black plastic top isn’t for you, then there are all manner of options available on the Razer website to make your mouse look even classier. The white and blue option I’ve been bundled certainly gives the Orochi V2 a different look, although there is a part of me that thinks it might have cheapened the overall look a tad.

As has traditionally been the case with Razer’s mice, the Orochi V2 glides like a bird. It comes – as is customary – with some lovely 100% PTFE mouse feet that, along with its low weight, help the Orochi V2 to feel great in-hand during heavy usage.

Performance

• 18,000 DPI is crazy for such a small mouse
• Dual connectivity is great for productivity junkies
• Incredible battery life

Razer has become famed over the years for packing a fantastic feature set into every gaming grade mouse the company has produced, and the Orochi V2 just takes things to the next level. While I’ve referred to its Viper 8K as the ultimate eSports package, the Orochi V2 doesn’t half pack a punch for such a small mouse.

Given the fact it’s being marketed quite heavily as a travel mouse, it would have made sense for Razer to have toned down some of the zaniness with the Orochi V2. However, this is Razer. The company doesn’t do things in half measures. Therefore, for the Orochi V2 to come with not only unparalleled gliding ability, but an 18,000 DPI sensor and dual connectivity makes it incredibly powerful for the size.

That combination of a small, light mouse and a powerful sensor makes the Orochi V2 a joy to use in FPS games, where speed really is king. In a few rounds of CS:GO and Apex Legends, I’ve certainly found myself astounded at how great Razer’s rodent is. The fact it’s a little bit too small for my hands did mean it was a little niggly to use at first, but following a few games, I’ve becomes accustomed to the Orochi’s smaller stature.

Stepping outside of the sphere of sensors and gaming for a moment, the Orochi V2 also doubles up as a handy travel mouse and productivity companion. This is down to its dinky size as well as the fact it features dual connectivity between Razer’s HyperSpeed 2.4GHz wireless and Bluetooth.

Razer claim its HyperSpeed technology is 25% faster than other wireless connections out there, and while I’ve always been sceptical about such claims, I will say that the Orochi V2 does offer a pretty much latency-free connection. It certainly seems like the lines between wired and wireless are being blurred more so as time goes on.

The idea of the Orochi V2 being a productivity powerhouse is also reinforced by its brilliant battery life. Given the fact that there’s no RGB lighting here, there aren’t any obvious power drains. As such, this mouse will last for either 425 hours on HyperSpeed or 950 hours on Bluetooth, all on one AA battery.

It’s at this point where things get a little bit strange, since it’s also possible to run the Orochi V2 on one AAA battery, albeit with a significant drop off in battery life: 142 hours on HyperSpeed and 317 hours on Bluetooth. You could plug both in if you wanted, but that doesn’t enhance battery life and just adds needless weight.

Software and lighting

• Synapse 3 software remains capable and clever
• Plenty of in-software customisation
• No RGB to speak of at all

It’s usually on the software and lighting side where Razer has cemented its place above the competition. But while the Orochi V2 retains Synapse 3, Razer’s all-conquering customisation companion, it loses out on any RGB backlighting.

Synapse certainly unlocks the functionality of the Orochi V2, bringing with it the chance to fiddle with everything from DPI to button programming and surface calibration. It’s also one of a handful of Razer products, along with its DeathAdder V2 Pro and BlackWidow V3 Pro, to have the ability to make the bundled receiver a unifying one, meaning you can connect a keyboard and mouse in one fell swoop.

If you’re someone who’s looking for a small mouse that packs a massive punch, then the Orochi V2 is a great option. The fact that it comes with a gaming-grade 18,000 DPI sensor, zero-latency wired connectivity and some physical and software-driven customisation means that it should easily please the PC gaming crowd.

However, if you’re wanting something a little bit bigger, be prepared to spend more than the £69.99/$69.99/€79.99 price of the Orochi V2. Wireless mice from the likes of Roccat or Logitech provide great options that also come with snazzy RGB lighting and more physical customisation.

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