Published , by Josh Hawkins
Published , by Josh Hawkins
If you’ve looked into PC gaming at all, then you’ve probably seen the Razer name at some point or another. As one of the biggest PC peripheral manufacturers, Razer has made quite a name for itself over the years by releasing a slew of keyboards, mice, headsets, and even streaming equipment centered around video games and the industries adjacent to it. The latest item to make the jump to the Razer toolbox is the Naga Pro, a brand-new wireless mouse that combines the adaptability of the Naga Trinity with a sleek, light-weight wireless design. But does this new mouse stand up to the Naga of old or should you avoid the wireless fad for a more traditional setup? I recently had a chance to go hands-on with the Naga Pro and it’s everything you could ever want from a wireless mouse and then some.
I know there’s a lot of back and forth on just how good Razer products are, but personally I’ve never had any issues with their mice or keyboards. I’ve used them quite a bit since I started gaming on my PC back over ten years ago. That being said, the Naga has always stood out as such a great mouse to me because of all the functionality that it has to offer. With the Naga Pro, Razer has improved this functionality by offering a completely wireless package that has great battery life, solid response time, and the easily-adjustable side panels that made me fall in love with the Naga Trinity.
Unlike the Naga Trinity, though, the Naga Pro has one big difference (aside from being wireless). The three swappable plates on offer here are pretty much the same as the originals. However, the circular multi-button plate from the original Naga Trinity has been replaced with a plate that features six horizontally placed buttons in two rows. It makes for a much more user-friendly setup compared to the circular button layout and just makes more sense overall.
The Naga Pro is also a little bit lighter than the Naga Trinity. This most likely isn’t noticeable to most users, but it’s definitely something to take into account if you like to count every gram of your peripheral’s weight. All in all, it feels much lighter because of the lack of a cord, which makes it a joy to use.
There’s been this stigma around wireless computer peripherals for a while now. A lot of users don’t like them because they feel like they struggle with connection problems and the batteries running low all the time. After two weeks of heavy usage (I’m usually at my computer for upwards of 15 hours a day) the Naga Pro continues to astound me with its battery life and responsiveness.
Since plugging it in, I haven’t had any issues getting it connected and working. My office setup is situated in the kitchen and I haven’t even noticed connection issues when we’re running other heavy electronic items. Since its default wireless method utilizes a 2.4 “Razer Hyperspeed” connection, I was a little worried how it might work next to all the other electronics that are situated around my desk area. You can also connect the mouse via Bluetooth or even through the braided cable that acts as its main charging port.
When it comes down to it, buying wireless peripherals can definitely be a hit or miss. But if you’re a fan of taking one less wire out of the equation, then the Naga Pro offers a solid experience with a long-lasting battery life. The packaging states it can go 150 hours on one charge when using Bluetooth connection, or 100 hours when running on Razer’s Hyperspeed Wireless dongle. I won’t say I’ve managed to push it that long, but it’s definitely lasted a good couple of days between charges.
When it comes to look and feel, the Razer Naga Pro fits right in on any desk. The overall design is sleek – even when running the MMO side plate which features 12 additional buttons. It also feels really good in your hands and being able to move it around my desk was nice as I already have enough wires on my desk without having to fight with one to control my mouse pointer.
It’s really easy to set up the Naga Pro as well. You’ll want to install Razer’s Synapse program if you plan on customizing the RGB elements or profiles at all. Once you’ve done that, though, you can easily update it and customize it in various ways. I’ve managed to create a few different profiles so far based on the game that I plan on playing, and you can quickly swap between the different profiles and jump into a game whenever you want.
All in all, the Naga Pro builds off of everything that I loved about the Naga Trinity and makes it even better. Being able to run the mouse in both wireless and wired mode is great, too. I never noticed any big connection issues or battery problems, and only having to worry about charging the mouse every couple of days was a nice change from other wireless gaming mice out there. The only real negative here is the price. The $149.99 price tag is a bit steep for a new mouse and it might turn some people off from picking up the Naga Pro.
This review is based on a product provided by the manufacturer. The Razer Naga Pro is available for $149.99 from Razer’s website and other online retailers.