What you need to know
- The Razer Viper Mini Special Edition will soon launch in white.
- The Viper Mini SE is a unique mouse that weighs 49 grams, thanks to its magnesium alloy exoskeleton.
- The top-end specs of the Viper Mini SE include 30,000 DPI, optical Gen-3 switches, and a 4,000Hz HyerPolling dongle.
- Razer only sells its Viper Mini SE in drops, the first of which is on October 21, 2024 at 11 AM ET for the white model.
- The Viper Mini SE costs $299.99.
Razer will soon release its insanely light Viper Mini Special Edition gaming mouse in a new color. That mouse first shipped early last year, but it was only available in black at the time. Now, the mouse with a spec sheet including 30,000 DPI, optical Gen-3 switches, and a 4,000Hz HyperPolling dongle will ship in white.
With an insanely high set of specs and review scores comes an insanely high price. The Razer Viper Mini Signature Edition in White is $299.99. On top of holding a high price tag, the Viper Mini SE is difficult to get because it only becomes available in drops. The first drop for the Viper Mini SE in white will be on October 21, 2024 at 11 AM ET.
The limited availability of the Viper Mini SE is not due to some artificial hype made by Razer. The company only makes the mouse in small batches due to the complexity of the production process (more on that later).
Razer had to put in extra work to make the Viper Mini SE weigh the same 49 grams as its black sibling. When dealing with weights that small, the color of the paint makes a difference.
“The challenge was not only in crafting a lighter mouse but doing so in a color that traditionally adds weight to the mouse," explained Charlie Bolton, Head of Industrial Design at Razer. "Our solution to preserving both the mouse's aesthetic and functional integrity was to improve on the manufacturing process to improve the build while optimizing the finishing to achieve perfection.”
A "ridiculously awesome" gaming mouse
While Razer had to put in extra effort to keep the weight of the Viper Mini SE in white down, the mouse is essentially the same as its darker siblings, at least when it comes to the gaming experience it provides. That means you don't have to wait until the white version of the mouse ships to know what $299.99 gets you.
"It’s so light it feels not hollow but completely fake," said our Editor-in-Chief at the start of our Razer Viper Mini Special Edition review. Rubino was quite effusive in his praise, giving the mouse a perfect 5/5 score.
I've worked with Rubino for years, and I knew him before I started writing for Windows Central. It's rare to see him get as excited about tech as when he reviewed the Razer Viper Mini Special Edition. Don't get me wrong, Rubino loves a lot of tech, but few items make him swear in a headline and toss around puns.
Razer had to overcome several challenges to make a mouse weigh 49 grams. Most notably, the gaming company had to develop the Viper Mini SE out of a different material than many mice in the same category.
" Razer turned to anodized magnesium alloy – an expensive and tricky material. In going with magnesium alloy, the company could create an exoskeleton of a mouse. The light alloy with significant gaps is strong enough to give the Viper Mini SE a rock-solid foundation. I mean, it’s literally metal," explained Rubino.
Working with that material overcame the physical limitations of making a light mouse while maintaining rigidity, but it also complicated the build process.
"Razer needs to create the molded parts (and then de-gate and remove the runner). Next, each mold is injected with magnesium alloy, and every mold is destroyed when pulling out the pieces. Then the newly created mouse chassis is CNC machined, polished, passivated, painted, and assembled."
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The Viper Mini SE is more than an engineering marvel. It features specs that go head-to-head with the best mice, including 30,000 DPI, optical Gen-3 switches, and a 4,000Hz HyperPolling dongle. The insanity continues with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 mouse feet.
"Razer is under no illusions here. It knows the Razer Viper Mini SE is something special. It’s not just top tier; it’s beyond that," said Rubino.
The Viper Mini SE doesn't have any competition, at least when it comes to all its specs. There are mice around the same weight, but they don't have the polling rate or DPI of the Viper Mini SE.
"The Razer Viper Mini SE is unique, impressive, and highly performative, demonstrating why Razer “do better than everyone else in the game.” It’s not wrong. No one else is ever going to make this mouse," concluded Rubino. Later this month, that unique and impressive mouse gaming mouse will be available in white.
