What you need to know
- The Viper 8KHz is proclaimed as the fastest gaming mouse in the world.
- It's the first to have a true 8,000Hz polling rate which sends 8x more data per second compared to other leading gaming mice, reducing input delay.
- The Viper 8KHz is available from January 28 for $80.
The original Razer Viper was astonishing, so much so that it's been our best gaming mouse for competitive players ever since it launched. Razer doesn't stand still, though, and following from the wireless version comes the first update to the original model. The Razer Viper 8KHz is official and it's the fastest gaming mouse in the world.
But what does that actually mean? The clue is in the name, and the 8KHz refers to an 8,000Hz polling rate. This is 8x faster than other leading gaming mice, including from Razer, which means 8x more data transfer every second. This kind of performance is hard to quantify as something you can measure by eye, but the more technical explanation makes it clear why this will matter to gamers.
"Polling rate is the frequency at which a device reports data to the PC, with an industry-standard of up to 1000Hz (1000 times a second). Razer HyperPolling Technology utilizes a high-speed USB microcontroller to surpass this standard with a true polling rate of 8000Hz. This allows the Viper 8KHz to send up to eight times more data each second, effectively reducing input delay from 1ms to just 1/8th of a millisecond."
Lower input delay is always welcome, even if you can't program your brain to detect it. Additionally, Razer's HyperPolling is able to send data better to work in conjunction with today's lightning-fast gaming monitors. This in turn leads to smoother tracking, micro stutters disappearing, and a more accurate cursor position.
The rest of the Viper 8KHz has also been brought up to date with Razer's latest and greatest, while retaining key features of the original such as the ambidextrous body with eight programmable buttons, absurdly lightweight construction, and SpeedFlex cable which continues to be so light it's almost like it isn't there at all.
Underneath the Viper 8KHz gets Razer's latest second-generation optical switches and the latest Focus+ optical sensor, both of which are upgrades over the original model. Onboard storage is also increased to five unique profiles in line with Razer's commitment to allow you to move your mouse between machines freely without the need to have Synapse installed.
So, what about the price then, for all this high tech goodness? The Viper 8KHz will set you back just $80, so like its predecessor, it's not only boasting incredible performance, but also incredible value.
Competitive gamers will still get the most from it, but it's priced in such a way that it's within reach of everyone. Sales begin on January 28.
Razer ups the ante yet again with another world first
The best competitive gaming mouse gets even better with a raft of upgrades and the world's fastest polling rate to reduce input latency and improve accuracy.
