Razer Viper Mini vs. Viper Ultimate: Which should you buy?

Ultimately these two mice come from the same family but are targeted at very different buyers. The Viper Ultimate is the pinnacle of wireless gaming mice right now, with Razer's latest and greatest sensor and performance you simply can't tell apart from a wired mouse. The Viper Mini, on the other hand, keeps a lot of what makes the Viper family so good, not least the lightness, and trims it all down into a $40 price tag that makes it suitable for beginners, those on a budget or just gamers who don't want features they won't use.

Razer Viper Mini vs. Viper Ultimate tech specs

Entry-level vs. high-end

While the basic design of these two mice is very similar, they're actually at polar opposite ends of the rage. Both do share some key features, like an ambidextrous design — though the lack of mirrored button locations makes the Mini slightly less desirable for left-handers — and a focus on lightness.

On the last of those, the Viper Mini is actually well ahead at 61g; it's Razer's absolute lightest mouse. It's designed for smaller hands and is a perfect fit inside a gear bag if you're traveling. It loses out on some of the super fancy features, like the new smart sensor and the ability to store five profiles onboard, but it costs $40. It's still incredibly accurate and responsive, and for a budget mouse, it's absolutely excellent.

By contrast, the Viper Ultimate is the pinnacle of Razer's mouse tech right now. It uses the brand new Focus+ sensor with smart features like self-calibration, has up to 20,000 DPI, storage space for five different profiles, and incredible responsiveness and accuracy. Despite being wireless, it performs like a wired mouse.

It's a little heavier, which is to be expected when it has a battery and wireless receiver inside, but it's hardly heavy. It's probably the lightest wireless mouse you'll find right now, and it feels great to use all day every day. The only real drawback is that if you game a lot, don't forget to drop it on the charging dock at night, because it'll be empty when you need it most.

Viper Mini is great for budget buyers

The Viper Mini at just $40 is an excellent buy for those on a budget or those looking to start out in PC gaming for the first time. It's light, has the same great basic design as the other Vipers, excellent performance, and a seriously lightweight body.

It's also great to travel with, and while you miss out on some of the features of its more expensive siblings, it's tough to grumble at this price.

Viper Ultimate is for those chasing the absolute best

The Viper Ultimate is expensive, but it's also for those chasing the absolute best in a gaming mouse. There is a premium with it being wireless, but the performance speaks for itself. If you use it a lot, you'll have to charge it up quite often, but Razer does at least include a wireless charging dock in the box.

The fact you can have a wireless mouse perform as good as a wired one is remarkable enough in itself. The Viper Ultimate is well worth it, but it's also not for everyone.