Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro Review

Introduction

It’s been a couple of years since Razer’s latest entry into the longstanding DeathAdder series – enter the Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro as the brand’s latest and greatest.

At a recent event I attended for the product launch, Razer’s team called this ‘the biggest leap for mice in the last decade’, which is quite the claim.

The spec sheet seems to back it up, with clever improvements such as a lower 56g weight, a new 45,000 DPI sensor and up to 150 hours of battery life. Combine this with an 8000Hz wireless polling rate and the signature ergonomics that the DeathAdder line has been lauded for, and the DeathAdder V4 Pro speaks for itself as a serious contender, although quite a pricey one with a  £169.99/$169.99 price tag.

Sitting alongside it in the more premium category are some of our favourite gaming mice in recent times, such as the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 Dex and Razer’s own Viper V3 Hyperspeed. I’ve been testing the DeathAdder V4 Pro for the last couple of weeks to see if it lives up to its substantial hype.

Design

• Virtually unchanged frame from the previous model
• Lighter, and with small optimisations such as dedicated navigation buttons
• Minimal buttons across the frame

There have been some small changes to this V4 Pro version of the DeathAdder against its predecessor, the most noteworthy being a drop in weight. This new variant weighs just 56g, a whole seven grams less than its predecessor. According to Razer, this is attributed to a redesign of the mouse internally with stiffer side walls and the use of sustainable materials that technically also make this mouse’s shell 90% made of PCR.

The shape of the DeathAdder V4 Pro is unchanged from the previous generation, as it was liked enough by pros not to want Razer to change it. It is a comfortable shape, with a more ergonomic and curved form than a lot of other ultralight mice, which makes it especially comfortable for my usual palm grip. General build quality is also strong, with this Razer rodent feeling quite dense and solid in hand, in spite of its lower weight.

There are some small optimisations though, with a smooth touch texture to the chassis, as well as larger feet on the bottom for a smoother glide and dedicated navigation buttons on the side to prevent misclicks. All of this adds to make the DeathAdder V4 Pro an immensely comfortable mouse to use for extended periods.

It’s a stylish and minimalistic mouse to look at, especially in the white colourway I have here, although is available in black if you want something a bit meaner. As is typical too with modern ultralight mice, the buttons on offer are minimal, with two main mouse buttons and a scroll wheel on top, along with those dedicated navigation buttons. 

The underside has a combo button for power and DPI switching. There is a USB-C port on the front for charging for convenience’s sake, too.

As much as the mouse is 90% PCR, which is great for the environment, the box still contains plastic wrap for both the underside of the DeathAdder V4 Pro and its associated receiver dock, which is a little bit of a shame for sustainability points.

Performance

• New 45,000 DPI sensor for zippy performance
• Wireless 8000Hz polling and lighter optical switches
• Solid battery life as long as you don’t want high-power features

As much as the DeathAdder V4 Pro hasn’t changed much externally, the big changes are on the inside. Razer says it’s the first mouse to have entirely optical internals – that’s sensor, scroll wheel and switches – which is quite a feat.

The sensor is the new Focus Pro 45K Gen 2 which, as the name suggests, has an impressive 45,000 DPIs worth of sensitivity. This is a whole 1000 more than the G Pro X Superlight 2 Dex, so it appears we’re back to the sensitivity wars of old. Nonetheless, it makes for quite the zippy customer on its own.

Combine this with both an optical scroll wheel that they say is more reliable and precise than the predecessor and a new flavour of HyperSpeed wireless connectivity with proper 8000Hz polling and an even lower latency connection, and you’ve got a seriously responsive mouse for FPS gaming.

The true 8000Hz wireless polling adds the DeathAdder V4 Pro to a growing, but still quite exclusive, club of wireless gaming mice that offer this feature. It can aid general responsiveness of inputs and movement as the mouse reports its position a lot more frequently than a ‘standard’ gaming mouse would with a 1000Hz rate, translating to lower latency, and even more fluid movements. For mere mortals, it can be hard to tell the difference, but it is certainly useful for pro-grade players.

In addition, there’s an upgrade to the optical switches inside, with this Razer benefiting from the new Gen 4 switches that have been designed from the ground up to be more responsive and have a slightly lighter actuation than before for snappier inputs. They’re wonderfully clicky and a little on the louder side, but were immensely responsive in conjunction with everything else the DeathAdder V4 Pro offers.

All of those improvements combine to make this Razer option a serious contender for one of the best gaming mice I’ve used in a long time. In Counter-Strike 2, it felt especially agile and nimble, even if the 45,000 DPI is a little high for general use. I did have to dial it back in the Synapse software to something a bit more manageable.

Connectivity is strictly by the new HyperSpeed Wireless Gen 2 domed receiver that connects to your PC by USB-C to USB-A with the bundled cable. It has handy LEDs that can display things such as battery life, how good your connection is and the chosen DPI. There isn’t any Bluetooth on offer, but you can also use the DeathAdder V4 Pro if you wish.

Razer quotes up to 150 hours with the DeathAdder V4 Pro, which on the face of it seems like serious endurance, and is over 50 hours more than the Dex. However, delve into the features, and you’ll find out that if you want this mouse at its best with high DPI and polling rate, it can eat through the internal cell in just 22 hours. Logitech’s Dex will only last for 19-20 hours with the maximum applied, so they are broadly similar.

Software and Lighting

• Extensive software configuration in Synapse 4
• No RGB lighting to speak of

The DeathAdder V4 Pro works with Razer’s new Synapse 4 software, and offers some solid options for customisation and configuration. In there, you can remap buttons, adjust the DPI on five levels and the polling rate up to 8000Hz. 

You can also calibrate the sensor to the surface you’re using, and even match the sensitivity from another mouse you’re moving from to the DeathAdder V4 Pro for a direct match. There are other more advanced features too, such as compensating for the angle you hold the mouse at so it’s straight and true for accurate aiming and inputs, and a Dynamic Sensitivity feature that is a form of mouse acceleration.

As is common for ultralight gaming mice, you won’t find any flashy RGB lighting with this DeathAdder V4 Pro either, in the name of conserving battery and looking mean.

Should you buy it?

FAQs