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Scharon Harding - May 10, 2022 3:00 pm UTC

If you prefer a mouse that glides across a mousepad—or a glass surface, in this case—with minimal effort, finding a lightweight, cordless one is a good move. Lightweight mice are often LED-laden or hole-riddled pieces that look odd in most settings outside of a gaming den. But Razer's Viper V2 Pro announced Tuesday is a 2.05-ounce (58 g) wireless mouse carrying a muted look that can accommodate more traditional-looking setups.

Razer is primarily known for flashy, snake-clad PCs and peripherals aimed at gamers. The Viper 2 Pro, with an optical sensor that supports an adjustable DPI (dots per inch, see more in our PC mouse terms article) of up to 30,000 and extreme features like adjustable liftoff distance, is also aimed at PC gamers. But with its muted black or tasteful white design and symmetrical shape, you might not notice it at first. Although, spotting the angular lines under the left and right-click buttons and the subtler three-headed snake might provide clues.

Still, there's no RGB logo, and that took 0.1 ounces (2.7 g) off the mouse's weight compared to its predecessor, the 2.61-ounce (74 g) Razer Viper Ultimate, and will also help conserve battery life. The only real pop of color is the light south of the scroll wheel, which signifies which DPI setting you're currently using.

Razer also saved some weight by moving from a rigid printed circuit board assembly to a rigid one and altering the primary click buttons. Additionally, the mouse uses a battery that Razer claims is lighter and more efficient, making it 0.09 ounces (2.6 g) lighter than the Viper Ultimate and carrying an 80-hour, rather than 70-hour, battery life claim.

The new mouse also doesn't have integrated side grips as the prior model does. The grips shave 0.13 ounces (3.7 g) off the mouse and provide more options. For example, you could opt to use Razer's separately sold grip tape on one side of the mouse or add a rubbery texture to the primary buttons.

However, grip tape can wear off and leave a sticky mess. And if your hands tend to get clammy when mousing around, losing the built-in side grips may be a downgrade.

The Viper V2 Pro only has two side buttons (both on the left side), while the Viper Ultimate has four (two on each side). Fewer side buttons save the Pro 0.1 ounces (2.9 g) but preclude it from being ambidextrous. That's unfortunate, considering the disappointingly small number of left-handed wireless mice available.

But having side buttons on both sides of the mouse can make all the side buttons hard to use. One workaround is to make the side buttons user-removable, like the Logitech G Pro Wireless. But Razer takes neither route, outrightly calling this a right-handed mouse.

Razer made a more obvious good move by upgrading to USB-C charging. The Viper V2 Pro also uses a 2.4 GHz wireless USB-A dongle. The lack of Bluetooth may be a deal-breaker for office workers short on ports or moved to one of the many ultralight laptops that don't have USB-A.

For people seeking a wireless mouse that touts extreme gaming specs and those seeking a rechargeable mouse for work that's more advanced than it appears, the $150 Viper V2 Pro is an intriguing option.

Ars Technica may earn compensation for sales from links on this post through affiliate programs.

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