Razer Mamba Tournament Edition Review

The Razer Mamba undergoes a transformation in form by joining the glam of the Chroma series, yet on the inside it features one of the most precise 5G laser sensors available.

Product on Review: Razer Mamba Tournament Edition
Manufacturer and Sponsor: RAZER
Street Price: £79.99 GBP – $89.99 USD – EUR: 99.99€

The Razer Mamba has become quite iconic for many PC gamers, one of the first, wireless and wired gaming mice which had a nice blue glow and a charging dock which would breath as it charged… Good times… Now in 2015, the Mamba is getting revamped and will be available as a wireless version, which also has adjustable click force, as well as the hardwired Tournament Edition. Each will feature Razer’s customisable Chroma lighting.

Besides the lighting, visually, the shape of the Mamba has changed considerably with redesigned ergonomics, the side buttons are larger, and there are textured rubber pads on each side to improve grip. Also, Razer have exclusively placed one the most advanced laser sensors available. Providing 16,000 DPI which is adjustable in REAL increments of 1 DPI.

Overview by Razer

The new 5G laser sensor is capable of tracking up to 16,000 DPI which is optimized for multi-display set-ups with ultra-high display resolutions. The 5G laser sensor is also the world’s most precise – with its ability to track up to 1 DPI increments (as opposed to the current industry standard of 50 DPI increments). The next generation gaming mouse sensor is also able to track lift-off cut-off distance as precise as 0.1 mm, reducing on-screen jitter so your aim stays on target even as you move. The 5G laser sensor in the new Razer Mamba was designed to be an extension of your natural hand movement.

The Razer Mamba Tournament Edition wired gaming mouse, specifically designed for eSports athletes. Featuring the same precise gaming mouse sensor, ergonomic form factor, and advanced Chroma customizable lighting. The Razer Mamba Tournament Edition embodies the absolute best elements an eSports athlete needs to dominate in any tournament.

Technical Specifications

TECH SPECS
– 16,000 DPI 5G laser sensor
– 210 inches per second / 50 G acceleration
– 1,000 Hz Ultrapolling / 1 ms response time
– Ergonomic right-handed design with textured rubber side grips
– Chroma lighting with true 16.8 million customizable color options
– Inter-device color synchronization
– Nine independently programmable buttons with tilt-click scroll wheel
– Razer Synapse enabled
– 2.1 m / 7 ft braided fiber USB cable
– Approximate size: 128 mm / 5 in (Length) x 70 mm / 2.76 in (Width) x 42.5 mm / 1.67 in (Height)
– Approximate weight: 133 g / 0.29 lbs (with cable)

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
– PC or Mac with a free USB port
– Windows® 8 / Windows® 7 / Windows Vista® / Windows® XP (32-bit) / Mac OS X (v10.8-10.10)
– Internet connection
– 100 MB of hard disk space
– Razer Synapse registration (requiring a valid e-mail), software download, license acceptance, and internet connection needed to activate full features of product and for software updates. After activation, full features are available in optional offline mode.

Packaging & First Look

The packaging is good quality, with a clear print of the product contained inside. The striking colours and design screams RAZER all over, though is a little reserved of what others may have experienced with the previous iterations of the wireless Mamba.

At the back we get a breakdown of all the features as well as the technical specification in various languages.

Opened up we get an explanation of the Chroma lighting as well as a clear view of the contained product.

The Razer Mamba Tournament Edition.

Closer Look

At the front you can see how the dome shame peaks on the left handside, which is part of the ergonomic shape, The Mamba is more aimed at those with a ‘claw’ grip, rather than a palm grip. There is interesting venting at the front which may have been designed for lighting/weight control or simply for aesthetic purposes, but it does look interesting nethertheless.

At the side there is a squishy rubberised pad for comfort and grip, along with two large side buttons.

At the tail end we find the Razer logo. On the TE this is lit up too, however in the wireless version this does not light up, likely as the space inside is taken up with the battery and wireless technology. Again you can see the ergonomic design arching round.

On the off-side we get a large strip of rubberised grip.

A change in location for the on-the-fly DPI selection buttons when compared to the previous editions of the Mamba, but still easily accessible. The scroll wheel has a textured rubber surface which can tilt left or right too.

Software & Lighting

Unfortunately while the drivers are still in beta we couldn’t get a full look into the customisation of the Mamba on our system, don’t worry though, we have been assured that the drivers will be ready for retail release. It will be fully supported by the Razer Synapse drivers and will include DPI customisation down to 1 DPI, macros, as well as advanced Chroma lighting effects. Though by default we get a slow scroll through the spectrum of colour, the lighting looks vibrant and clear (as we experienced on the Kraken 7.1 Chroma). We will update this section in future.

**UPDATE**

So the Razer Synapse Driver for the Mamba has been released and the options and controls are as easy to access and comprehensive as expected. You can assign each key with a macro as well as customise the performance level and lighting to taste. Interestingly the Mamba also features the Advanced Chroma Configurator which will be seen on the BlackWidow Chroma keyboard too. The Mamaba TE has 4 lighting Zones being the Wheel, the Logo, and 2x side strips. Each strip of lighting at the sides has 7 points of vibrant illumination which is accurate and impressive and through the Chroma configurator there are plenty of lighting options to be found.

The reactive mode looks awesome as you can create interesting lighting effects which activates with each click, however its a shame you can’t control each side strip of lighting independently.. IE left click activates left side lighting, and right activates right side. If it could do this, the reactive mode would certainly be more impressive.

Performance Testing

Setup, Design & Observations
The mouse has a high quality plastic feeling, durable and strong. The braided cable is good quality, and has 2.1M length which easily flexes. In the hand, by default molds to your hand in a claw grip, which is very comfortable if this is your default grip. If you are more used to palm grip or fingertipping, it may feel a little strange. As a claw man myself, I love the ergonomics and comfort of this mouse and the rubberised pads on each side enhances the sense of control, it is literally perfect.

The scroll wheel gives tactile feedback to each scrolled notch and when clicked or tilted, it gives a satisfyingly awesome feel that it is robust and can take a mashing. On the thumb, the large side buttons are easily pressed, with a perfect resistance so you don’t knock them by mistake.

Performance

Testing on various surfaces including a plain black fabric mouse mat, a plastic mouse mat, a relfective wooden desk, white paper, glossy printed paper with a design on it in various colours… it quite simply handled them all flawlessly without any tracking issues at all. Moving the DPI to maximum (16,000) was quite ridiculous to handle at first, but I am sure there are those who will enjoy getting used to the micro-movements needed to handle it, though for those who want more control and stability, it can be set all the way down to 100 DPI.

In game, the mouse tracking was excellent, the teflon pads helping a smooth gliding motion. Once set to your prefered resolution the comfort and precision didn’t skip a beat while in a frantic team fight in DOTA2. If you have used the older Mamba, you will know that it was a great mouse. This easily improves upon that legacy, the lighting is literally a cherry on top.

Conclusion

Upon looking at premium mice, Razer have long been favourites of the PC-Master Race and are highly favoured in the FPS/RTS/MOBA and MMO categories. At £80 the Mamba TE is by no means cheap, though, regardless of the initial release cost, it still represents good value, especially when compared to the wireless version, priced considerably more at around £140. Though you do without the adjustable click force, you get the same top quality sensor and performance. Many may prefer the hardwired version over the wireless anyway! The shape perfectly fits a claw grip, adding comfort and potentially higher precision in use. This shows top quality engineering and design which maximises the MMI (Man-Machine interface) experience with your system.

Some may question the weight, well at 133g including cable, the main mouse itself is perfectly balanced. There is no ‘heavy point’ which can sometimes cause rotational torque and innacurate tracking when in use. This again shows how well crafted the Mamba is, making the ‘weight’ unimportant as it simply feels ‘there’ without being heavy or light, you simply get the full feedback of the mouse moving. Some may prefer a removable or ‘customisable’ weight system but it would seem that Razer has made that approach an irrelevant flight of fancy which is simply not needed.

The same could be said about the lighting which arguably is a waste of time and isn’t needed. The truth is, the lighting is vibrant and attractive, outlining the shape of the mouse elegantly in the darkness to show you exactly where it is. If you don’t like lighting then turn it off but I am sure that the majority of people will have fun customising the Mamba with their own colour or effect. Some may even enjoy creating their own custom effects with the Chroma SDK.

Again at this price point, some could argue that this could be wireless too, or even for the sake of it have a modular/removeable cable in the name of longevity. However, Razer command a premium price and in this situation it is totally worth it!

Available Q3 2015, this will be widely available very soon!

A rainbow of devastating precision, the Razer Mamba TE is one weapon gamers will love to have in their arsenal!

Pros.
+ Comfortable ergonomic shape
+ Well balanced
+ High precision sensor
+ Customisable lighting
+ Large side buttons

Cons.
– Price