Razer Deathadder V2 Mini gaming mouse review

The Razer Deathadder has a beloved legacy in PC gaming mouse folklore. Chances you’ve probably handled one or two of these snake logo’d mice in your lifetime. For us here at PCG, the Deathadder V2 remains one of the best gaming mice you can score for under $100. Though, with ergonomics and comfort on the minds of a lot of us these days, Razer’s latest mouse attempts to take what makes the Deathadder so awesome and shrink it down. The Deathadder V2 Mini, which was only available in China, finally makes it stateside.

Weighing at a super-light 62g, the Deathadder V2 Mini is smaller in terms of both size and weight than its bigger brother, the V2. It still uses the hilariously named Speed Flex cable which, silly title aside, is essentially a light-weight and flexible cable meant not to affect your mouse movements. There’s nothing worse than a stiff mouse cable that feels like you’re playing tug of war with your desk during an Apex Legends firefight. 

The smaller size does means you do lose out on a couple of features. The DPI count is down to 8,500, compared to the V2’s 20K with Razer’s new Focus+ Optical Sensor. As someone who plays with a lower DPI, it’s not a big deal. For others trading in the speed for comfort that simply won’t do. You also lose out on the two up and down sensitivity buttons in favor of one button that’ll cycle through your presets. 

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 These downgrades had little effect on my day-to-day use, however. My sessions of Apex Legends, Call of Duty Warzone, and Doom Eternal went off mostly without a hitch. Demons were gloriously killed and I emerged victorious in a handful of royales. Though, I will say my gameplay improved once it was pointed out to me that the V2 Mini came with textured grip tape. 

In fact, if it wasn’t for a follow-up from Razer PR reminding there was a pack of grip tape in the box for the mouse I never would have known. The textured grip tape vastly improved my time with the mouse because it was suddenly able to contend with my freakishly sweaty fingers after prolonged use. And it turns out Razer will be offering the same grip tape it bundles with the Deathadder V2 Mini for its other gaming rodents. It can be purchased separately for $10 a pop. 

The Mini is geared for gamers with smaller hands or prominently claw-grip users, much like myself. If you have massive giant-like mitts you may want to go for something more accommodating like the ASUS ROG Spatha or the Corsair Ironclaw. I found the V2 Mini to sit comfortably in the right hand, and the left side groove was the perfect size for my thumb to rest.

Even though this tiny mouse loses out of some of the features that made the DeathAdder V2 a must-have gaming mouse, the V2 Mini retains a lot of the creature comforts you’d expect from a solid gaming mouse. If you need a small comfortable gaming mouse for only $50, the Razer Deathadder V2 Mini is the right snake-themed mouse for you.