Razer Basilisk Essential Gaming Mouse ReviewI'm returning to Gaming after a 5 year break, first thing I needed is a new gaming mouse as my current mouse is just a cheepo from the budget store.
As far as budget mice go, the cheapo I have is decent enough if all you do is use Windows to browse the web or to do some coding, but for gaming, you really need a gaming mouse. Gaming mice have more buttons which are customisable and allow you to assign macros. They have better DPI and improved accuracy which makes fast accurate aiming easy. Most gaming mice these days have customisable RGB lighting.
I didn't want to break the bank with my first gaming mouse, I wasn't sure how much I'd be using it, yet I still wanted a decent mouse. Having looked around there are plenty of options to choose from, so I limited my searches to good brands, eliminating 90% of the market of unknown brands from eBay. Comparing specs and prices I narrowed my selection down to the Razer Basilisk Essential.
This is a very comfortable mouse to use with a low profile grip and looks that are not OTT or would look out of place in the office. It features 6 customisable keys including the multi-function paddle, 6400 DPI sensitivity and textured grip. The mouse is lightweight at 95g and slides effortlessly across the mouse mat or desk thanks to the large silicone pads.
The multi-function paddle is an optional button that out of the box is covered. Included in the box is the paddle which you can remove the cover and plug in. Not sure why they did this as the extra button is super useful and the way it feels makes it easy to tell the difference between the main buttons and the paddle.
The mouse buttons themselves use a mechanical switch which not only feels solid and robust, but they also sound good, not very noisy, just about right. Overall this is a very comfortable mouse, has perfect weight and is easy to use. The buttons are a pleasure to work with and are really easy to use accurately.
Razer Basilisk Essential after 12 Months of Use
While I cannot fault the hardware, I really do love this mouse, but the software you have to use to customise buttons or use macros is HORRENDOUS! Razer Synapse 2 and the newer version 3 are in second place for the worst software ever written. It's just so buggy it makes the mouse almost unusable, and it is really frustrating when the mouse stops responding halfway through a raid.
You can create a profile on a per-game basis and it should detect what game you are playing and load the right button mappings, macros and lighting. However, it just does not do this. It keeps forgetting what profile is assigned to what game or refuses to switch off the default profile.
Using the Synapse software I frequently encountered mouse buttons not responding, pressing the button does nothing, macros either do not fire or forget them completely and several times per week the mouse stops responding altogether! The light remains on but no mouse pointer and the buttons do not work. The only thing at this point is to unplug and replug it back in.
I tested this extensively using a fresh install of Windows (no Razer drivers or software loaded) and in a week had absolutely no problems at all. I also used the mouse under Linux using Open Razer without a problem. As soon as I installed Razer Synapse 3 and installed the drivers then the mouse started playing up. Rubbish drivers and/or application which makes the mouse unusable.
Multiple tickets to Razer support just told me to unplug and plug back in, reboot the computer, install the latest version of Synapse etc. Not much help at all. When they reached the end of the most basic troubleshooting they closed the support ticket. Pathetic customer support, is not at all what I expected from a premium gaming company.
For these reasons and after two months of using an unusable mouse (you need Synapse for macros, lighting and customising the buttons - key features of a gaming mouse, and even basic functionality like the back and forward buttons) I decided to switch to another. Unfortunately at this time, the warranty was out so I cannot return it. I'll use the Razer without software on my office computer and I'll go back to using Logitech devices from now onwards.
