Razer’s long-awaited wireless Viper Mini is here, but it might not be what you were expecting

Almost since the day it was released a few years ago, two things have held true about the Razer Viper Mini gaming mouse: It was hugely popular thanks to its impressive feature set for its sub-$50 price, and everyone and their brother wanted a wireless edition. 

Today, Razer finally took the wraps off of its answer to all those requests: the Razer Viper Mini Signature Edition. What Razer has created is one of the most intriguing mice it’s released in years, but it may not be for everyone. 

The first thing you’ll notice is use of a perforated shell for weight reduction has been taken to the extreme here. While there are no holes on the side panels or the portions of the main buttons where your fingers rest, the entire rear of the mouse is mostly hole. This, combined with a switch from standard plastic to a magnesium alloy, allowed Razer to reduce the weight of the model to just 49 grams, down from the original Mini’s 61 g, even with the battery and extra hardware required for wireless operation. 

On top of being the lightest mouse Razer has ever created, the new Viper Mini Signature Edition also comes packed with a Razer 4,000Hz wireless HyperPolling dongle and an extra set of mouse feet made of Corning’s Gorilla Glass 3 material. More mundane pack-ins include two sets of adhesive mouse grips, a charging cable, a second set of PTFE feet, and two alcohol prep pads for swapping out all of those adhesive feet and grips. The overall package speaks to a premium buying experience, and that’s where the rub lies: the price. 

Even at launch, the Viper Mini sold for around $50 or less, a fraction of the $200 or so starting price flagship mice like Razer’s own Viper V2 Pro or Logitech’s G Pro X Superlight launched at in recent years. In the months since, it’s been common to find a Viper Mini available for $35 or less. So, many of the most vocal requesters might have expected the wireless edition of the mouse to be a similarly budget-friendly alternative to the Viper V2 Pro. It’s not. It’s $280. 

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On the one hand, asking a price for this mouse that would be enough to buy about eight of its wired predecessors might seem like madness. But, Razer’s clearly positioning this not as a standard wireless update to an existing wired mouse, but rather as a whole new class of premium mouse that just so happens to exploit the ultra-popular shape of the Viper Mini. Essentially, it might look like a mini Viper, albeit a highly perforated one, but it’s not… it’s something new. Don’t be surprised if we see Signature Edition versions of the full-sized Viper and other Razer mice if this endeavor performs well. 

It remains to be seen how Razer’s most premium mouse ever will sit with fans. Likely there will be some outrage, but I’ve got a strong suspicion Razer will have no problem selling every unit it has on hand, especially since the company isn’t handling it like a normal release. Instead, it’s doing “drops.” Anyone who thought, “They’re using magnesium, just like Finalmouse” when they heard read the info above should be familiar with drops. They’re timed, usually quickly sold-out parcels of stock that are spread out to help ship small-batch products. 

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While Razer hasn’t shared its expected production volumes, its use of drops certainly hints at supplies being lower than a typical flagship release. If you want to take your shot at grabbing one, the first drop is currently scheduled for 8 a.m. PT on Feb. 11, exclusively on Razer.com. There will almost certainly be more drops to come, but we don’t know how long you might have to wait for the next one. 

Keep your eyes on ZDNET for more coverage of the Razer Viper Mini Signature Edition.