About the author: Joe reviews hardware based on how it fits into his life. Joe is a sales professional that manages a team, travels weekly, a part-time professor and gamer. He is a father and husband who also has the privilege of being GWW’s President.
Mobile gaming is a challenge few accept. We mobile gamers pay a premium to get something close to desktop power in the form of an over-sized laptop. We do the same with headsets and other accessories, such as mice and even glasses. As always, I review products I want. What made me aware that I had a gap in my mobile gaming life was when I took my new Surface Book out for a recent business trip. The first night of my trip, I tried playing Heroes of the Storm with my cookie-cutter wireless Logitech mouse. Oh, it was terrible! I had a really hard time with accuracy – you gamers know that all too well. There isn’t much room on the screen for heroes and when I’m trying to launch Chain Lighting against puny Nova, I need strict accuracy as time is usually of the essence. I reached deeper into my travel bag and found my trusted Razer Deathadder; mistakenly, but fortunately placed in my travel bag. I’d be happy with this mouse for everyday use but when I’m mobile, I want to cut the cord and as many ounces as possible. Moreover, I want a mouse that is purely Bluetooth and doesn’t require a USB receiver. The Surface Book has only 2 USB ports so one must be aware of their port usage. Thus, I needed a new mouse and Razer was kind enough to send me the Orochi.
Exploring the marketplace, which is rich with mobile gaming mice, I had to narrow the field with a few parameters, i.e. trusted manufacturer, more than 2 buttons, and no USB receiver. This ruled out the Logitech G602, which I love and use on my desktop at home. Yes – it’s good enough to replace a wired mouse, as long as you’re not too picky. Shockingly, that left few choices. Leave it to Razer to be one of the 2 manufacturers I could find that actually understands mobile gaming enough to develop a purely Bluetooth mouse! For reference, the other is Mad Catz and I’ll never buy their products again. Razer actually has multiple options and I landed on the Orochi. At $69.99 (usually $50 on Amazon), it is an easy decision to make. But just because it’s a Razer mouse doesn’t mean it’s guaranteed to be a champion. Several factors must be considered before crowning any mobile gaming accessory as king. After two weeks with the Orochi, I’ve assessed the following areas: Comfort, Game Performance, and Portability. I believe these are the critical areas of consideration for mobile gamers.
Comfort
The Orochi is smaller than the Deathadder and traditional desktop mice. For me, the smaller the mouse, the more strain there is on my hand and fingers after just a few minutes of use. I can’t say that the matte coating on the Orochi was intentionally used to mitigate that issue, but it sure does. It assists with grip and makes the mouse look stealth. The mouse has 7 total buttons and very tight wheel that provides excellent feedback upon each iteration of the wheel. I don’t typically play games longer than 90-120 minutes, but I have been known to work for hours on end. In either case the mouse held up well and I never felt like I couldn’t click where I meant to. Additionally, the strain on my hand was on par with other mice.
Game Performance
Powered by Razer’s Synapse desktop software, the Orochi has the options you need to configure the moues buttons. Out of the box, the Orochi’s two-right buttons adjust the DPI sensitivity. Like most mice the buttons can be remapped; this isn’t a cutting-edge feature but a standard that must be available. Consider that box checked. In game, I found no issues at all. I played Diablo 3, Heroes of the Storm, Castlevania: Lord of Shadows 2 (don’t ask why), and Marvel Heroes over the past two weeks with the Orochi. At no point did I feel I was playing with a lesser mouse. I felt completely in control and as accurate as I am with my Deathadder and G602.
Portability
I think Razer nailed this. They absolutely knew what they were doing here. The Orochi is lightweight, not too small, and doesn’t require a USB receiver. Heck, they even through in a carrying case that fits the mouse and the optional USB cable if you run out of power. The mouse is powered by a two AA batteries. The mouse is rated for 7 months of use on those batteries and I haven’t had the mouse long enough to challenge that rating.
This is a perfect mobile gaming mouse. In fact, if not for it’s smaller size, I would declare the Orochi the perfect mouse, period. It’s gorgeous, comfortable for its size, and so convenient while on the road. Razer thought of everything when they set out to make this mouse and as a frequent mobile gamer, I’m thankful for that. Razer, well done!