Razer Atheris Review

👤by Matthew Hodgson Comments 📅24-10-17
Performance Testing
Firstly, the big thing with the Atheris is its ability to connect via Bluetooth or a 2.4GHz connection, giving the mouse great flexibility. Razer doesn't quote an expected battery lifespan while using the 2.4GHz connection, though we suspect it to be considerably lower than Bluetooth; however, that being said, we’ve been using the mouse for nearly a week on the 2.4GHz and Bluetooth but the battery is still reporting 100%. Razer’s claims of a 350-hour battery life equate to almost 9 working weeks, assuming the mouse is constantly powered on during the working day. Razer’s choice to use AA batteries instead of a concealed rechargeable battery is actually quite clever; you may not be able to find a store that will sell the correct cable to charge your mouse, but you can guarantee there will be somewhere selling AA batteries.

Connecting the mouse to the system via the 2.4GHz signal was a walk in the park, it took a matter of seconds. Once connected, the mouse seemed stable and very useable. After leaving the mouse for a period of time (configured within software) the Atheris will go into sleep mode to conserve battery life; upon moving the mouse again, it becomes responsive within less than a second, this was very impressive, especially when compared to the Lancehead which took 2 or 3 times as long to wake up.

Gaming performance was tested in Battlefield 1 and PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS; these games felt great, largely thanks to the 7,200 DPI optical sensor and the 1000Hz polling rate. Unfortunately, the Bluetooth connection couldn’t be tested for gaming.

Connecting the mouse via Bluetooth to a Samsung Galaxy S7 was a doddle, requiring you to hold the two side buttons and the DPI toggle switch for 3 seconds to enable pairing mode, the rest is simple. Unfortunately, we didn’t have any other devices which use a Bluetooth connection to test this facility out, but syncing was simple and the mouse performed well, even on a smartphone.

If you possess the hands of an adult Human, comfort isn’t likely to be a strong suit of such a small mouse, there are certainly better-shaped mice out there, but not many this portable. Razer has done incredibly well to pack so much technology into the tiny device while keeping the weight low. You must bear in mind that this device is designed to be ultra-portable while providing a strong, stable connection for your gaming.

Left-handed players may be slightly perplexed by Razer’s choice to omit the side buttons from the right-hand-side of the mouse, despite its claims of being ambidextrous.

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