Razer Viper V4 Pro review: Loud, but great experience

A new version of Razer's iconic Viper Pro mouse is here, alongside a set of new mousepads to really elevate the experience.

The Viper V4 Pro has been announced by Razer, bringing new-age tech into one of the company's most popular mouse shapes, right beside the DeathAdder.

I've been testing it over the last few weeks, and it's safe to say that Razer continues to knock it out of the park – but not without at least one glaring issue.

Key Specs

• Weight: 49g
• Connectivity: HyperSpeed Wireless Gen-2
• Buttons: 8
• Switches: Optical Mouse Switches Gen-4
• Sensor: Focus Pro 50K Optical Sensor Gen-3
• Maximim DPI: 50k
• Battery Life: 180 hours at 1000 Hz
• Price: $159.99

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Design, Features, Performance

Just like the DeathAdder V4 Pro I reviewed last July, the Viper V4 Pro is another one of Razer's sleek black mouse designs with just the snake logo on the back side of it. Just like the other Pro mice, there's no RGB, which helps extend battery life at higher refresh rates.

Just as you would expect, though, the inside is where the Viper V4 Pro really shines. Low-latency HyperSpeed Wireless Gen-2 and true 8000 Hz polling make the mouse deliver 55% lower latency than the Viper V3 Pro, and its super smooth optical scroll wheel has helped me scroll through my weapons faster than ever.

It's got higher sensitivity than previous versions, too, as the Viper V4 Pro features Razer's new 50k DPI Gen 3 optical sensor. Despite making all these improvements, the mouse is lighter than ever at just 49g for the black model I reviewed. Razer says it has "improved industrial strength" despite the weight, but in reality, you won't notice much of a difference. It's a premium lightweight mouse that feels like a very premium and lightweight mouse.

All these improvements have helped Razer achieve 180 hours of battery life on the Viper V4 Pro, and from my testing over the last few weeks, I can say that it is going to be pretty accurate at 1000Hz. However, you raise that up to the full 8000 Hz for max performance, and you'll be charging the mouse at least once a week. You can continue to use it while it's charging, of course, so don't worry too much about it.

Razer has paired the Viper V4 Pro with the same Hemisphere dongle design that it introduced with the DeathAdder V4 Pro, and I still love every bit of it. It stays on the desk a lot better than previous designs, and having the ability to quickly glance at connection status, battery life, and polling rate is nothing but a benefit.

Now the caveat, and I'm going to preface this by mentioning this may very likely be a me problem.

Razer put the same high-quality but super loud Gen-4 optical switches found in the DeathAdder V4 Pro and Cobra HyperSpeed underneath the two main buttons, and I really wish they hadn't.

I managed to deal with it in the DeathAdder, but was starting to get annoyed by the noise in the Cobra HyperSpeed, and now, I'm just wondering why they haven't changed it up at all. Sure, esports players up on stage likely aren't going to be bothered by the sound, but all I can think of is the at-home market. For example, a father of a sleeping newborn trying to get a couple of ranked rounds of CS2 before he goes to bed.

Software

After years of smaller peripheral companies launching their products with web-based software, Razer became the first major brand to do the same back in January. Synapse Web gives you all of the basic features you need from Synapse's dedicated app in any Chromium-based browser on any computer you plug the mouse into.

And, the Viper V4 Pro is one of the first devices to be supported by Synapse web, alongside the Huntsman V3 Pro line of keyboards, for which I have a review coming soon.

It's super easy to navigate and make your way around the web software, but if you're a Firefox user or just prefer using the Synapse app, you can continue to do so just fine.

Gigantus V2 Pro mousepad

Alongside the new Viper V4 Pro is the launch of the new Gigantus V2 Pro mousepad, which is available in five different variants that let your mouse move super fast, or slow and controlled.

Each variant uses a unique cloth surface with specialized thread and weave patterns to create different friction levels, allowing players to choose how fast or controlled their mouse movement feels. The mat is built on Razer’s proprietary GlideCore foam, which comes in multiple firmness levels to match each speed profile, while maintaining consistent glide across the entire surface with reduced X-Y variance for more stable tracking.

It's a great add-on for the Viper V4 Pro and really any of Razer's esports-focused mice. Being a more casual gamer myself, I was pleasantly surprised to be able to feel the difference between the Control and Balance options that the company sent over.

The only negative that comes to mind is that it's only available in one size. It's plenty big enough, but coming from a desk mat to the Gigantus V2 Pro has been a bit of an adjustment.

Verdict - 4.5/5

As usual, Razer has knocked it out of the park with the release of the Viper V4 Pro. It's wonderfully built, performs great, and is a mouse that Razer should be proud of.

However, the continued use of its overly loud Gen-4 switches under the main buttons has left me quite frustrated, so it's just shy of being perfect for me.