Customer Reviews

Razer RZ-1600 Diamondback Precision Gaming Mouse- Chameleon Green

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I'm not a gamer.

I bought this mouse for ergo reasons. And because I spend enough of my life at the computer that there's no reason to have anything other than the hottest equipment.

I switched from the Logitech MX-510, the other hot gamer's mouse series. They're functionally very similar, but the Razer Diamondback has been far superior (for me) in practice! Here's the breakdown:

Razer Diamondback pros:
- Better ergo I: Smaller size that fits more naturally in your palm, in better "at rest" position, than the Logitech. (At least for my desk and my hand.)
- Better ergo II: Also, the way your fingers rest on the (slip-proof) main mouse buttons is more relaxed. In particular, it feels like I'm easily using my whole finger. The Logitech in comparison was awkward, felt like I was using only part of my finger, or never quite was settled right.
- More buttons, or at least more buttons available for reasonable use.
- Left and Right side buttons much more comfortable to click.
- More programmable? At least in practice, more easily programmable, so I did customie more.
- Great driver and control panel applet to set options for the mouse. This really helped me get more use out of it.
- Nice work on software details; e.g. "on-the-fly sensitivity" adjustment, without going back to Control Panel, just with controls on the mouse.

Logitech MX-510 pros:
- The Logitech has two buttons, one each above and below the scroll wheel, that mean "keep scrolling in that direction." So you roll the wheel in one direction, and when your finger hits the end of the roll, you can just move to the button right there to say "keep going." Nice. I'll miss that. (But I've already adjusted the scroll speed conveniently several times on the Razer to where I'll miss it less; I never (or at most once?) adjusted the scroll speed on the Logitech.)

These kinds of choices can be very personal. But in my experience, you couldn't get me to go back to the Logitech now.

The first thing I noticed about this mouse was how smooth it was, and how easily it glided across my desk. The Teflon pads on this mouse really do take you by surprise with the slickness they provide to even the slightest movement - but there in-lies the first problem for me personally. So slick is the response, that even the most negligible hand/arm movement results in a positive movement of the mouse. The slight 'drag' afforded by cheaper devices, actually helps me keep the pointer exactly where I want it, yet with the Diamondback, button clicks on the mouse can force the pointer off target by quite a few pixels. This may not sound like much, but if you're a serious gamer, or you copy & paste a lot of text, you will soon feel the effect. Copying & Pasting text was particularly difficult, as the release of the left mouse button alone caused a backlash of the mouse position by at least one character, resulting in a re-selection needing to be made.
Having said that, when the sensitivity is set to a sensible rate, the resolution and accuracy of movement is quite remarkable. No matter how fast the mouse is moved, you're constantly aware of the lack of lag or 'skip' as would be felt with nearly all other types of mouse. Again, this is felt most during gaming, where fast accurate movement is paramount. The 1600 DPI and phenomenally rapid sample rate, truly separate this device from virtually any other. That apart, brings me to my second gripe, and that is the Side Buttons. Now truthfully, the Diamondback has been developed with Right & Left handed users in mind, and the layout of the side buttons reflects this, because in true operation, proper access to the four side buttons is realistically limited to two side buttons only - the left two if you're right-handed, or the right two buttons if you're a sinister left hander :) So basically, in real-world terms, the Diamondback is a 5 button mouse, but with an extra 2 side buttons to accommodate ambidextrousness. While in use, it's almost impossible to operate the 2 side buttons with your little finger without skitting the mouse quite badly. So there we are - the Diamondback is a 5 button mouse for left or right handed users.
My last and most serious gripe - the software doesn't work/install on all versions of Windows XP. The RazerZone.com site does explain some work-arounds for this, but some are so complicated and involved (deleting this, re-booting, running this, installing that, clearing the Cache for this, etc . . .), that most users wouldn't even bother. Besides, the mouse will work without the software, and will quite happily work at it's basic level with the generic Windows mouse drivers, so you can use the mouse at 1600 DPI straight off just by inserting it into a USB port. You can still adjust all the most important parameters for the mouse from the standard mouse settings from the Windows Control Panel. If you can't install the Razer software, you just won't be able to access gizmos like the on-the-fly sensitivity settings. This sort of thing may be useful to some gamers for instance, but I'm sure I'll survive without it.
ACTUALLY USING IT: Well, I've had it a few days now, and it's definitely a learned experience. Most first-time users may take a while to warm to it, myself for one, while others will take an instant like to it. Personally, I've felt the most benefit from this mouse while using it for web design scenarios. The sheer accuracy of this device at low speed/sensitivity allows me to at last use the mouse as a genuine graphics tool, rather than a rough, clumsy approximation of one. I've found to my delight that pixel-by-pixel movements and alignments are an easy task with the Diamondback, and this alone has decided upon my continual use of it. This is the point; this mouse is being pushed as a 'Gaming Mouse', and while this is true, it's also a fine-tuned tool for graphic use too. If you use this for gaming, you'll notice a marked improvement in smooth movement in-game, allowing fast, yet accurate and smooth aiming and 'looking' with no lag or jitter. If you use this mouse for graphic design, you'll soon find this mouse extremely smooth, accurate, and faithful to your movements, allowing you to draw, drag, drop and select with pixel perfection.
All-in-all, I'm deeply impressed with the Diamondback, particularly after experiencing 400 and 800 DPI devices - but please contact RazerZone.com if you have difficulty installing their software that comes with the mouse, and place some pressure on them to do something about it - a patch or other answer to the XP problem. In all fairness, I blame the endless Microsoft Updates (definitely needed for security) for problems such as software install failures, and software developers are finding it difficult to keep up with Mr. Gates' Windows gurus and acolytes.

Final word - A VERY Highly Recommended Buy. Well Done RAZER!

I am part of Apple's Student Developer program, mostly because, as a filmmaker, I am constantly pushing the limits of what Final Cut Pro, among other apps, can give me

So far, the Razer Diamondback is the best mouse I have ever used for FCP, including some of the Logitech's

PROS -

1. CONSTRUCTION --- this is often overlooked, but the rubber pads all over this mouse make it easier to control and click --- the buttons are solid, and the package is great overall

2. TRACKING --- they weren't lying about that 1600 DPI and MHZ stuff --- this thing tracks excellently! With programs like FCP, one has to be SPOT ON where there mouse is clicking, and this thing works, as advertised

3. LOOKS --- couldn't help it - but its definitely the coolest looking mouse I've ever owned

4. SCROLL WHEEL --- very solid scroll wheel, that goes with your movements and easy to grip

5. MISTAKE FREE --- there are side buttons along the mouse, but it is very difficult to touch them accidently, thus minimizing any false commands

CONS -

I'm a Mac user, and unfortunately, there are no drives available for this mouse --- that doesn't mean that it won't work, it simply means that one cannot customize any of the buttons, which is a bummer

On the other hand, the scroll wheel, right click, regular click, and tracking all work great! I definitely see a difference in how solid the tracking is, compared to a more regular mouse

Anyhoo - I highly recommend this mouse, especially for video editing or other graphics works

Thanks for reading!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Muhammad Ali Hasan

My favorite mouse before was the Intellimouse Optical. Not the explorer, not the wireless; the original beige with silver buttons half-moon shaped one. It just seemed to fit my hand well, and the side buttons were big and easy to press on each side. I bought the Razer Diamonback's from [...] for about [...]when they had them (bought 2 to save on shipping, and hoped they'd be as good).

Comfort/Ergonomics:

The buttons are large and very easy to click, while still being tactile and definite in their action. The fit is good, albeit a little long. I had to get used to where to place my hand on it, but now it's very comfortable. I had to unlearn how I perched my fingers like I was going to claw into the button, like on normal mice... now I lay my fingers flat, using the entire underside to press the button. The side buttons are very small, and a bit hard since they're doubled (front and back, 1 inch long). However, due to gestures I've stopped using side buttons so I don't really care anymore. The mouse is light weight and moves smoothly.

Performance:
The movement is very sensitive, I've had to turn my sensitivity down in windows. Also, I had to get used to double clicking since normally I budge the mouse a little moving it in between clicks (that can throw off the double click, resulting instead in two normal clicks). I've gotten over that now and don't notice it. The movement is smooth and gratifying (especially compared to lesser-quality optical mice).

Build:
The mouse seems built well, not very heavy but still of good quality. The cable is thin and light (better not to interfere with the mouse movement), the USB connector is gold plated.

Problems:
Sometimes when rebooting the computer, the mouse will not turn on. Unplugging it and plugging it back in will fix this. The manual acknowledges this problem, saying that gaming mice draw more power and to make sure this is on a powered hub. Using a powered hub seems to help, but does not alleviate the problem completely. However, this doesn't happen often enough to annoy me.


Overall, I'm very pleased with this mouse. It just fits, works well, feels of good quality. Definitely recommended.

I wondered what kind of mouse I would get for $60. I kept thinking, what could be so special about it. Well, I don't know where to begin. I like it so much, I'm getting ready to purchase another one just to use at work. I used a Microsoft Explorer mouse prior and thought I'd never find a mouse that was as comforable to use and had all the extra buttons I needed. This mouse completely puts the Explorer to shame. It took me a few minutes to get used to how quickly it responds but I soon caught on. I really didn't care for the glowing or the chameleon paint on it. That's not why I got it, although it does look pretty cool. As for gaming, I really didn't notice much improvment in my skill but it REALLY does feel better in your hand. The bottom of the mouse it curved in so you can grip it much easier.

My only negative comment towards it is how cheesy the driver and gui is for it as it looks "homemade".

I would highly recommend this mouse for anyone who spends any time at all on a PC.

I got the Razor Diamondback a few months back and have been very pleased with it's performance. For gaming it's great, but I do not recommended it for everyday mousing around.

The resolution on the Diamondback was the selling point for me, and if that's something your interested in you will NOT be disappointed. It's really super sensitive and has improved my accuracy quite a bit. I do have a few gripes with it's design, but with 1600dpi that can be overlooked! Oh, it looks cool when the lights are out the chameleon green paint is a trip.

Design problems that I have noticed... Buttons squeak, button placement is not optimal, it's kinda small for people with big hands, programmable buttons take to much force to operate which can cause erratic mouse movement. If you have a second mouse to do your work with this makes a great gaming specific mouse, highly recommended.

I use this for playing and at work. I especially like that I can use it both right and left handed. On linux I just set 'xmodmap -e "pointer = 3 2 1 4 5 6 7" ' an it works just as well

I'm not a FPS gamer, just an RPG one.

I use the Razer Diamondback at home and a wireless laser mouse away from home, and I must say: I prefer the Diamondback. The tracking seems comparable to the laser mouse's, but I'm not an expert in these things. The Diamondback is just a very comfortable mouse to use for me. I haven't had any problems with drivers. I programmed a couple of the side buttons, but I don't find them conveniently located enough to use them regularly.

Also, the Razer Diamondback came with a nifty (though admittedly geeky) neoprene carrying case which is convenient for not only carrying one's mouse but also all the other small laptop paraphenalia (i.e. networking cable, earbuds, flash drives, etc.). There's even a belt loop on the back of it. Weirdly enough, I think my favorite thing about the mouse is actually the carrying case. Go figure.

I'm not sure whether they're always sold with the carrying case, though.

It is a decent mouse, I like the weight of it and cursor speed. However it gets shaky at times and gets really annoying when trying to click on a specific small point. For being a Razor mouse I did have higher expectations.

this doesnt have 2000dpi, which is fine. personally i've had absolutely no trouble dominating with this mouse. its highly accurate, and the buttons are in a more comfortable spot to click than the copperhead.

it has not broken since i've had it, which is over a year.

it glides very well. while i like the copperheads flow a little better, it still is not as good as this.

i found this mouse to be mostly comfortable. i say mostly since its too small for me. my hand is like 7"high x4" wide, so my ring finger, and pinky dangle from the mouse. i either have to tuck them down, which causes them to drag, or cup tthem and hold it like that. both get painful after an hour or so. probably shouldn't be playing that long anyhow. but if it fits your hand, this is a very good mouse.
i like it even more than my mx518.