Hands On with Razer's New Deathadder V4 Pro

Razer’s brand-new Deathadder V4 Pro is purpose-built with esports pros in mind. Improved latency reduction, stronger wireless connections, and an absolutely massive 8K polling rate make this a potent mouse, and one that I just had to get my hands on.

Photo: Jacob Bobo 

Now, am I good enough at any game for the 8K polling rate to make an appreciable difference in my gameplay? No, but that didn’t detract from a stable, solid mouse that’s an easy recommendation for most gamers, with the potential to be perfect for anyone with the skills to make the most of it.

The 8K Polling Rate

The biggest leap between generations comes in the form of the all-new Razer Hyperspeed Wireless Gen-2. This upgrade has some incredible benefits, like reducing latency by 37% and an absolutely massive true 8K polling rate. 

Polling rate is important for mice, but it’s often a bit misunderstood. Polling rate is the number of times a second, expressed in Hz, that a mouse sends data back to the computer. The average polling rate sits between 125Hz and 1,000Hz, depending on the user and task. An 8K polling rate sends data back eight thousand times a second. 

Photo: Jacob Bobo 

Most users won’t be able to feel  a polling rate that high -- though the rest of the mouse makes it very worthwhile regardless -- but hardcore esports gamers and pros will see the most benefit, as those high-ranked lobbies often come down to a battle of milliseconds. 

The New Wireless Dongle

The most visible change is the inclusion of the uniquely-shaped half-orb dongle which serves as both a subtle info-at-a-glance tool as well as houses the receiver. 

That info-at-a-glace system is powered by three customizable lights. You can individually select what each light represents, like battery life, polling rate, and connection status. If you suddenly feel like your mouse is slowing down mid-match, there’s no need to open the full Razer Synapse app, just look for the red light indicating low battery or weak connection status and adjust accordingly.

The puck also hides a larger antenna, making the connection more stable than ever before. In my time, I cracked into Ultrakill, my go-to for high-intensity testing, and Overwatch 2, a more laid back (for me) but still esports-focused environment. I never ran into any issues and my gameplay felt smooth and breezy with no stuttering or desync issues, which is just as crucial for hitting those Junker Queen knives as it is for those sweet ULTRARICCOCHETs.

I was a little worried that the puck would stand out on my desk, as it needs to be visible for the info-at-a-glace system, but the sleek design and weighted base keep it firmly held down without being distracting.

Design and Hardware

The Deathadder V4 will look familiar to anyone experienced  with the Razer line of mice, but some small tweaks have helped shave off a few more grams of weight. The white model I tested weighs only 57g, but the black model is even lighter at only 56g. I assume this is due to a difference in paint densities, as they are otherwise identical.

Like its forebearers, the V4 is incredibly comfortable. It cradles the hand in the way that only Razer mice do, and will feel like an upgraded return home for anyone familiar with the V3. Personally, I found the smooth-touch finish that’s new to the V4 a bit too smooth. I never fully lost my grip on the mouse, but I struggled to trust that It wasn’t going to slip out of my palm. However, the included grip stickers quickly and easily fixed that. 

Photo: Jacob Bobo 

Inside the V4, Razer went all out with high-quality components. The scroll wheel uses the same texture as the included grip stickers (fantastic for textural uniformity), and also makes use of lasers instead of moving parts to register movement of the wheel.  This allows for greater precision in scrolling and fewer mechanical parts to fail or miss an input. The buttons feature similar technology, with  fourth-gen Razer optical mouse switches, rated for 100 million clicks. Both of these felt snappy and responsive whether I was practicing my aim in training or frantically mashing buttons to stay alive for a few moments longer. 

While the Deathadder V4 Pro may be designed for esports pros and competitors, a solid design and wide feature set make it an easy recommendation for any gamer. If you’re looking to pick up your own Razer Deathadder V4 Pro, or any other mouse, stop by your local Micro Center. Our knowledgeable staff will be more than happy to help you find the perfect mouse for your gaming needs.