Razer Viper Mini Review – The Best Small Gaming Mouse

Razer continues to dominate in 2020 with their back to back release of awesome peripherals. It started with the Huntsman 2 TE, then we got the Razer Viper, the Viper Ultimate, and now the Razer Viper Mini mouse is everything I expected the mini Viper version to be.

What makes it even more attractive is its appetizing and almost unbelievably low price of $39 USD. This is half the price of the original Viper and it’s one of the cheapest Razer products. Heck, it’s even cheaper than their RGB mouse mats.

Now the standout feature on all the Viper mice is the body. They manage to deliver a good quality feel and lightweight frame, but without introducing cutouts or holes in the shell, something that is very common among the other super lightweight options. However, the Razer is lagging behind on colour variations as Vipers are only available in black.

Now let’s go over who this mouse is for and how it compares against the small and lightweight competition like the Glorious model O- and the Cooler Master MM711/MM710. It has to be said that if Razer continues with this momentum in the peripheral space they are going to dominate the mouse market, and I hope that they focus on their audio products next.

Let’s get all the data on the table: The Razer Viper Mini is a 61 gram mouse, the lightest in the Viper collection and really close to the Model O- (58 grams) and the MM711 (60 grams) both of which costs a bit more. Shape wise it’s a mini Viper but with several physical changes to cut on the cost, like the non-textured sides. The entire exterior has the same feel, which might actually be a good thing as side grips over time can peel. SteelSeries mice are particularly bad in this regard.

The illuminated logo is no longer hidden behind the surface, but that’s not really a drawback. We also have a new bottom-firing LED strip that looks quite good. The DPI button is now behind the scroll wheel instead of the bottom, and the sensor is a Pixart 3359 with DPI settings up to 8,500 instead of 16,000 on the more expensive Vipers. Despite the low price all the basics are covered including build quality. It’s a very light and plastic frame, but it doesn’t creak. My only complaint are the glossy crevices in the center of the shell that collect junk and are not very easy to clean.

The cable is quite soft and flexible, very similar to the MM711 which is currently my favorite cable. And finally the mouse feet are large 100% PTFE giving us extremely smooth glide, but they are not interchangeable with the custom feet from the original Viper.

For $39 the Razer Viper Mini is a no-brainer if this thing fits your style and hand size. For reference, here’s my hand next to the mouse. This particular small shape and weight is not going to be for everyone because the long and skinny body is actually quite difficult to control with large hands like mine. That’s why I feel that both the Viper Mini and the Glorious O- are not for me, they are simply too skinny. For example, I often activate the right mouse button with my ring finger because the mouse isn’t wide enough for me. However, for smaller hands this is a nice shape for either claw or a fingertip grip, and I see no reason to choose the more expensive Model O- unless you want the honeycomb shell and the extra colour options.

The scroll wheel is excellent, with tactile steps, and a light middle click. It has comfy grooves on the primary switches – which are optical to avoid double-clicking – and these switches are rated at 50 million clicks. The side buttons are only on the left side and they don’t protrude much but click nicely. Another drawback with the Viper Mini is that we no longer have the browser buttons on the right side, as we did with the Viper and the Viper ultimate.

Given my inability to properly grab this mouse as well as I do the larger Viper and Viper ultimate, I wasn’t fully comfortable with control and aim correction. Nevertheless, game performance was excellent even though the sensor is lower-tier versus the original Viper. It is absolutely good enough for anything you throw at it. One strange thing I did notice was it just felt too light. Comparatively I have no problem using the MM710 that is much lighter at 53 grams, but because it fits my hand perfectly I don’t really find its lightweight nature to be an issue.

As for Razer synapse, it’s all the same, with five DPI profiles and colour effects, plus surface calibration that does help with lift off distance. The last thing I will say about the Viper Mini is that I love its price. At $39 it is the cheapest small and light mouse that is currently available, and that coming from Razer is somewhat shocking. I mean what it almost makes the original Viper feel overpriced. If the Viper Mini suits your style, I say go for it, but don’t discount the Cooler Master MM711 or the MM710. Their wider shape and the slightly shorter body does give me an advantage in game. I can better hold the mouse and have a lot more control versus something that is so skinny like the Viper Mini or the Model 0-.

I’m sure many of you are patiently waiting for the Viper Mini Ultimate, the wireless iteration that will 100% compliment the whole Viper collection. But for right now, at $39 USD if you are looking for light and small mouse this is 100% recommended. Is this new Viper Mini appealing to you? I think it’s going to be quite popular!