Tech Olive

Welcome to the first month of our 12-month Razer Mamba testing cycle.

To anyone that has purchased a Razer product, they will know that Razer is one of the best companies at presenting their products. When you unpack your new Razer mouse, you get a true feeling that it’s something special; high quality and well worth the cost, but for some gamers (those that are budget-conscious), there will always be that nagging thought of how much of the Mamba’s $130 retail sticker goes towards the impressive, but ultimately frivolous packaging?

I understand that it’s all about presentation and allure in the sales world, and when you’re selling a high quality product, you want to make the customer feel pampered and give them luxuries making it seem like that large chunk of money they paid really bought them something special, but would this mouse be more accessible to the budget gaming public if it were packaged in a standard enclosure instead of a display case with drawers? Perhaps it wouldn’t be as iconic of a mouse though? Sure, it would still be the same mouse when it came down to it, but would the Mamba be the same in our minds? Not all of Razer’s mice feature such extravagant packaging with drawers and compartments, and that just pushes the point further that the Mamba is truly one of the best that any company has to offer. It may not justify the needless design choices that, in turn, demand the higher price, but I’ve found that the Mamba’s packaging and features match what one would expect from such a high-end gaming mouse.

MAMBA QUALITY UPDATE:

During the first two weeks of use, the Mamba developed a frequent squeak and a little plastic-on-plastic friction when the left mouse button was pressed. It’s nothing that would impact gaming negatively, but this is a huge quality issue on a premiere gaming mouse that’s less than a month old. After some research, I found this is to be a common issue with the Mamba. For a $130 mouse, I would expect a little better design or at least a new generation/altered design that would have fixed this issue for future gamers.

After contacting Razer, I was assured that, assuming the mouse was still under warranty, they would gladly replace or repair the mouse for free, as per their warranty terms. They assured me that they are actively working to improve all their products’ designs by fixing any and all design flaws (like this squeaking issue) that are found by the gaming public or in their testing procedures.

“At Razer, we are absolutely dedicated to giving our gamers the competitive edge each and every time, so we take all issues and complaints seriously.”

So, there you have it. If you have any issues whatsoever with your Razer product, let them know about it because they can’t improve their products without your input, good or bad.

Tune into for our Razer article next month for a grueling Razer Mamba battery endurance test. Will the Mamba live up to its 16-hour advertized battery life?