Well-built and hefty, but let down by a high
price and awkward shape
Razer is one of the most prolific
peripheral manufacturers around; it has a gaming mouse, headset or keyboard for
just about every single type of game, play style and budget. Even so, it always
seemed to neglect a small but significant portion of the population - lefties.
Razer Taipan
In fact, even the special left-handed
edition of the Death Adder was released well after the right-handed version.
However, in a bid to appeal to everyone, Razer has recently released the
ambidextrous Taipan and, with a price tag of $121, it has a lot to prove.
Not that you'd immediately think 'Razer'
when looking at the Taipan; its low-slung, streamlined shape is worlds away
from the bulbous, curvaceous look that generally typifies Razer rodents.
Thankfully, the excellent build quality for which the company has become known
remains intact, and this makes the mouse feel very sturdy and robust; you won't
hear any rattles or squeaks from ill-fitting parts.
We were also impressed by the Taipan's
weight; despite being a smaller mouse, it still feels reassuringly hefty. The
majority of this weight is located low in the chassis too, giving the tracking
of the mouse a direct feel.
Unfortunately, our optimism was short-lived
-actually using the Taipan for a prolonged period of time revealed it to be
just a little too small for our average-sized mitts. The issue is the low
profile of the mouse, as this means there's very little room on either side for
fingers. This left our ring finger and little finger desperately fighting for
the same tiny patch of rubberized plastic like a pair of kids squabbling over
the best seat on the bus.
As you'd expect, the Taipan also has a downloadable software suite that enables
you to tweak everything from the lighting to the sensitivity settings
This is a shame, as the mouse is otherwise
a pleasure to use. The main buttons have a pleasing crunch when pressed, and
the scroll wheel is very solid, with well-defined scroll points. The side
buttons are also conveniently located, although the aforementioned height issue
can make buttons on the opposite side of your thumb a little tricky to find.
As you'd expect, the Taipan also has a
downloadable software suite that enables you to tweak everything from the
lighting to the sensitivity settings. The sensitivity goes up to 8,200dpi, and
the mouse is fitted with both optical and laser sensors, although we generally
find anything above 3,000dpi is overkill anyway. Intriguingly, though, your
settings are saved remotely on Razer's servers, meaning that you can use them
with any Taipan mouse anywhere in the world.
This is a snazzy idea, but necessitates the
need to create a login and username, which some people may find slightly over bearing.
The main buttons have a pleasing crunch
when pressed, and the scroll wheel is very solid, with well-defined scroll
points
Conclusion
The Taipan is solidly built and feels
satisfyingly weighty, but its shape and size make it awkward to use for anyone
without elf-like digits, and the price is ludicrous for what's on offer. If
you're after an ambidextrous mouse, save yourself $64.55 and plump for the
Steel Series Kana instead.
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Details
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Solid snake:
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Well built; satisfying weight
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Trouser snake:
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Ludicrous price; awkward shape
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Price
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$121
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Supplier:
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www.scan.co.uk
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Manufacturer:
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www razerzone.com
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SKU number:
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RZ01-00780100-R3U1
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Connection:
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Wired (braided)
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Material:
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Plastic
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Sensor:
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Laser and optical
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Buttons:
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6, scroll wheel (with rocking)
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Form factor:
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Ambidextrous
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Sensitivity:
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Up to 8,200dpi
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Weight:
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132g
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Extras:
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None
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