ELITE GEAR: Razer Ouroboros

The mouse features a dual-sensor system, which pairs a laser sensor with an optical sensor, providing 8200dpi sensitivity and uninterrupted tracking on almost any surface, and even when lifted slightly. Tracking at speeds up to 200 inches per second, with a 1,000Hz polling rate, the Ouroboros is extremely accurate, no matter how intense your gaming sessions get.

The mouse actually features an on-board 32-bit ARM processor, which allows the mouse to offer a crazy-fast 1ms response time while also managing the high-resolution sensor calibration. The Ouroboros doubles up on the connectivity options, letting you plug in with USB 2.0 for a solid wired connection, or switch to wireless, with wireless base station that plugs in and provides a stand for charging the mouse when not in use. It's quite similar to the stand used by the Star Wars: The Old Republic Gaming Mouse by Razer. In wireless mode, the Ouroboros powers off of a single rechargeable AA battery (included) which should offer up to 12 hours of intense gaming time when fully charged.

But there's a lot going on with this mouse beyond the technology inside. The Ouroboros has a modular design that offers all sorts of physical adjustment and customization, taking on the likes of the Mad Catz M.O.U.S. 9. The back end of the mouse is an adjustable length palmrest, which can be extended almost a full inch, letting you adjust the mouse to the size of your hand. Adjusting the module is a bit of a pain; you need to loosen (but not remove) two tiny screws, pull the sliding module to the desired position, and then retighten the screws. The palmrest also can be adjusted to different angles, this time with a knob that raises or lowers the back end of the palmrest.

Included with the mouse are four magnetic side panels that can be easily attached to the sides of the mouse. The mouse is ambidextrous, and with the use of the detachable side panels--two thumb grip panels and two finger rest panels—you can tweak the grip and shape of the mouse to your liking. The one adjustment that seemed to be missing was weight. Many high-end gaming mice offer modular weight systems so that you can adjust the weight and balance of the mouse, but the Ouroboros does not, probably because all of the internal hardware left no room for it.

Last but not least, you can also program the Oroboros through Razer Synapse 2.0, Razer's proprietary cloud-connected customization dashboard. This tool lets you tweak button assignments, assign macros, and even set up separate profiles for different types of games. Because it's cloud-connected, you can then easily use your Ouroboros mouse on any PC that has Synapse installed, and all of your presets go with you. Additionally, you can also pair the mouse with other Razer peripherals (like keyboards or gaming keypads) and even switch mice without losing your settings and profiles.

Performance
Gaming mice are designed for use in gaming, so game testing makes up an important part of our evaluation process. I tested the Ouroboros in several games, including Team Fortress 2, DC Universe Online, and the demo for the currently-in-development game Superhot. Whether I was fragging some friends, super-punching aliens, or dodging bullets like Neo from the Matrix, the Ouroboros functioned perfectly.

My biggest worry for the modular mouse was that functions like DPI switching would get lost among all of the moving parts and angular edges. This wasn't the case, and I was able to smoothly and easily ramp up the mouse sensitivity when I needed it, and dial it down for precision actions like sniping. My other major concern was that the detachable side panels and adjustable palmrest might come loose or prove distracting. The side panels attach with powerful magnetic latches, so that was no problem at all, while the palmrest is also solid, requiring two hands and (sometimes) a screwdriver to adjust it.

Last, but not least, performance also stayed consistent whether I used the wired connection or wireless. This wireless feature is especially important to anyone using the mouse with a PC set up in their living room connected to a TV. The wireless signal gives you more than enough range to sit on a couch while gaming on a TV across the room. Additionally, the gaming-grade wireless connection never gave me any issues with lag or interference.

Ultimately, the Ouroboros is only dragged down by the fact that there's so much going on, which will appeal to gamers who love to endlessly tweak their rig and equipment, but won't do much for the gamer that doesn't want to spend precious free time setting things up. Then there's the price. With a list price of RM430.00, the Ouroboros is even more expensive than other premium competitors.

Pros

• Standout design.
• Customisable ergonomics.
• A button lover’s dream with nine mouse buttons.
• Nice, weighty feel to the mouse.
• Wired or unwired usage supported.

Cons

• Premium pricetag, but not much else.
• Only comes in Razer Green.
• Intermittent tracking issues.
• Vague scroll wheel.
• Needs even more adjustments.