Razer Imperator Mouse Reviews

Manufacturer: Razer Imperator Mouse

UK price (as reviewed): £54.99 (inc. VAT)
US price (as reviewed): $67.84 (exc. Tax)
Preferred Partner Price: £52.92 (inc VAT)

The Imperator is the latest mouse from peripheral maestros Razer, joining the likes of the DeathAdder andCopperhead in what is already an impressive stable of gaming mice. The poisonous snake naming strategy has come to an end though with the Imperator taking the spot of Razer’s new top end wired point and click frag dealer.

Razer Imperator Mouse
Click to enlarge

While there's plenty of impressive tech within the Imperator to optimise sensitivity, this mouse is all about customisation options, both in Razer’s control software and the physical setup of the mouse itself. The standout feature is the ability to physically reposition the two side buttons, so often misplaced for those with differing mouse grips, via a slider on the underside. Combined with the contours of the mouse this makes the Imperator comfortable to use whether you hold your mouse in your palm or with your finger tips. The design is for right handers only though, so southpaws need not apply. 

Razer has spared none of the high sensitivity finery with the Imperator and the 5,600dpi Laser sensor and 1,000Hz poll rate make this mouse one of the most sensitive and responsive on the market. Not everyone likes their mouse twitchier than a strung out caffeine addict though, and thankfully Razer’s software allows for a huge array of customisation. Any of the mouse’s seven buttons can used to switch the mouse between five adjustable sensitivity settings, and while there’s no visual indicator on the mouse itself, you can enable a pop-up display overlay on your screen instead to keep track of the Imperator’s current sensitivity. There’s also the option to remap any of the buttons on the mouse to any key on the keyboard, should your games not allow you to. Even the mouse’s blue scroll wheel and logo lighting can be adjusted or switched off.

Click to enlarge - Between the adjustable side buttons and software, there's a huge amount of customisation options to play with.

While there’s no user configurable weight system, as found in many gaming mice (a feature we've always found rather superfluous anyway), the Imperator was a dream to use when gaming. Three Teflon feet ensured a smooth glide on any mouse mat you care to use and the on-the-fly sensitivity adjustment came in very handy in games like Battlefield: Bad Company 2, where different vehicles require wildly different degrees of control.

Specifications

Connection

 2.1m wired (braided)

Material

 plastic

Buttons

 7, scroll wheel

Sensitivity

 100-5,600dpi, 1000Hz polling

Extras

 On the fly sensitivity adjust, adjustable side buttons

Conclusion Razer Imperator Mouse

There’s a hell of a lot to like about the Imperator and Razer Imperator Mouse swiftly become one of our favourite gaming mice. The comfortable and customisable grip will suit most right-handed gamers, with the adjustable side buttons particularly welcome.

The configuration options are superb too, allowing you to tailor almost everything about the Razer Imperator Mouse sensitivity and operation to suit; all it lacks is the adjustable scroll wheel resistance of the luxury Razer Mamba. Combined with a great gaming experience thanks to the accurate sensor and smooth Teflon feet our only quibble is the price tag.

At £55 the Imperator is over £10 more expensive than the Logitech G500, which is just as comfortable and capable when gaming. However, the extra customisation options mean that this a great Razer Imperator Mouse that would be at home on any gamers’ desk. As long as they’re right handed that is.

Razer Imperator Mouse