HARDWARE REVIEW

Razer Abyssus Essential Gaming Mouse Review

by Luke Walsh, April 26th, 2018

Razer announced today the release of their final part of the set which is aimed at gamers looking to get “gaming gear” without breaking the bank spending hundreds and hundreds of pounds on a mouse, keyboard and headset combo. We reviewed the Razer Abyssus Essential in the lead up to today, a mouse that is a no-fuss budget device which still keeps true to the build quality you’d expect from Razer.

For £49.99 the Abyssus is an ambidextrous mouse which is great to be able to be used by both left and right-handed gamers. It reminded me of the days when I first stumbled across Razer back in 2008 purchasing my Lachesis, and just like my first gaming mouse, Razer’s latest is a solid experience and ideal for new gamers or those looking to upgrade into something that just does the job.

It’s basically a follow on from the previous device the Abyssus V2 but taking up the mantle of the cheapest of the Chroma range. There are mice on the market for less than the £50 asking price but not at the same level of quality Razer packs into their sensors, the 7200 DPI optical sensor is no different.

In terms of design, the usual affair of matte black plastic and typical buttons to left click, right click and a scroll wheel. Interestingly, this is the first mouse which I have used in a while that does not have any side buttons or dedicated DPI controls on it. Controlling DPI on the mouse is something I very rarely do anyway, minus jumping in Battlefield between assault and the sniper class.

Side buttons, however, is where I struggled more as they are quite easily the most useful for gaming to throw grenades, reload, use ultimates or just forward and back on Chrome. Logically thinking, additional buttons mean cost, keeping costs down means cutting unnecessary parts and the priority being keeping a decent sensor. The logic I can understand and someone coming down from a £100+ mouse it was an adjustment, but if it’s your first gaming device the important parts are where the money is.

Cost-cutting aside though, the mouse did feel a little too slippery, mainly down to the lack of rubberised grip or coating on any of the mouse. It’s something that does make a big difference to the ergonomics of the Abyssus and how you use it depending on how the grip is. Especially if you are a claw grip style holder as opposed to a palm gripper. I’d have rather paid £5 more and got the additional textured support for my fingers, more so, when there are no buttons on the sides. Compare it to the Abyssus V2 as well, that had rubberised grips it makes sense to follow through on the successor.

It’s not helped further by it being quite small, even when compared to the Lancehead that is on the smaller side, the Abyssus Essential is smaller still measuring 114mm L, 37mm H and 63mm D. If you’ve got large hands then it might not be the most comfortable to use for long periods. On the plus side though, due to it being a smaller device, it does make it a great tournament mouse or an on the go companion for your laptop. It could’ve just been just a tiny bit bigger but is still comfortable to use, giant hands not permitting.

Ultimately though, in-game is where it matters and the Abyssus Essential nails it when it comes to the sensor (where most the money has gone). Admittedly, it took some getting used to the size and lack of additional buttons but after a short period, I was back to my almost normal performance in Battlefield, Overwatch and Fortnight. With the 7200DPI sensor, it should be enough for most gamers outside of the hardcore scene as those who rarely probably touch the DPI once it has been set.

With full support from Synapse, you can control the mouse is a very similar way to all the others, setting DPI levels in 5 different groups, changing the colour of the chroma lighting underneath (which looks so sexy) and setting up additional functions through HyperShift. Although you can get the DPI switching to work with HyperShift, it is a little weird to be given the option without a dedicated set of buttons for it. Going back to the Chroma though, on an entry-line mouse the lighting is fantastic, it’s powerful, you can change the colours and still has all the effects you’d find on any Razer device.

Overall though, Razer have planned to design an entry line for new gamers or those not looking to spend an absolute fortune. The entire Essentials range is not aimed at getting every function and every gimmick under the sun. For £50 you get a decent performing mouse thanks to the sensor packed inside a no-fuss device that’s ambidextrous.

It’s not perfect and you might get “more” extras with others on the market but if you want to own Razer gear, want the Razer touch and look to own a full set of their line, the Abyssus Essential and the rest collection is well worth a look. It reminded me of the early day Lachesis and that is never a bad thing because I loved that mouse.