Yes, your first thought is why would you even compare these two mice, to begin with, although this will be an indirect comparison, I’m not strictly aiming for it to be just, but rather what are the benefits of one over the other in terms of its purpose and what should be your pick.
The reason why I choose these two is believe it or not because they are equally priced, at 80$, which is not low, but also not among the highest, so it certainly needs additional attention in order to justify their long-term purchase. The second reason is that maybe you’re planning to get a bit more serious with you’re gaming, and you haven’t decided whether you should go for the MMO or your regular FPS type of gaming mice, with this new Razer Naga X and Razer Viper 8K being the perfect example.
So let’s try to answer that question, before that, let’s take a closer look at them they’re brand new mice models after all, and I haven’t checked them out yet in detail. Oh, yeah, these are wired ones, so finally a non-wireless mouse from Razer, last thing I checked was their Pro Click, which was also wireless.
Razer Naga X vs Viper 8K side by side
Right away you can notice the resemblance between the Naga X and the ongoing Naga Pro model, that specific bulky shape and design that these types of mice have, with a resting spot for your ring finger and a sloping contour. We have 12 numbered switches placed on the left side, and like this, it looks a bit cramped and disoriented, but with some practice, you’ll get used to it. With those and the other 6 switches on the top, that’s a total of 18 them. Obviously, because of this, it’s a right-handed only mouse. Despite having a lot of components Naga X is actually a really light mouse weighing in at only 85 grams, definitely a step up, or down depending how you look at it, from its predecessor Naga Trinity and even the more advanced Naga Pro. I say more advanced because the Naga X doesn’t have swappable side-panels, while it also has less capable 18.000 DPI Razer 5G optical sensor, while Naga Pro has a 20.000 DPI Focus+ optical sensor, but that’s understandable, it’s a 20$ more expensive mouse, after all, so they had to cut down some features.
Crossing over to the Viper 8K, what’s unique about this model, in particular, is that it’s one of the first gaming mice ever to have a polling rate, or report rate to say, of 8000 Hz, thus the name – Viper 8K. After basically reaching the point of diminishing returns when it comes to sensors technology in relation to the DPI and sensitivity, this is the next and a pretty big step that will also probably pull the other manufacturers into the same direction, lowering the input latency by a lot, although there are some concerns about how tangible this actually is, as it again touches the topic of that diminishing return, but more it later on.
In comparison to the Razer Naga X, the is an ambidextrous mouse, so yes, it’s also meant to be used by lefties, and you have a back and forward button on the right side of it too. Because of that, its shape is very simple looking, but they managed to spice it up a bit design-wise with some of these big separating angular creases, basically the same as the original Viper model. Another thing that makes it pop a bit more are these textured rubber sidewalls which also provide for better grip. The Viper 8K uses the aforementioned 20,000 DPI Focus+ optical sensor’s, while its switches are Razer’s 2gen Optical ones, which can also be found in the Naga X, and which are known for eliminating any potential multi-click issues because the switch is made. We have a total of 10 of them, all again customizable. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, before I continue, here’s how they sound. They both feel quite similar in terms of that, very direct, the Viper 8K does have a bit more play in the left and right clicks, while it also has a much firmer middle click and more distinct steeping of the scroll wheel.
Can Viper 8K polling rate be tangible?
On the bottom of both mice, you will find PTFE feet, and in the case of the Viper 8K, you’ll find a dedicated switch for going between different DPI levels, up to five, as well as a colored, LED right next to it exactly indicating which DPI stage are you using. Another thing that they also share is the SpeedFlex braided cable, which although the light is still not as loose as some of the paracord cables out there.
Of course, both of them can be controlled over Razer Synapse software, so you can set up your different profiles, DPI levels, customize switches and their macros, dial in the performance to your liking, play with the color scheme of the RGB lighting, and so on. I am a bit disappointed that with Naga X we don’t have the RGB LED-lit logo on the back, while the Viper 8K has it, but hey, your palm is covering it anyhow.
In terms of the performance of these mice, It’s honestly hard to pick-up differences between them, to me they performed equally well, but I’m far from a professional FPS or MMORPG gamers, so take that with a grain of salt. I did play a lot of DOTA and I do play Overwatch and Apex occasionally, so I have some references. What I’m trying to convey, at least in regards to what to expect between these two mice, you don’t have to worry if one is that much better than the other, because for the majority of people it will feel the same. They both feel very snappy and on point, no unwanted behavior, a low lift of distance, so all you need is a mouse like this. On the other hand, to take advantage of the 8000 Hz Hyperpoolling technology properly in the Viper 8K, at least to give you a better chance of perceiving the huge difference that this 8000 Hz pooling rate brings, and not to just be a placebo effect, you’ll definitely need a higher refresh rate monitor and a PC that could. There were few moments where I could potentially give it some credit, but again, it’s hard to put a finger on it with 100% certainty.
In terms of the ergonomics, MMO-style mice always have a bit more specific line tonality to them, you do need to have a certain taste for them so to speak, it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea that’s for sure. I found both of them to be very comfortable and ideal for my palm grip style of use, there was no strain in the long run, although the bump on the back on the Razer Naga X will not suit everyone, which is a common thing with MMO mice, and one thing to considering in general in that regard when it comes to them. Another thing to also consider as it has an inadvertent effect on the performance, is the way the mouse can be handled, moved around, and since the Naga X is a bit bulkier, it feels just a tad more sluggish, compared to the more streamlined Viper 8K and it’s 69 grams of weight.
So, MMO vs RPG mouse, which one is yours?
OK, now that this is behind us, which one should you actually go for?
Well, before all it depends on what games you’re playing, but most importantly in my opinion, what are your daily preferences when it comes to using that mouse besides gaming, are you a more practical macro type of person that tries to be as efficient as possible in your daily tasks, or you don’t care about that at all. Either way, in that regard the Naga X seems to offer more while also covering the basics in terms of the gaming, and even more than that taking into consideration it’s up there with its performance. What does the Viper 8K have is on paper superior performance, a bit better sensor, and a much higher polling rate, although that second one has a questionable use case for most of us, it definitely has a more user-friendly shape and layout which is appreciated by a lot of users.
And that pretty much sums it all up between these two types of mice, things you have to have in mind when deciding what to go for based on your needs. I’m personally a fan of MMO style of mice, I had a G602 for a long time, always loved the practicality of it, especially as a content creator, although I do think Razer went a bit overboard with the Naga series in terms of the amount switches on the side, that’s its signature since way back.
That’s it for this time, thanks for checking out my MMO vs RPG mouse comparison if you have any question feel free to hit me in the comments section of my YouTube video listed above, you can contact me via my social media channels!
