TechRadar Verdict
If you're looking for a small, wireless gaming mouse then the Razer Orochi V2 looks to be a compelling choice. A lack of RGB might put off some gamers, but with customizable faceplates, long battery life, and sharp clicks more than make up for it.
Pros
- +
Battery and connectivity options
- +
Fast 18,000 DPI sensor
- +
Customizable designs
Cons
- -
Unsuitable for larger hands
- -
Awkward without grip tape
- -
Expensive for what you get
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Two minute review
The Razer Orochi V2 is a petite mouse that offers some interesting features for both the gaming community and those looking to jazz up their workspace a little.
You can buy the Razer Orochi V2 from $69.99 / £69.99 / AU$114.95, with an optional extra of the Razer Universal Grip tape suggested on the page to 'enhance your experience', and from our own testing we would recommend that you consider doing so, especially if you're used to gaming mice with some form of textured surface.
Its design supposedly accommodates all of the common mouse grip styles despite its small size, though if you have larger-than-average hands then you might run into a few issues. Our reviewer has average-sized female hands and found that the size of the Orochi V2 was easy to switch between fingertip, claw and palm grip styles. While you can use the mouse without any grip tape, we found that our grip didn't feel as secure after a few hours, and adding grip tape to the product immediately solved the issue.
You're getting around the same hand real estate as another offering from Razer, the DeathAdder V2 Mini, so this isn't an unreasonably small mouse by any means, but it has clearly been optimized to be as lightweight as possible, without going for a more 'gamerish' honeycomb design as seen on the Cooler Master MM710.
The shape is also comfortably ergonomic if you have the hands to accommodate its size, and we found that after a week of testing prolonged use didn't cause any cramps or aches. There are six buttons on the mouse, the standard left and right-click, two buttons on the right-hand side panel, a thumb wheel, and a DPI cycle in the center column. All of these are well placed and comfortable to reach, though the right-hand orientation will likely be disappointing for any lefties.
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One of its most advertised features is the ability to order it (for a small additional fee) with a custom printed chassis with a wide array of designs to choose from, though If you don't want anything fancy then the standard Orochi V2 mouse comes available in either black or white.
This obviously doesn't have any bearing on the performance of the mouse itself, but where many modern gaming peripherals include LED or RGB lighting, the Orochi V2 doesn't include anything on the original versions that isn't beneficial, likely opting to not include them as a weight-saving measure.
As a result, the mouse weighs in at just 2.11oz / 60g (not including batteries) which is hugely beneficial to anyone playing FPS titles like Call of Duty: Warzone, especially given the lack of wires you need to contend with. You have two options for connectivity, standard Bluetooth wireless and a 2.4GHz dongle. While the Bluetooth connection is fine and a nice inclusion for anyone needing a mouse for devices that lack a USB-A port, you'll want to stick to using to the dongle for any competitive games as it provides a more stable signal.
You can find the dongle and battery slots by removing the top chassis panel, something that came off easily and was a cinch to place back together. Under the hood you'll notice that you can use either AA or AAA batteries with the Orochi V2, but only one type can be used at a time, the idea being that users who need longer battery life can opt to use a chunkier AA battery, while those saving precious grams can instead opt for the slimmer AAA power option. The chassis panel is also sturdy and doesn't pop off if you throw the mouse into a bag, so there is little risk of finding loose batteries rolling around.
Razer claims the Orochi V2 can run for 450 hours with AA batteries using a dongle connection or 950 hours with a Bluetooth connection, though this drops to 42 hours over 2.4 and 317 hours on Bluetooth when using a AAA battery. There is also no way to read battery life on the mouse itself, though Razer Synapse will give you a five-step reading that will let you know if your power is half drained or near empty.
The size and weight make it very easy to glide across your desk at speed, which makes it a good choice for Esports players, particularly now that in-person events should be making a comeback. While it likely won't be many professional players main mouse of choice, its portability and connectivity options make it a great option for anyone looking for one mouse that can do everything – you can hook it up to your work device via Bluetooth and be game-ready in a pinch on another laptop via the dongle.
And the senor used in the Orochi V2 is certainly better than what you'd typically get in a 'travel-friendly' mouse, tracking at up to 18,000 DPI. The mouse is also equipped with Razer’s 2nd-gen mechanical switches, which are apparently rated for a 60 million click lifecycle. We never found the mouse to be unresponsive and the latency remained consistently low throughout weeks of use and across a wide variety of games.
In short, this is a great mouse – especially for anyone who hates wires during gameplay and wants customization options for grip, design and connectivity, though we find the price is a little steep considering the minimal gaming-optimized features and the compact size could prove problematic for anyone with larger-than-average hands.
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
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