(Credit: Razer)
When it was first released in 2014, the Razer Naga gaming mouse had a left-handed variant, but it was soon discontinued due to low sales. Now, 10 years later, the left-handed version of this mouse—whose many customizable buttons make it ideal for MMO games—is available for sale once again, just in time for Left Handers Day.
It's a welcome homecoming for left-handed gamers frustrated by the sea of right-hand-only gaming mice, but it might not stick around for long.
Like most high-end gaming mice, the Naga has evolved through multiple generations. We last tested the V2 Pro variant, praising its design and functionality. The main sticking point for lefties, though, is that it has a side keypad with 12 programmable buttons. Given that those buttons are on the mouse's left side, it's only comfortable for right-handed users, who can hit the side buttons with their thumbs.
Indeed, left-handed gamers often get the short end of the stick when it comes to PC gaming. While standard computer mice are considered ambidextrous, gaming mice take some getting used to for left-handed individuals as they have side buttons meant to be pressed with a thumb. As most people on the planet are right-handed, these mice commonly have these side buttons on the left side of their housing, as most variants of the Naga do.
Just 10% of people worldwide are left-handed, according to the Max Plank Institute for Psycholinguistics. While uncommon, the trait isn’t learned and appears to be innate, showing up in babies who suck the thumb of their predominant hand after 15 weeks.
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Here at PCMag, we have done our best to review as many left-handed-friendly mice as possible. We also note when an otherwise excellent mouse is unsuited for lefties. And we know that lefties and leftie gamers, in particular, are vocal about their needs.
"The community actually reached out to us,” Jeffrey Chau, global esports director for Razer, told PCMag. According to Chau, Razer was shocked at the number of left-handed users who swore by the Naga for more than just gaming.
“They use it for all types of applications,” said Chau on finding a Facebook group dedicated to the left-handed Razer Naga, “not just for gaming but for productivity and work, especially for people with limited access to their right hand.”
Chau, whose twin brother is left-handed, mentioned how left-handed individuals in the company were passionate about bringing back the Naga. While the company has no future plans at the moment to rerelease other left-handed peripherals, it does offer other products with accessibility features, like the Razer Sensa, which uses haptic feedback to relay directional information. And like most of its competitors, Razer also offers symmetrical computer mice, which can work for both right-handers and southpaws.
Razer previously resumed sales of the left-handed Naga in 2020 for $99.99. At the time, CEO Min-Liang Tan noted that high R&D and production costs coupled with low sales volumes could sink it. This time, the left-handed Naga is only $79.99, making it more affordable but also potentially increasing the likelihood that production won't stick around for long.