Pros & Cons
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- Incredibly lightweight
- Improved sensor with 45,000dpi resolution
- Upgraded HyperPolling dongle
- Plenty of new and useful game-improving functionality
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- New switches are noisy, with an unpleasing hollow sound
Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro Specs
| Hand Orientation | Right-Handed |
| Interface | 2.4GHz Wireless |
| Interface | USB Wired |
| Number of Buttons | 5 |
| Power Source | Internal Battery |
| Sensor Maker and Model | Razer Focus Pro 45K Optical Sensor |
| Sensor Maximum Resolution | 45000 |
| Warranty (Parts and Labor) | 2 |
| Weight | 2 |
When we first heard that Razer was updating the venerable DeathAdder esports mouse, we expected an iterative change. But the company has proven us wrong, instead updating every aspect of the mouse. From its new ultra-high-resolution sensor and improved optical switches to its redesigned wireless dongle, the Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro ($169) is one of the best esports mice Razer has released, and it earns our latest Editors' Choice award for that category of mouse.
Design: New Features in a Familiar Frame
The DeathAdder line of mice has long been associated with esports gaming, and for good reason. Their excellent ergonomics, lightweight bodies, and high-powered sensors are second to none, making them an easy recommendation for both casual and hard-core players who can stomach high prices.
The DeathAdder V4 Pro maintains a familiar body and shape. Available in white or black, the mouse measures 1.7 by 2.7 by 5 inches (HWD) and weighs just 2 ounces. These measurements are nearly identical to the DeathAdder V3 Pro, while the DeathAdder V3 HyperSpeed is just a hair smaller. You won't find RGB lighting on the V3 Pro, a contrast to the glowy devices Razer is known for, but it’s an unnecessary addition to a mouse that’s all about performance.
In hand, the mouse feels weightless. Lightweight mice like the DeathAdder are ideal for gamers who prefer first-person shooters. The DeathAdder V4 Pro fits well in my hand, and it’s perfect for a palm grip style. Two buttons line the left side of the mouse, and a Power/DPI switch is tucked away on the mouse’s belly. A textured scroll wheel sits between the two left and right clickers.
The internal components of an esports mouse are just as important as its physical characteristics, and the DeathAdder V4 Pro has far more going on under the surface than previous Razer mice. In short, the DeathAdder V4 Pro has fully upgraded switches, a higher-resolution sensor, and a better scroll wheel compared with what its predecessors offer.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)For starters, Razer has equipped the DeathAdder V4 Pro with new Gen-4 optical switches, which offer a 12% lighter actuation force and virtually eliminate debounce delay, according to the company. Debounce in a mouse refers to the short window of time after a button press. Lower debounce times prevent accidental double clicks or multiple inputs from a single press, one of the many benefits of moving away from mechanical switches. Optical switches are not new to the DeathAdder V4 Pro, as we've seen them in older mice like the Logitech G502X Plus, but Razer's latest represents an improvement over what we've seen from previous mice in Razer's catalog.
As nice as the lighter actuation force may be, the clicks felt very hollow and somewhat loud in testing, more so than the Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K and Logitech MX Master 3S I use all the time. It is perhaps a minor nitpick, but I do appreciate a satisfying button press—it's the reason I choose mechanical keyboards like the Razer BlackWidow V4 75% Pro for both my writing and gaming needs.
The new optical scroll wheel is a Razer first. Without physical contact points, the scroll wheel’s lifecycle, according to Razer, is 3.3 times longer. The new design also eliminates ghost scrolls and reverse inputs. For those who use the scroll wheel to cycle through weapons or item screens, or even just scroll through pages on the internet, the improvements are immediately apparent.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)The mouse’s optical sensor also enjoys an update. The new Focus Pro 45K optical sensor is Razer’s most advanced sensor to date. It cranks up the resolution to 45,000 dpi, which makes this one of the most sensitive mice on the market. It outpaces other Razer mice like the Basilisk 35K and esports mice from competitors, like the ROG Harpe Ace Mini and ROG Keris II Ace from Asus, which both tap out at 42,000dpi.
The new sensor also allows for some new functionality. Dynamic Sensitivity is perhaps the most useful. Rather than sticking to one DPI setting, you can use this feature to essentially have two DPI settings active simultaneously for different use cases. For example, you might want to use a lower DPI setting when aiming but a faster DPI when turning. Dynamic Sensitivity allows you to go from low to high sensitivity automatically, based on your hand speed and curve profile choice.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)In testing, whether I was playing Peak or Marvel Rivals, the mouse felt great in my hand. It is a great deal lighter than the Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K that I use for normal play, so even though I didn't crank the sensitivity up to insane levels, I could still benefit greatly from how much swifter my movements were.
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However, the lack of extra buttons means that it’s not a great pick for MMO gamers or others who like to tweak their mice with tons of options assigned to different buttons. Razer somewhat offsets this lack of physical buttons with the inclusion of Hypershift, which lets you assign secondary functions to the mouse's buttons.
Wireless Connectivity: Now With Less Latency
The DeathAdder’s upgrades would be enough to satisfy most gamers, but Razer didn’t limit itself to improvements on the mouse alone. Razer’s HyperSpeed Wireless dongle, now synonymous with the company's esports mice, has also received a full upgrade in both its form and function. The new dongle does away with its older, trapezoid body, opting for a hemisphere design. The dongle (pictured below) looks good, and the new form factor also adds weight, which helps keep the small device grounded on your desktop.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)According to Razer, an improved antenna provides a stronger, more reliable signal transmission, even in high-interference environments like crowded game areas or tournaments. The base of the dongle has three indicators for connection status, battery life, and the selected polling rate.
This new and improved dongle includes Razer’s HyperSpeed Wireless Gen-2 technology. Razer claims that it's engineered to be 63% more power efficient and deliver 37% lower latency than the previous generation. This optimized data processing helps the mouse achieve an average latency of just 0.29ms.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)The new DeathAdder can achieve a maximum 8,000Hz polling rate. A mouse's polling rate refers to how often it reports its position to the computer. A higher polling rate means the mouse reports its position more frequently. An 8,000Hz polling rate reports 8,000 times a second.
In truth, high polling rates are something that the hard-core gamer crowd can best appreciate, but even casual players can notice a distinct improvement in responsiveness. A handy feature called the Smart Polling Rate Switcher actually drops polling rates when you’re not playing a game to conserve battery life, ramping them back up again once the game starts back up.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)Razer claims that the internal battery can last about 150 hours at a 1,000Hz polling rate, or up to 22 hours at 8,000Hz. It’s not battery-dock compatible, and can only be charged through the USB-C port at the front of the mouse.
Software: Synapse Is for More Than Just Gaming
As with other Razer products, in order to access the meat of the DeathAdder's offerings, you'll have to dig into the Synapse software utility. Here you can tweak RGB lighting, macros, and many other features, including the aforementioned Smart Polling Rate Switcher and Hypershift. You can also create specific profiles.
(Credit: Razer/PCMag)A new addition to Synapse, called Razer Exchange, is designed to streamline workflows with prebuilt macros for a range of tasks, both AI-assisted and not. Different than the AI Prompt Master that debuted with the Razer Pro Click V2 and V2 Vertical, it lets you download pre-made macros to automatically open webpages and apps. Some of these macros utilize popular LLMs like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Google Gemini to quickly rephrase, translate, and summarize text. You can even introduce delays between apps opening, to make the whole process feel more streamlined—that, and it doesn't feel like 20 browser tabs opening at once.
This feature is not unlike Logitech Smart Actions, though editing and creating your own custom functions is not as simple as it is on Logitech's app. In testing, I stuck with the pre-made stuff. For example, I downloaded the macro titled Music Time, which—you guessed it—opens up Spotify. Once I downloaded it, I applied it to my mouse and assigned it to one of the side buttons. It's that easy.