Well, just got this mouse today and have had some time to play around with it.
As to the install...
Well, I wouldn't call it "smooth". I mean, anyone with half a brain who has *ever* swapped out a graphics card will be able to handle this, but it was a little more than typical for a mouse. I mean, with the Intellimouse in my wife's PC, you just plug the mouse in, install the drivers, and you are done.
Not so with this mouse.
[*] First, plug it in. Now, Windows will detect a new USB mouse and install the wrong drivers for you. Wonderful.
[*] Anyway, now you run the Razer Diamondback setup program. This sets your system up to use the Diamondback drivers, and installs the "Razer Diamond HID". You'll need to reboot.
[*] Once the system comes back up, you need to tell it you have a Razer mouse (now that the interface has been installed to control it). Go to device manager, select the mouse under "Mice and Other Pointing Devices" and update driver. You'll need to manually define the driver to use (it won't find it - it'll keep using the standard MS driver) from the Razer install directory.
[*] Once that's done, launch the Razer control panel from your start menu and you are done! (This program will automatically start from this point on).
Like I said, it's a LOT like installing a new graphics card. Guess it comes with the territory with high precision devices.
Anyway, the next thing to do is update your USB drivers to get maximum performance. Even if you've done this before, you'll need to do it again, as the Razer install process over-writes the patched files. This patch works wonders:
On my nForce2 Ultra 400 system, the 1000hz report rate update works beautifully. The mouse moves noticeably more smoothly and is definitely more 'responsive' when doing rapid movement changes. For comparison, while "stock" is 125hz - I could only get the Razer Boomslang 2100dpi up to 500hz report rate successfully, and the Microsoft Intellimouse 4.0 up to 250hz on my system.
As to the mouse itself...
First off, the new optical sensor that Razer is using is brilliant. Tom's Hardware had an article on the mouse where they draw attention to the new sensor. While it has the same megapixel detection as the Logitech MX mice, the sensor has been redesigned to report that more accurately. And the mouse DEFINITELY feels it.
The large buttons are very responsive, and the side buttons...well...work.
The mouse itself is VERY light - weighing in at a mere 3.5 ounces. Compare that to 6 ounces of the MX1000 and 4.3oz for the MX510. It's nice.
And, now for some opinions...
The Good:
[*] Looks *sweet*. I got the "Chameleon Green" model. Tried taking a picture of it over and over, and I just *can't* manage to capture the colors on it. Best I can manage is below, but it really doesn't catch the colors right.
[*] It is very precise. I was worried coming from the 2100dpi Boomslang that the 1600dpi Diamondback wouldn't be enough (I use both at their maximum precision). Well....no worries, it's fine. Maybe it helped that I had been using my Boomslang at only 80% precision for the past week to get used to the lower value - dunno. Either way, it's all good. Very nice accuracy.
[*] No cleaning! The reason I moved off the Boomslang - cleaning the damn ball. No ball, less cleaning - cool.
[*] Like the scroll wheel better than the Boomslang's. More resistance, less "clicky".
[*] Very, very light. Easy to move mouse, can whip it around with virtually no effort. Obviously no added weights (and no battery weight - LOL). With Teflon feet, it's a dream to use.
Unfortunately, there are some pretty substantial gripes:
[*] The side buttons really are kinda sucky. Rather....I mean, they SUCK. At least, coming from the Boomslang. They are about the same usability as the Logitech side buttons, which I can't stand. Actually, damn near EXACTLY the same usability as the Logitech MX side buttons. Too small and hard to use for my thumb and pinky. The MS Intellimouse (despite all its many flaws - and there are many!) has better side buttons than this, and, needless to say, the Boomslang was in a class of its own for side-button usability.
[*] Mouse is too small. Again, it's about the size of the Logitech MX mice, which is simply too small for my taste. After being used to the Boomslang, it feels like I have to curl my hand around it, and I fear my palm will be cramping up after a while. Or not, hard to say at this point.
Overall....I'm indifferent. It's definately better than the Logitech MX mice I've used in EVERY area, definately better than the MS Intellimouse, but definately.....neither better or worse than the Boomslang.
The lack of having to clean it every day and the lighter weight and reduced friction are GREAT new features that almost exactly make up for the harder to use side buttons* and too-small size. So, it's sort of a wash. I don't regret "upgrading" to it, in the end it IS generally preferable to the Boomslang.....but I'm very clearly going to be waiting with baited breath for the Boomslang 2 to replace this one with.
After some time, I've had some more thoughts on the side buttons. I've been tinkering with the Razer control panel and have come up with a workable solution that actually has me liking them now:
My picture
The Razer press image definately catches the "look" of the mouse better:
Press picture
Some more pictures from other sources -
Take a look at this picture and this picture.
And it's one of those things that the "feel" of things is more sensitive than what you'd think looking at the pictures. The Diamondback is longer, little wider, and has a much more pronounced 'bulge' on the back.
This picture shows one against an Intellimouse Explorer - so you can see they are nearly the same size.
And here is a picture of one next to a Logitech MX mouse and another against the Viper showing the more pronounced "bulge"
As to the install...
Well, I wouldn't call it "smooth". I mean, anyone with half a brain who has *ever* swapped out a graphics card will be able to handle this, but it was a little more than typical for a mouse. I mean, with the Intellimouse in my wife's PC, you just plug the mouse in, install the drivers, and you are done.
Not so with this mouse.
[*] First, plug it in. Now, Windows will detect a new USB mouse and install the wrong drivers for you. Wonderful.
[*] Anyway, now you run the Razer Diamondback setup program. This sets your system up to use the Diamondback drivers, and installs the "Razer Diamond HID". You'll need to reboot.
[*] Once the system comes back up, you need to tell it you have a Razer mouse (now that the interface has been installed to control it). Go to device manager, select the mouse under "Mice and Other Pointing Devices" and update driver. You'll need to manually define the driver to use (it won't find it - it'll keep using the standard MS driver) from the Razer install directory.
[*] Once that's done, launch the Razer control panel from your start menu and you are done! (This program will automatically start from this point on).
Like I said, it's a LOT like installing a new graphics card. Guess it comes with the territory with high precision devices.
Anyway, the next thing to do is update your USB drivers to get maximum performance. Even if you've done this before, you'll need to do it again, as the Razer install process over-writes the patched files. This patch works wonders:
On my nForce2 Ultra 400 system, the 1000hz report rate update works beautifully. The mouse moves noticeably more smoothly and is definitely more 'responsive' when doing rapid movement changes. For comparison, while "stock" is 125hz - I could only get the Razer Boomslang 2100dpi up to 500hz report rate successfully, and the Microsoft Intellimouse 4.0 up to 250hz on my system.
As to the mouse itself...
First off, the new optical sensor that Razer is using is brilliant. Tom's Hardware had an article on the mouse where they draw attention to the new sensor. While it has the same megapixel detection as the Logitech MX mice, the sensor has been redesigned to report that more accurately. And the mouse DEFINITELY feels it.
The large buttons are very responsive, and the side buttons...well...work.
The mouse itself is VERY light - weighing in at a mere 3.5 ounces. Compare that to 6 ounces of the MX1000 and 4.3oz for the MX510. It's nice.
And, now for some opinions...
The Good:
[*] Looks *sweet*. I got the "Chameleon Green" model. Tried taking a picture of it over and over, and I just *can't* manage to capture the colors on it. Best I can manage is below, but it really doesn't catch the colors right.
[*] It is very precise. I was worried coming from the 2100dpi Boomslang that the 1600dpi Diamondback wouldn't be enough (I use both at their maximum precision). Well....no worries, it's fine. Maybe it helped that I had been using my Boomslang at only 80% precision for the past week to get used to the lower value - dunno. Either way, it's all good. Very nice accuracy.
[*] No cleaning! The reason I moved off the Boomslang - cleaning the damn ball. No ball, less cleaning - cool.
[*] Like the scroll wheel better than the Boomslang's. More resistance, less "clicky".
[*] Very, very light. Easy to move mouse, can whip it around with virtually no effort. Obviously no added weights (and no battery weight - LOL). With Teflon feet, it's a dream to use.
Unfortunately, there are some pretty substantial gripes:
[*] The side buttons really are kinda sucky. Rather....I mean, they SUCK. At least, coming from the Boomslang. They are about the same usability as the Logitech side buttons, which I can't stand. Actually, damn near EXACTLY the same usability as the Logitech MX side buttons. Too small and hard to use for my thumb and pinky. The MS Intellimouse (despite all its many flaws - and there are many!) has better side buttons than this, and, needless to say, the Boomslang was in a class of its own for side-button usability.
[*] Mouse is too small. Again, it's about the size of the Logitech MX mice, which is simply too small for my taste. After being used to the Boomslang, it feels like I have to curl my hand around it, and I fear my palm will be cramping up after a while. Or not, hard to say at this point.
Overall....I'm indifferent. It's definately better than the Logitech MX mice I've used in EVERY area, definately better than the MS Intellimouse, but definately.....neither better or worse than the Boomslang.
The lack of having to clean it every day and the lighter weight and reduced friction are GREAT new features that almost exactly make up for the harder to use side buttons* and too-small size. So, it's sort of a wash. I don't regret "upgrading" to it, in the end it IS generally preferable to the Boomslang.....but I'm very clearly going to be waiting with baited breath for the Boomslang 2 to replace this one with.
After some time, I've had some more thoughts on the side buttons. I've been tinkering with the Razer control panel and have come up with a workable solution that actually has me liking them now:
My picture
The Razer press image definately catches the "look" of the mouse better:
Press picture
Some more pictures from other sources -
Take a look at this picture and this picture.
And it's one of those things that the "feel" of things is more sensitive than what you'd think looking at the pictures. The Diamondback is longer, little wider, and has a much more pronounced 'bulge' on the back.
This picture shows one against an Intellimouse Explorer - so you can see they are nearly the same size.
And here is a picture of one next to a Logitech MX mouse and another against the Viper showing the more pronounced "bulge"
