Razor Boomslang 2100.

The Boomslang is a dedicated gaming mouse, aimed at the high end of the market; for gamers who are prepared to pay a little extra, above and beyond the cost of a standard quality optical mouse, to get the edge whilst gaming with the extra speed and precision that the Boomslang claims to deliver.

Currently retailing at about £45 ($80) in the UK, this prices the Boomslang at around £20 more than the Microsoft Intellimouse range, and a few pounds more than the Logitech MX-700 Cordless Optical, which represents the current high end of the optical market. With quality mice from many other manufactures, as well as Razer themselves expanding their own optical range, the niche market that Razer are targeting with this gaming mouse is not one free from competition, and so those looking for a mouse to do more than just scroll smoothly whilst using Windows, do have many options.

Has the Boomslang got what it takes to stand out amoungst this quality crowd?

Specs:

- Resolution: 2100dpi
- Optical Index: 6MIPS (Million Instructions Per Second)
- Scroll Wheel: 36PPR (Pulse Per Revolution)
- Programmable buttons: 5
- Ergonomically designed for both right and left handed users
- Dirt-proof ball holder
- USB Port with PS2 adapter
- 2.5m flexible cable


Review – Hardware:

The most impressive feature of the Boomslang 2100, is as the name suggests, the 2100dpi resolution. Most mice have a dpi of around 400, meaning that you’ll get roughly 400 pixels of mouse pointer movement per inch that you move the mouse itself. Of course, how acceptable this level of movement is, is very much dependant on the resolution you currently use on your monitor.

800x600 displays work fine with a 400dpi mouse, but not many people who spend £50 on a dedicated gaming mouse, such as the Boomslang, will be running 800x600 anymore. At 1600x1200, a 400dpi mouse is starting to feel a little sluggish, and for pixel perfect, instant headshots, its just not going to cut the mustard.

Other high end mice, such as the Creative Mouse Wireless Optical 5000, or the Logitech MX-700 Cordless Optical, have up to 800dpi, making them perfect for smooth, effortless scrolling around even the highest resolution desktops; but for gaming, every last drop of pixel perfect, split second accuracy is needed, for those looking to gain the edge.
To this end, no other mouse comes close to the 2100dpi of the Razor Boomslang.

When you first install your Boomslang, the sheer sensitivity that those 2100dpi give you may put you off; you’ll be constantly over-shooting icons, as you end up moving the mouse pointer from one corner of the desktop to the other, with the slightest movement. However, as always, practice makes perfect, and once you master the subtlety and gentleness needed to use this particular mouse, you will be able to get your mouse pointer (And for mouse pointer, read gun sight) to where you need it to go, faster and more accurately than ever before.

Away from the impressive dpi rating, the Boomslang is a large, rather flat mouse, with 5 fully programmable buttons. The 2 main buttons on top of the mouse are very large, and made from a very gripable rubber, removing any chance of you clicking the wrong button or slipping just as your target enters the site of your sniper rifle.

The two side buttons are much smaller, and positioned on either side of the mouse in the standard positions, although they are rather difficult to get at. Whilst this makes gripping the mouse firmly without accidentally pressing either of them easy, it can be a bit of a fumble to press the right hand button (the one on the opposite side to your thumb).

The scroll wheel has rather more resistance than most wheels, giving a firm click for each individual scrolling, which again, for gaming is just what’s needed; the scroll wheel is often used for changing between weapons during FPS games, and in those cases a single scroll is of more use than a smooth low resistance scrolling action.

On the underside of the mouse you’ll find the dirt-proof ball holder, and the three feet, where you place the included Teflon tape in order to further aid the smooth scrolling of the mouse. The mouse ball is easily removed, although it is rather light, and owners of Razor Boomslangs often replace the stock mouse ball with a heavier alternative.

The cable for the Boomslang is a more than adequate 7 foot in length, and connects to your PC via a spare USB slot.

Review – Software:

The Boomslangs ships with its own fully customizable software programme called Razor Customizer, currently at version 3.0.03; this is a fine programme, allowing full customisation of all 5 mouse buttons, as well as tweaking the sensitivity of the mouse itself. Firstly you have a standard sensitivity bar, which can be adjusted from 1-10. While the changes are very subtle, this feature may shorten the amount of time it takes you to get to grips with the mouse when you first start to use it.

The sensitivity bar has an advanced tab which allows you to change the sensitivity for the individual axis of the mouse, either X (left and right) or Y (up and down). Also included in the advanced sensitivity tab is the Master Acceleration control, which can again be toned down for those just starting out with the Boomslang, or increased for those looking for even more speed.

Other features accessed from the advanced sensitivity tab are ‘On the Fly’ sensitivity and a double click speed test area. The test area is self explanatory, but it’s the ‘On the Fly’ sensitivity that is more interesting. Basically, it allows you to change the sensitivity of the mouse in-game, allowing you for instance, to increase the sensitivity of the mouse whilst you place your gun sight over a target, and then lower it for a sniper shot, which requires a steady hand.

Finally, there is also a similar sensitivity bar for the scroll wheel, as well as a tab to customise the buttons on the mouse, and an orientation selector, which can be set to either right or left handed, as required.


Conclusion:

The Razor Boomslang 2100 is a very impressive gaming device; whilst at first it may seem far too sensitive for its own good, once mastered, it really will give you the edge with its unmatched 2100dpi. Large, non-slip buttons, a dirt proof ball holder, and excellent software go together to make a fine product. Its marketed as the worlds best gaming mouse, and although the advantages over a quality, high end optical may be small, we do believe that it is worthy of such a claim.

Of course, no product is perfect, and the Boomslang does have some faults. It is expensive at £45, the ball holder, dirt proof or not, will still need regular cleaning to keep the mouse functioning at 100% effectiveness, and some people may, in the age of wireless, optical technology, prefer the simplicity and advantages that these technologies bring.

There is also an issue of long-term reliability; the Boomslang, being a ball mouse has more moving parts than an optical, and although the build quality is of the highest standard, this doesn’t make the Boomslang immune from problems.

Finally, Razor themselves are now moving into the optical gaming arena, with the Razor Vyper; a 1000dpi fully optical, 2 button mouse.

There is competition out there, for the Boomslang, from Razor themselves, as well as Logitech’s high end models, but when every last split second and every last pixel is needed, you wont get a faster, nor a more accurate mouse than the Razor Boomslang 2100.

Pros:

- Unmatched speed and accuracy.
- Large, non-slip buttons.
- Excellent Software.
- Excellent Build Quality.
- Long 7 foot cable.

Cons:

- Price.
- Wired Mouse ball technology.
- Possible reliability issues long term.
- Competition from cheaper Razor Vyper, and other high end Optical mice.