Razer today announced the Viper 8KHz, its latest "esports gaming mouse", which is the first one to have a true 8,000Hz polling rate, hence the name. Razer calls this HyperPolling technology, and it can be beneficial in fast-paced games.
The polling rate determines how often the mouse reports its positional and click data to the PC. 1,000Hz is the standard for gaming mice, but as screen refresh rates have increased, Razer figured that wasn"t enough. Because the display is updated more often, it can become easier to notice micro stutters and small delays in the cursor"s position, which would be especially noticeable in fast-paced esports titles. The 8,000Hz polling rate means there will be a smaller delay between the user"s movement and that action being reflected on the screen, which can be particularly useful on high-refresh-rate monitors.
In addition to being the first to have an 8,000Hz polling rate, the Viper 8KHz packs a few upgrades from the standard Viper, including the Focus+ Optical Sensor that was on the Viper Ultimate, with a maximum DPI of 20,000 (up from 16,000), and improved max speed of 650 IPS (instead of 450). Additionally, it"s the first to pack second-generation Razer optical mouse switches, which offer improved tactility. On the convenience side of things, it also supports up to five onboard profiles, instead of just one.
Aside from that, it inherits a lot from the first iteration, with 50G acceleration, Chroma RGB lighting support, Razer"s Speedflex cable, and an ambidextrous design. Despite some of the major improvements, it"s a straightforward successor to the Viper, and it costs the same, too - $79.99 in the U.S. or €89.99 in Europe.