An expensive disappointment: Razer Pro Click V2 Vertical

I've been in search of a perfect workspace mouse for a long time.

Even considered trying to build my own out of parts from a Logitech gaming mouse with a Lightspeed sensor to fit into the MX Vertical enclosure.

Some people on Reddit have attempted to do this but the results are not ideal.

There was no vertical mouse with a high polling rate on the market until now.

Meet the Razer Pro Click V2 Vertical

A friend sent me a link to a YouTube video of someone unboxing and reviewing this thing. Of course the review was very positive — just like all the pre-release sponsored propaganda these tech channels put out on a regular basis. 🤢

I saw that it was wireless, vertical, and had a 1000Hz polling rate — exactly what I was looking for.

Razer Pro Click V2 Vertical Edition Productivity Mouse | Razer EuropeFind the vertical wireless ergonomic mouse for work and gaming. Angled design✓ AI shortcuts✓ customizable features✓ up to 6-months battery life✓.www.razer.com/eu-en/productivity/razer-pro-click-v2-vertical-edition

It was time to hit that Buy Now button on Razer's website and try it out for myself.

The price was a whopping €129.99 ($150) but I was too excited to care. Finally a mouse that might be the one?

Don't forget to do your own research...

I ordered the mouse without checking if it was fully compatible with macOS. A risky move because without the right software you can't turn off the vomit inducing RGB lights.

Razer supported macOS with their peripherals for years so it must just work, right?

Turns out the required software (Razer Synapse V4) was not available for macOS when I unboxed the mouse. You needed to configure it on a Windows PC with Synapse V4 because older versions that work on macOS could not detect this mouse.

Naturally, I procrastinated doing that for almost a week and focused on work instead.

Thankfully, when I decided to pick up the mouse again and download the software to my PC, a button popped up on Razer's website saying that Razer Synapse V4 was available for Mac as an early preview.

Configuration

First thing that hits you in the face is you need to create a Razer account to configure the mouse, like you're signing up for Facebook... Completely unnecessary process that should be optional.

You have plenty of options to configure RGB, standby mode, and sensitivity. When it comes to remapping the actual buttons, that's where this thing falls short.

My biggest issue with the software was the inability to map Back or Forward globally to the side buttons. You could only use those in a "Web Browser" profile.

Strange choice to limit this feature because it is available in the software but only for a specific app profile.

Thankfully that's something that can be easily solved with third-party software like SteerMouse, which I love.

SteerMouseplentycom.jp/en/steermouse/

I set the top button as ⌘W for closing tabs and windows while the bottom one was set to Back.

I won't even talk about the "AI" button gimmicks.

Comfort

This Razer mouse is simply not comfortable to use for me. The way it's profiled is very awkward. The arch of the hand lacks support and wants to slide off onto the desk when you try to grip in a relaxed position.

The mouse is too slippery to be picked up easily. The bumpy texture is nice to the touch and probably much more durable than on any other mouse but it doesn't give you a good grip.

I guess they want you clawing this thing and lifting your wrist up from the desk like you're some kind of competitive gamer.

You either claw it and put tension in your wrist or have the tips of your fingers extend past the left/right click buttons and float in the air.

Kind of like when you put your toes past the edge of a shoe as a kid and they end up touching the pavement.

Using the mouse this way is not ergonomic or comfortable for longer periods of time. And if you have a relaxed grip, your wrist will end up sliding on the desk and rubbing on the bone too much.

Keep in mind this mouse is meant to be for productivity, not gaming. Their internal SKU is RazerProClickV2-WirelessProductivityMouse-VerticalEdition.

I really thought I could get used to it but after 3 weeks I ended up having way more pain in my wrist than when using a regular non-vertical mouse for extended periods of time.

The angle of the grip is just too extreme at 71.7° compared to MX Vertical's 57°.

Picking up a Logitech MX Vertical and using it for a few minutes really highlights how much better profiled it is compared to the Razer. You can feel the wrist strain and tension going away instantly. Logitech really nailed the ergonomics on this model.

Conclusion

I really wanted to like this mouse but I'm sad that it's so uncomfortable and clunky to use. I submitted a support ticket to Razer to be able to return this mouse past the 14 day return window.

Razer, stick to gaming mice and leave the productivity mice to people with more experience.

I guess we're back to waiting for Logitech to release an improved MX Vertical with a 1000Hz sensor.

Lately, I've been using the Logitech G502 X Plus with my Mac. It's got a Lightspeed 1000Hz sensor, free-spin scroll wheel, and a bunch of side buttons.

Tempted to go back to the MX Vertical again but the laggy cursor response is painful to watch.