Razor Naga – Good Idea or Frankenmouse?

Long known for making mice that make the gamer set very happy, it now looks as though a new entry into the market might expand the user base to anyone who like the idea of having a mouse combined with a number pad, which can also double as a macro keypad.

What makes me not sure if this will be a good idea, or a disastrous abomination is the placement of the keys, down the left side of the mouse. Definitely not for left-handers, the keys might be a bit difficult for many thumbs to navigate, as they are not large, and are sitting approximately vertical (almost 90 degrees to the mousing surface).

The mouse actually has 12 keys, so they can also be set to mimic the function keys on an AT keyboard.

The mouse also appears to have a rather pronounced hump, which might not be comfortable for some, though is definitely necessary to get that many buttons on the side of the mouse.

that bump might make a few hands twitch after some use

from Ars Technica

Razer has released a mouse that may look silly at first, but with the addition of a software solution that makes the integrated number pad a powerful tool in certain MMO titles, this Razer Naga mouse is a confident, high-quality niche product.

Razer has a history of making hardware designed for gamers, but the company’s newest offering does something new; the product is a mixture of both software and hardware set up to make your raids a little more pleasant. While the Razer Naga mouse may simply look like a piece of gaming hardware with a number pad fused into it, the truth is actually much more intriguing.

No software is worth it if the hardware is not up to snuff, and luckily the Razer Naga is a sexy mouse. Yes, it lights up and the blue logo pulses in the dark—very impressive at LAN parties—but more importantly, the mouse features a 5,600dpi sensor, 1ms response rate, and a scroll wheel with 24 click positions. That’s a lot of numbers that all mean that the mouse is ultra-precise and smooth in action.

The mouse itself feels good in your hand, although if you’re a fan of larger, heavier mice you’re out of luck here. I have moderately sized hands and was able to cup the entirety of the mouse very easily, and the hardware is light and easy to move. These are preferences more than issues or strengths with the product, but worth pointing out. The Naga is molded with places for your index, middle, and ring finger, and frankly this mouse is a joy to put your hands on. Even the cord hasn’t escaped the notice of the designers; it’s made from a braided material, not simple plastic. This would be an impressive mouse on its own merits, but the things that set it apart for MMO fans are noteworthy.

This is not the first time that a multiple key mouse has come from seemingly nowhere, but the last time it happened, they were never in a large supply, nor did they last long in the market. It was also many years ago, around the time of Windows 3.1, and many companies were struggling to get ‘the perfect mouse’ to market.

I would say that the likelihood of this surviving is much higher if thee included software is very easy to use, and is also very useful. Otherwise, it will become another also-ran or museum piece.

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