In addition to classics such as Mamba or DeathAdder, the Razer Basilisk has won many fans since its first appearance. The all-rounder among the Razer mice is now available in a third version with numerous upgrades and revisions, especially the new HyperScroll Tilt Wheel. We were able to take the Razer Basilisk V3 through the mangle in advance and check whether it is worth its $69.99.
The Razer Basilisk has quickly established itself since it first appeared in 2017. No wonder, since the rodent convinced from the start with good ergonomics and well thought-out features. The basilisk is now in its third round and, in addition to various modernizations, you have been given a completely new feature, namely a mouse wheel that can switch between tactile grid and free movement, and even automatically. But more on that in a moment.
The Basilisk V3 is once again an asymmetrical right-handed mouse, the ergonomics of which nestle comfortably in the hand. At least for the author of these lines, the design is almost perfect, including the thumb rest on the left side, which, together with the rubber coatings on both sides, ensures an almost perfect grip. With its 129 x 62 x 43 mm, the basilisk should fit in almost every gamer's hand, the weight is very moderate at 101 grams (without cable).
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The connection is made via a 1.8 meter long USB cable that is covered with a soft textile jacket. This has been around for a long time at Razer and is called a Speedflex cable and lives up to its name. Thanks to the soft coating, you don't have to worry that a rigid cable will interfere with your mouse movements.
The matte black input device is also pretty, not just elegant. Of course, the appropriate Razer Chroma RGB lighting, which is divided into a total of eleven zones, should not be missing. In addition to the logo and mouse wheel, the basilisk has, so to speak, underbody lighting, i.e. an LED strip on the underside. That looks a lot. As always, the configuration is done via the Razer Synapse software and is quick and easy.
The Basilisk has a total of eleven programmable buttons, including the profile selection button on the underside. Two mouse buttons, two thumb buttons plus one more that can be conveniently operated with the tip of your thumb, plus a DPI switch and a mouse wheel switch behind the four-way mouse wheel. Thanks to macro recording and free key assignment, a lot of flexibility is offered.
 The mouse wheel is a specialty. Even earlier you could switch between tactile and free-running behavior. This has now become even easier and an automatic function has even been added. Here, too, you can switch between the two variants via button and software. The automatic smart reel function makes this superfluous, because it automatically switches between tactile and free scrolling behavior, depending on how quickly you operate the mouse wheel.
By and large, that works very well. The only tiny drawback: it sometimes takes a moment for the mouse wheel to switch between the two variants. In the free spin mode, there is also an acceleration that makes scrolling even faster. Everything is optional and can be (de) activated in the software with just a few clicks.
The interior of the basilisk could hardly be more modern. The Razer Optical Mouse Switches Gen-2 lurk under the two mouse buttons. These are switches with optical switching behavior, more or less via a light barrier. The switches not only react extremely quickly and precisely (according to the manufacturer, only 0.2 ms actuation time), with up to 70 million clicks they are also significantly more durable than conventional mechanical switches. Thanks to them, the click behavior in the basilisk is absolutely flawless.
The latest model from the Razer arsenal also functions as the sensor, namely the Razer Focus + 26K DPI Optical Sensor. Sure, no one will set 26,000 DPI voluntarily, but the scanning of the sensor is extremely precise and error-free. The sensor delivers a whopping 650 inches per second and 50G acceleration. Up to five DPI levels can be preset via software and can be called up at the touch of a button. Oh, while we're at it: in general, you can use the Razer Synapse to store up to five profiles on the basilisk, which can be called up by pressing the button on the bottom.
Since we received our test copy before the announcement, we were able to test the Basilisk for a full two weeks at work, fun and play and we can only say one thing: the Basilisk V3 is a really great all-rounder that does not even come close to us in any area of ​​application let down and lies wonderfully in the hand. Whether you really need the additional scrolling mechanics is another matter, but we really came to appreciate the smart reel mode when we were frequently browsing websites and social media.
Conclusion
As someone who uses his input device not only for gaming, but also for work, the Basilisk has always been at the top of my list of favorites. That doesn't change with the V3 either. The ergonomics are excellent, the sensor and buttons work quickly and precisely, and the configuration options are extensive. The new mouse wheel feature, however, leaves slightly mixed feelings. Of course, it's cool to be able to switch between tactile and stepless scrolling at any time, but the delay when switching in smart reel mode is still in need of improvement.
In the end, that's the only detail that I can criticize about the Basilisk V3. The good piece remains smoothly on my desk and at least replaces my deathadder in the editorial office. Really great and worth every penny.
Pro
- fine ergonomics
- pretty lighting
- soft cable
- smart scroll wheel functions
- bockstarker Sensor
- fast switches
- easy to configure
Con
- no left-handed version
- Switching of the Smart Reel levels slightly delayedÂ
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