Razer Lachesis V2 5600 dpi Laser Gaming Mouse Review

Razer debuted the original Lachesis 4000 dpi gaming mouse back in 2007. For its day, the Lachesis was one of the most sensitive mice you could buy, although by today's standards that 4000 dpi mark isn't such a big deal. Razer have updated the Lachesis gaming mouse with a new design and new sensor, the 3.5G laser sensor in this new version supports up to 5600 dpi and the Lachesis has customizable lighting for both the wheel and the logo, which can be set to individual colors dependant on your preference. The Lachesis gaming mouse also features nine programmable buttons with 1000Hz ultrapolling for a 1ms response time.

The Lachesis V2 5600 dpi laser gaming mouse, by design, is also ambidextrous. So those of you out there that may be of the left handed persuasion can also enjoy the benefits of this latest offering from Razer. While the Lachesis is rather large, I can't see it being a problem to those with smaller hands as the curves and design look very well thought out.

Benchmark Reviews will now put the Razer Lachesis V2 5600 dpi gaming mouse through its paces in some popular FPS titles, some popular web browsing programs and in Photoshop and report back with our findings for you, but before we get on to the performance, please take some time to check out the features and specifications of the Razer Lachesis 5600 gaming mouse.

Manufacturer: Razer Group
Product Name: Lachesis
Model Number: RZ01-00170500-R3G1
Price As Tested: MSRP $79.99

Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by Razer.

Razer Lachesis V2 Features

5600 dpi Razer Precision 3.5G Laser sensor
The Razer Lachesis reigns supreme with a true 5600 dpi 3.5G Laser sensor, which enables movement speeds of 7 times that of a standard 800dpi optical sensor.

Customizable Lighting System
Customize the look of the Razer Lachesis however you want. With the new Tricolor-LED you get a unique look & style on your favourite gaming weapon.

Nine independently programmable Hyperesponse buttons
The Razer Lachesis allows programming of button functions while Razer's Hyperesponse technology reduces latency for optimum gameplay.

RZ01-00170500-R3G1 Specifications

• 5600 dpi Razer Precision 3.5G laser sensor
• Adjustable Multi-Color LED (Up to 16 million colors)
• Variable true dpi setting adjustments in increments of 125dpi
• 60KB Razer Synapse onboard memory
• Nine independently programmable Hyperesponse buttons
• 1000Hz Ultrapolling / 1ms response time
• Tracking up to 200 inches per second
• Seven-foot, lightweight, non-tangle cord
• Approximate size: 129mm (length) x 71mm (width) x 40mm (height)/ 128 grams
• Scroll wheel with 24 individual click positions
• Zero-acoustic Ultraslick mouse feet
• Gold-plated USB connector
• On-The-Fly Sensitivity adjustment
• No Drift Control

System Requirements

• PC with USB port
• Windows 7 / Windows Vista / Windows XP
• Internet connection (for driver installation)
• At least 35MB of hard disk space

Closer Look: Razer Lachesis V2

Let's now take this opportunity to have a good look at the Razer Lachesis gaming mouse in all of it's glory, Razer were kind enough to provide some professional level images of the Lachesis for the purpose of this review so it would be a shame to waste them, I will also throw some of my own into the mix for good measure.

The box containing the Razer Lachesis 5600 gaming mouse is very nice, there is a picture of the mouse on the front along with the Razer Lachesis name and it's main features, such as the 5600 dpi 3.5G sensor and the customizable multicolor lighting system. Opening the front flap gives a detailed look at the Lachesis gaming mouse via a vacuum moulded plastic case suspending the mouse as if in mid air. On the inside of the front flap Razer explain that the Lachesis gaming mouse is like its namesake in the snake family, by being the "bringer of silent death". I'm not sure if this pertains to the design of the mouse or the gaming nature of the mouse but our testing is sure to weed this one out. There is also plenty of information on the rest of the panels of the box pertaining to all of the other features offered by the Razer Lachesis 5600.

Looking from the top the Lachesis gaming mouse looks almost like a torso, the left and right buttons are stealthily blended in to the design which adds to the appeal of this mouse for me, I like my peripherals to be quite basic, I'm pretty sure I won't find a use for all of the included nine buttons right away, as I don't play RTS games nor have I ever needed any more than the main three buttons on a mouse. The extra buttons are within easy reach while staying out of the way of the important three, you never know I will probably have a different outlook within the next month.

Looking from the back towards the front gives us a good look at the contours of the Lachesis gaming mouse, it initially looks suited to someone who may control their mouse with the palm of their hand, but after prolonged inspection it is equally suited to one who may control their mouse with a claw like action, I myself fit into the latter group and I prefer to claw my mouse between my thumb and my third finger.

Looking from the side we can see two of the extra side buttons, being ambidextrous both sides will look the same, apart from orientation obviously. The Razer Lachesis 5600 gaming mouse has some very nice curves which really compliment this design. Two different types of plastic were used to construct the exterior of the Lachesis gaming mouse, The bottom is a glossy plastic like the type found on LCD bezels, and the top initially looks textured, but is exquisitely smooth to the touch and has a very nice feel indeed. The overall construction and build quality is very good and the Lachesis strikes a nice balance between light and heavy that is hard to explain, some may find it nice while others will not, it isn't so light that you could flick it off the desk with one finger while at the same time it is not so heavy that you notice it's weight during usage.

This is the last Image from Razer that I am going to use, it gives more perspective to the curvature's found on the Lachesis gaming mouse. The Lachesis 5600 is very comfortable to hold although I find my claw style grip conflicts with the side buttons, my finger and thumb grip the foremost button on either side, the buttons are not too sensitive though so there is no accidental clicking going on, more to the contrary, it is rather tricky trying to click these buttons while keeping the mouse still. This will take some getting used to but the learning curve isn't that steep. These buttons can be turned off in the config for one profile and enabled in another profile, so it's all just dependant on an individual application need's whether you choose to use these buttons or not.

Looking at the underneath we can see three large 'Zero-acoustic Ultraslick mouse feet' that help the Lachesis gaming mouse to glide nicely on any smooth surface, in the top left quadrant is a profile button, it's function is rather obvious although it is a rather strange location. Bang smack in the middle is the new 5600 dpi Razer Precision 3.5G laser sensor that makes the Lachesis one of Razer's high end pointing devices, the laser doesn't emit any light like you typically find with an infra red sensor. Then there is the usual information sticker found on a genuine Razer peripherals containing info such as model and serial number, power rating, product name and various regulation conformity codes.

Lachesis 5600 dpi Detailed Features

Let's look a little closer now at the Razer Lachesis' features and also the all important software that unlocks the true potential of the Lachesis gaming mouse.

The USB plug is gold plated for better signal transfer and the Lachesis also features a seven foot braided, lightweight, non-tangle cord to add to the premium quality of this gaming mouse.

Razer always provide a nice bundle with their products, although most of it is not necessarily essential it makes your purchase feel that bit more special, first up you get a certificate of authenticity that welcomes you into the "Cult of Razer" along with a Razer Lachesis definition card - once again explaining why this mouse is called what it is. You get a couple of decals for your case and you also get a full color 'master product guide' that goes into detail about all of the features of the Lachesis gaming mouse, then there is a quick start guide that lets the more impatient user to jump in at the deep end so to speak. Last but not least is a product catalogue containing info and pictures on Razer's latest innovations, just in case you didn't know they don't only do mice :smiley:.

Now onto the all important driver/software for the Razer Lachesis 5600 dpi gaming mouse. First you must download this from the Razer support website (a link is provided in the quick start and user guide materials discussed earlier), install the software and then restart your system. This is the main screen of the configuration software and allows you to map functions to each of the nine buttons (and an extra two for scroll wheel up/down), you are free to choose any of the options from the drop down box as seen above, it is the same for each button, or you may create a macro first and then use this screen to assign that macro to a button of your choice.

The second screen is your center of operations for controlling mouse motion sensitivity, simply adjust the slider to set your ideal sensitivity or simply use the two center buttons of the Lachesis (below the scroll wheel) that are by default set to adjust sensitivity up or down. You also have an option here to set different sensitivities to the X and Y axis of the Lachesis - simply by selecting the enable independent X-Y sensitivity option and then adjust the two sliders that will appear on the bar above. Next you can enable and adjust acceleration properties and also set your preferred polling rate.

Next is the profile management page where you can assign profiles to activate based on a certain application, let's say for example you enjoy dabbling with FPS and RTS and MMO style games and you are also a budding graphics artist, as we all tend to be these days, all of these games and applications benefit from different types of mouse setup, sensitivities and button configurations. Well Razer make it all that more easy and convenient to do all of these tasks within this section. Notice there are options to import or export profiles, this should prove useful for sharing a profile you have created or installing any that you may have got from friends or the internet.

The fourth screen is where you set up your macro's, it is fairly straightforward to do so, simply click new, name your macro, then hit record, perform the required macro (keyboard or mouse buttons), and then hit stop to finalise. Your macro's are stored in the drop down menu and can be selected for viewing to make sure they are correct. If time delay is not important to your macro then you may select the ignore delay between events option, then you may take your time when recording your macro to make sure you get it right, or on the contrary you may insert a delay between events and give that delay a value in milliseconds to your preference. Once again there is the option to import and export macros.

The last screen is my favourite; this is the lighting control screen and also the driver update screen. The Lighting control options are very simple, it would have been nice to see more options here, such as allowing the scroll wheel to pulse (like the logo does) or maybe setting the logo to permanently on like the scroll wheel is, maybe also being able to set the pulse speed, or have an option for the logo and/or scroll wheel to cycle between a set of predefined colors, or maybe Razer could do all of the above. Here's hoping they listen.

As it is the logo pulses and the scroll wheel stays a solid color, you can define different colors to the scroll wheel and the logo either from the drop down box, or by clicking custom (which opens the windows custom color selection chart). The best results as far as color selections go, are gained from selecting the colors towards the middle of the selection box, the first four colors from the top left of the selection box display a color very close to white, when you get to the green/blue shades on the top row the colour gets a lot more accurate. I also found that when selecting any of the last five colors from the bottom right of the selection box to use as the logo color, it doesn't light up any color at all, but I was able to select them as scroll wheel colors.

Next there are two more buttons, one to check for updates - which takes you to the main Razer support page (not the Lachesis 5600 product support page) and then you have the option to clear all of your settings to default and start over from fresh.

In the above image you can get the idea for some of the color configurations that are possible. The Razer Lachesis reproduces a very nice white light and yellow looks very pretty also. My personal favorite combination for now is red and green, either way round doesn't matter, it still looks very good. I could have tried to display all of the colors possible but as Razer says, the Lachesis 5600 features "Adjustable Multi-Color LED's (Up to 16 million colors)", well I think you can get the idea, plus I dont fancy taking 16 million photo's.

Testing & Results

Testing Methodology

Testing a mouse is easy, all one must do is use it for an extended period of time, the problem is that there are no quantative benchmark tests that can report back performance, so now it falls to personal observation. I have used the Lachesis 5600 gaming mouse as my main mouse in various applications such as web surfing, image editing and some popular games over the past week or so. I also tried the Lachesis on various surfaces to test the tracking of the 3.5G laser sensor, and tried different profiles and button combinations to see how they can help with productivity.

Test Software

• Adobe Photoshop CS4
• Firefox and IE8 web browsers
• Microsoft Office applications
• Call of Duty:MW / MW2
• Metro 2033
• Need for Speed: World
• GTA III

Results

The Razer Lachesis 5600 is not my first gaming mouse, prior to this I have been using a Razer Krait 1600dpi for the past few years, so my adjustment period didn't take too long. I do however remember how long it took me to get used to sensitivity of the Krait gaming mouse, and the added sensitivity afforded by the 5600 dpi sensor definitely took me back a little when I played some Modern Warfare 2, within a few rounds I was back on form and the added sensitivity proved beneficial for controlling recoil and tracking fast moving targets. The same can be said for the other games tested.

Thanks to having themiddle two buttons set to adjust sensitivity, when using the Razer Lachesis 5600 in Photoshop CS4 I could lower the sensitivity on the fly to get better control for detailed work. I don't normally use mouse shortcuts outside of the right click context menu but I do find myself using copy/paste a lot, so I created a macro for each of these functions and assigned them to the two left side buttons.

I mentioned earlier in the article that my thumb conflicted with the front button of these two side buttons but there were no accidental key presses, quite the opposite actually, I found it tricky to press either of these buttons without the mouse moving slightly. The solution to this is to adjust the way I controlled the mouse, instead of my preferred claw control method I found it better to apply slight down force with my palm when clicking either of these buttons achieved the best results, however this still takes a bit of getting used to.

Overall I am impressed with the Razer Lachesis 5600 gaming mouse, it was able to track effectively on any surface I tried, this is beneficial for portability reasons and situations where you may not be in the comfort of your own home where you don't have the luxuries of a quality mouse mat etc. The buttons have a slight tactile feel and are not so sensitive that you can make an accidental press. It is not silent however, as the name (and Razer) would have you believe, the only silent part of the mouse is scrolling down on the scroll wheel, but scrolling up is contrastingly noisy - not loud, but noticeable. I think the point Razer are trying to convey is that with the Lachesis in your hand you have the potential to be a better gamer than the next guy who may be using an ordinary mouse, but this also goes for any other gaming mouse on the market, the best way to get good at games is to play hard and learn your opponents, a gaming mouse simply unlocks added potential already inside you.

Laser Mouse Final Thoughts

The Razer Lachesis does what it was created for, it is highly sensitive and also very accurate. Gaming performance is excellent as is usage in image editing software, being able to adjust sensitivity on the fly helps when you are doing detailed work and the Razer software has an OSD (On Screen Display) so you know which sensitivity you are selecting . The extra sensitivity also allows me to better navigate my 22" monitor at 1920x1080 as if it were my previous 19" monitor at 1280x1024 (when using my previous mouse). My favorite feature has got to be the color changing software - it has room for improvement but that's what updates are for, I hope Razer take this into consideration and work towards creating some extra options.

The long braided cord adds to the premium feel of this mouse and should be more than long enough for 99% of end users. The profile button by default switches between left and right handed modes but is in a awkward to reach place so there will be no 'on the fly' profile switching unless you assign that to another button. The Lachesis 5600 is rather large and may or may not pose a problem to smaller hands, thanks to the integrated button design left and right clicks still register even when pressing towards the mid section of the mouse, although you do have to press much harder. And last but not least the Lachesis gaming mouse is ambidextrous, and therefore, left handed friendly.

Razer Lachesis V2 Conclusion

In this section I am going to write a brief five point summary on the following categories; Performance, Appearance, Construction, Functionality and Value. These views are my own and help me to give the Lachesis 5600 gaming mouse a rating out of 10, a high score does not necessarily mean that it is better than a similar mouse which has been reviewed by another writer here at Benchmark Reviews, which may have got a lower score. It is however a good indicator of whether the mouse is good or not. I would strongly urge you to read the entire review, if you have not already, so that you can make an educated decision for yourself.

The performance of the Razer Lachesis is exceptional, 5600 dpi is still too sensitive for desktop use and 4000dpi feels much better for me. While gaming 5600 dpi is very nice indeed, I used to have a problem chasing some fast moving opponents and wasting a whole clip to kill them but now that is no more. Also, thanks to the 'on the fly' sensitivity adjustments I can drop my sensitivity right down and snipe with better accuracy, without my crosshair jumping all over the place.

Appearance is subjective to the individual and thanks to the graphical nature of this review you can make your own opinion here, the design of the Lachesis is rather bland mainly because it has been made to be ambidextrous and therefore shaping is rather limited. To make up for this the clever folks at Razer integrated color changing LED's into the design to make it more visually appealing.

Construction of the Razer Lachesis V2 5600 gaming mouse is top notch; this is expected of a mouse that will set you back nearly $80. There is no cause to complain here, it is not too heavy nor is it too light, bear in mind that this is to my preference and your mileage may vary. The main left and right buttons are integrated very nicely into the design as are the extra side buttons. The materials used to make this mouse feel very nice to the touch, and if my previous Razer mouse is anything to go by then the Lachesis 5600 should serve many years of happy gaming.

The Razer Lachesis is right up there with the best of them when it comes to functionality, the Razer configuration utility is super easy to use and needs no real explanation, but if you do find yourself stuck you can consult the included user guide. All nine buttons can be re-assigned to different functions, macro's are easily created and assigned, sensitivity is easily adjusted and of course you have the option to change the color of the Razer logo and the scroll wheel, the color configuration is rather basic and would benefit from more options to really bring it to life.

Pros:

+ High sensitivity 5600 dpi 3.5G laser sensor
+ Customisable RGB LED's in scroll wheel and logo
+ Nine fully customisable buttons
+ 60kb onboard memory for macros, profiles and configurations
+ Adjust sensitivity on the fly (with OSD)
+ Great construction
+ Ambidextrous
+ Great all round mouse

Cons:

- Color options are very basic - more settings please
- Side buttons can take some getting used to
- Price is competitive but still quite high
- Some colors won't display on logo

Ratings:

• Performance: 9.50
• Appearance: 8.50
• Construction: 9.50
• Functionality: 9.00
• Value: 8.00

Final Score: 8.90 out of 10.

Quality Recognition: Benchmark Reviews Silver Tachometer Award.

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