Current testing methodology is v1.2
June 1, 2021
$20.41
96g
5.01 x 2.86 x 1.69 in
Razer released the Essential lineup a couple of years ago to offer the masses their classic and iconic peripherals for a more affordable price. This move from Razer birthed the DeathAdder Essential, a stripped-down version of their highly regarded DeathAdder gaming mouse.
The Razer DeathAdder Essential maintained the classic DeathAdder shape while lacking some features that you’d find in the original version. Some of these features include the Chroma lighting and some button customization options.
Another thing to note is that the Essential only has a max DPI of 6,400.
When it was released a few years ago, the DeathAdder Essential was a competitive gaming mouse but now, there are more other options in the market with more features. This may make you wonder if it’s still worth the purchase so dive into this review.
Razer DeathAdder Essential
An affordable gaming mouse that may lack some features but works perfectly as expected
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TL:DR;
The DeathAdder Essential is an affordable gaming mouse from Razer’s well-known gaming peripheral brand. This mouse has the iconic DeathAdder shape that we all know and love while stripping down to its “essentials” to offer uncompromised gaming performance for a fraction of its standard counterpart’s price.
I caught wind of the DeathAdder Essential while looking for a gaming mouse upgrade since I initially used an office keyboard and mouse bundle. Being a fan of Razer and the DeathAdder, I grabbed the chance and snagged the Essential since it’s within my budget.
Thankfully, I wasn’t disappointed with its performance and was pretty much impressed with it. I’ve used it regularly for quite some time and occasionally up to this day.
The Specs
- Form-Factor: Right-Handed Ergo Mouse
- Connectivity: Wired
- RGB Lighting: Single Color Light
- Sensor: Optical
- DPI: up to 6400
- Programmable Buttons: 5
- Switch Type: Mechanical
- Switch Lifespan: 10 million clicks
What’s in the Box?
- Razer DeathAdder Essential Gaming Mouse
- User Manual
Stuff I like
- Decent build quality
- Celebrated DeathAdder ergonomic shape
- Very comfortable for medium to large hands
- Perfect for palm and claw grip
Stuff I like less
- A bit clunky due to its size
- May not work that well if you have smaller hands
- Lack of features
- Outdated
Where to get it
Comparable products to consider
The Logitech G102 Lightsync is another excellent option if you’re looking for a gaming mouse without breaking the bank.
First Impressions
The Razer DeathAdder Essential was my first gaming mouse, so I was genuinely amazed by it.
Its ergonomic design was nothing I’d experienced before and its shape naturally made me opt for a palm grip. I’ve tried the claw grip but it’s not as comfortable as using a palm grip. It’s worth noting though that this mouse best fits medium to large-sized hands.
One big difference between the Essential edition from the standard is that its DPI is limited. It only has a maximum DPI of 6,400 while the standard DeathAdder mouse can go up to 20000 dpi — this is a huge difference.
The DeathAdder Essential also only has a single light color option depending on the variation you purchased. The white version has white LED lighting while the black version comes with green LED lighting.
As a proper gaming mouse, its ergonomics were unmatched and that’s what sold it to me while I was looking for a relatively affordable gaming mouse. Overall, I was impressed with it even though it doesn’t have that many features.
Software
Like many of the brand’s products, the Razer DeathAdder Essential uses the Razer Synapse software to access and adjust the settings. This software lets you customize the mouse bindings to specific controls and layouts that are better suited to your needs.
The software also lets change the DPI settings. However, compared to the standard edition of the DeathAdder, the Essential lacks features such as RGB or Chroma lighting so customizing this isn’t an option in the program.
Connectivity
The DeathAdder Essential only comes in a wired option. It uses a type A USB connection and is compatible with any device that has this. I’ve tried using this mouse with both Windows and Mac computers, and it works just fine.
Ergonomics and Comfortability
Since the Razer DeathAdder Essential has an ergonomic shape, its comfort is unlike any other. Its design works best for users who prefer a palm grip. Although it could also work with the claw grip and fingertip grip, the user experience may not be as comfortable.
Similar to the standard DeathAdder, the Essential is considerably chunky compared to other models designed for gaming. Over recent years, gaming mice tend to be small and lightweight, and the DeathAdder Essential is the exact opposite.
It’s big and relatively hefty, so I wouldn’t recommend it for when playing first-person shooter (FPS) games. This mouse is more enjoyable to use with multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games such as Dota 2 and League of Legends.
Build Quality
Just like its name suggests, the Razer DeathAdder Essential kept only the ‘essentials’ in while out goes the fancier stuff that you’d find on the standard edition.
In terms of build quality, this mouse isn’t that different from other Razer products. It’s relatively sturdy and well-built. and doesn’t differ from its standard DeathAdder counterpart. I’ve had my Razer DeathAdder Essential since 2020 and it was my go-to gaming mouse up until I upgraded to a SteelSeries Rival 3 Wireless last year.
Even with years of use, this mouse didn’t have any issues in terms of performance. Besides the usual wear and tear and fading in some of the plastic components, the DeathAdder Essential held itself up nicely.
I never had problems with the connection or the wire going bad. The braided cable was sturdy, and to this day, it functions as expected and I’m still using it as a spare mouse.
Conclusion
The Razer DeathAdder Essential is a pretty great product. It’s a capable gaming mouse with a straightforward design and gets the job done. If you love the iconic DeathAdder shape but don’t want to shell out a lot of money, then this mouse is an excellent option.
However, if you’re looking for something competitive with many features, you might find the DeathAdder Essential lacking.
I think this mouse works best for a particular group of people, such as me, with large hands. The sheer comfortability and decent performance of the DeathAdder Essential make it sell and for that, it deserves my recommendation.
A man of many interests, Querho is passionate about discovering new things that stimulate the mind. When he is not writing about the things he is passionate about, Querho can be found making music at his home studio.
This post was last updated on 2025-03-19 / Some images from Amazon Product API & some links may be affiliate links which may earn us a commission from purchases.