Razer Naga Chroma (2015): the same with a 5G laser sensor and RGB

Presentation

After having thoroughly reviewed the ergonomics of its Naga in 2014, Razer this time focuses only on the on-board electronics for the Chroma 2015 version. The Naga Chroma is thus physically identical to the Naga 2014. What changes is therefore found inside.

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Ergonomics

Because of its width (119 x 75 x 43 mm), the Naga Chroma is intended more for large hands, although it is shorter than a Mamba (128 x 70 x 42.5 mm), for example. The grip is preferably done in palm grip, even claw grip, rather than finger tip, since the mouse is designed to support the front of the hand - the wrist remains placed on the desk.

Indeed, a protrusion on the right supports the ring finger - as on the Logitech G600, the third click button less - or even the little finger for those who place their middle finger on the right button, this in order to better compensate thumb pressure on the slice buttons. Only the thumb and possibly the little finger come to rest on the desk to keep some control over the glide.

Gliding, precisely, is ensured by four main Teflon pads of generous dimensions, plus a small circular pad that surrounds the orifice of the sensor. The 105 g of the Naga (135 g with cable) thus move smoothly on a mouse pad as on a desk. It is also easy to hold it between your fingers, since a polymer insert on the right edge allows the little finger not to slip if you have to lift the mouse slightly to replace it.

Like the other mice in the range, the Naga Chroma benefits from a very good finish. It is connected by USB to the computer via a fairly thin and flexible braided cable, about 2.1 m long. It sports a slightly rough matte black shell which provides good grip while limiting perspiration, failing to limit deposits of dust and other residues. The look thus remains very sober and the only fantasy comes from the backlighting of the logo, the dial and the thumb buttons. In this regard, unlike the Mamba and Diamondback Chroma, the Naga Chroma has no translucent border around its edges and the backlight effects are therefore more limited. The new Naga however benefits from the same customization as its small playmates and we can thus choose different light effects, with variations on 16.8 million colors.

Main feature of the Naga, the 12 buttons on its left edge allow you to configure shortcuts and macros. Mainly useful for MMORPG type games, they also have an interest in office automation, since we can give them the function of our choice (key combination, copy / cut / paste, etc.).

In order to differentiate them blindly, Razer chose to tilt the center buttons (2, 5, 8 and 11), while the other eight buttons are practically flat. However, this always requires time to adapt so as not to make the wrong button in the rush. Unlike the first Naga (2012), the buttons are no longer arranged in an arc, but in parallel rows tilted forward. Each layout has its followers, but this arrangement of buttons seems rather natural to us. If it is always a little tricky to reach the buttons of the last row (10 to 12), closest to the wrist; it is however possible to activate them with the first phalanx of the thumb - or with the second if you have a fairly flexible thumb.

The switches associated with these buttons are mechanical on the new Naga 2014 and Chroma. They are thus reactive and slightly more sensitive than those of the 2012 version. However, their resistance to activation is studied so as not to cause involuntary support, even when the mouse is pressed to lift it, contrary to what that you could see with the edge buttons of the Diamondback Chroma, for example. These mechanical switches also produce a higher pitched sound upon activation, but remain discreet.

To complete the range, there are of course the two main buttons, very responsive, but a bit noisy. Two other buttons find their place above the wheel to adjust the sensitivity of the sensor on the fly (default function).

Finally, the wheel is both soft and notched. It is of course clickable and associated with two other switches for an orientation to the left or the right.

In total, there are therefore no less than 19 buttons offered by this Naga Chroma. The functions associated with them can be configured using the Razer Synapse software (see box at the end of the test).

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Precision

Like the Diamondback Chroma and the Mamba TE and Epic Chroma before it, the Naga Chroma takes advantage of Razer's latest 5G laser sensor, capable of climbing up to 16,000 dpi. A very high maximum sensitivity, but still just as useless in practice, even with multiple Ultra HD screens. The quality of the sensor is however definitely there and even the most demanding players will find their account. Indeed, with a maximum acceleration of 50G, a response time of only one millisecond and a frequency of exchange with the computer of 1000 Hz (configurable on 125 or 500 Hz for computers a little limited in CPU power), hard to find anything to blame the Naga Chroma. Players playing at low sensitivity and constantly repositioning their mouse, in FPS for example, will be delighted to learn that the lift off height of the sensor has been reduced to 0.1 mm to eliminate parasitic movements.

In practice, the Naga Chroma is however more suitable for less nervous games like MMORPGs or adventure games, since its shape does not encourage sudden movements, unlike a mouse like the Diamondback or, in a to a lesser extent, the Mamba (the most versatile of the three).

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Conclusion

The Naga Chroma retains the comfortable grip of its elders which is intended for MMORPG type games. Its 12 buttons easily accessible with the thumb are a definite advantage for this type of games. The change of sensor does not however revolutionize the performances, always as good, and the contribution of RGB does not justify a change of mouse if you already have a Naga of previous generation. However, for a new purchase, it is a safe bet, as long as one has a substantial budget.

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