Razer Basilisk Essential Mouse Review

Specs

• True 6,400 DPI Optical Sensor
• Up to 220 inches per second (IPS) / 30 G acceleration
• Razer™ Mechanical Mouse Switches
• Seven independently programmable Hyperesponse buttons
• Gaming-grade tactile scroll wheel
• Ergonomic right-handed design with enhanced rubber side grips
• Razer Chroma™ lighting with true 16.8 million customizable color options
• 1000 Hz Ultrapolling
• Razer Synapse 3 enabled
• Approximate size: 124 mm / 4.88 in (Length) X 75 mm / 2.94 in (Width) X 43 mm / 1.69 in (Height)
• Approximate weight: 95 g / 0.21 lbs (Excluding cable)

Now as I mentioned in the opening, I’ve been using Razer mice on my PC exclusively since 2015, so I’m pretty used to all the bells and whistles that come standard with these devices. I’m used to seeing the RGB glow on the logo, the seemless (lately adjustable) speed of the mouse while in use, the best molding around to fit your hand, the side grips that make sure you don’t lose the mouse in a sudden movement no matter how sweaty your hands get during those intense moments, the great click of the mouse buttons and two side buttons that are on all models today. All of these great standard parts and features are why you choose Razer over any other mouse on the market. So what makes the Basilisk Essential worth dropping money on?

Well what makes the Basilisk Essential stand out is a few small features. The one click adjustment of the DPI settings (which control the speed of the mouse on screen) is so easy to use that I find myself switching speeds as needed with a press of a finger, without moving it off the right or left click mouse buttons. The main thing though is the addition of a small side trigger that I mostly use as a “Push to Talk” button. Using this trigger (once macro’d through the Razer Synapse software) makes it easier to talk during gaming sessions by allowing me to use my thumb on the mouse rather than using a keyboard key and losing momentum in game. A great thing for someone like me who Tanks during World of Warcraft raids and needs to communicate on the fly to other raid members while keeping buttons pressed in game at the same time.

Outside of one small thing, there isn’t really much other reason to get the Basilisk Essential mouse. Though saying that this mouse is lacking is not fair since this is a budget mouse which gives one extra feature alongside all of the other great standard features you get with any Razer mouse on the market. If there is anything I could find annoying, and this is a personal thing, it’s that I’ve gone back to a wired mouse after spending months with the Razer Wireless Mamba mouse and enjoying the freedom the wireless mouse provided. If there was a way to get a wireless option on all Razer mice from now on would make even this bargain product a top tier contender for most useful mouse on the market.

At the end of it all, you can’t go wrong with the Razer Basilisk Essential gaming mouse. It’s got all the standard bits and bobs that I have come to expect from Razer and just enough of an interesting little addition that makes it a must have for me, and will sit on my desk for a while to come as I play my video games during the Spectator Mode podcast and other events where I need to talk while playing video games. It’s cheap, affordable and works just as well as Razer’s higher end products. A perfect entry level mouse for someone on a budget or someone who needs more fingers free during game time.

Review Disclosure Statement:
Razer Basilisk Essential Gaming Mouse was provided to us by Double Jump on behalf of Razer for review purposes. For more information on how we review video games and other media/technology, please go review our Review Guideline/Scoring Policy for more info.