Joining the cult of Razer has never been easy on the wallet. The company has built some top quality products in the industry, offering performance, quality and precision to the discerning player. Yet this all comes at a cost—at least it used to.
Razer recently unveiled their less expensive essential lineup of products, that while not cheap still offer Razer quality with a bit less of a hit on the wallet. The Razer Abyssus Essential is one such product, and save for a few concerns, executes on that vision with a flair I did not expect from a $64.99CAD gaming mouse.
Touted by Razer as a no-frills gaming mouse, the Razer Abyssus Essential is a pared-down offering from Razer that offers players three buttons to work with: a left, right and scroll wheel. It also comes with the iconic Razer Chroma lighting system, offering a slew of colours for users to play with.
The Razer Abyssus Essential is also quite a small device. While the mouse is indeed ambidextrous, it does not check all the boxes in terms of comfort. It has the standard Razer styling and ergonomics you would expect from a mouse of this class, but it managed to be a bit small for my hands, and I found it rather tedious to use in longer gaming sessions. The low profile nature of the mouse means it will not completely fill your hand, and most gamers will need to rely on a claw-like hand stance.
At least the buttons maintain that Razer feel and feedback. The Omron micro-switches with ten million click durability manage to be responsive, especially in fast shooters, and never during my time with the Abyssus Essential did I feel that the mouse hampered my aim or feel within a game. The matte finish ensured I never lost grip of the buttons or mouse in general and the overall use experience (save for the size) was spot on. Combine that with a course that is light and easy to maneuver and you have yourself a winning combination.
It is also good to see Razer did not skimp on the sensor within the Abyssus Essential. The 7,200 DPI sensor was a joy to use, managing to be crisp and precise from 1,000-5,000 DPI ranges. Even at the higher range of 6000 worked like a charm, as long as you use a quality mouse pad. I found that on a raw desk I did experience a level of jitter, although no more than you would expect from any high DPI mouse. The lift off distance is also comparable to many options in the class, around the height of 2 Blu-ray discs rested flat.
As with all modern Razer products, the Abyssus Essential utilized Synapse 3 for all customization needs. From Chroma colour and style, actions, and buttons to DPI configuration, it is all here and easy to use. Razer has put a real effort into making the Synapse app a great hub for customization, although I feel part of that is wasted on the Abyssus Essential.
While there are a few areas that were fun to get perfect for my daily use, it is clear that this app works best with accessories that have a full range of options. The Abyssus Essential is too simple to take full advantage of the tool Razer has built. But that is to be expected on a mouse of this level, and the fact that it can be customized at all is a great addition, especially on a budget friendly mouse. Also, let’s be honest, the Chroma underglow lighting is rather fantastic, and a feature we’d like to see on more mice going forward.
When it comes down to it, the Abyssus Essential is a great if not limited option for the budget conscious gamer. While there are indeed plenty of cheap mice on the market, some of them not bad, the Abyssus Essential has that level of quality not found with options in this class. It offers the same tools for customization the big brothers use, and it always has Chroma for users to enjoy and configure. While I don’t love the size or shape of the mouse, there is no denying that this is a quality accessory at a near budget price. If you can get past the size, or enjoy simple mice for your gaming, the Abyssus Essential is a must buy.
Liked this article and want to read more like it? Check out more of Brendan Frye’s work such as his interview with EA Motive about Star Wars: Battlefront II, and his in-depth look at the Equifax Hack!
Want to see more videos? Subscribe to our YouTube channel and check out the First 15: Fe, Monster Hunter World Beta: the Insatiable Nergigante, Dissidia Final Fantasy NT, Star Wars Battlefront II, Sonic Forces + Episode Shadow, and Super Mario Odyssey!
Don’t forget to tune in every Friday the Pixels & Ink Podcast to hear the latest news, previews, and in-depth game discussions!
Never miss when new CGM articles go out by following us on Twitter and Facebook!
CGMagazine is Canada’s premiere comics and gaming magazine. Subscribe today to get the best of CGM delivered right to your door! Never miss when a new issue goes live by subscribing to our newsletter! Signing up gives you exclusive entry into our contest pool. Sign up once, you’ll have a chance to win! Sign up today!
