Are you looking for a mouse that can bridge the gap between an MMOs and first-person shooters? Viper Gaming’s V570 Blackout Edition aims to do just that. It Features 13 Programmable buttons, including a dedicated sniper button, Avago ADMS-9800 Sensor capable of 12K DPI, and RGB Lighting. With an MSRP of $69.99, will it live up to the expectations of multi-genre gamers? Read on to find out.
Specifications
- Current Price: $59.99
- Unique FPS+MMO hybrid design
- Unique 13 programmable buttons for each of 5 gaming modes to customize your desired scripts
- Zero Delay (the world’s fastest!), Left/Right button click response time
- Auto-Speed: DPI can be automatically adjusted in a range you set up
- 16-bit ultra-data path for ultimate performance
- Polling rate: 1000 Hz.
- 800/1600/2400/3200 DPI switchable (Max. up to 12000 dpi, with Viper software)
- DPI indicator LED
- Avago ultimate sensor (12000 frame rate)
- Tracking Speed: 150 inches/sec.
- Omron Micro Switch: 5 million clicks
- Rubber side grip and finger grooves
- Stylish, ergonomic, and comfortable shape
- Adjustable weight system, 159g stock, up to 34.2g additional weight
- Ceramic foot pads
- USB connector
- Viper gaming software
The gaming market has pushed forth a multitude of concepts and designs in the world of peripherals, and, as a result, we have been flooded with products ranging from the most basic to the complex. It is increasingly difficult for a company to release something that will shine through the fog. Thankfully, I love trying new technology, and especially gaming mice, to see what’s worthwhile. I love seeing each company apply their own twists and designs, and Viper’s V570 Blackout is no different.
Right from the start, I was intrigued: the adjustable weights, button pattern, and style left me excited. I am pretty strict with my expectations. As a longtime MMO player, I’ve spent years with the Razer Naga and need a lot of inputs. MMO mice are about button placement and usability. If I have to concentrate more on what my fingers are doing then what is happening in the game then immediately the experience is sub-par.
While “more buttons” tends to be “more welcome,” that placement can either make or break your experience. With this mouse, I enjoyed having the extra buttons for mapping commands how they were positioned left something to be desired.
The first three thumb buttons are comfortable and easy to actuate. The remaining two require much more strenuous articulation of the thumb and hand. While playing a fast-paced MMO this isn’t ideal. The additional four buttons on top are fairly easy to operate as they are placed on either side of the mouse buttons. The sniper button, positioned at the tip of your thumb, is a great idea. With more time playing shooters, I think I could become accustomed to using it and improve my accuracy.
One feature was I excited to experience was the customizable weight of the V570. As you can see in the picture above, a portion of the shell under your palm lifts off and allows you to add individual weights up to an additional 32.4 grams. This means you can shift and adjust where the weight is as well as the amount of overall weight of the mouse. During gameplay, I was able to note the subtle difference depending on where I had the weights positioned. I like a heavy mouse (and the V570 starts heavy at 159 grams), so with all six weights inserted into the mouse, I found the weight to be ideal. This is especially true thanks to the smooth gliding ceramic feet. (I tested the mouse on the Razer Goliathus soft mouse mat).
Ergonomically speaking, the V570 has hit the nail on the head. The contours of the mouse fit my hand very well. Long gaming sessions proved to be very comfortable with a palm grip. It really was quite nice. I felt as though each of my fingers had a perfect spot to rest while not having to focus on keeping my placement.
Configuration of the V570 is straight forward with little to no complexity. The Viper software allows access to remapping all 13 buttons in 5 different profiles. The mouse feature adjustable on-the-fly DPI toggling using the DPI Loop Button located behind the mouse wheel. One feature I did find very refreshing was the utilization of the LEDs located adjacent to the DPI Button. This LED Strip has 4 LEDs that light up depending on the level of DPI you are set to. Not only does this give a great visual it also changes colors to indicate which profile is currently selected.
RGB has become a standard feature on gaming mice. Some companies take more advantage of this and others tend to give it the basic “best try”. The V570 features the ability to adjust four separate zones with basic lighting effects though the lighting effects are basic. Currently, you can set a static light (customizable), a rainbow wave, and two different random effects. The colors are bright and vibrant and look good, even if they’re not the most customizable.
Final Thoughts
If you are looking for a mouse that gets the job done, looks great but will not drain the bank, your search ends here. With its MSRP of $59.99, the Viper V570 Blackout Edition is a very good mouse with lots of buttons, a good selection of features, and slick looks. Your mileage may vary on the positioning of those buttons depending on the game being played and the size of your hands. It wasn’t perfect for me, but worked well, especially for the price.
