On this page I’ll be reviewing these Razer mice while comparing the two when necessary, hopefully, it helps anyone unsure of which to choose. The Abyssus V2 and the Deathadder Elite are two of Razer’s most popular mice. The Deathadder is known for its extremely popular shape and has been on the market for a very long time. The Abyssus V2 is a mouse is catered to people who prefer a smaller and lighter mouse than usual.
Abyssus V2
- DPI: 5,000
- Side buttons: None
- Lighting: Blue, Cyan, Razer Green
- Weight: 80g
- Dimensions: 117mm / 64mm / 38mm
Deathadder Elite
- DPI: 16,000
- Side buttons: 2
- Lighting: RGB
- Weight: 100g
- Dimensions: 127mm / 70mm / 44mm
Quick review: Razer Abyssus V2
Razer’s goal with the Abyssus V2 was to design a mouse suitable for all play styles which can perform at a tournament level. Unlike a lot of Razer mice, the Abyssus V2 has a very simplistic design. It’s a nice change and you can still expect it to play as well as any other Razer mouse. The theme of the Abyssus V2 is “LESS IS MORE” and you can see why.
Shape and design
The shape and size of a mouse is the most crucial thing to consider before making the purchase. The Abyssus V2 is a small mouse with an ergonomic ambidextrous form factor. For people with smaller hands, this mouse is a great size and shape that should suit all grip styles. The mouse click buttons are flat and not grooved. I personally prefer a slight groove in my left and right-click buttons but it’s not a deal-breaker. Both sides of the mouse are textured and rubberized. Side grips help you execute lift-offs and fast swipes during gameplay. With the mouse only weighing 80g and having gripped sides, it’s a perfect candidate for high-level FPS gaming.
Extra buttons
There are no side buttons on either side of the Abyssus V2. For people who are used to having two side buttons this alone could put them off buying the mouse. I imagine Razer decided not to have side buttons to make the design as ambidextrous as possible. Below the scroll wheel is a single DPI button that can be pressed to cycle through multiple DPI profiles on the fly. To make up for the lack of side buttons you could rebind the DPI button or the scroll click using the Razer Synapse software.
Sensor
The Abyssus V2 comes with a true 5,000 DPI optical sensor. It’s important to remember that a higher DPI does not equal a higher quality sensor. Like all Razer sensors, you can expect this one to perform to an extremely high standard. If you’re someone who likes to bump their DPI up to a huge number then maybe 5,000 will sound low. You can always adjust your sensitivity in your game settings to help suit your preferences.
Software and lighting
You will need to sign up for and download the Razer Synapse software in order to use the mouse at its full potential. This software lets you adjust and customize all of the important mouse settings. If you’re left-handed and bought the mouse for its ambidextrous design, you can swap the left and right clicks in the macro settings.
The mouse has 3 colors to choose from for its backlighting which will light up two parts of the mouse. Both the scroll wheel and the Razer logo can be backlit in either cyan, blue or the classic Razer green. There is also an option to have a breathing effect which will cycle through all three colors fading in and out.
Quick review: Razer Deathadder Elite
Razers Deathadder mice are possibly the best selling gaming mice period. The Deathadder Elite has multiple improvements and certainly holds up to the usual standard. The design is approved by many esport pros and the mouse has received multiple awards from review sites. Razer continue to push their mice, the focus of the Deathadder Elite is being a large mouse with an ergonomic shape.
Shape and design
Razer take pride in the Deathadder’s shape calling it iconic. The shape is approved by many top esport players. After doing some research I found that a lot of professional gamers are using the Deathadder. The left and right mouse click buttons are slightly grooved which really adds to the comfort. Both sides of the mouse have a rubberized grip to help with lifting and swiping. The grips are extra useful for low sensitivity players.
The Deathadder Elite is a pretty large mouse so it’s probably not suited for small hands. It weighs around 100g which is pretty lightweight considering the size of the mouse. A left-handed version of the mouse is available which is essentially the same mouse but mirrored.
Extra buttons
There are two buttons on the left side of the mouse which are quickly accessible and easy to rebind. Having at least two side buttons has become the standard with gaming mice. A lot of modern games require many keybinds so side buttons can help. The Deathadder has two DPI buttons below the scroll wheel. Having two DPI buttons could be useful if you choose to rebind them to other actions.
The Deathadder Elite has gaming optimized mechanical switches on both of the left and right mouse buttons. Designed with the leading mouse switch supplier Omron, they are said to last for up to 50 million clicks.
Sensor
The Deathadder Elite is equipped with Razers esports-grade 16,000 DPI optical sensor. It tracks at 450 inches per second compared to the Abyssus V2’s 100 IPS. When playing competitive games it’s extremely important to use a mouse with a good sensor. Thankfully most high-end gaming mice have good sensors and the Deathadder is no exception. 16,000 DPI could be seen as overkill as most pro FPS players use lower than 1000 DPI. Pro players use low DPI because low sensitivity is known to improve your aim.
Software and lighting
You can set and customize your own mouse profiles using the Razer Synapse software. This is where you’ll be able to rebind the extra buttons and set your DPI profiles. You can then switch between the DPI profiles using the DPI buttons. Once you sign up and download Razer Synapse you’ll find it’s simple and easy to use.
The mouse has fully customizable RGB lighting in two locations. The scroll wheel and the Razer logo both have backlighting. You can choose from multiple effects including breathing, spectrum cycling and reactive. With reactive lighting selected the LEDs will react to your clicks and fade out after a set amount of time.
Reviewing the reviews (Amazon & Reddit)
Razer Abyssus V2
Positive:
Most of the positive reviews for the Abyssus V2 are praising the shape of the mouse. The ambidextrous design has received an overall great response from many left-handed gamers. One guy said that the mouse having no side buttons made the grip more comfortable. If you have no use for extra buttons this is a nice bonus. An Amazon reviewer said he had bought this as a replacement for his old Deathadder, he prefers the smaller shape of the Abyssus V2.
Negative:
A few people were disappointed with the mouse not having RGB lighting. One reviewer found the Deathadder much more comfortable than the Abyssus, probably due to their hand size. Unfortunately, a few people said their scroll wheels had broken around the 6-month mark. The mouse does come with a 2 year warranty which makes this less worrying. Lastly, someone found it tedious that you had to sign up for a Razer account to use the software. Although this is the case for all Razer products so keep that in mind.
Razer Deathadder Elite
Positive:
The Deathadder is a lot of peoples go-to mouse and the reviews are filled with recurring buyers. One reviewer said the mouse lasts between 1.5 to 2 years before he needs a new one. Despite this, he continues to buy them as he’s a big fan of the shape and feel. The variety of color schemes to choose from pleased one reviewer as they found the original scheme boring. The braided cable also received a few positive responses and was said to feel high quality.
Negative:
The shape and size of the mouse did receive some negative feedback although this comes down to your hand size. A few people complained about the mouse double-clicking around the 1.5 year mark. Razer do send out replacements to help with this. The Razer Synapse software gets mixed reviews, one reviewer found it hectic to use whereas another said it was a breeze.
Conclusion
The key thing to consider is the shape and size difference between these two mice. The Abyssus being small, lightweight and ambidextrous. The Deathadder being large and heavier but still relatively lightweight. Having a mouse that fits your preferred mouse grip is crucial. Try your best to determine what shape and size your mouse should be and start your decision there.