Razer Naga

Many years ago, my friend bought one of the first Razer mice. It was a 1000 DPI Boomslang, with the controversial low profile and long buttons, encouraging people to use the fingertip grip. Back then, optical mice hadn't been invented and this resolution was achieved using the ball, although the sensors inside were optical. I now have the pleasure of owning a Razer Naga, and am reviewing it here for the benefit of everyone.

Features/specifications

• 5600 DPI Razer Precision 3.5G Laser Sensor
• 1000Hz Ultrapolling™ / 1ms response time
• 200 inches per second max tracking speed
• Zero-acoustic Ultraslick™ mouse feet
• 17 MMO-optimized buttons (including 12 button thumb grid)
• Optional MMO-specific software AddOns
• Unlimited character profiles with AddOns
• Approximate size:  116L x 69W x 41.6H (in mm)
• 7 foot lightweight, braided fiber cable
• Scroll wheel with 24 individual click positions
• Anti-slip rubber coating
• Blue logo with pulsating glow
• MMO-optimized multi-button thumb grid
• Gold-plated USB connector

Hardware

My first impression was the mouse is smaller than I thought. Maybe it's the shape, but it's only 17 mm longer than the Orochi, Razer's portable mouse. It still fits the hand very well and is comfortable to hold. The array of buttons on the left do not affect the ergonomics in any way or make the mouse harder to handle or pick up.
The lighting is nice. I especially like the scroll wheel and the pulsating logo, but too bad it doesn't change very smoothly, like the MacBook's sleep light. The Razer logo cuts off abruptly. I realize that LED lights aren't everyone's thing, so it's good that you can disable all the lights in Razer's software.
I'm not sure how many click positions a normal scroll wheel has, but since Razer is advertising this with 24, I'm thinking the average is less than 24. The scroll wheel feels easy to move. I prefer Logitech's inertial scrolling though.
The cable is coated in a braided fiber, instead of the usual PVC. This is a higher-end form of insulation. In my experience, PVC insulation may sometimes melt or become sticky.
One thing that surprised me was that the mouse lacked on-the-fly hardware sensitivity adjustment. An important factor in gaming mice is customization, and being able to bring that anywhere. Although I do not expect this to have Synapse (on-board memory), I thought it would have sensitivity adjustment. The only adjustment the mouse offers is a switch on the bottom that changes the mapping of the number pad, which doesn't really do anything. These problems are fixed with Razer's software though, so it is only a problem if you use the mouse away from your default computer.

The number pad

This being the key feature of the mouse, deserved its own section. Razer is telling you to give yourself time to get used to the number pad. I guess this is to become fully accustomed and are able to press the keys without looking. They even provide stickers for feeling so you know which key you're on. However, don't be afraid to jump right in and start using the mouse.
If you just plug it into a new computer, the number pad maps either to the 1 to = keys on your keyboard, or the number pad, depending on the switch in the mouse. This allows you to get some degree of use out of the mouse without any software, but it's with the software that the mouse really shines.
As of now, I haven't tested this with any games, so I can't tell how good it is, but I think even if you have to look down to see what button to press, it's still faster than removing your hand from the mouse.

Software
Software is what makes or breaks a gaming mouse. I believe the main problem with cheaper mice is not build quality or features or DPI, but lack of good software. This area is where the Naga really shines.

The software is highly customisable. Macros can be assigned to any button, or even the scroll wheel. Interestingly, OS X supports 5 mouse buttons. I wonder how many Windows supports? The lack of on-the-fly sensitivity adjustment is corrected in the software.

Each of the 12 buttons can be assigned to do anything you want, or nothing at all. I suspect this is a new feature in the software, because some older reviews complained about the lack of this. This is a huge feature and the reason why I wanted a Naga over other Razer mice - if you can program keystrokes/macros to the buttons, the mouse can be used in many other applications, such as Photoshop!

It has standard control over sensitivity and acceleration (OS X doesn't have settings for acceleration). One thing I don't like is there is no control over scrolling speed, which is a bit slow.

Profiles with automatic switching, based on application

I'm a fan of automation. I think many computer tasks can be greatly simplified with macros, but sadly most software is too inaccessible/hard to learn. Interestingly, some software is better for keyboard commands and some for mouse. The Naga's software's macro programming is excellent, and even has a delay setting. It records keyboard presses and mouse clicks.

Lastly, the lighting can be controlled and the firmware is upgradeable!
One last word on the software: many manufacturers add OS X support as an afterthought. Not all Razer mice can be used on OS X. It's good to see that the OS X support here is fully featured, and it's only logical to expect that the Windows version has even more features.

Conclusion
This mouse has good hardware, and excellent software.