Razer Basilisk V3 gaming mouse review

The new Razer Basilisk V3 is, as the name suggests, the third iteration of the iconic wired rodent. Initially introduced way back in the wonderful year 2018 B.C. (Before Covid) the Basilisk quickly earned its name as one of the best gaming mice. We loved the follow-up Basilisk V2 and the many improvements it brought. On to this version three mouse, and the improvements aren't as immediately obvious. 

The Basilisk V3 looks and feels practically identical to the V2, which admittedly isn't a bad thing at all. Designed for right-handers, the $70 Basilisk V3 retains the same flared and textured thumb rest, iconic thumb paddle, and split mouse button design of the V2. 

It's extremely comfortable to hold on to for hours on end and reminds me why the Basilisk Ultimate was my own favorite mouse. However, coming from using the Steelseries Prime Wireless mouse, I can't help but notice the V3's extra heft. 

Mind you, it's still only 101g all told, but the 20g difference might as well be a kilo to some, though that never affected my enjoyment of using the V3 for over 10 hours each day. The 100% PTFE feet make the Basilisk glide effortlessly, and even the braided cord disappeared from my consciousness as it never came close to hindering my movements. 

You won't miss the most obvious design change — a blinding, 9-zone Razer Chroma lighting strip on the base. This new strip makes the V3 look like an otherworldly visitor ship on your desk. In addition to the scroll wheel and hump logo, lighting is customisable to your heart's content, via the Razer Chroma studio. Should you really want to engage with Razer's software.

Also changed is the iconic thumb paddle, which is now shorter and non-removable unlike the v2. It feels reassuringly solid and able to take more punishment than the last generation. Oh, and you don't have to worry about losing it either (mine is gone forever - Ed). 

By default, the paddle shifts down your DPI for better sniping though you can easily set it to do whatever you want in Razer Synapse. The same applies to the 10 other buttons and you can save different profiles to the internal memory. You will need to flip the V3 to hit the switch that cycles the profiles, however. 

Razer is touting the new HyperScroll Tilt Wheel on the V3 as one of its most stand out features, and for good reason. It brings two modes of use; Tactile for clicky, measured scrolls, and Free Spin which removes any resistance to scrolling. Smart Reel is an automatic mode that switches between the two modes. Spin the wheel faster and the mouse releases the wheel into Free Spin that is wonderful for long web pages and documents. 

You get an audible click when the mouse switches modes like a gear shift. Sadly, Smart Reel is far too enthusiastic and would kick in way too often—much to my irritation. Thankfully, you can manually switch modes by pressing the button just behind the scroll wheel. I work alot in design programs and, while the free spin makes moving around large canvases faster, it quickly becomes a problem when zooming in and out for details. 

This is also exacerbated by the V3's scroll acceleration which increases the scroll speed the faster you spin the wheel. Your mileage will vary but it's one of those things that's likely to be an acquired taste. As cool as this new scroll wheel is, I failed to find any practical use for it in games, though some of you clever folk will undoubtedly create some smart hacks. 

Personally, I feel the HyperScroll is more of a productivity enhancement that aims the Basilisk V3 straight at mice like the Logitech MX Master 3.

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Thankfully the few real improvements aren't centered around the scroll wheel. Razer has also updated the Focus+ optical sensor, raising it from an already absurd 20,000 DPI to 26,000 DPI. But it has maintained the 650 IPS. 

I don't know anyone who actually games at such high DPI, but the Basilisk V3 is certainly smooth, precise, and responsive and the extra granularity the high DPI allows helps its smooth tracking. Razer has also included some AI smart tracking to help the mouse automatically calibrate itself to whatever surface you are using it on. 

The main mouse buttons get second-gen Razer Optical mechanical switches and they have crispy clicks, are fast, and just as responsive as the sensor itself. I love the gentle button grooves and the subtle texture, so that your fingers don't slip. I also noticed the buttons are less wobbly than previous Basilisks, but we'll have to see how they hold up after several thousand clicks. 

The Razer Basilisk V3 is a solid iteration on an already great mouse, improving on elements without detracting from others. Those improvements are welcome, too, and I honestly can't get over how good the added Chroma lighting looks. The HyperScroll Tilt Wheel is fun, though ultimately not as useful in gaming as it is in productivity work, but overall I love this new Basilisk, and it certainly leaves me excited for a wireless Basilisk V3 Ultimate. Now that's going to be some mouse.