Home Hi-Tech Games and Consoles ,,,,,The Razer Mamba, grandfather of this Mamba Elite that we review today, was a very important mouse for Razer: it was the first to adopt the new design, then arrived in all the new products of the snake brand, it was the first gamer mouse to adopting a Wi-Fi technology within reach of the game and also the first to show the world the potential of Chroma technology.
The new Mamba Elite therefore has a heavy legacy, even if the numbers are all there: same ergonomics, new sensor, Chroma and even if the use of drivers for Mac users remains controversial.
Razer Mamba Elite, the review
A timeless classic
The box of the Mamba is simple: on the other hand, a wired mouse does not need to have many accessories: there is also the typical Razer booklet that compliments the purchase (with the famous phrase “Congratulation, there is no turning back “, which in Italian sounds a bit like” Congratulations, from here there is no way to go back “).
Once opened, however, the typical attention to detail of Razer is not long in coming: the braided cable is of excellent workmanship and practically impossible to tangle, and indeed it is perhaps too long for those who have a Mac, given that unlike PCs the connector is not too far from the keyboard.
Mamba Elite is entirely made of porous plastic, different in some details from the construction of the old Mamba (at least in the external part) but very pleasant to the touch and with a secure grip even when it does a lot hot and your hands sweat a little.
The surface includes seven physical keys (two main, two lateral, two upper plus the wheel): the technical notes speak of Razer mechanical keys developed together with Omron, with a guarantee of up to 50 million clicks, which in practice means much more than one a person's entire life in common use, but even in heavy use 50 million clicks is an unattainable amount unless we leave the mouse as an inheritance.
Like most Razer mice, the Mamba Elite also offers a design that favors the front, the one where the fingertips rest, higher than the average: who writes finds this solution incredibly comfortable and suitable for continuous use throughout the day without tiring the joints of the hand too much.
The shape is slightly right-handed, with a slight inclination towards the outside: those who use the mouse with the right hand will be fine, for those who are left-handed it is not ideal but can be used when needed.
The main keys are equipped with grooves that facilitate the support of the fingers when not in use and the wheel, toothed, is very precise even if it is necessary to scroll along it is tiring.
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New technologies
Even if at first glance the new Mamba Elite, externally, may appear similar to the old Mamba Tournament flush, in reality the technologies on board are very different.
First of all the new 5G sensor placed inside, which while producing the same resolution of 16,000 dpi is now a drastically improved optical sensor (here a brief overview of the difference between optical and laser mice).
The sensor appeared incredibly soft and precise in all situations, both in the deserted wastes of Diablo III and in the crowded streets of Overwatch via Parallels Desktop, as well as in use with Photoshop and Illustrator, which are perhaps the applications where the characteristics of the Mamba Elite were put to the test more.
Regarding the use of Chroma technology, which we like a lot, the result seems brighter today than on the old Mamba, but it could also be due to the fact that the original Mamba has more than three years of honorable career behind it while the young Mamba Elite only a couple of weeks.
The fact remains that the illuminated areas (two side, wheel and logo on the back) look very nice when playing in the dark and have indeed caught the attention of colleagues and friends who happened to be on our desk by chance.
Mac control
The mouse works correctly on both Windows and Mac even without the Synapse 3 drivers, available on the site but only for Windows (version 2, for Mac, does not see the mouse).
Admittedly, the new version of Synapse 3 is really powerful: tested on a Surface Laptop it offers truly complete and painstaking control of every single aspect of the mouse such as Chroma effects, resolution, acceleration, button binding and a novelty in this regard: the possibility of inserting on-board sets in the mouse, so as to be able to transport them from computer to computer in a more peaceful way (very useful function for those who play tournaments).
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The new Synapse 3 drivers, available only for Windows 
On Mac the question is different: the absence of drivers does not allow the modification of the Chroma effects (which stabilize on the soft cycle of colors), the customization of the keys and, in summary, a relatively relative control of the speed because the Mouse panel in the preferences of system only partially intercepts the resolution of the mouse.
We did some research on the web about it and also contacted Razer support: in the end we opted for the use of an ad hoc driver such as USB Overdrive by Italian Alessandro Levi Montalcini.
USB Overdrive, we remind you, allows complete control of any mouse on the market, including those not officially supported by macOS or those in which there is no driver to customize their use (such as the Mamba Elite).
While not being able to do anything on the Chroma lighting, USB Overdrive allowed the customization of the buttons in an optimal way and enabled a much more effective control of the resolution: in our case, for example, we lowered the acceleration of the mouse and increased the speed a little. obtaining a perfect result based on expectations.
However, it should be noted that we used the mouse in association with the now indispensable Razer Gigantus mat, which offers an ideal surface for optical mice.
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Considerations
Mamba Elite improves the Mamba experience in every sense: the wire version we tested is undoubtedly one of the best mice we have tested for ergonomics, material, precision and softness.
The lack of Mac drivers remains a negative point, hoping that Razer will retrace its steps and propose a version of Synapse, even limited, for all those Mac users who appreciate Razer products (which are not few, considering that other products , such as Nommo Pro that we recently reviewed, are fully compatible with both Mac and iOS).
The cost, for a professional corded mouse, is perhaps a bit high but if you are looking for quality and a mouse that becomes your best friend beyond the Mac, this is a strong candidate.
Pro : • Excellent ergonomics • Chroma lighting • Impeccable sensor
Against: • Mac drivers are missing • Cost is important
Price: 99.99 Euro (we recommend the joint use of USB Overdrive, 17.75 Euro)
Readers can find Mamba Elite in computer accessories chains across the peninsula, or online both on the Razer website and on Amazon.it. For those interested, other versions of the Mamba are also available, such as the 2015 model (still excellent, discounted at € 164.40) or its counterpart Mamba Tournament (now discounted at € 75.80), identical but only flush. Also available is the Mamba Hyperflux version (279.99 euros, now discounted at 253.99 euros), wireless with continuous induction charging, or the new Mamba Wireless version (99.00 euros), wireless counterpart of the Mamba Elite model here reviewed.
We highly recommend the purchase in combination with a mat, which enhances the use of the 5G optical sensor such as the official Razer one or a compatible one.
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