Razer Basilisk review

Last updated: Jan 13, 2020

FPS players who are unafraid of trying unconventional paddles ought to give the Basilisk a look.

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What's in this review?

Design
Performance
Features
Pricing and availability
Specs

Razer's stable of premium gaming input devices has become pretty predictable of late. The outer shells have gotten sleeker and sexier, the dangerous-sounding model names have been escalating to more angrier predatory wildlife, but no major feature breakthroughs have been forthcoming. The Basilisk finally offers something new and unique – an innovation that may in fact change the face of first-person-shooter mice forever.

Design

Solid build quality
Inventive "clutch" paddle

In comparative terms, the shell on offer is slightly bigger than my usual go-to gaming mouse (the Logitech G502 Proteus Core) but the Basilisk is mercifully more diminutive than the Razer DeathAdder Elite, not to mention less angular and therefore more comfortable to hold. I quite like that the G502's DPI buttons have been shifted away from the left button to reside in the new clutch paddle.
Innovative clutch paddle and DIY scroll wheel sensitivity aside, the design and shape of the Basilisk housing are perhaps a little too inspired by the G502. That said, close imitation is bound to happen when you're chasing a rival that's homing in on perfection.

Performance

Top optical sensor
Great performance
Scroll wheel is a little loose

Boasting a 5G optical sensor with 16,000 DPI, the Razer Basilisk did indeed provide me with a lot of precision in Overwatch (and it was needed, as I currently main Widowmaker). During thorough testing I experienced no delays whatsoever, and, when using the clutch-accessed sniper mode, the Basilisk never failed to smoothly track pixel-by-pixel.
The Basilisk weighs in at 109 grams (a smidge heavier than the 100g that most professionals look for) but the difference is negligible and the unit still handles quite well. During testing, the left and right buttons came in roughly 10ms slower than my G502 (grand scheme: not much difference at all) and it's nice that Razer's software suite allows you to anally tweak the behaviour of every button, be it the wheel, the new clutch paddle, or you can even tweak the sensitivity of the "sensitivity up/down" buttons. I call this Sensitivinception.
This is me niggling, but sizeable shakes to the unit cause the wheel to rattle about much more than it ought to. We're talking desperate, in-game 180-degree-turn swings here (or wild, 360 no-scope manoeuvres). This shouldn't really be a problem because you shouldn't be doing either of those things.

Features

"Clutch" paddle makes on-the-fly DPI adjustment easier than ever
Great software too

They call it the "clutch". Up until now, fervent scope-users have been pressing thumb-accessed "sniper" buttons to activate a mode that lowers DPI (dots per inch) thereby allowing them to shoot the fleas off a dog's back at 500 yards. The Basilisk does things a touch differently with a removable (and therefore customisable) paddle that juts out a little from the main unit. It looks a tad ugly and more than a little flimsy, to be perfectly honest with you, but what it lacks in aesthetics it more than makes up for with head-popping results.
Basically, I can't go back to regular old thumb-button sniping now, and I also refuse to put up with any mouse that lacks the Basilisk's other major feature, scroll wheel resistance adjustment. Using a roller neatly hidden underneath the unit, you can change the ride feel of the scroll to suit your taste. I'd describe the two spectrum extremes as "oiled wheel of a Matchbox car" or "rusty old wheel of fortune prize spinner". Going in, I never thought I'd care, but that was yesterday – being allowed to find my preference on that spectrum is a plus that puts this mouse slightly ahead of the pack in my opinion. Bottom line: FPS players who are unafraid of trying unconventional paddles ought to give the Basilisk a look.
Along with the above mentioned, Razer's comprehensive Synapse 3.0 software allows you to setup keyboard functions, dig into a fully fledged macro editor profile switch, and mess with the RGB lights. You can also make the clutch paddle become a “hyper shift” toggle which changes the function of every button on the unit (essentially doubling the number of buttons you have). Make smart use of the feature and you could have 16 functions per profile at your fingertips, which is great news for MMO players.

Pricing and availability

The Razer Basilisk retails for $109.95.

Razer Basilisk FPS Gaming Mouse

Take your FPS skills to the next level with the Razer Basilisk. Order today from Amazon Australia.

Buy at Amazon

Specs

Where to buy

Sensitivity

Maximum DPI

16,000

Polling Rate

1,000Hz

Physical Dimensions

Number of Buttons

Depth

124mm

Width

75mm

Height

43mm

Weight

107g

Features

Wireless

RGB

Yes

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Adam Mathew

Adam Mathew is a writer for Finder, specialising in video games and TV. He's been the editor of magazines such as Ultimate Nintendo and Official PlayStation AU. His words may also be found in IGN, Gamespot, Kotaku, Red Bull, Game Informer and AusGamers.

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Razer Basilisk review