How Razer’s $1,337 Boomslang Mouse Broke Me

I feel like I’m doing something naughty as I stroke the smooth plastic and faux-leather edges of Razer’s recreation of its beloved 26-year-old Boomslang mouse. Yes, I’m as uncomfortable writing that as you undoubtedly were reading it. But it’s true: I feel as if some British schoolmaster is about to creep up behind me and rap me on the knuckles for daring to touch it. And that’s not because my plebian fingers are degrading an ancient relic, or something that was created by Razer’s AI assistants. The only reason this mouse seems to demand reverence is that Razer made it cost $1,337. However, like a haunted totem I was not meant to touch, this mouse drove me stark raving mad.

Razer sent me the 20th Anniversary edition of its Boomslang mouse for review. If it wasn’t obvious, I couldn’t possibly afford one of these myself. There are supposedly only 1,337 of these snake-tongue-shaped mice being made. As I write this review, it’s already sold out.

Compared to a DeathAdder V4 Pro, the Razer Boomslang is fatter, flatter, and far less ergonomic. © Kyle Barr / Gizmodo

Despite all my bewilderment, this mouse is so, so much more fun to use than any traditional ergonomic device. My colleague, senior consumer tech reporter James Pero, told me the Boomslang looked like a Happy Meal toy promoting the 1997 film Batman & Robin. I don’t disagree, but I do love the look of this mouse. Its shape is totally unique, and clear plastic is a quick way to my Game Boy Advance-loving heart. And too, it’s fun to swipe this doohickey on my desk. It’s Razer, after all. It should look unique. Why do I buy so many RGB-filled gamer products if not to make a statement?

The Boomslang certainly looks premium. Its finish has a pleasant, smooth feel and is thicker than that of other forms of translucent plastic. Its design bears the antithesis of modern ergonomics, but can you blame it for that when it’s supposed to represent a different age of PC gaming? At this point, you’re reading this having already noticed the score I gave it. That’s because, as much as I want to keep this device on my desk, the revised Boomslang lacks many of the obvious features you’d expect for a mouse priced over $1,300.

‘L33T’ in the traditional sense of the word

The Boomslang recreation has the DPI and polling rate to meet today’s expectations for high-end PC gaming. © James Pero / Gizmodo

“1,337,” shockingly, doesn’t relate to the English word “leet” that refers to the court officer in charge of recording the gentry’s landholdings. It’s ye-olde internet “leetspeak” that’s meant to evoke the word “elite.” Limiting the number of available units and hiking the cost to match that “L33T” terminology allows for a load of puns, but does it make for a better mouse?

This is an ambidextrous mouse, so lefties don’t have to feel left out. That said, there’s no one “correct” way to hold it. The revised Boomslang is wider and flatter than most gaming mice. When I’m using it, the meat of my palm slides across the tabletop as my pinkie finger fishes for any cranny in which it might comfortably rest.

Don’t get me wrong, though: I can’t stop touching this mouse. I’m drawn to its sleek edges. The single, dare I say elegant, RGB eye of the Boomslang, is particularly hypnotizing. Every click reverberates with a heavy mechanical twang that’s less “click” and more of a sharp “ka-chunk.” You’ll hear this mouse as much as you feel its genre-defining heft.

This is, after all, a relatively accurate recreation of the original 1999 Boomslang mouse. When that came out, Razer was owned by Kärna, and Robert “Razerguy” Krakoff and other staff, including the current CEO, Min-Liang Tan, believed they could revolutionize gaming peripherals. It was the first rollerball-type mouse to crack 2,000 DPI. (That refers to dots per inch, which is a measure of the mouse’s sensitivity.) That originally Boomslang was great at lining up accurate headshots in games like the original Counter-Strike. Mice today with their optical sensors have overshadowed the original’s landmark specs many times over. It is the device that created a market for e-sports peripherals.

That emerald green color is particularly pleasing, and the single RGB strip is tame by Razer’s usual standards. © Kyle Barr / Gizmodo

Now, you’re probably wondering, “Why is it this mouse’s 20th anniversary and not its 25th anniversary?” That’s because Razer rereleased this mouse as a separate collector’s edition in 2007. (Okay, so it’s not technically the 20th anniversary by that metric either, but when has common sense ever stopped Razer?) The 2007 version even came with a special titanium case. Instead of green plastic, it also had a golden veneer.

Externally, the 2026 model looks quite similar to its 1999 predecessor, albeit with brighter emerald green plastic and faux-leather accents. The internals, however, more closely match those of a modern gaming mouse. This product sports almost the same guts as Razer’s best-in-class $170 DeathAdder. It has the same 8,000Hz polling rate, optical sensor (now up to 45,000 DPI), and 4th-gen optical switches, which are designed to reduce unintentional double-clicks that can be life-threatening in-game.

Razer claims the Boomslang offers strong battery life, promising more than 145 hours of active use at a 1,000Hz polling rate and around 26 hours at 8,000Hz. Gaming at that speed will also impact CPU performance on lower-end PCs. This is the type of device to connect to your high-end desktop tower and leave there forever. I was entirely skeptical of this mouse, then suddenly taken in by its aesthetics, which make it look like nothing else. Then, reality sets in. Razer decided this device deserves a price of $1,337. It doesn’t have most of the features I expect from a device at that price.

Once you peel back the eccentric exterior, the Boomslang offers only a few small upgrades over far more affordable mice in Razer’s lineup. A magnetic wireless charging station, specifically a Razer Mouse Dock Pro, comes in the box and acts as the device’s 2.4GHz “Hyperspeed” dongle. The RGB-ringed stalagmite uses the same hardy, translucent green plastic as the mouse itself. And what’s best about see-through plastic is that you can see the induction coil housed inside.

The bigger issue is that the station’s magnets aren’t strong enough to keep the device on its perch if you accidentally knock it during the day. If you’re clumsy or have limited desk space, you’ll likely shake it loose from its station at some point. Which is not something I’d recommend doing particularly often, because this isn’t a mouse that you could, or should, use as a daily driver.

Use it, don’t use it, just don’t hurt the faux leather

This case makes traveling with the mouse easier, but most people will rarely take it away from home. © Kyle Barr / Gizmodo

Razer told me that this isn’t a device designed for “cheeto fingers.” The company opted for PU leather on the sides and left and right click buttons. That’s a type of faux leather that is essentially just fabric with an extra polymer layer treated to look leathery. The more you rub it, the more likely it is to crack and peel. I can understand why Razer would avoid real leather. The end result, however, is a mouse that’s less of a functional device than it is a showpiece.

But how can you show it? You could keep it in the round, PU leather-wrapped closed case emblazoned with a Razer symbol, which won’t look particularly good on your desk or reliquary cabinet. Or you could keep it permanently connected to your PC, attached to its dock, and try your best not to knock it to the ground

There was a point where each mechanical click started to sound like a “ka-ching” sound of money leaving my wallet. It’s a far louder click than what you get on the DeathAdder V4 Pro, as if the switch is somehow echoing inside the mouse. The wheel has a solid feel, and the side buttons are handy for hitting back and forward in a web browser. If you’re used to more programmable controls, you’ll find the Boomslang lacking. If I wanted an expensive daily driver mouse, I’d look to Logitech’s MX Master 4. If I wanted a gamer mouse, I’d choose a DeathAdder over this device.

For this price, you couldn’t even add Bluetooth?

It’s far too easy to knock the mouse from its perch. © Kyle Barr / Gizmodo

The Boomslan’gs strong battery life is largely negligible if you remember to return it to the wireless charging dock. Just know that the battery charges relatively slowly in this way. I put my unit on the dock at around 10%, and after about 30 minutes, it had only reached about 35%. After about two hours, it was sitting at 70%.

And you’re not taking this mouse away from this dock, either, because it doesn’t support Bluetooth—it’s dongle-only. That means you’re not connecting it to your non-gaming device for some quick productivity work on the side while your game installs. Sure, Razer’s DeathAdder V4 Pro is the same situation, but that mouse is only meant for gaming. At the end of the day, we have a severely limited mouse that costs more than many full PCs. I wish this $1,337 device had as wide a feature range as its competitors in the sub-$100 category offer.

Will this mouse make you feel like it’s 1999 again? Perhaps. © Kyle Barr / Gizmodo

It’s not like my complaints matter. It’s already sold out. So, unless Razer decides to make more and spoil its “L33T” branding, then I’m left as one of the proud owners of a device that had me staring into the mirror, looking for the telltale signs of Poe-esque madness. Maybe Razer can learn some lessons from this experience and put them towards its next generation of peripherals. I’d enjoy a new DeathAdder or Basilisk with an enhanced Mouse Dock Pro (if Razer beefs up the magnetic connection). But, more than anything, I’d ask Razer to cut the price of this mouse. I’d accept $300, or maybe a max of $500, for a limited-edition product with the Boomslang’s accoutrements. I will never advise anybody to spend $1,337 on a mouse, “L33T” or otherwise.