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Razer Naga Epic and Ironclad Mouse Mat |
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The Razer Naga Epic in Detail
Moving onto the mouse itself, the Naga Epic measures in at 116L x 77W x 41H (in mm). This is a tad smaller than other gamer centric mice like the Mamba and a bit slimmer than the original Naga, but this width can be varied using additional side panels. The design and materials of the mouse are in line with what you have come to expect from Razer over the years, with the familiar mouse button feel across their whole line. The scroll wheel is almost inaudible and has notches when scrolling compared to a completely smooth scroll. Meanwhile the quality of the plastics and textured finishes combined with the weight of the product adds a solid and confident experience while in use.
 
 
A feature not seen with the previous Naga, and a welcome addition, is the ability to change the side panels based on your hand size and ideal finger resting point. Three panels are included by default that attach to the right side of the mouse with the help of strong magnets. As a large handed person, I went straight for the largest size and then moved down to see how each size feels. In the end I stuck with the largest size. While the mouse is smaller than previous mice from Razer, the largest side panel made my large hand feel at home and quite comfortable. Over a week with a mixture of Photoshop work, web browsing and of course gaming, I felt the mouse was well crafted to suit my hand and finger placement and continued to be comfortable after with long periods of usage.
The key design feature of the Naga is the set of 17 buttons, with 12 being accessible on the left side of the mouse, the rest via the scroll wheel and pair of buttons below. Each button is fully configurable and Razer state it shouldn't take much longer than 18 hours of use to get familiar with the device. If you are having trouble with the locations, Razer have included a set of translucent rubber buttons that can be temporarily stuck to specific areas to help with familiarisation.
It's worth noting that these buttons aren't just useful in games. Each can be programmed via the windows software to assign repetitive Ctrl/Alt/Shift shortcuts, macros recorded via the software for various program launching and game key combinations, or on the fly profile and sensitivity switching.
Due to being wireless, the Naga Epic includes a battery featuring an 1100mAh capacity with a 3.7V output. Razer claim a 12-hour life for continuous use, and approximately 72 hours of normal usage. These battery life details can significantly vary based on the lighting and sleep settings set in the windows software, as well as usage patterns. Using the device for the past week, I found on an average of 8 hours use per day I was able to achieve approximately 5 days usage with the lighting settings set on dim, and the sleep settings at the default 3 minute mark. With future firmware updates, these battery life details may be further tweaked.
But what if you run out of battery power during a long gaming session? Well for those extended gaming session Razer have included a port on the front of the mouse that can be directly connected to the PC for continuous charging and gaming. This is especially handy for those times you may forget to cradle the mouse to charge or just for a bit of extra security when heading to a LAN, as the cable does take a bit of effort to remove.
Being wireless the Naga Epic needs a place to call home while not in use. The Naga's dock is weighted and feels quite sturdy reducing the chance of it being knocked over once the mouse is in place. It also features a magnetised base which corresponds to a magnet in the base of the mouse, for a secure mount. Underneath the dock is a simple button to synchronize the dock with the mouse. The mini-USB cable slots right in the back of the dock, while the full sized USB port goes to the PC.
For a user being accustomed to a wired mouse for many years, it didn't take long to get used to the wireless freedom of the Naga Epic. While initially some users may experience some strangeness it doesn't take long to adjust, and get a feel for the tracking accuracy, so after a while it felt like my previously corded products.
The Naga Epic utilises Razer's latest Precision 3.5G laser sensor allowing sensitivity adjustment up to 5600dpi. Combined with a 1000Hz Ultra-polling technology it allows for an increased accuracy and minimises any delay in passing along the sensor's readings. Due to the sensor implemented a few millimetre lift is possible, but anything more and its tracking ability will be lost.
In addition to Razer's own software, they provide downloadable in-game add-ons and integrated in-game support for the most popular MMO games like World of Warcraft, Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning, City of Heroes and more. And while this set of add-ons quickens the configuration of the Naga Epic for your specific game, it's not limited to the few mentioned here as the mouse can be customised for any program that requires it via the windows software suite.
Here's an example video from Razer of the in-game mouse configuration for WoW:
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