Razer Naga Epic Gaming Mouse
Razer Inc.
MSRP: $129.99
Price Range: $109.99 - $154.30
Overview
CNET Editors' Rating: 3.5 / 5
The good: The Razer Naga Epic wireless gaming mouse features a 12-button thumb-side keypad, a 5,600dpi laser sensor, customizable pinkie-side inserts, and LED backlighting.
The bad: Using those 12 buttons well takes some getting used to, and the mouse doesn't offer quite as much value as competing high-end gaming mice.
The bottom line: It's not the most elegant mouse, nor does it feel worth the $130 price, but Razer's Naga Epic and its built-in, 12-button keypad could help gamers and others gain mastery over MMOs and other applications with complicated control schemes.
Design, Features & Performance (out of 10)
Design: 7.0
Features: 7.0
Performance: 8.0
Review
Razer had a reasonable idea when it designed the Naga Epic mouse for players of massively multiplayer online games. Games like World of Warcraft, Eve Online, and Rift tend to involve complex control schemes, so why not offer committed players a mouse with 12 programmable buttons for quicker access to those various commands? You need to have a special interest to choose such a mouse, due to both the learning curve and the Naga Epic's $130 price tag. We're also not convinced the button layout is optimal, and the overall features feel sparse next to those of the Cyborg R.A.T. 9. Still, MMO gamers might appreciate the Naga Epic's attempt to give them more control. We recommend this mouse only to MMO gamers (and possibly design professionals) with especially dexterous thumbs.
This is not to say that Razer is relying exclusively on the Naga Epic's 12 thumb-side buttons to sell this mouse. A follow-up to the vanilla Naga mouse released in 2010, the Naga Epic is the wireless model, although it comes with a USB cable so you can use it while it's charging. The customizable 5,600-dots-per-inch laser sensor is welcome for fast-response gaming, particularly at high display resolutions. It also features three swappable pinkie-side pieces that allow you to customize your grip.
The highlight of the Naga, though, is the four-by-three button grid on the thumb side of the mouse. You can use the included driver software to program the function of each button. The software lets you create profiles to save different key-mapping assignments for use with different games and applications. You can also flip a switch on the bottom of the mouse to use the buttons like a numerical keypad.
All of that customizability is expected, perhaps, but Razer also includes some extra features with the Naga Epic to help you get acclimated to using so many buttons.
One of the chief difficulties we encountered was knowing which buttons our thumb was actually touching. You can figure out the row you're on easily enough, but it can be hard to determine which button you're on within each row based simply on touch. The buttons in two of the four columns have raised ridges to help provide some tactile differentiation, but we found that wasn't enough of an indicator. To solve this problem, Razer includes a sheet of adhesive gummy dots you can use to give your thumb an anchor point. You get 12 dots in the box, but we found that even one dot positioned on a key in the middle of the pad helped us keep our bearings.
The other problem we had using the Naga Epic is remembering which key did what, and training ourselves to activate that button on the mouse as opposed to the keyboard or via the onscreen cursor. We can imagine this getting easier with extended practice, but we also expect that you will come to use some of the buttons more than others, based on the convenience of their position and their overall utility. We should also add that in addition to gamers, design pros often rely on a large number of macros and keyboard shortcuts, and we can imagine them using the Naga Epic to help streamline their workflow.
We can forgive a learning curve in a mouse, but it's a bit harder for us to justify the cost of the Naga Epic. For just $20 more, the Mad Catz Cyborg R.A.T. 9 provides a wireless gaming mouse with the same 5,600dpi sensor, as well as a weight kit, and far more physical customizability. Granted, the R.A.T. 9 doesn't have the thumb-side keypad, but its features come across as far more useful and less gimmicky. We especially appreciate the weight kit and the hefty build of the R.A.T. 9 in general. The Naga Epic has a nice shape to it, but it feels very lightweight.
From a more cosmetic point of view, the Naga Epic also features LED lighting that shines through the keypad numbers, the scroll wheel, and the logo underneath the wrist rest. You can even use Razer's configuration software to pick from 16 million different colors for the LED. The R.A.T. 9 doesn't have that kind of lighting, either, but then we'd also guess that rarely has an LED contributed to faster damage output or a higher kill rating.
Basic Specs
| Product Description | Razer Naga Epic Mouse |
| Device Type | Mouse |
| Dimensions (WxDxH) | 3 in x 4.6 in x 1.6 in |
| Connectivity Technology | Wired - USB, Wireless - 2.4 GHz |
| Wireless Receiver | USB wireless receiver |
| Movement Detection Technology | Laser |
| Buttons Qty | 17 |
| Movement Resolution | 5600 dpi |
| Performance | 1 ms response time |
| Features | Programmable buttons, Scrolling wheel |
| Cables Included | 1 x USB cable - External |
| OS Required | Apple MacOS X or later, Microsoft Windows Vista / XP / 7 |
User Reviews
Average User Rating: 3.5 / 5
User Rating Breakdown
5 Star: 3
4 Star: 0
3 Star: 2
2 Star: 1
1 Star: 0
The best MMO mouse on the market.
Rating: 4.5 / 5
on November 19, 2011
1 out of 1 users found this review helpful
Pros: Rock solid responsiveness, smooth movement, quality software and drivers. Allows full control of inputs for both buttons and tracking speeds. Lighting schemes are customizable, from single colors to a rotating pattern, brightness is also adjustable.
Cons: High price, although the Naga Epic can often be found for under its suggested retail price. As noted by the reviewer, the button layout requires adjustment to an user's normal pattern of use. People looking for a weighted mouse may not like the feel.
Summary: Quite simply, the Razer Naga Epic is the best MMO mouse on the market. The customization is top-notch and the build is rock solid, if a bit light.
This is a mouse built to a specific purpose, and it shows throughout. The included pinky-side inserts, and button guides allow the mouse to be fit to the individual user. Addons for games like World of Warcraft are also available for the Naga, and greatly enhance the user experience in those games.
The learning curve for the Naga series of mice is very dependent on the user. Some people will adapt to the button layout and usage in just a few hours, others will literally take months to master it. However, if you're serious about your MMO play, and would benefit from having 17 buttons at your command without taking your hand off your mouse -- the Razer Naga was built for you.
The Naga-series of mice are also outstanding gaming mice in general, but some people may prefer weighting options that the Naga just doesn't have. The Naga will make playing World of Warcraft, League of Legends or many other games that make use of extensive controls more fun -- once you master the layout of the keys, you can focus on the game screen and not look down at the command bar as much.
Bottom line, if you're looking for an MMO mouse -- stop here, you've found the best one available. The Razer Naga offers the best features, and the most usable buttons of any gaming mouse out there.
The definitive "gaming: mouse
Rating: 5 / 5
on August 7, 2011
1 out of 1 users found this review helpful
Pros: 17 buttons, huge wireless range, perfect response time, customizable grips, rechargeable, ability to go wireless or hardwired to recharge so no down time for batteries to recharge.
Cons: 12 side buttons take a while (few hours to get use to) and you may feel like you can't really hit them all effectively. I doesn't have an I win Button!!
Summary: When I read the bottom line on this review I was pretty appalled, the mouse is marketed as a "mmo gaming mouse" and it does this job better than any mouse out there on the market today, MMO's require you to have 20-30+ Commands to hit at any given time, this mouse partnered with the Anansi keyboard gives you the power to hit 84 buttons with 2 thumbs.
One of the best options this mouse gives is the ability to charge while corded, when the warning light hits or if it dies, it takes only 2 secs to plug in to get back into the action.
I love it, works great and feels great!
Rating: 5 / 5
on August 4, 2011
0 out of 0 users found this review helpful
Pros: I love that you can change out the side grips for better customization of movement type, and of course the side buttons are epic.
Cons: there are none that I have noticed.
Summary: Awesome product, a must buy and I'm a true gamer.
You Will Be Seriously Disappointed
Rating: 2 / 5
on August 21, 2012
0 out of 1 users found this review helpful
Pros: Macro's, keybinds, button placement...in other words the entire concept is a great idea just make one that works properly.
Cons: Buttons not working, macros malfunctioning, software suite that will flare up whenever it wants and force a system shutdown, fragile physique, physical button sensitivity, responsiveness, as inaccurate as the Iraqi navy.
Summary: It must be me...i originally bought the Logitech MX Revolution and was so mesmerized from having such a HUGE price tag on a such a HUGE piece of trash that I figured I couldn't be beat twice but 100+ mice....well go figure, this mouse sucks period. I've had more frustration and more switching back to my old wireless (go figure more precise / reliable / non-screwup type) cheap-o logitech that really just makes everything better. I'm through with performance mice after this. These companies just rob people with crap parts from China and a markup that makes my butthole pucker...dump this company if you own stock...if you're at the store reading this, leave....with one exception, the Anansi keyboard (suprisingly works, but DOES have some issues however they are nothing compared to this pure trashbag of buttons they call the Naga)...this mouse sucks.. Read someplace this is the flagship of their company....the equivalent is Microsoft Blazing a flag of Windows Vista "we'll pi$$ you off with hours of frustration and forever continue to ignore our user base"....speaks volumes for this flop...don't buy it.
cons continued - in depth:
Macro's somehow garbling up and not working appropriately upon random attempts...my delays are fine, stop telling me to change my delays...what works once as a prerecorded selection of keys should work just the same in the exact same environment, but they seem to have messed this up too.
Buttons not working. Mouse sensitivity (not the cursor, the actual buttons that depress when I breath on them). Inaccuracy (I'm on my 10 thousandth configuration attempt and am giving up, going to purchase whoever is this competitor, it can never be this terrible of a product, jittery, sloppy, unresponsive does NOT work for Microsoft word, let alone any game).
This mouse has caused nothing but stress to me.
Rating: 2.5 / 5
on May 14, 2012
0 out of 1 users found this review helpful
Pros: Side key pad.
Cons: Keys stop working.
Left and right clicker switch or stop working all together.
Number keys stop working.
If you open the mouse to clean it you cant return it.
Scroll wheel sucks.
Top buttons by the left clicker stop working.
Summary: I used this mouse for Arena and raiding. Not only did the clicker stop working so i couldn't strafe out of LoS but it decided to blow my CD macro out of no where. Then to make it all better the key bind i choose to have my main heal on stops working mid raid. For a mouse made soley for gaming and to enhance your gaming its done nothing but give me a headache.
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| Store | In Stock | Price |
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| TheNerds.net | Yes | $127.99 |
| PCNation.com | Yes | $127.33 |
| NCIXUS | Yes | $129.99 |
