UtechSmart Venus Gaming Mouse RGB Wired, 16400 DPI High Precision Laser Programmable MMO Computer Gaming Mice [IGNs Recommendation]

I own two of the previous wired model of this mouse (work & home). I love it. My wife bough the wireless version recently and loved it as well. I then bought the wireless version for work so I wouldnt have to have my go to meetings mouse in addition to my main wired mouse. The pricing (on both versions) is also very reasonable. There are good & bad between the models. There are aspects to the new software that I like and some that I dislike. The wired version was hampered by having to use older software to get all the functionality. This one can use the new software. Lighting: There are additional lighting effects that were not available on the wired version. These features are still lacking in variety and options, but that is a minor complaint. Specifically, while plugged in it pulses a color (based on battery charge) rather than the light setting chosen. Id love to just use it wired when at my desk and wireless when off to meetings and such. I love the light color cycling and miss that when it is plugged in. Weight Compartment: The wired version had the bottom compartment with additional weights. This version is lacking that and thus a bit lighter than I am used to. While I liked the heavier weight it isnt a deal breaker for me. Software: The software, while newer, has fewer options for programming the keys compared to the older version. The older version had a ton of pre-made keys that were easy and available. You can get to the same functionality, but you have to add them as key combinations. An example was the old software had a pre-done entry for copy, paste, and other basic functions. On this one I had to manually create a ctrl + c hotkey. Again, not a huge issue for me, but I could see it being less useful for others who may not have an idea of what to put on all the keys. It certainly felt like a step backwards on that aspect. I suspect this has to do with them storing the profile on the mouse directly rather than in a file. Profiles: The software not having the profiles or way to toggle between them was odd. There is no indicator for which profile you are on. The button on the bottom to toggle profiles just felt odd as well. This might be worth the trade-off for having the two profiles on the mouse though. I absolutely hated that I couldnt convert my current profile onto the new mouse (.pdf profile in older version vs .jmk in this one). This forced me to re-create all my macros and re-assign them. Again, not a deal breaker as it is a one time setup and only impacts people with prior versions. Note, the software is PC only. You can set the mouse up on a Windows machine, it stores the profiles on the mouse, then you can use the mouse without issue on a Mac. Misc: The slot for the dongle on the bottom of the mouse is a bit odd. It sticks out just far enough that you cant use the mouse with the wired charger while the dongle is put in the mouse for storage. I dont understand why they didnt do the recessed tabs on top/bottom of it so you could grip it to pull the dongle out (like most other dongle storage layouts are). I suspect it is mostly a non-issue since you dont remove the dongle while you have it plugged in, it just seemed like an odd design choice (maybe something they can fix in the next hardware revision/version). The Good: Good size that fits hand very comfortably with the nice textured finish Good quantity of buttons to program High precision with adjustable DPI to get mouse movements just right Multiple profiles for different tasks Better lighting options compared to prior versions profiles stored on mouse (limit 2) The Less Good: no additional weight compartment in wireless version (wired version has it) lighting options, while better, are still underwhelming lighting option when plugged in is not existent less pre-created macro/key options in software compared to earlier versions (can manually create for functionality, just lose the ease of it) The Bad nothing that would sway my purchase decision Summary: This is a great mouse for the price. It is very comfortable to use and ticks off all the quality items needed for a functional mouse for gaming or customization of buttons. The software is its greatest weakness, but not detrimental to the point where it has a functional impact (just the area they should focus more effort on). I back this up with this wireless mouse version being my third of this style/brand of mouse for my own use (2 wired, 1 wireless) plus my wifes use of both the wired and wireless version too. Mac users need to be aware of the software limitation so they can get it setup on a Windows machine first, then theyll be ready to go.

My Logitech G600 bit the dust after five long, hard years of usage, so I sought for a replacement. At the time, the G600 faced supply issues and was nowhere to be found, except on eBay for exorbitant prices. So i went with this; the price was similar to that of the G600 and it had all the side buttons I need. Mind you, I dont really use the side buttons when playing games, but instead I use them for power multi-tasking features, such as file operations, volume and media playback control, opening applications, scripts, and macros- whatever I need to do quickly with my thumb, I need at least 12 buttons. Its a huge boost to my productivity. The mouse is similar in shape and feel to the G600. While its quite a bit lighter, the grip and feel (which any MMO mouse will forever change the way you grip any mouse) didnt take me long at all to adjust, close to instant. Theres the same grip corner for you to press your pinky finger against, your thumb sits between the first two sets of thumb buttons (1 thru 6), pointer and middle finger are resting on the left and right mouse buttons respective and its comfortable to easily switch between clicking and scrolling, and theres also an indentation for your ring finger to rest on. Its really comfortable. The response of the mouse is great, really sensitive and precise. Have been able to play all of the games I was accustomed to playing on my G600 easily with this mouse. The software that it requires is actually quite decent, more than decent. You can control the LED lighting (various lighting effects, changing colors, turning the effects off or just turning the lighting off completely) adjust the DPI (the arrow buttons beneath the scroll wheel allow you to set five different levels of DPI adjustment), adjust double-click speed and various other things, but whats the most-impressive is the remappable button assignments, even blowing Logitechs software out of the water. You can assign volume control (up/down/mute), media playback control (next/previous track, stop, play/pause) file management (cut, copy, paste) to even more advanced things like opening, closing and switching windows, changing web browser pages, running macros (!) and swapping profiles. The macro editor is very simple to use and supports delaying keystrokes. Something Ive noticed is that the button assignments are stored in the mouse itself, not the software. The software may be Windows-only, but I switch over to Linux on my computer and the mouses button assignments stick, and function on Linux as intended! Huge props for that. If I were to name a few setbacks, the scroll wheel is the first component of the mouse that wears out. Despite regular maintenance and cleaning, it starts to feel really tacky as if its sliding against something, producing friction and it becomes clunky to scroll at times. It also lacks a tilting scroll wheel, like the G600, where you can physically move the scroll wheel left or right as two more additional buttons; I used that feature all the time for navigating pages back and forth; was a huge finger saver. For the price, it is a great buy, and should the current mouse I am using wear out, become defective or just needs replacement, I wouldnt hesitate to buy this again.

I normally use the Razer Naga but lately it just feels like Razer is upping their price points and going down on quality for some reason. Ive noticed a lot in the Razers that the mouse ends up hanging a lot which can be quite frustrating in the middle of games so when my mouse finally broke I opted not to pay 90+ bucks for the same mouse again that I would always fear would just end up having the same problem. So I scoured the internet for similar mice as Ive grown pretty fond of and cant live without, the side keypad, there were quite a few mice out there but I was looking to try something new for relatively cheap since I was switching to a mouse I had never tried before, there were a few and all had positive and negative reviews, the typical anxiety hit because I had no clue how to choose between them all, but I, on a whim, decided to go with this one. I overall love this mouse and have very few complaints. Its about the same size as a naga, maybe slightly bigger, or if not bigger the design makes it a little wider. I have small hands so its not ideal but its also not so big that its a problem and I can easily get used to it while Im getting used to the new structure of the mouse as I knew I would have to do anyway. The buttons are a little stiffer but I have to preface this with a right now, they might loosen up as I use them and I really dont think its a big deal and I think thats kind of where their price point difference starts to come in to play. The texture of the mouse is nice, it isnt smooth like the naga but it is matte, its a little rough but I kind of dig that texture XD and they include these little grips with the mouse that are smooth and a little gel-like which is really cool of them to provide. They also included a little card with a usb which included the software, which was pretty cool since I had read in several places where they had to go on to their website to download the software. The software did pop up for my anti-virus but I took a chance and downloaded it anyway as Ive seen nothing really harmful come from it from other users and after downloading it everything seemed fine, I ran several checks and nothing malicious seemed to be there. The software itself is awesome, its really easy to use and is extremely customizable from color to dpi to cursor sensitivity and scroll speed as well as several other things. The only thing I wish I could do is change the dpi light because it stands out like a sore thumb if you change the color of your mouse, also not a deal breaker for me though as its just an aesthetic and while I like being able to customize things I bought this mouse for functional purposes. I havent used it very long so I cant say if the mouse will have long term problems but right now it works incredibly, its everything I was looking for and my last complaint is I think one that many people have posted on here and its that the little button off to the left side doesnt work, it counts as a left mouse button click. Ive read that you can fix this yourself if you are handy with wires or know someone who is and at some point I might try to do so but I do think maybe its worth bumping the mouse up a couple of bucks to fix guys :P though still not a huge deal breaker for me, its just one keybind to adjust until I can fix it. However, again for the price point I was expecting the mouse to be a big flop, so its pretty great!

I have small hands and most mice (?) Ive used have been unwieldy for my hand. I have been looking for a fairly small mouse with at least 9 buttons and have tried a lot of them. I saw a review that said they had small hands and recommend this mouse so I decided to try it. It is completely perfect (for now, things may change over time). I received this mouse about a month ago and have been using it gaming and I love it. I also have a neurological problem that is sometimes worse on some days and adjusting the dpi to my daily needs is truly lovely. Its not as ergonomic as my vertical mouse, but it is definitely more useful. This is a must have mouse for any small handed person.

So I bought this mouse about a year ago (May 2021) and used it pretty heavily since then. Im always looking for the perfect mouse though, whether wired or wireless, and have tried a few others since then. Ultimately I keep going back to this Venus Pro RGB wireless. Its very comfortable, and I have a smallish hand and tend to use something close to a claw grip. It feels good under my hand, with all the buttons pretty easy to reach. Ill admit, I dont really use all the side buttons --- it has a ton (12 specifically, with feels like a ton to me) --- using just the lower front and lower back (the 1 and the 10) for home/end shortcuts. I also have to use it on a mousepad with a wrist rest, and still feels nice to use. The software took a bit to figure out, as before this I had used a wired version of this mouse. I forget now which version of the software I had to use to access all the features for lighting and DPI adjustments, but once I had the right version its worked well ever since. It has a good range of DPI settings, the ability to change just about every button function (macros, keyboard keys like Home, forward/back navigation, etc), and several lighting options with preset and choose-your-own colors. (The side 12 buttons dont change to match the chosen color though, but they do seem to change to complement your color). The battery life seems to be really good as well. I have forgotten a few times to turn it off at night and come back the next day to find that it must conserve power pretty well by going into lower power mode, even though the lighting remains on. Overall, this wireless mouse was definitely worth the money. Every other mouse Ive used seems to lack something that this one has. Logitech, Corsair, and Razer mice always give me problems, but this one by a less famous company does it right.

I LOVE the button click which is why I gave this mouse 3 stars. I pretty much hate everything else about it. Issue 1: Ergonomically its fine as long as I never have to lift it off my mouse pad. It is NOT designed to be easy to lift (I have NO weights installed). The shape forces me to grip it hard just to lift it. I have to catch the tiny little vertical surface on the thumb side or hold onto the multi-button surface neither of which is a good thing. The small finger side has a rounded surface which gives no good purchase for lifting. This is a ONE STAR feature. Issue 2: The surface is pebbly and . . . SLICK . . . which adds to the lift grip difficulty. Teflon is a slick surface. It is NOT grippy despite the pebbly finish. My last mouse had rigged rubber grippy surfaces for lifting that were awesome. With the gentlest of grips I could live and move that mouse. This one . . . not happening. With the same gentle grip that would allow my previous mouse to be lifted and moved this one shifts and slides in my hand. Issue 3: The thumb buttons. No. Just no. Theyre small, too close together and not tactilely distinct. For my short little thumb (wide hands, short digits) its just not a good thing. My thumb joint hurt just playing through one round of Bitterfrost. And finally . . . the software comes on a weird little flash drive that comes as part of a credit card sized piece of plastic. After much searching online I finally figured out that bit that says press here IS the flash drive. It snaps OUT of the surrounding plastic. Weirdest thing Ive ever seen. Completely insufficient instruction. So, except for the very nice button click, this is a one-star mouse. Shape and surface texture/material, button placement, number of buttons and their location . . . completely one star. UPDATE: UTechSmart contacted me offering me $ for a new mouse. Ive already purchased a mouse that works adequately but the gesture is appreciated. Heres my response. When giving meaningful feedback theres always a desire to placate and pacify. I want to avoid both of those tendencies. I dont think anything but the absolute truth will help UTechSmart improve this product. I think mouse designers have a difficult problem, designing a mouse to suit everyone. Its simply not possible for one mouse to do every job because not everyone uses their mouse in the same way and the range of people shapes are wildly varied. I have wide hand and short fingers. My primary mouse use is to play Guild Wars 2. My game-play style is closer to pvp than to anything open world. I also program (php/mysql). Whatever I get that works for gaming will work for programming. A plain two/three button mouse is perfectly adequate for programming but will not work for gaming. In the search for the perfect mouse, Ive tried quite a few. Ive read hundreds of reviews. I have only found one mouse that gets close to satisfying my needs for a gaming mouse, the Anker Gaming Mouse (discontinued). I need a mouse that has convenient and easy to use buttons in numbers sufficient to assign a button to every available movement. This does not evenly remotely apply to the UTechSmart. The number of buttons is sufficient but the placement is not suited to fast and accurate use. The thumb button locations would require months of training to get all the button locations coded into muscle memory. They are small and closely packed and I will freely admit I dont have the necessary level of patience assuming I could reach all the buttons with my short little thumb. It appears to be best suited to use with technical software, drawing, architecture and the like. The Anker wasnt a perfect mouse. It had its problems. It had one button I could not reach without repositioning my hand and awkwardly reaching for it (little finger side of the mouse). I put this button on ignore. In addition to the standard roll forward/backward, it had a click (down) function and a left and right press I assigned to strafe. This combo button could not take any rough handling. I trashed this button on my first Anker and knew it had to be treated gently on my replacement Anker. The three thumb buttons, separated into a triangle, allowed for jump (outside side of thumb), forward and backward. This configuration was PERFECT allowing me to run forward and backward while jumping. Whether a person had long or short fingers, the buttons were universally accessible. I now have a RedDragon M801. It isnt as good as the Anker mouse but its not too horribly far behind. It has three fewer buttons so in addition to losing the unused button Ive lost right and left strafe. The three thumb buttons are not as usefully placed though they have adequately textured making it easy to tell them apart by feel. Because they are in a line I have to stretch awkwardly to reach them all comfortably. I am not yet at the point where pressing each one is embedded in muscle memory but after four weeks Im very close. This button placement will always be more awkward to use. Ano

Wireless Version Review: After many years, it was finally time to replace my beloved wired Venus gaming mouse. The left click button was consistently double clicking when I only clicked once, but after 7 years everything else was still working great including all the other buttons and profiles in the software. Unfortunately when I bought the same mouse last year, the software and drivers no longer work and made using the profiles and changing settings in the UtechSmart application impossible. I decided to go back to my old (although dysfunctional) one and this year decided to try the wireless version. Set up was surprisingly easy given how much trouble I had last time, I really like how the software and drivers come on a usb flashdrive now instead of on the website or a mini disc. This ensures you have some drivers that should make the mouse work in its most basic iteration. It worked as soon as I plugged it in, and the flash drive as well. You can only have two profiles with the wireless version (and switch between then using the button on the bottom of the mouse), but all the buttons are still programmable and you can the light settings on the mouse or turn them off entirely if you dont like the feature or want to save battery, and you can do this on both the app or the mouse itself. The light also goes into sleep mode until you move it again if you dont use it for awhile but leave the mouse on. One thing I dont like is that I think it was easier to program the buttons in the old version, now you have to use macros multi-key input if you want to set hotkeys for buttons that arent already in its drop down menu. The buttons and scroll wheel feel as nice as I expected. The side buttons are a little less mushy than the wired version, but to be honest that never bothered me much. I dont play competitive games and like having a mouse like this for MMOs and sandbox games like Ark that have a lot of actions that we can hotkey. Overall I think this mouse will still fit my needs and I have always loved the design. The only other mouse Ive ever seen that was similar is by Razr but their products have always felt really cheap for how expensive they are. This mouse is half the price and feels a lot nicer. The slightly rubberized texture feels nice in the hand and wears well over time. The curve is very ergonomic for my average to smallish sized hands. Im really happy to have found a version that still works for me. Below is my original review for the wired version from 2015, not sure it combines them and Im unable to write a separate/new review. I have been using this mouse for about 10 months. Im not sure when exactly but at some point it started to turn off and on if I accidentally bumped the USB part of the cable when it was plugged in. For the longest time I thought it was just my computers USB port (the mouse and cable itself still look physically perfect and I took very good care of it) but over the last few weeks it started to do it quite frequently when even just moving the mouse and eventually it stopped turning on all together when plugged in. At that point I realized it had been the cord all along as it would not turn on no matter what USB port I plugged it into. I had purchased an extended warranty when I bought the mouse but when I called the provider they directed me to contact the manufacturer first as they offer an 18 month warranty. It was a bit difficult to find any contact information on the UtechSmart website (and all I did find was an email address) but I was pleasantly surprised by the level of customer service I received in response. They responded within 24 hours (they were more responsive at night which I thought was a bit weird but this worked well with my schedule) and after a few email questions back and forth over the next business day agreed to send me a replacement. The replacement was sent within one business day and was sent with One Day shipping. Needless to say I was very happy as I had already been without a working mouse for my gaming for a few days. The new mouse seems to be working perfectly but there are a few differences Ive noticed from the first one I received 10 months ago that I think are worth noting. The braided cord feels more durable now, the profile color selection now changes the scroll button glow as well, and the texture of the mouse itself has changed. Previously it had a smooth grip texture which I really liked but the new one has a rough/grainy texture which caught me off guard at first. After a few hours I actually came to like it better than the smooth grip the mouse had before. I have read some of the previous views as well and wanted to comment on the mouse and software itself. I have never used a Razer mouse but based on a previous experience with their products and some feedback from my friends I have never been impressed with their quality or durability (a console controller should not break after two months of normal use). I dont really play competitive online games but this mouse has been great for the games I do play (Dragon Age, Rebel Galaxy, Skyrim, Guild Wars 2, etc). I wanted a quality mouse with tons of side buttons to make it easier to get to and use a lot of skills quickly. This mouse has worked out perfectly for that. Yes, the buttons may be considered a bit squishy compared to some of the name brand mice as they are not mechanical but the keys are easy to reach and work well, after a few hours your thumb develops the muscle memory to use the side buttons without issue. Yes, you may not have quite as much control over the settings as you would with one of the name brand mice. However there are still tons of settings you do have control over and I found the software very intuitive and easy to use (especially considering I have not had much experience using these settings in the past). I love the glow feature because it helps me remember to change profiles depending on which game I want to play and its also just aesthetically pleasing (lol!). Like all the other reviewers have said the mouse is also just super ergonomic, it is probably one of the most comfortable gaming accessories I have ever used. If you are on a budget but need a new gaming mouse this is definitely a great option. For the price, quality and level of customer service I would definitely buy again and recommend to any of my friends who are considering a customize-able gaming mouse. Update: Two years later and this mouse is still working great. I havent had any issues with ghosting or dpi like some other users have mentioned. I would highly encourage any users with these issues to contact the manufacturer to see about a replacement, every once in a while there will be a lemon. Update 5 Years Later: I have been regularly using this mouse every day for five years now with zero problems, I am actually really surprised. The cable has held up well, and Im considering replacing it with the same model just because mine has gotten kind of gunky and gross from so many years of use. Still love this mouse. Update July 2021: I did end up purchasing a new one, but unfortunately the drivers are broken and dont recognize the mouse when you go into the customization software. Luckily my old mouse still works so when I plugged it back in, all of my settings were still saved on the old mouse which means this is an issue with the new model. In researching this issue seems to have been going on for a few months now, I hope they fix it soon. It does work as a normal mouse, but if youre buying it for its intended purpose (gaming) you wont be able to change the settings to fit your preferred keybinds/button configurations. Very disappointed and contemplating returning and waiting to see if a new version comes out.

This mouse is well worth the price. The buttons are just the right size to click with your thumb and the pressure needed to press them make them easy enough to press in tense moments while also making mistakes fairly rare. I use the back of my thumb to press the last column and this even works pretty well. The rapid fire button feels quite nice to press as well. The scroll wheel is segmented but also smooth. Minor complaints include the fact that I am not a huge fan of the sandpaper feel on the left/right buttons and on the edge. In particular, I found that my ring/pinky fingers started to feel chafed by it when first using it, though I believe use of the device quickly wore it in and I no longer get this feeling. I do also wish the thumb rest was extended a bit further out from the mouse. I do not use it that often, but it is not really wide enough to fit the entire thumb without it hanging off the edge. I love that the mouse is wireless, as I could never get used to the cord snag that occurs with wired models, though it can also be used with a wire if that is your preference. The battery life is superb. I can forget to charge it for days at a time and it will still have juice. The sleep mode activates pretty quickly after not using the mouse for a period of time and will automatically awaken after any movement/button presses and will register said input. The two DPI buttons are placed in a nice spot and there are four red lights, or the absence of light, which indicate five different profiles. These are set to 1000/2000/4000/8000/16000 by default, but you can set them to whatever your preference is. As I find any lights on my mouse/keyboard distracting, I set my preferred DPI on the lowest profile. That said, the RGB lights on the mouse are great. The thumb buttons look particularly cool when it is shining through them. If you want to show off a cool new mouse, this is the one for you. The program for this mouse is also pretty great and easy to understand. The default profile for the thumb buttons sets them to 1-0 on the number row and -/+ on the number pad. Im not sure why they decided to use the numpad rather than the number row for the last two, as I have played games which contain item slots on the latter number row keys, though they are easily remappable in the program or in-game. The program allows for importing/exporting profiles, which is necessary if using more than two. The profile switch button on the bottom can cycle between the default, which is itself remappable, and an imported profile. The program also allows the user to design macros which is very convenient for the sake of productivity. For gaming, the number row mapping already makes perfect sense for many games. Even though I do not really play MMO games, I found that being able to swap weapons in GTA and items/shouts in Skyrim with the touch of a button was quite an improvement over using the number row, which takes fingers that could be pressing other keys and has an inconveniently placed second half for the left hand to reach. Of course, you can feel free to map it to whichever buttons you want. I also personally use this for video editing and general productivity shortcuts on my PC and I can report that it is excellent for both. My left hand has to move around far less than what it used to, and overall things feel more balanced. Overall extremely pleased with my decision to purchase this mouse and recommend it to anyone who wants a versatile instrument for any of a multitude of computing needs. EDIT: I have dropped this review to four stars because of an issue with the scroll wheel. After having the mouse on for some time the scroll wheel takes two notches to start scrolling in the opposite direction (for instance, if I am scrolling down and I try to scroll up the first notch on the wheel that is scrolled up will do nothing). If I turn the mouse off and then on again it will return to normal, but will, in time, begin to act up again. It is rather minor, but is quite annoying. And I can see this being a detriment in games. I have reached out to Utechs support and have not gotten a response. I am trying again. If my issue is resolved I will return the review to five stars. EDIT: I managed to get in contact with them through the email for the gift inside the box. They were very nice and sent me a new one. While the second one was on the way, my original somehow started working again. I can only surmise that it has something to do with being kept on for a long enough period of time, rather than being turned off and on again after acting up. Anyhow, I am pleased that it has started working again and that I now have a backup in case it messes up once more, and am now raising it back to five stars!

I moved to this mouse from a Razer Naga 2014. I must say that I prefer the Venus for a variety of reasons. I like the Venus so much, I sold my Naga to a buddy for $45. This review will compare and contrast the two, as I was unable to find a review that discussed a few things I had questions about. Weight: I prefer a heavy mouse. With that in mind, the Naga felt surprisingly light in my hands, almost to the point of being cheap. It weighs only slightly more than the Naga with no weights inside the carrier. Surface: The surface of the Naga was very nice. I actually liked it quite a bit, though I must say I find the surface of the Venus to have more grip. The slick looking portion on actually grips quite well when my hand starts to heat up. The surface of the Venus does need to be cleaned much more frequently, though. It is quite convenient, then, that is much easier to clean than the Naga surface. Overall Construction: The plastic the Venus is made out of seems to be a bit thicker, but just may be slightly less rigid (in a good way). In addition to this, I prefer the shape of the Venus. The Naga felt good when I would first rest my hand on it, yet my hand would ache after extended gaming sessions. I think the Nagas palm rest just didnt quite fit me right. Also of note: the Naga is a $80 that does not even possess event the smallest amount of on-board memory for storing default button mappings (more on this point later). Buttons: This is the primary reason for this style of mouse. The side buttons on the Naga win... by far. A quick click, with just the right resistance. Middle row just slightly raised at one end or the other, to feel where your thumb is on the pad. This is the best feature of the Naga. The Venus side buttons are not bad, just not as good. Pressing the Venus side buttons results in a slightly muted, but satisfying click that requires more force than the Naga. I do like that the Venus has a button just to the left of the primary mouse button, but the Naga has a tilting scroll wheel. Both put the forward/back buttons behind the mouse wheel. Software/Button Mapping: This is where the Nagas feature set is absolutely unacceptable for me. Razer Synapse 2.0 requires you to register to utilize any functionality. This includes button mapping and even local backup of profiles created. As the Naga is recognized by OS and treated as a mouse, with the side buttons registering as 1 through = on the top row, not installing the drivers might be an option. An issue arises, though, because the default mapping (without drivers installed) maps the mouse wheel tilt left/right to scroll up/down, respectively. This eliminates 2 buttons on the mouse when Razer software is not used. This is why on-board memory would be useful. Razer requires you to login to their driver software with your registered account to access your profiles if you wish to use your Naga on another computer. It should also be noted that you have to login to the driver software and be online to backup and restore profiles saved to the local computer. Seriously. On top of all of this, Razer has no plans for Linux drivers. Needless to say, I was disappointed to find that I paid more for limited functionality. The Venus has simple driver software that looks a bit outdated, but works. The Venus also has on-board memory, for 5 profiles. This is important to me, because I was able to install the driver software, configure my preferred button mapping, save this button mapping to the mouse, back up the mouse config to my HDD, and then uninstall the driver software and have my mouse function consistently, regardless of the operating system I boot into. A final note on Lighting. The Venus has more options for lighting than the Naga. The emblem lighting can be on/off/pulse while the Naga only allows off/pulse. I believe it is the same for the side buttons and headlights, but dont quote me on that. I sold the Naga months ago. Colors for the emblem, side buttons, and headlights can be selected from a pallet, with varying shades of luminosity on the Venus. Naga says no, you get green. I was able to match the green on my Razer Tournament Edition very closely. The lighting on the mouse wheel is not configured in this way. There are 5 presets, for the 5 profiles stored on the mouse. These are accessed via software, or a button on the bottom of the mouse. This makes for a strong, consistent indication of the profile one is working in. It should also be noted that any button can be configured for the profile button, if one wishes, not just the bottom one.

Im giving this a 5 star review but really its at maybe 4.5 only because the driver installation made me nervous. When you open the packaging and finally manage to open the USB (it flips out by the way, doesnt pull out but I do love the card shape and having it hold the drive software), it links to a google drive where you can download the software. My antivirus software flagged it as potential malware. A company like this could at a minimum make sure there certifications are verified so that anti-virus software doesnt flag it. I installed anyway and so far everything works great. The mouse can be super sensitive (as intended) so I personally like the sensitivity to be at 2 out of 4 bars. I like that you can control the sensitivity with a button on the mouse. All the buttons are easily programmable and the software (once installed) is easy to use. I like that you can change the light color and so far everything works well and feels really durable. Its a great mouse at a great price point. Just fix the certificate on the software please. downloading from a google drive form already feels sketchy and then having my antivirus flag it made me very uneasy.