Razer's Taipan might be your ideal Mac gaming mouse
When it comes to gaming mice, it's not entirely surprising that it's close to impossible to find a mouse that even remotely fits the aesthetic of Apple. The Razer Taipan is one of the rare gaming mice that is offered in such a shade, and if I'm being completely honest, its creamy white paintjob is one of the things I love most about it. But it's not all about looks, and thankfully -- aside from a few niggles -- the Taipan is great piece of gaming hardware in function as well as form.
Specifications
8200dpi 4G laser sensor
Ambidextrous form factor
9 programmable Hyperesponse buttons
1000Hz Ultrapolling
Up to 200 inches per second / 50g acceleration
Length: 124mm / 4.88"
Width: 63mm / 2.48"
Height: 36mm / 1.42"
Design
The Taipan is an ambidextrous mouse, meaning it's symmetrical. Whether or not you'll appreciate this design choice is a matter of personal preference, but if you're used to something like the SteelSeries Rival or Razer Naga, it will take some getting used to.
The color of the review unit, as previously mentioned, is a gorgeous white, though the Taipan is also available in black. The mouse surface, save for the rubberized grips on either side, is glossy, which can often spell trouble for gamers with particularly sweaty hands. Luckily, the grips are extremely comfortable and contoured in such a way that even long, intense play sessions didn't cause me any tactile trouble. If you're absolutely against the idea of a glossy mouse, the black version of the Taipan has a matte finish, which may be more to your liking.
In terms of aesthetics, It's an undeniably appealing design from front to back. At just 36mm tall, it's significantly flatter than the 43mm height of Razer's own Naga, and it's also longer. The sleeker form is great for big hands, and while I've had cramping issues with many mice in the past, that was not a factor in my testing of the Taipan.
There's a pair of programmable buttons on either side of the mouse, above each of the rubberized grips. The fact that the mouse is ambidextrous means that while one set of buttons is easy to tap with your thumb, the set on the opposite side is, well, a bit useless. This is really my only complaint about the Taipan's design, as I found myself accidentally tapping the unused side buttons with my ring finger at random times. It was more of an issue early on, but over time my grip adapted and I was able to mostly avoid it.
Functionality
Precise and accurate, the Taipan is classic Razer performance at its best. It employs dual sensors to provide faultless accuracy no matter the play surface. Soft mat, hard mat, tabletop -- it doesn't matter to the Taipan. It's like a world-class runner who doesn't care if they're running on concrete, gravel, grass, or a pond.
The instant DPI adjustments work flawlessly even with zero programming, but if you're willing to get your hands dirty and customize your experience in Razer Synapse 2.0, you'll get an even more personalized feel. It's fantastic.
Conclusion
The Taipan is short on goofy extra features, but as a pure gaming mouse, it's hard to beat. It's sleek and solid with remarkable accuracy in virtually any setting, and the fact that Razer takes Mac gaming seriously enough to provide the full Synapse 2.0 experience on OS X is like icing on an already delicious cake.
A single precariously-placed side button is really the only thing that kept my time with the Taipan from being perfect, but that shouldn't stop you from making it a top priority in your search for a new gaming mouse.
Rating (3.5 out of 4 stars)
